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A review by middle_name_joy
John, Paul, George & Ben by Lane Smith
5.0
Is there anything cuter than a handful of America's Founding Fathers as big-headed children? I think not!
John, Paul, George, and Ben (that is, Hancock, Revere, Washington, and Franklin) is Lane Smith's period parody of the "five little lads" before they grew into their names. The attributes that have defined them through history, such as George's honesty and Ben's witty quotes for every occasion, were more hassle than help to them and others when they were children. My favorite origin connection was John's Hancock on the chalkboard: "We don't need to read it from space!"
The sly, wink-and-grin humor will amuse young and old. I've found many of my second graders giggling over this book during independent reading. Even if they do not get all the historical links, underwear jokes are always winners with this set.
With the bonus of wonderfully detailed illustrations and delightful period speech, this picture book is ideal for President's Day studies. An obvious curriculum connection is identifying historical fact and fiction, and the entertaining "ye olde True or False section" can provide the starting point.
John, Paul, George, and Ben (that is, Hancock, Revere, Washington, and Franklin) is Lane Smith's period parody of the "five little lads" before they grew into their names. The attributes that have defined them through history, such as George's honesty and Ben's witty quotes for every occasion, were more hassle than help to them and others when they were children. My favorite origin connection was John's Hancock on the chalkboard: "We don't need to read it from space!"
The sly, wink-and-grin humor will amuse young and old. I've found many of my second graders giggling over this book during independent reading. Even if they do not get all the historical links, underwear jokes are always winners with this set.
With the bonus of wonderfully detailed illustrations and delightful period speech, this picture book is ideal for President's Day studies. An obvious curriculum connection is identifying historical fact and fiction, and the entertaining "ye olde True or False section" can provide the starting point.