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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.
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.
Iconic American Figures: Learn the extraordinary stories of the American Patriots who went from regular citizens to revolutionaries
Celebrating America: Timed perfectly to the 250th Anniversary of the United States
Poster of The Declaration of Independence: A poster of the landmark document that shaped our country is printed on the inside of the book jacket
Supreme Court Justice: This nonfiction picture book is written by sitting Supreme Court Justice, Neil Gorsuch
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.
Iconic American Figures: Learn the extraordinary stories of the American Patriots who went from regular citizens to revolutionaries
Celebrating America: Timed perfectly to the 250th Anniversary of the United States
Poster of The Declaration of Independence: A poster of the landmark document that shaped our country is printed on the inside of the book jacket
Supreme Court Justice: This nonfiction picture book is written by sitting Supreme Court Justice, Neil Gorsuch
48 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2026
About the author
Neil Gorsuch
12 books75 followersNeil McGill Gorsuch, D.Phil. (University of Oxford, 2004; J.D., Harvard University, 1991; B.A., Columbia University, 1988) is the 101st Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was nominated by President Donald Trump to succeed Antonin Scalia and took the oath of office on April 10, 2017.
From 1995 to 2005, Gorsuch was in private practice with the law firm of Kellogg, Huber, Hansen, Todd, Evans & Figel. Gorsuch was Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice from 2005 to his appointment to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit by President George W. Bush on May 10, 2006, to replace Judge David M. Ebel, who took senior status in 2006.
Gorsuch is a proponent of textualism in statutory interpretation and originalism in interpreting the United States Constitution. Along with Justice Clarence Thomas, he is an advocate of natural law jurisprudence. Gorsuch clerked for Judge David B. Sentelle of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit from 1991 to 1992 and U.S. Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy from 1993 to 1994. He is the first Supreme Court Justice to serve alongside another Justice for whom he once had clerked (Kennedy).
From 1995 to 2005, Gorsuch was in private practice with the law firm of Kellogg, Huber, Hansen, Todd, Evans & Figel. Gorsuch was Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice from 2005 to his appointment to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit by President George W. Bush on May 10, 2006, to replace Judge David M. Ebel, who took senior status in 2006.
Gorsuch is a proponent of textualism in statutory interpretation and originalism in interpreting the United States Constitution. Along with Justice Clarence Thomas, he is an advocate of natural law jurisprudence. Gorsuch clerked for Judge David B. Sentelle of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit from 1991 to 1992 and U.S. Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy from 1993 to 1994. He is the first Supreme Court Justice to serve alongside another Justice for whom he once had clerked (Kennedy).
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 6, 2026
A very good history book for young readers with high quality artwork.
May 21, 2026
A must read for all Americans on the cusp of our nation’s 250th anniversary. Inspiring behind-the-scenes stories of sacrifice by men, women, children, and black Americans who risked their lives and gave (for many) all their fortunes and possessions for the hard-fought privilege of democracy and independent freedom to rule themselves. Since the declaration on July 4, 1776 and the miraculous formation of this great country, this document which declared that all men are created equal with God-given rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness with a self-evident right to rule ourselves has been invoked by citizens from suffragists, to Lincoln during the civil war, to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. throughout our history. Now as the author suggests, the torch is now in our hands to preserve and uplift these principles for ourselves and each other, with gratitude to those who paved the way before us and to the Creator who compels us still.
May 19, 2026
Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of Independence by Neil Gorsuch, Janie Nitze and Chris Ellison. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Harper, 2026. $22. 9780063473973
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SOME
Gorsuch (the Supreme Court Justice) gives us a new look at the events leading up to, during, and after the creation of the Declaration of Independence. The book is quite text heavy - I can’t see a teacher reading all of it aloud in one sitting. My personal favorite part is looking into what happened to some of the signers during the revolution and a bit afterwards - stories I don’t remember hearing before.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SOME
Gorsuch (the Supreme Court Justice) gives us a new look at the events leading up to, during, and after the creation of the Declaration of Independence. The book is quite text heavy - I can’t see a teacher reading all of it aloud in one sitting. My personal favorite part is looking into what happened to some of the signers during the revolution and a bit afterwards - stories I don’t remember hearing before.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews