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Wow! It took us a year to finish. I kept laying the book aside to follow rabbit trails as Bea was interested.

I really like Foster’s history books. She writes linearly, yet each point in her timeline considers the circumstances of other places/people/ cultures around the world. I especially like her treatment of the French Revolution during Washington’s presidency.

The book was a lot different than I expected. It started out as a whole bunch of important stories from around the world that were taking place at the same time. Fortunately, I didn't have to suffer through a 350 page book all about George Washington. Unfortunately, the author tried to tell so many different stories that they were over-simplified. I did like though, how the author tried to connect them together.

Also, by the end of the book the American and French Revolutions took heavy precedence. At the beginning we learned about everything happening during the life of George Washington. By the end, it was all the Revolutions.

2.5-3 stars. This was a disappointment when compared to Foster's history "George Washington's World" and Eaton's "Leader of Destiny". Yes, it was written for a slightly younger audience (under 10), but she skimped on history in favor of conjecture and myth - but did skip the cherry tree. Like most earlier bios/histories it dances around Washington the slave owner by calling them house servants or "the overseer of the plantation and ten or twelve Negroes". The most direct mention was the midwife who called his father "Marse" (for Master). Most of the focus was on his early years, his trip as a surveyor into the Wilderness, and his time as a British officer (points for that). I read this for my 2020 Reading Challenge (about a world leader, 52 Wks) and my Newbery Challenge (Honor 1950).

I liked it and it was very informative but as a school book I didn't LOVE it. Otherwise, it was good.

This is an excellent living history book that I can't more highly recommend and I now see why it is so loved. The way the author presented history "horizontally" allowed me to see how events and the lives of people were interconnected. It fostered the similar joy of making connections through a book of centuries page or century chart. I read in the afterward written by her daughter that Genevieve once wrote, "History is drama, with men and nations as the actors. Why not present it with all the players who belong together on the stage at once rather than only one character on the stage at a time." This idea was beautifully executed through this book and I look forward to future Genevieve Foster reads. I came into the book being more familiar with Revolutionary war history, but this book really helped mitigate some of my lack of understanding of the French Revolution as well as the world stage at large during this time period introducing me to many who lived and made their mark during the lifespan of George Washington. I am grateful for her work.

A great history book for kids. It breaks down the main events of the 1700's into easy to read stories, focusing on the founding of America.

I enjoyed the journey through this book with my Y4 student this year. Spanning the years from George Washington’s boyhood to his death, Foster compiles narratives of worldwide events to build a snapshot of what was happening during this period in history. I loved the biographical sketches, as well as learning about discoveries and inventions, voyages and wars, and how it all intertwined. For instance, even though I had learned about the American Revolution and the French Revolution separately, I had no idea how closely the ideas and events of the former influenced the latter. Looking forward to reading more of Foster’s similar books.

Read with my daughter for AO year 4.

This is the best living history book we've encountered so far. I love how it takes the life of George Washington and intertwines other people and events from around the world.

Had I read this in high school, perhaps AP history classes would have been more interesting.

Genevieve Foster has a good way in incorporating all the things that happened in the world at the same time.

Read along with my Ambleside Online Year 4 student! Good book!

I read this in preparation for my son’s homeschool year of Revival to Revolution through Heart of Dakota. What a thoroughly enjoyable, lively book! The author tells the story of what happened in the world during George Washington’s life by giving short biographical snippets. Some may not like the chronological approach since it interrupts the narrative of, say, John Adam’s or Napoleon’s lives, but I found it to be a creative and refreshing approach to history. The book provides a good balance between American and Western world history; there is minimal information on the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. I will definitely keep this as part of my home library.