Most Wanted: The Revolutionary Partnership of John Hancock & Samuel Adams

by Sarah Jane Marsh, Edwin Fotheringham (Illustrator)

Overview

John Hancock and Samuel Adams were an unlikely pair of troublemakers. Hancock was young and dashing. Adams was old and stodgy. But working together, they rallied the people of Boston against the unfair policies of Great Britain and inspired American resistance. And to King George, they became a royal pain.


When the British army began marching toward Lexington and Concord, sending Hancock and Adams fleeing into the woods, the two men couldn't help but worry—this time, had they gone too far?


Rich with historical detail and primary sources, this spirited tale takes readers through ten years of taxes and tea-tossing, tyranny and town hall meetings. The team behind Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word reunites for a lively look at the origins of the American Revolution told through the powerful partnership of two legendary founders.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781368026833
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	03/24/2020
Pages:	80
Product dimensions:	8.38(w) x 10.88(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	850L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 10 Years

About the Author

Sarah Jane Marsh is the author of Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. Sarah has taught American Revolution history in elementary and middle school . . . and is still learning. She loves to visit historical sites and museums around Boston and beyond. Sarah lives with her family outside of Seattle. Learn more at www.sarahjanemarsh.com.



Edwin Fotheringham grew up in Sydney, Australia, and attended the University of Washington School of Art in Seattle, where he currently lives. He began his career as an illustrator working on a variety of projects, from CD covers to Neiman Marcus print ads. Other clients include The New Yorker and The Wall Street Journal. Edwin has also illustrated a number of children's books, including Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word by Sarah Jane Marsh, Tony Baloney by Pam Muñoz Ryan, and What to Do About Alice? by Barbara Kerley, which received the Robert F. Sibert Honor. See more of his work online at edfotheringham.com.

Editorial Reviews

01/06/2020

Marsh and Fotheringham (Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word) pair up again for an engaging and thoroughly researched glimpse into key figures from the Revolutionary War era. Opening spreads alliteratively point out distinctions between two famous Bostonians: affluent businessman John Hancock (“He loved parties and peach trees! He loved praise and personal attention!”) and the less wealthy, more political Samuel Adams (“He strode around town talking politics with silversmiths and sailors, wigmakers and whalers”). The narrative’s playful, direct style and Fotheringham’s trademark cartoon illustrations—in which facial expressions rule and oversize quill pens take on a life of their own—detail the duo’s unlikely partnership and their rebellious acts, which made them wanted men to the English. Marsh appends the story with more historical details, as well as a mea culpa: “The origin story of the U.S. is complex and contradictory. And it is not all to be celebrated,” she writes. Noting that her traditional account leaves out stories of the marginalized, including enslaved people, Native Americans, and women, she invites readers to question her perspective and “engage critically with the text.” A timeline, extensive source notes, and a bibliography wrap up a tale that, while admittedly limited in scope, shows that the study of history can be anything but boring. Ages 6–10. Author’s agent: Caryn Wiseman, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Pat Hackett, Pat Hackett Artist Representative. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

* "A lively, insightful look at the origins of the American Revolution."— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Engaging and thoroughly researched. . . . [This tale] shows that the study of history can be anything but boring."— Publishers Weekly

PRAISE FOR THOMAS PAINE AND THE DANGEROUS WORD

2019 NCSS/CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
2019 NCTE Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts

PRAISE FOR THOMAS PAINE AND THE DANGEROUS WORD

* "Marsh does a fine job of mixing the personal and public elements of Paine's life; he comes across as not just a historical figure, but a fully realized fellow, with hopes and dreams, enthusiasms and disappointments. . . . Her lively text is complemented by Fotheringham's artwork, . . . which sets the mood on every page."— Booklist (starred review)

PRAISE FOR THOMAS PAINE AND THE DANGEROUS WORD

"The power of the pen resonates both in the narrative and in illustrations depicting Paine brandishing a quill pen that grows in size as his words capture the imagination of the colonists. Making the point that words matter, Fotheringham flings hand-lettered words, phrases, and written documents across the pages marking a turning point in Paine's life. This stirring biography moves along briskly . . . but Marsh's clear prose style and short, declarative sentences allow readers to follow events easily—and even to slow down and think about them."— Horn Book

From the Publisher

02/01/2020

Gr 3–5—John Hancock and Samuel Adams were a dubious duo that helped set in motion the events that led to the American Revolution. The two men were opposites in many ways but became united in their fight against British tyranny. Marsh covers the pair's incendiary tactics over the span of 10 years, beginning with their response to Britain's oppressive stamp tax and ending with their escape to the Continental Congress, flanked by militiamen and marching bands. The ample back matter includes an author's note, a time line, a bibliography, and source notes (for chosen quotations only). Fotheringham's wonderful illustrations are elegantly sketched cartoons that play with size. One would hardly even need to read the text to understand what is going on, as pivotal moments in the patriots' lives are showcased clearly. In one scene, Hancock speaks of how he won't "be a slave." Fotheringham depicts the hypocrisy of this statement in an illustration that depicts a slave's derision while serving Hancock. Marsh's account of events is historically accurate, but this book may not be appropriate for school reports due to its picture book format and sources for quotes only. While this book shines a light on the partnership of Adams and Hancock, it's a hard sell to patrons who are looking for either a story or more substantial content. VERDICT A secondary purchase. Only for readers looking to know more about the partnership of Hancock and Adams.—Kerri Williams, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

School Library Journal

★ 2019-11-24
The story of the partnership and unlikely friendship between Samuel Adams and John Hancock.

In a punchy prose style and with rich historical detail, Marsh emphasizes the differences between the rabble-rousers. Wealthy Hancock, owner of ships and warehouses, "lived in a mansion with fifty-four windows high above Boston." He was most interested in parties, fine wine, and looking his best in the latest fashions while being pulled around town in his golden carriage. Adams owned little, went about shabbily dressed, and was outspoken about politics. The Stamp Act prompted Hancock's political awakening. Seeing an opportunity to recruit Boston's wealthiest and most visible citizen to the cause of liberty, Adams invited Hancock to join in a peaceful boycott of British goods, the beginning of their powerful partnership. Fotheringham's distinctive art depicts Adams as serious and surly and Hancock as dashing and arrogant. Most characters are white. A notable double-page spread depicts Hancock's enslaved black house servant responding with an expression of disgust at the irony of Hancock's words: "I will not be a slave. I have a right to the liberties and privileges of the English constitution." In her author's note, Marsh notes that Hancock owned enslaved people and that the phrase "all men are created equal" excluded equality for women and nonwhite people.

A lively, insightful look at the origins of the American Revolution. (timeline, bibliography, source notes) (Informational picture book. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews