Uncle Sam

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-Designed to support U.S. history standards, each title begins with a bulleted "Fast Facts" page. Each spread has just enough information to maintain interest and includes modern and archival photos, maps, and illustrations. The first title focuses on the history of Ellis Island and its importance as a national monument. In the second, DeGezelle discusses the design contest, construction, changes, and the importance of the U.S. Capitol. In The Star-Spangled Banner, Yanuck briefly describes the events that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem that was later set to music and eventually became our national anthem. In Uncle Sam, she shows the growth and development of the political cartoon and image. Each title contains a hands-on activity and two books for further reading. The publisher's site asks readers to type in the ISBN number and Fact Hound brings up appropriate sites. They generally have more information and activities than the books. Serviceable additions for instructional use.-Pamela K. Bomboy, Chesterfield County Public Schools, VA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.