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Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams?
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Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams? Paperback - 1996

by Jean Fritz; Trina Schart Hyman

In the early days of America when men wore ruffles, rode horseback, and obeyed the King, there lived a man in Boston who cared for none of these things. No one expected Samuel Adams to wear ruffles or pledge allegiance to the King of England, but his friends did think that he might get on a horse. But would he? Never! he said. An ALA Notable Children's Book. Full color.


Summary

In early America, when all the men wore ruffled shirts and rode grandly on horseback, one man refused to follow suit. He was the rebel leader Sam Adams, a plainspoken gent who scorned ruffles, refused to ride a horse, and had little regard for the King. This lively biography is a nice, personal look at a leader and his times.

From the publisher

"The question I am most often asked," Jean Fritz says, "is how do I find my ideas? The answer is: I don't. Ideas find me. A character in history will suddenly step right out of the past and demand a book. Generally people don't bother to speak to me unless there's a good chance that I'll take them on." Throughout almost four decades of writing about history, Jean Fritz has taken on plenty of people, starting with George Washington in The Cabin Faced West (1958). Since then, her refreshingly informal historical biographies for children have been widely acclaimed as "unconventional," "good-humored," "witty," "irrepressible," and "extraordinary."

In her role as biographer, Jean Fritz attempts to uncover the adventures and personalities behind each character she researches. "Once my character and I have reached an understanding," she explains, "then I begin the detective work--reading old books, old letters, old newspapers, and visiting the places where my subject lived. Often I turn up surprises and of course I pass these on." It is her penchant for making distant historical figures seem real that brings the characters to life and makes the biographies entertaining, informative, and filled with natural child appeal.

An original and lively thinker, as well as an inspiration to children and adults, Jean Fritz is undeniably a master of her craft. She was awarded the Regina Medal by the Catholic Library Association, presented with the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award by the American Library Association for her "substantial and lasting contribution to children's literature," and honored with the Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature, which was presented by the New York State Library Association for her body of work.

copyright ? 2000 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.

First line

In the early days of America when men wore ruffles on their shirts and buckles on their shoes.

Details

  • Title Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams?
  • Author Jean Fritz; Trina Schart Hyman
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition Reissue
  • Pages 48
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Puffin Books
  • Date September 9, 1996
  • Illustrated Yes
  • Features Illustrated
  • ISBN 9780698114166 / 0698114167
  • Weight 0.26 lbs (0.12 kg)
  • Dimensions 8.99 x 7.02 x 0.16 in (22.83 x 17.83 x 0.41 cm)
  • Ages 07 to 09 years
  • Grade levels 2 - 4
  • Reading level 870
  • Themes
    • Theometrics: Secular
  • Library of Congress subjects United States - History - Revolution,, Adams, Samuel
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 73088023
  • Dewey Decimal Code B

About the author

Acclaimed biographer, Jean Fritz, was born in China to American missionaries on November 16, 1915. Living there until she was almost thirteen sparked a lifelong interest in American history. She wrote about her childhood in China in Homesick, My Own Story, a Newbery Honor Book and winner of the National Book Award.
Ms. Fritz was the author of forty-five books for children and young people. Many center on historical American figures, gaining her a reputation as the premier author of biographies for children and young people.
Among the other prestigious awards Ms. Fritz has garnered are: the National Humanities Medal, the Children's Literature Legacy Award, the May Hill Arbuthnot Lecture Award. the Christopher Award, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Non-Fiction Award, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and many ALA Notable Books of the Year, School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, and ALA Booklist Editors' Choice Awards.
She passed away on May 14, 2017.
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