Iwo Jima and Okinawa

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-Two well-researched volumes (with the exception of a few incorrect captions) that will provide youngsters with a good understanding of the developments that led to the end of World War II. Hiroshima focuses on the Manhattan Project and Truman's decision to develop two atomic bombs-the uranium-powered ``Little Boy'' that was dropped on Hiroshima and the plutonium-powered ``Fat Man'' dropped on Nagasaki. The vivid descriptions of fire storms will help readers grasp the enormity of these weapons' power and of the horror and devastation inflicted on Japan. Iwo Jima contains good background information and maps on the Pacific battles that led up to the invasion. The massive resistance faced by the Marine landing force is well chronicled as are the changes in Japanese tactics regarding suicide missions. Archival black-and-white photos, maps, glossaries, and indexes add to the books' serviceability.-Rick Moesch, Hamburg Public Library, NY