I'm a Hamilton fan, and when I stumbled upon this in my university library, I had to read it. It's actually somewhat historically accurate - I read the first half of the Chernow biography, including Alex's early childhood in St. Croix and I'm glad Hugh Knox and Ned Stevens are there! It's a good introduction on Alexander Hamilton for kids. Even though, to my knowledge, Alex never had a talking parrot.

Also, Alex fights everyone. This is good, because it introduces the kids to Alex fighting everyone in his adult life. Now they know that if someone in US history is fighting, one of them is Alexander Hamilton. ( )

Summary:

Reflection:

This book is part of the Young Patriots Series. The books in this series are consistently well written and illustrated. The authors know their audience and engage them immediately. Individually (by title) or collectively (as a series), they earn a 9.5 out of 10.

The books are fun to read and provide a little color to the history and heroes that 8- to 12-year-olds might not get from the typical textbook. The books are essential to the classroom library.

To read our full review (complete with the kids' opinions!) go to The Reading Tub®.

This is part of a series on historical figures. Details the life of Hamilton from childhood through adult.

The series have a feel of them as being done in the 50's or 60's This is mainly due to the illustrations. The information is accurate.

Students as an extention activity could write a short report on Alexander Hamilton

Students could create a collage out of pictures that relate to the subject and his life.

Alexander Hamilton: Young Statesman (Young Patriots series) by Helen Boyd Higgins. Patria Press, Inc (2008), Cloth $15.96 and Paper $9.95, 120 pages

Often, when visiting books from our youth and recalling the wonderful hours spent as a child reading them, you feel the need to share those experiences with your children or grandchildren.

In 1942, Helen Boyd Higgins wrote Alexander Hamilton, Young Statesman and created a timeless tale of a youth raised in a far away land that only the imagination of the reader can envision. Tribulations and intrigue abound in a format designed t o entertain and teach many life lessons. Young Alexander is bereft of a terrible temper and learns self control by many examples used by Higgins in her description of his rearing. The vocabulary is enriched by using words beyond the reader’s comprehension, not to frustrate, but to expand a child’s horizons. There is a dictionary of definitions at the end of the book which teaches new words. The audience for this book is 9 to 12 years of age. This story is of a young lad growing up in the Caribbean Islands, who yearns to come to America and be a part of the new land of opportunity by going to college to further his education.

The Young Patriots series is designed to ‘Hook’ kids on History. Other titles in the series include, Amelia Earhart, Young Air Pioneer, William Henry Harrison, Young Tipp, Eddie Rickenbacker, Boy Pilot and Racer, and Mahalia Jackson, Gospel Singer to name a few of the 14 books published thus far. Gifts for birthdays, holidays, or just plain old fashioned fun reading are always good books. A present of this type instills in our youngsters the desire to appreciate reading and to treasure exemplary literature. Reasonably priced, this collection will become the foundation of a cherished library. ( )