November 1, 2008
Gr 3-6-This is one of the more unusual and useful series of the bunch. The books, which are filled with eye-catching graphics, take important historical documents and provide a nearly line-by-line translation that makes a song, speech, or the written word accessible and meaningful. Though the volumes will generally be perfect for newcomers to these topics, some students may be unaware of the context of the less-familiar pieces, such as the Gettysburg Address, and this information is found after the translation.
Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2009
Following a brief context-setting introduction, the complete texts of the title documents are reprinted, surrounded by a paraphrased version of each, photographs and maps, definitions, questions, and additional information. This is a well-conceived concept, though it's likely that some information will get lost on the crowded pages. The concluding chapters provide additional background. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind.
(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)