Bibliography
Freedman, Russell. 2010. LAFAYETTE Holiday House. ISBN 978-0-8234-2182-4.
Plot Summary
LAFAYETTE AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION by Russell Freedman depicts the life of Gilbert de Lafayette, a French aristocrat who held the title of marquis and came to America to aid the colonists in their fight for freedom during the American Revolution. He served under General Washington and proved his bravery and dedication to such an extent that Washington looked upon him as the son he never had. Lafayette was instrumental in the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown ending the revolution, after which Lafayette then returned to France and continued to campaign not only for French political freedom, but also for liberty for all people.
Critical Analysis
Russell Freedman’s book is extensively researched. He has written several books dealing with the Revolutionary era in America and is well versed in his subject. One of the major criteria for biography is the ability to document the subjects own words. Therefore any quotes used in a biography should be accompanied by reliable, historically sound source documentation. Freedman’s source documentation adheres to these criteria. He depicts Lafayette ’s character through his own words and provides source notes on the quotation indicating the publication containing the quote. In addition, he provides a Selected Bibliography describing the main resources used and why they were selected.
Freedman’s book is structured and presented to the reader in a well-organized fashion. It presents a chronological history of Lafayette’s life starting from his early years in France, continuing with his participation in the American Revolution, and concluding with his final years back in France striving for liberty and freedom. The writing style is very readable and supported by engaging illustrations.
The book is organized so that reproductions of paintings or documents from the actual time period are found on the same page as the text to which they refer. These illustrations give the reader a visual reference to the information being chronicled. Each of the reproductions is of the highest quality and fits seamlessly with the surrounding text. Overall, the book is dynamic and thought-provoking. The author’s detailed knowledge and admiration of his subject makes the book more intriguing. Freedman presents the life of an interesting, charismatic figure, a hero of the American Revolution and a champion of liberty for all people, to a young adult audience very successfully.
Review Excerpts and Awards
Christopher Award Winner 2011
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal 2011 Honor Book
BOOKLIST Starred review 2010: “In this solidly researched and smoothly written biography, Freedman creates a vivid portrait of Lafayette as he matures from an impetuous young man and inexperienced solider to a leader capable of wisdom as well as valor.”
THE BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS review 2010: “With its attractive, heavily illustrated layout, timeline, source notes, bibliography, and index, this invaluable addition to the collection of Revolutionary War material should serve report writers and engross middle-school fans of military history.”
Connections
· Other books by Russell Freedman that also deal with the American Revolution include WASHINGTON AT VALLEY FORGE ISBN 0823420698 and GIVE ME LIBERTY! THE STORY OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ISBN 0823417530
· Have the class create their own modern “Declaration of the Rights of Man.”
· An Educator’s Guide for LAFAYETTE AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION and WASHINGTON AT VALLEY FORGE can be found at this URL http://holidayhouse.com/docs/Lafayette_ValleyForge_Ed_Guide.pdf. This guide offers educators activities, discussion topics and research information pertaining to both books.
· The Library of Congress offers a list of resources for teachers on the American Revolution at this URL http://www.loc.gov/teachers/additionalresources/relatedresources/ushist/chrono/revoluti.html#. Here teachers can find information on Lafayette, George Washington, Valley Forge and a multitude of other topics relation to the American Revolution.
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