This is one of my favorite picture books to read aloud every year when Independence Day approaches. I love to celebrate every major holiday with picture book read-alouds! I’ve read this book to my youngest the past few years after discovering it. Now I plan on reading it aloud to my grandsons this week, and more grandchildren in future years.

The subjects of the book, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, were the original frenemies, before that even became a word. They demonstrated the two truths that opposites attract yet often repel as well.

We see their opposite natures of these two Founding Fathers of the USA from the first double-page spread of the book: Tom was born into wealth. He started out life sleeping in a cradle of a sumptuously furnished home. He stayed in his cradle, blissfully sleeping. John was born into a hard-working, not wealthy family. Not poor, but not wealthy. His bed was a bureau drawer in a home not sumptuously furnished. The illustrator of the book, Edwin Fotheringham, shows baby Johnny not staying in his bed, but having climbed out and crawling away to explore. We see the introverted, withdrawn nature of Tommy and the extroverted, exploratory nature of Johnny from the very beginning.

Then as they grew, as seen in the pages of the book, the introverted and extroverted natures of these future American heroes became even more pronounced: John skipped school to fly kites, play with marbles, and have boxing matches. Tom never skipped school, instead he skipped recess, to study Greek grammar. Amazing! When they went off to college, John loved to talk and argue, so he joined the debate club. Tom avoided public speaking whenever possible and expressed himself in writing, as he hated arguments.

They both became lawyers, but they lived different legal lives. John lived on a farm and worked in mud. Tom lived on an estate and planned a new estate, his beloved Monticello. John was fat and obnoxious, Tom was tall, lean, and polite.

Did they have anything in common besides being attorneys? Yes! They both believed George III was a tyrant. They hated the taxes he put on the colonists. They both went to Philadelphia to talk with other delegates about what to do about the unfair King. The discussion ended with the two volunteering each other to write an explanation of the king’s abuses, explaining why the colonists were declaring independence. Because John was better at arguing, he persuaded Tom to write it, with very good reasoning, and Tom relented.

So Tom wrote it and the two lawyers joined other men in signing it.

That’s the basic story in this book. Even if you or your children have heard it before, it’s worth reviewing the story again with this wonderful picture book. I love that the illustrations are realistic, not too cartoony, and done in vibrant patriotic colors of red, white, and blue with the occasional gold. The story doesn’t get into the frenemy aspect of John and Tom’s relationship. You will get that when you read the Author’s Note at the end. (Always read the Author’s Note, as you will always learn more to enhance the regular story in the picture book.)

I just love this book! I love that it succinctly tells the story of the Declaration of Independence through telling the story of two of the most famous Founding Fathers. I love the illustrations and how they show so well the opposite natures of Tom and John. This week of Independence Day, I hope you find this book at your local public library and enjoy it.

Hint: the author and illustrator have teamed up to create some other great books about real people. Check out these other ones!

Double hint: If you want more patriotic picture book suggestions, go here. I’ve got chapter book suggestions for older children and adults here. Then here’s my other website with more suggestions of both kinds of patriotic books under the July sub-heading.