Customer Reviews:
 Finally, a book worthy of this true story! June 9, 2008
This true story is a natural for a kids' book. During the War of 1812, when the British Navy was raiding the American coast, Abigail and Rebecca, the daughters of the keeper of Scituate Light in Massachusetts, successfully scared off a British warship by playing "Yankee Doodle" on fife and drum, making the British think the Home Guard was on its way. Krensky, who has written many fine children's books, does a great job with the text, using the sisters' own later account of the event as the source of their dialogue. Schuett is an excellent illustrator (I particularly like her Spring Thaw and Come and See), and the art is engaging, dramatic and pleasing to the eye. (My only quarrel is with the slightly too cartoony depiction of the British sailors.) A far cry from the run-of-the-mill illustrations you get in children's historical nonfiction. The story has been done before as a children's book, but this book is far and away the best version. If you want the perfect audio accompaniment to the book for your class or at-home use, get the CD "Airs from who knows where" by the Gloucester Hornpipe & Clog Society: on it Diane Taraz sings the terrific, catchy song she co-wrote, "An American Army of Two," which tells the same story. We play it every Fourth of July.
|
