Thank you to NetGalley and Rosen Publishing Group and Enslow Publishing for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I have noticed more and more of the under 10 group wanting to read about historical figures, maybe as a refresher from all the fantasy that is trying to find its footing with this group. And while we know that Thomas Jefferson is a conflicting figure now, I was happy to read this book with my nephew to see how he would rate this look at Thomas Jefferson for his peer group. We had some issues with the kindle version of this (the side visuals were overlapping with the text, but it should be noted this is an early reader copy and this may be resolved upon publication) he absolutely adored it and is now on a kick to learn more about Jefferson. While this may mean a trip to a historical location in my future, I would absolutely recommend it for children as an easy read and easy to read to book.

I've always been fascinated by the enigma of Thomas Jefferson, a man with so many aspects to his personality, some good, some bad, some quite troubling. As a result, even though this one is aimed right at young readers, I jumped at the chance to review it. While there certainly wasn't anything particularly new or surprising here for me, a former history major, I found it a satisfying read for children. It even touched on him being a slave owner, albeit without going into any great discussion other than explaining his times while noting how bizarre it was for a man who so espoused freedom to not only own slaves but never release his own slaves during his lifetime.

While I would wish it'd gone more into some of his fascinating inventions, the book does an excellent job of giving young readers a basic overview of who Jefferson was and why we remember him. Although it mentions the death of his father at a young age, the book really begins with his service in the Second Continental Congress. In his early 30's at the time, Jefferson stood out there, especially for his writing skills, being cited as the main writer of the Declaration of Independence. His political career is briefly detailed, too, as is his stint in France. I rather wished it'd mentioned the coincidence of the date of death for both Jefferson and John Adams since it mentions the role of the Electoral College in making Adams the second president, not Jefferson, but, hey, you can't have everything. Grin.

Each section is short and easy to read, accompanied by illustrations with more short bits of interest. I've always been fascinated by the home he built at Monticello, which means "little mountain", so was glad to see an actual photo of it included. Most of the illustrations are based on historical moments, such as the signing of the Declaration and portraits, so quite accurate. There's a timeline, glossary, index, and For More Information section at the end. It includes both print and online sources. Bottom line, for those new to Jefferson, an excellent starter book with suggestions of where to find out more at the end. Thanks #RosenPublishingGroup for this early peek at this book. Jefferson is a man of many interests, so hopefully this will guide young readers to want to know more about him.

This short biography of Thomas Jefferson begins with stating what he is remembered for and mentioning the conflicting fact that he believed in freedom but kept enslaved people. And it ponders a good question Why? In order to understand a person, his childhood needs to be explored. But the answer is given in one sentence and then jumps to Jefferson at fourteen and gives facts of what he is remembered for. I wished this biography concentrated more on the subject of his childhood instead of briefly giving overview of his life’s accomplishments.

The target audience for this biography is 8-11 years. This is a very brief biography with very basic overview. It’s easy to read. I’d say it’s more for children around 6-8 years. Nevertheless, it is a good first read for those children just getting acquainted with this historical figure.

I’m assuming that this biography will be accompanied by illustrations which weren’t included in this ARC.

This is a great introduction to Thomas Jefferson! It can be hard to bring some history to younger readers, as they are easily distracted, with short attention spans. Kathryn Walton did a great job here with the material.

Short, to the point, but with fun facts. Get to know Thomas Jefferson, from a young boy to his time in the White House and beyond.