School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-While these slim books offer historical perspective on aspects of the Civil War period, they also share a dry, pedestrian voice. However, the real flaws rest in the design and use of the illustrations. Most of the pictorial material is generic, some is blurry, and almost all of it is poorly captioned. Many of the etchings have been tinted, which may be an attempt to punch up the books graphically, but they lose their historical authenticity. The maps are adequate if uninspiring, and the decorative element that signals captions and sidebars-torn-edged paper-is mysterious. These sources represent part of a growing trend of publishing high-interest, low-reading level historical material and should be considered supplemental at best.-Dona Ratterree, New York City Public Schools (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Eight brief chapters superficially cover a range of topics about the country, from laws and customs to pets. The book includes a map, fact box, traditional legend, instructions for making a piñata and a game, and a recipe. Large, full-color photos appear on every page. This is an adequate resource for report writers. Directory, reading list. Glos., ind. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.