Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s American Heroes: Joshua Chamberlin and the American Civil War

Makes history and historical people seem real to children. A great way to get history into the next generation.

Great book for my 10 year-old nephew, whose dad writes historical books and other non-fiction and teaches his kids a great love and respect for history. Bright kids need bright books!

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr's book on Joshua Chamberlain proves to be a well written and pretty interesting book for school level between third grade to eighth grade level of student interested in the American Civil War or American history. The book may be too complex for students under third grade (It might make a good bedtime book.) while too simple for high schooler. (I was reading Bruce Catton by ninth grade.) The book reads quite well, the author take pages from various sources (including from that movie Gettysburg where Joshua Chamberlain is one of the main characters) and simplified them for easier reading. There are a lot of illustrations and the book continued until the end of war. Simplified history take certain liberties but its not damaging and should provide a good read. (After all, in a book like this, we like to centered our attention on Chamberlain's positive qualities rather then his negative ones!!) From the title, this book appears to be part of a series. Choice of Joshua Chamberlain is an interesting one, I would have thought maybe someone like Grant or Lee may have been more recognizable by the general public outside of Gettysburg, PA and state of Maine. But Chamberlain did have a remarkable military career during the Civil War and it does make a arousing story. Book come well recommended for any one who want encourage their kids to read into history a bit more.