The Africans

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-These books describe the cultures from which the immigrants came, how and why they left their homelands, their reception and experiences in the United States and Canada, and their contributions to their new homes. They are accessible to a younger audience than the "Immigrant Experience" series (Chelsea) and "Footsteps to America" (Macmillan). Topics are covered in double-page spreads and abundantly illustrated with fascinating full-color or tinted photographs, etchings, drawings, and paintings. Large boxes provide more detailed historical and cultural information, and occasional spreads are devoted to excerpts from personal narratives. Unfortunately, the texts are flawed by broad generalizations and, worse yet, numerous minor errors. The Africans gives the date of the Amistad incident as 1838, instead of 1839, and the date for the firing on Fort Sumter as April 21, 1861, instead of April 12th. The Chinese mixes up yin and yang; and a small map places Hong Kong, Los Angeles, and Vancouver hundreds of miles inland. Overall, an attractive format but the completed packages are disappointing.-Diane S. Marton, Arlington County Library, VA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.