Russian Americans

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6-These titles cover typical information concerning ethnic immigrant groups: when and why they came; where they lived and the jobs they held; how they have kept traditions alive; and their contributions to American culture, particularly in the arts, sciences, and cuisine. Some topics are dealt with in sidebars or in single pages or spreads at the ends of chapters. The brief chapters; large type; and open layouts featuring archival black-and-white photos, color photos, and art reproductions, make these works accessible to younger students, but the books are not without flaws. The home page Web site given in each one does not lead to easily accessed, relevant material. Mexican Americans prominently features Henry Cisneros in text and photo, even though he left the Clinton administration in disgrace; Joan Baez, born in the U.S. to a father from Mexico and a mother from Scotland, is a "Mexican entertainer," while others of Mexican ancestry are "Mexican Americans." The publication dates for Lolita in Russian Americans are wrong, and those given for the "waves" of Russian immigration are misleading.-Diane S. Marton, Arlington County Library, VA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.