Ten Mile Day: And the Building of the Transcontinental Railroad [Paperback]

Mary Ann Fraser (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

On May 10, 1869, the final spike in North America's first transcontinental railroad was driven home at Promontory Summit, Utah. Illustrated with the author's carefully researched, evocative paintings, here is the story of that great American adventure--and the day Charles Crocker staked $10,000 on the crews' ability to lay a world record ten miles of track in a single, Ten Mile Day.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-- The day that 10 miles of railroad track were laid on the Union Pacific end of the transcontinental railroad was indeed a remarkable one for laborers, suppliers, and organizers. It was never duplicated. Other historians mention this achievement, but Fraser captures the action in brilliantly rendered oils. Her laborers look like workers--not just men standing around. In a few useful sidebars and in informative endpapers, she adds details that enlarge upon and enhance the text. For the full history of 19th-century railroad building--with its problems, politics, people--read Leonard Everett Fisher's Tracks Across America (Holiday, 1992). But Ten Mile Day is in a class by itself. It is a picture-book slice of American history that should pique readers' interest. --George Gleason, Department of English, Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

In the context of building the entire Transcontinental Railroad, a detailed account of April 28, 1869, when--as the result of a $10,000 wager--Central Pacific crews laid a record- setting ten miles of track. In her well-researched text, Fraser incorporates fascinating detail concerning building methods, engineering challenges, and the people involved, while honestly addressing the prejudice faced by Chinese laborers and acknowledging the railroad's role in ending Native Americans' way of life. Making good use of the broad picture-book format, her realistic earth-tone paintings convey the action and a sense of the vastness of the scene and the enormity of the task; endpapers add a map and glossary. An attractive resource. Concluding note; bibliography. (Nonfiction. 8-10) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (March 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805047034
• ISBN-13: 978-0805047035
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 3.7 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #313,857 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #51 in Books > Children's Books > Transportation > Trains
  • #68 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > United States > 1800s

More About the Author

Mary Ann Fraser is the author and/or illustrator of over sixty books for children in fiction and non-fiction, from preschool to middle grade. Most recently she wrote and illustrated PETSHOP LULLABY, MERMAID SISTER and I.Q. GETS FIT. Her awards include a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, Book Links Book of the Year, IRA Young Readers Choice Award, and American Booksellers "Pick of the List." She writes and draws pictures in Southern California where she can garden, hike, and visit the beach twelve months of the year. You can learn more about her at www.maryannfraser.com or visit her blog at http://maryannfraser.wordpress.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, June 5, 2011

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Sandra Adams - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ten Mile Day: And the Building of the Transcontinental Railroad (Paperback)

For our annual Asian-American Month celebration at school, I read this book to my 4th graders. They were very interested and learned something totally new about the US. The illustrations are fabulous!

4.0 out of 5 stars Add a little history for your train buff!, July 25, 2009

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M. Abe "deeper into faith" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ten Mile Day: And the Building of the Transcontinental Railroad (Paperback)

My great-nephew loves trains. When I was looking for Christmas presents, this seemed a way to get him interested in history as well. His mother reports that it worked and he read the book to the end as soon as he got it. Any book that helps kids get into history is great by me!

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great resource for report, May 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Ten Mile Day: And the Building of the Transcontinental Railroad (Paperback)

im a kid i loved this book because believce it or not it gave me seven typed spaces of info on the transcontinetal railroad. i found it agreat source.