Out of all the books we have read in honor of President's Day, this one stands head and shoulders above the pack. The story is superbly written and the illustrations by Michael Dooling are gorgeous. Giblin weaves from facts a story that is entertaining and educational. His writing personalizes the life of George Washington without getting too mushy for adults or too bogged down in language that children don't understand. He even debunks the myth of the cherry tree in a separate section entitled "More about George Washington". I originally borrowed this book from the library but purchased it here on Amazon to add to our personal collection. It's THAT good!

Enjoy,
Cris

For all students, this book could be helpful in learning about George Washington, but for second language learners of any age the pictures assist in making connections so that the story can be told and understood. I appreciate this book very much!

Beautifully told!Even more beautifully illustrated! Buy It!

This is a great alternative to the many King Arthur stories that include lots of violence. It is nice to see another side of the legend, and the story of the young giant being suckled by a unicorn is fascinating. This is LONG, but for kids who are fans of knights and castles, it is not to be missed.

In this book, King Arthur and his knights sailed through a storm and got stranded on an island. King Arthur set out to find someone to help them get their boat off of the sandbar. He found a dwarf in a tall tower, his son who was a giant, and a unicorn. I liked this book because there were many surprises. The tiny dwarf had a giant for a son, and the unicorn was a hero. I would recommend this book to kids who liked the movie "Quest for Camelot."

James Cross Giblin does a wonderful job of crafting the tale of Hitler's rise and fall. There is, of course, some bias since it expounds on Hitler's lack of compassion for those he deemed unworthy. Overall, he remains objective as he relates Hitler's life and how he lives on today through Neo-Nazis.

Some of the wonderful features the book offers are the array of photos, maps, and cartoons from the period. The book has an attractive format and is a straightforward read. It also contains an index, a glossary of German terms and phrases used, and an extensive list of source notes and works cited. The book would be a wonderful source for a paper or a jumping off point for a larger research project.

"There are no memorials to Adolf Hitler in Germany, the country he ruled with an iron hand from 1933 to 1945."

So begins THE LIFE AND DEATH OF ADOLF HITLER by James Cross Giblin, a book that provides essential information for young adults who want to understand the twentieth century. In writing a detailed biography of the most infamous human being of the last hundred years, the author has put together a fascinating story that never lets up. In doing so, Mr. Giblin also provides a clear overview of the events leading up to and through the second world war. Beginning with the haunting cover, the book is illustrated with large, clear photographs of the significant people and places we encounter, as well as several well-drawn caps to which I'd periodically refer as I read the book.

"To celebrate his triumph, Hitler planned a sightseeing tour of Paris, a city he had long admired but never visited. His favorite architect, Albert Speer, accompanied the Führer as he visited the ornate Paris Opera, drove down the broad Champs Élysées, stopped at the Eiffel Tower, and lingered for a long time at the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte. The three-hour tour through almost completely deserted streets--the French deliberately stayed away--ended on the heights of Montmartre, long known as a district for artists. Perhaps its narrow streets and outdoor cafés reminded Hitler of his youthful days in Vienna, when he himself had dreamed of being an artist."

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF ADOLF HITLER does an exceptional job answering the questions of how Hitler was able to gain control of the German government, and how his forces and henchmen were able to succeed so horrifically and effectively before they were finally halted. We see how the long-term effects of the Versailles Treaty on Germany lead almost inevitably to the opportunity for Hitler's rise to power. We are reminded of the significant anti-Semitism in the US, Britain, and other countries that figured into their less-than-stellar response to Hitler's aggression and genocide. (I can remember how my friends' families still weren't welcome at some private clubs in the 60's!) And, of course, we see Hitler from birth to death: as a son, a student, an artist, a failure, and a homeless person who eventually finds a group in which to belong. Joining that organization, making it his, and changing the world forever--the lesson here is not lost on the author, who ends the book with a profile of some Neo-Nazi groups in existence today.

We also get a good look at many of the trustworthy men who turned Hitler's maniacal goals into reality:

"Neat and methodical, Himmler was a born bureaucrat. He worshiped Hitler and would carry out any order the Führer gave him, immediately and without question."

I thought that I knew all about Adolf Hitler. But from the vivid photograph of one of his watercolor paintings to the details of his final hours with Eva Braun and Joseph Goebbels, James Cross Giblin has illuminated the life of a madman and given me a real education.

Richie Partington

"Thomas Jefferson: A Picture Book Biography" does an excellent job of providing a simplified yet well-rounded portrait of one of the more complex figures in American history. Instead of detailing Jefferson's long list of accomplishments, author James Cross Giblin takes a more anecdotal approach which treats his childhood and his private life on an equal footing with the things he wrote and offices he held in public life. This is a book that looks at Jefferson's first term as President in terms of the Louisiana Purchase and the mockingbird that kept him company in his study. Sally Hemmings is mentioned several times as an important house slave, but without bringing up the evidence she was the half-sister of Jefferson's wife or that she bore Jefferson several children after his wife died. However, Jefferson's affection for Maria Cosway is covered. The end result is an understand more of the man than of the political figure; for example, young readers will have no appreciation for how the Jeffersonian Republicans differed from the Federalists. The back of this book includes a list of important dates in his life, several choice examples of excerpts from letters written by Jefferson, and a two-page description of what a Visit to Monticello would have been like when Jefferson lived there. Michael Dooling's illustrations consist of fully textured oil paintings over which the text is printed. Ultimately, the illustrations in this Picture Book Biography take a back seat to the way the text presents the multi-faceted character of the man who might have been the third President, but who wanted on his tombstone inscribed: "Author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statue of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia. When young students read over this biography, they will understand why those were the most important things in Jefferson's life.

My second-grader decided to research Thomas Jefferson for a school report. I ordered this book and was quite pleased. It has lots of good information without being wordy. In the back of the book is a two-page spread of quotes from Jefferson, as well as a timeline of his life. The illustrations are beautiful! Highly recommended.

This is a brilliant book of unicorns for any one who is intrested. If you are looking for a chapter book, or fantasy book, this book is not for you. But if you are looking for the truth about unicorns, and I mean the wicked truth, then buy this, I doubt it if you wont enjoy it.

Unicorns are something that catches your eye in a catalog, or makes your heart leap when mentioned. This book tells about its precious origin, a history that must not remained untold. This book is one that you will not be able to put down!

This book is about Charles Lindbergh, the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean with his Spirit of St. Louis. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about Charles Lindbergh.

I FOUND THIS BOOK WHILE RESEARCHING OUR OWN MASTODON FIND NOT MORE THAN 75 MILES NORTH OF THE SITE OF THE FIND RECOUNTED IN THIS WONDERFULLY WRITTEN STORY. I HAVE PRESENTED MY RESEARCH TO VARIOUS SCHOOL GROUPS IN OUR AREA AND HAVE ALSO DONATED COPIES OF THIS BOOK TO THE VARIOUS SCHOOL LIBRARIES. WHILE THE BOOK IS WRITTEN FOR CHILDREN, I DID NOT FIND IT BORING. I ACTUALLY FOUND IT VERY INTERESTING AND LEARNED ALOT MORE FROM IT. I WAS AMAZED BY THE SIMILARITIES OF THE ORIGINAL FIND WHICH TOOK PLACE IN THE EARLY 1900'S AND OUR RECENT FIND. ALTHOUGH OUR TECHNOLOGY IS MUCH MORE ADVANCED, THE SITE IN WHICH WE FOUND OUR MASTODON, IS STRIKINGLY SIMILAR. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN THIS SUBJECT.

This 86 page non-fiction chapter book for upper elementary readers was published in 1985. It's illustrated throughout with black and white photos and illustrations, including classic images of Santa Claus, Sinterklaas (the Dutch version of Saint Nicholas), and images from stained-glass windows and religious art.

As an elementary school librarian, I've traditionally read the introductory chapters of this informative volume to sixth grade classes each year in the weeks preceding Christmas. Many students are amazed to learn that the fairy tale of Santa Claus is based on a tradition that goes back to a real person, who was a priest and bishop in the early Christian church. They love to hear the story about when young Nicholas secretly provided the dowries for three young women who were about to be sold into slavery by their poor father. Students immediately see the connection between this story and the Santa they are more familiar with.

I've always viewed this as a lesson in history, and as a way to replace the myth many of them have held with information on a person who really lived.

The book continues to discuss the origins of many Santa Claus traditions. Things are presented in a factual manner, and while religion is mentioned, it is not a religious book. It appears that this book is now out of print, which is unfortunate. Hopefully it can be updated and republished with color illustrations. There is another book with the same title listed here, which appears to cover some of the same territory, but in a picture-book format.

Another interesting book worth investigating is "The Saint Nicholas Secret," by Dennis E. Engleman, which discusses the author's rediscovery of the real Saint Nicholas as an adult.

The publisher says that this book is appropriate for grade 6-12. I disagree. While I feel the book is well written and informative - I strongly suggest that educators think twice before putting the book in an elementary school library.
Perhaps have it available in case an advanced 6th grader has a need for detailed information regarding the topics.
My 9 year old - 4th grade son brought the book home from school yesterday. While AIDS is an important subject for him to learn about - I do not feel that the details of specific high-risk sexual contact needs to be available to him at his age.
I feel the book would be more appropriate for grades 9-12.

This book was fun to read and it was really easy to get a book report out of.

We read this book in class and it is an excellent source of information as well as interesting, and offers all points of view on each "plague" as well as the facts. Covers a lot on the little known parts, and victims of AIDS, and a short kind of Bio on Ryan White.

A nice little book, easy to read and worth the price paid for it. I would have liked to see more detail, perhaps in the next book I buy. I gave it three stars as it is a light report of the Rosetta Stone. I read the whole book in about 1/2 hour. It does have other sources from which to select more detailed books.

"The Riddle of the Rosetta Stone" is accessible to our 9-year-old would-be Egyptologist with just a bit of vocabulary help from adults, yet is not the least insulting to her parents. This small book, with fewer than 100 pages, largeish type, and many clear illustrations, gives a readable and straightforward account of how the Rosetta stone allowed scholars to understand and even find the pronunciation of a language long after its last speaker was long dead. We learn, for example, that to the ancients, she was "Cleopadra" and not "Cleopatra".

There is enough detail to help understand the process, and to convince the reader that the reconstructions are sound. The stone and its translation is put into its historical context, both ancient and modern.

This is an admirable, brief, and inexpensive introduction to the subject, and is well-written. The professional will look elsewhere, and the complete greek, demotic, and heiroglyphic texts are available in the inexpensive Dover reprint of E.A. Wallis Budge's "The Rosetta Stone", which I review separately.