William Penn: Founder of Pennsylvania

Welcome to another Perfect Picture Book Friday!!  Today I am featuring a non-fiction book based on a famous man who was part of the founding of America. . .

Author: Steven Kroll
Illustrator: Ronald Himler
Publisher: Holiday House
Date: 2000

Ages: 10 and up

Themes: Colonial Period, Biography, United States History, Quakers, Pennsylvania

Source

Jacket Flap: "William Penn was born to a life of privilege at a time when Great Britain was torn by civil war and religious strife. As a young man, he was inspired by Quaker ideas about conscience and equality. Soon these controversial ideas became the focus of his life. . ."

First Lines: "Born to a life of privilege, William Penn chose dissent instead. In a turbulent time, when breaking from the established Church of England could mean imprisonment and even death, William became a Quaker."

Why I Like This Book: I have never heard the entire story of the life of William Penn, so this was a good review for me. It is well done, but more factual, rather than creative or dramatic. So I would recommend this book for Junior High aged readers and above. Nice to read historic events without being bogged down by unnecessary details.

Here are some links to more information and activities relating to this topic:

*Info on Penn's estate in, of course, Pennsylvania, HERE!

*Video summary of Penn's life, HERE.

*Find a simpler biography of Penn for the younger crowd, HERE.

*Stories about Quaker life, HERE.

And, for more great book ideas, categorized by subject for use by teachers, librarians, and parents, see Susanna Hill's Perfect Picture Book list...truly an amazing resource!