The Birth of the Locomotive (1780-1820) (The Railroad in American History)

Mattern, Joanne

ISBN 10: 1612282865 ISBN 13: 9781612282862

Publisher: Mitchell Lane Publishers, 2012

Synopsis

History of the invention of the locomotive for ages 10-13.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Gr 5-8-These books present a technology-focused history of the railroad. Each one is devoted to a specific period, and all are written by different authors, which results in an uneven quality. The three volumes that cover the earliest periods are the weakest, largely because their overly technical discussions about the evolution of steam power and railroad technology, usually without adequate illustration, will be difficult for students to understand, and they fail to fully explain how the Industrial Revolution was driving innovation and invention. The three that discuss the later periods fare better, because they include analysis of the societal and economic changes that the railroad created. There is some repetition among the titles. The authors treat their subjects objectively, and the books are illustrated with a mixture of period and contemporary photos and art and documented with chapter notes and bibliographies. These books do not improve on either Milton Meltzer's well-written Hear That Train Whistle Blow! (Random, 2004), a comprehensive single-title overview with an attractive layout, or Martin Sandler's livelier and people-centered titles in Oxford's "Transportation in America" series (2003). They add little to the field, and should be considered as supplemental report choices.-Mary Mueller, formerly at Rolla Junior High School, MOα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From Booklist:

Travel from coast to coast in the eighteenth century took months by wagon or by ship. Of course, the trip could be shortened across Panama—if yellow fever or robbers didn’t kill you. Complemented by archival photos and reproductions, these titles in the Railroad in American History series show just how revolutionary train transportation became in making travel faster and safer. The Birth of the Locomotive re-creates the excitement of spectators catching their first glimpse of this new technology and presents a detailed history of steam engines and how they came to power locomotives. Interesting asides relate more information on influential individuals and such advancements as time zones across the country to keep trains on schedule. Extensive back matter completes each book. Grades 4-8. --Angela Leeper

About this edition

• Publisher: Mitchell Lane Publishers
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1612282865
• ISBN 13: 9781612282862
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 48