Slavery and Abolition

School Library Journal

Gr 6-10-Series entries that provide portraits of difficult periods in American history. Altman focuses on the history of slavery and the rise of the Abolition movement. Her text is filled with anecdotes about some of the movement's key figures, which help alleviate some of the dryness of the text. Ziff approaches her subject through reports on the progress and the effect of Reconstruction on the life of Robert Fitzgerald, a former Union soldier, teacher, and free black who moved South to be a teacher in Virginia and North Carolina. These vignettes help bring the story of this time to life. Average-quality, black-and-white photographs, reproductions, and maps illustrate the texts but only some add insight. Both works provide extensive notes and good lists for further reading. Useful titles for reports.-Elizabeth M. Reardon, McCallie School, Chattanooga, TN Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|