Connecting the Coasts: The Race to Build the Transcontinental Railroad (Adventures on the American Frontier) - Softcover

Lewis, Norma

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1491401915 ISBN 13: 9781491401910

Publisher: Capstone Press, 2014

Synopsis

Imagine sitting in a basket dangling thousands of feet above the ground drilling a hole into the side of mountain. Then you have to stuff that hole with dynamite and get out of the way before it explodes. This dangerous work was just part of the job for the men who built the Transcontinental Railroad. Lively language, historical photos and illustrations, and primary accounts help readers understand the dangers the workers faced every day while building the Transcontinental Railroad. Meets Common Core critical thinking standards, and provides strong ties to social studies standards on westward expansion.

About this title

About the Author:

Norma Lewis is the author of six books and hundreds of articles, many on the topic of American history, including Alaska and her home state of Michigan. One of her favorite childhood memories is of riding a train from New York to Miami in the middle of winter. She still remembers the snowy slush when she boarded and the summery breeze blowing in her hair when she arrived. It seemed magical, and it sparked a lifelong passion for new places and new experiences.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 3-5-Some of the most exciting, pivotal times in American history are explored in these titles. Each book begins with a hook-a lively anecdote or a climactic situation-to pull readers in. For instance, Discovering the West starts with the Lewis and Clark expedition 16 months into the journey, when the explorers were tired and near starving. The narrative then rewinds and explains how the group of disparate individuals found themselves in this predicament. The text brims with amazing bits of information that are worthy of any "Ripley's" book: for instance, railroad workers were lowered in reed baskets to plant dynamite in the sides of mountains. Occasional sidebars offer "Fun Facts," such as how, during the Gold Rush, stores sold "California gold grease," a concoction that guaranteed that it would draw gold to those who rubbed it on their skin and rolled down the mountain. Solid entries that make history intriguing.α(c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About this edition

• Publisher: Capstone Press
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1491401915
• ISBN 13: 9781491401910
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 32