Brown, Carron  Wonders of the USA: A Shine-a-Light Book
Gr. K–3    40 pp.    Kane/Miller    2017

Illustrated by Bee Johnson. "Shine a flashlight behind the page...to reveal the amazing sights in and around our country. Discover a land of great surprises." This Shine-a-Light installment presents a very broad tour of American landmarks such as the White House, Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, and Carlsbad Cavern. The information is slim, but the guessing game ("What is sleeping in the cave?") and shine-a-light hooks should engage viewers. 

Subjects: History; North America; United States; National monuments; National parks and reserves

Burling, Alexis  Occupying Alcatraz: Native American Activists Demand Change
Middle school, high school    112 pp.    ABDO/Essential Library    2017

Hidden Heroes series. Well-paced chapters with archival photos examine Native American activists' first attempt to occupy Alcatraz in 1964, the history of their struggles with white settlers and the government, and the seeds of activism in the Native American community. Later chapters cover the nearly two-year-long occupation of Alcatraz beginning in 1969 and the protest's ongoing impact. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. 

Subjects: History; Native Americans; Alcatraz Island; Native Americans—North America; San Francisco (CA); Activism; Prisons and prisoners

Calkhoven, Laurie  Mount Rushmore's Hidden Room and Other Monumental Secrets: Monuments and Landmarks
Gr. K–3    48 pp.    Simon Spotlight    2018

Ready-to-Read: Secrets of American History series. Illustrated by Valerio Fabbretti. The lively easy-reader series about American history continues to offer beginning readers entertaining and lesser-known facts surrounding popular topics. This edition covers monuments and landmarks, in particular the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, FDR's secret train station under the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, and Mount Rushmore. Fabbretti's amusing illustrations add an extra level of kid-friendly interest. Facts and a quiz are appended. 

Subjects: History; North America; National monuments; Buildings; Architecture; Mount Rushmore National Memorial (SD); New York (NY); Easy readers

Cosson, M. J.  Welcome to Redwood National and State Parks
Gr. 4–6    32 pp.    Child's    2018

Dell, Pamela  Welcome to Yosemite National Park
Gr. 4–6    32 pp.    Child's    2018

Hall, M. C.  Welcome to Denali National Park and Preserve
Gr. 4–6    32 pp.    Child's    2018

Higgins, Nadia  Welcome to Glacier National Park
Gr. 4–6    32 pp.    Child's    2018

Lorbiecki, Marybeth  Welcome to Grand Teton National Park
Gr. 4–6    32 pp.    Child's    2018

Temple, Teri & Temple, Bob  Welcome to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
Gr. 4–6    32 pp.    Child's    2018

National Parks series. This series takes readers on pleasant tours through individual national parks. Each book's second-person text has a guidebook-like tone, offering tips and tricks for getting the most out of a visit. The volumes are filled with fascinating facts, vivid photographs of natural wonders and animals visitors might encounter, and keyed maps. Additional fast facts are appended. There are six other spring 2018 books in this series. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Subjects: History; North America; National parks and reserves; Redwood National Park (CA); Yosemite National Park (CA); Denali National Park and Preserve (AK); Glacier National Park (MT); Grand Teton National Park (WY); Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HI)

Wishinsky, Frieda  How Emily Saved the Bridge: The Story of Emily Warren Roebling and the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge
Gr. K–3    32 pp.    Groundwood    2019

Illustrated by Natalie Nelson. Wishinsky's straightforward, text-heavy picture-book biography places particular emphasis on Roebling's critical role in bringing her husband's engineering feat, the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, to completion after he fell ill. Taking inspiration from nineteenth-century newspapers, Nelson's collage illustrations draw from photographs, giving the book an air of historical authenticity. Speech bubbles with imagined dialogue make Roebling and her milieu accessible to today's readers. Reading list. Bib. 

Subjects: Biographies; Individual Biographies; Architecture; Bridges; Construction; Roebling, Emily Warren; Brooklyn Bridge (New York, NY); New York (NY); Women—Biographies; Engineering; Women—Engineers

From the December 2019 issue of Nonfiction Notes from the Horn Book.