A Picture Book of Samuel Adams (Picture Book Biographies)
Grade 2-4–Adler captures much of the complex nature of the man and his role in America's fight for independence. However, it is never easy to take a complicated person and create a succinct biography for children without oversimplification and choppy transitions. This book reflects these challenges. In particular, the Boston Tea Party is poorly explained. No clear reason is given for the patriots' actions, nor does the text mention that they disguised themselves as American Indians. The illustrations, however, show a number of men in tribal headdress, which could confuse readers unfamiliar with the event. Overall, though, the book presents a good overview of Adams, his personality, and his actions. The illustrations, done in muted tones, have the unfinished feel of sketches. While attractive, their soft focus, particularly of people's facial expressions, keeps the story distant and prevents the history from coming fully alive. Jean Fritz's classicWhy Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams?(Putnam, 1974) has a similar scope and audience, but is a livelier read and presents a more nuanced, complete overview of Adams's life.–Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, ORCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.