Horn Book (Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2006)

This book, illustrated with sepia-toned photos and reproductions, is an ambitious attempt to explain how the people who write history books know what they know and how readers should consider history with a critical eye. However, topics are too briefly discussed and the repetitive text reads like a list of "neat" archaeological finds. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Voice of Youth Advocates

History comes alive in this new and interesting perspective "debunking the notion of history as fixed and unchanging." Chock full of gold-and-sepia-toned photos, the book entices the reader into the ever-changing world of history. Comparing it to a large jigsaw puzzle, the author turns historians into detectives, piecing together the facts that they have to make their telling as accurate as possible. Examining eyewitness accounts, the historian must always be aware that many witnesses can view the same event but see it differently. Initially a tribute to General Custer and his small band of soldiers, the Visitor Center at the Little Bighorn now offers a very different story of the battle, representing both sides of the conflict. What can account for the dramatic change over the years at the Visitor Center? A fire in 1983 profoundly changed the vegetation and allowed historians another opportunity to explore the battlefield. Many generations of school children have been taught that Columbus was the first European to come to what is now North America. In the 1960s, a Viking settlement from 1000 AD was uncovered in Newfoundland, predating Columbus by nearly five hundred years. From Homer's Troy to the Great Wall of China, from the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald to Herulaneum and Pompeii, historical myths and facts are examined. This book can be used as a starting point for lively discussion, debate, and research. There is also an informative section on "how to become a historian," which includes archaeologist, paleoanthropologists, and museum curators. It is a refreshing look at an old subject.-Marian Rafal.

ALA Booklist (Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2006)

Gr. 8 11. Archaeology plays a prominent role in many of the 19 chapters in Beller's investigation of how historical facts are discovered and conjectured. Intriguing topics such as the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the identity of King Arthur are used as examples. Beller writes concisely, but her relatively short chapters allow limited space to explore each topic. The book includes black-and-white illustrations, warmed with sepia tones, photos, and a few period paintings. Though the subject is intriguing, the format is lackluster, and the discussion lacks the spark needed to fire enthusiasm in many readers. However, given the scarcity of books that lead young people to question the sources of historical facts and to appreciate the value of seeking different points of view, this will be a useful addition.

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-Beller looks at more than 20 historical sites or archaeological excavations, from the World Trade Center to Olduvai Gorge, from the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975 to Noah's Ark, in order to present the varying interpretations of history and how they have been colored by tradition, socioeconomic factors, and religious beliefs. Objectively written chapters are brief, leaving readers longing for more detail and more depth-and this may be the greatest strength of the book. Teachers can use this text to introduce social studies content in research formats. Frequent, well-placed sepia-toned photographs and period reproductions serve to enhance the text, and the source notes, further reading, and list of Web sites give students an ample list of resources for further study. A small quibble is the identification in a picture caption of the Easter Island hieroglyphics, called Rongorongo, as the language of the Etruscans-but this hardly mars the worth of the book as both an introduction to a fascinating field and as a curriculum guide.-Ann Welton, Grant Elementary School, Tacoma, WA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.