The caricature on the cover gets your attention. This volume of the Who Was series was a gift from a student and was easy to read. There were some interesting aspects of Washington's life included - enough to keep my attention. One rich piece of information is that George never introduced his wife Martha to his mother Mary. It is said that Mary was just too mean. There is at least one fact that I would dispute in the book, but otherwise I found it to be an interesting biographical telling. |
The American point of view is challenged when a British butler arrives in Carter Jones' life. I was surprised to read about the Revolutionary War in one of this year's Mark Twain Award nominees. While the book is most certainly a fictional telling, the thought that there is another point of of view also challenges readers to consider the British point of view. Amidst many attempts to help the reader understand the game of Cricket, the butler is an opinionated creature who attempts to bring English customs and traditions into the family. |
Daniel Boone was a man. That's how the song goes, but what is the true story of this American legend? The book places Boone with General Braddock and George Washington on the expedition that took Braddock's life and elevated Washington to legend status. Boone's exploits then weave him through the great southern and midwestern regions of the United States, popularizing trails, assisting explorers and pioneers, and witnessing the atrocities of the racial divides between whites and natives. |
This is one of the best historical fiction books I have read about the era. Written in first person, Chains features an enslaved girl and her younger special-needs sister. There are heartbreaking moments along the way as the author doesn't hold back in spite of her audience. It makes us understand the plight of enslaved people, while at the same time keeping true to the history occuring in the background. Here we see the burning of New York City, the attempted assassination of General George Washington, and the conditions of the military prisoners of the British. |