This, the third book in Edward Eggelston's textbook series, is a remarkable example of how textbooks ought to be, and once were, written.

From the first page to the last, Eggleston's clarity and obvious love for the subject infused me with the desire to push on, thus learning what was to happen next. The bite-sized chapters (which are about four pages of text each) ensured that this desire did not wane out of a failure to mentally digest a ton of facts all at once. And, to top it all off, the pictures and maps inside this book actually added to (rather than distracted me from) its content.

As a current student, I can only tell you that I would love for one of my teachers to have used, or to use, a textbook like this for one of my classes. It contains nothing but solid American history and is a textbook that is at once both readable and immensely worth reading. I'm giving it five out of five stars.

A grade school history book, free from political correctness and Marxism. Unabashedly pro-American.

My 5-year-old son received this book as a Christmas present. He started it two days ago, and he has been not been able to put the book down. He even wants to read during mealtimes. He also insisted on bringing it to Show N'Tell today. This is a wonderful book for early readers, not only because the stories are educational and interesting, but they are written in a short and simple manner.

While the publisher says this book is for 9-12 year olds, my 5- and 6-year olds love it! The stories are short - most can be read in a few minutes. They are written in a very exciting, but simple style that grips the attention. It's a hard book to put down. Stories discuss such great Americans as Washington, Franklin, Fulton, Kit Carson, Audubon, Goodyear, and more. I can't recommend this book enough for young readers. It's also suitable for those who are learning to read and want to read something interesting.

An amazing story of the little appreciated heros of early American history: the Methodist curcuit riders! However, this is not just a story about "saints," but of normal men and women who struggle with their own selves in the face of the primative nature of life in the early 1800's Ohio "wilderness." Eggleston has woven a plot of intrigue, and romances -- good for both sexes. As he comments, "The curcuit riders were as essential to the settlement of the West as the Puritans to New England." What an enjoyable way to discover it.

This is the type of dry textbook that makes children hate history. A much better option is to obtain good history storybooks, such as those by the D'Aulaires, which bring history to life and provide a balanced, less racist, view of the world. Here are some quotes from this textbook to illustrate my meaning.

P. 25 "Soon after the settlers landed, the Indians attacked them while they were unarmed...When they heard the noise of the cannons, like thunder, and saw the treetops come tumbling on their heads, the savages thought it was time to make good use of their heels (sic).

I mean, my goodness, who is he calling savages. Anyone who knows the history of jolly old England at that time will be aware of who were the real "savages." (Specifically, I refer the reader to the civil war between King Charles and Oliver Cromwell in which Puritan vandals sacked numerous churches, monasteries, and other public property. See the film "Cromwell" or Woodstock by Sir Walter Scott.)

P.54 The Indians, having got one taste of the firearms of the white men, were afraid to attack Plymouth. But they thought they could get rid of the white men by witch craft. So they held what they called a "powwow" in a big swamp, to persuade the spirits to kill and drive away the newcomers...but the savages always ran away when they were discovered.

Of course, according to the author, anything not Christian is witch craft, and anyone not European is a savage. I should hope that such ideas are not ones that parents want to instill in their beloved children.

Wow! I can't rave about this little book enough. I'm reading it to my two 5th graders, my 4th grader, and my first grader as an adjunct to our classical homeschooling history. It is so compact and yet so thorough. The pictures are lots of fun...little old line drawings and woodcuts. There are at least two per chapter and they ADD rather than distract. Each chapter is about a famous figure in American History. Eggleston's style is amazing--literate, and yet straightforward. The questions after each 3-4 page chapter are direct and helpful...no twaddle. The vocabulary words are a big bonus.

I want to be clear: Eggleston's little miracle book isn't just an antique curiosity , filled with embarassing 1920's racial slurs or hero-worship. It's an honest, time-tested, balanced book...the opening chapters on Columbus alone prove this. And it's very versitile. I can see this being a story or textbook, with either the questions and vocab included in as a unit, or ignored completely. This is how we use it: I read to the kids, and they summarize each chapter on paper. Then I ask the included questions, and we discuss.

Another note: please, please don't be put off by the odd cover of this little gem! The binding is made to last. It would be a great gift to any child.

From Columbus boyhood to his discovery voyage; John Cabot, Henry Hudson, William Penn, Ben Franklyn, Washington, Jefferson, Daniel Boone, Fulton, Morse and the Telegraph, Lincoln, Civil War, Spanish War, Great Expositions, Panama Canal to the purchase of Alaska... this small volume of history is, incredible! I was looking for history to supplement our 5th grade curriculum, and thank goodness for amazon.com search engines or I may never have discovered this gold. Each chapter concludes with 4-5 open ended questions, along with pronunciations and definitions of 2-3 words from the chapter. The chapter's read as though you were peaking in a window, and then following the characters around, and enjoying it. It's great. I read a couple chapters to my own 7 year old, and he loved it. I told him (using the 4/5 questions) what he would he learn from it, i.e. You'll learn where Christopher Columbus was born, etc.; then I read the chapter, followed with the questions and he did as well as my students. I've been discouraged by the presentation of textbooks, for students of all grades, when it comes to history. I decided to "read" to my students from their textbooks and other sources (such as this one)because history, afterall, is storytelling! So I strongly recommend to teachers, parents, homeschoolers, and students to add a book such as this one to your library, and see the times as they were, the people, the places, the food, the importance of events as they happened, and read, read, read this one. Another selection for those interested in more adventurous people,want more of the same, get Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans, by Eggleston, and read up more on Washington,Franklyn,in their youth along with Daniel Boone, Daniel Webster, Longfellow, Kit Carson and Horace Greeley. It's fun and exciting for all to read, you'll see. The true shame today, is how many good books, older than 10 and 20 years ago, are considered OLD... when it comes to education & history, I think the older, the more true, and the better... how about you!

Book was read to students by teachers Ruth Burford & Principal Nina Kate Slater during mid thirties , and Her school Mark Twain Elementary benefited,It and the Bible was the standard. The values prevail and I yearn for a copy for my progeny.Mark twain El. was on Grand AVE. Sedalia,MO. Jack Rose Email bigjohn@i-star.com