Dangerous Crossing: The Revolutionary Voyage of John Quincy Adams - Hardcover

Krensky, Stephen

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525469664 ISBN 13: 9780525469667

Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers, 2004

Synopsis

In February 1778, at the height of the Revolutionary War, the American representative from Massachusetts, John Adams, is sent on a secret mission to France. It is dangerous to cross the Atlantic in winter, but the situation is desperate-the colonies need France's help against the British army. Adams is accompanied by his ten-year-old son, Johnny. Together, father and son must weather an angry ocean, perilous sea battles, and other dangers to help the colonies achieve freedom.
Vivid illustrations and a fast-paced narrative bring to life this little-told story of a character-defining event in the lives of two future presidents.

About this title

About the Author

"I did not have the kind of childhood most people would choose to write about. It was happy and uneventful, with only the occasional bump in the night to keep me on my toes. In my spare time, however, I often imagined myself in various stories -- as Mighty Mouse, Robin Hood, Popeye or Superman.

"I always liked to make up stories, especially lying in bed at night before I fell asleep.

"It was not until I was twenty that I actually took up ceative writing. One of my favorite parts of the process was imagining myself in various characters' shoes, even if those characters - dragons for example - didn't wear shoes at all. A year later, in 1975, I graduated from Hamilton College andbegan a six-month internship at the New York Times Book Review.

"Since then I have been a full-time writer for children. I married my wife, Joan, in 1984,and we settled in my hometown of Lexington, Massachusetts, where we live with our two sons, Andrew and Peter.

"When I feel like I've spent enough time hunched over my computer, I like to play soccer and softball, and read books written by other people."

copyright © 2000 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.

Reviews

Grade 2-4 - During the winter of 1778, while the colonies were still at war with England, John Adams and his 10-year-old son made an uncomfortable transatlantic crossing on the Boston in an effort to enlist French support for the struggling American cause. Fears and predictions of danger materialized in the form of encounters with British ships and a huge storm. Although Johnny is the cameo character, it is through many of John Adams's own thoughts as revealed through his actual diary that readers get a glimpse of the threats and hardships endured during their voyage. While Johnny's experience can stand alone as an adventure story, having at least a rudimentary familiarity with the American Revolution would enhance children's appreciation for why the boy and his father were taking such risks. Some of the vocabulary, particularly passages from Adams's diary, may require adult help, but for the most part, the text is fairly easy, and the map and watercolor illustrations support it well. The masterful watercolor paintings not only depict the action but also show period clothing and nautical surroundings from many interesting perspectives. This is engaging historical fiction with illustrations that truly bring the story to life. Pair it with Jan Cheripko's Caesar Rodney's Ride (Boyds Mills, 2004) to explore travel during colonial times as well as the self-sacrifice and bravery of America's founders. - Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gr. 2-4. In 1778, 10-year-old John Quincy Adams and his father, John Adams, crossed the Atlantic on the frigate Boston. Based on the elder Adams' diary, the episodic story includes everything from storms and the threat of battle to seasickness. John observes a Portuguese man-of-war hauled up from the sea in a bucket and endless days of "Nothing but Sky, Clouds, and Sea." Finally, the Adams reach the French coast. Harlin's richly atmospheric paintings dramatize scene after scene with subtle hues and lighting effects as well as a sure sense of composition that articulates quiet moments and perilous ones with equal conviction. Written in third person, except for the occasional quote from the actual diary, the story offers a stirring account of life aboard ship, spiced with details from the voyage. An appended author's note comments on the story's source and the illustrious careers of the two Adamses. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0525469664
• ISBN 13: 9780525469667
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Harlin Greg
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32