The Boy Who Carried the Flag

Gr 2—3—Ben lives with his sister and parents in the New Hampshire colony in the early days of the American Revolution. Their father joins the militia, and the family goes into hiding when the British soldiers come through. Shortly afterward, they travel to Philadelphia to stay with their Uncle Will, where they meet Betsy Ross and George Washington. The story culminates at the Battle of Trenton, with Ben playing a significant symbolic role. Pictures on each page help carry the narrative; the colors are appealing, but the scenes and characters look oddly static and flat. This book can be read alone, but is meant for two readers, with alternating partners. A red star at the beginning of a paragraph indicates a more experienced reader; paragraphs with a blue star are easier. More challenging words are bolded and deliberately repeated. Overall, the narrative is readable but the plot crams in too many historical characters and events. There is better historical fiction for kids who are in between easy readers and chapter books; a classic example is Patricia Lee Gauch's Aaron and the Green Mountain Boys (Boyds Mills, 2005). Buy this one where others in this series are popular.—Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL