School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-8-This book introduces 20 children in extraordinary times, starting in 1607 with Pocahontas and ending in 2001 with 9/11 as experienced by high school senior Jukay Hsu. Laura Ingalls Wilder; John Rankin, Jr.; and Susie Baker, a young slave celebrating her independence in 1863, are among those included. The text and the highly detailed watercolor illustrations are married with numbers in small red boxes keyed to both elements for clarification. The authors use quotations and fictionalized dialogue, distinguishing between the two with quotes and single quotes. (Oddly, this coding is explained on the last spread, so kids won't know the difference as they read the book.) Often, readers will be left wanting to know more and will need to be directed to more in-depth accounts. A good browsing choice for children interested in American history.-Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Double-page spreads present intriguing true stories of Americans throughout history. An impressively diverse group is highlighted, from Pocahontas, to a six-year-old ironworker, to a contemporary Sudanese refugee. The dense text is broken up by numbers that reference specific places in the illustrations, a device that is elucidating in places and confusing in others. Further notes are included at the end. Ind. [Review covers these titles: Journeys for Freedom and Kids Make History.] (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
This fourth entry in the team's series tells 20 stories of young people who made history. From Pocahontas, Sam Collier in James Towne and the Salem witch trials to Malcolm Hooks's nonviolent protests in Birmingham, Ala., and Jukay Hsu and other Stuyvesant High School students volunteering at the Red Cross center on 9/11, this lively and informative volume tells much history through informative vignettes. Each two-page spread includes a small map with a red dot that locates where the story takes place, a dramatic watercolor illustration and a brief essay with red numbers to link text to map. Perfect for daily reading aloud in history class, this useful resource will be a hit with teachers and students alike. (introduction, acknowledgments, notes, index) (Nonfiction. 9-12) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
