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Time Travel Adventure #1

George Washington's Socks

elvira woodruff

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A historic time-travel Revolutionary War adventure! Exciting companion to George Washington's Spy! A mysterious rowboat transports five adventurous kids back in time to the eve of the Battle at Trenton where they experience the American Revolution. Through encounters with Hessian soldiers, revolutionaries, and even George Washington himself, Matthew, Quentin, Hooter, Tony, and Katie watch history unfold before their eyes as they see first-hand, the grim realities of war and the cost of freedom.

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,1991
Series
Time Travel Adventure

This edition

Format
176 pages, Paperback
Published
February 1, 1993 by Scholastic Paperbacks
ISBN
9780590440363
ASIN
0590440365
Language
English

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About the author

Profile Image for elvira woodruff

elvira woodruff

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Well-known for her popular children's stories, author Elvira Woodruff had a long route to becoming a writer. In fact, one of her first jobs after leaving college was driving an ice cream truck. She has also worked as a receptionist, a janitor, a window dresser, a gardener, a shop owner, an assistant librarian, a waitress, and a storyteller. After working for several years in the children's room of a library, Woodruff began writing professionally at the age of 35, and hasn't stopped since.

Elvira Woodruff has always had a great imagination. She recalls, “my father was a truck driver and I would love to sit in his truck and imagine all the places he'd been. I'd sit behind the wheel, my head barely reaching the steering wheel and pretend that I was on the open road, off on some grand adventure to faraway places like Long Island, or Jersey City.”

Today, Woodruff believes that “what you have to do as a writer is to feel, look, and listen. Your stories then become a celebration of those observations. And, most important, a writer needs to fall in love. I'm constantly falling in love—with colors, with flowers, with wings, with bubbles, with mud, with goofy baby smiles. . . . When you're writing under the influence of love, there's a power that will weave your words into magic.”

Born and raised in New Jersey, Elvira Woodruff has also lived in Boston, Massachusetts. She has two sons, Noah and Jess. When she isn't writing, Woodruff likes gardening—especially with blue flowers—and enjoys traveling. “[One] year I fell in love with Leonardo daVinci and flew to Italy where I rented a car and traced his footsteps from Vinci to Florence and Milan.” She also spends a lot of her time visiting schools and libraries, sharing her ideas about writing with children.

Elvira Woodruff's book, Dear Napoleon, I Know You're Dead, But . . ., is a clever and funny story about a boy who writes a letter to Napoleon Bonaparte for a class project, and receives a surprising reply. It has been included in numerous child-voted state award programs, including the Mark Twain Book Award program (Missouri), the Sequoyah Children's Book Award program (Oklahoma), and the West Virginia Children's Book Award program.

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Community Reviews

Rating(4 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
30(30%)
4 stars
37(37%)
3 stars
33(33%)
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100 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
MonkeMan1000
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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OneamaewaKris
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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This is an interesting "travel back in time" type of book that reminds me a little of the Magic Treehouse books, but scarier and more serious. Part of the adventure for the children is in the problem of wanting to get back to real time. It's a little far-fetched, I think, but it does give a good portrayal of some of the distasteful and dreadful aspects of war. The children end up right in the middle of the Revolutionary War, with George Washington and the Hessians. There are some very sad, intense parts when the children are face to face with sickness, extreme cold, and even the death of someone who had become their friend. The relationships among the children add a touch of realism and occasional humor. From a historical point of view, the most valuable part of the book could be the sympathetic portrayal of the Hessian soldiers, something which doesn't often arise in historical fiction of this period.
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Avistella
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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Time travel book for young people that includes a lot of adventure into the past. My only concern is for the exposure of death to young children as if it happens every day. I think it should be a topic of discussion.
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ShiroChanMatsuri
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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Historical Fiction
5th-6th Grade Reading Level
I really enjoyed reading this story with 5th graders. They were just as intrigued as I was! I love that thisis a captivating historical adventure that seamlessly blends time travel with important lessons about courage, friendship, and the value of freedom. When a group of modern-day children accidentally travels back in time to the Revolutionary War era, they find themselves embarking on a perilous journey alongside none other than George Washington himself. As they navigate the challenges and dangers of the past, the children learn valuable lessons about perseverance and the sacrifices made by those who fought for liberty. Woodruff's vivid storytelling and rich historical detail bring the past to life, immersing readers in an exhilarating adventure that educates as much as it entertains. "George Washington's Socks" is a captivating read that transports readers through time and leaves a lasting impression, making it a must-read for anyone interested in history or thrilling adventures.
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TheStupidWolf
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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Read aloud to my fifth grade class. My students said they liked it. I wasn't too impressed. Plus, who writes a book for fifth graders with a featured character named Hooter?! Probably part of why the class liked it...
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Shilo_R_A
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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The story was good, just I feel like they were in one place and without knowing it they were in the next.
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cryst4llizee
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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I remember reading this book sometime in middle school. It wasn't a curriculum book, but one I picked up in the library... and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. I probably read this book 12-13 years ago and was captivated. I still remember the vivid descriptions of the struggling Union soldiers, with some using rags as shoes in the winter cold, and the images of hardship she described so well. Would love to go back and reread, but don't want to spoil my image of the book as an adult.
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Bon-E
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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Matt and his friends, Quentin (Q), Hooter and Tony, organize The Adventure Club. The object is to get together and talk about real adventures people have had in history. They are having an overnight camp out in Tony’s backyard, for their first meeting. There is only one downside — Matt’s 7-year-old sister is a tag-a-long.

The topic for the night is Washington and his crossing the Delaware. They decided to take a hike along the lake to get the feel of what it might have been like.

While hiking, they come across an old boat. Something about it draws them to it and then into it. From there they suddenly find themselves on a river in the middle of a harsh winter. Snow, freezing cold and strong winds surround them. They have somehow time travelled back to December 26, 1776, where Washington is to cross the Delaware!

They get a close-up experience of the harshness of the times, the meaness of the war and the fear that goes with it. What the rebels accomplished at the time may have been heroic, but the rebels aren’t always heroic in actions.

There are some difficult scenes involving war, conditions, people’s reactions, behaviours and death.

It is a good read, but one that is not all sweetness and light. Could be good for a group read when kids could discuss what they read as they go along.
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