Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton

Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. Margaret McNamara. Illustrated by Esme Shapiro. 2018. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence:

July 4, 1854, Washington
My dearly beloved Elizabeth, for I hope that is what you will be called, if you are born a girl, my daughter who is your grandmama, has asked me to devote this day to writing a letter to you, about my very long and fortunate life. I am not much given to letter-writing nowadays, nor was I ever inclined to write about myself, yet you may perhaps find much to interest you herein.

Premise/plot: It is a picture book biography of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. The framework of this one is that Eliza herself is telling her own story via letter to her yet unborn great-granddaughter. (This much is fact: the last year of Eliza's life--1854--her granddaughter was expecting a child.) The book spans her whole life--well, up until 1854.

My thoughts: I liked this one. I do think it is a picture book for older children; perhaps I'd even go so far as to say it's a picture book for adults. There is a LOT of text. I think for those that love, love, love the musical Hamilton and for those that also enjoy reading, this one is worth seeking out.

I liked the text; I liked the illustrations. But I didn't "love, love, love" either. I am glad I read it. It is nice to read picture books that touch upon history now and then. 

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10


© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews