A dramatic story related in dramatic fashion.
On May 10, 1869, a golden spike joined the Central Pacific’s and the Union Pacific’s tracks, linking the nation with two continuous bands of steel, “and things would never be the same.”
To lay 1,800 miles of track over prairies, deserts, and mountains would be “one of the greatest and most daring adventures the nation had ever seen,” and across that land the “Anvil Chorus” sang, 21 million swings of the sledges in six years of laying tracks. With lively prose and striking photographs, Sandler tells the amazing story of engineering marvels, extraordinary courage, and sheer determination. When the railroad was finished, the country could be crossed in less than a week instead of six months, and the nation was united. Well-chosen archival photographs and excellent maps help to tell the tale, though too many pages of dense text are unbroken by visuals. Sandler celebrates the phenomenal achievement without losing sight of those who did not benefit from it: Chinese workers faced discrimination, and the railroad was but the latest “encroachment of white society upon the Indians.” A fascinating epilogue relates what later happened to each of the key players introduced in the narrative, and a thorough timeline serves as a summary of important events.
A dramatic story related in dramatic fashion. (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6527-2
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
The complex story of explorer Henry Hudson, who, when remembered at all, is known more for his temper, favoritism and failed expeditions than anything else. Weaver acknowledges his flaws but argues that he was also a courageous, tireless and misunderstood figure who helped further our understanding of the world and the accurate mapping of North America. Not much is known beyond the records kept during 1607-1611, when Hudson first set out to discover a northern passage to Asia. This culminated in a fourth and final voyage in what is now called Hudson Bay, where he was cut loose from his desperate and starving crew. The author draws upon those records and other primary-source material to craft this account. This work will particularly appeal to youth who live near the bodies of water named for him (the Hudson River, Bay and Strait), but the author packs in enough dramatic tidbits to keep any young history buff’s attention, including sidebars on such related topics as navigation, whaling and scurvy. Craig’s poignant illustrations evoke 17th-century style. (historic sites, suggested reading, index) (Biography. 10-14)
Pub Date: Sept. 14, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-88776-814-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
The use of surveillance balloons in the Civil War has been chronicled to some extent in such books for young readers as Thomas B. and Roger McBride Allen's Mr. Lincoln's High-Tech War (2009) and Paul Janeczko's Dark Game (2010), but none has covered the subject with as much depth and detail as this engaging story of how the enterprising Lowe, already famous as an aeronaut at the outbreak of the Civil War, convinced President Lincoln of the value of using balloons to spy on the Confederate army. For two years, Lowe led a corps of balloonists who counted rebel soldiers, monitored troop movements and directed artillery fire against enemy positions. The effectiveness of the corps prompted the Confederates to make the balloons targets of sharpshooters and page saboteurs. Using Civil War photographs, other archival images and a variety of primary sources, Jarrow reveals the clashes Lowe had with high-ranking Union officers, dangers the balloonists faced and the value of the intelligence the corps provided, thus offering readers rich insight into a little-known dimension of the Civil War. (timeline, source notes, bibliography, further reading and websites, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59078-719-9
Page Count: 109
Publisher: Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: Sept. 1, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2010
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