World War I: The Great War To End All Wars

Gr 7-10–This title examines the events surrounding World War I. A time line, which begins with Germany’s unification, helps frame the book’s content. Each chapter begins with Rauch’s cartoon illustrations, which help to communicate the chapter’s topic. Critical thinking questions and a research project are included at the end of each chapter. Lesser-known details about the war, such as the Choctaw code talkers from the United States and the French taxi cab drivers who aided in the war effort, are discussed alongside more familiar facts. Concepts such as nationalism, communism, anti-Semitism, workers’ rights, women’s suffrage, and racism are presented with varying levels of depth and context. In addition to the main text, nearly every page shows a sidebar. While these sidebars feature useful details and encourage browsing, they are sometimes overwhelming. Awkwardly written sentences and some type choices distract from the information. Most of the photographs and graphics have captions and credits listed, and there is a recommended book and website list in the back matter. Primary source material, with QR codes, are included throughout.