The Civil War

Gr 4–6—These broad introductions are divided into two- to four-page chapters that summarize standard topics such as slavery and sectionalism, causes of the war, military strategies, important battles and turning points, and weapons and technology. Most also include brief profiles of Union and Confederate military and civilian leaders. Ollhoff writes clearly and objectively, but the books average only about 20 pages of text, and the large font allows for only a few paragraphs per page, factors that limit content. The strongest aspect of the series is the outstanding illustrative material, which uses a combination of large, often full-page reproductions of period illustrations and photographs, modern photos of locations, artifacts and living history reenactments, and colorful battle maps, all captioned. None of the books has source notes, and the only suggestion for further information is a note on the verso of the title page that directs readers to online resources at ABDO's Book Links website. These books are attractive but short on background and context, making their usefulness for reports limited. They join a field crowded with recently published Civil War series and they lack the detail and analysis found in Compass Point's "The Civil War" (2010), making them supplemental purchases.—Mary Mueller, formerly at Rolla Junior High School, MO