Alexander Hamilton: the Outsider

by Jean Fritz, Ian Schoenherr (Illustrator)

Acclaimed biographer Jean Fritz writes the remarkable story of Alexander Hamilton, one of America's most influential and fascinating founding fathers, and his untimely death in a duel with Aaron Burr.

Born in the British West Indies, Hamilton arrived in New York as an "outsider." He fought in the Revolution and became Washington's most valuable aidede- camp. He was there with Washington, Madison, and the others writing the Constitution. He was the first Secretary of the Treasury as the country struggled to become unified and independent.

Fritz's talent for bringing historical figures to life is at its best as she shares her fascination with this man of action who was honorable, ambitious, and fiercely loyal to his adopted country.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, American History, Middle Grade, American Revolution, American Revolutionary War

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 6, 2011

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

[Elizabeth☮ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recommended by my seven year old who kept telling me, “This is so good. You have to read it.” And so I did. My girls are in love with the musical Hamilton and so love all things Hamilton. This means they know a great deal more about our founding fathers than ever.

I’ve heard the music ad nauseam and so while reading, I could definitely find the narrative of the musical. Simple chapters and some illustrations thrown in for good measure.

A good way to keep me on my toes when it comes to U.S. History (which was so long ago for me).

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A much quicker to read biography of Alexander Hamilton than Chernov's. ;) I was curious, though, what was thought to be most important for kids to know and what details I could see that differed from the musical. Overall, it was very interesting--I haven't done much reading about the Revolutionary War in the last ten years or so, and it was interesting to see what came back to me. I do want to learn some more.

Things of note:
--His half brother was an ass, and I wonder if they ran into each other during the War at all? The brother was from South Carolina--and how did he end up there, or how did their mother end up in the West Indies?
--He and Eliza met briefly during the war and didn't hit it off (The Schuyler Sisters song, perhaps?), but they did the second time they met. And that's when they got an engaged a month later.
--"Alexander was inconsolable. He and John had shared the same ideas and ideals for America. Moreover, Alexander was able to show John every side of himself, to tell him all his thoughts and feelings, as he was not able to do with anyone else. As much as Alexander loved Eliza, she didn't quite take the close place that John Laurens had." Yep.
--"Eliza's sister, Angelica, wrote to her from England, wondering why Alexander was stepping down [from Treasury Secretary]. She suspected that Eliza had advised him to do so and she half scolded her. She suggested that when she returned to America, she and Eliza would have to compensate Alexander by making sure he had fun." Double yep.
--Hamilton used to stand on tables and sing the popular songs of the soldiers in the war. Lin-Manunel Miranda captured that well.

I think I need to read the 800 page mammoth. But geez, who has time for that???

[Tiana Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really great. I liked the way the author, Jean Fritz, writes. It made the story interesting. I couldn't put the book down at some parts and was sad that I could not read the whole book in a day. I have never actually cared too much about Alexander Hamilton or biographies, but reading this make me want to read these kind of books more. Alexander Hamilton's life was pretty difficult. Very different than what I expected. In conclusion, this was a awesome book and I am excited to read more of Jean Fritz's biographies.

[Johnny G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A terrific book about the popular Revolutionary War leader, politician, Founding Father, and statesman! I learned so much and devoured most of the book in one night of reading. I always wanted to know more about Hamilton, especially since the Broadway play is so hot right now, and author Jean Fritz really brought the events of the time period together so that I could understand his life better. My one beef is that the text is a high-level text: probably better for 6th-8th graders who have more background knowledge on the Revolution. Many of her sentences were "grown-up" and had difficult words and concepts - good thing I know a bit about the late 1700s. I feel like people who do not know a lot about how our country started should read this book!

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great kid-friendly biography on the ever popular Alexander Hamilton. Most kids love Hamilton because of the awesome broadway play. I loved how this book touched on a number of the points it mentions in the songs (the author wrote this before the musical) so a lot of kids will easily relate.

The book was easy to read and full of interesting, pertinent information.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In her usual fashion with engaging text based on research, Jean Fritz brings to life another wonderful man from the colonial period--Alexander Hamilton. Having endured several losses as a child, Hamilton joins George Washington in the nation-to-be's fight against the British. Fritz relies on some of Hamilton's actual words to make readers feel as though they are right by his side, and she has a clever way of making great men seem more human as she describes the foibles of Washington, Hamilton, and Aaron Burr. He may have been an outsider since he came from the British West Indies, but he clearly had access to the insiders of his day and his ideas about customs, currency, and taxes would be influential. The sections on dueling are also intriguing, and readers will wonder why any civilized men ever thought that dueling would be a good way to settle an argument. So much depends on honor, and many duelists were not honorable. Fritz makes readers wonder what other goals Hamilton might have reached had he not died after that duel.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novel for young adults, who are perhaps ignorant of everything about Alexander Hamilton, save he's the subject of a musical. A good way to get started on learning about the founding fathers of our country.

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would certainly be good and adequate for middle schoolers. Chernow would certainly be the better read for anyone desiring a full coverage of Hamilton.

[Inhabiting Books]

When I saw this book sitting on the "New Children's Books" table at our library, I snatched it up for 3 reasons (well, 4 reasons, but the fourth reason was purely fluff):

- It was written by Jean Fritz, one of my favorite historical writers.
- It is about a man who definitely deserves to not be forgotten, but is not much mentioned beyond a line or two in primary and middle school history books. Alexander Hamilton was an honest, passionate man who played an integral role in how the economic system of the United States government was set up. It's amazing to think that a man who came from such humble and illegitimate beginnings would later rise to become a powerful, influential figure in a newly emerging America, a country he adopted and for which he fought passionately.
- I knew that Hamilton, our nation's first Secretary of the Treasury, formed the Revenue Cutter Service, the forerunner of our modern US Coast Guard. (A Coastie can get into real trouble for not knowing that!) And yes, there is a Coast Guard Cutter (a 378 footer) named after him.
- I loved the cover. (Told you it was a fluff reason.)

I feel strongly that children need to read biographies of real people who had a hand in shaping various aspects of society and the world as we know it. They need real life examples of real people, living and dead, good and bad, to learn from. But children reading about adults can sometimes be problematic, given the duality of human nature. Even the best among us can have feet of clay, or moments of clay.

Such is the case of Alexander Hamilton. The man is an example of honesty, hard work, determination and patriotism. But he made his mistakes. I appreciated the way Jean Fritz managed to honor Hamilton's achievements and life, while still including his weaknesses and failures. She doesn't dwell on his weaknesses, but she certainly doesn't dismiss them. She gets the information** across without overdoing the details.

Obviously then, I think the book requires a certain level of maturity, as it deals frankly and matter-of-factly, but tastefully, with some mature themes.

(While I don't think it would "scar" her to read it, I wouldn't want my 7 year-old daughter reading it, even though she is capable of reading it. I don't think it would appeal to younger-but-capable readers, anyway. There's is too much that they wouldn't understand, due to insufficient life experience. But obviously each parent needs to make that call.)

Lest you get the wrong impression from what I've written, let me unequivocally state that I really liked reading this excellent book about one of my country's Founding Fathers, and I learned a lot.


**(SPOILER ALERT) For example, his illegitimacy and later his affair with a woman outside his marriage. The reason this information is included is because the repercussions of both had far-reaching consequences to him politically and morally.

[Isabelle Simons]

loved this book I started loving Hamilton and wanted to see how much of it is true. Definitely, recommend because Jean Fritz also just has a way with words.

[ღ Carol jinx~☆~☔ʚϊɞ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative in a way a 7 to 12 year old would enjoy.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't wait to get this book into the hands of my students!

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was sad how he died. The bullet traveled from his hip. He really didn't want to fight.

[Stacy Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Say what you will about Jean Fritz, she can write a mighty biography. I have only read her biopic on Benedict Arnold before reading this one on Alexander Hamilton. Recalling my time reading Arnold's biopic I remember learning so much more about the man. This time as I read "Alexander Hamilton: The Outsider," is much the same. Fritz does a thorough job of splitting Hamilton's life into sections so we learn about his life. His boyhood in St. Croix where he was orphaned, yet eventually benefactors supported his continuing education in the United States. We see his origins as a patriot. His rise through the ranks of the Continental Army as Washington's Aide-de-Camp. Fritz weaves in bits of his personal life: the romance of his wife Eliza, the birth of his eldest son, an affair, the death of his eldest son in a duel and his eventual death resulting from a duel with Aaron Burr. Obviously, Hamilton's role as a politician are front and center. We see how his views shaped the financial foundation of the country as the first Secretary of the Treasury and his particpation in the Constitutional Convention on behalf of New York.

This book is well researched and includes end notes, index and bibliography.

Timelessness: The tense and the fact that Hamilton has been dead over 200 years demonstrate that the subject matter is timeless. Fritz's engaging narrative will engage readers for years to come.

Literary Quality: The worth of this book is measured in its accuracy and straight forwardness. Fritz does not preach, but presents Hamilton as he was. Yes, he is shown in a positive light, but his faults are also shown. The writing in this book makes it easy to follow and readable by its intended audience. It reads like a story.

Originality: This text throughly introduces Alexander Hamilton, I have seen no other book that does that as well.

Clarity/Style of Language: Straight forward, concise. Children will be able to comprehend.

Illustration: Illustrations in the text enhance the features, but are not a focal point of the work.

Design/Format: The work is splits up Hamilton's life so that it is easy to follow and understand.

Subject Matter Interest/Value to Children: While the subject matter will not be the most interesting to students it is valuable in that it introduces a founding father of our nation in a narrative format. The text is easy to read and understand.

Acceptance: This book will not be well read by all students. It will be great for history lovers and those who like biographies. It could also be used with other works of Fritz in literature circles.

[Teresa Scherping Moulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Founding Father Alexander Hamilton was much more than just the face on our $10 bill. Born in the West Indies to a Scottish father and French mother, Alexander always felt like he didn't quite belong. After years of working hard and reading every history book he could get his hands on, Alexander achieved his dream of traveling to America to study. As a teenage student at King's College, Alexander became involved with the patriots who wanted freedom from Britain. When the Revolutionary War broke out, Alexander was commissioned as a captain and witnessed many key events in the War for Independence, especially when he became an aide-de-camp to General Washington. When the war was over, Alexander helped found the new nation called the United States of America by representing the state of New York at the writing of the Constitution and later by becoming the country's first Secretary of the Treasury and establishing the Bank of the United States and the U.S. Mint. When he died tragically as a result of a duel with Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton's funeral was the largest and most respectful that New York had ever seen. He had finally found a place where he belonged.

This is a very well-written book that taught me a lot about a historical figure that I didn't know much about. The writing is clear, the information is well-sourced, and the story is engaging. Alexander Hamilton lived a truly interesting life, and this biography highlights the ways in which he shaped the future of our country with his gift for persuasive writing and speaking, his hard work and courage, and his steadfast loyalty to his adopted country. I'm sure young readers will enjoy hearing about his wartime adventures and his final duel, but I think they will also be impressed with what he accomplished in between.

I would recommend this book to readers in grades 4-8, especially fans of biographies and American history. This would be a great choice for a school report, and it's not even a very long read. I imagine that Jean Fritz's other related nonfiction books would make great readalikes, such as Traitor: the Case of Benedict Arnold or What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the being you meet Alexander Hamilton's family. His mother a native from the West Indies and his father is a man from Scotland. Hamilton grew up in the West Indies. When Hamilton was 18 He moved to New York. He graduated collage and became a soilder in the reveoltionary war. Washington made Hamitlon his right hand man. Hamilton marries Eliza Shcuaryer. They win the war in 1776. Hamilton becomes a lawyer. Washington is starting the new government and askes Hamilton to become secretary of treshery and Hamilton says yes. Hamilton meets Thomas Jefferson. They don't like each other. Hamilton cheats on his wife and gets blackmailed. Years later Hamilton puplishes the Renyolds pamhlet saying that he cheated on his wife. Hamilton's son phillip (who was 19 at the time) challenged a man to a duel because he said some rude things about Alexander Hamilton. Phillip dies in the duel. It's the election of 1800! Aaron Burr vs. Thomas Jefferson the result is a tie and it is up to Hamilton to choose who is presedent. Hamilton chooses Thomas because he does not trust Burr. Aaron Burr mad at Hamilton because Hamilton has messed with Burr on multipe accations and challenges Hamilton to a duel. Hamilton accepts and dies in the duel.


I think the Charchter who changed in the book was well, Hamilton. An example of this is that when Hamilton came to New York he had only heared of the war and didn't know what said was right but he became a patriot later on.

One of the things I love about this book was The man Alexander himself. He has done so many things for our Country. One thing I did not like was how they glossed over a very sad part that i wanted to learn more about, the death of Phillip Hamilton.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I want to see the play! After I finished reading this, I spent time listening to the songs on YouTube from the musical.

This was a good short version of Alexander Hamilton's life. It was a quick read. The subtitle, 'The Outside' was a good one. He was an outsider because his parents never married, because his step brother took what he loved, was poor but found a way to get a good education and was a great leader in the early years of the US government. The musical starts off with:

How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot in the Caribbean by providence impoverished, in squalor grow up to be a hero and a scholar?

I loved reading about how he loved to learn and how aggressive he was about it. He would get up early and read and then go walking and work on memorizing the information he had read by reciting it. People thought he was a little crazy when they saw him walking and talking to himself.

I enjoyed reading about how banks started. Many people thought they were akin to gambling and would rather be seen in a brothel than a bank....perhaps still a legit concern. :)

In the end, he died in a duel, just a few years after his son died the same way. I thought it was bizarrely dumb way for such a smart guy to die.

When I read books like this, I wish someone had written some similarly great stories about people in Canadian history!

[Renata · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK so this is hard to rate because obviously I'm mentally comparing it to Chernow's Alexander Hamilton, and that is an 800-page biography for adults, and this is a 1oo-page biography for children. BUT, I still feel like it's fair for me to say that this is leaving out some of the most interesting parts. Like, obviously this isn't going to go into the kind of detail about dueling and the code duello that Chernow did, but I feel like it's pretty important to understand how dueling works, and also pretty cool and interesting? It seems like a no-brainer to talk about dueling in your children's biography of Alexander Hamilton. (To be fair: it does, but not enough.)

It also seems like it did not define a lot of terms that I don't think children would understand? Like "aide-de-camp" for example. On the other hand I thought it did a decent job addressing the Reynolds Pamphlet without going into too much detail, although kids might be confused why it was such a big problem for Hamilton to "see" Maria Reynolds.

WHATEVER, it's fine. If a kid needs to write a report about Hamilton this would do it. If a kid is obsessed with a Broadway musical about Hamilton and wants the full story they are going to have to rise up to the challenge and read the Chernow.

[Kristen Jorgensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alexander Hamilton was always one of my favorites in American history. I was delighted to see Alexander Hamilton: The Outsider in the mock Newbery lists. It was a wonderful read and I think children will enjoy it. Jean Fritz with one Newbery honor under her belt has written Hamilton’s life accurately and brings his attributes to our country forward.

Her ability to show how Hamilton’s ideas and policies are either the forerunner to rules and departments we have today, or are basically still in use, was informative and fun. I also enjoyed Hamilton’s inspiring personal rags-to-riches story. This New Yorker has rightfully earned his place on the ten dollar bill and in history.

Fritz’s ending could not have been more poetic-

“On his deathbed, among his last words, he spoke of his beloved America, ‘If they break this Union, they will break my heart.’ How could anyone have thought that Alexander Hamilton was an outsider?”


I think the Newbery 2012 committee will consider Fritz's latest work for a possible medal.
If they don’t, I would be very disappointed.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been a nerd for history, especially American history. Growing up I loved reading historical fiction, biographies, and nonfiction with a focus on American history. Jean Fritz was and still is one of my favorite authors to turn to for great biography or history books. I grew up reading her books and when I saw this new one at the library I knew I had to pick it up and read it!

Most people think of Alexander Hamilton as the guy on the ten dollar bill and maybe even know that he died in a duel with Aaron Burr, but he did so much for our country that I didn't know. I read this book on a car trip with my husband and often would have to stop reading and share a new fact that I learned with him. For example, did you know that Hamilton negotiated the location of the nation's capital? Read the book to find out how! The book was a very quick and easy read. Jean Fritz provides wonderful details that keep the reader engaged and wanting to learn more. I really enjoyed this book and walked away with a better understanding of Alexander Hamilton and all of his accomplishments. A wonderful read for anyone who loves a good biography!

http://mrsbreads.blogspot.com/2012/06...

[Izzy Anders]

"Alexander Hamilton: the Outsider," written by Jean Fritz, is a biography on Alexander Hamilton's life. The book is directed towards intermediate readers due to the mature vocabulary, minimal pictures, and abundant information. This book covers a wide range of Hamilton's life, explaining the many different aspects of history he played an influential role on. One of his more well-known contributions was the writing of The Federalist Papers, along with James Madison and John Jay. Hamilton wrote articles into newspapers to voice his opinion on prominent matters he felt strongly on.

The twin text I paired this biography with is "The Landry News" by Andrew Clements. This was one of my most favorite chapter books growing up. In this story, a new girl, Cara Landry, voices her opinions on the happenings of her elementary school through a newspaper she designs called The Landry News. Similar to the eminent issues and plans set forth in the writings which later became The Federalist Papers, this young girl creates a stir within her school. I contend the overall message is positive, showing children how to stand up for what they believe in, doing so in an appropriate manner. Both Alexander Hamilton and Cara Landry have their voice heard through their personal writings in a newspaper.

[Beth G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noted autor Jean Fritz turns her keen eye for historical detail to the life of Alexander Hamilton. From his early years in the West Indies to that fateful day in Weehawken, NJ, Fritz puts Hamilton's story center stage while also setting it in the context of the birth of the United States. The tone of the narrative is conversational and should appeal to middle grade readers. Historical images are reproduced throughout the book; while lovely and certainly helpful in setting the mood and tone in certain passages, the lack of captions may leave some readers a bit puzzled. The image credits are squeezed into a text-dense single page in the back matter. The back matter also includes several notes on particular points, but there is no indication in the text itself that the notes exist. (This is entirely reasonable, since children's books do not generally use footnotes, but it is a little odd to reach the end and discover the notes.) The included bibliography indicates her research sources and points to further reading. An impeccably researched, fresh look at a figure who frequently fades into the background for kids studying American history.

[RLC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I purchased this book for my 9 year old son, who like his mother, enjoys history. It was longer than I had anticipated when I purchased it, so I read it first. I did enjoy it, however, I thought it included a bit too much detail for its intended school age audience, and I fear many of that age would not read it cover to cover. In particular, the chapters covering Hamilton's time serving in the army during the American Revolution, while I'm certain are historically accurate and done quite comprehensively, and clearly painted him as a brave, committed leader of the Patriot cause with a keen military acumen, seemed a bit longer than necessary. To me, his greatest contributions came after the war, as our new government and infrastructure were being developed. Perhaps inclusion of portions of some of his many referenced published articles would have given us a greater insight into the man. Nonetheless, I do think that anyone who enjoys American History would appreciate this book, and learning the many contributions that this man made. I will try to convince my son to read it through, but recommend it for middle schoolers and up.

[Heather Shembarger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read which allows one to see Hamilton in many different lights. Hamilton's great love for America and his willingness to sacrifice for its good is made evident throughout the book over and over. It also is clear that because he was not native born, influential people used it to question his loyalty to the United States. Hamilton's pain from this accusation was also evident. Fritz allows us to see that Hamilton ran into conflict with many other influential historical figures and that his life was not always easy or pleasant because of this. Hamilton's shortcomings as a man in relation to his wife is also disclosed, but along with it, is his willingness to take ownership of his regrettable actions with great remorse and transparency in order to make things right. His untimely death also shows his great integrity as he refuses to shoot at Burr, but instead, fires upward costing himself his own life. Included in the book are two heart wrenching letters he left for his wife to be read in case he did not make it out alive. Pick up this 132 page book for a great inside look on the life of Alexander Hamilton.

[Teresa]

After seeing scenes from "Hamilton", this seemed kind of tame. However, taken just on the merits of the story, I think kids will be surprised at how much excitement there was in the early days of our country.

Hamilton certainly had a sad and difficult early life, but his determination and passion for learning helped him scramble to a position of power and influence. The descriptions of the challenges and frustrations of the war for Hamilton and his commander in chief, GW, may be quite eye-opening for readers. And the need to SET UP a country--how does one do that? And keep everyone happy?

Hamilton's passion and intelligence are clearly portrayed here, making his untimely death all the more tragic.

In just over 130 pp, the story of one of the founding fathers of our young country is told with verve and great attention to detail. A great resource for kids who want to know more about this fascinating man.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can easily see this becoming the "go to" biography on Hamilton for younger readers - the narrative flow will help them get through some of the more confusing parts (Hamilton's ideas about a federal bank, for example, or his activities during the Revolutionary War). Occasionally the jumps make the chronology a little confusing, or information is left out (eg, was Hamilton accepted to the College of New Jersey?) but that's a rare occurrence. There were times when I wished for more detail, for example what happened to Aaron Burr after the duel, but for the most part this introduction to Hamilton's life is filled with the depth of information that will satisfy readers and encourage some of them to go further.

The notes at the end were very welcome, as was the bibliography.

ARC provided by publisher.

[Mark Flowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

When choosing one's favorite founding father (as we all, eventually must) liberals could do a lot worse than Alexander Hamilton--a genuine war hero, who was nonetheless very thoughtful about whether the Revolution was the right thing; a virulant opposer of slavery; the primary author of the Federalist papers; a proponent of a strong central government, and founder of the Federalist party; creator of the national bank; and a generally honorable man who accepted his duel with Burr but refused to return fire.

This book is an old fashioned children's bio--strictly narrative, no footnotes (though with good end notes and bibliography). Entertaining, well-written, it makes a strong case for Hamilton's place high among the founders without ever explicitly taking sides on the issues he fought for. Pretty neat trick.

[Bee (BacchusVines) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My name is Alexander Hamilton....

I really love kid biographies because...they're just awesome. And learning more about Hamilton is always fun. Hamilton was a real, innovating character. I'm so mad that he barely gets the recognition he deserves. This book, for kids, was really, really good.

[Jamey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a quick, but boring read for me. I love Hamilton; an American musical, but life with a book is very boring, I think that people who like history should read this book. I am so glad that Lin Manuel Miranda made the musical so that more people will be more interested with history by using entertainment. Overall I like Hamilton, but not this book.

[Saleh MoonWalker · Rating 3 out of 5]

جین فریتز با سبک معمول نوشتاریش، زندگی الکساندر همیلتون رو بررسی میکنه. با تراژدی های که در کودکیش داشت، به جرج واشینگتن ملحق میشه و مقابل بریتانیایی ها میجنگه. مراحل زندگیش رو تا قبل از مرگش نشون میده و آخرش هم نشون میده که حتی بعد از مرگش هم دست آورد داشته. نثرش ساده و کاملا روانه و سریع هم پیش میره.