Come On In, America

January 15, 2017
A wide-ranging exploration of World War I and how it changed the United States forever. Students who know anything about history tend to know other wars better--the Civil War, World War II, Vietnam. But it was World War I that changed America and ushered in a new role for the United States as a world political and economic leader. Two million Americans were sent to the war, and in the 19 months of involvement in Europe, 53,000 Americans were killed in battle, part of the staggering total death toll of 10 million, a war of such magnitude that it transformed the governments and economies of every major participant. Osborne's straightforward text is a clear account of the war itself and various related topics--African-American soldiers, the Woman's Peace Party, the use of airplanes as weapons for the first time, trench warfare, and the sinking of the Lusitania. Many archival photographs complement the text, as does a map of Europe (though some countries are lost in the gutter). A thorough bibliography includes several works for young readers. A study of World War I offers a context for discussing world events today, so this volume is a good bet for libraries and classrooms--a well-written treatment that can replace dry textbook accounts. A slim volume big on historical information and insight. (timeline, source notes, credits) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

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Starred review from March 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-What begins as an overview of U.S. involvement in World War I expands into how the Great War impacted the lives of Americans at home and on the battlefield. Osborne effectively juxtaposes issues such as censorship, propaganda, prejudice, discrimination, and violence that arose in the United States against the democratic ideals for which U.S. troops went to war. The Allies and the Central Powers are consistently written as multidimensional. Chapters that focus on the contributions of African Americans and women to the war effort are illuminating and adeptly contextualized. When expounding on the war's legacy, Osborne links the League of Nations, isolationism, and the Treaty of Versailles to other historical and current events. Familiar and lesser-known photographs and posters, some depicting casualties, engage readers with a sense of time and place. The occasional explanation of words (e.g., posthumously and deported) and a few awkward sentences distract from the otherwise skillfully written text. Osborne's title, while similar in scope to Russell Freedman's The War To End All Wars: World War I and Ann Bausum's Unraveling Freedom: The Battle for Democracy on the Home Front During World War I, provides more depth on the experience of African Americans and women. VERDICT Osborne succeeds in creating an informative book that is worthy of shelf space in all high school history collections.-Hilary Writt, Sullivan University, Lexington, KY

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2017
Grades 5-8 Though general books on WWI abound, the focus of this high-interest nonfiction, with the centennial anniversary of the U.S. declaration of war on Germany looming, is squarely on the American experience of the war. Osborne discusses why the U.S. chose to become involved, how our own weapons, strategies, and medical practices were shaped by the war, and how the events in Europe impacted attitudes on the home front. Maps, posters, and ephemera provide primary-source support for the narrative, and ample photographs do not shy away from the horrors of the battlefield. The broader context of American progressivism is a running theme, with the suffrage movement and early civil rights goals discussed in depth. This book tells the story of the Great War, but, more centrally, offers a lesson in how the U.S. redefined itself both globally and at home. Ultimately, it is the story of how liberty and democracy were ushered into the modern era.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)