Ollhoff, Jim. Using Your Research. ABDO, 2010. ISBN 9781616134655. $27.07. 32 p. Reviewer: Marsha D. Broadway Reading level: Primary, Intermediate
Rating: Significant shortcomings
Genre: Informational Subject: Genealogy--Juvenile literature; Books--Reviews; The new Your Family Tree series includes six titles: Beginning Genealogy, Collecting Primary Records, DNA: Window to the Past, Exploring Immigration, Filling the Family Tree, and Using Your Research. Although few books about genealogy have been published for young people in the past decade, the series sticks to basic facts, identifies sources, and discusses cautions, but definitely lacks enthusiasm. The final title in the series, Using Young Research, has eight brief chapters on evaluating information, finding correct names, searching online databases, finding "dark family history," adoption, and social history. A short glossary and index complete the text. Historic and contemporary photographs, online screen pages, and reproduction of census pages comprise the visual content. Ollhoff has produced 22 non-fiction titles for young people this year, and quantity has overrun quality in this series. Costly volumes on narrow aspects of family genealogy make these books out-of-budget for most libraries and families. Roots for Kids: A Genealogy Guide for Young People (2007) by Susan Provost Beller is a better choice for classroom use and school libraries, and Climbing your Family Tree (2002) by Ira Wolfman is an engaging and value-priced alternative for home and public libraries. For those interested in free websites, check out "Genealogy Websites for Kids" at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/article/Genealogy-Web-Sites-for-Kids-Parents-and-Teachers and Family Tree Kids at http://kids.familytreemagazine.com/kids/default.asp.
Volume 31, no. 2 (November/December 2010)
