The Fifty States (Facts America Series) - Hardcover

Grade 4-6-- An attractive collective biography that is short on information. Such presidents as Washington and Lincoln, as well as those of the modern era, rate two facing pages; the others get one each. The text is minimal, since most of the pages are covered with illustrations; only three to four paragraphs are devoted to each administration. Although the major events of each presidency are mentioned in an objective manner, the summaries are too brief to be used as historical background or biography. Readers who are not familiar with U. S. history will probably have difficulty understanding them. The illustrations are by far the best part of the book; they include full-color and black-and-white photos, portraits, period art, and political cartoons. Blassingame's revised The Look-It-Up-Book of the Presidents (Random, 1990) is a much better choice for reports. Older students will find Beard's The Presidents in American History (Messner, 1989; o.p.) to be a better resource. --Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO
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