Fighting for the Forest

July 15, 2019
A history of the Civilian Conservation Corp, one of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal projects that put hundreds of thousands of Americans back to work during the Great Depression. In just a little over a month after the president's inauguration, the CCC was conceived, created, and already at work, a model of government interagency cooperation and collaboration involving the departments of Agriculture, Interior, Labor, and War. Pearson highlights the essential role of Labor Secretary Frances Perkins, the first female Cabinet secretary, in securing funding for the CCC from Congress and recruiting and enrolling young men for the program. The CCC constructed or improved hundreds of state and national parks, restored nearly 120 million acres of land, and planted some 3 billion trees. The latter part of the narrative is focused through the experiences of several of those who served. The story of Houston Pritchett, an African American from Detroit, allows Pearson to explore how CCC director Robert Fechner segregated the corps despite an anti-discrimination amendment attached to its funding. A great deal of helpful background information about the Great Depression and Roosevelt's New Deal programs is provided in boxed featurettes in such profusion that they frequently interrupt the narrative. An informative, inspiring look at desperate times and how government can achieve great things through cooperation and good leadership. (photos, bibliography, endnotes) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

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November 1, 2019

Gr 5-8-Pearson skillfully tells the story of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a program conceived by Franklin Delano Roosevelt to put impoverished young men to work creating and rehabilitating parks, forests, and farmland during the recovery from the Great Depression. Readers learn about the intricacies of the program's implementation and its impact on the workers and on the country's landscape. Many parts of the narrative are told from the points of view of those who worked in the CCC. Pearson mentions the CCC's positive effects but acknowledges racial inequities and some questionable environmental practices. The book concludes by discussing how the CCC's legacy connects with today's conservation issues. Many historical photos and explanatory sidebars appear throughout the book. The bibliography lists dozens of historical and contemporary sources, including films, speeches, and interviews. VERDICT This thorough, well-rounded portrayal of the CCC brings this piece of U.S. history to life for a middle grade audience.-Sarah Reid, Four County Library System, NY

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2019
Grades 5-8 *Starred Review* This engaging book begins on Franklin D. Roosevelt's inauguration day, backtracks to introduce the Great Depression and FDR's personal story, and then focuses on a forward-thinking New Deal program called the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Born of the president's determination to help Americans survive with dignity and to restore the country's forests and other natural resources, the CCC hired young men who were living in poverty, assigned them to rugged camps that provided food, clothing, and shelter, and sent most of their pay home to their families. In the program's nine years, these unskilled workers created 13,000 miles of trails, built 125,000 miles of roads, and planted three billion trees. Visitors to national and state parks are still enjoying their accomplishments. Pearson includes accounts of individuals' experiences, including a Black CCC member. While acknowledging the program's occasional mistakes (the draining of swamps; the planting of kudzu) and the prevalence of racial segregation, the book records and celebrates the program's many impressive achievements. An illustration, usually an archival photo, appears at the beginning of each chapter and in every full-page feature, such as Hispanics in the CCC and People of the Blue Ridge. A well-researched, informative introduction to a topic seldom discussed in books for young people.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)