To heal the hurt pride of Thomas Jefferson as Congress makes changes to his Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin tells his friend the story of a hatmaker and his sign.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Fleming (Gabriella's Song) offers a piquant retelling of a story that master raconteur Benjamin Franklin relayed "to heal the hurt pride" of Thomas Jefferson, whose draft of the Declaration of Independence was being picked apart by the quibbling Continental Congress. In this tale within a tale, a hatmaker drafts copy for a sign for his shop. En route to the sign maker, however, he encounters a string of opinionated people who whittle away his words to, quite literally, nothing. Young readers will easily appreciate the irony of the kind sign maker's suggestion that the hatmaker fill his sign with the very proclamation he began with. Franklin concludes, "No matter what you write, or how well you write it, if the public is going to read it, you can be sure they will want to change it." Working in ink and watercolor, Parker (Pop Corn and Ma Goodness) contributes his sketchy style, a deft approach that focuses on Franklin's wit rather than his more serious message. And like the beleaguered hatmaker, Fleming has chosen her words with care, delivering an insightful parable and a welcome addition to the wealth of lore surrounding the remarkable Benjamin Franklin. Endnotes include further information about Franklin, Jefferson and the writing of the Declaration of Independence; like the story, they will whet readers' appetites for American history. Ages 5-9.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-5?This delightful tale will be a boon to classrooms studying Colonial America and the emergence of the United States government, but it has a much broader audience as well. Culled from The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, it's a masterful retelling of a parable Benjamin Franklin whispered to calm Jefferson's anxiety during the debates over the Declaration of Independence. The story relates the plight of a Boston hatmaker trying to create a sign for his new shop. The original draft consists of 10 words and a picture of a hat. The hatmaker's wife suggests the removal of three words. Then the reverend reads it and suggests that three more words be eliminated, and so on, until the hatmaker is left with just the graphic image. More well-wishers suggest the addition of a word or two until the merchant's original draft is restored. This humorous tale ends with Franklin assuring Jefferson that anything offered to the public is subject to criticism. More importantly, the parable provides insight into how documents are changed by the input of various opinions. An author's note gives more information on Franklin's love of storytelling and Jefferson's distress over the 87 changes the Continental Congress made to the Declaration of Independence. Parker's full and often double-page watercolor illustrations capture the ambiance of colonial Boston, the annoyed Jefferson, and the soothing Franklin. They are sophisticated enough for older children, yet have plenty of appeal for younger ones, too.?Jackie Hechtkopf, Talent House School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
A small detail from Franklin's life,
By Stephanie's Mommy Brain (Rhode Island, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Hatmaker's Sign (Paperback)
After spending his time and energy drafting the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson listened to the Continental Congress debate and change his document. His friend, Benjamin Franklin, noticed his frustration and anger at all of the alterations and told Jefferson a parable about a hat maker who wanted to have a sign made for his shop.
Fleming does an excellent job of retelling Franklin's story and Parker's illustrations keep the reader visually interested. The book highlights a little known event from Franklin's life.
4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great History!,
This review is from: The Hatmaker's Sign: A Story by Benjamin Franklin (Hardcover)
Fleming has found a great little piece of history about Jefferson and Franklin. A great story about writing. Highly recommended! Look for Fleming's story BIG CHEESE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE by DK Ink!
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