Fields of Fury: The American Civil War

The well-organized, well-executed, kid-friendly history of the Civil War was a brilliant idea if there ever was one. It's difficult to imagine anyone doing a better job than McPherson at breaking down this complex, interrelated series of events into such compelling and easily digestible chunks. Except for a handful of longer entries, each major battle and section receives a single, concise, two-page spread that includes McPherson's summary and analysis, eyewitness accounts from all sides of the conflict (many from kids!), a few "Quick Facts," as well as carefully chosen maps, photographs, and other illustrations (some of which, appropriately, border on the macabre, a fact kids will appreciate). Fields of Fury also includes a glossary, an index, a list of related Web sites, a bibliography, and a timeline in the endpapers.

McPherson succeeds not just by grabbing attention and keeping it, but by doing so with such economy--and never without context that relates each entry back to the whole. (In fact, grownups who lacked the time or interest to weather McPherson's 904-page Battle Cry shouldn't be surprised if they find themselves "borrowing" Fields of Fury after their kids hit the sack.) (Ages 9 to 12) --Paul Hughes