Valley Forge

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-These books are too oversimplified and incomplete to do justice to their topics. In Historic Boston, the first page states that the city is famous for its Celtics, Red Sox, and baked beans, as well as its role in American history. The second page of text jumps from the start of the American colonies in the 1600s to 1775. Valley Forge suggests that Baron Friedrich von Steuben single-handedly saved the encampment from disease and starvation but it's not clear how he accomplished this feat. Pronunciation guides interspersed within the body of the texts are distracting and the choice of words is inconsistent. On one page, pronunciations for "colonies" and "forge" are given, but not for "Schuylkill." In each title, the full-color, inviting photographs that face every page of text give a good sense of place. Unfortunately, there is not enough information presented to warrant purchase.-Edith Ching, St. Albans School, Mt. St. Alban, Washington, DC Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.