From School Library Journal
Grade 4-8?Through archival black-and-white photographs and full-color lithographs, paintings, posters, drawings, and other illustrative material, these books offer indelible glimpses of their subjects. Immigrants concentrates on the millions of newcomers who came to America between 1870-1920. Images of the journey itself, the ordeal of Ellis Island, life in the cities and in rural communities, and children at play and in school have been selected to capture this complex experience. Brief first-person commentaries by immigrants are highlighted on many pages. Sandler's text is written in the present tense, which gives the photos the effect of being part of a newsreel and provides a "you are there" impression. This title would be a great companion to Russell Freedman's Immigrant Kids (Dutton, 1980). Presidents sparkles with vignettes that reveal the uniqueness of the men to hold the office, as political figures and as private citizens. Pictures of them at leisure, campaigning, and with their families and pets offer a fascinating record of this "profoundly human institution." Brief facts, such as the first president to ride in an automobile (Teddy Roosevelt) and the only one to have a patent issued in his name (Abraham Lincoln), make this book as entertaining as it is informative. Some of the photos are not captioned, and their subjects are not identified in the text. Nonetheless, both of these series entries combine excellent-quality visuals with intriguing sketches, reminiscences, and anecdotes to make history come alive.?Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Gr. 4-8. Browsers and student researchers will be delighted by the wealth of entertaining information and fascinating photographs in the latest title in the Library of Congress Book series. Sandler scoured the collections of the Library of Congress for unusual tidbits about the presidents' hobbies and interests, families, and pets that allow a very different, much more ordinary image of the presidents to emerge. Where else could we learn that Taft had a cow named Pauline that grazed on the White House lawns, that Ford's daughter Susan hosted the first high-school prom held at the White House, that Wilson played golf every day (even in winter) before breakfast, that Coolidge enjoyed dressing up in outlandish costumes and posing for photographers, or that Cleveland and Harrison appeared together in a beer advertisement? The volume is lavishly illustrated with 100 black-and-white and full-color photographs.
Chris Sherman
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
