Martha Washington: First Lady (Historical American Biographies) [Library Binding]

Stephanie Sammartino McPherson (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 11 and up | Grade Level: 6 and up | Series: Historical American Biographies

Traces the life of the wife of the first president of the United States, from her childhood in Virginia through her marriage to George Washington to her role in the American Revolution and the early years of the new country's history.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-9-Martha Dandridge grew up on a plantation near Williamsburg, VA. Like most women of her time, she was not well educated, but she learned the skills for running a household and living in polite society. These skills stood her in good stead as the wife of America's first president. She entertained important statesmen, welcomed foreign dignitaries, and helped to establish a tradition. McPherson writes of her subject with warmth and portrays her as a person who lived her life with dignity in times of stress and sorrow. The author describes the historical events of the time to set the scene, but does not let George Washington overshadow Martha's story. The facts are accurate and sidebars add anecdotal information about this period in American history. Photos and archival reproductions and extensive chapter notes add to the authority of this volume.
Lynn W. Zimmerman, Southeast Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-6. From the Historical American Biographies series, this book surveys the life of Martha Washington, her youth, two marriages, family life, and public life as the wife of George Washington. Sidebars focus on the history and key figures of the period. Throughout the book, black-and-white photos and reproductions of period paintings and prints illustrate the text. A chronology, a bibliography, a glossary, a list of Internet sites, and chapter notes are appended. Useful, workmanlike fare. Carolyn Phelan

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 11 and up
  
• Library Binding: 128 pages
• Publisher: Enslow Publishers (July 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0766010171
• ISBN-13: 978-0766010178
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,422,951 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Martha Washington The First Lady, November 26, 2001

By 

Candace (Middleburgh, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Martha Washington: First Lady (Historical American Biographies) (Library Binding)

I read Martha Washington by Jean Brown Wagoner. I liked the book a lot. I liked it because Martha said what she felt, and she was always curious. It reminded me of my grandmother, she says what she feels and she is very curious.
The book was mostly about Martha's childhood background and then "jumped" up to where she was older, there was nothing about her teenaged years. Her nickname was Patsy. Patsy had some siblings and many cousins. She got a pony and was the fastest racer that anyone knew.
When she got older one of her "head" butlers, Mammy Tuck thought she was so pretty and that was true. She had met a guy named Mr. Custis, married him, they had four children together and two died along with Mr. Custis. Patsy was so miserable for a while but she kept the farm going.
A while later she met Mr. George Washington, they got married. George had to go to war and Patsy went with him to his camp so she could help men, she did many things, knitted things for them for warmth, she made them food so they could have energy, and she bandaged them up. She lost her two other children in the war.
The war ended and the 13 colonies became the whole United States. They voted to elect George Washington to be President. Patsy and Washington lived happily ever after.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Book on Martha Washington for young readers, September 24, 2000

By 

"gasimpson1" (Columbia, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Martha Washington: First Lady (Historical American Biographies) (Library Binding)

Martha Washington was a loving mother and a caring person. She supported her husband, George Washington, and spent the winters with him at Valley Forge helping the soldiers in need. This book presents Martha Washington as a caring and supportive human being. The text is simple and straight forward. The book also includes interesting photographs and side highlights of things that happened during the revolution and that time period. Martha is depicted as real life character, who had to come up with a dinner for guests after the dog ran away with the ham, and as a teenager, once rode her horse up the front steps of a relatives home. The book makes the historical person come alive.