by K.M. Koystal and Benjamin Franklin, Illustrated by Fred Harper
Discover history through the eyes of one of the smartest, funniest, and coolest figures from America’s past. Ben gives sage advice on everything from good citizenship, manners, friendship, and being happy.
Ben Franklin & the Magic Squares
By Frank Murphy, Illustrated by Richard Walz
A funny, entertaining introduction to Ben Franklin and his many inventions, including the story of how he created the “magic square.” A magic square is a box of nine numbers. They are arranged so that any line of three adds up to the same number, even on the diagonal.
What’s the Big Idea Ben Franklin
By Jean Fritz, Illustrated by Margaret Tomes
A fun historic tale by Newbery Honor-winning author, Jean Fritz! No matter how busy he was, Ben Franklin always found time to try out new ideas. A man of many talents, he was an ambassador, a printer, an almanac maker, a politician, and even a vegetarian (for a time.)
Ben Franklin Thinks Big
By Shelia Keenan, Illustrated by Gustavo Mazali
Ben Franklin was a famous inventor, statesman, and writer who helped the thirteen colonies become the United States. From inventing the lightning rod to helping write the Declaration of Independence, his big ideas had a lasting impact on American history.
Beginning readers will learn about the milestones in Ben Franklin’s life in this Level Two I Can Read biography. This biography includes bonus materials, complete with a timeline and historical illustrations, including Franklin’s electrical machine invention and his leaf print money that couldn’t be counterfeited. 4-8 years
When I Grow Up: Benjamin Franklin
By Annmarie Anderson, Illustrated by Gerald Kelley
Benjamin Franklin is one of America’s most beloved Founding Fathers and a man of many talents. He is most well-known for discovering electricity. But he was also an author, and editor, a printer, and a diplomat. And he invented many things we still use today. This book takes the reader on an exciting journey from Ben’s childhood to his adulthood as a famous American.
Who Was Ben Franklin
By Dennis Brindell Fradin, Illustrated by John O’Brien
Ben Franklin was the scientist who, with the help of a kite, discovered that lightning is electricity. He was also a statesman, an inventor, a printer, and an an author. He was a man of such amazingly varied talents that some people claimed he had magical powers.
Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin
By Gene Barretta
What would you do if you lived in a community without a library, hospital, post office, or fire department? If you were Ben Franklin, you’d set these up yourself. Franklin also designed the lightning rod. He suggested the idea of daylight savings time. And he invented bifocals. All were inspired by his common sense and intelligence.
Benjamin Franklin: Inventor of the Nation
By Mark Shulman, Illustrated by Kelly Tindall
Benjamin Franklin has been called one of the most accomplished and influential Americans in history, and his role in shaping the United States has had a lasting impact that is still felt today. From his birth in Boston in 1706 to his days as a printer, inventor, and politician.
Benjamin Franklin: Inventor of the Nation! tells the story of “the First American” in an accessible graphic novel format. Franklin’s research into topics as varied as electricity, meteorology, demography, and oceanography were as wide-ranging and important as his travels, which took him across the globe as a diplomat for the newly founded United States toward the end of the 18th century.
Benjamin Franklin (Giants of Science)
By Kathleen Krull, Illustrated by Boris Kulikov
Benjamin Franklin was a famous inventor and multitasker. He’s best remembered as one of America’s Founding Fathers. But he was also a scientist. His experiments led to important discoveries about the nature of electricity. He famously demonstrated that electricity and lightning are one in the same.
A Ben of All Trades: The Most Inventive Boyhood of Benjamin Franklin
By Michael J. Rosen, Illustrated by Matt Tavares
Young Benjamin Franklin wants to be a sailor, but his father won’t hear of it. The other trades he tries — candle maker, joiner, boot closer, turner — bore him through and through. Curious and inventive, Ben prefers to read, swim, fly his kite, and fly his kite while swimming. But each time he fails to find a profession, he takes some important bit of knowledge with him.
That tendency is exactly what leads him to become the astonishingly versatile genius we remember today. Inspired by The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Michael J. Rosen’s tale captures Ben’s spirit in playful language, while illustrations by Matt Tavares follow Ben from the workbench to the water in vivid detail.
The Remarkable Benjamin Franklin
By Cheryl Harness
No one could have thought up a more amazing character than the living, breathing Benjamin Franklin. He was everything from a “soapmaker, candle dipper, and printer” to a “postmaster, political activist, community reformer, revolutionary, statesman, international diplomat, and first great citizen of a nation which he, as much or more than anyone, helped to create.”
John, Paul, George & Ben
By Lane Smith
Once there were four lads…John [Hancock], Paul [Revere], George [Washington], and Ben [Franklin]. Oh yes, there was also Tom [Jefferson], but he was annoyingly independent and hardly ever around. These lads were always getting into trouble for one reason or another. In other words, they took a few…liberties. And to be honest, they were not always appreciated. This is the story of five little lads before they became five really big Founding Fathers.
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Seventeen-year-old Ben Franklin resented working for his brother James. He planned to run away from Boston, sail to New York, and live his own life. Ben had signed a contract with James promising to work as a printer’s assistant until he was twenty-one. He was an indentured servant. Running away seemed his only way out.
At first, Ben liked his job assisting James. Ben loved to read. He read everything printed in the shop including all the latest news and gossip in Boston.
One day, James found a letter from a widow named Mrs. Silence Dogood under the print shop door. James printed the letter and it became an overnight success. The letters continued. People in Boston loved reading Mrs. Dogood’s feisty opinions on everything. But there was no real Mrs. Silence Dogood. When James discovered it was Ben writing the letters, their relationship went downhill fast.
One evening, Ben snuck away and set sail on a ship for New York. He paid for his passage by selling some of his cherished books. Ben landed in New York almost penniless.
As a skilled printer’s assistant and a writer, he looked for a job in a print shop. But there was only one printer in the entire city. And that printer already had an apprentice. There was still good news. The printer’s son needed an apprentice at his print shop in Philadelphia.
Back on board another ship, this one in poor condition, Ben sailed for Philadelphia. Soon, the ship was hit by a massive storm. Its sails shredded. The crew lost control. A man fell overboard. Ben reached over the boat’s side and pulled the man back in. He saved the man’s life.
After thirty hours tossed around by high waves, the ship landed in New Jersey. Ben walked fifty miles to the Delaware River and then helped row a boat to Philadelphia. Ben reached the city, “…fatigued with traveling, rowing, and want of rest.”
In a few days, he found that the New York printer’s son hired an assistant. But another printer had recently opened a shop and he needed assistance. Ben began his new life in Philadelphia, the city he made his home, when he ran away.
The noblest question in the world is What Good may I do in it? – Benjamin Franklin
If you like this article, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
No matter how busy he was, Ben Franklin always found time to try out new ideas. He was a man of many talents. He was also an ambassador to England, a printer, an almanac maker, a politician, and even a vegetarian (for a time.)
George Washington’s Breakfast
George Washington Allen, a boy who never gives up until he finds out what he wants to know, is determined to learn all there is to know about his namesake, including what the first president ate for breakfast. The humorous story and likeable colored illustrations bring history alive and make research meaningful — Booklist.
And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?
Everyone knows about Paul Revere’s midnight ride. But not everyone knows the harrowing details and narrow escapes that occurred along the way. This timeless, funny book highlights little-known facts about patriot Paul Revere.
Will You Sign Here, John Hancock?
Everyone knows that John Hancock was one of the first signers of the Declaration of Independence. But not many know that he signed his name so large to show how mad he was about how the colonists had been treated. This fun book highlights little-known facts about this historical figure.
George Washington’s Mother
Everyone has a mother. Even George Washington. But Mary Washington is nothing like you’d think. She hates to dress up. And she always thinks she knows what’s best for George. After all, she’s his mother. You can read more about her in this true story.
Where Was Patrick Henry On the 29th of May?
Patrick Henry wasn’t particularly well spoken. As a lawyer, he mumbled through some of his early cases. But when the issue was freedom, Patrick Henry was transformed into a natural orator. Jean Fritz makes history come alive as she chronicles the life of a man who moved a nation.
Why Don’t You Get A Horse, Sam Adams?
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.
Can’t You Make Them Behave, King George?
Jean Fritz sheds light on the life of England’s King George III. She begins when he was a bashful boy who blushed easily, continues to his early days as king, and examines his role in the American Revolution, when Americans ceased to think of him as good King George.
Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution
This factual gem that’s written with Jean Fritz’s humorous touch chronicles the hot summer of 1787 when fifty-five delegates from thirteen states huddled together in the strictest secrecy in Philadelphia to draw up the constitution of the United States.
If you like this article, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Books descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
The Fire of Stars: The Life and Brillance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made of
By Kirsten W. Larson, Illustrated by Katherine Roy
A poetic picture book celebrating the life and scientific discoveries of the groundbreaking astronomer Cecilia Payne!
Astronomer and astrophysicist Cecilia Payne was the first person to discover what burns at the heart of stars. But she didn’t start out as the groundbreaking scientist she would eventually become. She started out as a girl full of curiosity, hoping one day to unlock the mysteries of the universe. 5-8 years
Maria’s Comet
by Deborah Hopkinson, Illustrated by Deborah Lanino
Maria longs to be an astronomer. She imagines all the strange worlds she can travel to by looking through her papa’s telescope. One night Maria gets her chance. For the first time, she sees the night sky stretching endlessly above her. Her dream of exploring constellations seems close enough to touch. This story is inspired by the life of Maria Mitchell, America’s first woman astronomer.
On A Beam Of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein
by Jennifer Berne
Travel along with Einstein on a journey full of curiosity, laughter, and scientific discovery. This is a moving story of the powerful difference imagination can make in any life.
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures
By Julia Finley Mosca, Illustrated by Daniel Rieley
When young Temple was diagnosed with autism, no one expected her to talk, let alone become one of the most powerful voices in modern science. Yet, the determined visual thinker did just that. Her unique mind allowed her to connect with animals in a special way, helping her invent groundbreaking improvements for farms around the globe. Inside, you’ll find a complete biography, fun facts, a colorful timeline of events, and even a note from Temple herself.
The Librarian Who Measured The Earth
by Kathryn Lasky
This is a colorfully illustrated biography of the Greek philosopher and scientist Eratosthenes. He compiled the first geography book. And accurately measured the globe’s circumference.
Who Was Marie Curie?
By Megan Stine, Illustrated by Ted Hammond
Born in Warsaw, Poland, on November 7, 1867, Marie Curie was forbidden to attend the male-only University of Warsaw, so she enrolled at the Sorbonne in Paris to study physics and mathematics. There she met a professor named Pierre Curie, and the two soon married, forming one of the most famous scientific partnerships in history. Together they discovered two elements and won a Nobel Prize in 1903. Later Marie won another Nobel award for chemistry in 1911. She died in Savoy, France, on July 4, 1934, a victim of many years of exposure to toxic radiation.
Rare Treasure: Mary Anning and Her Remarkable Discoveries
by Don Brown
Before the word “dinosaur” was ever coined, a young girl discovered a remarkable skeleton on the rocky beach at Lyme Regis in England. This discovery became her passion. She became one of the first commercial fossil collectors. Born in 1799, Mary Anning spent a lifetime teaching herself about fossils. She combed the rugged shore near her home and found a treasure trove of fossils. These long-extinct creatures excited early paleontologists.
Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos
by Stephanie Roth Sisson
Young Carl Sagan went to the 1939 World’s Fair. His life was changed forever. From that day on he never stopped marveling at the universe. He sought to understand it better. Star Stuff follows Carl from his days star gazing from his Brooklyn apartment. Through his love of science fiction novels. To his work as an renowned scientist. Carl worked on the Voyager missions exploring the farthest reaches of space.
Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle
by Claire Nivola
Sylvia Earle first lost her heart to the ocean as a young girl. She discovered the wonders of the Gulf of Mexico. As an adult, she dives even deeper. She designs submersibles, swims with whales, and takes deep-water walks. Sylvia has dedicated her life to learning more about what she calls “the blue heart of the planet.”
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
By Rachel Ignotofsky
Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world. This collection also contains infographics about relevant topics such as lab equipment, rates of women currently working in STEM fields, and an illustrated scientific glossary. The trailblazing women profiled include well-known figures like primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as lesser-known pioneers such as Katherine Johnson, the African-American physicist and mathematician who calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon.
Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved the Mystery That Baffled All of France
by Mara Rockliff, Illustrated by Iacopo Bruno
American inventor Benjamin Franklin is upstaged by a compelling and enigmatic figure: Dr. Mesmer. In elaborately staged shows, Mesmer, wears a fancy coat of purple silk. He carries an iron wand. And he convinces the people of Paris that he controls a magic force. It can cure illness and thoughts. But Ben Franklin is not convinced. Will his practical scientific approach get to the bottom of the mysterious Mesmer’s tricks?
Barnum’s Bones: How Barnum Brown Discovered the Most Famous Dinosaur in the World
by Tracy Fern, Illustrated by Boris Kulikov
Barnum Brown’s parents named him after the circus icon P.T. Barnum. They hoped he would do something extraordinary. And he did! He worked as a paleontologist for the American Museum of Natural History. He discovered the first documented skeleton of the Tyrannosaurus Rex. And most of the dinosaurs on display there today.
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this Books For Kids: Scientists, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Once there were four lads…John [Hancock], Paul [Revere], George [Washington], and Ben [Franklin]. Oh yes, there was also Tom [Jefferson], but he was annoyingly independent and hardly ever around. These lads were always getting into trouble for one reason or another. In other words, they took a few…liberties. And to be honest, they were not always appreciated. This is the story of five little lads before they became five really big Founding Fathers.
The Founding Fathers!: Those Horse-Ridin’, Fiddle-Playin’, Book-Readin’, Gun-Totin’ Gentlemen Who Started America
By Jonah Winter, Illustrated by Barry Blitt
Tall! Short! A scientist! A dancer! A farmer! A soldier! The founding fathers had no idea they would ever be called the “founding Fathers,” and furthermore they could not even agree exactly on what they were founding! Should America declare independence from Britain? “Yes!” shouted some. “No!” shouted others. “Could you repeat the question?” shouted the ones who either hadn’t been listening or else were off in France having fun, dancin’ the night away.
Slave owners, abolitionists, soldiers, doctors, philosophers, bankers, angry letter-writers—the men we now call America’s Founding Fathers were a motley bunch of characters who fought a lot and made mistakes and just happened to invent a whole new kind of nation. And now here they are, together again, in an exclusive engagement!
Will You Sign Here John Hancock?
by Jean Fritz, Illustrated by Trina Scart Hyman
Everyone knows that John Hancock was one of the first signers of the Declaration of Independence. But not many know that he signed his name so large to show how mad he was about how the colonists had been treated. This witty book highlights little-known facts about this historical figure.
Those Rebels, John & Tom
by Barbara Kerley, Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham
John Adams & Thomas Jefferson were very different. John was short and stout. Tom was tall and lean. John was argumentative and blunt. Tom was soft-spoken and polite. John sometimes got along with almost no one. Tom got along with just about everyone. But these two very different gentlemen did have two things in common: They both cared deeply about the American colonies, and neither cared much for the British tyrant, King George.
The Founding Fathers Were Spies!
By Patricia Lakin, Illustrated Valerio Fabbretti
Before he was the President of the United States, George Washington was a spy! It’s true…and he wasn’t the only one! During the American Revolution, founding fathers like Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin sent secret messages rolled up in quill pens, used invisible ink, and wrote in secret codes to keep important information from getting into British hands. In George Washington’s top-secret spy ring, a woman named Anna Strong sent secret messages to other spies by hanging laundry on a clothesline!
Without spies, Americans might still speak with British accents: find out how and why it happened in this book that includes a special extend-the-learning section with activities about the science behind invisible ink, how to make a secret code, and more!
Who Was Paul Revere?
by Roberta Edwards, Illustrated by John O’Brien
In 1775, Paul Revere of Boston made his now-famous horseback ride warning colonists of an impending attack by the British. This event went largely unnoticed in history until Longfellow celebrated it in a poem in 1861. So who was Paul Revere? In addition to being an American patriot, he was a skilled silversmith and made false teeth from hippo tusks! This biography brings to life Paul Revere’s thrilling ride as well as the personal side of the man and the exciting times in which he lived.
George Washington and the General’s Dog
By Frank Murphy, Illustrated by Richard Walz
Boom! Bang! Guns fire! Cannons roar! George Washington is fighting in the America Revolution when he sees a dog lost on the battlefield. Whose dog is it? How will it find its master? Early readers will be surprised to find out what happens in this little-known true story about America’s first president.
George Washington’s Teeth
by Deborah Chandra & Madeleine Comora, Illustrated by Brock Cole
From battling toothaches while fighting the British to having rotten teeth removed by his dentists, the Father of His Country suffered all his life with tooth problems. Yet contrary to popular belief, George Washington never had a set of wooden teeth. Starting at the age of twenty-four, he lost on average a tooth a year, and by the time he was elected President, he had only two left! In this reverentially funny tale based on Washington’s letters, diaries, and other historical records, readers will find out what really happened as they follow the trail of lost teeth to complete toothlessness.
Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin
by Gene Barretta
What would you do if you lived in a community without a library, hospital, post office, or fire department? If you were Benjamin Franklin, you’d set up these organizations yourself. Franklin also designed the lightning rod, suggested the idea of daylight savings time, invented bifocals and the odometer — all inspired by his common sense and intelligence.
Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library
by Barb Rosenstock, Illustrated by John O’Brien
Imagine owning so many books that you have to build a library to hold them. Thomas Jefferson did. Ever since he was a young boy, Jefferson loved to read and collect books — hundreds at first, then thousands! Books on animals, politics, nature, history. Books in English, French, Greek, and Latin. Jefferson built his first library as a young man and kept on building throughout his life until his book collection helped create the world’s largest library — theLibrary of Congress in Washington, D.C.
And the other John, Paul, and George with Ringo, too!
The Beatles Were Fab (and They Were Funny)
by Kathleen Krull & Paul Brewer, Illustrated by Stacy Innerst
John, Paul, George, and Ringo inspired the world to sing, dance, scream — and laugh. In the 1960s, four lads from Liverpool found themselves on the roller coaster of Beatlemania. And what a ride it was! Their music defined a generation. Their hairstyles sparked a fashion craze. And their goofy sense of humor not only brought joy to their music — it also kept the Beatles going, no matter whatfame threw their way.
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, the please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
First in flight — a sheep, a rooster, and a duck flew as the first passengers in a hot air balloon. Traveling a bit more than two miles, the balloon drifted along for eight minutes and reached a height of 1,500 feet. The three intrepid fliers were later found unharmed, but it is unknown if they asked for a second trip.
The creators of the hot air balloon, French brothers Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier were amateur inventors who advanced human flight. After several experiments showing that hot air would lift envelopes of taffeta, a silky material, the brothers constructed a balloon that they believed would fly when air underneath was heated by burning straw and wool.
Before a crowd in the town of Annonay, on June 4, 1783, their balloon flew to a height of 3,000 feet and landed a mile and a half away. With the success of the flight, came a request from French King Louis XVI for a demonstration at his home, Versailles.
But a storm damaged the balloon, and the king insisted that the brothers make a new one — fast! Construction took four days and sleepless nights to complete.
Joseph and Etienne chose passengers for the flight — a sheep, similar to humans in physiology; a rooster, a flightless bird; and a duck as their control animal. Now they could test the effect of altitude on the sheep and rooster. The duck, of course, had no problem with altitude.
On September 19, 1783, a sunny day in the Versailles gardens, King Louis, his wife Marie Antoinette, the American Ambassador, Benjamin Franklin, and a crowd of enthusiastic Parisians watched the animals float away in the balloon making history.
Now, Joseph and Etienne were ready to try a manned flight. On November 21, 1783, two daring men sailed off in the brothers’ balloon traveling twenty minutes over five miles. But it was a sheep, a rooster, and a duck, with the help of the Montgolfier Brothers, who first led the way to human flight.
The Montgolfier Brothers Balloon
(KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA) London Science Museum
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A Book for Kids:
Hot Air: The Mostly True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride
Ben Franklin was the first person to invent and test swim fins.
Growing up in Boston, Ben loved to swim. He wanted to find a way to make swimming easier. When he was eleven, he built a set of wooden swim paddles for his hands, similar to the fins of a fish. The paddles worked, but swimming with them eventually hurt his wrists.
Ben went back to work and made a second set for his feet. He then tried out both sets together. Unfortunately, he found that he could swim better without the paddles. He later found that floating in the water could be easily accomplished when holding onto a kite.
Today, we use flexible swim fins based on the same principle Ben used. We can swim faster and easier with them.
Read about his swim fins in:
Ben Franklin’s Big Splash
By Barb Rosenstock, Illustrated by S.D. Schindler
As an adult, Ben continued inventing practical objects. He invented the Franklin Stove, bifocals, the lightning rod, a musical instrument called the Glass Armonica, the Long Arm for reaching books off a high shelf, the library chair, the second hand clock, and the odometer — only the Glass Armonica is rarely used today.
Read about his inventions in:
Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin
By Gene Barretta
And of course — he discovered that electricity is the same as lightning.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
