Synopses & Reviews
Winner of:2014 Amelia Bloomer Top Ten List
“Allow all black nurses to enlist, and the draft wont be necessary. . . . If nurses are needed so desperately, why isnt the Army using colored nurses?”
“My arm gets a little sore slinging a shovel or a pick, but then I forget about it when I think about all those boys over in the Solomons.”
Double Victory tells the stories of African American women who did extraordinary things to help their country during World War II. In these pages young readers meet a range of remarkable women: war workers, political activists, military women, volunteers, and entertainers. Some, such as Mary McLeod Bethune and Lena Horne, were celebrated in their lifetimes and are well known today. But many others fought discrimination at home and abroad in order to contribute to the war effort yet were overlooked during those years and forgotten by later generations. Double Victory recovers the stories of these courageous women, such as Hazel Dixon Payne, the only woman to serve on the remote Alaska-Canadian Highway; Deverne Calloway, a Red Cross worker who led a protest at an army base in India; and Betty Murphy Phillips, the only black female overseas war correspondent. Offering a new and diverse perspective on the war and including source notes and a bibliography, Double Victory is an invaluable addition to any students or history buffs bookshelf.
Review
“Double Victory is a treasure trove of little-known African American history. Cheryl Mullenbach reveals the stories our parents and grandparents were too humble to tell. Read this book and, no matter how much you think you know, you will learn something new.” —Sherri L. Smith, author, Flygirl
Review
“Activities such as ‘Tell a Story with Photographs may just inspire children to learn more about the work of Jacob Riis and Lewis Hine…Presents a huge amount of history in a format easy for browsing.” —Kirkus
Review
“The causes and effects of the Industrial Revolution are complex and many, and Mullenbach does a terrific job of streamlining the topic for children...The inclusion of excerpts from primary-source documents (such as letters and diaries written by kids) lends the book immediacy and personality." —School Library Journal
Review
"The Industrial Revolution for Kids is a versatile book that would be useful as a resource for a school report or research project, as a homeschool text for a unit on American History, or as a way for adults to quickly browse and brush up on history. See how history can be made relevant and interesting with this unique, hands-on learning approach.” —Wrapped in Foil
Review
“Mullenbach does a wonderful job of giving the big picture, while at the same time telling the stories of lesser-known individuals who younger readers will find especially relevant. She pulls no punches, revealing the hard times as well as the good things that came out of the era.” —Nonfiction Monday
Review
“This topical overview introduces aspects of the American Industrial Revolution through real-life experiences that will resonate with middle-school audiences...Teachers and student researchers will appreciate this engaging supplement to classroom texts.” —Booklist Online
Review
“The author does not skimp on the horrors and unpleasantness of cities during the onset of industrialization. Still, the emphasis — in this day and age of technological wonders, fortunes and wizardry — is mostly on what mechanical science brought to the world 150 years ago.” —MetroKids
Review
“Sure you have heard of the Rockefellers and the Carnegies (and their famous factories), but what about Hannah Montague or Jacob Riis? No? Well, now you can read all about the lesser known people who helped the Industrial Revolution in America. This is a very impressive and interesting read for kids and their grown-ups!” —Momma's Bacon
Review
“The Industrial Revolution for Kids is not only a great read, but it offers us a reality about the foundation of our nations workforce history and reminds us what had to take place yesterday in order to enjoy the modern conveniences that make our everyday lives so much easier today.” —Smart Books for Smart Kids
Review
“This is a wonderful book that can be used to supplement a curriculum on the Industrial Revolution. It is jam-packed with basic historical information and photographs…With so much information this isn’t a book to speed through all at once, but rather read, process, and explore one chapter at a time." —Flowering Minds
Review
“This educational activity book was a great introduction to a period of great change that stays solidly kid-focused." —Children's Atheneum
Review
"Mullenbach presents a thorough but readily accessible account of the Great Depression." —Publishers Weekly
Review
“The information is solid, and Mullenbach provides facts not usually found elsewhere.” —School Library Journal
Synopsis
Winner of:
2014 Amelia Bloomer Top Ten List
Allow all black nurses to enlist, and the draft won t be necessary. . . . If nurses are needed so desperately, why isn t the Army using colored nurses?
My arm gets a little sore slinging a shovel or a pick, but then I forget about it when I think about all those boys over in the Solomons.
Double Victory tells the stories of African American women who did extraordinary things to help their country during World War II. In these pages young readers meet a range of remarkable women: war workers, political activists, military women, volunteers, and entertainers. Some, such as Mary McLeod Bethune and Lena Horne, were celebrated in their lifetimes and are well known today. But many others fought discrimination at home and abroad in order to contribute to the war effort yet were overlooked during those years and forgotten by later generations. Double Victory recovers the stories of these courageous women, such as Hazel Dixon Payne, the only woman to serve on the remote Alaska-Canadian Highway; Deverne Calloway, a Red Cross worker who led a protest at an army base in India; and Betty Murphy Phillips, the only black female overseas war correspondent. Offering a new and diverse perspective on the war and including source notes and a bibliography, Double Victory is an invaluable addition to any student s or history buff s bookshelf.
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Synopsis
The unique and often overlooked stories of African American women who did extraordinary things to help the Allies during World War II are revealed in this important examination. Helping lay the foundation for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s as they fought discrimination at home and abroad, a range of remarkable women—war workers, political activists, military women, volunteers, and entertainers—are profiled, offering a unique perspective on the Second World War. The book includes the accomplishments of heralded names, such as Mary McLeod Bethune and Lena Horne as well as those of lesser-known heroes, including Hazel Dixon Payne, the only woman to serve on the remote Alaska-Canadian Highway; Deverne Calloway, a Red Cross worker who led a protest at an army base in India; and Betty Murphy Phillips, the only black female overseas war correspondent. With source notes and a bibliography for further exploration, this work stands as a valuable piece of history and encourages young readers to look within their communities for the stories of the women of the "greatest generation" and to recover them before it is too late.
Synopsis
American history before and after the Wall Street Crash of 1929
Providing a balanced, realistic picture of a time rife with hardships, The Great Depression for Kids brings the era and key concepts to life. Kids learn about the harsh realities that most Americans could not escape, such as massive unemployment, natural disasters, and economic collapse. They also learn that the 1930s were a time when neighbors helped neighbors; sports figures behaved admirably; and an army of young men rebuilt the nation’s forests, roads, and parks. Librarians delivered books on horseback, a curly-haired child star charmed moviegoers to “stand up and cheer” in the darkest of days, and a little African American girl became the first of her race to participate in the National Spelling Bee. Beginning with an in-depth look at the 1920s, the book builds readers’ background knowledge to help set the stage for the decline of the economy over the next decade. Twenty-one crosscurricular activities help kids learn how to research, buy, and sell stocks; use scientific methods to conduct a survey, re-create Depression glassware; and much more.
Synopsis
Have you ever wondered what it was like to live during the Great Depression? Perhaps you think of the stock market crash of 1929, unemployed workers standing in breadlines, and dust storms swirling on the Great Plains. But the 1930s were also a time when neighbors helped neighbors, librarians delivered books on horseback, and an army of young men rebuilt the nation’s forests, roads, and parks.
The Great Depression for Kids provides a balanced and realistic picture of an era rife with suffering but also deep-rooted with hope and generosity. Beginning with a full chapter on the 1920s, the book provides important background knowledge to help set the stage for an in-depth look at the decline of the economy and attempts at recovery over the next decade. Twenty-one hands-on activities invite young history buffs to understand and experience this important era in American history. Kids can recreate Depression glassware; simulate a windstorm; learn how to research, buy, and sell stocks; design a paper block quilt; play “round ball”; and much more.
About the Author
Cheryl Mullenbach is a former history teacher, librarian, public television project manager, and social studies consultant. She is the author of Double Victory: How African American Women Broke Race and Gender Barriers to Help Win World War II and has contributed to Arizona Living Magazine, the Des Moines Register, Iowa Council for the Social Studies Journal, Iowa Heritage Illustrated, and An Encyclopedia of American Women at War. She lives in Panora, Iowa.