Washington's Crossing (Pivotal Moments in American History)

Book Description

Six months after the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution was all but lost. A powerful British force had routed the Americans at New York, occupied three colonies, and advanced within sight of Philadelphia. Yet, as David Hackett Fischer recounts in this riveting history, George Washington--and many other Americans--refused to let the Revolution die. On Christmas night, as a howling nor'easter struck the Delaware Valley, he led his men across the river and attacked the exhausted Hessian garrison at Trenton, killing or capturing nearly a thousand men. A second battle of Trenton followed within days. The Americans held off a counterattack by Lord Cornwallis's best troops, then were almost trapped by the British force. Under cover of night, Washington's men stole behind the enemy and struck them again, defeating a brigade at Princeton. The British were badly shaken. In twelve weeks of winter fighting, their army suffered severe damage, their hold on New Jersey was broken, and their strategy was ruined. Fischer's richly textured narrative reveals the crucial role of contingency in these events. We see how the campaign unfolded in a sequence of difficult choices by many actors, from generals to civilians, on both sides. While British and German forces remained rigid and hierarchical, Americans evolved an open and flexible system that was fundamental to their success. The startling success of Washington and his compatriots not only saved the faltering American Revolution, but helped to give it new meaning.

Customer Reviews:

Where is a ghost writer when you need one?.......2007-08-21

I believe it was easier to cross the Delaware in winter than to get through this book. I just read 1776 by David McCullough, loved it, and was interested in reading more. Fischer is one of the dullest writers I've read. It is painfully obvious that being a successful academic and a successful writer are not necessarily connected.

Top-Notch history from a Top-Notch historian.......2007-06-24

This is probably about as well organized and detailed as any book on a single historical event can get. That it does so without loosing pace or drying out is commendable. While the title may lead one to believe that this book is only about the famous "midnight" crossing, the actual event serves as the centerpiece for the story with the painting by Emanuel Leutze as its starting point. In fact, "Washington's Crossing" deals as much with the events leading up to and afterwards as it does the actual crossing. It is also about more then just the famous crossing with which we are all familiar. Several other Delaware River crossings are detailed including the initial retreat from the ensuing British, the return from the battle of Trenton, and the advance back into New Jersey shortly thereafter. The book is also a detailed biography of George Washington's years just before and into the fist several months of the American Revolution. Appropriately enough this book is also, at times, about the Delaware River itself.

Davis Hackett Fischer deserves five stars on his writing style alone. This book flows like a well written story, which is appropriate in that history is human drama. The book starts with a description and history of the famous painting of Washington crossing the Delaware and then discusses the recent arguments over the painting's accuracy. It seems to have become the fashion lately to debunk this painting over various, some rather trivial details, such as time of day, type of boats used, and even how chunks of ice depicted in the painting, Fischer staunchly defends the painting based on what and who it represents, and most importantly the spirit that is represented. One appreciates Fisher's references throughout this book that American history is not something that needs an apology.

The first three chapters provide a thorough background on all of the major players, the American rebels, the British regulars, and the Hessian mercenaries. Fischer maintains a sense of objectivity in his accounts. Although the acts of rape, pillage, and violence towards the colonies are not ignored, The British and the Hessians are not merely described as the villains of the story just as the Colonials are not by default "good guys." This book is sympathetic to the American cause, but that does not prevent it from describing the people and nations as what they were. One example is General Cornwallis, who is frequently described the pompous and arrogant buffoon who lost the colonies. Fischer however devotes a fair amount of time to Cornwallis's standing in the British military and career as a whole. The depiction is that of an accomplished military career by all standards and that of a person with his own mind who was well respected by all ranks.

The rest of the book can be divided into three sections starting with the seemingly endless series of disasters that the continental army incurred after the British regulars arrived, including the fall of New York, the execution of Nathan Hale, and the loss of Fort Washington, probably the lowest point for George Washington during the entire revolution. The second, as the book's chronology makes its way towards November and December of 1776, deals with the places and events leading up to and including the Battle of Trenton. There is some good history in this section, particularly the river raiding parties out of Pennsylvania that routinely harassed the British encampments along the Delaware River's banks in New Jersey and numerous contributions they made to the attack on Trenton. This section also details Alexander Hamilton's artillery division, one of the few bright spots for Washington's young army. The final section deals with events following the Battle of Trenton, including post celebration war cabinets trying to decide what to do next, the subsequent trip back across the Delaware, and the Battle of Princeton. Again, there are some great gems of history to be found here. Most notably is Fischer's detailing of the lesser known, but probably more important events unofficially known as the Second Battle of Trenton in which Washington's forces held their ground at Assunpink Creek and turned back Cornwallis's larger and superior forces.

Fischer closes the book with a refreshing and necessary summary and conclusion. While the main body of the book completes in fewer than 400 pages, they are dense with information, which leave one feeling that they have actually completed a much longer book. Additionally, there are numerous appendices detailing all sorts of interesting facts and statistics and a section devoted to the Historiography of Washington's Crossing. This is a formidable book, but it is also a top-notch one that should delight fans of History, the American Revolution, and certainly of George Washington. Newcomers to history should probably work their way through a couple of easier books before tacking this one, but they should still consider putting this one on their shelves for future reading.

What can I say that hasn't been said.......2007-06-03

As an avid early American Historian, I place this book in my top three. This is must reading. The facts are told as they were, through the primary characters and you are there during the end of the mini ice age crossing the Delaware. Like MJ's last shot against Utah, if it didn't really happen, we would all just chalk it up to a Hollywood fairytale.

I read McCullough's 1776 after this and there is no comparison.

This book is so vivid and palpable that I felt obligated to go follow the trail of those early warriors. Amazing!

My other two favorites are Chernow's Hamilton and Gotham.

Excellent work .......2007-05-30

Fischer's Washington's Crossing is detailed account of the New Jersey campaign of 1776-1777, specifically focusing on the battles of Trenton and Princetion. Fischer does a great job of showing the differences between the leadership of Washington and Cornwallis and the effects that the battles of Trenton and Princeton had on the soldiers from both sides. While the book does get bogged down in too much detail in some points and not enough in others, this is a great book.

Excellent.......2007-03-20

This is a wonderful book. Now I want to read all of Mr. Fischer's work.

The Winter of Red Snow: The Revolutionary War Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1777 (Dear America)

Average customer rating:

4th-6th Teacher recommendation
This got my daughter hooked on history
I really like it, It kept me reading.
The winter
The Winter of Red Snow

The Winter of Red Snow: The Revolutionary War Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1777 (Dear America)
Kristiana Gregory
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0590226533

Customer Reviews:

4th-6th Teacher recommendation.......2007-07-27

This year I will be teaching American history to my students. It is important to "connect" as many subjects as possible. This book provides a link between the Civil War, history, and literature. Not only does it link the subjects, it is interesting as well. The author gives a child's look into the War for Independence that is genuine and easily read. Most diary type books are choppy; this one flows well from one entry to the next. I highly recommend it to anyone trying to teach children about the Civil War.

This got my daughter hooked on history.......2007-07-05

My daugher discovered this book in 4th grade and was so thrilled to get her own copy. Nearly three years later, it's still her go-to fiction when she doesn't know what else to read, and she says she always gets something new from it. It's tough to recommend something I've never read myself, but my daughter is a pretty discerning reader, so I trust her judgement on this one.

I really like it, It kept me reading........2006-12-02

For me this book was one that I just couldn't put down, I was always reading it. I like this book becuase I learned more about what went on in Valley Forge then I ever did. The author Kristiana Gregory even put in words like thy and ye to make it sound more back then when you read. What happens to Abigail is so exciting that you want to keep reading and never stop. The Winter of Red Snow has a nice ending and goes on to the epilogue, to tell about what happens in the future. On the very end pages there are pictures of historical people and historical things that happen in the book. The book is 170 pages long counting the epilogue and the pictures. You read to page 147 to get to the very end before the Epilogue. I really predict this book to anyone who likes to read their brother or sisters journal, or someone who likes to hear about history mixed with adventure. If you read it make sure to pass it on to someone else, I am sure they will like it too.

The winter.......2006-06-19

This historical fiction book is about a young girl named Abigail Jane Stuart. She lives in Valley Forge in 1777 and has come to find that some solders come and stay not far from her home. The main characters are Mr. Stuart, Mrs. Stuart, Elizabeth, Sally, and Abigail of course. Also she has a little brother that has just been born named Johnny and there not shore if he is going to survive the winter because winter is just around the corner. The solders are not making things better for them; one example is the solders are very hungry so they stole their chickens. Abigail also gets to meet general George Washington and his wife. I really enjoyed this book because it really explained things well and you really could feel how they felt and you could picture it. The only thing that was a little hard was that some names were hard to say. Also there kind of grammar was hard to say. If you really like historical fiction then buy this book today, I would.

The Winter of Red Snow.......2006-06-19

The Winter of Red Snow is about a girl named Abigail Jane Stewart who records her days by writing in a diary. On December 17, 1777 Abigail was writing and she wrote...
I woke to the sleet hitting the window and another sound I'd not heard before. Papa came and said, "The soldiers are coming!" Finally through the grey we saw them. Three officers on horseback led. We ran outside to cheer for them, but the men were quite and thin. The sight of them took my breath away. "They have no shoes." Elizabeth whispered. Their footprints left blood in the snow. As I wrote this upstairs my candle low, I think I shall never again complain.
I think that really say's allot. She writes about tragic movements sometimes. I think they called it the "Winter of Red Snow" because blood is red and as she said, in her writing there footprints left blood in the snow making it red snow. Abigail has many problems and troubles in this book, witch she tries to find solutions to them. She likes to write what's in her head, what she sees, but mostly what's going on. Read this book for many adventures with Abigail Jane Stewart.

Revolution in The Valley: The Insanely Great Story of How the Mac Was Made

Average customer rating:

It's ok.
Why not 5 stars?
A must read for any Mac enthusiast!
An Entertaining and Engaging History
A Must for Mac Fanatics

Revolution in The Valley: The Insanely Great Story of How the Mac Was Made
Andy Hertzfeld
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0596007191

Book Description

There was a time, not too long ago, when the typewriter and notebook ruled, and the computer as an everyday tool was simply a vision. Revolution in the Valley traces this vision back to its earliest roots: the hallways and backrooms of Apple, where the groundbreaking Macintosh computer was born. The book traces the development of the Macintosh, from its inception as an underground skunkworks project in 1979 to its triumphant introduction in 1984 and beyond. The stories in Revolution in the Valley come on extremely good authority. That's because author Andy Hertzfeld was a core member of the team that built the Macintosh system software, and a key creator of the Mac's radically new user interface software. One of the chosen few who worked with the mercurial Steve Jobs, you might call him the ultimate insider. When Revolution in the Valley begins, Hertzfeld is working on Apple's first attempt at a low-cost, consumer-oriented computer: the Apple II. He sees that Steve Jobs is luring some of the company's most brilliant innovators to work on a tiny research effort the Macintosh. Hertzfeld manages to make his way onto the Macintosh research team, and the rest is history. Through lavish illustrations, period photos (many never before published), and Hertzfeld's vivid first-hand accounts, Revolution in the Valley reveals what it was like to be there at the birth of the personal computer revolution. The story comes to life through the book's portrait of the talented and often eccentric characters who made up the Macintosh team. Now, over 20 years later, millions of people are benefiting from the technical achievements of this determined and brilliant group of people.

Customer Reviews:

It's ok........2007-08-24

It's a good book for collection, but I can't say it's a great book as other reviewers say. It's better to see the book before purchase it.

Why not 5 stars?.......2007-07-09

Surely, it is 5 star book as concerns the theme and the general story. It is very difficult to find a book in which the protagonists describe step by step the creation of the first macintosh. A must have book that every mac fan and generally computer lover must read. But, why not 5 stars? Beacause the story could be more narrative and more "magical"

A must read for any Mac enthusiast!.......2007-03-09

Mac lovers find out how the Apple Macintosh was born. A beautiful book with great photos and graphics, filled with juicy snippets of how it all came to be. It's a love story of sorts of a team of passionate young programmers led by the one and only Steve Jobs. I love thi book!

An Entertaining and Engaging History.......2006-12-07

"Revolution in The Valley" is an entertaining history of the Macintosh. Andy Hertzfeld has collected stories from and about the original Macintosh team (which he was a member of). Most of the stories are brief, and told in a friendly and engaging manner.

I've read many biographies of Apple. Most are written by people that were not involved in the events, and most also ignore to a great extent the machines and the engineers that created them, instead focusing on Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. There is some of both Steves in "Revolution in The Valley," but the focus of the book is the Macintosh and the people that directly gave it life, as told by these everyday heroes, the Mac's collective parents.

I have rarely been so drawn into a book. The first time I read it, I went through it much faster than I normally read, and I continue to pull it down from the shelf, and revisit the stories.

A Must for Mac Fanatics.......2006-06-28

The first thing that struck me about this book is that it's effectively written in hypertext - it's a series of vignettes about the development of the Mac from its beginnings as a tiny research project through launch and the eventual combination of the Mac and Lisa development teams. The non-linearity of the narrative can be a little distracting at times, but you get used to it.

Some of the vignettes are fairly technical - they might be more than the lay reader wants to get into, but each story is short (3-5 pages) so a non-technical reader can always skip ahead (or back, or sideways) to a less-technical narrative.

Hertzfeld doesn't gloss over conflict within the Mac team, but he also celebrates the fun times and shows why the Mac development team was a unique and very productive working environment. It's clearly one person's version of the story, but he never claims it's anything else.

All in all, I highly recommend this book for anyone who's interested in the Mac as a computer and Apple as a company.

Into the Valley: The Settlers (Westerward America!)

Average customer rating:

Waste of time
Dumbed-down writing
No surprise
powerful trek to 1780 in the Ohio Valley

Into the Valley: The Settlers (Westerward America!)
Rosanne Bittner
Manufacturer: Forge Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0765340232
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Book Description

Into the Valley is the moving story of one woman torn between two brothers who have drastically different visions of the future of their country. In 1780, during the turbulent days of the American Revolution, Annie Barnes is engaged to stable, loving Luke Wilde, an Ohio Valley farmer who is satisfied with his life and not at all sure that it's right or advisable to fight the British crown. But because of a life-changing experience in her childhood, Annie also has strong feelings for his brother, Jeremiah Wilde, a wanderer who becomes deeply involved in the patriot cause and ends up bringing the war a little too close to Annie and Luke's settled life. As the brothers become dangerously embroiled in the fighting, Annie's relationships with both of them are twisted, tried, and tangled beyond recognition. As Luke and Jeremiah face unimaginable dangers, Annie must confront her feelings about the future-both of the land she adores and the brothers she can't live without.The second novel in Bittner's ambitious Westward America series,chronicling the history of the settling of America through the stories of its brave pioneers, Into the Valley is a story of war's unexpected effects on the lives of ordinary citizens, and of the courage of the early patriots showed in gaining America's independence.

Customer Reviews:

Waste of time.......2006-08-04

I find it hard to believe that this is the same author who wrote _Song of the Wolf_. I'm starting to believe that she must have been truly inspired for that book because none of her other books come close to measuring up.

I completely agree with a previous reviewer--the writing is dumbed down. I was bored, bored, bored. Not even the dialogue felt authentic. None of the characters seemed real and I never felt invested in the plot or the time period.

If you're looking to read a Bittner novel, don't waste your time on this one--get a copy of _Song of the Wolf_!

Dumbed-down writing.......2003-12-05

For years I was a staunch fan of Bittner's books, but moved on to other authors when some of her later books lost their appeal. I just recently returned to this author with "Into the Valley" and found even greater disappointment. Bittner has so dumbed down her writing that there is no depth to the characters, let alone the plot. I find this a common style amongst many romance writers - the writing seems to be geared to no more than a 6th grade level. I cringe to think that the book editors and publishers are advising authors along this line of thinking, but I fear it is so. The result is that I couldn't find any emotional attachment to the characters. And the "living history" that was supposedly conveyed was a very narrow window. The sad thing is that Bittner had a potentially interesting plot revolving around the love triangle of Luke, Jeremiah, and Annie. Fleshed out, this could have made for interesting writing, but noooooooooo, sadly, that didn't happen. Some parts were almost funny - the "coupling" scenes were similar to two dolls that some omniscient hand places face to face, they couple, they roll apart. The whole book made me feel like Bittner couldn't decide whether to write a romance or an historical novel, found she had time for neither, so churned out this weak no-brainer. It's time she retires; her heart is no longer in it.

No surprise.......2003-07-03

I loved this book ( no surprise). Rosanne never disappoints. The only thing about this book that could have been different was there could have been more with Jesse, Noah and the boys as they were growing up. Can't wait for the next book.

powerful trek to 1780 in the Ohio Valley.......2003-03-27

In 1780, the American Colonies close to the ocean are embroiled in hostilities with the English military. Further inland in places along the Ohio River, the locals barely feel the war. Most residents are neutrally ambivalent or lean towards loyalty to the crown with few freedom fighters. In Willow Creek, like most of the Ohio Valley settlements, the Revolution takes a back stage to farming and family. Luke Wilde works the land whether he is an English subject or an American citizen. However, his brother Jeremiah has wandered the wilderness and thus has a wider perspective so he desires freedom at any cost.

After being away for three years, Jeremiah returns to Willow Creek on the eve of his sibling's marriage to Annie Barnes. Jeremiah loves Annie, but knows she is better off with his brother, which is why he left in the first place. His arrival brings the British army to previously peaceful Willow Creek forcing the two brothers to join in arms against the oppressor while Annie remains wild about both men.

THE SETTLERS is an exciting historical tale that looks closely at a segment of American Revolutionary War society often ignored by textbooks. The vivid story line brings to the forefront the varying feelings including internal conflict towards the war and the crown. This leads to deep characterizations, at least on the colonial side. The English come across as caricatures because they appear as abusive brutes rather than concerned individual with some doubts about fighting their Anglo brothers. Fans of strong Americana novels will appreciate Roseanne Bittner's powerful trek to 1780 in the Ohio Valley.

Harriet Klausner

Silver for General Washington ;: A story of Valley Forge
Average customer rating:

Amazing Book About American Revolution

Silver for General Washington ;: A story of Valley Forge
Enid LaMonte Meadowcroft
Manufacturer: Scholastic Book Services
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: B0007I3GPG

Customer Reviews:

Amazing Book About American Revolution.......2002-03-27

I really liked the book Silver For General Washington because it is really interesting book and it talk about how the American Army had to survive in the winter without food, clothes, money, and something to get warm.
I recommend this book to you because it gets you hooked and you would not to let go of the book. This book teaches a lot of history and also teaches you about teamwork and how to survive in tough conditions. If you read this book, you can get good grades in history.It is also an interesting book because talks about war without getting involved in a war at all. Of course it is talking about the American revolutionary war but it is telling everything that is going on at the camp. The book i s about a boy named Gilbert Emmett who was sent to Valley Forge because his dad went to help at the revolutionary war and there was not somebody at home to take good care of his sister and him. At Valley Forge Gilbert helped the Americans who did not have food, he gave some of his food to the Americans and in the end he found that General Washington needed money and he remembered that his dad had really expensive things buried in the house, then he decided to go to Philadelphia, where he used to live. When he had the money he gave the money to the General and that is why the book is called Silver For General Washington.
This book should be read by everybody even if you are not an American.
There are many values you can find along the author's words such as friendship, patriotism, generosity, equality. And America as a country was created on those values and it is wronderful to realize they are still part of the country and literature.

Average customer rating:

Great reference and point of departure

The North Carolina Continentals
Hugh F. Rankin
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0807856622
Release Date: 2006-02-23

Book Description

In this classic account of the Revolutionary War experiences of the North Carolina Continentals, Hugh F. Rankin traces the events leading to war in North Carolina and follows all the campaigns and battles in which the North Carolina Continentals took part--Brandywine, Germantown, Charleston, Savannah, Camden, Eutaw Springs, and others. He also provides descriptions of almost all of the significant personalities in the Continental Army. Originally published in 1971, this new edition contains a foreword by Lawrence Babits, introducing the book to a new generation of scholars and general readers interested in the Revolutionary War.

Customer Reviews:

Great reference and point of departure.......2006-09-25

This is a great history of NC & the Revolutionary War, not just the NC Continentasls as the tilte implies. Its valuable for researchers of the era in NC, as Rankin's work is based solidly in the archives. It should be noted however that this is a MILITARY study almost exclusively, and has very little to say about the social aspects of the war in NC.

When Valleys Turned Blood Red: The Ta-pa-ni Incident in Colonial Taiwan

Average customer rating:

When Valleys Turned Blood Red: The Ta-pa-ni Incident in Colonial Taiwan
Paul R. Katz
Manufacturer: University of Hawaii Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0824829158

Book Description

When Valleys Turned Blood Red tells the story of colonial policies and their tragic impact on local communities. Of the numerous acts of armed and unarmed resistance that occurred in colonial Taiwan, one uprising in particular underscored the successes and failures of fifty years of Japanese rule (1895-1945): the insurgency that swept through the rural southern town of Ta-pa-ni and its environs during the summer of 1915. The Ta-pa-ni Incident was the largest single act of Han Chinese armed resistance during the fifty years of Taiwan's colonial era. More than a thousand villagers and Japanese were killed during the fierce fighting and thousands more were later arrested and made to stand trial. Many Taiwanese were subsequently executed or died during long years of imprisonment.

Based on detailed archival research, interviews with survivors, painstaking demographic analysis, and a thorough reading of secondary scholarship in all of the relevant languages,! Paul Katz examines the significance of the Ta-pa-ni Incident by focusing on what Paul Cohen terms history's "three keys": event, experience, and myth. Katz provides a vivid description of events surrounding the uprising as well as the ways in which it has been mythologized over time. His primary emphasis, however, is on the experiences of the men and women who were caught up in the flow of history. As a result, the book's analytical framework centers on the individual and family backgrounds of participants and the socioeconomic and religious factors underlying their decision to join the uprising. In addition, Katz explores the impact of the Ta-pa-ni Incident on subsequent Japanese colonial policy.

This meticulously researched and illuminating study makes available for the first time in English the social history of one of the most important events in Taiwan's colonial history. When Valleys Turned Blood Red is an invaluable resource for scholars of colonialism, peasant rebellion, and East Asian history and society.

Valley Forge (Cornerstones of Freedom. Second Series)
Average customer rating:

The American Army is transformed one winter at Valley Forge

Valley Forge (Cornerstones of Freedom. Second Series)
R. Conrad Stein
Manufacturer: Children's Press (CT)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Military & Wars | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0516066838

Customer Reviews:

The American Army is transformed one winter at Valley Forge.......2002-02-08

The "Cornerstones of Freedom" series does an excellent job of providing in depth information about historical events for students in upper elementary or junior high school. "Valley Forge" starts with the American Army avoiding barely avoiding being annihilated at the Battle of Brandywine. In the brutal winter of 1777 the colonial army limped into Valley Forge a disorganized and low on supplies and morale. The two things R. Conrad Stein's book focuses on are the severe conditions the troops faced and how they were transformed into a more professional fighting force. Students will learn about not only the leadership shown by commanding general George Washington, but also the efforts by Nathanael Greene to provide better equipment and Baron Friedrich von Steuben to drill the troops in marching and shooting. The improvement was seen the following year at the Battle of Monmouth. This book is filled with paintings and etchings from the 18th and 19th centuries along with contemporary photographs of the National Park. One of the strengths of this book is that Stein often uses quotations from the ordinary soldiers and military leaders of the American army to flesh out the narrative. I found these quite effective in giving young readers a better sense of what things were like at Valley Forge.

Average customer rating:

The 2007 Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner for Younger Readers
Beautiful illustrations and fine text
Hanukkah at Valley Forge

Hanukkah at Valley Forge
Stephen Krensky
Manufacturer: Dutton Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Across the Alley

ASIN: 0525477381

Book Description

A soldier tells George Washington the miraculous story of how a ragtag army of Jewish soldiers defeated a much larger force of powerful Greeks, a tale that provides just the kind of inspiration the General needs. “Quietly beautiful watercolor illustrations draw a visual distinction between the frigid blue Pennsylvania night and the golden light of ancient Israel, which is further reflected in the warm glow of the Hanukkah candles.” —School Library Journal

Customer Reviews:

The 2007 Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner for Younger Readers.......2007-01-28

When General George Washington encounters a Jewish soldier lighting the Hanukkah candles, he learns about the Maccabee's fight for freedom and how it relates to his own fight for liberty during the Revolutionary War. The dark, somber illustrations in blue tones depict the cold, bitter conditions at Valley Forge. The explanation of the Hanukkah story is effectively differentiated from the rest of the narrative using a yellow background. The author's note explains the origins of this historical anecdote and its sources. This is a beautiful and accessible way to remind readers of the Jewish presence and involvement in early American history and about the commonalities between Jewish and American beliefs and values.

Beautiful illustrations and fine text.......2007-01-19

My colleagues and I absolutely loved this book. I teach 4th grade religious school at my temple, and I read this book to my class at Hanukkah. It was well received. They loved the illustrations and it provoked discussion about Jewish and American history. I donated the book to the Hebrew School library because I wanted as many people to share it as possible.

Hanukkah at Valley Forge.......2006-10-13

Based on some historical evidence, this inspiring story relates how, in the middle of winter at Valley Forge, General George Washington meets a Jewish soldier; an immigrant from Poland who is celebrating the first night of Hanukkah. As the soldier retells the Hanukkah story to the general, Washington's faith is renewed, and he begins to believe in the possibility that his ragtag army can also win against a larger foe. He says to the soldier, "We too have a cruel enemy who leaves us only with the choice of brave resistance or abject submission." Greg Harlin's beautiful watercolor illustrations bring this poignant tale to life. Children will be proud to know that a chance encounter with a Jewish soldier may have given General Washington the courage to continue the battle for independence of the United States. For ages 7 - 10. Reviewed by Diane Rauchwerger

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Little Maid of Mohawk Valley
Alice Turner Curtis , and Alice Turner Curtis
Manufacturer: Applewood Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1557093377

Book Description

In May 1777, little Joanne Clarke and her friend Nancy Wagner are taken captive by a Native American, an ally of the British army. They are left in the woods where they find the Indian's pouch containing a letter with valuable information to the American Army at Albany.

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