The Hatmaker's Sign retold by Candace Fleming illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker*

 A Story by Benjamin Franklin

Ms. Fleming offers modern learners the opportunity to read a story Ben Franklin told Thomas Jefferson to calm his temper. When Thomas Jefferson completes his first draft of the Declaration of Independence, he is proud of it and thinks it is perfect. The Continental Congress, however, finds many areas to change. Jefferson is mad. Franklin then relates this story to him. 

The Author's Note reveals that Franklin's story did not really console Jefferson. Jefferson remains bitter about this incident and tries to justify that his original draft was the best until he dies!

A great book to stimulate discussion: about how the fathers of our country were not perfect, accepting constructive criticism, the result of unforgiveness, resentment, and bitterness, how what one writes the first time will probably require many edits to make it a strong piece!

**Definitely include this book with an unusual insight into Franklin & Jefferson when studying the founding of our nation**

-Borrowed from the library

The World of William Penn by Genevieve Foster*

 This "The World of" is longer and more hefty than other ones I have read by Ms. Foster (nine parts/sections, 188 pp).

Readers will not only learn about William Penn's entire life but about other men who impacted the world during his life. The format is narrative and very engaging. Her transitions from man to the next man are clever.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed via ILL.

Escape Across the Wide Sea by Katherine Kirkpatrick

 In 1686 Daniel and his parents flee France. As French Huguenots, they are in danger of death if they do not convert to Catholicism. Not able to secure a boat to England, they find themselves on a slave ship, sailing from France to Africa to the Caribbean, and then finally to New York. Along the way, Daniel develops his views about slavery, endures many difficult situations, and discovers how to impact others' lives.

I like how the readers will begin to comprehend the depth of people's faith by reading this book. Daniel's parents would not compromise their faith. Explicit details how to come to Christ are not included. In the author's note she explains a bit about Calvinism.

Ms. Kirkpatrick immerses the reader into this time period. Readers will understand the Triangular Trade very well after reading this book. Not many historical fiction books have been written about the French Huguenots. I would recommend including this one when studying the 1600-1800s. The chapters are short and exciting-perfect for reluctant readers.

A couple of glossaries are included.

Consider/discuss: the cruelty of slavery is shown in detail

When Paul Revere Rode by Sarah L. Thomson illustrated by Nik Henderson*

Voices from the First Night of the American Revolution

Ms. Thomson unveils various other people, several unnamed, who assist Paul Revere and his ride to warn the colonist that The Regulars (NOT the British, the colonist considered themselves British , so Paul Revere would not have used that word to describe them. The colonists called them The Regulars) were planning to attack. Before each poem, she introduces the person and their connection to the evening. She also indicates the  approximate time and date when this person's role occurred. Quotes from the person are included. After the main poetical text, she reveals even more information about each narrator.

I liked how Ms. Henderson illustrated in mostly in hues of blue and in a smudgy style to create a mood of night and not being able to see precisely.

A great book to read when studying this event in history.

A teacher could have their students take a point of time in history, research the individuals involved, and then create poems from their points of view to retell the event. It would be a hefty endeavor (& maybe not realistic?).

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

A Parade for George Washington by David A. Adler illustrated by John O'Brien*

 I do not remember reading or learning about all the parades and celebrations towns gave George Washington as he traveled from Mount Vernon to New York City to take an oath to be the nation's first president. Mr. Adler takes the reader from town to town and describes how each one celebrated him. I liked the inserted maps on the pages that display his route. 

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow illustrated by Charles Santore*

Mr. Santore illustrates Longfellow's famous poem with stunning art. The unique perspectives and the deep colors create a mood and immerse the reader into the setting. In his illustrator's note, he shares his research to creating authentic pictures.

*Highly recommend.

-I own this book.

Bread-and-Butter Journey by Anne Colver illustrated by Garth Williams*

 In 1884 Barbara Baum and her family are leaving Burnt Cabins in PA and are traveling west to Mead's Crossing. Fortunately, her best friends,Trudy and Tess along with their mother and brother Philip are joining them on this adventure. Their fathers are already preparing the property. Jonas, Barbara's brother and Philip lead the mothers and daughters across the wilderness where they encounter dangerous and challenging circumstances.

The author immerses readers in this time period. Although the readers will learn a lot, the writing is not didactic  The characters are credible. I read this book in one sitting. I would recommend having children learning about colonial America and colonial PA to read this book.

Garth William's illustrations are always a delight and a positive addition!

This book and Bread and Butter Indian are based on the author's husband's great-great-grandmother's journals. 

*Highly recommend.

Pair with Laura Ingalls Wilder books

-Borrowed via ILL.

Bread and Butter Indian by Anne Colver illustrated by Garth Williams*

 Barbara Baum longs for "a-little-girl-her-own-age" to move to the settlement of Burnt Cabins in Western PA. This longing is pronounced when her mother gives her bread and butter sprinkled with sugar to have a tea party with her "friends". Sitting at the large stump along the creek, Barbara carefully sets leaves and sticks as place settings for her party. The squirrel and chipmunk won't cooperate; her doll Ariminta slums over. Then she notices a pair of moccains across the creek. An Indian watches her. Instead of running away like her mother had instructed her, she offers him her slice of bread with butter and sugar. A secret friendship forms, which proves life-saving later in the story.

Based on accounts from the author's husband's great-great-grandmother! Readers are immersed into what life was like in the 1780s.

*Highly recommend. I am so glad my friend shared this title and its sequel with me. I had never heard of them.

-Borrowed via ILL (a used paperback copy is $90 on Amazon!)

Eating the Plates by Lucille Recht Penner*

 A Pilgrim Book of Food and Manners

An interesting account of the Pilgrims' history, centered around food. 

Mid-late elementary students could easily read and comprehend this nonfiction book.

Recipes included.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Nathaniel Hawthorne text set

 My seventeen-year-old and I are currently reading The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The following books proved helpful to build background about Hawthorne and his writings (all books are borrowed from the library)-

A Student's Guide to Nathaniel Hawthorne by Mary Ann L. Dorio (*Highly recommend. I found this one the most helpful and student-friendly)

Cliffs Notes on Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables-

Hawthorne  Tales and Sketches 

Novel Houses- Twenty Famous Fictional Dwellings by Christina Hardyment (includes chapters about Mansfield Park, Waverly, Wuthering Heights, The House of Seven Gables, Bleak House, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Sherlock Holmes, Cold Comfort Farm, The Great Gatsby, Rebecca, I Capture the Castle, The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings,and Harry Potter. . . to name a few)-

I already posted a review about this picture book- The Great Stone Face retold by Gary D. Schmidt-

The Last of the Mohicans DVD

DVD-starring Daniel Day-Lewis 

After my son finished reading the novel, we invited grandparents over to watch the movie.

My husband, my son, and I were  prepared to be very sad after watching the movie. We, however, did not connect to the characters and were not affected by their deaths like we thought we would be. The movie plot was centered around the romances between the characters. The characters who died were not the same ones who died in the novel (minus Uncas). The romance was a very minor role in the novel, almost nonexistent to the plot. The movie plot also portrayed Duncan as a cowardly and untrustworthy person. In the novel he was an upstanding man.  My son and I both liked the novel more. . significantly more.

The landscape filmed is breath-taking and beautiful. I loved the scenes with Hawkeye, Uncas, and Chingachgook running through the forest, up rocks, and through creeks/waterfalls.

Rated R for violence, one passionate kissing scene-you know when it is exactly going to occur & can fasat forward no problem-no inappropriate "skin" is shown (no kissing scenes in the novel), one character commits suicide by jumping off a cliff (this did not happen in the novel)

-Borrowed from the library.

The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper*

 I read this classic so I could interact with my son as he reads it for English this year. Critics have a lot to say about the lack of character development, the awkward dialogue, racism & sexism, and wordiness. Despite becoming distracted at times by the wordiness and older word choice, I thoroughly enjoyed this classic. When reading the classics, one needs to understand what society was like at that time, their worldview, and to appreciate the classic's contribution to literature. In other words, consider its context and seek its value. It was considered the first "Great American Novel", and Cooper was called the first American author.

Readers should be aware that Cooper sometimes calls a character by their first name and then in the next sentence by their title/their role or their last name. I found this confusing sometimes!

After reading this book, I am now reading a collection of essays about birding. My brain needs a break! This read was arduous but worth it!

Considerations: violence, very graphic killing of an infant in chapter 17, death of characters

*Highly recommend.

-I own 2 copies of this book (one for me, one for my son). I would love to find a copy with N.C. Wyeth's paintings in it.

We will be watching the movie when my son finished the novel. 

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin*

 My 11th grader read this book for English this year. Since I had never read it, I decided to read it also. I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. Benjamin Franklin was a witty, admirable man. Towards the end of it when government topics were discussed, I had trouble comprehending or would zoned out. Overall, it was an enjoyable read!

*Highly recommend.

-We own this book.

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson*

 A blurb in our history textbook mentioned how the yellow fever of 1793 caused the American govenment to leave Philadelphia for a few months. I recalled reading a review of this book on RAR and requested it from the library for my son to read. He devoured it. By reading it, he learned a lot about this time period and how early Americans handled illness. I also read it and was impressed how well the plot was executed, how well the characters were developed and how well the research was incorporated. Our colonial ancestor, Dr. Benjamin Rush, was mentioned throughout the book. His practices were erroneous (!), but the author's note shared about his advanced views on humanity and how he treated them with dignity. The author's note is fascinating and enriching reading.

It would be interesting to compare how the characters handled the epidemic to how we handled covid in modern times.

*Highly recommend.

Consider: It is a "young adult" novel. Matilda Cook, the main character, experiences a budding romance with a young man. Nothing inappropriate is included-it is a sweet relationship. A family member the reader will like dies. The numerous people die. Gruesome details of people dying and suffering are included.

-Borrowed from the library.

William's House by Ginger Howard illustrated by Larry Day*

 In 1637 New England, William arrives with his wife and two sons to build a home. He replicates how his father built their home in England. As the weather changes and the year progresses, he realizes the methods in England are not functional in this new area. He makes adjustments accordingly. 

His wife and her comments irritated me! ("Something must be done . . .") This book offers the readers perspective on how the settlers established themselves in early America. I highly recommend this book to anyone studying Colonial America. I especially loved the ink sketches of the two sons under the text. They offer an additional story. The colored illustrations are detailed and beautiful.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Worst of Friends by Suzanne Tripp Jurmain illustrated by Larry Day*

 This book delves into Thomas Jefferson and John Adams's friendship. A fascinating view into our country's early government and founding fathers. I highly recommend including this picture book into any Colonial American unit.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

An Inconvenient Alphabet by Beth Anderson illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley*

 I found this story so fascinating!

Noah Webster and Ben Franklin agree that the English language is challenging to spell. Together they eliminate confusing spellings and set out to convince people to adopt their methods. People do not accept it. Although they were not successful with this idea, their endeavors allowed Noah Webster to publish the first American English dictionary.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

The Leather Apron Club by Jane Yolen illustrated by Wendell Minor*

 Benjamin Franklin, His Son Billy, & America's First Cirulating Library

Ms. Yolen exposes the reader to Benjamin Franklin's Leather Apron Club via a fictional story about Billy, his son. It is an interesting, engaging story. In the back Ms. Yolen shares facts about Ben Franklin, The Leather Apron Club, and his relationship with Billy.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

A Day in the Life of a Colonial Doctor by Laurie Krebs

 Ms. Krebs explains how a colonial doctor would treat patients through the life of Benjamin Rush, a doctor and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The reader also learns about Benjamin Rush's contritubtions to colonial America and to the medical field.

Simple text for nonfiction.

-Borrowed from the library.

An Early American Christmas by Tomie dePaola*

 Mr. dePaola reimagines what a colonial Christmas would have been like based on the traditions of he researched. The story takes place in New England. Delightful and informative.

*Highly recommend.

-I own this book.