What's the Deal?: Jefferson, Napoleon, and the Louisiana Purchase

by Rhoda Blumberg

What's The Deal is 144 pages with about 60 illustrations taking up a half page or full page. These are paintings, ink drawings, and newspaper cartoons. The book begins with a six page list of a "case of characters," with a 2-sentence thumbnail description of each, for example, Rene-Robert La Salle (French explorer who claimed the Louisiana Territory in 1682), James Madison and Robert Livingston (negotiated the Louisiana Purchase Treaty), King Louis XV (gave Louisiana Territory to Spain, that is, to his cousin King Charles III of Spain), and Napoleon (took back the Louisiana Territory and sold it to the U.S.).

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Childrens

Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Rhoda Blumberg has written about the opening of Japan (1853-1854) in Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun, a Newbery Honor Book, which also won the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award and the Golden Kite Award. Her acclaimed histories also include The Incredible Journey of Lewis & Clark, The Great American Gold Rush, and The Remarkable Voyages of Captain Cook, all ALA Notable Books. She is the winner of the Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for her overall contribution to nonfiction.

Rhoda Blumberg says that while doing research for Commodore Perry, "I read about the ordeals and strange adventures of Manjiro, then spent years replaying his life story in my mind until I felt impelled to write about him."

The author and her husband, Gerald, live in Yorktown Heights, New York.

Reviews

[Drake Dotson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was alright, I liked the images and the references to modern day pop culture. but it needed to cover more about past stuff, to give more of a understanding.

[Shelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is without a doubt the most informative and entertaining work of history for middle/high school students I have read in a long time, and I read a lot of books from this genera. Having covered American History with my daughter in middle school I thought there was little more I would learn about the Louisiana Purchase this time through, however I was greatly mistaken. Brilliantly delivered, fascinating and memorable; a must have book for any classroom or library.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are interested in American history as it relates to New Orleans and the Louisiana Purchase, this is the book for you! I highly recommend it to older children and adults. It is an excellent overview of how the US came to own Louisiann with just the right about of detail. The maps, historical paintings and cartoons, which illustrate the text, are excellent as well. This book is an example of Rhoda Blumberg at her finest!

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful! Picking up a book on the Lousiana purchase didn't strike the kids as the most interesting subject, but what this book has done a wonderful job with is showing the complexity of history, tying together so many different events in history that we've already studied, and has been fuel for a lot of great conversation! I'll be using more of Rhonda Blumberg's books in the future.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting so far. Discusses the beginnings of partisan politics, Citizen Genet, the XYZ affair, and other fun historic moments in the early 1800's.

[Semi-Academic Eric]

Interesting study of many different factors in the negotiation

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me a greater understanding of how we our country ended up with the "Louisiana Purchase". That one decision by Napoleon made a huge impact on history.

[Katharine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a very interesting and enlightening account of how Jefferson beat the great Napoleon. I am so glad I have this resource for my homeschool.