Geronimo

January 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-These books about outstanding historical figures don't particularly stand out. Each spread includes fictional journal entries, quotes, illustrations, and some informational text. The journal entries, though written in the first person, lack any sense of the individual and are rather flat. Illustrations include photos, maps, paintings, artifacts, and diagrams. There are occasional tips given throughout for creating and maintaining journals. Each title concludes with a time line and a brief "fact file." A "Write Your Own Journal" page goes into further detail about creating a personal journal. This melding of history and language arts begs the question: What is fact and what is fiction?-Heather Acerro, Rochester Public Library, MN

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July 1, 2014
This volume explores the life and legacy of the Apache chief. A thorough, first-person narrative details his early life with his tribe through fights against governments trying to corral his people. The scrapbook layout of maps, illustrations, and photos further supports the journal premise, but the scriptlike font makes reading difficult. A journaling prompt is appended. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.

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