George Washington's Mother

Everyone has a mother. Even George Washington. But Mary Washington is nothing like you'd think! She hates to dress up. And she always thinks she knows what's best for George. After all, she's his mother! You can read more about her in this true story by Jean Fritz.

Describes the life of the mother of our first president and her relationship with her children.

There have been many books about George Washington, but not many about his mother! Mary Washington worries a lot about her son. If only he would stop gallivanting around in the army and take care of her! This stubborn old lady hates to dress in fancy garb and refuses to see company - she prefers to dress in old clothes, work in her garden, and occasionally smoke a pipe. I cannot tell a lie: this humorous peek into the past will make readers grin.

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-- Fritz brings the excitement of history to newly independent readers. They will easily relate to teenaged George having to obey his mother, but may not understand her continual meddling and kvetching once her son be- comes an adult. Using factual data and funny incidents, the author humorously depicts Mary Ball Washington as a manipulative and stubborn worrywart. The numerous, half- and full-page, pencil-and-watercolor illustrations are reminiscent of Margot Tomes's work; they complement the text and extend the humor. However, the paintings lack the visual crispness associated with Fritz's earlier biographies illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman and others. Still, George Washington's Mother gives youngsters an enjoyable introduction to our nation's first president from a unique perspective. --Gale W. Sherman, Pocatello Public Library, ID

"The question I am most often asked," Jean Fritz says, "is how do I find my ideas? The answer is: I don't. Ideas find me. A character in history will suddenly step right out of the past and demand a book. Generally people don't bother to speak to me unless there's a good chance that I'll take them on." Throughout almost four decades of writing about history, Jean Fritz has taken on plenty of people, starting with George Washington in The Cabin Faced West (1958). Since then, her refreshingly informal historical biographies for children have been widely acclaimed as "unconventional," "good-humored," "witty," "irrepressible," and "extraordinary."

In her role as biographer, Jean Fritz attempts to uncover the adventures and personalities behind each character she researches. "Once my character and I have reached an understanding," she explains, "then I begin the detective work—reading old books, old letters, old newspapers, and visiting the places where my subject lived. Often I turn up surprises and of course I pass these on." It is her penchant for making distant historical figures seem real that brings the characters to life and makes the biographies entertaining, informative, and filled with natural child appeal.

An original and lively thinker, as well as an inspiration to children and adults, Jean Fritz is undeniably a master of her craft. She was awarded the Regina Medal by the Catholic Library Association, presented with the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award by the American Library Association for her "substantial and lasting contribution to children's literature," and honored with the Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature, which was presented by the New York State Library Association for her body of work.

copyright ? 2000 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.