A Parade for George Washington
by David A Adler (Author) John O'Brien (Illustrator)
After the Revolutionary War, the newly formed U.S. Congress chose the first president. Every vote was for Washington.
So began Washington's week-long trip from his home in Virginia to New York City, where he would be inaugurated. At every stop on George Washington's route, people were determined to celebrate their very first president. In Baltimore citizens rode along with Washington for seven miles, in Philadelphia people chanted "Long live George Washington," and in Elizabethtown, NJ, Washington was met with a parade of boats so spectacular that he would later write in his diary: "the decorations of the ships, the roar of cannon . . . filled my mind with sensations."
David A. Adler deftly retells this joyous journey in information-packed prose, while John O'Brien masterfully illustrates our complex and beautiful new nation in his signature style. Included in the meticulously detailed artwork are period-accurate maritime signal flags for kids to decode and buildings like Federal Hall in New York City that still stand today. Back matter includes a time line, source notes, and a bibliography.
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School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 3--Adler chronicles the journey of George Washington as he traveled from Mount Vernon, VA, to New York City for his inauguration as the first president of the United States. Washington's journey is depicted as a celebratory parade; as he traveled north, citizens rushed out of their homes to greet him. Quotes from Washington's diary and other sources are included in the text, but they do not further enrich the straightforward narrative. In one scene, Washington is pictured on a boat in New York Harbor. A parade of boats, engaging in a variety of festivities, surrounds him. He wrote in his diary: "The decorations of the ships, the roar of cannon...filled my mind with sensations." O'Brien's watercolor and ink illustrations showcase period details of architecture, transportation, and clothing. Background characters are predominantly white. A time line, source notes, and a bibliography are included. VERDICT This title does not provide enough detail for research purposes and lacks a strong emotional connection with Washington, which makes it hard to determine the audience. A secondary purchase for large collections seeking coverage of the early days of the United States and the Washington presidency.--John Scott, Friends School of Baltimore
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
O'Brien's ink and watercolor artwork glories in minute details and offers a hint of what contemporaries might have shared through carefully curated etched images . . . Listeners may cultivate their own assessment of Washington himself, but for now they will have lots of fun comparing the 2021 Inauguration with the country's first.—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Presidents
Washington, George
Inaugurations
Inauguration
