A Parade for George Washington

PreS-Gr 3--Adler chronicles the journey of George Washington as he traveled from Mount Vernon, VA, to New York City for his inauguration as the first president of the United States. Washington's journey is depicted as a celebratory parade; as he traveled north, citizens rushed out of their homes to greet him. Quotes from Washington's diary and other sources are included in the text, but they do not further enrich the straightforward narrative. In one scene, Washington is pictured on a boat in New York Harbor. A parade of boats, engaging in a variety of festivities, surrounds him. He wrote in his diary: "The decorations of the ships, the roar of cannon...filled my mind with sensations." O'Brien's watercolor and ink illustrations showcase period details of architecture, transportation, and clothing. Background characters are predominantly white. A time line, source notes, and a bibliography are included. VERDICT This title does not provide enough detail for research purposes and lacks a strong emotional connection with Washington, which makes it hard to determine the audience. A secondary purchase for large collections seeking coverage of the early days of the United States and the Washington presidency.--John Scott, Friends School of Baltimore