Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Iandgt;"What good shall I do today?" andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Iandgt; How Ben Franklin answered that question -- through his work as a writer, printer, statesman, and inventor -- forever established him as one of America's greatest figures. On one day in 1729 he published the first edition of the andlt;Iandgt;Pennsylvania Gazette;andlt;/Iandgt; on another day he changed the Declaration of Independence by adding the famous words, "We hold these truths to be self-evident"; and it was all in a day's work when he planted the first willow trees in America. andlt;BRandgt; Modeled on his own andlt;Iandgt;Poor Richard's Almanack,andlt;/Iandgt; this unique scrapbook captures Franklin's countless accomplishments. Biography and anecdote, cartoon and etching mesh to create a fascinating portrait of this most fascinating man. Anyone interested in the birth of American democracy...or curious about the rise of the U.S. postal system...or wondering how paper money came to be...or wanting to know how Ben Franklin was part of it all, is sure to pore over andlt;Iandgt;Ben Franklin's Almanac.andlt;/Iandgt;
Synopsis
A fascinating--and fun--scrapbook approach to one of America's most important figures He invented bifocals. And proved that lightning is electricity. He wrote the proverb "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." And he planted the first willow trees in America. As a writer, statesman, printer, and inventor, Ben Franklin forever established himself as one of America's greatest men. Modeled on his own Poor Richard's Almanack--and organized around the key themes of Franklin's life--this unique scrapbook ingeniously meshes biography, cartoons, etchings, and memorabilia to capture Ben's countless accomplishments. Travel back to eighteenth-century America and witness the publication of The Pennsylvania Gazette ... and the organization of the first lending library ... and the birth of American democracy ... and the rise of the U.S. postal system ... and then realize how one man was part of it all. An Anne Schwartz Book
About the Author
Candace Fleming is the acclaimed author of numerous books for children, including andlt;iandgt;Ben Franklinand#8217;s Almanac,andlt;/iandgt; an ALA Notable Book and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults; as well as andlt;iandgt;Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!andlt;/iandgt;;andlt;iandgt; Gabriellaand#8217;s Songandlt;/iandgt;; and andlt;iandgt;When Agnes Cawsandlt;/iandgt;; all ALA Notable Books. She lives in a suburb of Chicago.
Table of Contents
Courteous reader -- Year-by-year look at Ben's life -- Boyhood memories -- Family album -- Writer's journal -- Tokens of a well-lived life -- Scientist's scrapbook -- Revolutionary memorabilia -- Souvenirs from France -- Final remembrances.