Alexander Hamilton

July 1, 2019
Grades 3-7 Bunking the notion that history is dull, these titles in the Show Me History! series (4 titles) convey the lives of notable historical figures through colorful and spirited cartoons. The young narrators are Libby, an African American Lady Liberty, and Sam, a white, patriotically attired teen who will one day be known as Uncle Sam. The books' conversational tone, with occasional surprises and humorous exchanges, describe the high and low points of each figure and his or her impact on American history. In addition, color-coded speech bubbles and stylized fonts reflect actual quotes and writings. Alexander Hamilton relates how Hamilton's childhood experiences influenced his service under General George Washington during the American Revolution and how he helped found a new nation, creating a national bank, for example. Each biography concludes with a round-up of related individuals, a time line, a glossary, and a list of resources. This series makes history approachable and engaging, especially for reluctant readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)