Children's Literature – Debra Lampert-Rudman
Did you know that the author of The Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum, was a Chicago window decorator and founder of the National Association of Window Trimmers? And, did you know that the first chain store in the United States was a grocery store? In 1859 the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company began selling tea and coffee in New York. By the early 1900s it was known as A&P and had added other grocery items. And, did you further know there is a website (www.deadmalls.com) that lists malls that have "closed up and died or are half empty? This site also features shoppers' memories and histories of various shopping centers around the country. All of these facts, and many, many more, illustrated with delightful photographs and memorabilia, shopping quotes from a wide variety of diverse celebrities including Jersey Shore TV celebrity "Snooki" and Marshall Field "Give the lady what she wants" are part of Bix's look at this part of American history. Ms. Bix takes the reader from the 1800's General Store to today's "cyber shopping" using Smartphone shopping apps. The "For More Information" section includes four detailed pages of Books, Websites, Radio, Videos, and a detailed index. A useful addition to Social Studies curriculums. Reviewer: Debra Lampert-Rudman