The American Story: 100 True Tales from American History by Jennifer Armstrong, Roger Roth (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

This magnificent treasury tells the story of America through 100 true tales. Some are tales of triumph—the midnight ride of Paul Revere, the Wright brothers taking to the air, Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon. Some are tales of tragedy—the fate of the Donner party, the great fire in Chicago, the eruption of Mt. Saint Helens. There are stories of inventors and athletes, and abolitionists and artists, stories about struggling for freedom—again and again, in so many ways.

With full-color illustrations on nearly every page and short, exciting stories, this book is perfect for browsing by the entire family. Notes at the end of each story direct readers to related stories, and a guide to thematic story arcs offers readers (and teachers) an easy way to follow their particular interests throughout the book.

A treasure trove of a book that belongs in every home.

Children's Literature

History is first and foremost a story. This personal selection of 100 events in U.S. history has been retold by a master storyteller with drama, variety, and an engaging narrative voice. Topics from the Spanish sacking of the first permanent French settlement in Florida in 1565 to the Supreme Court's settlement of the disputed U.S. election in 2000 are brought to life in three or four pages and illustrated with lively pencil and watercolor illustrations. Topics mentioned in earlier stories recur, and the back matter includes a list of story arcs, from the obvious like "Crossing the Continent," "Religion," "Native Americans," to the surprising like "Bananas," "Cuba," or "Crime." Four pages of bibliography include a list of particularly useful and reliable Internet resources, and there is an extensive index as well. At times this veers toward being collection of American myths rather than American history, in spite of the subtitle "true tales." Sometimes the author is up front about that, as in her explanation about the Pocahontas story, or her description of Johnny Appleseed as not quite the man of the tall tales. But sometimes she includes mythology as fact: retelling the story of Banneker's reproduction of L'Enfant's plan for Washington although in fact he had left the city before L'Enfant, and ignoring the careful planning of civil rights workers, including Rosa Parks herself, that led to the moment she chose not to give up her bus seat in 1955. Still, this is an excellent read, an enticing invitation to find out more.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-This collection of lively tales demonstrates the broad base of individuals who make up our country and the slow accretion of incidents that create a heritage. Starting with the colony of Saint Caroline, founded by French Huguenots near what is today Jacksonville, FL, in 1565, the short tales proceed chronologically to the election of 2000. Along the way, readers move through sections entitled "Settlement and Colonies" (1565-1778), "A New Republic" (1791-1863), "Expansion and Invention" (1867-1899), "Becoming Modern" (1900-1945), and "Brave New World" (1946-2000). The tales are pulled from politics and government, social and religious life, recreation and science. Students will hear about personalities as various as John Chapman, Carrie Nation, Typhoid Mary, Babe Ruth, and Maya Lin. An excellent classroom resource, the stories are a perfect way to fill the odd three or four minutes, and the book's organizational structure ties in well with more comprehensive titles, such as Robert D. Johnston's The Making of America (National Geographic, 2002). The selections are cross-referenced into "Story Arcs" so that readers can follow historical threads, such as immigration or science and technology. The lively prose is matched by numerous soft color illustrations. A grand way to introduce children to the history of their country.-Ann Welton, Grant Elementary School, Tacoma, WA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Armstrong approaches history as a storyteller, and each of these stories is a gem of clear and concise writing. Readers are encouraged to find patterns and themes in the tales, and the section called "Story Arcs" serves as a guide. "Black History and Civil Rights," for example, includes accounts of Thoreau, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, Thurgood Marshall and Rosa Parks. Intended more as a "patchwork quilt of history" than a comprehensive or traditional time line, the volume ranges far and wide, with witch trials and monkey trials, hoaxes and curses, whale attacks, balloon rescues, Lizzie Borden and Pac-Man. The abundant full-color art is lively and essential to the great visual appeal of the volume. The superb bibliography contains a big mix of histories for children and adults. Young history buffs will enjoy dipping into this fine collection, and parents and teachers will find it an invaluable resource. (introduction, index) (Nonfiction. 7+)

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