(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ken Stark. Ten-year-old Izzie, too young to fight in the Civil War, accompanies his aunt to Washington, D.C., where she's a nurse. He meets Lincoln, visits his aunt's hospital, and encounters a wounded Rebel soldier; these experiences offer him new insight into the conflict. Stark's detailed watercolors enhance this overlong story based on true events.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ken Stark. Short, rhyming verses ("Lines of orphans, / On display. / David chosen, / Pulled away") and sentimental illustrations tell the story of three orphaned siblings who are sent West by orphan train and eventually end up in separate homes. The simple text may be aimed at an audience too young to fully comprehend this chapter in American history. A brief author's note gives historical background.

Reviewer: Pamela McCuen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ken Stark. Accompanied by paintings that portray rural life in the early twentieth century, Splear's account of her childhood offers a glimpse at what it was like to be a tenant farmer's daughter. As the seasons turn, she describes tasks done by her parents--threshing oats and butchering--as well as the chores she shared with her three sisters, such as milking and herding the cows and helping in the garden. This may be too quiet and reflective for some.

Reviewer: Anne St. John