The Remarkable Benjamin Franklin

by Cheryl Harness

No one could have thought up a more amazing character than the living, breathing Benjamin Franklin. He was everything from a "soapmaker, candle dipper, and printer" to a "postmaster, political activist, community reformer, revolutionary, statesman, international diplomat, and first great citizen of a nation which he, as much or more than anyone, helped to create."

Acclaimed children's author-illustrator Cheryl Harness through her true-to-life paintings and storytelling-style narrative, along with a generous sampling of Franklin's own words, lets you "walk in his shoes" as you discover just how truly remarkable Benjamin Franklin was.

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Genres: Biography, History, American History, Picture Books, American, Nonfiction

48 pages, Hardcover

First published November 8, 2005

About the author

Author and illustrator. Worked variously as a student teacher, waitress, short-order cook, portrait artist, and needlework designer. Greeting-card artist for Hallmark Cards and Current. Presenter at schools.

Reviews

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my second favorite of all the covers she's done, and I also love the title page illustration. However, I was disappointed in the text. In places the wording seemed confusing, like she was trying too hard to condense a lot into a paragraph. On the other hand, the quotes along the bottom from his Autobiography, Poor Richard's Almanac, and other writings made me want to pick up those works and read them. Franklin is one of those people in history that I'd like to meet if only I had a time machine!

[Catherine Pieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives the reader a ton of information about Benjamin Franklin.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ben Franklin did many great things for our country. Didn't know he started from such humble beginnings or that he had so much ... family drama, shall we say?

Kid appropriate. Only thing I would say is that there is an awful lot of text for a "picture book biography." One of those cases where the teacher would say "no, that's not long enough for your report" but the younger kids would get lost in all the words.

Loved the quote around the portrait on the opening page ... "If you would not be forgotten, As soon as you are dead and rotten, Either write things worthy reading, Or do things worth the writing. B.F."

[Zohair Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was very good.It gave all the facts about what benjamin franklin was and what he did that helped the u.s.a. .I learned new things about benjamin franklin such as he ran away when he was l7.Or that when he first met his wife it was because he was eating rolls in a funny way.All in all this book gave me lots of facts about benjamin franklin.

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super book written in an entertaining fashion with great illustrations. I would like to read all the biographies in this serie. On a whole it was a couple years above my young boys, but I still wanted to read it to the end myself.

[Holly Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids could start with How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning, then ladder it with this one. It's much more complex with many nonfiction text features. Next on the ladder: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.

[Eaginfamily]

923.2 FRANKLIN

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biography, American Revolution, Inventions, Liberty, (Bottom of the pg qoutes)