John, Paul, George & Ben

by Lane Smith

Once there were four lads…John [Hancock], Paul [Revere], George [Washington], and Ben [Franklin]. Oh yes, there was also Tom [Jefferson], but he was annoyingly independent and hardly ever around. These lads were always getting into trouble for one reason or another. In other words, they took a few…liberties. And to be honest, they were not always appreciated. This is the story of five little lads before they became five really big Founding Fathers.

The Founding Fathers!: Those Horse-Ridin’, Fiddle-Playin’, Book-Readin’, Gun-Totin’ Gentlemen Who Started America

By Jonah Winter, Illustrated by Barry Blitt

Tall! Short! A scientist! A dancer! A farmer! A soldier! The founding fathers had no idea they would ever be called the “founding Fathers,” and furthermore they could not even agree exactly on what they were founding! Should America declare independence from Britain? “Yes!” shouted some. “No!” shouted others. “Could you repeat the question?” shouted the ones who either hadn’t been listening or else were off in France having fun, dancin’ the night away.

Slave owners, abolitionists, soldiers, doctors, philosophers, bankers, angry letter-writers—the men we now call America’s Founding Fathers were a motley bunch of characters who fought a lot and made mistakes and just happened to invent a whole new kind of nation. And now here they are, together again, in an exclusive engagement!

Will You Sign Here John Hancock?

by Jean Fritz, Illustrated by Trina Scart Hyman

Everyone knows that John Hancock was one of the first signers of the Declaration of Independence. But not many know that he signed his name so large to show how mad he was about how the colonists had been treated. This witty book highlights little-known facts about this historical figure.

51lPVZSCYpL

Those Rebels, John & Tom

by Barbara Kerley, Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

John Adams & Thomas Jefferson were very different. John was short and stout. Tom was tall and lean. John was argumentative and blunt. Tom was soft-spoken and polite. John sometimes got along with almost no one. Tom got along with just about everyone. But these two very different gentlemen did have two things in common: They both cared deeply about the American colonies, and neither cared much for the British tyrant, King George.

 

The Founding Fathers Were Spies!

By Patricia Lakin, Illustrated Valerio Fabbretti

Before he was the President of the United States, George Washington was a spy! It’s true…and he wasn’t the only one! During the American Revolution, founding fathers like Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin sent secret messages rolled up in quill pens, used invisible ink, and wrote in secret codes to keep important information from getting into British hands. In George Washington’s top-secret spy ring, a woman named Anna Strong sent secret messages to other spies by hanging laundry on a clothesline!

Without spies, Americans might still speak with British accents: find out how and why it happened in this book that includes a special extend-the-learning section with activities about the science behind invisible ink, how to make a secret code, and more!

51-6YlXpXrL

Who Was Paul Revere?

by Roberta Edwards, Illustrated by John O’Brien

In 1775, Paul Revere of Boston made his now-famous horseback ride warning colonists of an impending attack by the British. This event went largely unnoticed in history until Longfellow celebrated it in a poem in 1861. So who was Paul Revere? In addition to being an American patriot, he was a skilled silversmith and made false teeth from hippo tusks! This biography brings to life Paul Revere’s thrilling ride as well as the personal side of the man and the exciting times in which he lived.

 

George Washington and the General’s Dog

By Frank Murphy, Illustrated by Richard Walz

Boom! Bang! Guns fire! Cannons roar! George Washington is fighting in the America Revolution when he sees a dog lost on the battlefield. Whose dog is it? How will it find its master? Early readers will be surprised to find out what happens in this little-known true story about America’s first president.

51YniCnRJ5L

George Washington’s Teeth

by Deborah Chandra & Madeleine Comora, Illustrated by Brock Cole

From battling toothaches while fighting the British to having rotten teeth removed by his dentists, the Father of His Country suffered all his life with tooth problems. Yet contrary to popular belief, George Washington never had a set of wooden teeth. Starting at the age of twenty-four, he lost on average a tooth a year, and by the time he was elected President, he had only two left! In this reverentially funny tale based on Washington’s letters, diaries, and other historical records, readers will find out what really happened as they follow the trail of lost teeth to complete toothlessness.

 

61zuKVuME5L

 Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin

by Gene Barretta

What would you do if you lived in a community without a library, hospital, post office, or fire department? If you were Benjamin Franklin, you’d set up these organizations yourself. Franklin also designed the lightning rod, suggested the idea of daylight savings time, invented bifocals and the odometer — all inspired by his common sense and intelligence.

 

61ZDKjjz8qL

Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library

by Barb Rosenstock, Illustrated by John O’Brien

Imagine owning so many books that you have to build a library to hold them. Thomas Jefferson did. Ever since he was a young boy, Jefferson loved to read and collect books — hundreds at first, then thousands! Books on animals, politics, nature, history. Books in English, French, Greek, and Latin. Jefferson built his first library as a young man and kept on building throughout his life until his book collection helped create the world’s largest library — the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

 

And the other John, Paul, and George with Ringo, too!

518%2BBerDkRL

The Beatles Were Fab (and They Were Funny)

by Kathleen Krull & Paul Brewer, Illustrated by Stacy Innerst

John, Paul, George, and Ringo inspired the world to sing, dance, scream — and laugh. In the 1960s, four lads from Liverpool found themselves on the roller coaster of Beatlemania. And what a ride it was! Their music defined a generation. Their hairstyles sparked a fashion craze. And their goofy sense of humor not only brought joy to their music — it also kept the Beatles going, no matter what fame threw their way.

The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.

If you like this post, the please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

History Channel: https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/founding-fathers-united-states

You may like: Books For Kids: Thomas Jefferson https://barbaralowell.com/books-for-kids-thomas-jefferson

Books For Kids: George Washington https://barbaralowell.com/books-for-kids-george-washington

Books For Kids: Alexander Hamilton https://barbaralowell.com/books-for-kids-alexander-hamilton

Books For Kids: American Revolution https://barbaralowell.com/books-for-kids-american-revolution