Born in 1755 on an island called Nevis in the Carribbean. His mother was dead by the time he was twelve years old. He and his brother were penniless orphans on their own. It would be easy to see how Alexander Hamilton could have lived a life of poverty in the West Indies. But he didn't.
Alexander Hamilton started to learn. He went to the local small library and chose book after book to teach himself about math and money and chemistry. He figured out that an education could help any man rise in the world.
This young man, at the age of 17, he left everything he knew and sailed to New York City. Imagine how it would feel to leave a sunny, palm filled island and arrive at a northern city where you knew no one.
Told in first person this biography of Alexander Hamilton has a force to it that seems to come from the man himself. The determination, the perseverance, the genius he held inside speak to us from this story of his life centuries past. Here is our chance to get a feel for a Father of our country as a person with problems, struggle, and challenges.
We get to stand in his shoes and see what he chose to do. It's exciting to learn from his own words and writings that when he had "a subject at hand, I study it profoundly. Day and night it is before me. It is the fruit of labor and thought." He is describing his own genius which he sees as dedication and determination.
A wonderful role model who used his education and determination to create a nation that stands on bedrock today. His face and his person come to life through the gorgeous oil paintings throughout the story of this hero.
32 pages 978-1534406568 Ages 6-10
Keywords: biography, picture book biography, American history, government, 18th century, president, 6 year old, 7 year old, 8 year old, 9 year old, 10 year old, Social Studies Curriculum
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
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Alexander Hamilton, Founding Father, a Constitutional Convention delegate, author of the Federalist Papers, and the first secretary of the US Treasury, is brought to life with this vivid and accessible illustrated biography.
Alexander Hamilton was an unknown immigrant, an orphan, a boy of no connections but, still, despite all odds, had an important role in transforming the world. As George Washington’s right-hand man, Hamilton helped bring victory to America during the Revolutionary War, wrote most of the Federalist papers, and helped to build a country.
Author Frank Keating’s detailed historical facts are complemented by stunning paintings from Mike Wimmer to form a portrait that will fascinate young readers.---from the publisher
