Rating : - How can we trust the information when the cover photo is irrelevant to the topic of the book?
This book covers the subject of the removal of Southeastern tribes to Indian Territory (later Oklahoma) in the late 1830s. However, the photo chosen as cover art depicts a group of Crow warriors of 1880s Montana who have been placed under arrest for jumping the reservation to raid nearby ranchers. I have seen this photo in several other books with accurate documentation.

Doubtlessly, the photo of Native Americans in chains under the eyes and guns of the US Cavalry is dramatic, and taken out of context it provides an emotionally manipulative introduction to the material presented within, but using this anachronistic picture on the cover of a book about the Indian Removal Act is like using a picture of O.J. Simpson in handcuffs to illustrate a book on the history of slavery.

It disturbs me that for whatever reasons, a book aimed at school children is illustrated so inaccurately. This use of totally out of context historical photos is something I have seen in other current books aimed at school children, and it causes me to doubt the veracity of the whole book.

If they just choose photos of Natives in restraints at random from clip art files, then perhaps their research is just as shoddy. And if they purposefully choose an out of context photo based on its emotional impact, then perhaps their information is biased and inaccurate.

No wonder our children have so weak a grasp on history!