(4) K-3 Illustrated by Greg Harlin. Large, painterly three-quarter-page illustrations depict various scenes from the period after the Revolutionary War. The wordy text, which appears in quarter-page columns on each spread, details the Founding Fathers' work to unite the country, culminating in the drafting of the Constitution. The broad topic is too complicated for this format, but older readers may appreciate the overview. Bib.

Reviewer: Nancy Hull

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. A fictional family's road trip is the frame for this guide to state facts, people, and places. Beginning with a foldout map, the book uses single- or double-pages spreads to introduce each state and the District of Columbia. Lively ink, wash, and colored-pencil drawings clutter each page, making any sort of linear navigation impossible, but the captionlike text provides interesting tidbits.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Peter M. Fiore. Using the natural voice of a storyteller, Cheney, in a spare text, tells of the despair of soldiers at Valley Forge, Washington's bold strategy to attack the British at Trenton and Princeton, and the sacrifice and bravery he exacted from his troops. Dramatic paintings create a visual narrative that parallels the text.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2005