Common Sense Media Review
By Lucinda Dyer
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Brilliantly written, graphically stunning cultural history.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
The 21 chapters in AMERICA REDUX move back and forth between the 18th century and the present day. Chapter One, "The Good Old Days," details how the United Daughters of the Confederacy began a long and ultimately successful campaign to have school textbooks reflect a version of life in the pre-Civil War South "that a group of white women simply made up." There are chapters on suffragettes fighting for the vote and White and Black abolitionists allied against slavery that reveal surprising prejudices and even racism within those groups. "Give Me Liberty" shows how Samuel Adams used the media of his day (leaflets, discussions in taverns, and newspapers) and some outright falsehoods to rally the Colonists against the British. "This Land Is Your Land" explores the ongoing fight of Indigenous people in the Southwest to stop their lands from being exploited for mining and development. "Wish You Were Here" details how the United Sates overthrew the Kingdom of Hawaii and "As American As" looks at the Japanese Americans who were interned in detention camps during World War II. There are chapters about the farm workers strike in the 1960s, Jackie Robinson and the color line in major league baseball, and how freeways cut across and destroyed neighborhoods where immigrants and people of color lived. The last chapter, "We The People," is one of optimism -- it proposes that throughout American history, people have come together to help one another. The book ends with a quote from two leaders of the Young Lords. "We still believe in the power of young people to change the world."
Is It Any Good?
This isn't history filled with dates and timelines, it's visually stunning, sometimes shocking, often heartbreaking, and always compelling. America Redux's non-linear approach and reliance on images enhances rather than detracts from its impact -- helping the reader see that many struggles of the past (racism, voting rights, immigration, censorship) are still being fought today. Debut author Ariel Aberg-Riger blends a handwritten-like font of her own design for the eye-opening but digestible chapters with vivid collages of illustrations, photographs, maps, newspaper print, and copied objects for this innovative volume. This must-read book underscores the point that only by honestly studying the past can we ensure a better future.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the courage and teamwork shown by the activists who spoke truth to power in America Redux.
Why is it important to learn about and discuss the darkest periods in America's history? How can learning about the past make for a better future?
What do you know about the history of your community? Were Indigenous or enslaved people part of that history? Did immigrants play a vital role in building your community?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Ariel Aberg-Riger
- Genre : History
- Topics : Activism , History
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Teamwork
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : Balzer + Bray
- Publication date : May 2, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 17
- Number of pages : 294
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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