WASHINGTON AT VALLEY FORGE

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Freedman, Russell. 2008. Washington at Valley Forge. Singapore: Holiday House. ISBN 0823420698

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In Washington at Valley Forge, Russell Freedman shows the reader all about the hardships and sacrifices made during one winter of the American Revolution. George Washington is in charge of the American troops, but Philadelphia has been taken and the army needs someplace to stay for the winter, so the bunker down at Valley Forge where they quickly run out of supplies. This biography reflects the courage and persistence of the men at Valley Forge and how they flourished under General George Washington’s leadership, and eventually won the war for freedom.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Russell Freedman’s writing style turns an historical character into someone that all readers can relate to. Through Freedman’s extensive research, readers are able to read diary excerpts from men in the war and how they felt about George Washington’s character. We are able to see the human side of Washington: he was a little insecure in his abilities at first, determined to make his army the best it could be under harsh circumstances, and that he even and a soft side: “at times his eyes filled with tears” when discussing the poor living conditions of his troops. Although the book starts slowly, then jumps back in time for a brief history lesson on the war, it quickly gets into the main topic of life at Valley Forge. Readers wanting to go back to reference a certain quote or topic are able to do so by going through the indexes, as well as the table of contents.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "In a gripping, gritty account of the months that General Washington and his troops spent camped at Valley Forge, Freedman deftly brings to life this storied, nearly mythic period of the Revolutionary War."
Starred review in BOOKLIST: “Lacing facts and history into a winning, if not always tremendously exciting, narrative, this solid book will dispel any fogginess children may have about why that winter in Valley Forge was such a pivotal time in our country’s founding.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Read this book while studying the American Revolution

Have students create a play based on the events that took place at Valley Forge

Other historical biographies by Russell Freedman:

Freedman, Russell. Lincoln: A Photobiography. ISBN 0395518482
Freedman, Russell. Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery. ISBN 0395845203
Freedman, Russell. The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane. ISBN 082341082X