 | I've continued to read about the colonial and revolutionary era for entertainment. Books for both kids and books for adults. Fiction and nonfiction. The first, Washington at Valley Forge, is primarily about the Continental Army's experiences during the winter of 1777. This book has some nice graphics, but it doesn't have much punch in the writing. All in all, I found it a little bland. |
| One of our favorite authors, Gary Paulsen (Hatchet), wrote Woods Runner. The book is a fictional account of a teenage boy who returns from hunting to find his village ravaged by British Redcoats. His parents were taken prisoner. In his attempts to locate his parents, the main character experiences the confusion of the period, and the reader experiences the graphic violence that accompanies the same period. Jamestown: The Buried Truth was written by the lead archaeologist at Jamestown in Virginia. At times the book is academic and monotonous, but other parts of the volume kept my attention. It just depends on the area of interest in the science at Jamestown. |  |
  | David McCullough's 1776 is an easy read, not overly academic. The author does a great job of engaging the reader and giving him an overview of more than one year in the birth of our nation. For years, McCullough's book has captivated readers in the general public. The classic Ben and Me was made into a short movie by Disney many years ago. I remember watching the film when I was in elementary school. I loved watching the little mouse, Amos, as he created many of Benjamin Franklin's inventions and even helped write the preamble to the Declaration of Independence for Thomas Jefferson. The book takes the tale a lot farther than the video, and I have to admit the movie is better than the book. Still, I love the classic illustrations. The last of these books I recently finished was a donation to our classroom - George Washington: The Man Who Would Not Be King. Another bland account of Washington's life, focusing on the our first president's understanding that the executive branch should have limited power. |   |
