North America in Colonial Times

School Library Journal

Gr 5 Up-The Encyclopedia of the North American Colonies (Scribners, 1993) has been revised and adapted for young readers. These four volumes cover the 13 colonies that became the U.S., as well as the colonization of Canadian and Spanish settlements on this continent. Arrangement is alphabetical by subject, with cross-references within the text and at the end of articles. Words that may be unfamiliar are glossed in the margins, which also include time lines and sidebars. Coverage is comprehensive; the little-known War of Jenkins's Ear and the Daughters of Liberty rub shoulders with the Intolerable Acts and the Boston Tea Party. In addition to the usual political history and biographies, much material on daily life and culture is provided. An attempt has been made to represent each of the various ethnic and social groups present in the colonies, particularly in the articles on cultural and social life. Dutch, French, Spanish, African-American, and Native American activities and lifestyles are covered, as well as those of British colonists. The biographical entries are not lengthy, the longest being only a little over two pages. Period prints and paintings appear throughout. Each volume begins with the same time line and contains several pages of full-color illustrations on a specific topic bound as a separate section. The writing is clear, if somewhat dry, and students needing material for reports should find the set easy to use. An excellent addition to reference collections.-Elaine Fort Weischedel, Turner Free Library, Randolph, MA Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Booknews

This is a four-volume reference for students and younger readers on the history of the North American continent, from the crossing of the Siberian land bridge and the earliest European explorations to independence. It contains 450 articles that provide a picture of motives that drove early settlers to cross the ocean and start a new life in the wilderness, the enormous difficulties they encountered, the impact they had on the lives of the Native Americans, social and political institutions that took shape in different colonies, and long-running conflicts between European powers, the colonies, and the Indians. Contains about 100 b&w illustrations and 16 pages of color plates. The index is in volume IV. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.