From School Library Journal:
Grade 4-8-These titles focus on two separate eras of westward expansion. Frontier describes life on the Santa Fe, Oregon, and California Trails, along with the sea routes taken by many California-bound adventurers. Dolan conveys some of the excitement that led so many to risk their lives on these journeys, along with the hardships and disappointments they encountered. The emphasis is on the travel experience rather than on any long-range effects of westward settlements. Quotations from journals lend realism and detail to the clear and readable accounts. A chapter devoted to the Donner Party vividly captures the tragedy. Extended shifts to a second-person narrative ("Let's imagine that you're a forty-niner-") are less compelling. Black-and-white photos and reproductions capture the frontier spirit. Land is riveting from start to finish. Though Dust Bowl journeys make up the heart of the book, Meltzer offers a fascinating and valuable historical perspective, effectively relating the plight of farmers to other events in the world. Well-chosen statistics emphasize the devastation of the Dust Bowl, while lengthy first-person descriptions and excellent black-and-white photos, including several by Dorothea Lange, capture the human element. The author quotes not only those who suffered, but also government officials who recognized the suffering and tried to help, clearly describing the challenges faced by both. Stepping a little beyond the "Great Journeys" focus of the series title, Meltzer has produced an excellent piece of history.
Steven Engelfried, Deschutes County Library, Bend, OR
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review:
"Meltzer has produced an excellent piece of history." -- School Library Journal, February 2000
Books in the excellent Great Journeys series highlight great migrations in U.S. history. -- Booklist, March 1, 2000
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