BOOK NEWS
Variety Of New Books For Younger Readers
By Ron Berthel
Associated Press Writer

Madonna and Janet Reno probably don’t hang out in the same places. But one place they can always be found together is in "Scholastic Book of Outstanding Americans" (Scholastic, $19.95, ages 9-13).

Author Sheila Keenan offers brief biographies — most half a page long — of about 450 famous Americans and a few infamous ones, along with a photo of each. Among them are political figures, entertainers, athletes, scientists, artists, business leaders and even a crook or two.

Readers meet James Stewart and Martha Stewart, Earvin ``Magic’’ Johnson and Lyndon B. Johnson, Spike Lee and Robert E. Lee, Benjamin Franklin and Aretha Franklin, Dr. Jonas Salk and Dr. Seuss, Jesse James and Jesse Jackson.

There are Mark Twain, John Wayne and Thomas Paine; and Truth (Sojourner), Hope (Bob) and Love (Nat). Among the names that have become familiar to consumers are Clarence Birdseye, George Eastman, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Estee Lauder, Sam Walton, George Westinghouse and F.W. Woolworth.

Ever hear of Sarah and Angeline Grimke? The 19th-century abolitionists from South Carolina get their due here as do Molly Brant, Chien-Shiung Wu, Mercy Otis Warren, Jack Kilby and other contributors to American life whose names rarely come up in conversation.

It’s fun to browse through, and a quick source of introductory information about a wide variety of important Americans.

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Plenty of important Americans, along with significant places, things and events can be found in "Children’s Encyclopedia of American History@ (DK, $29.99, 8 and older) by David C. King in association with the Smithsonian Institution.

The book covers a millennium of history, from 1000, the approximate time when the first Europeans came to the New World, to 2002 and the war on terrorism spurred by the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Events are arranged chronologically, of course, but each section is organized around a particular theme: The Cold War, the Industrial Age, the Great Depression, settling the West and others. Colorful illustrations — more than 1,000 _ include photos, maps and art works, with reproductions of ads, posters, newspaper front pages and other artifacts providing clues to the contemporary culture of each era.

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A "kid’s guide to the people and places of America," that’s what "State-by-State Atlas" (DK, $19.95, ages 8 and older) calls itself and, by golly, that’s just what it is.

Organized into geographical regions, each of the 50 states is treated to a two-page spread that provides information about its history, geography, industry, agriculture and people. More than 750 color illustrations include photos of famous people, places, things and events associated with each state. And, since this is an atlas after all, there are maps, too.

For each state there is a column of quick facts, including its official bird, flower and tree; population and area figures; and major cities.

Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam shouldn’t feel slighted _ even though they aren’t states, the book contains entries on those places too.

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There are plenty of subjects one might not know much about, and if the story of the westward pioneers is one of them, the book for you might be "Don’t Know Much About the Pioneers" (HarperCollins, $15.99, ages 6-9).

This latest in Kenneth C. Davis’ "Don’t Know Much About ...’’ series is illustrated by Renee Andriani and appears in this bicentennial year of the start of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which paved the way for westward expansion.

It offers the story of the American West, of cowboys and Indians, the Gold Rush, the push West and life on the frontier. It’s like an old Western movie, but with less horsing around.

The book’s Q-and-A format answers questions about why pioneers went West, what school was like on the frontier, how often pioneers bathed and changed clothes (not often enough!), how pioneers got along with Indians, and what it was like to mine for gold (Hint: not fun, especially for those who came up empty).