Anna Crowley Redding

Today the Declaration of Independence is one of the United States’ most heavily guarded treasures, but during the War of 1812 it would have been destroyed if not for one man whose story has nearly been forgotten by time. Come along on this historic adventure and learn how one ordinary clerk did a truly extraordinary thing.

As a clerk for the State Department, Stephen Pleasonton spent his days quietly immersed in paperwork. He never expected to receive an urgent message telling him that the British army was on its way to the capital. And that the documents that Stephen was entrusted with—such as the original Declaration of Independence and the original Constitution—were all in danger!

It fell on Stephen to get our nation’s most cherished and priceless artifacts safely out of Washington!

I love reading these types of stories where everyday Americans make a huge impact. Without the efforts of Stephen and his crew, many of the historical documents that we treasure today would have been lost in the fires that burned in the capital during the War of 1812. This story was well written and would make a great addition to the classroom library. The story is written in a thrilling fashion and the illustration and hand lettering add a "colonial feel" to the book.… (mehr)