Review: We Were There, Too! : Young People in U.S. History by Phillip Hoose

Hoose, Phillip. (2001). We Were There, Too! : Young People in U.S. History. New York: Melanie Kroupa Books/Farrar Straus Giroux. 264 pages. ISBN 9780374382520

Awards/Selection Lists:
 - NBA Young People's Award Finalists 2000-2013
- Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books of the Year
- American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults

Author's Website: http://philliphoose.com/


Brief Summary:  Sybil Ludington rode almost 4 times as far and long as Paul Revere for the same purpose. John Adams was a translator as a child. Claudette Colbert refused to give up her bus seat long before Rosa Parks. James Forten worked to abolish slavery not long after the Declaration of Independence was signed. Whether they were planting Indigo, holding back British forces, helping stitch the star spangled banner, organizing for fair labor, leading protests against the Vietnam War, fighting in WWII, revolutionizing the world's technology, starting environmental movements that would later shape the globe...these things were all done by children. They were all there, fighting, living, breathing, dying, putting their lives on the line, innovating, protecting, surviving time and again, overcoming incredible odds, and make a difference, making themselves heard, when no one thought to listen. Phillip Hoose gives them a voice and proves every young person can make a difference. Every person, young or old has a voice.

Personal Reaction: I believe this to be an ideal book for young people who are feeling lost in the world, just like so many of Phillip Hoose's titles. He is so good at giving children a voice, showing their extraordinary efforts and talents, showing that they can make a difference, they can be heard, they can be strong and persevere. They are just as astonishing, if not more so because of their young age, than their adult counterparts and make just as big of an impact. It makes the reader feel...important, to see people just like them overcoming, making a stand, doing what they thought was right, often overcoming not just the prejudice of age, but also color, gender, nationality, and idea. If you look, in every major even in history, they are there, just waiting to be heard, and Hoose did an amazing job of giving brief but thorough overviews of their accomplishments. In fact, he found so many, they filled up NINE parts in this book, and I'm sure there was plenty of room for more.

Front/Back Matter: Title page, copyright page with dedication, table of contents, introduction, acknowledgments, sources (by part...total of 9 parts in book), index.

Content Evaluation:  There was a lot of content to cover, so the way that Hoose has the book organized, chronologically and in sections, makes sense, and the index and table of contents makes navigation easier. He is relatively thorough with his list of sources, though slightly less so than in previous books, where there were more author notes and selected bibliographies. Still, there is plenty of citation of reputable factual material, and illustration or photos where available, though it would have been nice to have seen some color in the book, to catch the eye and keep the reader moving.

I would recommend this book be displayed, either in Young Adult, or in the Teen section, particularly, as a way to empower youth patrons and show them what can be done with direction and drive.