A review by roseleaf24
An American ABC by Maud Petersham, Miska Petersham

2.0

The artwork is excellent, except for when it illustrates the racism embedded in this book. This is the ra-ra sort of patriotism you would expect from a children's book published in 1941, and it covers the high points of American history through the lens of victory and freedom. As someone who is frustrated by how piecemeal my knowledge of many things is, the lack of chronology in the organization is frustrating, though it's necessary for the alphabetical nature of it. I question since of the alphabet choices, though. E is for emigrant, when you're talking about all the people who come to this country??? Maybe people emigrating would make it a better country, but that's not what they mean to say.

And the racism. *Sigh* Native Americans are referred to as "Redskins" for the first half of the book, and then R actually stands for Redskins. The illustrations for Jamestown, South America, and Thanksgiving show the native in a sullen, subservient position next to a helpful or heroic white. The quite literal white-washing of history here is egregious.