School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-Thomas Jefferson was an idealist who was drawn to the cause of individual rights and a pragmatist who saw the need to take practical steps to get things done. That interpretation frames this adaptation for young readers of Meacham's Pulitzer Prize-winning adult biography, Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power (Random, 2013). Readers will see this mix of idealism and pragmatism again and again during Jefferson's career. Meacham first introduces these themes in the prologue, develops them throughout the book, and later reinforces them in the epilogue, making the book useful for introducing Common Core State Standard concepts, such as determining the author's point of view and the reasons and evidence provided to support it. The biographer presents important issues in American history, particularly those surrounding the beginnings of our nation, and a strong discussion of Jefferson's failure to deal with the issue of slavery. Students will also learn about significant people Jefferson encountered during his career: George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and James Madison. The single shortcoming of this informative adaptation is its inability to capture Meacham's nuanced style and appealing storytelling. In reducing his 800-page biography by more than half, this adaptation has reduced his engaging narrative to shorter, often choppy, and much simpler sentences. Compare this title with Milton Meltzer's livelier account, Thomas Jefferson: The Revolutionary Aristocrat (Franklin Watts, 1991), which has stood the test of time well. Nevertheless, readers will be rewarded with a coherent, well-supported explanation of a complex man.-Myra Zarnowski, City University of New York (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
This young readers' version of Meacham's Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power contains more illustrations and less text than the original adult release. Whereas Meacham focused his adult book on how Jefferson created his place in history, adapter Thomson focuses on who he was. Jefferson had a privileged youth, complete with an enviable education and the luxury to explore philosophical and scientific ideas. Thomson highlights these traits of intelligence and curiosity and shows how they eventually led to Jefferson's penning of the Declaration of Independence and his interest in exploring the American West. With the election of 1800, however, Thomson embraces Meacham's "how" viewpoint and begins to show Jefferson's skill in manipulating the political system. She provides a clear and understandable delineation between the Federalists and the Republicans, and shows the impact these two views of government had on the young republic. The text's acknowledgment of some of Jefferson's less admirable actions -- such as using power he would abhor in others and justifying that use simply because he believed he was right -- modulate the adulatory tone. His long affair with Sally Hemings is noted, but its impact is muted by overexplanation of the complicated mores of the times. There is a surprising paucity of books about Jefferson at this level, however, and this handsome, well-written, and engaging volume fills that literary gap. Appended with additional background on Jefferson, source information, bibliography, and an index. betty carter (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
In this adaptation for young readers of his Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power (2012), Meacham overviews Jefferson's life, times and ideas. The subtitle suggests a focus on Jefferson's political philosophy and two-term presidency, but Meacham instead attempts to touch upon all aspects of his full and rich life. Less than a quarter of the text covers Jefferson's eight years as president. His republican political philosophy is discussed and contrasted with Federalism, but there is no discussion of the philosophers and ideas that influenced his thinking, nor is there mention of Jefferson's thoughts on religion, radical and controversial for their time. Meacham devotes considerable attention to Jefferson's conflicting views about slavery. Despite being a lifelong slave owner and father of children by his enslaved mistress, Sally Hemings, Jefferson considered slavery immoral and doomed as a continuing institution. Meacham suggests Jefferson's unwillingness to confront the problem of slavery politically was his greatest failure as a statesman. "When it came to slavery," Meacham writes, "Jefferson, always curious and eager to explore new ideas, did what he almost never did: he gave up." Choosing to cover every aspect of Jefferson's life without exploring any particular part in depth makes this an engaging, informative introduction but does not make it stand out among many others that do the same. (extensive backmatter, not seen for review) (Biography. 10-16) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Though his name may be new to the children's book field, Meacham is a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, editor, and commentator whose adult title Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power (2012) has been widely praised. In adapting that lengthy tome for young people, Thomson stays close to Meacham's original biography, using many passages verbatim and somewhat rewording others. The nice selection of illustrations includes period paintings, prints, and documents, as well as maps and photos of sites and artifacts, though the lack of color reproduction detracts from the book's visual appeal. Throughout the biography, information about Jefferson's personal life is interspersed with narrative and commentary on his political career. Placing his actions within the context of his times, the narrative offers thoughtful discussions of multifaceted topics, from his relationship with Sally Hemings to his expansion of presidential powers with the Louisiana Purchase to the difficulty of squaring his moral certainty with his political hesitancy on the issue of slavery. A solid resource for young people intrigued by Jefferson.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2014 Booklist