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It's Up to You!
A New Kind of Biography from Tom & Leila Hirschfeld
IT'S UP TO YOU, BEN FRANKLIN
You're a scrappy Philadelphia printer, restless under British rule. You rose from nothing, but rebelling against the king could cost you everything. What do you do, Benjamin? Select one:
A. Write a sassy piece in your newspaper saying what you really think.
B. Stay out of it. You have some electrifying ideas and want to keep inventing.
C. Remain loyal to King George, like any true British patriot.
D. Read this book and uncover the brave, bizarre, and downright brilliant ideas that make you a Founding Father and help create a new nation!
IT'S UP TO YOU, ABE LINCOLN
Pay off your debts, or skip town? Surrender the fort, or go to war? Hire your friends--or your rivals? The tough decisions that made Abe Lincoln one of America's greatest presidents!
You're a farm kid from the Midwest, you don't have a penny to your name--although you will be on the penny one day!--and you have big dreams of going into politics. What do you do, Abraham? Select one:
A. Work hard, become a lawyer, and see what happens.
B. Get advice from your good buddy Stephen Douglas.
C. Forget politics! Just keep on farming.
D. Read this book and discover all the twists and turns that lead to your incredible legacy as the president who ended American slavery and saved the nation!
We're thrilled to have made the BEST BOOKS OF 2018 list from Kirkus Reviews!
(Category: Middle-Grade Biography & Memoir)
From their STARRED Review: "One decision can change your life…these 10 decisions turned a man into a president. The father-daughter Hirschfeld team examines the life of Abraham Lincoln in this quirky and humorous biography . . . Educators will love this title for its wealth of information, and young readers will love it for its welcoming tone. Be a best friend and give this book to someone who has not read it."
And thanks to School Library Journal for THIS great review:
"In this fresh take on Abraham Lincoln, the . . . structure creates a sense of immediacy and drama, and also humanizes an often mythic figure. While the writers keep things funny with pithy asides and irreverent images, they also manage to depict Lincoln's complexity . . . VERDICT: Bound to be popular among history and trivia buffs."
Thank you, Booklist!
"With its second-person narration addressing Old Abe, and its conceit of taking turning points in Lincoln's life as opportunities to give him multiple options (à la Choose Your Own Adventure), the first in the It's Up to You series seeks to reimagine biographies for middle-grade readers. Should Abe marry Mary Todd or not? How should he handle the release of the Emancipation Proclamation? The Hirschfeld father-daughter author duo sneak in humor, facts, and lots of illustrations, making the book attractive for reluctant readers."
And Amazon's editors put us on their BEST BOOKS OF THE MONTH list for December 2018! (Ages 9-12)
KidsReads.com: "Lively, interesting and fun to read . . . This would be a great addition to any classroom discussion about Abe Lincoln, his life and legacy."
Click cover to purchase!