Panama Canal - Hardcover

St. George, Judith

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0399216375 ISBN 13: 9780399216374

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile, 1989

Chronicles the story of the Panama Canal's construction and the controversy surrounding the waterway, detailing the enormous labor utilized and the engineers, politicos, and others involved

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About the Author:

Judith St. George has published dozens of successful nonfiction books for children, including the Caldecott Medal-winning So You Want to Be President? and the historical Turning Point series, including You’re On Your Way, Teddy Roosevelt; Stand Tall, Abe Lincoln; and Take the Lead, George Washington. You can visit her online at www.judithstgeorge.com.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 7 Up-- St. George conveys a sense of the immense scope of the building and operation of the Panama Canal in this fine book. She has obviously done a great deal of research, and she presents information about the canal in a way which even readers without background knowledge will be able to understand. She describes in vivid detail the enormous technical and engineering difficulties of the project without lapsing into confusing technical jargon. She also details the war against disease that the builders had to fight, allowing readers to see how hard life was in the tropics before the advent of modern sanitation and medicine. However, the biggest strength of this book is the way in which St. George chronicles the human cost of the canal. She brings the leaders and bosses to life, describing how they helped or hindered the project. Even more interesting are the glimpses into the lives of the workers, many of whom lived in unbelievable squalor. She also describes the relations between the U.S. and Panama, closing with the U.S. decision to relinquish the canal. St. George's writing is consistently good. Black-and-white photos show the scope and difficulties of the project. Maps and drawings help illustrate some of the more difficult technical points. This book offers much more information about the canal and its importance than Panama in Pictures (Lerner, 1987) by English. --Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, Mo.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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