The Man Who Loved Books...And Libraries

Despite the passing of decades, the immense feeling of wonder when first entering the Library of Congress still remains vivid in my memory.  The collections of gathered words and illustrations surround you in a quiet embrace of reverence.  On April 24th of this year, the Library of Congress will have been in existence for two hundred fourteen years.

Originally kept in the Capitol in Washington, D. C. as a small library of resources for the legislators, its contents were burned in 1814 when British troops set fire to the building.  A man with a known passion for books and reading offered his extensive library as a replacement.  In January of 1815 Congress allowed compensation in the sum of $23,950 for his 6,487 books *.  This man was Thomas Jefferson.  Author Barb Rosenstock and illustrator John O'Brien chronicle the growth of this affection for the printed word in Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library (Calkins Creek, an imprint of Highlights, September 2013).


Thomas Jefferson learned to read.  And then, he never stopped.

It is said before he turned six and entered school, he read the entire contents of his father's library, all forty-nine books.  He did accomplish other requirements for a young man of his time; learning French and Latin, the proper way to dance, and playing the fiddle.  It was reading, when given the choice, which occupied hours of every day.  His method of organizing his book collections is intriguing to say the least.

Marriage, children, the building of Monticello and the writing of the Declaration of Independence did not deter this man from the importance of reading. With his encouragement his family acquired a taste for books, too. For the remainder of his life, he carried a paper with words written by him and his wife, Martha, from their favorite book wrapped in a lock of her hair.

After the untimely death of Martha, Thomas Jefferson traveled to France to act as an ambassador seeking assistance.  The libraries and booksellers feed his soul's need to not only read but further develop his personal library.

Tom bought two thousand books in five years, more than a book a day.

During his two terms as president, he tripled the number of volumes in the library at the Capitol.  Even after his retirement back at Monticello his love of books, reading and writing continued.  A special book stand in his library revolved allowing him to read five books at a time.  Like a true lover of books, he shared them with others as a loan or a gift and continued to purchase more.

Thomas Jefferson believed in the United States of America.  Thomas Jefferson believed in the power of books.  When the fire of 1814 destroyed the collection in Washington, D. C., Thomas Jefferson did the only thing he could do.


One of the truly appealing aspects of this book is the presentation of the information.  Barb Rosenstock has written two loosely connected narratives. As the first documents the life of Thomas Jefferson with reference to this love of reading, the second adds interesting, more detailed information in the form of quotes and specific facts.  Each compliments and supplements the other in a harmonious flow.  Here is a single example.

He sailed, and he read.
He bounced in fancy carriages, and he read.
He bowed to the king, charmed the court,
helped his country, and he read.

"Books were at all times his
chosen companions."
---Ellen Wayles Randolph, granddaughter of Thomas Jefferson


Upon opening up the matching jacket and book case, readers (and those loving books as much as Thomas Jefferson) will be hard pressed not to smile at the scene of him shelving books among the block letters spelling the title, as four small children, a dog and cat are reading.  An exceedingly clever title page shows Thomas Jefferson on a scaffold building a library out of books with his quotation,

"I cannot live without books."  ---Thomas Jefferson, 1815

embedded in an open book over the doorway.  Many of the added specifics appear in open books with smaller explanatory pictures on most of the other pages.  These books are tucked within the main illustration, sometimes even crossing the gutter.

The intricate lines used by John O'Brien make every single page one to savor.  His inclusion of the smallest elements add interest; small gravestones for the loss of Jefferson's children, a hand reaching in from the bottom of the page to support a quote, Napoleon serving Jefferson a shape resembling the size of the Louisiana Purchase on a plate or giving the library burning in 1814 the form of a large open book, bottom edges down, pages spread open.  The enthusiasm Jefferson brought to all his achievements is evident in facial expressions and body postures.  One of my favorite illustrations is on the final two pages.  The head of Thomas Jefferson is shown close-up as he holds an open book in his hands.  On those pages of the open book is the library full of people reading.  On the right-hand side is a younger Jefferson handing books to a woman gathering them in an open apron.


The combination of writing by Barb Rosenstock and illustrations by John O'Brien in Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library makes this a first-class addition to those books about this prominent figure in American history.  I keep reading it over and over...it's that good.  You can't resist reading books which bring the past into the present.  With Presidents' Day less than two weeks away, I highly recommend the use of this title.

The final three pages include an extensive Author's Note, Thomas Jefferson, Slaveholder, Acknowledgements, Selected Bibliography and Source Notes* and more sources notes for all the quotations.  By following the link embedded in Barb Rosenstock's name you can gather further resources for this book (Educator's Guide) plus her other titles.  The link embedded in John O'Brien's name will give you access to his website.  Enjoy the book trailer.

 

*The Library of Congress-About the Library-History


I am excited to be participating in Alyson Beecher's 2014 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge hosted at her blog Kid Lit Frenzy.  Make sure you stop over there to see all the other nonfiction picture books showcased by other bloggers.

Know Him, Remember Him...Our Third President

The impression made by Gary Paulsen's powerful, historical fiction title, Nightjohn, has not diminished in more than twenty years since I first read it.   At the time I was equally intrigued by the dedication,

This book is dedicated to the memory of Sally Hemings, who was owned, raised and subsequently used by Thomas Jefferson without benefit of ever drawing a single free breath.

None of the history textbooks or historical fiction I had read up to this point had ever made any mention of Sally Hemings.  I turned to other works by Barbara Chase-Riboud, Sally Hemings:  A Novel and its sequel, The President's Daughter as well as a title penned by well-known historical fiction author, Ann Rinaldi, Wolf By The Ears.  Not for the first time or the last, I found myself thankful for the endeavors of authors and their historical fiction titles.

With a great deal of interest I looked forward to reading the newest picture book by Maira Kalman, Thomas Jefferson:  Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Everything (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group).  I was curious to see if she would mention Sally Hemings in this biographical piece on this multifaceted man.  As I have come to expect with books written and illustrated by the talented Maira Kalman, I was not disappointed.

Thomas Jefferson
had red hair and some freckles (about 20 I think),
he grew to be very tall
and oh yes, he was the third President 
of the United States.

We are matter-of-factly informed he was born in 1743.  When we are asked what interested Jefferson, we are told everything captured his attention.  To begin the man surrounded himself with books.  From those books he could discover anything about everything.  He could even say please in seven different languages.

(He was quite polite.)

As an architect he designed and built his magnificent home, Monticello; seventy-six windows filled the walls.  Flower and vegetable gardens spread across the estate.  Jefferson believed the largest portion of meals should be vegetable rather than meat.

Inside his beloved Monticello rooms featured gathered collections of artifacts.  His own bedroom was arranged so he could step into his study or step outside depending on which side of the bed he left.  Several hours were devoted every single day to perfecting his violin playing.

Significant people in his life, his wife, Martha, his daughter Patsy and the founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and George Washington are recognized.  His authorship of The Declaration of Independence, his tenure as third President of the United States, his acquisition of lands from the French and his part in the Lewis and Clark Expedition are duly noted.  These pages reveal the remarkable accomplishments of this exceptional man.  But...

While Jefferson said slavery should end, he owned about one hundred fifty slaves.  Walking along Mulberry Row one could see their living quarters, tiny rooms with little belongings inside them.  His slaves worked all day long making sure everything at Monticello was exactly as he desired.

This monumental man had monumental flaws.

As we continue reading Sally Hemings is introduced to readers; first by showing us her name on his farm book, then on the opposite page with a stunning portrait and a narrative explanation.

As he ages, Jefferson's practical nature emerges in his clothing and its repair, his desire to be outdoors riding his horse or walking and in carrying his favorite penknife (interesting to see this style was available).  Given his lifetime, his date of death, his gravestone and epitaph will cause readers to pause and wonder.  As suggested, I cannot imagine those who read this picture book biography not wanting to visit Monticello, experiencing the past, gaining further insights into this striking individual.


Even without reading the acknowledgements it's apparent Maira Kalman has spent considerable time gathering information in pursuit of her passion for this subject.   All the extra details give readers a clearer vision of Thomas Jefferson the man; items in his collections, the kinds of peas in his garden and advice given to his daughter.  We are privy to his numerous lasting accomplishments and his serious weaknesses. The writing technique of including personal asides among the factual narrative creates energy not unlike that possessed by  the man being discussed. Here is a single example.

He also loved
MUSIC.
He practiced his violin
three hours a day.
HOW
did he
have TIME
for THAT?


Rendered in gouache the vibrant illustrations throughout this title begin on the matching jacket and cover.  Jefferson's portrait with Monticello in the background on the front is pulsing with life. On the back a closer view of Monticello at night greets readers.  A portion of The Declaration of Independence covers the opening and closing endpapers in shades of green on green.  Jefferson on horseback is gazing upward toward Monticello on the title page.

Maira Kalman's color palette is bold, bright, colorful and full of spirit.  Her backgrounds shift from black to white to purple to red to blue providing frames for single-page illustrations or those crossing the gutter.  At times elements will appear as cut-outs, large and small on single or double-page spreads; a shoe, the list of peas, George Washington's teeth or the map of the United States depicting Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.

 Of many favorite illustrations, one is the two-page picture of Jefferson's vegetable garden.  The many hues of green accented with pinks, yellows and blues is uplifting.  A small gazebo structure with two chairs overlooks the rows of plantings.  Toward the bottom of the page a table holds baskets of recent pickings.  On the right side is a list of peas Jefferson planted enclosed in the shape of a seed packet.  In the background at the top of the page we see the rolling hills.


Thomas Jefferson:  Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Everything written and illustrated by Maira Kalman is an outstanding accounting of a complex person.  Words and pictures work seamlessly together to breathe life into this man's persona, those people closest to him and his home, Monticello.  With every reading my admiration for Maira Kalman and this book continues to grow. Thank you, Maira Kalman.

At the conclusion of the book twenty-one people, places and events are further defined on two pages.  Please follow the link embedded in Maira Kalman's name to her website.  I recommend you follow this link to the Monticello website.  It is loaded with resources.


I am excited to be participating in Alyson Beecher's 2014 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge hosted at her blog Kid Lit Frenzy.  Make sure you stop over there to see all the other nonfiction picture books showcased by other bloggers.