Eliza

August 1, 2018
"My story began on a hot August day in 1757."An imagined letter tells the story of Eliza Hamilton so that her unborn great-granddaughter will know about her life, accomplishments, and beliefs as a patriot, socialite, philanthropist, child advocate, de facto archivist, dedicated wife, and loving matriarch. Paintings reminiscent of 18th-century American art show Eliza's journey from her privileged childhood with slaveholding parents in upstate New York to her rebellious marriage to Founding Father Alexander Hamilton and their life together and on to her work founding and fundraising for New York's first orphanage and her impressions of the many presidents she knew. The realities of slavery are addressed briefly, and Eliza's role in introducing Hamilton to benefactors and politicians is mentioned. While some of the history presented seems unnecessarily fragmentary given that this is not an original letter--no background for the Hamilton/Burr duel is presented within the text, for example--the endnotes are particularly detailed, and overall, the focus stays on Eliza rather than her famous spouse, presenting a determined, resilient, and individualistic white woman of her time, witness to many years of early American history. An afterword by Phillipa Soo, who played Eliza in Hamilton: An American Musical, is appended.Well-researched and intricately illustrated, this portrait provides an accessible jumping-off point for those interested in the Broadway musical and captures an extensive historical period from a specific and interesting perspective. (Picture book/biography. 6-10)

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September 10, 2018
In an epistolary picture book, McNamara envisions Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton as an elderly woman writing a letter to her yet-to-be-born great-granddaughter Elizabeth: “My daughter, who is your grandmama, has asked me to devote this day to writing a letter to you, about my very long and fortunate life.” The letter details Hamilton’s upbringing (including her family’s ownership of slaves and her deep, subsequent regrets), her marriage to Alexander Hamilton and her social and political engagement alongside him, and his untimely death. McNamara provides a portrait of the subject beyond her famed marriage, as Hamilton recounts her work to build schools and orphanages. Shapiro illustrates in delicate, pattern-laden mixed media; landscapes call to mind the work of Grandma Moses, while Hamilton, her husband, and other figures resemble finely featured paper dolls. Expansive back matter includes an afterword from Phillipa Soo, who originated Hamilton’s role in the musical Hamilton. An intimate and well-informed biography. Ages 4–8.

Starred review from August 1, 2018
Grades 2-5 *Starred Review* Constructed as a letter to her soon-to-be-born great-grandchild, this picture-book biography not only depicts events from the life of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton but a burgeoning nation. Although remembered today as Alexander Hamilton's wife, Eliza made her own mark on history. Folk-style illustrations with colonial colors and patterns aptly depict her time and 97 years of resilience. Raised in upstate New York, young Eliza was more adventurous amid rocks and waterfalls than her city visitors, and her family's status put her in the company of presidents. While living near General Washington's war headquarters in New Jersey, she met her future husband. And it was through Eliza that Alexander was introduced to society. Descriptions of Alexander's abandonment as a child and the couple's intake of children without homes set the scene for Eliza's later endeavors. After brief mentions of her hardships, including her husband's death, the narrative focuses on Eliza's attention to preserving Alexander's legacy and her decades of philanthropy. Her most notable act was founding the Orphan Asylum Society of the City of New York, that state's first orphanage, in 1806. Concluding her story are an afterword by Phillipa Soo, who played the original Eliza in Hamilton: An American Musical, and more detailed notes. A lovely biography of a revolutionary in her own right.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)