Synopses & Reviews
Sure, almost all kids know Benjamin Franklin as one of America’s Founding Fathers, a man with a hand in both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. And they may even have some vague idea that he once flew a kite during a lightning storm. What Kathleen Krull sets out to do in this very different biography is show Ben Franklin the “natural philosopher” (the term for scientists back in the 1700s), whose experiments led to important discoveries about the nature of electricity—including his famous demonstration that electricity and lightning were one and the same.
As always, this much-lauded series presents a true Giant of Science in a juicily anecdotal way. This is social history at its best. . . . who knew that Franklin became such a megastar that Paris shops sold Ben dolls, Ben ashtrays, even Ben wallpaper?
Witty and engaging, this is a worthy addition to the Giants of Science series.
Full of the details kids want to know, the true story of Ben Franklin is by turns funny and sad, but always honest and inspiring. Illustrations.
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 author-a man of such amazingly varied talents that some people claimed he had magical powers! Full of all the details kids will want to know, the true story of Benjamin Franklin is by turns sad and funny, but always honest and awe-inspiring.
There are countless books about that famous colonial multitasker. But Kathleen Krull sheds new light on the Benjamin Franklin who considered science his true calling in life, not nation building. Witty and engaging, her biography follows Franklin’s studies on the nature of air and heat and the process by which he proved electricity and lightning were one and the same. Readers come away with a perceptive, fair-minded portrait of a man who became such a celebrity during his years in Paris that souvenir stores sold Franklin ashtrays, dolls, and even wallpaper. This is a worthy addition to the Giants of Science series.
No matter how busy he was, Ben Franklin always found time to try out new ideas and he was also 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).
About the Author
Acclaimed biographer, Jean Fritz, was born in China where she lived until the age of thirteen. She tells her story in Homesick, My Own Story, a Newbery Honor Book.