The Muckrakers: Ida Tarbell Takes on Big Business

Gr 9 Up—A look at people who by dint of determination and skill shaped social, political, and professional arenas but typically have received little or no attention for their efforts. The coverage is thorough. Content includes not only details about what the featured groups did and why but also significant backstory. For instance, in Hidden Computers, the authors describe both this resolute group of black women who became top-notch mathematicians and the history of human computers, going back as far as 1758. The writing is matter-of-fact and unbiased. In The Stonewall Riots, the violence perpetrated by police against protestors is addressed along with the reaction of the protestors. The illustrations consist of archival drawings and photos. The plain white backgrounds and pale shading for sidebars make for a lackluster visual presentation, but the material is solid.