John, Paul, George & Ben

Here is the story of five little lads before they became five really big Founding Fathers, from New York Times bestselling creator and Caldecott Honor recipient 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. Until one day, they all played a part in securing America's freedom.

"Deftly drawn, witty, and instantly appealing, the illustrations creatively blend period elements such as wood-grain and crackle-glaze texturing, woodcut lines, and formal compositions typical of the era, with gaping mouths and stylized, spiraling eyes typical of modern cartoons," wrote Booklist, and School Library Journal declared, "Exercise your freedom to scoop up this one."

Author: Lane Smith
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 04/01/2006
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.01lbs
Size: 10.80h x 8.78w x 0.39d
ISBN: 9780786848935
Audience: Ages 4-8

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 3.7
Point Value: 0.5
Interest Level: Lower Grade
Quiz #/Name: 105277 / John, Paul, George & Ben


Award: Quill Awards - Nominee
Award: NAPPA Gold Awards - Winner
Award: Black-Eyed Susan Award - Nominee
Award: Virginia Readers Choice Award - Winner
Award: Connecticut Book Awards - Winner
Award: Beehive Awards - Nominee
Award: Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens - Recommended
Award: Young Hoosier Book Award - Nominee
Award: California Young Reader Medal - Winner


Review Citation(s):
Booklist 02/15/2006 pg. 104
Publishers Weekly 01/23/2006 pg. 207
School Library Journal 03/01/2006 pg. 214
Kirkus Review - Children 03/15/2006 pg. 301
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 05/01/2006 pg. 424 - Book Of Special Distinction
Horn Book Magazine 05/01/2006 pg. 349
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2006 pg. 442 - Superior,Well Above Average
New Yorker (The) 12/04/2006 pg. 94
SLJ's Best Books 12/01/2006 pg. 42

About the Author
Lane Smith wrote and illustrated Grandpa Green, which was a 2012 Caldecott Honor book, and It's a Book, which was a New York Timesbestseller has been translated into more than twenty-five languages. His other authored works include the national bestsellers Madam President and John, Paul, George & Ben, and he has created art for many books including the Caldecott Honor winner The Stinky Cheese Man, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, and I'm Just No Good at Rhyming (And Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups), among many others. His books have been New York Times Best Illustrated Books on four occasions. In 2012, the Eric Carle Museum named him a Carle Artist for "lifelong innovation in the field of children's picture books," and in 2014, he was the recipient of the lifetime achievement award from the Society of Illustrators. Lane and his wife, book designer Molly Leach, live in a rural Connecticut.