How Benjamin Franklin became a revolutionary in seven (not-so-easy) steps

"Benjamin Franklin was a proud citizen of America all his life. And a proud subject of the British Empire. Until he wasn't." Deftly threading in quotes from her ever-quotable subject and dividing his life into formative experiences, Woelfle begins on a metaphorical note with 7-year-old Ben naïvely overpaying for a coveted toy: "Step #1 / Benjamin Franklin learned early, 'Do not give too much for the Whistle.'" From there she goes on to describe his long campaign to keep relations amicable between Britain and its American colonies. She points to the quick evolution of his views on slavery and also to his prescient proposal (in 1754!) that the colonies would greatly benefit from a union based on that of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy until at last he came to realize that "losing his 'rights and liberties' was too high a price to pay for any whistle--or any empire." Along with tracing the general arc of Franklin's rise in the commercial, scientific, and diplomatic realms, the author offers sidelights on some of his pastimes and inventions before closing with backmatter that includes separate reading lists for adult and younger readers. Woelfle's dynamic approach results in a personal, probing portrait of the Founding Father. In O'Brien's tongue-in-cheek ink drawings, small period figures with paper-white skin gesticulate, scurry about busily, or, in one amusing scene, fall comically victim to one of Franklin's infamous electrical pranks. A superb tribute to a foresighted patriot in peace and war. (author's and illustrator's notes, timeline, websites) (Biography. 8-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Benjamin Franklin was a proud citizen of America all his life. And a proud subject of the British Empire. Until he wasn't. It took nearly seventy years and seven not-so-easy steps to turn Benjamin Franklin from a loyal British subject to a British traitor--and a fired-up American revolutionary. Here's how it happened. "Being ignorant is not so much a Shame, as being unwilling to learn." 'Twas a special day! Seven-year-old Benjamin Franklin had a pocket full of pennies, so he strolled down the streets of Boston to the toy store. On his way, he met a boy playing a shiny tin whistle. He stopped to listen. The boy played on. Benjamin loved that shiny whistle! He wanted that whistle! He wanted that whistle so much he emptied his pocket and gave the boy all his pennies--every single one. Benjamin wasn't shy about getting what he wanted. Home he went, tooting his whistle all the way. He tooted in the kitchen . . . in the bedrooms . . . in the workshop where his father stirred smelly vats of soap . . . in the shop where his mother sold the soap, made from a secret family recipe . . . "STOP!" cried his mother and father and brothers and sisters and cousins. Benjamin stopped long enough to tell them how he spent all his pennies for his wonderful whistle. Everyone laughed. "You paid four times more than it was worth," they told him. They kept on laughing, but Benjamin cried with vexation. His shiny whistle wasn't fun anymore. Step #1 Benjamin Franklin learned early, "Do not give too much for the Whistle." Excerpted from How Benjamin Franklin Became a Revolutionary in Seven (Not-So-Easy) Steps by Gretchen Woelfle All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.