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What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?
A fun historic tale by Newbery Honor-winning author, Jean Fritz!
No matter how busy he was, Ben Franklin always found time to try out new ideas: a remote-control lock (so he could lock his door without getting out of bed), a rocking chair with a fan over it (to keep flies away), and a windmill (to turn his roast meat on its spit). Aside from being a mad of ideas, he was an ambassador to England, a printer, an almanac maker, a politician, and even a vegetarian (for a time, anyway).
"This biography is distinguished by its humanizing detail [and] amusing tone." - School Library Journal
No matter how busy he was, Ben Franklin always found time to try out new ideas: a remote-control lock (so he could lock his door without getting out of bed), a rocking chair with a fan over it (to keep flies away), and a windmill (to turn his roast meat on its spit). Aside from being a mad of ideas, he was an ambassador to England, a printer, an almanac maker, a politician, and even a vegetarian (for a time, anyway).
"This biography is distinguished by its humanizing detail [and] amusing tone." - School Library Journal
48 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
20 people are currently reading
576 people want to read
About the author
Jean Fritz
93 books156 followersJean Guttery Fritz was an American children's writer best known for American biography and history. She won the Children's Legacy Literature Award for her career contribution to American children's literature in 1986. She turned 100 in November 2015 and died in May 2017 at the age of 101.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
April 2, 2019
A simple, some-what conversing narrative about the life of Ben Franklin. Fun details about his life included.
Ages: 5 - 10
Cleanliness: on pages 18/19 there are illustrations of Franklin naked - you see his behind several times.
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it!
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Ages: 5 - 10
Cleanliness: on pages 18/19 there are illustrations of Franklin naked - you see his behind several times.
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it!
Visit my website!
November 12, 2022
Another triumph by Jean Fritz! This wonderful book about Benjamin Franklin is a great read full of interesting and exciting facts about one of the most famous and talented Americans of all time!
September 16, 2024
Interesting read to do with my son for him to learn more about Benjamin Franklin.
The pictures were funny, and there was a lot of weird and whimsical facts about Ben's life.
The pictures were funny, and there was a lot of weird and whimsical facts about Ben's life.
August 12, 2025
fun and sassy!
December 20, 2010
My kids and I both wound up liking this a lot more than we thought we would. We had several important non-fiction conversations around the book. We talked about the fact that it's important to look at when a book is published, because although non-fiction means Not Fake, it doesn't mean we can believe EVERYTHING we read in nonfiction books at face value. For example, this book was printed in 1975. Researchers have learned a lot more about Ben Franklin since 1975.
We also had a talk about the myth of Ben's kite being struck by lightning. With the help of Mythbusters, we discovered the kernel of truth in the experiment. Read/see more at http://mshoughtonsclass.wordpress.com...
Additionally, the amount information in this book lined up pretty flawlessly with The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones. We pulled the Ben Franklin book because he's pretty central to The 39 Clues, and "What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?" helped us understand almost all of the references to Franklin's life in The Maze of Bones.
We also had a talk about the myth of Ben's kite being struck by lightning. With the help of Mythbusters, we discovered the kernel of truth in the experiment. Read/see more at http://mshoughtonsclass.wordpress.com...
Additionally, the amount information in this book lined up pretty flawlessly with The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones. We pulled the Ben Franklin book because he's pretty central to The 39 Clues, and "What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?" helped us understand almost all of the references to Franklin's life in The Maze of Bones.
February 22, 2018
This book takes into account all the accomplishments Ben Franklin had made for our country. He not only discovered electricity but also helped in gaining allies, like France, against Britain during the American Revolution. It is a detailed picture book probably appropriate for 2nd and 3rd grade. The audio book was about 15+ minutes long. I think she wrote a couple of versions of this book. The one I listened to was about 46 pgs long, so it was more detailed than an ordinary picture book. Besides big important facts about Ben Franklin, you also find out about interesting little tidbits of info regarding him.
This book could be used when studying history and the American Revolution.
This book could be used when studying history and the American Revolution.
September 20, 2019
Jean Fritz is a good writer. This biography's text is interesting, pertinent, and appropriate for children. But Holy Cow, three pages in, there is an illustration of Ben's brother drowning in a vat of soap while his mother has her back to him. I do not in the least understand why this particular factoid deserved a full page illustration. It's left me ill to my stomach. So be forewarned.
August 29, 2017
Old Ben Franklin is mostly known for his discovery of electricity, but most people forget that we can also thank him for things like libraries in America, almanacs, stoves, and hilarious one-liners!
I loved all the facts about Franklin in this book, it is definitely one for young and old!
I loved all the facts about Franklin in this book, it is definitely one for young and old!
July 27, 2009
Wonderful, except for the horrible cover and the perpetuation of the lightening-struck kite myth.
August 29, 2017
This month, while the Old School Kidlit Reading Challenge has been focusing on nonfiction, I decided to finally sit down and read a stack of the late Jean Fritz's books about the history of the United States. In total, I read 8 titles:
And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? illustrated by Margot Tomes (1973)
Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams? illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman (1974)
Where Was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May? illustrated by Margot Tomes (1975)
What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin? illustrated by Margot Tomes (1976)
Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman (1976)
Can't You Make Them Behave, King George? illustrated by Tomie dePaola (1977)
Where Do You Think You're Going, Christopher Columbus? illustrated by Margot Tomes (1980)
Shh! We're Writing the Constitution illustrated by Tomie dePaola (1987)
All of these except the last one are biographies of key figures in early America. In each biography, Fritz focuses on a representative quirk of each individual she profiles, which serves as a unifying thread for the important events of that person's life. For John Hancock, whose signature looms so large on the declaration of independence, this is his desire for attention and the ostentatious ways he went about trying to get it. For Sam Adams, it is his refusal to learn to ride a horse, for Columbus, his terrible sense of direction and tendency to stumble upon good fortune, and for King George, his blind paternalism toward the colonists, even when they have made very clear their disdain for him. In the last book, Shh! We're Writing the Constitution, Fritz tells the story of the difficulties and compromises that occurred among different historical figures as the U.S. Constitution slowly took shape.
In both types of books, Fritz focuses heavily not just on historical events, but on the personalities of the key figures who contributed to the outcomes of these events. Fritz does not simply idolize these men for their greatness; instead she shows both how they were ordinary (stubborn, foolish, insufferable, laughable, quirky, selfish, etc.) and extraordinary. No one is treated as all good or all bad, but instead they are portrayed as very human. For a reader like me who reads books mainly for their characters, I found this approach refreshing and endearing. Whereas I struggle to focus on lengthy informational texts that try to drill details into my memory, the "characters" in each of these books were fascinating to me. As I read in the evenings, I kept saying to my husband, "Hey did you know...?" and "I never knew that..."
None of these books is enough on its own to convey all the details of the discovery of America, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, or the drafting of the Constitution, but every single one of them provides context for understanding those events on a more personal and emotional level. The straightforward facts which are included alongside the biographical details are made more memorable by Fritz's engaging and humorous writing style, and everything she writes about comes to life in a way that school textbooks never could.They would make wonderful read-alouds for elementary kids who are studying colonial America, but they are just as entertaining as independent reads for older readers who want a refresher.
Also wonderful are the illustrations for each volume. There are three illustrators for these books: Margot Tomes, Trina Schart Hyman, and Tomie dePaola. Though all three artists' styles suit the mood and content of the books, my personal favorite is Hyman. Her pictures have the most detail, and in my opinion, the most personality. Tomes is a close second - I especially like the way she draws children - but found that I associated dePaola too much with other books and other genres to feel like he was a good fit for this subject matter. Still, I think the designer for these books did a great job of keeping a consistent look to the whole series that places the reader in a particular frame of mind regardless of who drew the pictures.
Now that I have read all of these books, I understand why they were so popular in my school library during childhood and why I hear so much about them in homeschooling circles. I plan to use them with my kids when we study U.S. history and I hope they will learn to love history (as I never did as a child) by observing how much fun Fritz clearly had writing about it.
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? illustrated by Margot Tomes (1973)
Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams? illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman (1974)
Where Was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May? illustrated by Margot Tomes (1975)
What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin? illustrated by Margot Tomes (1976)
Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman (1976)
Can't You Make Them Behave, King George? illustrated by Tomie dePaola (1977)
Where Do You Think You're Going, Christopher Columbus? illustrated by Margot Tomes (1980)
Shh! We're Writing the Constitution illustrated by Tomie dePaola (1987)
All of these except the last one are biographies of key figures in early America. In each biography, Fritz focuses on a representative quirk of each individual she profiles, which serves as a unifying thread for the important events of that person's life. For John Hancock, whose signature looms so large on the declaration of independence, this is his desire for attention and the ostentatious ways he went about trying to get it. For Sam Adams, it is his refusal to learn to ride a horse, for Columbus, his terrible sense of direction and tendency to stumble upon good fortune, and for King George, his blind paternalism toward the colonists, even when they have made very clear their disdain for him. In the last book, Shh! We're Writing the Constitution, Fritz tells the story of the difficulties and compromises that occurred among different historical figures as the U.S. Constitution slowly took shape.
In both types of books, Fritz focuses heavily not just on historical events, but on the personalities of the key figures who contributed to the outcomes of these events. Fritz does not simply idolize these men for their greatness; instead she shows both how they were ordinary (stubborn, foolish, insufferable, laughable, quirky, selfish, etc.) and extraordinary. No one is treated as all good or all bad, but instead they are portrayed as very human. For a reader like me who reads books mainly for their characters, I found this approach refreshing and endearing. Whereas I struggle to focus on lengthy informational texts that try to drill details into my memory, the "characters" in each of these books were fascinating to me. As I read in the evenings, I kept saying to my husband, "Hey did you know...?" and "I never knew that..."
None of these books is enough on its own to convey all the details of the discovery of America, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, or the drafting of the Constitution, but every single one of them provides context for understanding those events on a more personal and emotional level. The straightforward facts which are included alongside the biographical details are made more memorable by Fritz's engaging and humorous writing style, and everything she writes about comes to life in a way that school textbooks never could.They would make wonderful read-alouds for elementary kids who are studying colonial America, but they are just as entertaining as independent reads for older readers who want a refresher.
Also wonderful are the illustrations for each volume. There are three illustrators for these books: Margot Tomes, Trina Schart Hyman, and Tomie dePaola. Though all three artists' styles suit the mood and content of the books, my personal favorite is Hyman. Her pictures have the most detail, and in my opinion, the most personality. Tomes is a close second - I especially like the way she draws children - but found that I associated dePaola too much with other books and other genres to feel like he was a good fit for this subject matter. Still, I think the designer for these books did a great job of keeping a consistent look to the whole series that places the reader in a particular frame of mind regardless of who drew the pictures.
Now that I have read all of these books, I understand why they were so popular in my school library during childhood and why I hear so much about them in homeschooling circles. I plan to use them with my kids when we study U.S. history and I hope they will learn to love history (as I never did as a child) by observing how much fun Fritz clearly had writing about it.
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
January 19, 2024
Read for our American history study. I ended up choosing this over another book recommended in our curriculum, as it was more concise. It was still a pretty lengthy read for the age of my sons, but it held their attention well. As we were schooling at the grandparents’ today, my dad overheard part of it and made the comment that he enjoyed listening, too! Overall, a good kids’ biography on a well-known local Founding Father.
September 5, 2022
The story of Ben Franklin's life.
Catching up in History and used this as supplemental learning.
Catching up in History and used this as supplemental learning.
November 18, 2012
LIBS 642 Bookshelf - (Kimmel)
Genre – Biography
Summary:
This story begins with Ben Franklin being born in Boston and his childhood. A man of many talents he was always ready to try out new ideas. Learn about his many inventions and his contribution to the American Revolution.
A) Content
B) This book is crammed full with different inventions of Franklin’s that he had started from ideas. Fritz is able to provide the reader with an overall synopsis of the man, Ben Franklin, without being overwhelming. Fritz hits on all of the highlights and accomplishments that Franklin is famous for.
C) On page 28 little inventions that Franklin made to make his life easier are listed. He hung a chord by his bed that he can pull when he is in bed to lock his door so he doesn’t have to get out of bed again. He invented a stepladder seat with a seat that turns up, a rocking chair with a fan over it that will keep the flies off his head when he rocks, and a pole with movable fingers to take down high books are a few. On pages 35-37 it tells how Franklin was responsible for discovering how lightning will produce electricity. You learn on page 42 that Franklin made changes to the Declaration of Independence after Thomas Jefferson wrote it. Of all of the things that he is famous for the one thing that he did that no other person could do at the time was he convinced France to join America in the war. In 1783 when peace came, he helped write the treaty (page 45). Fritz is able to provide an overview of the life of Ben Franklin including some of his detours and a lot of his contributions offering the reader a look into his intriguing life.
Curriculum Connection:
Read this story in an upper elementary class to introduce the man Ben Franklin and all of his accomplishments. Have students pick a part of Franklin’s life to research and write about and later share with the class. Encourage students to so research and find other inventions of Franklin’s. Have them showcase these inventions in a PowerPoint presentation with a picture and a brief explanation about each one.
Genre – Biography
Summary:
This story begins with Ben Franklin being born in Boston and his childhood. A man of many talents he was always ready to try out new ideas. Learn about his many inventions and his contribution to the American Revolution.
A) Content
B) This book is crammed full with different inventions of Franklin’s that he had started from ideas. Fritz is able to provide the reader with an overall synopsis of the man, Ben Franklin, without being overwhelming. Fritz hits on all of the highlights and accomplishments that Franklin is famous for.
C) On page 28 little inventions that Franklin made to make his life easier are listed. He hung a chord by his bed that he can pull when he is in bed to lock his door so he doesn’t have to get out of bed again. He invented a stepladder seat with a seat that turns up, a rocking chair with a fan over it that will keep the flies off his head when he rocks, and a pole with movable fingers to take down high books are a few. On pages 35-37 it tells how Franklin was responsible for discovering how lightning will produce electricity. You learn on page 42 that Franklin made changes to the Declaration of Independence after Thomas Jefferson wrote it. Of all of the things that he is famous for the one thing that he did that no other person could do at the time was he convinced France to join America in the war. In 1783 when peace came, he helped write the treaty (page 45). Fritz is able to provide an overview of the life of Ben Franklin including some of his detours and a lot of his contributions offering the reader a look into his intriguing life.
Curriculum Connection:
Read this story in an upper elementary class to introduce the man Ben Franklin and all of his accomplishments. Have students pick a part of Franklin’s life to research and write about and later share with the class. Encourage students to so research and find other inventions of Franklin’s. Have them showcase these inventions in a PowerPoint presentation with a picture and a brief explanation about each one.
April 19, 2014
I enjoyed this biography on Benjamin Franklin. This story included so many interesting facts and stories about his life that even I was learning as I read along! This book could be used in a 4-6 grade classroom, as for it is long, has little amounts of illustrations, and some concepts are hard to grasp.
The main thing about this book is, it's interesting! It goes with a flow, from Benjamin Franklin's birth until the very end of his life. You learn about Benjamin's family, for instance; his father was a man that worked with his hands, he had so many brothers, and two other brothers that died when they were babies.
The story tells of Benjamin's schooling days and how his family knew he was smart. It also tells of Benjamin's working days, where he worked with and for his father. You learn interesting facts about him as well. For example, he enjoyed and wrote poetry, he was a vegetarian, he was a good swimmer, he studied arithmetic, read a lot of books. Those are just some of the facts in the book. There are so many!
Lastly, as the story goes on in Benjamin's life, you learn that he had so many ideas that turned into inventions. Some of his inventions included; a cord to lock his door without getting out of bed, a stepladder stool with a seat that turned up, a rocking char with a fan over it, a pole with movable fingers, and an iron stove with pope leading outside. Ultimately, the story goes on to the invention of electricity.
This book would be a good book for students to use on a book report. I would definitely recommend it for that because of all the interesting things you learn about him. Students could also do presentations on this book. This book contains so much information, this would be the only book they'd need for the report!
The main thing about this book is, it's interesting! It goes with a flow, from Benjamin Franklin's birth until the very end of his life. You learn about Benjamin's family, for instance; his father was a man that worked with his hands, he had so many brothers, and two other brothers that died when they were babies.
The story tells of Benjamin's schooling days and how his family knew he was smart. It also tells of Benjamin's working days, where he worked with and for his father. You learn interesting facts about him as well. For example, he enjoyed and wrote poetry, he was a vegetarian, he was a good swimmer, he studied arithmetic, read a lot of books. Those are just some of the facts in the book. There are so many!
Lastly, as the story goes on in Benjamin's life, you learn that he had so many ideas that turned into inventions. Some of his inventions included; a cord to lock his door without getting out of bed, a stepladder stool with a seat that turned up, a rocking char with a fan over it, a pole with movable fingers, and an iron stove with pope leading outside. Ultimately, the story goes on to the invention of electricity.
This book would be a good book for students to use on a book report. I would definitely recommend it for that because of all the interesting things you learn about him. Students could also do presentations on this book. This book contains so much information, this would be the only book they'd need for the report!
November 6, 2012
Genre: Biography
What’s the big idea: Benjamin Franklin?
Summary: This is a non-fiction junior book about the life of Benjamin Franklin. It informs the reader of his important discoveries, inventions and even his travels. Although the information is brief, it provides enough detail about his life to spark the interest of young readers.
a) Area for comment: accuracy
Critique:
b) The strength of this title is the accuracy of the information. Though it is written for children, the information about Benjamin Franklin’s life is detailed and accurate. It attempts to connect young readers to the life of Ben Franklin without overwhelming them with an overload of historical information. It gives us information about his childhood which shows the reader that he started out as a regular child. As a young adult, at 17, he ran away because he didn’t want to be an apprentice any more. This rebellion landed him in Pennsylvania.
c) Page 14 illustrates young Franklin’s rebellious attitude as he had decided against becoming a soap maker like his father. Furthermore, p. 22 shows him getting on boat in his attempt to leave home. When he was old and bedridden he still continued his studies as illustrated on page 47.
Curriculum connection: This book may be appropriate students in social studies classes. It has interesting facts about his early inventions that are still currently used.
What’s the big idea: Benjamin Franklin?
Summary: This is a non-fiction junior book about the life of Benjamin Franklin. It informs the reader of his important discoveries, inventions and even his travels. Although the information is brief, it provides enough detail about his life to spark the interest of young readers.
a) Area for comment: accuracy
Critique:
b) The strength of this title is the accuracy of the information. Though it is written for children, the information about Benjamin Franklin’s life is detailed and accurate. It attempts to connect young readers to the life of Ben Franklin without overwhelming them with an overload of historical information. It gives us information about his childhood which shows the reader that he started out as a regular child. As a young adult, at 17, he ran away because he didn’t want to be an apprentice any more. This rebellion landed him in Pennsylvania.
c) Page 14 illustrates young Franklin’s rebellious attitude as he had decided against becoming a soap maker like his father. Furthermore, p. 22 shows him getting on boat in his attempt to leave home. When he was old and bedridden he still continued his studies as illustrated on page 47.
Curriculum connection: This book may be appropriate students in social studies classes. It has interesting facts about his early inventions that are still currently used.
November 8, 2011
Critique- Junior Book/Biography
The story of Benjamin Franklin's life. It begins with his birth in Boston, to his numerous inventions, and his important contributions during the American Revolution.
a. Illustrations
b. Margot Tomes is the illustrator for this book, and has worked with the author Jean Fritz on many of her books. The illustrations are simple, sometimes humorous, drawings. The simplicity of the lines and colors, along with the humor assist the author’s work of providing an entertaining yet accurate description of a historical figures life. These pictures are easy for young readers to understand and help to make dense material more meaningful.
c. On pages 17-19, the illustrations are depicting Benjamin Franklin after he has read a book on unusual swimming strokes trying to master these skills. The pictures are done in very simple coloring: gray, tan, and browns. They show what the author is conveying in the words, but they also provide a look at how unique Mr. Franklin was and assist in lightening obscure material.
This book is appropriate for readers in grades 3-6. It could be used with a lesson on important Americans, the American Revolution, or inventors/inventions.
The story of Benjamin Franklin's life. It begins with his birth in Boston, to his numerous inventions, and his important contributions during the American Revolution.
a. Illustrations
b. Margot Tomes is the illustrator for this book, and has worked with the author Jean Fritz on many of her books. The illustrations are simple, sometimes humorous, drawings. The simplicity of the lines and colors, along with the humor assist the author’s work of providing an entertaining yet accurate description of a historical figures life. These pictures are easy for young readers to understand and help to make dense material more meaningful.
c. On pages 17-19, the illustrations are depicting Benjamin Franklin after he has read a book on unusual swimming strokes trying to master these skills. The pictures are done in very simple coloring: gray, tan, and browns. They show what the author is conveying in the words, but they also provide a look at how unique Mr. Franklin was and assist in lightening obscure material.
This book is appropriate for readers in grades 3-6. It could be used with a lesson on important Americans, the American Revolution, or inventors/inventions.
November 27, 2012
1. Genre: Biography
2. Summary: This brief biography book leads readers through the intriguing life of Benjamin Franklin. Readers will learn about Benjamin Franklin's accomplishments, including why he is known as a man of many trades, and important roles he played in early American history.
3. Critique
a. Accurate
b. The author did a wonderful job including just enough factual and interesting information about Benjamin Franklin to keep young readers engaged. Being that Franklin is a well-known famous American in history, I was impressed with the amount of unfamiliar information that this book introduces to readers.
c. Many people remember Franklin’s years as an inventor, such as the time he performed his kite experiment. However, this book also includes his life leading up to his greatest contributions. For example, readers learn on page 11 that Franklin’s father made Benjamin quit going to school at the age of eleven so that he could run errands, deliver soap, and dip candles at his father’s candle and soap business.
4. Curriculum Connection: This book would work well for an American history lesson. I believe that students will find it entertaining while they learn about history.
2. Summary: This brief biography book leads readers through the intriguing life of Benjamin Franklin. Readers will learn about Benjamin Franklin's accomplishments, including why he is known as a man of many trades, and important roles he played in early American history.
3. Critique
a. Accurate
b. The author did a wonderful job including just enough factual and interesting information about Benjamin Franklin to keep young readers engaged. Being that Franklin is a well-known famous American in history, I was impressed with the amount of unfamiliar information that this book introduces to readers.
c. Many people remember Franklin’s years as an inventor, such as the time he performed his kite experiment. However, this book also includes his life leading up to his greatest contributions. For example, readers learn on page 11 that Franklin’s father made Benjamin quit going to school at the age of eleven so that he could run errands, deliver soap, and dip candles at his father’s candle and soap business.
4. Curriculum Connection: This book would work well for an American history lesson. I believe that students will find it entertaining while they learn about history.
December 29, 2012
I read this biography aloud to my children. It is recommended for ages 8-11, but even my 4 year-old enjoyed it.
Fritz presents factual information in such a way that it is entertaining and fun! This is the second biography that we've read about Benjamin Franklin, and we think that he is the most remarkable historical figure! His inventions single-handedly changed America! From establishing the first circulating library to organizing Philadelphia's fire department, he is a truly brilliant man especially considering that he received no formal education (his father took him out of school when he was ten years old) and was largely self-taught!
We loved this biography, and we plan to read more of Fritz's biographical series! This book makes a great complement to your American history studies!
Fritz presents factual information in such a way that it is entertaining and fun! This is the second biography that we've read about Benjamin Franklin, and we think that he is the most remarkable historical figure! His inventions single-handedly changed America! From establishing the first circulating library to organizing Philadelphia's fire department, he is a truly brilliant man especially considering that he received no formal education (his father took him out of school when he was ten years old) and was largely self-taught!
We loved this biography, and we plan to read more of Fritz's biographical series! This book makes a great complement to your American history studies!
March 30, 2015
Fritz always has a fun, unifying idea for her biographies; for this one, she's presenting Franklin's life in terms of his many ideas and inventions. The lightning-striking-the-kite story is in here (hadn't been debunked when this book was written), but this is still a very reader-friendly intro to a very interesting American patriot. Around a 5th grade reading level, its length and the cheerful, humorous, engaging prose makes it accessible to strong, younger readers as well. Margot Tomes' illustrations look dated at first glance, but they are a solid accompaniment. There are too few genuinely interesting and readable biographies for this age group! Look for the others by Fritz (there are quite a few about Revolutionary War era heroes).
January 10, 2018
Read this for Battle of the Books. It wasn't awful, but there wasn't anything great either. I just felt sort of "meh." I didn't really learn anything new about Ben Franklin, as I'd already read Who Was Ben Franklin?, which I found a lot more amusing.
The one interesting fact I learned, was that Ben connected a bell to his lightning rod and every time lightning struck, it rung the bell. It drove Dolly crazy.
The one interesting fact I learned, was that Ben connected a bell to his lightning rod and every time lightning struck, it rung the bell. It drove Dolly crazy.
November 18, 2017
I am trying to balance my fictional readings with nonfiction. This book is a good first start to learning about the Founding Fathers - the biography covers the entire span of Ben Franklin's life and I learned much more than I previously knew about him. There is a page with illustrations of a naked Ben Franklin (as men used to swim naked), and so I am not sure I would have it in my classroom. But I would use the information learned in the book.
October 29, 2009
I loved this book! It was for my schooling though. Butt still, I learned so much about how important Benjamin Franklin is. He made the first ever stove, discovered electricity, went to France to try to get he French on there side for the American Revolutionary War. It is such a great children's book.
February 28, 2011
We all really enjoyed this book. Although we had read a few other Benjamin Franklin books before this, we still found some new things about him. Fritz is a concise but fun writer with a bit of a sarcastic streak here and there. It certainly held my boys' attention. A good addition to an elementary study of Franklin's life and accomplishments.
July 29, 2013
A biography on one of America's founding fathers. This bio is set up to be read cover to cover rather than just in sections. Included are all of Franklin's big achievements framed in text that describes Franklin's personality and mannerisms.
Illustrations help break text into manageable chunks and illustrate key moments in Franklin's life. Grades 3-5.
Illustrations help break text into manageable chunks and illustrate key moments in Franklin's life. Grades 3-5.
November 14, 2014
Benjamin Franklin was a great inventor.
But he was also many other things, an ambassador, and he helped write the Declaration of Independence.
This book shows many of the thoughts and ideas that Ben Franklin had, and how inventive he was.
This book would be good for fifth or sixth grade, maybe even fourth.
But he was also many other things, an ambassador, and he helped write the Declaration of Independence.
This book shows many of the thoughts and ideas that Ben Franklin had, and how inventive he was.
This book would be good for fifth or sixth grade, maybe even fourth.
January 10, 2018
Since this is on the list of Battle of the Books for my fifth grader, we got this book today and read it quickly. (It might be the shortest Battle book ever.) It is an interesting book, with lots of highlights of Franklin's life. I don't know if it would be possible to write a boring book about him!
G
G
April 11, 2010
Very quick read (48 pages). Fritz does a very entertaining portrayal of Benjamin Franklin's life - written at a level for 2nd and 3rd graders to understand, but with enough information for middle school students to use as a point of research. Take a bow, Ms. Fritz.
March 31, 2012
I have never read a book by Jean Fritz that I was not absolutely delighted by! I read them all to my children, and I think I might have enjoyed them the most! Jean Fritz has found a delightful and entertaining way to teach children history.
November 25, 2014
This slim volume (just 48 pages, including a "notes" page) barely skims the surface of the output of this amazing man. (Hence the 3 stars). However, ANY introduction to Ben is better than NO introduction. (Hence the 3 stars).
March 30, 2016
Sonlight Core D Read aloud. We love Jean Fritz's historical biographies. The illustrations are fun and at times comedic and the kids enjoy learning the interesting tidbits of famous people. Ben Franklin is one of our favorite colonial people to learn about.
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