Where DID You Get Those Eyes?

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8 A brief but informative introduction to the forms and processes involved in researching one's family history. After a short explanation of why family history is both interesting and educational, Cooper outlines the procedures often followed, emphasizing the importance of keeping records of one's research in the proper format used by genealogists so that the information can be used by other researchers. She ends with pieces written by young people about the results of their genealogical searches, followed by a brief directory of official information sources and an index. Each of the seven chapters begins with a full-page black-and-white drawing of young people of various ethnic appearances involved in research; they are decorative but add nothing to the book's usefulness. Because of the book's brevity, this is mainly an introduction to the topic; there is little room to illustrate, inspire, or elaborate on the special cases of immigrants, Afro-Americans, native Americans, and other minorities. Who Do You Think You Are? (NAL, 1978; o.p.) by Suzanne Hilton includes much of the same basic information, but is enhanced throughout with old photos and fascinating true vignettes about Americans of all backgrounds and ancestries and the results of their personal searches, inspiring readers who may wonder why anyone would bother with such an undertaking. My Backyard History Book (Little, 1975) by David Weitzman also includes the basics of genealogy but quickly branches out into the local history to which it can be related. Cooper's book , with its greater emphasis on proper forms and accurate names and dates, has value for readers who have already decided to investigate their family history and aren't sure where or how to begin. Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, Pa.