Awards/Selection
Lists:
- YALSA Award for Excellence in Non-fiction- Horn Book Award
- Beacon of Freedom Award
- New York Charlotte Award Master List
- Horn Book Magazine Fanfare List, Best
of 2010
- School Library Journal, Best Children’s
Books of 2010
Author's Website:
http://www.stevesheinkin.com/ArnoldBook.html
Brief Summary: The name "Benedict Arnold" has become synonymous, for more than 200 years, with school children, as a term for a cowardly, backstabbing traitor, even for those who know nothing about the man himself. Steve Sheinkin takes his personal passion for this story and turns our preconceptions on their ear. Benedict Arnold, the second child of his family to bear this name, was an impetuous war hero, brave and rash, who bucked authority and was seeking to restore his family's name and fortune, before he was ever a traitor. He fought duels, wrote love letters, was wounded in battle more than once, owned a mercantile, studied apothecary, went to private school, but also worked to support his parents and siblings. Who knows...if only one detail had been different during the course of his life, perhaps Benedict Arnold would have become synonymous with valor and courage, but therein lies the plot twist in this better-than-fiction tale of how a battle hero General goes from a physical representation of the ferocity and independence of a fledgling nation, to a worn and destitute man, despised by the country he betrayed.
Personal Reaction: I really enjoy Sheinkin's writing style. He makes non-fiction seem like an adventure novel because he has such passion for his subjects and is a superb story teller. He keeps the reader interested and turning the pages. This is what great non-fiction should all be like, entertaining and truthful.
I learned more about Benedict Arnold in 200 pages of this book than I did in 12+ years of school. I had no idea he was a war hero, or impetuously led himself and other men into battles, almost like a sport. I had no idea he had been wounded, not once, but twice in the battle for independence and I had no idea whether or not he had actually been captured after his treason. Sheinkin tells all this and more, giving us the reason for the betrayal, and pointing out that why it may have been wrong, it also could have been avoided.
Front/Back Matter: Title page, copyright page with dedication, table of contents, source notes, quotation notes, index.
Content Evaluation: One of the things I love about Steve Sheinkin's books is that he incorporates a lot of citations and first hand accounts, and more importantly, tells you where he got the information! So many other non-fiction writers completely skip over this part. Not only does he do this in text, but he provides a distinct quotations index by chapter and includes a detailed index, which allows for greater in-depth research and additional related reading on the subject. He even recommends books to start from. His enthusiasm is contagious and all the extra detail work shows, not only a great deal of research, but a great deal of thought and credibility. I can't wait to read more.
No comments:
Post a Comment