The World of William Penn

by Genevieve Foster, Rea Berg (Editor)

Continuing her unique approach to "horizontal history", Genevieve Foster explores the wide world of William Penn - a world reaching across the courtyards of the Sun King to the Great Wall of China. Penn's contemporaries included such colorful figures as Louis XIV, Peter the Great, Edmund Halley, Sir Issac Newton, Shah Jahan (who built the Taj Mahal), and the great explorers Marquette, Jolliet, and La Salle. Penn's life spans a fascinating age of exploration and discovery. Penn's Quaker beliefs undergirded his relationships with the Pennsylvanian tribes and established the longest standing peace treaty between American Indians and European settlers.

Genres: History, School, Nonfiction, Childrens, Biography, American History, Read For School

196 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Genevieve Stump Foster was an American children's author and illustrator best known for her innovative approach to writing history books for young readers. Born in Oswego, New York, she spent most of her childhood in Wisconsin after the death of her father. Foster studied at Rockford College, the University of Wisconsin, and the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. She began her career as a commercial artist before focusing on children’s literature. Inspired by her daughter, she developed a distinctive method of presenting history by integrating global events to show their connections. Her first major success, George Washington's World, highlighted how the American and French Revolutions and British imperialism affected Washington’s life. Foster's books, praised for bringing historical figures to life, were translated into numerous languages and distributed internationally. Over her career, she wrote 19 nonfiction books, several of which became Newbery Honor titles. Foster passed away in Westport, Connecticut, leaving a legacy that continues through her enduring works and influence on historical storytelling.

Reviews

[Joanna Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our second Genevieve Foster read for history. I really like this approach (horizontal history), but this book was fairly eurocentric (claiming the Chinese didn't have time telling devices until European missionaries brought them is a fairly big yikes). It reflects the biases of the 70's when this was written, but otherwise interesting and I learned quite a few things I didn't know about the founder of Pennsylvania. Will be a reread.

[Jessica Perteet]

I pre-read this for my daughter’s history as we are studying the 1700’s. Very interesting tying in all the historical figures all connected with William Penn.

[Grace M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book because, as the title suggests, it not only tells about William Penn, but his world as well and what was going on around him. I learned several interesting things that I had never known before, and some things that I had known and forgotten.
For example, I hadn't known that William Penn was a member of the Royal Society and sent back ores and herbs for the Irish chemist Robert Boyle. I also hadn't known that Halley's Comet will come back around in 2061, in only 40 years!

[Challice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how Genevieve Foster takes a main character of history, tells their story, and also weaves in the history of the world around them and how it affected their life. William Penn is one of those historical figures that I knew so little about but am still fascinated with all that this man did to create a a safe haven for The Quaker Friends in this new world, in what we would today call, Pennsylvania. We read this in connection with our Story of the World vol. 3 and they had some overlapping but the children all declared that their favorite retelling of this time period was Genevieve Foster's work.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure about this one, but after using it with kids who were new to "real" books and who were not particularly interested in reading, I am sold. They enjoyed the stories and narrated them well. It helped a lot with Book of Centuries entries.

[Lara Lleverino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both Julia and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The first Genevieve Foster book we've read all the way through together and I can't wait to read some more!

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another of Genevieve Foster's "horizontal history" books, this one focused on William Penn, the founder of the colony of Pennsylvania. The book follows the life story of William Penn, but also explores contemporary figures and events, like Louis XIV, or Czar Peter the Great (who actually met Penn in London), or the Moghul dynasties of India and the Manchu dynasties in China. A very cool way of looking at history! This book is much shorter than the World of Christopher Columbus and His Sons and World of Captain John Smith . . .

[Tiffany Wilkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pre-read this book before giving it to my son (12) to read this next school year. I really enjoyed it. It's not just about William Penn but like the title says the world in which he lived. It tells of what was happening in different countries (France, Holland, Spain, China, Russia, India, etc) in his lifetime. It made me want to dig further into other leaders in this time period. The illustrations were a nice addition as well.

[Lynette Caulkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love these "World of . . . " books that Foster wrote. History is SO much more interesting in her hands, particularly when it's presented in a cohesive web of world happenings instead of dissected into boring, isolated, names and dates. This one feels the tiniest bit rushed, but how fleshed-out can you make a history book intended for middle grades? You get an excellent world perspective of the late 1600s and turn of the century.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another in Genevieve Foster’s excellent series of horizontal history books. Using the life of Pennsylvania’s favorite founding Quaker as a context, Foster takes us on the inside journey into the Russian aristocracy, the scientific revolution, French conquests in North America, and Asian dynasties. This book helps connect disparate timelines into a seamless whole.

[Snakestar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about stuff that was happening all over the world in William Penn's time.
This was a pretty enjoyable history book but I usually prefer to go more an inch wide a mile deep, while this went a mile wide an inch deep.

[Hope R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very pleasant quick read about this time period, good for young learners!

[Elisabeth Harmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early American History- elementary grades

I don't think I've ever studied William Penn. This was all new to me!

[Susannah Kellogg · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Rosemary Eckert]

A lot of it wasn't even about him... it was all in his time period, but it was jumping around all the time, so... it's hard to rate.😬 But a good book otherwise.😁

[Rachael Marsceau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't read the entire thing, as our curriculum plans had us skip some unrelated sections, but read most of it. Educational but not very exciting. ;)

[Harper Grace · Rating 1 out of 5]

It hardly talked about William Penn and often got off track. It was written a long time ago so it was hard for me to read.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book and illustrations. Very cool to read about some of the influential people around the world who lived at the same time as William Penn. Great history book!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacob chose this book to read for our family summer reading program...krb 7/24/19

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love all Genevieve Foster's books, including this one, though this one was not as engaging as the others. Worth reading, however, to get a sense of what was going on throughout the world when William Penn was alive and building the American colony of Pennsylvania.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

like

[Sus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super entertaining. I love Foster's "horizontal history" approach.