A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin (Picture Book Biography) [Paperback]

David Adler (Author), John Wallner (Author), Alexandra Wallner (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Picture Book Biography

Surveys the life of Benjamin Franklin, highlighting his work as an inventor and statesman.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-- This entry in Adler's biography series gives a well-written, straightforward account of Franklin's life, taking readers through the important milestones and accomplishments. The Wallners' full-color, softly painted illustrations are well executed and add informative details to the text. None of Franklin's life is dealt with in detail but his work as an inventor, statesman, and printer are highlighted with interesting facts. Adler mentions only three of Franklin's four children, omitting the son born prior to his marriage to Deborah Read. However, the other information represents what is commonly regarded as fact concerning Franklin. Fritz' What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin? (Coward, 1982) is considerably livelier, but is aimed at slightly older readers. Adler's book will provide an excellent resource for primary readers. --Sharron McElmeel, Cedar Rapids Community Schools, IA
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

David Adler was born April 10, 1947. He graduated Queens College in 1968 with a BA in economics and education and licenses to teach mathematics and history. He then worked for nine years as a New York City mathematics teacher. While teaching he studied at New York University and in 1971 was awarded an MBA in marketing. He began work on a PhD in marketing when inspiration struck and he wrote his first book, A LITTLE AT A TIME (Random House, 1976). Suddenly his focus changed from marketing to writing.

In 1973 he married Renee Hamada, a psychologist, and in 1977 their first child, Michael was born. By that time David had written several books. He was granted a child-care leave from teaching and while Renee continued her work, David stayed home, took care of Michael, and wrote in earnest. It was during his first year on leave that he wrote CAM JANSEN AND THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN DIAMONDS. David's ANDY RUSSELL series was inspired by another family member and the many adventures the family had with his enthusiasm and his pets. He lives in New York State. www.davidaadler.com.


Alexandra Wallner has written and illustrated a number of books about famous literary and historical figures, including An Alcott Family Christmas and Beatrix Potter. She lives in Maine with her husband, illustrator John Wallner.


John Wallner has illustrated many titles in David A. Adler's Picture Book Biography series. He lives in Maine.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Paperback: 28 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House (P) (March 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823408825
• ISBN-13: 978-0823408825
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 9.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #155,742 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #29 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( F ) > Franklin, Benjamin

More About the Author

I write both fiction and non-fiction. I begin my fiction with the main character. The story comes later. Of course, since I'll be spending a lot of time with each main character, why not have him or her be someone I like? Andy Russell is based, loosely, on a beloved member of my family. He's fun to write about and the boy who inspired the character is even more fun to know. Cam Jansen is based even more loosely on a classmate of mine in the first grade whom we all envied because we thought he had a photographic memory. Now, especially when my children remind me of some promise they said I made, I really envy Cam's amazing memory. I have really enjoyed writing about Cam Jansen and her many adventures. For my books of non-fiction I write about subjects I find fascinating. My first biography was Our Golda: The Life of Golda Meir. To research that book, I bought a 1905 set of encyclopedia. Those books told me what each of the places Golda Meir lived in were like when she lived there. I've written many other biographies, including books about Martin Luther King, Jr; George Washington; Abraham Lincoln; Helen Keller; Harriet Tubman; Anne Frank; and many others in my Picture Book Biography series. I've been a Yankee and a Lou Gehrig fan for decades so I wrote Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man. It's more the story of his great courage than his baseball playing. Children face all sorts of challenges and it's my hope that some will be inspired by the courage of Lou Gehrig. I am working now on another book about a courageous man, Janusz Korczak. My book One Yellow Daffodil is fiction, too, but it's based on scores of interviews I did with Holocaust survivors for my books We Remember the Holocaust, Child of the Warsaw Ghetto, The Number on My Grandfather's Arm, and Hiding from the Nazis. The stories I heard were compelling. One Yellow Daffodil is both a look to the past and to the future, and expresses my belief in the great spirit and strength of our children. I love math and was a math teacher for many years, so it was fun for me to write several math books including Fraction Fun, Calculator Riddles, and Shape Up! Fun with Triangles and Other Polygons. In my office I have this sign, "Don't Think. Just Write!" and that's how I work. I try not to worry about each word, even each sentence or paragraph. For me stories evolve. Writing is a process. I rewrite each sentence, each manuscript, many times. And I work with my editors. I look forward to their suggestions, their help in the almost endless rewrite process. Well, it's time to get back to dreaming, and to writing, my dream of a job. David A. Adler is the author of more than 175 children's books, including the Young Cam Jansen series. He lives in Woodmere, New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another winner, April 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin (Picture Book Biography) (Paperback)

These picture book biographies are great for lower elementary students. Big colorful pictures and packed with information. Great for colonial unit study.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXTREMELY VALUABLE AS A SUPPLEMENTAL LEARNING TOOL., November 24, 2006

By 

D. Blankenship (The Ozarks) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin (Picture Book Biography) (Paperback)

I like to use this wonderful little book as a supplemental when teaching early American History to the young ones. No book can cover it all and there are plenty out there that cover Revolutionary America during this era. After the children get an overall view of what is happening (other books and lecture), it is rather nice to have this little book, and others like it, to show that these great men were actually human and led lives much like the rest of us. For children to grow up understanding and appreciating our history, I feel this is quite important. This book helps a lot. Highly recommend this one. The illustration are quite good, the text is very readable and not at all boring.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars lots of great info, June 5, 2002

By 

Melissa Sack (georgia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin (Picture Book Biography) (Paperback)

We read this book in our homeschool history class. It's great for colonial unit study. Even mom learned a few new things about Ben Franklin! How cool is that!