Aaron and Alexander: The Most Famous Duel in American History

Gr 3-5--Brown has taken on a formidable task in trying to present this controversial incident in American history to a picture book audience. Brown begins by describing the childhoods of Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, emphasizing the parallels between their lives. Both were orphans, and both were extremely intelligent, entering prestigious universities at early ages. They even had similar nicknames, Little Burr and Little Lion. Both fought the British in New York and survived the winter at Valley Forge. Their political paths diverged after the American victory over the British, and the public vilification of Burr by Hamilton over a period of years finally prompted Burr to challenge Hamilton to a duel. At this point, history becomes fuzzy, as Brown details in his author's note ("The truth is forever lost to time."). Brown tells this troubling tale succinctly, capturing the drama and ultimate tragedy of the situation. His signature ink and watercolor illustrations support the text and reflect the historical period. VERDICT There is almost nothing on this piece of history for this age group, and young history buffs will appreciate this offering. Buy where there is potential interest.--Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

In a compact yet conversational narrative, Brown (Mack Made Movie) draws multiple parallels between statesmen Burr and Hamilton while highlighting the pointlessness of the duel that bound them. Both were orphaned at a young age, diligent students, short in stature (yet long on courage fighting in the Revolutionary War), and became lawyers in New York City. The cordiality between Burr and Hamilton ended when the two "found themselves in opposing political camps" as the new republic took shape. Brown's vagueness about their ideological differences leaves a blank that might perplex some readers, yet he makes their divergent political personas clear. Hotheaded Hamilton's smear campaign on crowd-pleaser Burr's character contributed to Burr's loss to Thomas Jefferson in the 1800 presidential election, and eventually led to the duel that cost Hamilton his life. Despite his relaxed storytelling, Brown's loose, minimally detailed watercolors convey the emotions that governed each man's personality, as well as the tumult of the nascent nation. Especially dramatic is a close-up image of both duelers pulling the trigger, with an almost audible "BANG!" appearing below each hand. Ages 5-7. Agent: Angela Miller, Miller Agency. (Oct.)

"Brown tells this troubling tale succinctly, capturing the drama and ultimate tragedy of the situation." —School Library Journal