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52nd out of 415 books
—
398 voters
Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by His Good Mouse Amos
Ever wonder where inventors get their ideas? As it turns out, the great inventor Benjamin Franklin got his best ideas from a mouse named Amos! Funny, interesting and wise, this classic tale has been a favorite for generations. Once you've met Amos and read his account, you'll never think of Ben Franklin-or American history-quite the same way.
Explore this historical time pe...more
Explore this historical time pe...more
Paperback, 114 pages
Published
April 30th 1988
by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
(first published 1923)
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They made us watch the cartoon version in history class. We also watched Labyrinth in health class, and Vincent Price's Tales of Terror in math class. So, understandably, I cringe when liberal arts colleges hand out film studies degrees: it's like these kids went to college to have four years of my sixth grade.
I discovered this little book in the donation bin at work and was ecstatic. Ben and Me had been a favorite Disney short of mine growing up, and I had no idea that it had been a book.
Surprisingly, (surprising because the book itself is quite short) there are a lot of changes from the book to the film. The movie just dealt with Benjamin Franklin's largest inventions; the Franklin Stove, bifocals, and his experimentation of electricity, as well as his work with the Revolutionary War.
The book, howev...more
Surprisingly, (surprising because the book itself is quite short) there are a lot of changes from the book to the film. The movie just dealt with Benjamin Franklin's largest inventions; the Franklin Stove, bifocals, and his experimentation of electricity, as well as his work with the Revolutionary War.
The book, howev...more
Ben and Me is a historical fiction book intended for intermediate aged children. This book is about Amos who recalls upon memories of how he met Benjamin Franklin, became friends, and helped Benjamin Franklin come to his inventions including the bifocals. Due to Benjamin Franklin's experiment with electricity Amos parts ways with Benjamin but they later reconcile during the American Revolution when Amos helps Thomas Jefferson write the Declaration of Independence. The plot is effect because it c...more
Ben and me is written in first person as though written by a mouse named Amos, who claims to have been the guiding influence or intelligence behind each of Benjamin Franklin's inventions. If that had been true, I'm sure old Ben would have built an awesome mousetrap and eliminated the pest.
Robert Lawson is a good writer, and I have thoroughly enjoyed some of his books. This book, though, has a main character that I just found annoying. I would have tossed that mouse overboard, if I'd been Ben F...more
Robert Lawson is a good writer, and I have thoroughly enjoyed some of his books. This book, though, has a main character that I just found annoying. I would have tossed that mouse overboard, if I'd been Ben F...more
Approximate date of first read: 1983
Impressions: The story would probably make it easier for a kid to remember facts about Benjamin Franklin (the printing press, the electrical experiments, etc.). I liked that the writing style was reminiscent of 18th century writing while still being age-appropriate.
How it warped me: Whenever I think about Benjamin Franklin (which is kind of a lot), I think of him wearing a nasty old hat with a mouse inside of it. I don't know, maybe it also taught me a lesson...more
Impressions: The story would probably make it easier for a kid to remember facts about Benjamin Franklin (the printing press, the electrical experiments, etc.). I liked that the writing style was reminiscent of 18th century writing while still being age-appropriate.
How it warped me: Whenever I think about Benjamin Franklin (which is kind of a lot), I think of him wearing a nasty old hat with a mouse inside of it. I don't know, maybe it also taught me a lesson...more
Jul 06, 2010
Erik Graff
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
children
Recommended to Erik by:
Eunice Shriver
Shelves:
literature
I've been looking through sites on the Web which feature photographs of old books. Occasionally one will jog a recollection as this one did of reading it back at the Oak Ridge Elementary School across the highway from our house on Butte Lane in the Meadowdale Development near Carpentersville, Illinois. I'm not certain that Miss Shriver actually was the one who recommended it, but she was my favorite teacher at that little one-class-per-grade school and I'd have read anything she suggested. In an...more
It was cute the way the author had the mouse Amos narrate the story. It was said that Amos had some thing to do with Benjamin Franklin's inventions. My thing with this book is I don't recall any inventions that he did that had anything to do with a mouse. I don't think he invented the mouse trap did he? Now I'm assuming that maybe while he was developing a particular invention that a mouse might have ran across the floor or something. I thought the illustrations were unique. They are very fine t...more
Robert Lawson is one of my favorite illustrators. He wrote many books, but his illustrations far surpass his writing skills, which is not to say that his writing is awful, but that his art is really amazing. (If you get a chance, look up the "Pilgrim's Progress" (John Bunyan) that he illustrated. We had a copy when I was a kid, and those black and white drawings still vividly come to mind whenever I think of the Interpreter's House or Beulah Land. Another great book he illustrated is "The Story...more
Format/Length: Chapter Book; 114 pages
Theme(s): Helping other, Importance of Self, Friendship, Use of Imagination, Value of Everything
Review:
Story begins with a narrator telling the "true story of Be Franklin." The narrator is a very close companion of Ben Franklin, one who lives inside his house and has his very own passenger seat in Ben's fur hat. The narrator is a mouse name Amos, which I absolutely love the way Lawson used personification to catch the readers attention. It makes the readers...more
Theme(s): Helping other, Importance of Self, Friendship, Use of Imagination, Value of Everything
Review:
Story begins with a narrator telling the "true story of Be Franklin." The narrator is a very close companion of Ben Franklin, one who lives inside his house and has his very own passenger seat in Ben's fur hat. The narrator is a mouse name Amos, which I absolutely love the way Lawson used personification to catch the readers attention. It makes the readers...more
My thoughts:
Ben and Amos was a good read for learning a little history while getting a little entertainment. Lots of pieces of history we had to look up to see if they were true or not. I think this is a good thing. It gave us a good guide through an interesting part of American history. We laughed at Amos and his thoughts on some things he saw.
Grant's thoughts:
I thought it was funny and I wish this was a series of books because I liked learning about history. Ben seemed like a strange man, but...more
Ben and Amos was a good read for learning a little history while getting a little entertainment. Lots of pieces of history we had to look up to see if they were true or not. I think this is a good thing. It gave us a good guide through an interesting part of American history. We laughed at Amos and his thoughts on some things he saw.
Grant's thoughts:
I thought it was funny and I wish this was a series of books because I liked learning about history. Ben seemed like a strange man, but...more
Ben and Me is a good biography of Benjamin Franklin written by Robert Lawson. The novel is marvelous for children. It is educational. It teaches a lot about the founding of the country and mainly about one of the men who made it possible Benjamin Fraklin. "Ben and Me" is a really good bock to read. Amos's own adventures are thrilling, and his stories about Ben are hilarious. Any child or adult with a sense of humor will laugh at this book. Anyone who reads this book will learn while laughing. Ro...more
ISBN 0440420385 (which now belongs to another book) - Really well-done, tongue in cheek "biography" of Benjamin Franklin, a man who is "undeniably stupid at times", according to Amos, the mouse, whose brilliant ideas seem to be all that stand between Franklin and certain death with his crazy experiments.
Amos, oldest of 26 children, comes from a family of church mice. Knowing how hard it is to feed such a brood, Amos sets out to try to find some way to help his family and stumbles into the home o...more
Amos, oldest of 26 children, comes from a family of church mice. Knowing how hard it is to feed such a brood, Amos sets out to try to find some way to help his family and stumbles into the home o...more
I just love rereading these childhood favorites! Another one that was as good as I remember (if, as always, much shorter.)
Amos, Ben Franklin's brilliant mouse friend, is partially (or wholly responsible in some cases) for many of Mr. Franklin's accomplishments, from the Franklin stove to his experiments with electricity to his negotiating with France for loans to finance the American revolution. In most of the book Amos is a participant or bystander when Mr. Franklin does things but at the end...more
Amos, Ben Franklin's brilliant mouse friend, is partially (or wholly responsible in some cases) for many of Mr. Franklin's accomplishments, from the Franklin stove to his experiments with electricity to his negotiating with France for loans to finance the American revolution. In most of the book Amos is a participant or bystander when Mr. Franklin does things but at the end...more
Amos, a mouse, ran away from home and ended up living in Ben Franklin's home. Amos was there when Ben invented the lightning rod. Amos was shocked twice! Next, Ben went to Paris to askt he French to help the American army. Amos made an army to rescue his fiance's children. Her children were locked in a cage under the Queen's throne. Ben and Amos returned to America. Amos's army of mice terrified the French so Ben and Amos had to leave!!
Robert Lawson's illustrations are awesome, and the story is cute. A poor church mouse named Amos becomes friend and assistant to Ben Franklin, and helps him invent such things as the Franklin stove - the idea comes from the hot chestnuts that Amos and his family used to gather around to keep warm. In one chapter Ben goes swimming; a dog steals his clothes and two local yahoos wander along shouting, "Dr. Frankling! He drownded, he drownded!"
Amos was the mouse that move to Ben house and live.In Ben house Ben save Amos,and they become friends.When the time that Ben and Amos go out,then Amos have to hide in side Ben's hair,so people cant see Amos.One day Ben and Amos went out and fly a kite,then Amos went up on the kite when Ben fall in a sleep.Amos was having,but it's look like it will rain,and it did rain.Ben was wake when there is not that much rain,so Ben have save Amos again.
I really want to like this book, but the main character ( a mouse) annoys me. It teaches some good history, but it mixes it up so much in the interest of a fun story that it is hard to pick out what the underlying real truths are. Also, I know Ben Franklin has some odd behaviors, but the mouse is a bit disrespectful, which again annoys me. I haven't decided yet if this will be one books my son reads for his literature.
I enjoyed this clever little book which tells the story of Benjamin Franklin from the perspective of his Good Mouse Amos. I especially found the chapters set in France amusing. Amos and Red (Thomas Jefferson's mouse) incite the peasant French mice to revolt against the snotty, aristocratic mice. "Liberty and Justice Forever!" yells Amos. It's the French Revolution on a miniature, mousy scale.
Started out so well then went downhill after the first few chapters. I remember enjoying the movie when I was a kid so I thought I'd try the book. Lawson starts with a very clever premise that Ben Franklin's genius is due in large part to a friendly mouse who lives in his cap. But when the mouse turns out to be more of a bumbler than Franklin, the story loses its hook. Too bad.
It will come as no surprise to fans of Douglas Adams that mice engineered the chief documents and events of the American Revolution, with some small assistance from mere humans such as Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. Books which involve talking animals aren't for everyone, but rest assured this book isn't quite as twee and saccharine as Lawson's Rabbit Hill; if you can stand the idea of a mouse directing one of the United States' great thinkers, this is a fun quick read.
The language is a bit...more
The language is a bit...more
As I child, I adored this book. I think it was ahead of its time in its use of irony, and the illustrations are priceless. It was one of those books long laughed over and remembered, a milestone in children's literature that still makes me smile with its warmth and humor. I couldn't wait to share it with my children. I love it and highly recommend it.
My kids and I read this book as part of Inventions class that we are doing with some of our homeschool friends. It is a very silly book, which is good because it gives us an opputunity to have some good laughs together. It does mix some fact in with the fiction and that leaves room for good discussion. Over all just a fun, easy, read.
This book was just shy of being terrible. In retrospect I can't believe we read the whole thing.
I think Ben Franklin's life is one of the most interesting stories in early American history. If you're going to write a book about Ben Franklin, his story needs no embellishment to be funny, exciting, and engaging. Apparently this author didn't get that memo. Because apart from its high vocabulary which was amusing to read, it had no redeeming qualities. The mouse narrator detracted from the actual e...more
I think Ben Franklin's life is one of the most interesting stories in early American history. If you're going to write a book about Ben Franklin, his story needs no embellishment to be funny, exciting, and engaging. Apparently this author didn't get that memo. Because apart from its high vocabulary which was amusing to read, it had no redeeming qualities. The mouse narrator detracted from the actual e...more
Oct 04, 2009
Nix
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Nix by:
Blasterbot
Shelves:
animals,
historical-fiction
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I was reading reviews and one said basically that she adored this book when she was a kid and was looking forward to reading it with her children. That is the way I feel too. Great book!
In my edition, there is a timeline of events from Benjamin Franklin's actual life. That was really interesting, too.
In my edition, there is a timeline of events from Benjamin Franklin's actual life. That was really interesting, too.
This is a cute story told from the perspective of Benjamin Franklin's mouse friend "Amos". According to his account, Amos deserves some of the credit for Franklin's inventions and achievements, although he sometimes causes problems for Franklin as well. A great premise, but the author could have done so much more this the story.
This was NOT a real energy packed, high-interest book. The story was somewhat interesting, but I think I'd rather just read a good biography on Ben Franklin than read this and try to figure out what might be fact and what isn't. (I know the parts about the talking mouse aren't real!)
This book was a favorite of mine from elementary school. As I was reading it, I remembered how much fun it really is!!
Great book - great history - great story!!
This book is for elementary school aged but still a great fast read for an adult!!
Great book - great history - great story!!
This book is for elementary school aged but still a great fast read for an adult!!
Oct 30, 2009
Valerie
added it
Ok, it's silly. It's also a better introduction to Franklin's life and work than a lot of the banal children's biographies that were available when I was young (the ones in which everybody had the exact same childhood). Just don't stop here, ok?
Apr 23, 2012
Marc
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Kids or teens interested in the life of Ben Franklin.
Shelves:
book-challenge-o-fun-12-edition
This book was a quick and easy read that had its moments.
I enjoyed the pace and some of the funny remarks but overall, it wasn't to my liking.
It was to my realization that I simply don't enjoy books that mix non-fiction and fiction together.
I enjoyed the pace and some of the funny remarks but overall, it wasn't to my liking.
It was to my realization that I simply don't enjoy books that mix non-fiction and fiction together.
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Born in New York City, Lawson spent his early life in Montclair, New Jersey. Following high school, he studied art for three years under illustrator Howard Giles (an advocate of dynamic symmetry as conceived by Jay Hambidge) at the New York School of Fine and Applied Art (now Parsons School of Design), marrying fellow artist and illustrator Marie Abrams in 1922. His career as an illustrator began...more
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