Thomas Jefferson for Kids: His Life and Times with 21 Activities    by Brandon Marie Miller Order:  USA  Can Chicago Review Press, 2011 (2011) Softcover, e-Book Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Bob Walch Not just a statesman, founder and elected leader of the country, Thomas Jefferson was also a farmer, architect and inventor. When he was just 33 years old he drafted the Declaration of Independence and at age 58 Jefferson was his country's third president. The consummate country gentleman, Jefferson designed his stately home, Monticello, founded the University of Virginia, and served as the first Secretary of State under George Washington. With a budget of $8,000, the new cabinet member had a staff of two clerks, two assistant clerks and a translator. With meager assets, Jefferson represented the new country to foreign governments at a time when Europe was engulfed in war and then revolution. Not only does this informative and well-illustrated volume introduce Thomas Jefferson to youngsters nine years of age and older, but it also offers a number of hands-on projects that will make the man and his times more relevant to the reader. The activities include constructing a simple microscope, designing a Palladian window, growing a plant from a cutting and playing a word game once engaged in by Jefferson's great-granddaughters. He was a man of many interests, and these activities reflect many of the things Jefferson was curious about and delved into - from creating a leaf collection and gathering his own personal library to observing the weather. Excellent for either classroom or home schooling use, Thomas Jefferson for Kids offers an excellent introduction to this very important early American historical figure who touched the lives of the country's citizens in so many unexpected ways. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews