   | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 08/01/2019 *Starred Review* This engaging book begins on Franklin D. Roosevelt’s inauguration day, backtracks to introduce the Great Depression and FDR’s personal story, and then focuses on a forward-thinking New Deal program called the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Born of the president’s determination to help Americans survive with dignity and to restore the country’s forests and other natural resources, the CCC hired young men who were living in poverty, assigned them to rugged camps that provided food, clothing, and shelter, and sent most of their pay home to their families. In the program’s nine years, these “unskilled” workers created 13,000 miles of trails, built 125,000 miles of roads, and planted three billion trees. Visitors to national and state parks are still enjoying their accomplishments. Pearson includes accounts of individuals’ experiences, including a Black CCC member. While acknowledging the program’s occasional mistakes (the draining of swamps; the planting of kudzu) and the prevalence of racial segregation, the book records and celebrates the program’s many impressive achievements. An illustration, usually an archival photo, appears at the beginning of each chapter and in every full-page feature, such as “Hispanics in the CCC” and “People of the Blue Ridge.” A well-researched, informative introduction to a topic seldom discussed in books for young people. - Copyright 2019 Booklist. School Library Journal - 11/01/2019 Gr 5–8—Pearson skillfully tells the story of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a program conceived by Franklin Delano Roosevelt to put impoverished young men to work creating and rehabilitating parks, forests, and farmland during the recovery from the Great Depression. Readers learn about the intricacies of the program's implementation and its impact on the workers and on the country's landscape. Many parts of the narrative are told from the points of view of those who worked in the CCC. Pearson mentions the CCC's positive effects but acknowledges racial inequities and some questionable environmental practices. The book concludes by discussing how the CCC's legacy connects with today's conservation issues. Many historical photos and explanatory sidebars appear throughout the book. The bibliography lists dozens of historical and contemporary sources, including films, speeches, and interviews. VERDICT This thorough, well-rounded portrayal of the CCC brings this piece of U.S. history to life for a middle grade audience.—Sarah Reid, Four County Library System, NY - Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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