A Day That Changed America

The author provides a graphic account of the siege at the Alamo in Texas in 1836. Susan Boyce's narration is steady, and her voice is smooth--though at times her delivery borders on being stilted. The beginning of the narrative explains both sides of the Mexican-American War but devolves into a primarily American perspective. At first, Boyce's reading isn't able to transcend the litany of dates, names, and facts. As the siege gets underway, however, her narration grows vivid, in part because the violence of battle is described in detail. The end, with its account of the lives of the surviving women and children, is resonant, and Boyce's final statements ring out a call to remember. A.M.P. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine

July 1, 2012
Gr 4-6-Shelley Tanaka knows how to write good nonfiction, and it is reflected in this book (Hyperion, 2003.) She provides a compelling chronological account of the final battle at the Alamo with information about its causes, significant historical figures, and aftermath. The battle is presented from a variety of viewpoints, and information is provided about what happened to the few survivors. Susan Boyce narrates Tanaka's crisp text with a clear, measured voice. No sound effects or music come between listeners and the text. This is an excellent audio presentation, but students should have the book available so they can enjoy the additional information found there in the maps and diagrams, as well as in David Craig's detailed paintings.-"Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA"

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