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Gr 4-6–In the 1738 edition of Poor Richard’s Almanac, Franklin printed this aphorism: “If you would not be forgotten/As soon as you are dead and rotten,/Either write things worth reading,/Or do things worth the writing.” He succeeded admirably, as indicated by the ample catalog of Franklin biographies written for young readers from notables including Jean Fritz, James Cross Giblin, and Candace Fleming. Electric Ben represents a proficient but flawed addition to an already-crowded shelf. Using lucid phrasing and appealing detail, Byrd breaks the main narrative into two-p...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

With a jacket showing Benjamin Franklin as a cross between a mad scientist and a superhero standing amid wild lightning bolts and surrounded by all manner of electrical devices, this book shimmers with excitement, begging to be read. Byrd divides Franklin’s life into seventeen often whimsically labeled double-page spreads, beginning with his childhood and ending with his death. Two such spreads (“Coaxing Sparks from the Sky” and “The Wonde...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Byrd divides Franklin's life into seventeen whimsically labeled double-page spreads covering topics ranging from his fascination with electricity t...Log In or Sign Up to Read More