From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6–Rodney, one of Delaware's representatives to the Second Continental Congress, who suffered from asthma and a cancer that was slowly destroying his face, made a grueling 80-mile carriage and horseback ride to cast his crucial vote for independence. Beginning with a period map of the Philadelphia area, this book discusses his torturous journey and the significance of his vote. Unfortunately, few facts about Rodney's life are presented, aside from a description of his cancerous wound and the surgery he underwent. The main text and sidebars tell about some events leading to the Revolutionary War, with an emphasis on the colonists' objections to the various taxes imposed by England. The detailed, muted-tone watercolor paintings are descriptive of the clothing and furniture of the period, but the blank stares on many of the faces are somewhat disconcerting. This title is interesting for its focus on the heroism, tenacity, and self-sacrifice of one of America's founders, but its narrow scope and lack of biographical detail limit its usefulness for reports as well as for general reading. Dennis Brindell Fradin's The Signers (Walker, 2002), which gives personal data for each Declaration signer as well as general background and salient anecdotes, is a more worthwhile purchase.–Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ
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Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
