Next Monday, February 22, we will be celebrating George Washington’s birthday as a federal holiday.  To celebrate, I wanted to share my favorite books about the first president of the United States.

 

George Washington’s Teeth 

By Deborah Chandra and Madeleine Comora and Illustrated by Brock Cole

Published by Square Fish

George Washington suffered most of his life with bad teeth. By the time he was 24 years-old, he had lost at least one tooth a year. When he was elected president, he had only two teeth left. This humorous tale is one of my favorite books about Washington. It is written in verse and based on Washington’s letters, dairies, and historical records. (By the way, contrary to common belief, Washington never had a set of wooden teeth.)

 

 

George Washington and the General’s Dog

By Frank Murphy and Illustrated by Richard Walz

Published by Random House Books for Young Readers

This easy reader is a delightful story about George Washington and his love of animals. Children will be amused to learn Washington named his dog “Sweetlips” and maybe surprised to learn how kind he was to one of his enemies.

 

 

 

 

Farmer George Plants a Nation 

By Peggy Thomas and Illustrated by Layne Johnson

Published by Calkins Creek

This well written book focuses on George Washington as a farmer, inventor, and scientist. On his farm, Washington sought to improve farming methods and share his knowledge with others. This aspect of Washington’s life has often been overlooked. With Johnson’s exquisite oil paintings and Thomas’s detailed text, this is an excellent book for older readers.

 

 

 

Interesting Trivia – George Washington was born in Virginia on February 11, 1731, according to the then-used Julian calendar. In 1752, however, Britain and all its colonies adopted the Gregorian calendar which moved Washington’s birthday a year and 11 days to February 22, 1732.