Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Abigail Adams: First Lady of the American Revolution
Illustrator: Debra Bandelin , Bob Dacey
Nonfiction Series
For ages 6 to 8
Simon and Schuster, 2006 ISBN: 978-0689870323
Abigail was not typical of her times. Unlike most girls in the 1700's Abigail was educated. Many people felt that girls only needed to know how to take care of a household, by Abigail's father believed in educating his daughters and Abigail was a prolific reader.
When she was a young woman she met a young lawyer, John Adams, with whom she had a great deal in common. They became the best of friends and grew to love one another and in 1764 Abigail Smith married John Adams. In the beginning their marriage was a quite traditional. Abigail took care of the family home while John went to work in the Boston law courts. She kept up her reading and wrote many letters. She and John soon began discussing all the things that were happening in their country. There was much discontent and the American colonists were not happy with the way in which they were being ruled by King George.
John, being a lawyer, was personally affected by new taxes that the king had imposed on the Americans and they infuriated him. John began to meet with other men such as Benjamin Franklin to discuss what should be done and later John became a part if what was called the Continental Congress. Though it meant that John would be away from home a great deal, Abigail supported her husband?s work. Abigail took over the running of the farm and wrote frequently to her husband. In her letters Abigail would give him her news but she would also make suggestions about what she felt was important for the new country that they all hoped in build in America. Indeed her letters greatly influenced John and they gave him valuable information about the American people and what they wanted for the future.
In this well written biography young readers will discover how Abigail Adams had a very big impact on the history of the United States. They will discover that Abigail had to make many large sacrifices for her country, sacrifices which would carry her far from home and which would separate her from the people whom she loved. Well researched and written in an easy-to-follow style, this book is one of the titles in the ?Stories of Famous Americans? series.
