{"product_id":"bens-revolution-9780399166747","title":"Bens Revolution","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHistory comes alive in this gripping account of a young boy caught up in the start of the Revolutionary War. Based on an episode in National Book Award–winning author Nathaniel Philbrick’s \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestseller \u003ci\u003eBunker Hill: A City, A Siege, A Revolution,\u003c\/i\u003e this engrossing story allows readers to experience history from a child’s perspective, and Wendell Minor’s stunning paintings will transport readers back to the early days of the Revolutionary War.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Benjamin Russell is in school on the morning of April 19th, 1775, when his teacher announces, “The war’s begun, and you may run!” Ben knew this day was coming; after all, tensions had been mounting between the colonists and the British troops ever since the Boston Tea Party. And now they have finally reached the breaking point. Ben and his friends excitedly rush out of their classroom to bear witness, and follow the throngs of redcoats marching out of Boston toward Co\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e* “[Philbrick] introduces Benjamin Russell, where he went to school, his part-time apprenticeship at Isaiah Thomas' newspaper, sledding down Beacon Hill, and the British officer who cleaned the cinders from the snow so the boys could sled farther and farther. It is these humanizing touches that make war its own intolerable act. Readers see Benjamin, courtesy of Minor's misty gouache-and-watercolor tableaux, as he becomes stranded outside Boston Neck and becomes a clerk for the patriots. Significant characters are introduced, as is the geography of pre-landfilled Boston, to gain a good sense of why certain actions took place where they did. The final encounter at Breed's Hill demonstrates how a battle can be won by retreating. A crisp historical vignette.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Acclaimed historian Philbrick (\u003ci\u003eMayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War\u003c\/i\u003e) has penned a Revolution-era history for kids adapted from his adult title Bunker Hill. . . . Philbrick adds nuance to the tale through, for instance, Ben’s mixed sentiments about the excitement of revolution and the kindness shown to him by a local British officer. . . . The full-color illustrations are full of bright hues, resulting in pleasing grassy fields, morning light flashing off harbor waters, and brilliantly clad Redcoats. Minor depicts the battlefield with motion and smoky haze, yet free of carnage. A convenient map displays the Boston locales referenced. . . . A stirring account of the American Revolution, sure to resonate with elementary students.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Philbrick’s episodic narration and Minor’s realistic, engaging paintings combine to depict Ben’s experiences. . . . Younger advanced readers and budding history buffs will enjoy this account of Benjamin Russell’s youthful exploits.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eBooklist \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“In one-to-two page chapters, interspersed with Minor’s luxuriant gouache and watercolor illustrations, Philbrick skillfully summarizes the events . . . and effectively contrasts printer Isaiah Thomas’s patriotic fervor with Ben’s boyish preoccupations. . . . Recreates the tension of the hard-fought Battle of Bunker Hill, as seen through Ben’s eyes, and provides a satisfying reunion with his family. . . . Succinct, dramatic narrative.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Seeing historical events through the eyes of youngsters who were living through them can provide new understandings for today’s youth. . . . The paintings capture the time period and the map helps to place the important locations in perspective.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Connection\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Penguin Putnam Inc","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49525193113943,"sku":"9780399166747","price":16.19,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780399166747.jpg?v=1731859592","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/bens-revolution-9780399166747","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}