Americapedia

Gr 8 Up—In this witty, irreverent romp through history, the authors attempt to give teens what The Daily Show and The Colbert Report have done for adults, but in this case provide an amusing way of engaging with America's past. Along the way, readers are introduced to such topics as the intricacies of a balanced budget as well as the diversity of America's religious communities. Each chapter centers on a general theme including government ("Civics, Pimped Out"), presidential and other dynasties (including the Adamses, Roosevelts, and Rockefellers), "Economics Made Fun," foreign affairs ("Diplo-messy"), and America's "hot button" issues. Flashy photos, charts, and/or sidebars appear on every spread. Each chapter also poses and answers a number of questions from "what is the difference between a primary and a caucus?" to "What makes a person Jewish, and does Madonna count?" While some points border on being hokey, readers will be drawn to this entertaining and informative read, which is packed with full-color photos and hilarious sidebars. Americapedia is a good choice for fans of Adam Selzer's The Smart Aleck's Guide to American History (Delacorte, 2009)—Brian Odom, Pelham Public Library, AL