Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams? (by Jean Fritz)

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' personality and appearance. The author's two-page postscript provides background information on Adams' reasons for resenting England. The note sheds light on his 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).