Reviews and Testimonials
Tales of the Civil War
Young readers grades 4–8 will enjoy this collection of short and classic stories from the American Civil War. "Lincoln and the Sleeping Sentinel", young William Scott is sentenced to death for falling sleeping during night watch, President Lincoln gives him a pardon and a chance for William to redeem himself in battle; "The Clothesline Telegraph", when an African American wife works in a rebel camp and her husband in a Union camp, they devise a way to communicate secret information without speaking; "Belle Boyd the Spy". A passionate young rebel woman devises a daring way for the Confederates to trap Union soldiers and foil a Union attempt to trap Confederate soldiers; "The Brave Drummer Boy" tells how a ten-year-old drummer boy takes up a gun from a dead soldier in the midst of a raging battle and ends up a hero for his sharps-hooting skills; "The Blue and the Gray" is a hospital sketch based on a story by Louisa May Alcott. Two soldiers (one Union, one Confederate) lie dying next to each other in a Union hospital from wounds they gave each other. One forgives and one doesn't. Tales of the Civil War concludes with an original play adaptation of "The Blue and the Gray" and is a highly recommended addition for classroom, homeschooling, and public library collections.
—Children's Bookwatch, July 2000, August 2000
Five exciting stories, plus one play based on one of the stories, make up this volume in the "Cover to Cover Timeless Classic" series. Focusing on the Civil War, the tales include—"The Brave Drummer Boy," about a courageous ten-year-old who traded his drum for a gun and became a sergeant in the 22nd. "Michigan," the story of Belle Boyd, the famous Confederate spy, and the clever African-American woman of "The Clothesline Telegraph," who became General Lee's washer woman in order to send clothesline messages to her Union soldier husband across the river. "The Blue and the Gray," story and play, are based on Louisa May Alcott's Hospital Sketches. Each piece includes a black-and-white drawing. Although most of the stories seem to be based on historical facts, source notes would have been useful and appreciated. The book could still be a worthwhile part of a Civil War unit.
—Children's Literature
Tales of Detectives
Three men vie for the hand of Miss Laura Hope. Mr. Angus is a distinguished, well-to-do young man with a caring heart. Mr. Smythe is a man small in statue, who went out to make his fortune in order to be worthy of Miss Hope. Then there is Mr. Welkin, whose voice and presence seem to haunt Miss Hope, even when he is nowhere to be found. Thus the reader is drawn into the first story, "The Invisible Man." The four stories found here, including one from Edgar Allan Poe, will provide readers with a good introduction to the mystery. Each story is approximately twenty pages in length, and will be enticing even to reluctant readers. This would be a great read aloud for the older students, and a way of introducing the authors Chesterton, Doyle and Poe.
—Children's Literature
Tales of Greek Mythology
In this collection of four stories and one play, the author has condensed and simplified the classic stories of "The Midas Touch," "Aphrodite and Her Beloved Adonis," "The Legends of Echo and Narcissus," and "Oedipus and the Oracle" for a young audience. The shortened versions use modern language and dialogue to give readers a clear sense of the plots and characters. Children will relate to the characters' dilemmas and recognize the lessons learned. The "Glossary of Names" in the back provides simplified descriptions of the relevant Greek gods and goddesses. This book would work well for teachers wishing to introduce young students to Greek mythology and will provide students with memorable references.
—Children’s Literature, May 2000
Tales of the Old West
There are five tales and a play about the Old West in this retelling of timeless classics. Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and O. Henry tales are written to appeal to older children, but done here in a below-grade-level vocabulary. It is interesting to read these classics in such an engaging style. The selection of legends of real individuals and fictional characters in an Old West setting will be of interest to boys and girls alike. Perfection Learning Corporation has over 250 books in print for below-grade-level reading in grades 2–12.
—Children's Literature
Tales of the Seven Wonders
Paula Reece describes the architectural marvels of the ancient world in several ways. There is an introduction that ties a "wonder," such as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, to the reader's world of the present. There is also a story to provide historic context, and a play. A suitable dictionary would be a worthwhile at-hand resource for young readers of this book.
—Children's Literature
Tales of William Shakespeare
Purists will cringe when they read these retellings of Shakespeare's stories because so much of the beauty and feeling of the original language is missing. This doesn't mean, however, that the essence of the story is gone—that remains intact. Teachers will find ths collection helpful for readers that are struggling with English or reading in general. Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado about Nothing, Macbeth, and The Tempest introduce Shakespeare to readers in middle school. The cover, showing teen-age lovers Romeo and Juliet, will appeal to the intended audience. While this book would not be this reader's choice when reading "the Bard," it might be read along with Diane Stanley's biography of Shakespeare, Bard of Avon (Morrow, 1992) and Aliki's book on the Globe theater, William Shakespeare & the Globe (HarperCollins, 1999). Upper grades could read the play here with The Shakespeare Stealer (Dutton, 1998; reviewed in the March/April 1999 issue of The Book Report). You might be surprised at the number of possible uses for his title.
—Book Report, March/April 2000
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Timeless Classics
