Lafayette And The American Revolution

Lafayette and the American Revolution

From School Library JournalGr 5-8-This study of the marquis de Lafayette, emphasizing his service in the Revolutionary War, is a gorgeously illustrated, beautifully laid out production in an oversized format. Each spread contains at least one painting, drawing, or photograph, often in color. Freedman is a skillful, compelling writer and includes many interesting details and quotations. Unfortunately, there are no maps; one of battle sites and other significant places would be extremely helpful. Freedman includes a detailed bibliography, but his footnotes are not always consistently referenced, most likely due to different sources consulted. Still, the book as a whole is excellent, and there is little available on Lafayette for this age group. Jean Fritz's Why Not, Lafayette? (Putnam, 1999) is an enjoyable biography that more thoroughly covers the general's entire life; however, it has line drawings, no footnotes or maps, and leaves unanswered questions.Ann W. Moore, Schenectady County Public Library, NY