The Cold War

Children's Literature

From the conclusion of World War Two until the 1990's, a war of ideology was waged between the forces of western democracy and those of communism. This Cold War around the world touched billions of people. The Cold War involved espionage, political propaganda, occasional regional conflict, hundreds of billions of dollars, and fear. Over time, the forces of western democracy, led by the United States, emerged triumphant. Yet, in fighting the Cold War America was forced to confront its own intolerance and political agendas. Sirimarco offers younger readers an opportunity to better understand this fifty-year struggle for the hearts and minds of the world's people. In this illustrated volume from the "American Voices From" series the author combines her crisp text with numerous primary source documents. As in other books in this fine series, the approach works well. Readers are given the opportunity to gain background information about themes related to the Cold War and then have that knowledge amplified by first hand accounts. This mixture of analysis and historical raw materials affords readers an excellent vehicle for grasping a highly complicated set of events. In this manner Sirimarco has done well in her attempt to capture the spirit and facts of a period when the world stood literally on the brink of destruction. 2005, Benchmark Books, Ages 12 up.
—Greg M. Romaneck

School Library Journal

Gr 6-9-These books start out with good introductions to primary sources and offer suggestions about how to interpret them. Next, the authors provide overviews of their topics. Detailed tables of contents allow readers to locate specific documents. The primary sources include newspaper articles, excerpts of famous speeches, government documents, letters, and song lyrics. Each entry is prefaced with historical background and followed by "Think about This" questions. While the questions tend to give the titles a textbook feel, they will make readers pause for a moment and contemplate what they have just read. Colorful reproductions (paintings, posters, political cartoons, etc.) and period photos are sprinkled throughout, adding greatly to the texts. For example, a diary excerpt from a 14-year-old hobo in Great Depression is accompanied by a black-and-white photo of two vagrants walking along train tracks. Each volume ends with an illustrated time line; a helpful index; and a bibliographic section that includes books for further reading, Web sites, and videos. These excellent resources stand out from other titles on these frequently assigned subjects because they deal strictly with primary sources, contain top-notch illustrations, and enable students to grasp the concepts without being overwhelmed.-Marianne Fitzgerald, Severna Park High School, MD Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.