Benjamin Franklin: A nonfiction companion to Magic Tree House #32: To the Future, Ben Franklin!

Magic Tree House Fact Tracker #41

by Mary Pope Osborne, Natalie Pope Boyce

Track the facts about the great printer, inventor, and Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin!

When Jack and Annie came back from their adventure in Magic Tree House #32: To the Future, Ben Franklin! they had lots of questions. What was Ben Franklin's first job? How did a kite teach him about electricity? What are some of Ben's most famous inventions? Why did he have so many nicknames? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts about Benjamin Franklin.

Filled with up-to-date information, photographs, illustrations, and fun tidbits from Jack and Annie, the Fact Trackers are the perfect way for kids to find out more about the topics they discover in their favorite Magic Tree House adventures.

Did you know that there's a Magic Tree House book for every kid?
Magic Tree Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books
Merlin More challenging adventures for the experienced reader
Fact Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures

Genres: Nonfiction, History

128 pages, Paperback

Published July 9, 2019

About the author

Mary Pope Osborne is an American author of children's books and audiobook narrator. She is best known as the author of the Magic Tree House series, which as of 2017 sold more than 134 million copies worldwide. Both the series and Osborne have won awards, including for Osborne's charitable efforts at promoting children's literacy. One of four children, Osborne moved around in her childhood before attending the University of North Carolina. Following college, Osborne traveled before moving to New York City. She somewhat spontaneously began to write, and her first book was published in 1982. She went on to write a variety of other children's and young adult books before starting the Magic Tree House series in 1992. Osborne's sister Natalie Pope Boyce has written several compendium books to the Magic Tree House series, sometimes with Osborne's husband Will Osborne.

Reviews

[Jenny Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cool look in Ben Franklin's life. Plenty of illustrations bring it to life, and there is a good list of further resources, books, websites, museums, historical locations and dvds. This goes with To the Future, Ben Franklin! (Magic Tree House

[Elina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice book. I love it. Anyways on to the story. But before that can you believe that in 84 years ben his nickname made so many inventions. Like a lightning rod. A rocking chair. And did all of this with only 2 years of school. His first job was with his dad it was a candle store. Plus did you know that Ben is one of the founding fathers of America. To let you know Ben made almost 35 inventions. I also like this book because Jack and Annie also gave small facts in the book .That is mostly why I gave 5 stars to this book. And this my first time reading this series and I love it. But I have read the normal tree house. And once Thomas Jefferson said that nobody can replace this man.and I think it is true. Also because in the book it said so. But still its a amazing story everybody should read it. The end for more details please check out the book. Plus since he did so much I had to write so much. And also was the governor of Pennsylvania too.

[Bea Elwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recently watched Hamilton! and then ordered a million biography books from the library, I know Ben is not in the musical but he was friends with Jefferson, played chess with Eliza as a little girl, and was one of those founding fathers. It is interesting as an adult to notice the myth making we teach to young readers... there were more then 13 British colonies in North America but not all of them revolted (in fact one could argue it was just a few isolated centers with the "13 colonies") and the taxation without representation is always presented a little one-sidedly. I realize this is for kids and needs to be kept simple, and it is an inspiring narrative highlighting the positive things Franklin did.

[Xin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children’s books are cool. At least according to James Holzhauer, professional sports gambler and GOAT of jeopardy. According to James, children’s books are best source of information to learn about trivia, because they are concise and educational.

Benjamin Franklin is a great person, and more people should know about him. Now I am interested to read an “adult” bio of the Benjamin.

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

123 pgs. This was a truly well-written, informative book on Benjamin Franklin. I learned a lot. There was a timeline at the end, as well as a bibliography and list of additional resources. Kids of all ages will enjoy learning about this founding father's life. Highly recommended for Grades 4 and up.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these books. I always learn something I didn’t know. I learned that Ben and his son William were on opposite sides of the Revolutionary war. William was a loyalist. It’s so interesting learning about people’s lives.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved that book
I never knew how much Benjamin Franklin did
I will give this book a 10

[Rinku · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy way to learn a lot about this historical figure.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A kid-friendly biography of Doctor Benjamin Franklin!

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read with Micah to prepare for faces and places

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 2019, Mary Pope Osborne and her sister Natalie Pope Boyce published a biography of Ben Franklin. This book is a nonfiction research guide to the book entitled To The Future, Ben Franklin by Mary Pope Osborne which was published in 2019. The book was written with the advice of an educational advisor, a historian, and workers at the National Park Service. The book has wonderful black-and-white illustrations, including a timeline and a map. The book has wonderful black-and-white photographs. The illustrator for this book was Iside Mones. The book has an index and a bibliography. Similar to the other books in the Magic Tree House Fact Trackers series, the book has a section on how to do more research for young readers about the life of Benjamin Franklin. The book recommends different national parks in Boston, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. for readers to visit and learn more about the life of Benjamin Franklin. The book is divided into different eras of Franklin. Osborne and Boyce strongly admire Benjamin Franklin. The book explains how the 18th Century printing presses work in Chapter 1 which is about Franklin’s early life (Osborne & Boyce 13-30). Osborne’s and Boyce’s book is a good introduction to the life of Benjamin Franklin for young readers.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent introduction/overview of Ben Franklin’s remarkable life!

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken]

Eleanor has decided she no longer wants to review the fact trackers. But we learned some very interesting information about Benjamin Franklin and what a patriot he was.