Robert E. Lee: Confederate General (Famous Figures of the Civil War Era)

Grade 4-7-Basic biographies of the two major generals of the Civil War. Their childhoods are briefly covered, as is their role in the Mexican War. The majority of Lee then addresses his role in the Civil War, discussing in detail several key battles. O'Shei focuses less on Grant's role in the war and more on his later years as President, and the explanations of the various scandals of his administration are simplistic. The glaring fault in both books is the quality and number of illustrations. Fewer than half of the illustrations and reproductions are distinctly tied to the subject; most seem to be generic and are poorly reproduced. For example, in Lee, there are 20 pictures, only 7 of which actually have General Lee in them. The format, style, and content of these books make them appropriate for high-interest/low-reading level students, but there are better biographies of both men available.