The American Revolution

December 15, 2014
Readers can take a hands-on approach to learning about the American Revolution in this addition to the Build It Yourself series. Each chapter begins with an “essential question” that serves as an entry point (“What factors caused American colonists to begin to resent British rule in the 1760s?”). At the end of each chapter, readers are invited to compose a thesis statement in response to the opening question. Sidebars supplement the material with vocabulary definitions, trivia, and additional information about such figures as Thomas Paine, Benedict Arnold, and Phillis Wheatley. Cartoon illustrations and 25 activities (such as preparing “firecake,” the simple bread that soldiers ate on the battlefield) create a lively learning experience, though the instructional tone makes the book an unlikely candidate for casual reading. Ages 9–12.

April 1, 2015

Gr 3-6-Featuring a lively page design, this volume asks readers a series of questions to prompt them to consider the American Revolution. After an introductory chapter that reviews the beginning of the war at Lexington and Concord, the remaining seven chapters offer information on the roots of the rebellion, including the issue of taxation, the writing of the Declaration of Independence, the war itself, and the ultimate victory of the Americans over the British. The book also covers the experiences of women, African Americans, and Native Americans, and there's a chapter describing the everyday life of the colonists. Each chapter begins with an essential question that urges students to think and then to examine the data presented in order to craft a thesis statement and response. Along with the standard textual information, pages are filled with sidebars, vocabulary words, and definitions, and QR codes that provide access to primary sources. VERDICT A useful resource; purchase as needed.-Patricia Ann Owens, formerly with Illinois Eastern Community Colls., Mount Carmel

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