Guns for General Washington: A Story of the American Revolution [Paperback]

Seymour Reit (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Great Episodes

Seymour Reit re-creates the true story of Will Knox, a nineteen-year-old boy who undertook the daring and dangerous task of transporting 183 cannons from New York’s Fort Ticonderoga to Boston--in the dead of winter--to help George Washington win an important battle.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-- A novel about a little-known event in American history--the great cannon trek of 1775. Colonel Henry Knox conceived a plan to take desperately needed cannons and ammunition from New York's Fort Ticonderoga to Boston where rebel forces feared that a British attack was imminent. The huge, ungainly guns had to be moved during the winter over hundreds of miles of mountainous wilderness. The bulk of this book re-creates that arduous journey to and from the fort. Despite its pedestrian title and uninspired cover art, this is a fast paced, well-told adventure story. Dialogue among the characters sounds authentic and never forced. Will Knox, the colonel's 19-year-old brother, goes along on the trek and provides a character with whom readers can readily identify. Satisfying historical fiction that deserves a place on library shelves for its clear telling of an important but obscure chapter in American history. --Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“A fast paced, well-told adventure story...Authentic...Satisfying.”—School Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (August 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152164359
• ISBN-13: 978-0152164355
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #84,429 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #42 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Fiction > Military & Wars
  • #58 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > Military & Wars

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Guns For General Washington, June 18, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Guns for General Washington: A Story of the American Revolution (Great Episodes) (Paperback)

Guns For General Washington is a great book because of the action and advenerture. Henry Knox, a patroit who goes to Fort Ticonderoga, a fort in New York that has at least 183 cannons, lead for bullets, flint for flintlock muskets. There were also mortars, a type of gun, howitzers, a another type of gun,and a cohorns, another type of gun. They, Henry and his brother and some others who help out, have to go 300 miles to Fort Ticonderoga from Boston and 300 miles back to Boston from Fort Ticonderoga.This takes place in Massachusetts and New York in 1775 and 1776. The conflict is that General Washington is fighting a british general ,General Howe, with no aritillery like cannons and gunpowder.This book has very good action and advenerture

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book about a forgotten episode of history., February 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Guns for General Washington: A Story of the American Revolution (Great Episodes) (Paperback)

This book was fascinating for myself and my children. We followed the trek of the big guns on a map and, living in New England, traveled over part of the route! The details were vivid and the descriptions of how the guns were finally set up on Dorchester Heights in total secrecy is just amazing. We thoroughly enjoyed it!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Book to Stimulate Interest in History, January 30, 2002

By 

Patrick W. O'Hara "taparaho" (Salt Point, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Guns for General Washington: A Story of the American Revolution (Great Episodes) (Paperback)

This is a fun book that should help your youngster develop an interest in American History. It is easy to read an has great illustratiions. You will not be disappointed with this purchase. Look for others by the same author.