Traitor( The Case of Benedict Arnold)[TRAITOR THE CASE OF BENEDICT A][Paperback]

by Jean Fritz

Traitor( The Case of Benedict Arnold) <> Paperback <> JeanFritz <> PuffinBooks

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, School, Historical, American History, Childrens

Paperback

First published October 16, 1981

About the author

Jean Guttery Fritz was an American children's writer best known for American biography and history. She won the Children's Legacy Literature Award for her career contribution to American children's literature in 1986. She turned 100 in November 2015 and died in May 2017 at the age of 101.

Reviews

[Peter Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Traitor” by Jean Fritz is a very interesting book about Benedict Arnold. I feel that this book is an excellent read for any history “buff” or anyone looking to learn more about one of the most famous traitors in American history. This book isn’t meant to be a thriller but an informative book. To understand This review you need to understand that this is a story of Benedict Arnold’s life and goes through his childhood and life.

The reason I gave this 4 stars is that The story had many facts about Benedict Arnold that I personally didn’t know about, as well as the time period is personally fascinating to me. In chapter one we are told a fact about benedict Arnold, “At school he was known for his hot temper and for his loud voice.” This is a fact that personally I didn’t know because In school we haven’t ever talked about benedict Arnold other than just saying he was a traitor. The book also mentions a woman named Peggy who was acquainted with Arnold on many occasions. With the amount of history around him we don’t speak often about his Friends. Benedict Arnold was an extremist after his schooling, He would often get into fights with men that were bigger than him. Once while setting a bonfire Arnold stole barrels of tar and then was addressed by the constable, so Arnold took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, and challenged him to a fight. This fact is almost entirely unknown, the fact that he was a daredevil. Unfortunately because of the basic knowledge of Benedict Arnold being a Traitor, we don’t get a sense of foreshadowing. What we do get is a sense of suspense, wondering when he will commit the “crime”.

“Traitor” by Jean Fritz is an interesting read and will teach anyone a fact about America’s most notorious traitor, Benedict Arnold. The book is a very timid and calm read with a few battles in it. I would recommend this book to any history buff, but this may be a boring read for people who don’t enjoy slow pace books. I would read any other book by Jean Fritz because I enjoyed her writing style.

[AnnaScott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book, though the battles dragged on and on with details I didn't care about. The other part I didn't love was the main character obviously being Benedict Arnold. I wanted to like him because he was the main character, but I didn't was to like him either because he betrayed our country and was altogether a dislikable person. It drives me crazy, though, when I can't decide whether or not I like a character. The book did present the information well, and aside from the battle scenes, was an engaging read.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this biography, it included interesting details about Arnold's early life, his difficulty getting along with people, his quest to impress and his craving for a thrill.

I also appreciated the author's inclusion of the possible motivation for his treasonous behavior being that he was trying to bring an early end to the war and spare America unnecessary hardship and suffering.
Whatever his thinking it was clear that Arnold's mind didn't work in quite the same way most minds work.

Jean Fritz obviously doesn't share the same favorable view of Arnold as Steve Sheinkin, author of 'The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery'. Sheinkin portrays Arnold as mostly misunderstood.

I enjoyed reading both takes on the life of Benedict Arnold, either way you look at him his life makes for a very interesting story. I wish I could find a novel that features him that would be a good fit for me.

[Johnny G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is this a book for a 11-13 year-old, or adults? I couldn't tell. At a level "X", I was expecting to learn more about Benedict Arnold, instead of reading how the author wends together sentences with opinions and statements I only half understood. Yes, the end is interesting, and I could follow it. However, the first 3/4 of the nearly 200-page book had me tuning in and out, drowsily plodding on to chapter breaks which never seemed to happen. This one should not be in a school book room.

[Charsia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book alongside studying about the American revolution, and their fight for freedom during 1775, to 1783.
This book is about Americas most notable traitor during the American Revolution, where Benedict Arnold, the main center point of this story, commits treason to the United States. We get insights into his childhood, and stories of his time fighting in the war, and overall it was a really exciting read. I think what made it even more exciting was the fact that these were all real historical events, and all the trials and struggles that came along with the American revolution was really put into picture for me while reading this book.
Personally I didn't quite enjoy it myself, but if you enjoy a lot of realistic, thrilling stories with good insight to real world events from history, I really recommend giving this a good read!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember when I first learned that Benedict Arnold had actually been a hero of the Revolutionary War and how surprised I was. While normally I have little to criticize in a book by Jean Fritz (Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln; the story of the Gettysburg Address) is one of my all-time favorites), I did not expect the author to basically characterize Arnold as a jerk from the get-go. There seemed to be very little balance in how he was presented. The most valuable part of the book, for me, would be its portrayal of the colonies as they emerged to become states that united to form a nation. I think it would be eye-opening for kids to read how the residents of the states initially felt about each other, and how a state would appoint its own commander of an army. Finally, because I live in Fairfield County, I think students here would be very interested in just how much time Benedict Arnold spent here and in what is now Westchester County. This was an informative book that read like a novel.

[Garrett Longman · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold" by Jean Fritz was an over all OK book. This was definitely not the best book i've read, but what can you expect from a biography? I really enjoy the books that contain stories and tales, not so much the factual type. If there really was a second book in the series I would have turned it down.

This biography takes place in the revolutionary war. A young boy named Benedict Arnold goes on many wild adventures as a boy, and was only interested in being a hero as a soldier. Arnold was told he'd become a bad egg, but he turned out to be one of America's bravest heroes and most deceitful traitors.

This book is, like I said, full of facts about Benedict's life. Sure this biography is a great source of knowledge for anyone researching the topic. I, however, was not reading this for that reason and I was condemned to a slow biography.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the study of Benedict Arnold, and to those who are just looking for a good biography to interest themselves in!

[Fredrik Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book tells an interesting story of Benedict Arnold from his youth all the way to the moment of betrayal. Benedict Arnold was an astounding leader as he proved by several successful attacks on British Forts for the Americans, but other people took his credit and Benedict Arnold was never repaid the money he had used on war efforts. Due to this, Benedict Arnold defected to the British Army, but before doing so he planned to surrender a fort to the British. This plot was revealed, however, and Benedict had to flee to London.

This book tells a good viewpoint on the life of Benedict and makes us understand why he committed his act of betrayal. From his youth, we could understand that he might do something like this if aggravated and it is what ended up happening, this could have hurt the American revolution greatly if it had gone the wrong way. We must be careful with who we trust, for honor is not what drives everyone to fight for their country, but rather for prestige and money.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A review from my old blog...

I had to double check on this book when I started reading because I assumed, rightly as it turned out, that this book is a children's book. This book does not read like any children's history book that I have ever read.

I enjoyed the book, do not get me wrong. I actually learned a lot about the man known as probably the greatest traitor in American history, though technically I do not think he actually was such.

The book is well written and most probably aimed at an upper middle school age child or underclassman student in high school. The average student though would not pick up this book unless extremely motivated or simply a history buff like myself.

I recommend the book although the cover disturbed me just a bit when I realized what it depicted. (I'm not sure if this cover is the same as the edition that I read)

[Jeannie · Rating 3 out of 5]

history read aloud with Caleb - The first half of the book was more like 3 stars for me, as Jean established the character of Benedict Arnold and set up the story. I really enjoyed the last 3rd the best, so I gave it 4 stars. I found it interesting that the US still has some monuments and inscriptions that honor things Benedict did in his early years in the service, but they only show dates and not his name, as he was so disliked he was "erased" from American history. I felt Jean did a great job in her research and compilation of the character and events of this person and period.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a children's book. Yes, children can read it but it is more for midteens. A great addition to a high school U.S. history class. Because what did we all learn about Benedict Arnold growing up? Only that he was a traitor. But, in reality, he was so much more than that! Unmatched heroism, brilliant leadership and ultimately unredeemable greed both for money and status. Now he makes sense... and so does his treachery to a certain extent. This country has all but erased Arnold's memory. Fortunately, this book exposes him that the reader may learn from his mistakes.

[The other John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Traitor is a juvenile biography of Benedict Arnold, the general who ironically made American history by switching over to the British side of the war in 1779. The book was an enjoyable read, giving enough detail to not only tell Arnold's life story but also to make me want to read more about the politics and society during the Revolutionary War. Benedict Arnold himself was quite a character. Ms. Fritz portrays him with some sympathy but never really holds him up as anything like a hero.

[Drmkk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this detailed account of Benedict Arnold and his life as a hero and a traitor. There seemed so many points where if he had been treated differently he could have been one of our greatest heroes. I also enjoyed learning about the unfortunate events that led to John Andre being hung as a spy when popular sentiment would have rather traded him for Arnold. Where is the line between prisoner of war and spy?

[Shanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A deeper look at Arnold's background and character, which led up to his decisions to turn traitor. I was expecting more entertaining writing from Fritz. This was an informative account, but it sometimes seemed to get sidetracked with specific details about side events. I had a hard time maintaining interest. This book would have benefited by having more maps to help understand what was happening.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although Ms. Fritz is a youth author, the "making" of Benedict Arnold is a fascinating, powerful study of how a young man, who considers himself a patriot, becomes, through his narcisissm, a traitor to the country he claims to love. It will fascinate any reader, no matter how young (or old) you are.

[Amy Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of detail in it about the Revolutionary war battles and skirmishes. If you are not a fan of this topic, it might be a bit of work to get through this book. For my youth reading this book for their homeschool curriculum, he enjoyed it.
Well written as Jean Fritz's books typically are.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be quite informative. I didn't know specifics about the man, Benedict Arnold. This book brought him to life! He was most definitely a misunderstood person. This book would be great for anyone who wants to learn all about Benedict Arnold, or who likes to read about the Revolutionary War.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting to see Benedict Arnold fleshed out and become more than his treachery. The text gets bogged down with excessive characters and battle details in the middle, but the beginning and end were engaging. I read this aloud to my 13yo for school, and we kept thinking how much he sounded like someone we know - made it all the more interesting!

[Ciera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever heard the story of Benedict Arnold? Ever know the real meaning behind his reasons to become a traitor? This book will open it all up to become easy to understand and comprehend while still learning the story about the twisted mind of Benedict Arnold.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book because when I was younger I was taught Benedict Arnold was a horrible traitor and so forth but when I read this it showed me things from his perspective, it was a very good book that all children should read to understand that history is always two sided.

[Rebekah Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's definitely geared towards late elementary or early middle school kids. The author delves into the reasons behind Arnold's treason. It explains his actions without judging them. Not bad for a quick read.

[Maggi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think that the first chapters like 1-4 are ok but after that it just gets extremely boring and leaves you wondering "why did I choose this book?" Overall if you really wanted to read this book, it has some good information but you just have to dig around.

[Colton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it except for when it follows other characters around instead of following around Benedict Arnold.

[Jo Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. Not having read any other books about Benedict Arnold, I don't know whether or not this is a 'best' book about him, but I really enjoyed it.

[Barbara Mader · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solidly-researched kid's biography of Benedict Arnold, which intrigued me enough that I may do a little more reading about some of the others I encountered in the book.

[Johannes Kristian · Rating 3 out of 5]

MCL. It was good. It was mostly battles.

[Barbara VA · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grew up in the Hudson Valley and have always known about Arnold, Clinton, Andre, Peggy Shippen and the great chain but this book by Jean Fritz brought all the pieces together.

[Karen]

I'm halfway finished with this one. It is more about war than I care to read, but it is informative about the war period.

[Skye · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little dry, but interesting in parts. Learned about a person in history that I certainly had heard of but didn't know much about.

[Dawn Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished previewing this one for my kids. What an amazing story! Fritz does a great job of making history accessible for younger readers.