Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of Independence

From Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and bestselling author Janie Nitze! Explore the courage and sacrifice of some of the heroes of the American Revolution and the stories behind the document that started it all--The Declaration of Independence.

In the spring of 1776, the streets of Philadelphia buzzed with the sounds of revolution. Talk of war and rumors of spies swirled in the air. Noisy debates spilled out of taverns. The State House bell tolled urgently, calling men to meetings and momentarily drowning out the normal hum of the port city.

Dive into the stories of ordinary people willing to do extraordinary things, from iconic figures like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Ben Franklin, and Paul Revere, to lesser-known revolutionaries such as Caesar Rodney, Thomas Paine, and Mary Katherine Goddard. These great men and women risked all they had--their property, freedom, and ultimately their lives--to secure a better life for their children and grandchildren. Packed with firsthand accounts and vivid depictions of the patriots' struggle for freedom, Justice Gorsuch's and Janie Nitze's debut children's book thoughtfully investigates the foundations of our country, centering the human experience at the heart of it all.

Celebrate America's 250th birthday with the Heroes of 1776, a celebration of the ideals upon which this country stands, told with humanity in only the way Justice Gorsuch and Janie Nitze can.

Author: Neil Gorsuch,Janie Nitze
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 05/05/2026
Pages: 48
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.02lbs
Size: 11.26h x 9.28w x 0.42d
ISBN: 9780063473973
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 05/15/2026

About the Author
Ellison, Chris: -

Chris Ellison received his formal art training at the Harris School of Art in Franklin, Tennessee, and at the Portfolio Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Throughout his 30 years as an artist, he has illustrated historical fiction for both adult and young readers, as well as various children's picture books, including Let Them Play, Rudy Rides the Rails, Pappy's Handkerchief, and That's My Colt.

Chris is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but currently lives in Petal, Mississippi, with his wife, Lesley, and two sons, Henry and Joseph.

Gorsuch, Neil: - Neil Gorsuch is a Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

Nitze, Janie: - Janie Nitze has written two New York Times bestsellers with Justice Gorsuch: Over Ruled and A Republic If You Can Keep It. She has also worked as a Senate-confirmed board member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, an attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, and a law clerk for Justices Gorsuch and Sonia Sotomayor. Janie received her B.A. in physics and her M.A. in statistics from Harvard University and her J.D. from Harvard Law School. She's the mother of three young children and a co-founder of a preschool.