{"product_id":"how-benjamin-franklin-became-a-revolutionary-in-seven-notsoeasy-steps-isbn-9781635923315","title":"How Benjamin Franklin Became a Revolutionary in Seven (Not-So-Easy) Steps","description":"\u003cb\u003eHow did Ben Franklin become an outspoken leader of the American Revolution? Learn all about it in seven (not-so-easy) steps in this humorous, accessible middle-grade chapter book that focuses on Ben’s political awakening.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFamous founding father Benjamin Franklin was a proud subject of the British Empire—until he wasn’t. It took nearly seventy years and seven not-so-easy steps to turn Benjamin Franklin from a loyal British subject to a British traitor—and a fired-up American revolutionary. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this light, whimsical narrative, young readers learn how Franklin came to be a rebel, beginning with his childhood lesson in street smarts when he buys a whistle at an inflated price. Franklin is a defiant boy who runs away from his apprenticeship, and while he becomes a deep thinker, a brilliant scientist, and a persuasive writer when he grows up, he never loses that spark. As a community leader who tries his best to promote peace and unity both between the colonies and with Great Britain, he becomes more and more convinced that independence for the American colonies is the way forward.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIllustrated throughout with art by noted \u003ci\u003eNew Yorker \u003c\/i\u003ecartoonist and illustrator John O’Brien and sprinkled with quotations from Franklin, this unfamiliar story of a familiar figure in American history will surprise and delight young readers.★ \"Along with tracing the general arc of Franklin’s rise in the commercial, scientific, and diplomatic realms, the author offers sidelights on some of his pastimes and inventions before closing with backmatter that includes separate reading lists for adult and younger readers. Woelfle’s dynamic approach results in a personal, probing portrait of the Founding Father. In O’Brien’s tongue-in-cheek ink drawings, small period figures with paper-white skin gesticulate, scurry about busily, or, in one amusing scene, fall comically victim to one of Franklin’s infamous electrical pranks. A superb tribute to a foresighted patriot in peace and war.\" —\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e, starred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Gretchen Woelfle’s delightful book weaves a tapestry of wisdom from Benjamin Franklin’s extraordinary and multifaceted life, a life that prepared him for his ultimate challenge as the revolutionary leader and Founding Father. Her seven steps are a roadmap for young readers to build the ‘milestones’ in their own lives for a successful future, maybe even a revolutionary one.” —\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eMark Barbour, executive director and curator, International Printing Museum\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eGretchen Woelfle\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of multiple award-winning fiction and nonfiction books for young readers. Her books include \u003ci\u003eAnswering the Cry for Freedom\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eMumbet’s Declaration of Independence\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eWrite On, Mercy!,\u003c\/i\u003e both of which received the California Reading Association’s Eureka! Silver Award, among many other honors.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJohn O’Brien\u003c\/b\u003e has illustrated over 100 books for children. His titles include \u003ci\u003eRevolutionary Rogues: John André and Benedict Arnold\u003c\/i\u003e by Selene Castrovilla and \u003ci\u003eThomas Jefferson Builds a Library\u003c\/i\u003e by Barb Rosenstock. John is also a cartoonist for many magazines and newspapers, most notably \u003ci\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eEsquire\u003c\/i\u003e.Benjamin Franklin was a proud\u003cbr\u003ecitizen of America all his life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eAnd \u003c\/i\u003ea proud subject of the British Empire.\u003cbr\u003eUntil he wasn’t.\u003cbr\u003eIt took nearly seventy years and seven\u003cbr\u003enot-so-easy steps to turn Benjamin Franklin from\u003cbr\u003ea loyal British subject to a British traitor—and a\u003cbr\u003efired-up American revolutionary.\u003cbr\u003eHere’s how it happened.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“Being ignorant is\u003cbr\u003enot so much a Shame,\u003cbr\u003eas being unwilling to learn.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e’Twas a special day!\u003cbr\u003eSeven-year-old Benjamin Franklin had a pocket full of pennies, so he strolled down the streets of Boston to the toy store. On his way, he met a boy playing a shiny tin whistle.\u003cbr\u003eHe stopped to listen. The boy played on.\u003cbr\u003eBenjamin loved that shiny whistle!\u003cbr\u003eHe wanted that whistle!\u003cbr\u003eHe wanted that whistle so much he emptied his pocket and gave the boy all his pennies—every single one.\u003cbr\u003eBenjamin wasn’t shy about getting what he wanted.\u003cbr\u003eHome he went, tooting his whistle all the way. He tooted\u003cbr\u003ein the kitchen . . . in the bedrooms . . . in the workshop where his father stirred smelly vats of soap . . . in the shop where his mother sold the soap, made from a secret family recipe . . .\u003cbr\u003e“STOP!” cried his mother and father and brothers and sisters and cousins.\u003cbr\u003eBenjamin stopped long enough to tell them how he spent all his pennies for his wonderful whistle. Everyone laughed.\u003cbr\u003e“You paid four times more than it was worth,” they told him.\u003cbr\u003eThey kept on laughing, but Benjamin cried with vexation.\u003cbr\u003eHis shiny whistle wasn’t fun anymore.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eStep #1\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eBenjamin Franklin learned early, “Do not give too much for the Whistle.”","brand":"Calkins Creek","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46304864796901,"sku":"NP9781635923315","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781635923315.jpg?v=1767729296","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/how-benjamin-franklin-became-a-revolutionary-in-seven-notsoeasy-steps-isbn-9781635923315","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}