George Washington's Engineer

July 1, 2023
Grades 2-4 Offering a case study in how logistics can sometimes accomplish more in war than battles do, Pattison highlights the contributions of Washington's chief engineer Rufus Putnam, who was tasked with somehow secretly building a protective wall for artillery on frozen ground above occupied Boston. His "chandeliers and fascin�s" design not only required no digging but was built so quickly the British were caught flat-footed and had to abandon the city. The author also offers nods to Colonel Henry Knox, whose troops hauled 59 cannons some 300 miles from Fort Ticonderoga, and quartermaster Thomas Mifflin, who arranged for everything else, from workers to food and materials, to be delivered to the site. Along with clearly drawn sections showing the wall's structure, Kole reflects the lively tone of the narrative with informally composed scenes of ordnance and wagon trains trundling over snowy landscapes, focused-looking figures hard at work, and, following a close-up of a comically dismayed redcoat, a crowd of jubilant Bostonians celebrating the war's "first major American victory."

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July 1, 2023
Creative thinking leads to a significant military victory in Pattison's middle-grade historical account. "Sometimes battles are fought with guns and bravery. But sometimes battles are fought with walls and a good engineer, like Rufus Putnam...." The author expertly crafts a colorful, fact-based narrative for middle-grade and older elementary school readers around the key role that Continental Army engineer Rufus Putnam played in the Revolutionary War, using his technical expertise to enable Gen. George Washington to recapture the city of Boston from British control. Washington's troops required walls to protect the soldiers firing cannons at the British, but the frozen ground made digging foundations impossible; nothing short of an engineering miracle would provide a solution (Pattison relates how others, including Col. Henry Knox, QM Thomas Mifflin, and, indirectly, Gen. William Heath, were essential in making Putnam's innovative design for walls that could be solidly built on frozen ground a reality). In addition to giving young readers an intriguing look at a specific event in early American history, Pattison delivers an empowering underlying message in her portrayal of long-ago figures as regular people who became problem solvers when faced with a high-stakes dilemma and who, by working together, achieved an astonishing victory. The author adds a touch of suspense with Washington's need to keep the British in the dark until it was too late for their troops to do anything but retreat ("Shhh! If the British heard them, all would be lost"). The clear text is set against Kole's crisp, full-page digital illustrations that capture people, time, and place in a well-designed cartoon style, with clean lines and saturated colors. Pictorial maps, Putnam's sketched plans, and, on one page, a brief biographical sketch of Washington's cannon provider, Henry Knox, blend informational elements smoothly into the book's design. The backmatter includes biographical information about Putnam as well as specifics about the source materials used. A fascinating slice of American history fueled by the power of original ideas and teamwork.

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