BEN & ME an astonishing LIFE of BENJAMIN FRANKLIN By His Good Mouse AMOS Discovered, Edited & Illustrated by ROBERT LAWSON

David 
Historical History Reading Book
6/2/2014

HISTORICAL FICTION: 

BEN & ME an astonishing LIFE of BENJAMIN FRANKLIN By His Good Mouse AMOS 

Discovered, Edited & Illustrated by ROBERT LAWSON

This story was discovered after an architect had renovated an old house in Philadelphia. The architect found a small room behind a wall with a small desk, leaves to write on and a manuscript with writing on it.  Robert Lawson was given the manuscript and he published the stories told by a mouse that claimed to be Ben Franklin's best friend.

     The story is told by a mouse named AMOS he lived in Benjamin Franklin's House.  He slept in an old hat that Ben Franklin wore it had a whole in the middle of it so AMOS could sneak into the hat and sleep.  It was the perfect place to sleep because it was nice and warm.  

PLOT:     

In the book , two tour groups were visiting a statue of Benjamin Franklin one group was made up of humans and the other a bunch of  mice. The human tour group talked about Ben Franklin's life and all the things he invented, and the leader of the mouse tour group told the story of a mouse named Amos and how he helped Ben Franklin come up with all the ideas for his inventions.

In 1745, Amos, the oldest of twenty-six brothers and sisters lived in a church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  AMOS decides to leave his home and find somewhere to work.  After looking for work for a long time it was getting dark and started to snow so AMOS looked for someplace to get warm. Amos makes friends with Benjamin Franklin, and AMOs helps him write, make new inventions and be a leader in politics.  Amos helped Ben Franklin invent bifocals, the wood stove and make a news paper. AMOS gets mad at Ben Franklin when they were trying to invent electricity AMOS got caught in the kite and was scared for his life so he left Ben Franklin's house and moved back home with his family.  Ben Franklin was very sad without AMOS to help him.

For a long time they would not see each other until Ben Franklin is sent to England to talk with the king.  The king did not want to listen to Ben Franklin and they did not end up talking.  The people in the colonies were mad because Ben Franklin did not talk with the king and he needed help.  AMOS decided to help him and they became friends again.  AMOS helped Ben Franklin and he helped Thomas Jefferson write the Declaration of Independence. 

CHARACTERS IN THE CONFLICT:

The two main characters in the conflict were Benjamin Franklin and AMOS the mouse. The conflict was character against character.  They were both strong-willed and had a hard time getting along.  AMOS left and didn't come back for a long time.

The conflict with AMOS was also Character against Society.  He had to go to work to help his family.

CONFLICT:

AMOS has a conflict because he is the oldest of all of this brothers and sisters and he has to go and get a job to help the family.  He leaves his home and struggles through the winter storms (Character vs. Nature).  Then he finds a place to live and helps Ben Franklin invent all kinds of things.

AMOS and Ben Franklin got into a fight and AMOS left and they did not see each other for a lot of years.  (Character vs. Character)

Ben Franklin was a leader in the colonies and he came back from England and did not talk to the king.  The people were mad at Ben Franklin and he needed help (Character vs. Society)

Character Change:

When they start the story Ben Franklin is not able to finish any of his writing because he would sneeze and loose his glasses.  Then he would put his pen down to get the glasses and when he was ready to write again he would start sneezing again.  He never finished anything.

By the middle and end of the story Ben Franklin was inventing all kinds of things, writing a book, and was helping to free the colonies from the kings rules.

When they start the story AMOS is the oldest of 25 brothers and sisters so he follows along with everyone and does not do anything different. When AMOS leaves and finds a new place to live he does things that his brothers and sisters have never done.

By the middle and end of the story AMOS does a lot of great things and becomes a famous mouse.  He helps his family and Benjamin Franklin. He becomes independent and he is very smart.  He helps with making inventions and writing books with Benjamin Franklin and he is happy.

RELATE TO CHARACTER:

I was able to relate to Ben Franklin because I know we think the same way.  He has trouble focusing and finishing stuff and I do too.  He is very smart and I am too. It can be frustrating when you know the answer or what you want to write and your brain just doesn't want to let it out or put it on paper.  When AMOS comes Ben Franklin gets the help he needs to finish things and write things down just like I have been able to do with the help from my teachers.

I can relate to AMOS because I am the oldest and I have to take care of my little brother too.  That is a big job.  I am glad I don't have 25 brothers and sisters to take care of.  

RATING:   *** 5 stars**  I liked this book I learned a lot about Ben Franklin and all of his

                            inventions.

Labels:

Room #218

Historical Fiction

Author:  Robert Lawson

Other books by Lawson:  MR. REVERE AND I; EDWARD HOPPY & JOE; RABBIT HILL; 

                                              THE TOUGH WINTER; and THEY WERE STRONG AND GOOD