Alexander Hamilton: The Outsider by Jean Fritz. Illustrations by Ian Schoenherr. G.P. Putnam's Sons (an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2011. Children's chapter book, grades 5-8.You know the saying that you can learn anything in a children's book? With the recent success of the Hamilton musical on Broadway, I searched for a quick way to learn more about his story. This book fit the bill perfectly. Jean Fritz was legendary for her careful research and readable biographies. Fritz's text describes the complex man, his loyalty to his adopted country, and readers will come away thinking of him as a man of both honor and brilliance. Foibles and faults are presented, but not glossed over.
In the back are author's notes, a bibliography, and an index. Illustrations are large, sometimes double-page spreads between chapters, and smaller ones in the text. All are black and white illustrations. A timeline would have been helpful, but the narrative is so clear that readers will be certain they are in the hands of a master storyteller who has done her research well.
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