From the Publisher
"The story has got real rhythm to it, helped along by the refrain - 'Things were just fine the way they were.'" —Kirkus Reviews
"Great for discussion, this well-conceived picture book illustrates an interesting point about resistance to new ideas." —Booklist
"It can be difficult to locate nonfiction children's materials on the subject; 'Just Fine the Way They Are' helps fill a void." —School Library Journal
School Library Journal
K-Gr 3—Wooldridge's picture book traces the development of the National Road in the United States. The author explains how the road began as a means to travel smoothly from the Eastern United States to the Ohio River. As time passed and demand for a longer route grew, it expanded across Indiana and through part of Illinois. Unless readers have prior knowledge of the road's history, it can be difficult to determine whether characters like John Slack are fictional or real. Wooldridge interjects the public's positive and negative opinions regarding the road's development and describes how the inventions of the steam engine and automobile influenced changes in the highway, which ultimately became Route 40 and crossed the country. As the story winds down, Wooldridge raises the problem of air pollution. Her folksy, conversational writing style incorporates flavorful language such as "dang," "newfangled," and "citified." The unexpected conclusion refers to "a pack of crazy thinkers" with ideas on cars powered by corn, fuel cells, and electricity. Muscular horses, changing modes of transportation, and caricatured people populate the bright artwork. Humorous touches include a "SKUNK HAVEN" exit sign. It can be difficult to locate nonfiction children's materials on this subject; Just Fine the Way They Are helps fill a void.—Lynn Vanca, Freelance Librarian, Akron, OH
MAY 2012 - AudioFile
Wooldridge provides a whirlwind snapshot of the turning points of American travel—from the 1805 origins of the National Road through the invention of the steam locomotive and the Model T to the 1950s expansion of the Interstate Highway System and more, up to current times. Along the way, there are always moments when a disgruntled someone mutters that things are “just fine the way they are.” Jonathan Hogan is a folksy narrator who pulls the listener easily into his confidence. He relishes exclamations such as the animated “Hogwash!” from a farmer who sees no need for anything other than dirt roads. Hogan is liberal with his use of pause and emphasis as he shares the changing viewpoints of changing times. A.R. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
Wooldridge's story of America's land-transportation networks—its roadways and railways—is folksy but panoramic. The informal, affable tone, something like a movie voice-over, works well here, conveying a sweeping amount of material—over a lot of ground and 200 years—as it chugs merrily along, hitting the high points, while Walz provides heroic imagery with a Thomas Hart Benton tang. The narrative proceeds chronologically, with paths and post roads being replaced by the National Road, which is trumped by the railroads, which in turn is transcended by "wheelmen" (bicyclists) and, more importantly, by the automobile. Intriguing players and institutions are introduced—Peter Cooper, Lucius Stockton, Henry Ford, Tom Thumb, the B&O Railroad and the Good Intent Stagecoach line—though because of the survey nature of the book, they are more food for thought than fleshed out (a good timeline and bibliography at the end of the book helps point readers toward further information). Fittingly, the story has got real rhythm to it, helped along by the refrain—"Things were just fine the way they were," thought those who benefited from a soon-to-be-diminished carrier—but most of all by capturing the surging, ever-evolving nature of the country's transportation network. As the book closes, it is clear that the system continues to evolve—unpredictably, perhaps, but inexorably. (Informational picture book. 8-12)
