(4) K-3 Illustrated by Julie Dupré Buckner. In mostly dull free-verse vignettes, Garland gives voice to sixteen participants in the settlement of the American West, both real figures (Sacagawea, Jedediah Smith, George Catlin, Annie Oakley) and unnamed contributors such as a Pony Express rider, an Oregon Trail pioneer girl, and a Buffalo Soldier. Stiff, realistic illustrations set each scene. A dense historical note is appended. Reading list. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ronald Himler. This understated story is narrated by a former slave who decides to "walk to New Orleans and put [his] X on the line" to enlist as a buffalo soldier. Through the fictional cavalryman's eyes, Garland chronicles the hardships and heroics of an all-black regiment. Himler's illustrations quietly convey both setting and mood. An author's note provides background facts. Bib.

Reviewer: Henrietta M. Smith

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ronald Himler. From the point of view of both fictional and historical figures, sixteen vignettes sketch the history of the Alamo from the 1500s to modern times, with much focus on the famous battle. Some of the first-person prose-poems sparkle, but story-line gaps require readers to refer to the author's lengthy historical note. Realistic paintings accompany the text. Reading list. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 4-6 Dear America series. A half-Indian, half-Spanish servant, Rosalia chronicles daily life on a ranch, the many festivals and religious holidays celebrated, as well as her search for the identities of her deceased parents. Rosalia is a compelling character, and her diary provides an interesting perspective on life in California in 1846. Back matter includes archival photos, a historical note, and a glossary of Spanish terms.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(2) 4-6 Fifteen-year-old Lorenzo is conscripted by the Mexican government to fight in a war for which he has little affinity and with a leader for whom he holds little respect. The realities of war (with equal doses of horror, boredom, excitement, grief, and confusion) prevail during Lorenzo's trek toward and through Texas and his metaphorical journey into manhood. Garland introduces readers to a time and place far removed from their own.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2001

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. The six folktales included in this handsome volume are as interesting and colorful as Hyman's expressive artwork. Many of the story lines are staples of folklore--good and greedy siblings; pourquoi tales; and attempts to win the hand of a maiden--but each has a distinctly Vietnamese flair. No source notes are included, but a lengthy commentary providing historical and cultural information follows each selection.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Ronald Himler. Sixteen vignettes trace the history of the Alamo from the 1500s to modern times, with much of the focus on the famous battle. At times, the first-person prose-poems sparkle, as in Davy Crockett's self-description: "I can wade the Mississippi, leap the Ohio, and ride upon a streak of lightning." However, story-line gaps require readers to refer to the author's lengthy historical note. Realistic watercolor and gouache paintings complement the text.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 4-6 Dear America series. As talk of hostility increases just prior to Texas's war of independence from Mexico, thirteen-year-old Lucinda does what she can to help her family. Her father opposes the war, but her brother goes to San Antonio to defend the Alamo. Lucinda's story is engaging while showing the complicated issues of the revolution. The book includes a historical note and pictures from the time.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 The lives of three generations of fishermen in Vietnam and America are woven together in a story narrated by a Vietnamese-American boy out on his father's shrimp boat. Though occasionally more poetic than realistic, the text is simple and lyrical. Watercolors depicting the expanse of the sea evoke the unity of the one fishing family, even though distance and history has kept them far apart.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.