Don't Know Much About the Pilgrims - Softcover

Grade 2-4-Handsomely packaged and laced with more than a dash of irreverent cheek, this title will entice browsers who will probably learn a little along the way. Davis organizes the haphazard collection of factoids chronologically and covers the same material found in any of a number of other books on the period. Sidebars on nearly every page highlight related material, while colorful cartoon illustrations add visual appeal. Cutaway drawings show the interior of a typical Pilgrim house and of the Mayflower. Unfortunately, the simplification and the somewhat frivolous tone create some problems. The Puritans' disagreement with the Church of England dealt with issues far more serious than "fancy ceremonies and decorations." Stating that the king "said the Pilgrims had to shape up or ship out" is also misleading in that Separatist leaders were routinely imprisoned, not exiled. The brief paragraphs dealing with their time in Holland imply that they were unhappy there largely because "they had to work harder than they had worked in England." Paul Erickson's Daily Life in the Pilgrim Colony 1636 (Clarion, 2001) is a more informative source for reports. Connie and Peter Roop's Pilgrim Voices (Walker, 1997) is another good choice. Ann McGovern's -If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 (Scholastic, 1991) takes a lighthearted approach to the Pilgrims but presents the facts more precisely, and has a great cutaway diagram of the Mayflower that gives a real sense of just how crowded things were during the voyage. Davis's casual looks at history are popular, but librarians will want to consider how many of them their budgets can bear.
Elaine Fort Weischedel, Franklin Public Library, MA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.