THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION FROM A TO Z

Simultaneously presenting Revolutionary War people and events in both alphabetical and—roughly—chronological order, Crawford pulls off a neat trick that compensates, at least in part, for the artificiality of it all. Between “A is for American Revolution” and “Z is for Betty Zane” (a heroine of one of the war’s final battles), she introduces prominent figures like Washington and Jefferson, such lesser lights as Henry Knox, Molly Pitcher and Lydia Darragh, several battles, the Declaration of Independence, the Liberty Bell and Old Glory—the last properly attributed to Francis Hopkinson rather than Betsy Ross. The brief comments for each entry are seldom so revealing, however, and Hierstein’s watercolor figures tend toward the generic, without much individuality of expression. Not the first word on the subject by any means, nor the last, but this once-over merits a spot in the middle somewhere—as a quick topical review, maybe. (Nonfiction. 9-11)