School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-These attractive volumes provide solid information. Stagecoaches explores transportation in the United States from its first inhabitants to modern times. Industrial Revolution looks at inventions and improvements in technology in the U.S. from 1750 to 1950. Explorers discusses exploration and settlement of North America up to 1890. Immigrants covers the role immigration played in the development of the United States. Strengths consistent throughout the four books include engaging text, well-selected illustrations, a one-paragraph introduction on the contents page that summarizes the scope of the book, and translation of period costs to current dollar values. These texts cover a wide span of time and history; this scope, along with some of the surprising information in the many pull-out boxes, leaves readers wanting more. That is not necessarily a bad thing, as students can follow up with further research on the topics of interest. Each spread is busy with illustrations, engravings, and photos, all with captions so it takes a little work to get a linear historical recounting. Overall, these titles are worthwhile additions.-Stephanie Farnlacher, Trace Crossings Elementary School, Hoover, AL (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Concentrating mostly on America in the nineteenth century, these overviews present their topics on busily designed pages. Lots of text boxes, sidebars, and captioned illustrations and drawings compete for space with the main texts. There's a fair amount of information in each book, but the crowded pages may deter some readers. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. [Review covers these All About America titles: Stagecoaches and Railroads, The Industrial Revolution, Explorers, Trappers, and Pioneers, and A Nation of Immigrants.] (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
The slender volumes in the All about America series survey broad topics in American history. Each book offers 13 highly illustrated double-page spreads that present topics using a few paragraphs of information and related text boxes as well as several color illustrations and five or more captioned illustrations. These include archival photos, drawings, and paintings as well as photos of artifacts and new illustrations. Sources of quotes are sometimes mentioned in the text, but the back matter lacks source bibliographies and notes. From the first people who crossed the land bridge from Siberia to Alaska to 2010 census figures, Immigrants looks at waves of immigration to the U.S. The text is straightforward, though occasionally facile, as in the explanations for the Civil War in the volume titled Industrial Revolution. Still, these highly visual presentations could supplement more tightly focused history books.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist
