The remarkable story of Deborah Sampson, a woman who fought in the American Revolution disguised as a man—and who ends up finding her true identity and purpose in life.
Deborah Sampson didn’t like being told what to do, especially by the King of England. Fiercely independent, 18-year-old Deborah enlists as Robert Shurtliff in George Washington’s Continental Army to fight for her country’s independence. But being a soldier is hard, dangerous work. Can she fight for her country and keep her identity a secret? Can she also discover who she really is and find her true purpose? This unbelievable story from American history about a woman with a rebel spirit will inspire and enlighten young readers.
Author’s note. Bibliography. Full-color illustrations were created with traditional pencil drawing, and a variety of hand-painted and hand-drawn textures, all of which were combined and colored in Adobe Photoshop.
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Gr 2-6-Deborah Sampson was a woman who declared her own independence and then proceeded to fight for the independence of her country. This picture book biography of the heroic American Revolutionary soldier starts with her early childhood and continues through her life of servitude as a young person followed by her determination to enlist in the army fighting for American independence. Sampson was able to conceal her gender despite a serious bullet wound suffered during battle as an elite soldier. Known as Robert Shurtliff when enlisted in the Continental Army, she became seriously ill after the war ended and her gender was discovered by a physician. She was then discharged honorably. Back matter not only adds to the story of this fascinating patriot but also addresses the challenges of researching with primary and secondary sources from the time period. These final pages broaden the audience for this title to middle and high school students and their teachers looking for insight into the process of historical research. VERDICT This biography of a lesser-known American hero and look into the process of researching historical sources is an essential purchase across several age ranges.-John Scott?(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.