Colonial Places

School Library Journal

Gr 4-8These slim volumes provide succinct information on two aspects of North American colonial life. People provides brief portraits of the life styles and work of Native Americans, governor, goodwife, apprentice, Puritan, servant, planter, slave, fur trader, constable, smuggler, and patriot. Places explores the role of the governor's house, meetinghouse, church, college, post office, fort, cornfield, tobacco field, hunting ground, street, and harbor in the colonists' everyday lives. Brief quotations and black-and-white and full-color illustrations and reproductions are interspersed throughout. Although the material is well organized, the writing style and format are textbooklike and flat, limiting these titles' usefulness and appeal. Nevertheless, they contain handy facts for reports and are acceptable additions.Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA