John, Paul, George & Ben

 

John, Paul, George & Ben

written and illustrated by Lane Smith, 2006, New York: Hyperion Books for Children. (0786848936)

Media: pen and ink with collage elements and photographs, combined digitally

Awards and Honors:

A New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Bestseller
A Book Sense Summer Children's Pick
A School Library Journal Best Books of 2006
Horn Book Fanfare List - Best Books of 2006
A Child Magazine Best Book of the Year
An Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Book Award Winner
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A National Parenting Publication Gold Award Winner
A Parenting Magazine Best Book of the Year
A St. Louis Post Dispatch Best Book  

California Young Reader Medal, Best Picture Book for Older Readers, 2010
The Columbus Dispatch Top 20
New York Daily News Jolly Good Books Round Up
Merit award in Children’s Trade Hardcover (Bookbinder’s Guild New York Book
Show)
A Miami Herald Best Book
A Blue Ribbon Book from the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Winner of the 13th Annual Zena Sutherland Award for "Best Text" and "Best
Overall"
2008 Virginia Readers' Choice Award (Elementary Level)
Best Children's Author - 2007 Connecticut Book Award

Author Website: http://www.lanesmithbooks.com/

Annotation: A humorous re-imagining of the boyhoods of the Founding Fathers John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.

Personal Reaction:

Lane Smith combines bold, appealing illustrations and his trademark humor in this smart re-imagining of the the boyhoods of America's Founding Fathers. Each patriot has his own special "talent" that gets him into some mischief in his formative years, but ends up later being indispensable to the American Revolution. John annoys the teacher with his boldness, Paul's noisiness does nothing to endear him to his customers, George's honesty gets him into trouble, Ben's clever sayings give him a reputation as a know-it-all, and Tom is a little too independent for his own good. Students who are already familiar with the history and personalities of the American Revolution will appreciate the jokes, if not all of the puns and allusions. The illustrations are filled with touches that evoke the historical period like crackle texturing and muted colors, yet still retain a bold, modern flavor through Smith's cartoon-ish characters. Although Smith stretches historical truth for comic effect, he separates truth from fiction in a "Ye Olde True or False Section" that gives students additional information about the American Revolution and the men behind it. 

Curricular Connection: 

5th Grade History/ Social Studies, California State Board of Education Standards

5.5     Students explain the causes of the American Revolution.
      4. Describe the views, lives, and impact of key individuals during this      

      period (e.g., King George III, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, George 

      Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams).