The Civil War and Reconstruction

Children's Literature

Before the Civil War the United States was a nation divided over slavery. Abolitionists such as John Brown and Harriet Beecher Stowe worked diligently to sway people from owning blacks. Frederick Douglass, a former slave, was an eloquent speaker who urged President Lincoln to sign the Emancipation Proclamation, thus freeing slaves and allowing them to join the Union army. Despite unfair and unequal treatment, blacks fought valiantly and sustained about 68,000 casualties. Robert Smalls, a twenty-three year old slave, became a war hero by placing his entire family on a Confederate ship and sailing it to the Union Navy. Kallen's book is one of the "Black History" series, which traces the timeline of the black culture from Africa to present day. Many short biographies as well as historical events are included. Excellent black-and-white photographs and newspaper engravings accompany the text. An index, glossary and web sites make this a useful research tool. 2001, ABDO, $24.21. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Laura Hummel

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-Kallen has the unenviable task of boiling down two very complex periods into some 40-odd simple pages each. The first title covers the time from the Depression through Dr. King's assassination in 1968. The second opens with a brief discussion of the causes of the Civil War and concludes with a brief summary of Reconstruction. No attention is paid to actual battles, although the author does discuss the role played by black soldiers and sailors. Each volume alternates a chapter of history with a chapter of relevant biographical sketches. The time lines are good, although they are awkwardly placed in the middle of the books. The illustrations, mainly black-and-white photographs, add greatly to the texts (although a caption in Civil War misidentifies U.S. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney as being Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court). The books are well suited for high-interest, low-reading-level students. Neither one will provide in-depth coverage for reports, but they might be good introductions to African-American history.-Elizabeth M. Reardon, McCallie School, Chattanooga, TN Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.