A DAY THAT CHANGED AMERICA

The battle at the Alamo in 1836 fueled events leading to statehood for Texas in 1845, and by the end of the Mexican-American War in 1848, Mexico had lost half of its vast empire. Tanaka and Craig portray the battle in all of its color and drama. Attractive design, dramatic paintings, colorful maps, archival photographs, and biographical sketches of James Bowie, William Travis, and Davy Crockett bring the history alive. The importance of this event to Texas statehood and the territorial expansion of the US is clearly explained. However, the Mexican government’s concerns over the flood of Anglo settlers, the origins of the Alamo itself, the Battle of San Jacinto, and the bloody revenge exacted by Sam Houston’s troops in the name of “Remember the Alamo!” are given cursory treatment. The slight bibliography includes Jim Murphy’s Inside the Alamo (p. 393), a better choice for a slightly older audience. (epilogue, glossary, index, Web sites) (Nonfiction. 8-12)