Session 11: Historical Fiction & Biographical Fiction
Grade level this book was selected for: Kindergarten
APA Citation: Cullen, L. (2015.) Dear Mr. Washington. New York, NY: Dial Books.
Description: In April 1796, young Charlotte Stuart writes a series of letters to George Washington, whose portrait is being painted by her father, reporting on her efforts and those of her brothers to follow the rules of good behavior in the book Mr. Washington gave them. Includes historical notes. (From the books title page.)
This book is appropriate for: Ages 0-8; Kindergarten-Fourth grade
Justification: I would read this book as part of a story time presentation. I would have listeners identify characters, settings, and major events in the story demonstrating CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.3 With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story. (English Language Arts Standards >> Reading: Literature, Retrieved from Common Core State Standard Initiatives on November 3, 2017: http://www.commoncorestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/K/3/ (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site.
Keywords: Letters📜History📜Siblings📜Etiquette
Scholarly Review: Gilbert Stuart, George Washington's portraitist, had 12 children and fretted about his famous subject's unsmiling mien. These details inspire Cullen's story of three rambunctious siblings: Charlotte, James and Baby John Stuart.Charlotte, a budding artist herself, writes three letters to "Mr . Washington " in April 1796. Her polite, guileless accounts belie the household mayhem that Carpenter's lively ink-and-wash illustrations depict. Charlotte's first missive thanks Washington for sending an etiquette book; she pledges to copy it out, just as Washington had done as a boy. Indeed, Cullen adapts the historical book Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation for the 10 proscriptions that Charlotte lists out. Covering both the usual (eating) and the quaint (the polite way to dispatch fleas, lice and ticks on oneself and others), the rules are comically illustrated as paintings on canvas, presumably done by Charlotte herself. She confides, "In no time I am sure James and I will have learned all these Rules. I hope so, for Mother says until then we get no Pudding after dinner." Subsequent letters recount both good behavior (which induces sleep in both the children and Washington , scuttling one sitting) and chaos, with an overturned punch bowl engendering a cascade of events culminating in a smile from George and the completion of Stuart's portrait. This collaboration's clever epistolary narrative and playful pictures present a fresh, remarkably humanizing view of our first president.
This book is appropriate for: Ages 0-8; Kindergarten-Fourth grade
Justification: I would read this book as part of a story time presentation. I would have listeners identify characters, settings, and major events in the story demonstrating CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.3 With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story. (English Language Arts Standards >> Reading: Literature, Retrieved from Common Core State Standard Initiatives on November 3, 2017: http://www.commoncorestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/K/3/ (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site.
Keywords: Letters📜History📜Siblings📜Etiquette
Scholarly Review: Gilbert Stuart, George Washington's portraitist, had 12 children and fretted about his famous subject's unsmiling mien. These details inspire Cullen's story of three rambunctious siblings: Charlotte, James and Baby John Stuart.Charlotte, a budding artist herself, writes three letters to "Mr . Washington " in April 1796. Her polite, guileless accounts belie the household mayhem that Carpenter's lively ink-and-wash illustrations depict. Charlotte's first missive thanks Washington for sending an etiquette book; she pledges to copy it out, just as Washington had done as a boy. Indeed, Cullen adapts the historical book Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation for the 10 proscriptions that Charlotte lists out. Covering both the usual (eating) and the quaint (the polite way to dispatch fleas, lice and ticks on oneself and others), the rules are comically illustrated as paintings on canvas, presumably done by Charlotte herself. She confides, "In no time I am sure James and I will have learned all these Rules. I hope so, for Mother says until then we get no Pudding after dinner." Subsequent letters recount both good behavior (which induces sleep in both the children and Washington , scuttling one sitting) and chaos, with an overturned punch bowl engendering a cascade of events culminating in a smile from George and the completion of Stuart's portrait. This collaboration's clever epistolary narrative and playful pictures present a fresh, remarkably humanizing view of our first president.
Citation: Kirkus Reviews. (2014). [Review of Dear Mr. Washington by L.Cullen]. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/lynn-cullen/dear-mr-washington/ (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site.
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