John Muir

School Library Journal

Gr 2-3-Short, well-organized books. The brief texts get right to the point, but occasionally verge on the simplistic. For example, while many of the incidents about Boone's life are interesting and readers will get a sense of the amount of traveling he did on the frontier, they may not understand the role he played in opening it. The text does note that he and others "made" the Wilderness Road and there was a fort named "Boonesborough," although there is no mention that it was named after him or why. The books are enhanced by full-color and black-and-white reproductions and photos; Muir is particularly strong in this aspect with archival shots of the naturalist combined with others that display the beauty of the American West he cherished. These titles are appropriate for beginning readers and researchers.-Betsy Barnett, Eads School District, CO Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.