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A review by kitsuneheart
Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery That Baffled All of France by Mara Rockliff
4.0
A very visually busy book, but that's fine, because it is also fascinating. While we mostly hear of Benjamin Franklin in the context of the American Revolution or crazy kite experiments, here we see one of the overlooked portions of his life: the time he was like a rock and roll legend in France. The French just loved Franklin (and I mean that in...all senses), but they also loved a good show. Thus, Franklin came across the con artist Dr. Mesmer, who was sending the potential American allies into panics with his mesmerism. Franklin is tasked by the French king and queen to figure out the trick, and Ben does so, managing to establish the idea of clinical medical trials in the process. Also, securing French aid for the American Revolution.
This book reminds me a bit of the old Discovery Books by Scholastic, but a bit lighter on text. There's lots of little details on each page, but they don't feel overloaded. It all seems to go with the flow, rather than forcing you to stop and read an aside for what feels like hours on end. It's not a quick read altogether, but it's interesting enough that any child who is more into actual history than made-up stories should be able to keep focused through a reading on their own.
If your child likes history, this is a big contender for a purchase. I can't see it showing up in most other households, but definitely give it a try, and certainly look to it if your child needs a history book for school.
This book reminds me a bit of the old Discovery Books by Scholastic, but a bit lighter on text. There's lots of little details on each page, but they don't feel overloaded. It all seems to go with the flow, rather than forcing you to stop and read an aside for what feels like hours on end. It's not a quick read altogether, but it's interesting enough that any child who is more into actual history than made-up stories should be able to keep focused through a reading on their own.
If your child likes history, this is a big contender for a purchase. I can't see it showing up in most other households, but definitely give it a try, and certainly look to it if your child needs a history book for school.