World War I

VOYA

The History of Warfare series covers military conflicts from the ancient world to modern times. Each title focuses on a specific historical period and using a similar format. The books are written for upper elementary and junior high school students, and feature numerous blackandwhite photographs, artwork, time lines, maps, informational sidebars, glossaries, bibliographies, and indexes. World War I begins with a short delineation of the complex causes of "the war to end all wars" and provides an overview of how this worldwide conflict unfolded in different countries and military arenas from France to Africa. Young students unfamiliar with world history will be surprised to learn that the war affected so many countries, in addition to England, France, and Germany. Trench warfare and the use of poison gas, two new fighting strategies that changed the nature of war forever, are also examined. All of the series entries are short, so detail is minimal. This design may leave students thinking that they have a greater understanding of the events than they actually do. The wealth of illustrative materials makes these books ideal for dipping into, rather than for reading as a whole. These works excel as basic introductions to the fascinating subject of military campaigns through the ages. Students whose interest and curiosity are piqued by the illustrations may go on to read about the subject in greater depth. Other series titles include Warfare in the Ancient World, Warfare in the Medieval World, Warfare in the Renaissance World, Warfare in the 18th Century, Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, The American Civil War, Warfare in the 19th Century, World War II, and Warfare in the ModernWorld.Glossary. Index. Illus. Photos. Maps. Biblio. VOYA CODES: 3Q 1P M J (Readable without serious defects; No YA will read unless forced to for assignments; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 1999, Raintree SteckVaughn, Ages 12 to 15, 80p. PLB $27.12. Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-These general overviews begin with brief introductions, cover the major campaigns and battles in roughly chronological order, and conclude with minimal final analyses. Sidebars supply information about civilian and military leaders, weapons, and other aspects of the conflicts. The texts are supplemented by photos; reproductions; and numerous color maps of regions, campaigns, and specific battles. Although these books are attractive, they suffer from several weaknesses that limit their effectiveness for reports. The chronological organization makes it difficult to follow action that occurred in differing theaters of war operations. Also, the scope is too broad. The authors have included material about leaders, weapons, tactics, and social conditions in a limited space, making coverage superficial at best. The most serious weakness, however, is the lack of focus. Although the titles provide information about the changing nature of warfare and the introduction of new weapons and tactics, there is not enough analysis of how these factors influenced each conflict. These books will neither aid report writers nor hold the attention of general history readers.-Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.