School Library Journal Review

Gr 6-8-The word "tyrant" is spray-painted on the cover of Robespierre, one of the features of the book designed to appeal to reluctant readers. However, DiConsiglio's history of the French Revolution is somewhat simplified and sensationalized, and is set forth without any explanation of its consequences or its effect on later French history. The riots in Paris are attributed to food shortages and the Third Estate's frustration with the class system, but there is no wholly satisfying explanation of the enormity of the peasants' reaction and the rampage of the sansculottes. The author provides some critical analysis in a final chapter that questions the aptness of the label "wicked," but the point is mooted by the titillating presentation in the rest of the book. Leopold II, King of the Belgians from 1865 to 1909, is usually mentioned as a supporting character in studies of Stanley and Livingstone's African explorations. This study of the monarch begins with the premise that he was "greedy," a word that is splashed across the cover in graffiti-style lettering. This serves to engage readers with the question of how historical figures are viewed, particularly those who are typically depicted as villains, and to give a face to an otherwise impersonal history. In both works, central sections contain black-and-white period illustrations, and there are photographs in Leopold. Additional purchases for hi/lo nonfiction collections.-Rebecca Donnelly, Loma Colorado Public Library, Rio Rancho, NM (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.