Adding to the Remember series (which profiles major American battles), Walker offers a detailed account of one of this country's most famous last stands. Opening with clear context about why tensions between Texas residents and the Mexican government were brought to a head, the book then chronicles events directly leading to the siege of the Alamo and its immediate aftermath, following up with an epilogue on the decisive battle of San Jacinto 10 months later. Bringing the history to life is a healthy selection of dramatic, modern paintings along with plenty of archival drawings, maps, and old photos. Back matter includes resource lists, biographical postscripts on notable Alamo survivors, and several time lines. This doesn't emphasize primary source accounts as much as one might expect, given the subtitle, but students of the conflict will welcome the attractively presented information available in the book, which can serve as a bridge to Jim Murphy's more in-depth Inside the Alamo (2003).

This book describes the 1836 battle between the Mexican army and a small group of men fighting for independence at the Alamo where the Texians (Americans in Mexico-controlled Texas) suffered a crushing defeat. Paintings, drawings, maps, and archival photographs enhance the well-written, well-documented, and balanced account. Missing text just before the epilogue makes the ending anticlimactic. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Gr 4-8-Walker presents a concise account of the complex events leading up to the Battle of the Alamo starting with June 1835, when Texas was still part of Mexico. He focuses specifically on the various people involved and why they were fighting. The deceptively short five chapters are chock-full of quotes and firsthand accounts of various Tejanos (Mexican-born Texans) and Texians (U.S.- or European-born Texans) explaining why they did or did not want freedom from Mexico. Likewise, the Mexican perspective is included. Handsome and colorful glossy pages include abundant full-color and black-and-white period paintings, maps, and small portraits of important figures. An in-depth time line of Texas and the American Southwest (1528-1853) is included, as are postscripts on key figures involved in the battle. Like most books on the Alamo, this one is arranged chronologically, thus the perspectives of particular people are interwoven within the overall story rather than by group. Though carefully written and meticulously researched, this is not an easy introduction. It is best used by mature readers or as an additional resource for further in-depth perspective by readers already familiar with the event. Suggest it after students have read Shelley Tanaka's The Day That Changed America: The Alamo (Hyperion, 2003).-Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.