Concord and Lexington

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-- Three series entries that vary a great deal in quality. Both Valley Forge and West Point are choppily written and lose their perspective by trying to cover too much ground. It is difficult to imagine that they would inspire children to become interested in history. Both R. Conrad Stein's The Story of Valley Forge (Childrens, 1985) and James E. Knight's The Winter at Valley Forge, Survival & Victory (Troll, 1982) do a more effective job by using a more personal, narrative form and limiting their scope. On the other hand, Concord and Lexington is a well-organized model of clear writing that captures the excitement of April 19, 1775 in an hourly countdown to war. The preceding chapter, ``It didn't happen overnight,'' is as good an explanation of the relations between England and the Massachusetts Colony between 1764-1775 as readers of this age group are likely to find. All three volumes include visitor information and are attractively illustrated with photographs, prints, and reproductions, most of which are full color. --Ann Stell, Central Islip Public Library, NY