School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-The authors distill history down to its essentials, explaining the key players, events, causes, and effects in a way that is accessible to young students. Sidebars highlight key people, places, movements, and primary source documents. The primary source documents are accompanied by questions that prompt students to think in greater depth ("Read this excerpt closely. How would you change it for a different audience, such as your parents or younger friends?"). Each chapter ends with "Further Evidence," a sidebar that provides discussion questions and a publisher affiliated web address for more research, and the well-curated illustrations consist of archival photographs, drawings, and maps. A solid series. (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
This series focusing on pivotal periods in U.S. history is generally well organized, and the writing, though clunky, is accessible. Frequent photos, diagrams, and sidebars enhance the texts; writing prompts, primary source quotes, and "Stop and Think" questions contribute to the volumes' usefulness. Coverage of certain events is uneven (e.g., 1960s anti-war protests are glossed over). Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Story of the United States titles: World War I and Modern America, The Postwar Era, The United States Today, and The Rise of Industry.] (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
The Story of the United States series presents the history of America in short, declarative sentences that cover a broad scope of topics and events, some of which overlap between the generously illustrated volumes. The United States Today, with a majestic-looking Barack Obama gracing the cover, begins with the end of the Vietnam War and includes more in-depth detail about contemporary issues, such as the fight for marriage equality. Since each volume encompasses several decades in less than 50 pages, no one topic is covered in very much detail, and some pivotal events and people are skipped altogether, yet each book in the series expands its focus by linking to a variety of multimedia resources and primary documents, with ample Common Core-linked questions for further discussion. A useful launching point for further exploration of U.S. history.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2010 Booklist
