This Christmas I received the book When Washington Crossed the Delaware by Lynne Cheney to read to my children (yes, it was on my Christmas list, because it is as much fun for me as it is for them). This book is aimed at children from ages 5 to 9. The author is probably best known as the wife of former Vice President Dick Cheney. She has a PhD in literature. The illustrator is Peter M. Fiore, an award-winning landscape painter. Examples of the artist’s beautiful work are here.
The story is well written. My six-year-old preferred the excitement of this story to the more general story about Washington in My Little Golden Book About George Washington aimed at younger children that I reviewed here. Though I am glad we read both stories, since the Little Golden Book gives good background about Washington’s entire life, and this book goes into great detail about two battles. The illustrations are just beautiful; the book is valuable even just for its series of illustrations. It makes a good story to read around Christmas, since much of the action takes place on a Christmas night.
Liane Jensen Research 