(2) 4-6 Throughout history, fires have wreaked destruction but have also sparked innovation and reform. The Great Chicago Fire (1871) destroyed a third of the city but brought about a new architecture style; the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (1911) killed 146 people but led to the passage of laws protecting workers. Entries are lively, with dramatic illustrations to match. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2014

(2) YA Cooper focuses on Roosevelt as husband, father, politician, adventurer, and champion of progressive government. It's a rousing tale, full of the passions of both the man and his times. Cooper also covers Roosevelt's post-presidency, a period often presented as a near-footnote in many biographies, but one that captures the sum of the man's personal failures and political ambitions. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2009

(3) 4-6 Cooper bases his history mainly on John Smith's writings. The book's frequent illustrations are reproductions of Smith's own paintings or engravings based on them. Quotations are also carefully attributed in context and in source notes at the end (though the unfortunate repeated typo, "Croatian" for Croatoan, is worth noting). Cooper's straightforward narrative is occasionally enlivened with kid-friendly comparisons. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Kathleen Isaacs

(4) 4-6 This volume details some of eighteenth-century naval officer John Paul Jones's sea voyages, climaxing with a bloody Revolutionary War naval battle. Although the many dates and events can be confusing, the narrative comes alive with detailed descriptions of the voyages and battles. Illustrated with a dynamic mix of paintings, photographs, and maps, the book also includes useful back matter. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Laura A. Woollett

(3) 4-6 The words and spirits of John Steinbeck and Woody Guthrie permeate this narrative about the Great Depression and how it affected Americans in the 1930s, especially those migrating to California to escape the Dust Bowl. Stark historical black-and-white photos, accompanied by short captions, effectively complement the text. This unusual social history will stay with young readers. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 4-6 Cooper's attendance at the 2001 Manzanar Pilgrimage, the annual gathering at the internment camp's former site, frames his narrative. While less detailed than its companion, Fighting for Honor: Japanese Americans and World War II, the book is still informative. Cooper uses the term evacuation rather than internment, but the text is clear that relocation was forced and residents were imprisoned. Websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(2) 4-6 They sang together for just a few years following the Civil War, but Fisk University's Jubilee Singers achieved impressive results. This modest history of the group focuses on their role in establishing slave-era spirituals as a musical form popular in the United States and Europe. A small selection of illustrations and early photos is included. Cooper concludes with early texts and music for seven spirituals. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Margaret A. Bush | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2002

(2) 4-6 Cooper provides a vivid account of the heroic WWII combat experiences of the many Japanese-American men who joined the U.S. Army to prove their loyalty. Their courageous feats overseas are juxtaposed with the anti-Japanese sentiment facing their families back home. The well-organized book includes carefully chosen photos, readable endnotes, a map, and a chronology. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2001

(2) 4-6 Despite some gaffes, only the most dogmatic will fail to appreciate this enlightening account of Indian "education." In an 1879 meeting with the Sioux, Captain Henry Pratt proposed "taking their sons and daughters back east, where they would... be taught how to live like white people." Acknowledging Pratt's ideals, Cooper is cognizant of the racism therein, and honest about the horrors faced by the children. The many historical photos are often arresting. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2000

(4) 4-6 Published spring 1998. This volume lacks the spark found in Hell Fighters, Cooper's book about African-American soldiers in WWII. Nevertheless, the text provides solid information about the two wars black soldiers waged--"one against enemy dictators abroad and the other against racial discrimination at home." Maps, black-and-white photographs, a "gallery of firsts," and a chronology are included. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Deborah L. Thompson