When Mr. Jefferson came to Philadelphia: what I learned of freedom, 1776

Book Cover
Average Rating
Publisher
HarperCollins
Publication Date
[2003]
Language
English

Description

What did I know of freedom, of all the wild talk of independence that summer of 1776?

Ned is just a boy helping his mother run their boardinghouse the summer that a tall, thin man named Mr. Jefferson comes to stay. He and other important colonists are there for the Congress in Philadelphia, to debate their charges against King George in England, which have erupted into a violent war.

As Mr. Jefferson spends night

after night writing in his room, Ned forgets the simple things he wants, like a new cap, and thinks instead about the extraordinary idea everyone is starting to talk about -- freedom -- and the incredible changes it might soon bring to their lives.

With hauntingly beautiful words and historically accurate paintings, when mr. jefferson came to philadelphia combines the fictional character of Ned with authentic details about Thomas Jefferson's lodging during the writing of the Declaration of Independence to create a powerfully moving portrait of the spirit that fueled our nation's birth.

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Contributors
ISBN
9780060275792
9780060275808

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Published Reviews

School Library Journal Review

Gr 1-4-A boy relates his feelings and the events of the summer of 1776, when Thomas Jefferson lodges with his family while attending the Continental Congress. Ned watches the "important man" as he gives speeches and works on the Declaration of Independence. He is especially interested in a gadget of Mr. Jefferson's, a thermometer that registers 68 degrees on the 4th of July. After struggling with his fears about the effects of war on his own safety and that of his family, the boy finally becomes inspired by Jefferson's words. Hess's idealized oil paintings serve the stirring text well. Each spread is filled with historical details, bright colors, action, and emotion. This rousing picture book will appeal to history buffs and make a fine supplement to Revolutionary War units and patriotic programs. It can be paired with Turner's Katie's Trunk (Macmillan, 1992) and Jean Fritz's George Washington's Breakfast (Puffin, 1998).-Beth Tegart, Oneida City Schools, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Horn Book Review

Narrated by young Ned, whose mother runs the boarding house where Thomas Jefferson stays in 1776, this story shows Ned's conversion from loyalist to rebel. The boy is influenced by Jefferson's personality, his spoken and written words, and a popular move toward that position. Finely detailed, if slightly static, illustrations interpret the text, which conveys a child's perspective effectively but ends somewhat abruptly. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Kirkus Book Review

Ned, a fictional boy, meets Thomas Jefferson, who's staying at his mother's boardinghouse while he's writing the Declaration of Independence. The focus here is a snapshot of a specific place, time, and historic moment--not the life of Jefferson. As in Drummer Boy (1998), Turner has successfully melded fact and fiction in a story that enlivens history for young readers by narrating it through a young boy's eyes. The opening sentence, "What did I know of freedom, of all the wild talk of independence that summer of 1776," expresses Ned's point of view and establishes context. The spare text and large type offer simplicity while the realistic, detailed illustrations provide a stereoptic peek into the time. The dialogue seems natural and the visual perspectives build dramatic tension. A perceptive, accessible tribute to freedom. (historical note, sources) (Picture book/historical fiction. 6-9) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
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School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 1-4-A boy relates his feelings and the events of the summer of 1776, when Thomas Jefferson lodges with his family while attending the Continental Congress. Ned watches the "important man" as he gives speeches and works on the Declaration of Independence. He is especially interested in a gadget of Mr. Jefferson's, a thermometer that registers 68 degrees on the 4th of July. After struggling with his fears about the effects of war on his own safety and that of his family, the boy finally becomes inspired by Jefferson's words. Hess's idealized oil paintings serve the stirring text well. Each spread is filled with historical details, bright colors, action, and emotion. This rousing picture book will appeal to history buffs and makea fine supplement to Revolutionary War units and patriotic programs. It can be paired with Turner's Katie's Trunk (Macmillan, 1992) and Jean Fritz's George Washington's Breakfast (Puffin, 1998).-Beth Tegart, Oneida City Schools, NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
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