The Great Land Rush

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-Abundant illustrations and well-organized texts make these books solid choices. In manageable double-page chapters, each title provides a chronological overview of its topic. Yellow text boxes place the specific events within the larger historical context of the day. Green boxes provide details related to the book's topic. All three titles examine not only the determination of the settlers to explore, claim land, and search for wealth, but also the impact of these events on other groups such as the various tribes of Native Americans. Illustrations, replicas of period pieces, and black-and-white photographs add interest to the narratives, which are accessible but dry. Unfortunately, the lists for suggested reading are meager and do not include Web sites. For additional titles that bring the gold rush and the Lewis and Clark expedition to life, try Rosalyn Schanzer's Gold Fever! (1999) and How We Crossed the West (2002, both National Geographic).-Deanna Romriell, Salt Lake City Library, UT Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.