The Canals

Children's Literature

Noted 19th century clergyman Edward Everett Hale once commented, "Traveling on a canal is one of the most charming ways of traveling...to sit on the deck of a boat and see the country slide by you...is one of the exquisite luxuries." Beginning in President Washington's era, Americans exerted tremendous amounts of time, energy, sweat and capital developing a series of canals that connected major waterways. The bulk of this canal-building occurred in the early to mid 1800s and resulted in a significant upsurge in commercial development in the area we now call the Midwest. Most noteworthy of these canal expeditions was the building of the Erie Canal. Thousands of laborers, primarily Irishmen, worked for eighty cents a day over the course of about six years to complete this Herculean task. The Erie Canal, while the most memorable of the 19th century canals, was joined by similarly ambitious projects in a variety of states. By the time of the Civil War and Reconstruction, the canal system was being eclipsed by the emergence of railways and enhanced commercial shipping. Many canals that took years to construct were allowed to disappear. Others remain as historic parks, bicycle paths or trails. The story of this 19th century phenomenon of canal development is well told in this informative and illustrated book. This is a fine book of a little known part of American history. Part of the "Building America" series. 2002, Benchmark Books, $24.21. Ages 10 to 14. Reviewer: Greg M. Romaneck

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-Bial displays his trademark clear, enthusiastic narrative coupled with outstanding photos and archival prints. Here, illustrations by Eric Sloane are an additional bonus. The author shows great respect for his subjects and repeatedly emphasizes and explains the backbreaking labor and ingenuity necessary for survival in the New World and on the frontier. In pursuing the dream of building a life in a new country, the settlers adapted their old ways, borrowed from others, and applied incredible creativity to achieve their goal. Their efforts and the lasting results are vividly described. The technology explained is practical and often complicated but the clear explanations are accompanied by enlightening diagrams or photos. All illustrative material is credited and Bial's photos are reminiscent of paintings by Edward Hopper in their use of light and shadow. These titles are akin to Leonard Everett Fisher's "Colonial Craftsmen" series (Benchmark) and the classic books by Edwin Tunis such as Frontier Living (HarperCollins, 1976). The quotes in each volume are not footnoted but they generally provide color rather than essential information. The titles provide narrative and visual delights and will be valuable for school use and for browsing.-Marlene Gawron, Orange County Library, Orlando, FL Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.