The Amazing Life of Benjamin Franklin
Written by: James Cross Giblin
Illustrated by: Michael Dooling
Genre: Historical Fiction, Biography, Picture Book
Grades:3-6

Synopsis: This is a biography picture book of Benjamin Franklin.  It tells his life story and explains and outlines his major accomplishments and inventions during his lifetime.  It talks about him as an eighteenth-century printer, inventor, and statesman.  It starts out when he was a ten-year old apprentice to when he was eighty-one as a delegate to the Constitutional convention.

Theme/Skill: American History, Inventors and Inventions, American Revolution, Colony Life

About the Author: James Cross Giblin

“Nonfiction books for children aged eight to twelve [give] me the opportunity to pursue my research interests, meet interesting and stimulating experts in various fields, and share my enthusiasms with a young audience.” James Cross Giblin

                                             
Giblin was born in 1933 in Cleveland Ohio and has become a prominent figure in children’s book publishing.  He has been an editor for many years at Clarion Books and he himself is an author of many nonfiction books for young readers.  He has written such books including Chimney Sweeps: Yesterday and Today, The Truth about Santa Claus, Let There Be Light: A Book about Windows, Charles A. Lindbergh:  A Human Hero, and The Life of Benjamin Franklin.  He continues to live in New York City.

For more information visit: http://www.bookrags.com/biography/james-cross-giblin-aya/

About the Illustrator: Michael Dooling     

Michael Dooling was born in 1958 and grew up in Marlton, New Jersey.  He was encouraged by his mom to draw more often which eventually led to his passion.  Dooling is an illustrator of over 50 books with a numerous amount of them being historic subjects.  He loves delving into the past and stepping back into time researching history.  Michael and his family sometimes pose as characters from his books and used as illustrations.  He graduated with a Master’s Degree in Illustration from Syracuse Univeristy in 1988.  He currently lives with his wife Jane in Audubon, New Jersey. 

For more information visit: http://www.michaeldooling.com/bio.html

Pre-Reading Activities: First, a teacher could bring in the Constitution for children to look at.  Then ask questions such as Why do you think Benjamin Franklin was so important to the history of the United States?  What do you think he did? Then with the whole class create a list of Benjamin Franklin’s accomplishments and explain how each of them was important.

Post-Reading Activities:  After the book has been read, we will talk about Benjamin Franklin’s accomplishments.  We will talk about why the Constitution is important to us today and imagine if we were Benjamin Franklin, how we would feel about all of our accomplishments.  Then individually, students will come up with three goals they have for home and school and how they think they will accomplish them.  These will be placed around the classroom as a constant reminder for them to work hard to accomplish their goals.  Students will start a journal and take time for a few weeks to write about their accomplishment process.  When a goal is accomplished students can read to their classmates the process and what they did to achieve it. 

Reflection:  I think the author does a good job telling about both Benjamin's Franklins accomplishments and struggles. He doesn't put him in the spotlight and make him seem like he is the best man on earth but rather shows that he is human like everyone else and had some failure. I think this will help show kids that achieving things takes times and along the way you are going to endure hardships. The illustrations help to realistically depict Franklin through realistic full color paintings. Even though it is a biography, it still makes it enjoyable for children to read while learning about someone.