Book 1 "George Washington's Mother"

Title: George Washington’s Mother
Author: Jean Fritz
Publisher (level): Grosset & Dunlap (1.6)
Summary:
Have you ever heard about George Washington? With the person, “George Washington”, what will you think of about him? In my case, his famous childhood story is recalled. He cut down a cherry blossom tree in the garden, and he told it to his father honestly. To the surprise, his father didn’t scold him, because he thought his honest confession was a good act. However, this story is said an only legend because it seems that there were no cherry blossoms in America at that time. But, once you read this book, you will see how he grew up and became a president of America. Behind his many legendary stories, there was a big mother, “Mary Ball.” She was born in 1708, at the farm in Virginia. Her parents were dead before she got married, but she lived by herself, farming something left by her parents. She wouldn’t marry anybody because she had a mind of her own. Nonetheless, one day she met a great man, Augustine Washington in her age if twenty-two. So, he is a father of George. They had a good time with six children, and they moved to Ferry Farm because water of the well was so delicious and there were no neighbors near the farm, when George was seven years old. The boy soon grew up to the man, like often said that ‘ Time flies like an arrow.’ He joined the army and went some wars, such as French-Indian war. During wars, his mother was on edge, expecting his danger. But he finally came back in 1758, and promised his mother that he would never go to war again. After that, she lived peacefully at her farm before she died in 1789, at the age of eighty-one.
Evaluation: 3 stars
When you think of your own mother, perhaps, you will call up the great tenderness of her. The mother of George Washington, Mary is also a person who loved her children at heart. Her behavior during wars was strange from a lot of worries and loneliness to her son. She wrote letters to all acquaintances and relatives as if she were “in want”, even though she had enough food to live. However, from such description, you can feel the depth of mother’s love.