From Publishers Weekly
Kay (Gold Fever) tackles another chapter in American history, this time with less success, turning her attention to the building of the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s. Here the rollicking rhyming quatrains that served the theme of the legendary forty-niners so well in Gold Fever are not as effective in relating the history of the railway. From inception ("Railroad barons,/ Visions, dreams./ Thinking, planning,/ Plotting schemes") to completion ("Joined in Utah,/ End of race./ Ceremony,/ Spikes in place"), the events along the way get cursory treatment. Kay's language and meter create an energy that carries the story forward like a briskly chugging engine ("Piercing whistles,/ Shrieking wheels./ Hot steam hissing,/ High-pitched squeals"), but readers may miss the significance of verses like "Survey parties,/ Canvas tents./ Levels, transitsA/ Measurements." McCurdy (The Sailor's Alphabet) fills in many of the gaps with his scratchboard and watercolor illustrations. Their stark beauty has the feeling of old-fashioned woodcuts, their drama heightened by the repetitive use of the color black, which runs through the pages like a visual basso continuo. Whether delineating the peaks of a mountain range, the tall baskets used by Chinese workers to scale stone outcroppings or a trestle bridge crossing a valley, the intricate cross-hatchings and strong linear elements of the artwork echo the ever-expanding line of ties and rails that eventually united East and West. Unfortunately, the book ultimately raises more questions than it answers. Ages 4-8. (June)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-4-Rhythmic text and engaging illustrations capture the drama and excitement of the race to build the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s. Kay uses short phrases and simple rhymes to touch on many aspects of the complex series of events. The need for a better railroad system is neatly introduced with "Huffing, puffing,/Smoking stacks./Screeching, stopping,/End of tracks." "Railroad barons...Plotting schemes" leads to "Survey parties," "Rugged mountains," "Blasting powder," and, eventually, "Joined in Utah,/End of race./Ceremony,/Spikes in place." The careful choice of words results in a narrative that is fairly easy to follow, even for readers unfamiliar with the topic. McCurdy's excellent scratchboard-and-watercolor illustrations flesh out some of the events and offer vivid images that add to the drama. Double-page scenes convey the rugged terrain and the spirited workers, capturing both the hardship and the triumph of the ambitious enterprise. An author's note describes the first transcontinental railroad and includes a map. This book could inspire readers to tackle more thorough histories like Rhoda Blumberg's excellent Full Steam Ahead (National Geographic, 1996), but Iron Horses also succeeds with its intended younger audience, offering just enough information in an exciting, well-paced package.
Steven Engelfried, Deschutes County Library, Bend, OR Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
