Unfortunately for most students, American history is often tedious and boring, no doubt in part because the manner in which it is presented is also dry and boring. I found Joy Hakim's text to be both engaging and entertaining . . . certainly not the traditional approach to history! Her conversational writing style speaks directly to the reader. Hakim skillfully takes factual information and writes in a 'storytelling' manner. She does not burden her reader with an overload of details, but rather, she offers just enough information to pique one's interest in the historical drama of which she is writing. I particularly like the manner in which she poses questions and/or uses examples, for instance; she compares George III's relationship with the colonists as a fight between a parent and child . . . something to which every student should be able to relate. She also uses phrases . . . "You might be able to guess" . . . "As I've told you" . . . and "Hold on" that suggest she is writing to an audience of one . . . you!
The graphic aids in the text are also appealing. The maps, pictures, timelines, and primary source documents enhance the readings and address various learning styles. The presentation of sequential information speaks to the left-brain learner while the personal narratives and visual representations engage the more creative thinkers. The book also differs from our current classroom text in that many questions are embedded in the reading and /or the captions. Our textbook is the basic, 'here's the information, read it and answer the review questions at the end' which does very little to motivate our students. I also appreciate how the author includes many other interesting and influential people who helped shape our country. We tend to focus only on the Founding Fathers while there were so many others who also made important contributions.
