Don Mitchell (2) (1957–)

This book is a masterpiece for teaching students about the Civil Rights movement. Many books on these topics will mention what the important history is, why it is important, and suggest some further reading for those who are interested. Don Mitchell goes out of his way in "The Freedom Summer Murders" to cover the all aspects of the case of the murder of three civil rights activists in Meridian, Mississippi on June 21, 1964 by the Ku Klux Klan. He covers the lead up to the case, the case as it played out in Mississippi, and finally the work that went into creating a federal case against the indicted men to overrule the local exoneration. For me, the best two ways to experience history are to either come across some element of history that you were never aware of or to experience an aspect of history that you know fairly well in such exhaustive and enriching detail that you cannot help but be overwhelmed by what you read. Mitchell includes everything a take on civil rights history meant for popular consumption could want: photos of the people and important places so that visual learners can associate a real person with what they are reading, extensive quotes from people present and details from primary sources of the time to get a sense of both the emotions tied to these events as well as the base information, and finally extensive after notes and further information about important actors in this story for those history buffs who want to learn more about the people and places in this story. As a student and fanatic of history myself, that is much appreciated.
The biggest draw overall for this book is that Mitchell makes a very compelling case for the accuracy of his work. The book mentions his extensive education as well as his critical acclaim as a nonfiction writer for young adults. Also, as a man of history myself, what I look for the most when reviewing a book for accuracy is the material cited by the author as sources. There are no citations from for profit ".com" type websites. There are some other sources quoted that are from for profit publishing agencies, but many of them appear to have been used for the purpose of collecting their primary sources for use in the book. The number of books of photography mentioned in the book's end notes and bibliography support this assertion. Also there are plenty of academically published works cited as well. So, even though this was published by Scholastic, a for profit education book publishing company, I believe that Don Mitchell really sought to inform his readership about these events and why they are important. Given the resurgence of civil rights and their role in the criminal justice system in recent years, I believe it to be imperative that people read this book so that they can learn what mistakes were made in the past so that we do not repeat them.… (mais)

Middle grade readers [ages ten and up] discover how John Glenn, a boy from a small town in Ohio, grew up to become a hero. From his days as a Marine pilot to his adventures as a test pilot to his selection as a Mercury astronaut, the story of his life is told with narrative, inspirational quotes, and photographs.

Whether readers are interested in learning more about the life of the oldest human being to travel into space or of the political career of a beloved senator, there is much to inspire readers young and old alike.

Highly recommended.… (mais)