Book Review of The Crossing: How George Washington saved the American Revolution by Jim Murphy

 

1.      Bibliography

Murphy, J. 2010. The crossing: How George Washington saved the American revolution. Scholastic Press. ISBN: 9780439691864

2.      Plot Summary

“On April 19^th, 1775, British and American soldiers clashed in a bloody battle in Massachusetts.”  This book by Murphy explains the American Revolution and how influential George Washington was in that war.  We go into detail about the invasion of the British into New York and the battle that took place, the retreat of the Americans, the crossing of the Delaware River, and finally the end of the war.  George Washington was the hero that America needed. 

3.      Critical Analysis

Murphy is a two-time Newbery Honor Book Author with many more awards for his nonfiction books.  The book has a timeline for the Revolutionary War with websites for additional information.  There is a sources page in the back of the book as well with many different books the information was taken from.  The front of the book has a table of contents with an introduction and 7 different chapters explaining and outlining the Revolutionary War and the influence George Washington was.  Each picture in the book has a note with an explanation and where the picture or painting came from.  The book follows a clear sequence explaining the war along the way.  The illustrations and text are in a muted tone and brown text that is large.  If the book references a battle strategy or the way the soldiers took, there is a map to go along and show you exactly what it looked like.  If the book is referencing a person there is a picture of that person for reference.  The illustrations and text go hand in hand.  The way the book is presented and how the illustrations and text complement each other, the book is an inviting and George Washington is highlighted in a great way. 

4.      Review Excerpt(s)

Gr 5-9–Murphy lays out the stakes in this well-known story immediately: the fate of the revolution and the country itself rested with the man chosen to lead the Continental Army. He centers the story on Washington, arguing that the early battles in and around New York and New Jersey transformed him from an inexperienced if well-respected military leader into a formidable commander and strategist. Whereas purely chronological histories drag readers' attention from one theater of war to another, Murphy concentrates on the troops directly under Washington's command in the events leading up to the battles of Trenton and Princeton, so that each step or misstep is as riveting as if readers were following at the heels of “the old fox.” When the tide turns in the Patriots' favor, it is with a sense of relief rather than as a fait accompli. Illustrations include reproductions of portraits and several good, clear maps showing battlefields and troop movements. An especially effective spread of Washington Crossing the Delaware is followed by an analysis of the artist's theme of America's diverse people fighting for freedom against all odds. The time line and index are thorough, and the list of websites is comprehensive. Notes and sources, instead of listed chapter by chapter, are listed “in order of importance.” A first purchase, even if your American Revolution shelves are packed.–Rebecca Donnelly, Loma Colorado Public Library, Rio Rancho, NM. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

5.      Connections

*Other books about the American Revolution

-Origin of the American Revolution by Bernhard Knollenberg

-George Washington: A Biography by Douglas Southall Freeman

-Washington’s Indispensable Men by Arthur S. Lefkowitz

*I would have the students pick one chapter out of the book to find important details needed and make a poster with the information to share with the class.