Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams?
Common Sense Note
A fun little story about quirky Samuel Adams's quest for an independent America (his dog's antics almost steal the spotlight); both writing and artwork have humorous moments.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Tanya Smith
More than just a look at one man's dubious equestrian skills, WHY DON'T YOU GET A HORSE, SAM ADAMS? delivers a clear history lesson about the events leading up to the American Revolution.
Along the way, the author effectively describes Adams's personality and appearance. As befits a founding father, Adams is a man more interested in his political passion than passing fashion: "His house fell into disrepair; his clothes became shabbier; his shoe leather wore thin."
But it's Adams's faithful dog Queue that was most memorable to one nine-year-old girl, who let out a long sigh when his death was announced halfway through the book.
The author's two-page postscript provides background information on Adams's reasons for resenting England. The note sheds light on Adams's political motivations, but it is a clumsy device and should have been incorporated into the main story, where it would have bolstered the slender text.
Instead, the illustrations add a welcome dimension to Adams' story. The drawings are mainly black and white, although some are shaded with brown tones. Small details enliven everyday scenes (a cat arching against a chair leg), and the facial expressions convey simple but strong emotion (the joy of a boy carrying the American flag).
Two other books in Fritz's series about central figures in the American Revolution are Can't You Make Them Behave, King George? and And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? Jim Murphy's A Young Patriot offers a different perspective on the events set into motion by Samuel Adams and his compatriots.
From The Book
Everyone agreed that Samuel did remarkably well in the saddle. There was only one trouble. At the end of the day it was discovered that at the place where Samuel Adams and the saddle met, Samuel was sore. And everyone agreed that this was no way for a future statesman to feel.
Plot Summary:
What could possibly get Samuel Adams, an avowed walker, on horseback? Nothing short of a revolution, of course! Read this amiable tale and learn how one man, his dog, and, yes, his horse figure into the fabric of the early days of America. A quick read, with lots of amusing illustrations.
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