A Visual Dictionary of a Pioneer Community. (Crabtree Visual Dictionaries). Bobbie Kalman. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2008. 32 pp., pbk. & hc., $10.95 (pbk.), $20.76 (rlb.). ISBN 978-0-7787-3524-3 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-3504-5 (rlb.). Subject Headings: Frontier and pioneer life-United States-Dictionaries, Juvenile. United States-Social life and customs-19th century-Dictionaries, Juvenile. Frontier and pioneer life-United States-Pictorial works-Juvenile literature. United States-Social life and customs-Pictorial works-Juvenile literature. Grades 1-6 / Ages 6-11. Review by Valerie Nielsen. **** /4
	A Visual Dictionary of the Old West. (Crabtree Visual Dictionaries). Bobbie Kalman. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2008. 32 pp., pbk. & hc., $10.95 (pbk.), $20.76 (rlb.). ISBN 978-0-7787-3523-6 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-3503-8 (rlb.). Subject Headings: Cowboys-West (U.S.)-History-Dictionaries, Juvenile. Cowboys-West (U.S.)-History-Pictorial works-Juvenile literature. Ranch life-West (U.S.)-History-Dictionaries, Juvenile. Ranch life-West (U.S.)-History-Pictorial works-Juvenile literature. West (U.S.)-Social life and customs-Dictionaries, Juvenile. Grades 1-6 / Ages 6-11. Review by Valerie Nielsen. **** /4
	A Visual Dictionary of a Colonial Community. (Crabtree Visual Dictionaries). Bobbie Kalman. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2008. 32 pp., pbk. & hc., $10.95 (pbk.), $20.76 (rlb.). ISBN 978-0-7787-3522-9 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-3502-1 (rlb.). Subject Headings: United States-Social life and customs–To 1775--Dictionaries, Juvenile. United States-History-Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775-Dictionaries, Juvenile. United States-Social life and customs-To 1775-Pictorial works-Juvenile literature. United States-History-Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775--Pictorial works-Juvenile literature. Picture dictionaries-Juvenile literature. Grades 1-6 / Ages 6-11. Review by Valerie Nielsen. **** /4
	A Visual Dictionary of Native Communities. (Crabtree Visual Dictionaries). Bobbie Kalman. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2008. 32 pp., pbk. & hc., $10.95 (pbk.), $20.76 (rlb.). ISBN 978-0-7787-3525-0 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-3505-2 (rlb.). Subject Headings: Indians of North America-History-Dictionaries, Juvenile. Indians of North America-History-Pictorial works-Juvenile literature. Picture dictionaries-Juvenile literature. Grades 1-6 / Ages 6-11. Review by Valerie Nielsen. **** /4

The "Crabtree Visual Dictionaries" series is a well-designed, researched and illustrated set of resources perfectly suited to students in the elementary grades. The set consists of four volumes which are beautifully detailed and illustrated, each one dedicated to a particular historic community. Kalman introduces the four communities - colonial, native, old west and pioneer - in the form of four visual dictionaries or picture-information books. Each book has 32 pages and a table of contents divided into 14 topics or themes that appear as two-page spreads in the volume that follows. Each chapter topic (for instance, the "Pioneer Farm" or "Children's Games" from A Visual Dictionary of a Pioneer Community) begins with a short introduction and then is expanded over the two pages with many historic illustrations and photographs, all carefully labeled and captioned. The mix of text and illustration is well-suited to young readers and researchers. It is clear that every effort has been made to preserve historical authenticity and to present it in a way which will appeal to readers from 6 to 11. As well as the excellent full colour photographs and illustrations, there is glossary and index in each book.

     Excellent as these resources are for teachers in U.S. classrooms, it must be noted that the emphasis in all of four of these volumes is on U.S. history. Although there is some information that is pertinent to Canadian students (notably in A Visual Dictionary of Native Communities and A Visual Dictionary of a Pioneer Community), elementary teachers of Canadian history in Canadian schools are not likely to find this set particularly useful for use in their social studies classrooms. With the above reservation, the series is—

Highly Recommended.

Valerie Nielsen, a retired teacher-librarian, lives in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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