Review by Booklist Review
For many, Mount Rushmore is a spectacular, creative sculpture that has become a patriotic American attraction; for others, it symbolizes an invasion and occupation of the sacred lands of the Lakota Sioux peoples. For Gutzon Borglum, the huge mountain's granite face represented the perfect location for his greatest work: sculptures of the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt. Short chapters, generously interspersed with black-and-white drawings, make the book accessible, if not exciting. This fourth in the Where Is? series gives the facts about Borglum's incredible feat, while boxes add historical events that caused delays. One quibble: The statement They the Borglums actually were smack-dab in the center of the United States is a stretch for the time, since the area northeast of Belle Fouche, South Dakota, wasn't named the geographic center of the United States until 1959, when Alaska and Hawaii were admitted to statehood. For an engaging, alternative look, try Hanging Off Jefferson's Nose (2012).--Petty, J. B. Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-This addition to the series explains the origins of Mount Rushmore. Kelley provides a history of the region, including its importance to the Sioux, who called it Paha Sapa, their sacred lands. Settlers moved into the area in the 1870s looking for gold, and eventually the U.S. government forced the Sioux to give up their land. By the 1920s, the state of South Dakota was looking for ways to attract tourists and decided a huge sculpture in the Black Hills was the key. Renowned sculptor Gutzon Borglum was hired to carve the faces of four presidents: a huge-and costly-engineering feat that was not without controversy. Kelley addresses these topics through 10 enlightening but concise chapters with more than 100 illustrations, as well as informative sidebars. VERDICT A strong addition to history collections for its inclusion of Native American history and the author's willingness to address the controversial legacy of this landmark.-Patricia Ann Owens, formerly with Illinois Eastern Community College, Mt. Carmel © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-This addition to the series explains the origins of Mount Rushmore. Kelley provides a history of the region, including its importance to the Sioux, who called it Paha Sapa, their sacred lands. Settlers moved into the area in the 1870s looking for gold, and eventually the U.S. government forced the Sioux to give up their land. By the 1920s, the state of South Dakota was looking for ways to attract tourists and decided a huge sculpture in the Black Hills was the key. Renowned sculptor Gutzon Borglum was hired to carve the faces of four presidents: a huge-and costly-engineering feat that was not without controversy. Kelley addresses these topics through 10 enlightening but concise chapters with more than 100 illustrations, as well as informative sidebars. VERDICT A strong addition to history collections for its inclusion of Native American history and the author's willingness to address the controversial legacy of this landmark.-Patricia Ann Owens, formerly with Illinois Eastern Community College, Mt. Carmel (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
