Thomas Jefferson

October 1, 2014

Gr 5-8-Thomas Jefferson was an idealist who was drawn to the cause of individual rights and a pragmatist who saw the need to take practical steps to get things done. That interpretation frames this adaptation for young readers of Meacham's Pulitzer Prize-winning adult biography, Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power (Random, 2013). Readers will see this mix of idealism and pragmatism again and again during Jefferson's career. Meacham first introduces these themes in the prologue, develops them throughout the book, and later reinforces them in the epilogue, making the book useful for introducing Common Core State Standard concepts, such as determining the author's point of view and the reasons and evidence provided to support it. The biographer presents important issues in American history, particularly those surrounding the beginnings of our nation, and a strong discussion of Jefferson's failure to deal with the issue of slavery. Students will also learn about significant people Jefferson encountered during his career: George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and James Madison. The single shortcoming of this informative adaptation is its inability to capture Meacham's nuanced style and appealing storytelling. In reducing his 800-page biography by more than half, this adaptation has reduced his engaging narrative to shorter, often choppy, and much simpler sentences. Compare this title with Milton Meltzer's livelier account, Thomas Jefferson: The Revolutionary Aristocrat (Franklin Watts, 1991), which has stood the test of time well. Nevertheless, readers will be rewarded with a coherent, well-supported explanation of a complex man.-Myra Zarnowski, City University of New York

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2014
Grades 5-8 Though his name may be new to the children's book field, Meacham is a Pulitzer Prizewinning writer, editor, and commentator whose adult title Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power (2012) has been widely praised. In adapting that lengthy tome for young people, Thomson stays close to Meacham's original biography, using many passages verbatim and somewhat rewording others. The nice selection of illustrations includes period paintings, prints, and documents, as well as maps and photos of sites and artifacts, though the lack of color reproduction detracts from the book's visual appeal. Throughout the biography, information about Jefferson's personal life is interspersed with narrative and commentary on his political career. Placing his actions within the context of his times, the narrative offers thoughtful discussions of multifaceted topics, from his relationship with Sally Hemings to his expansion of presidential powers with the Louisiana Purchase to the difficulty of squaring his moral certainty with his political hesitancy on the issue of slavery. A solid resource for young people intrigued by Jefferson.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)