Russell Freedman's The War to End All Wars is as expected informative, well-written, and visually interesting. Russell Freedman is one of my favorite children's non-fiction writers.
BECAUSE:
1. He picks such interesting topics (ie Martha Graham, Marian Anderson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln).
2. His research is impeccable and he provides a source list.
3. He includes pictures and illustrations as supplements to the informational text, instead of replacements.
4. His books are written for students (upper elementary up to high school) but they are chock full and could be used by a teacher seeking preliminary information on a topic as in-depth as World War I or as an only source for topics such as Martha Graham and Marian Anderson who will not be the focus of a lesson, but rather an important element of a larger topic.
5. I have read almost everything he has written and never been disappointed by ommissions or glossing (I dislike when writers sanitize history for students...the truth does not have to be graphic, but it should be the whole truth.)
6. I love history and like to read non-fiction, and have, but I still learn from his books because he seems to make an effort to include interesting elements that do not appear in other works.
