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George Washington: A Picture Book Biography

james cross giblin michael dooling

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Now available in paperback, James Cross Giblin and Michael Dooling bring the story of the first president to life for a new generation of readers.

George Washington, beloved "Father of His Country," left behind no children of his own. Instead he left a nation to which he's dedicated life. Here is his story.

Beginning with his childhood in a large, close-nit family on a Virginia farm, we follow him through his life. There is a tragedy with the death of his father, then his adored half-brother. After he grew up, George joined the Virginia militia and fought bravely in the wild Ohio country. Returning to Mount Vernon, he met and married the widow Martha Custis. But soon there came a new call to duty.

48 pages, Paperback

First published September 1,1992

This edition

Format
48 pages, Paperback
Published
January 1, 1998 by Scholastic Paperbacks
ISBN
9780590481014
ASIN
0590481010
Language
English

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About the author

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james cross giblin

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James Cross Giblin was an author of biographies and history books for children and younger readers, as well as some history books for adults.

In his own words, he was "shy, bookish, and a little spoiled." He loved comic books and drew his own comic strips. Giblin worked on his school newspapers and wrote a play while he was at Western Reserve University. That play, My Bus Was Always Late, was published in 1954. He worked hard at writing plays, but disappointment followed.

After receiving his MFA in creative writing from Columbia University, he went to work at the British Book Centre, which proved to be his doorway into the publishing field. An associate editor at Lothrop, Lee & Shepard from 1962 to 1967, Giblin then moved to Seabury Press as editor-in-chief of its children's division, Clarion Books.

In 1989, he stepped back to the position of contributing editor so he could focus on his writing career. The Truth About Santa Claus and Chimney Sweeps: Yesterday and Today were named ALA Notable Books. Walls: Defenses Throughout History received an SCBWI Golden Kite Award. The Secrets of the Sphinx was given the Orbis Pictus Award. Most recently, The Life and Death of Adolf Hitler received a Sibert Award in 2003.

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Community Reviews

Rating(3.8 / 5.0, 18 votes)
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18 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
irrationalhuman
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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A wonderful historical picture book that shouldn't be missed! With it's expressive narrative and life-like illustrations, this would make a great edition to the curriculum of younger students learning about Washington.

Ages: 4 - 10

Cleanliness: Bl**dy is used to describe lots of blood. Tobacco is mentioned.

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voltadelphine
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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I think this is a good book to have when learning about the presidents and history because it has so many important facts about george washington. It tells the story of his life in a way kids would be interested. It is a biography book on him, but it has great illustrations and information about George Washington.
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chessplayer798
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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A gentle introduction to our first president; my 5 year old son identified the guy in this picture book with the same guy on the $1 dollar bill. It is a start.
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sentiarii
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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Fantastic way to introduce children to the Father of the United States.
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czarryno
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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RL 4.25

AR Quiz No. 11764 EN Nonfiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 4.5 - AR Pts: 1.0
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP, VP
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ChillWeather11
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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I thought this book provided a complete and thorough retelling of the life of George Washington. I think it is appropriate for readers in grades 2-4. I think it would be a bit lengthy for my first graders to sit through. I could certainly modify it for them though! This particular book provides information about his childhood, his marriage and stepchildren, his work as a surveyor, his role as the Commander in Chief, and of course his role as our first president. We learn about his love for his home Mount Vernon and his wishes for his slaves to be freed once he and Martha died. The back of the book provides a map of the United States dated 1797, important dates in Washington's life, the fabled story of George and the cherry tree, the monument that is dedicated to Washington and we learn more about Mount Vernon. This book provides detailed illustrations that will appeal to young readers. I think I would use this book grades 2-4 when teaching about biographies or when teaching about our presidents.
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MarisaTheCube
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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3.7

A worthwhile intro to GW. Unless a young reader is highly motivated, an adult should read it with the child.

p 15
Every well-to-do farmer in Virginia owned slaves then. With the help of his slaves, George raised crops of tobacco, wheat, and Indian corn.

'help' is a weak word to use in that sentence
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