Samuel Adams: Patriot and Statesman (Graphic Biographies)

Description

Tells the life story of American patriot Samuel Adams and his role in the events that led to the Revolutionary War. Written in graphic-novel format.

Matt Doeden is a freelance author and editor from Minnesota. He's written numerous children's books on sports, music, current events, the military, extreme survival, and much more. His books Sandy Koufax (Twenty-First Century Books, 2006) and Tom Brady: Unlikely Champion (Twenty-First Century Books, 2011) were Junior Library Guild selections. Doeden began his career as a sports writer before turning to publishing. He lives in Minnesota with his wife and two children.

Samuel Adams grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, and when he was a young man and at Harvard College he became familiar with the work of the John Locke, the English philosopher. Locke put forward the idea that it is the people and not the government who should hold the power in a country. This was an idea which greatly intrigued Adams and he decided to go into politics. While he was still at Harvard, Samuel began to understand what Locke was talking about. The unfair laws imposed on the colonies by the British crown directly affected his family. Samuel tried various jobs and ended up working in the family brewery. All the while he thought about how the "colonists shouldn't be subjected to British law without representation in England." He joined a group of men who felt the same way and when a new law was passed, The Stamp Act, he worked hard to show the British that the colonists were not going to accept this law. Though the British knew that Adams was behind the activism against the Stamp Act, they could not prove it and they did not dare arrest him. Then in September of 1765 Samuel won a political appointment and after the Stamp Act was repealed, he decided that the time had come to bring together a group of powerful people who would be willing to work towards self-rule for the colonies. Defeating the Stamp Act was just the beginning for Samuel Adams. In this excellent "Graphic History" title, young readers will discover how active Samuel Adams was before and during and after the American Revolutionary War. He was often the one who worked behind the scenes but whose work had an enormous impact on the cause as a whole. Well written and presented in the form of a graphic novel, this title is certain to appeal to readers who don't usually find history and biographies interesting.-- "Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Review" Three episodes from American history get graphic makeovers. In Samuel Adams, a young patriot begins to question British rule. The biography follows him from his early days resisting taxation without representation to his final days as governor of Massachusetts. Lewis and Clark highlights the monumental trek, including the contributions of Sacagawea. The events before and after the mysterious disappearance of an entire colony are the focus of Roanoke Colony. While the artwork and dialogue are not outstanding, the three volumes do offer interesting glimpses into the past. The pacing and full-color illustrations bring the emotional aspect of these topics to life. Each book includes a follow-up section on the topic. Useful supplements or introductions.-- "School Library Journal"