We Were There, Too! Young People in U.S. History By Phillip Hoose Below are reviews for We Were There, Too!

School Library Journal, August 2001
***Starred Review
"A treasure chest of history come to life, this is an inspired collection. Readers could easily get lost in it by simply dipping into one compelling story after another . . . Because the book is packed with historical documents, evocatively illustrated (with black-and-white photographs, engravings, drawings, maps, and the like), and full of eyewitness quotations, it should prove valuable to young historians and researchers."

Publishers Weekly, August 20, 2001
***Starred Review
"Hoose's (It's Our World, Too!) impressive survey places young people at the center of every event that shaped America, from 12-year-old Domingo Bermudez who sailed with Christopher Columbus in 1942 to high school junior Claudette Colvin's refusal to give up her seat in 1955 Montgomery, Alabama, nine months before Rosa Parks . . . Pictures, maps and prints help bring these stories to life, but it is the actions of these young people that will inspire readers to realize that they, too, can play a part in making America's history."

The Horn Book, September/October 2001
***Starred Review
"These sixty-seven personal vignettes beg to be read aloud, particularly in social studies classes. But be aware that reading or hearing single incidents may restrict the book's power. Hoose creates a unifying historical arc in much the same way a fine fiction writer connects episodic chapters in a novel. Like these fifty states, the whole is stronger than individual components."

Booklist, August 2001
***Starred Review
"Using mostly primary sources--journals, diaries, interviews--he takes readers on a ride through American history, starting at the very beginning: he introduces the cabin boys who sailed with Columbus and the young Taino Indians who greeted them. More than 60 young people of all races and religions are profiled."

Kirkus Reviews, July 2001
"He follows the traditional arc of U.S. history, from Columbus and the Colonies to hippies and the computer revolution, by relating the stories of individual young people--both familiar and little known. Each three- to-four-page narrative begins with a quote (often--when available--from the person herself), and ends with a few lines describing "what happened" to the person in her adult life. Illustrations . . . on every page and sidebars of interesting historical tidbits or explanations make every spread inviting, and should encourage browsing. Hoose's short entries are accessible and give a good sense of the historical process by using attributed quotes and explanations of how each individual's story survived . . . This approach to history will intrigue and delight readers . . . for those wanting a broad but approachable book on U.S. history, this is a thoroughly enjoyable choice."

The New York Times Book Review, September 2001
"The research involved is impressive, and many of the stories spring from a different vantage point . . . Hoose makes us care about these unknown, unsung, valiant young people."

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