Sam Houston, Standing Firm
Mary Dodson Wade; Illustrated By: Joy Fisher Hein

Review by A. E. Jaskiewicz

There are many important people who helped shape the United States into a wonderful country.  To add to that, there are people who help shape each state and make it individual and special, which helps to make the United States a wonderful country.  The Texas Heroes for Young Readers series covers the people who have helped shape Texas.  The first book in the series is about Sam Houston, a big man who did big things.

The story of Sam Houston, Standing Firm, starts when Sam was born, and ends with his passing and the legacy he left, which includes helping to make Texas a great state.  The book covers briefly what Sam did as a child, and how he came to live with the Cherokee Indians.  Also covered are Sam’s time in Andrew Jackson’s army, how he became a lawyer, how he helped the Cherokee Indians, and how he helped free Texas from Mexico rule and eventually become a state.

Sam Houston, Standing Firm is a great book to help introduce history to kids.  Mary Dodson Wade was able to take a non-fiction story and turn it into something fun and interesting for kids to read.  It does not just read as a book of facts, but beads more like a story that kids can really get involved in.  Plus, the book uses language that is friendly to kids, and all the state names and big words have both their proper spelling and a phonetic spelling so kids can learn to sound the words out.

The illustrations in the book will help to take kids back to the time when Sam Houston lived.  By using the pictures, kids will be able to imagine a little more vividly what Sam Houston looked like, and what life was like for him.  They will be able to imagine what Sam’s days living and working with the Cherokee Indians was like, or how the battles he fought alongside Andrew Jackson played out.  There are even illustrations of his wedding and family in the book.

The story of Sam Houston can also serve as a good source of inspiration for kids.  He is an actual person who could serve as a hero or inspiration for kids, helping them to want to accomplish great things in their own lives.

Sam Houston, Standing Firm is a great book to help get young kids interested in history.  You don’t have to be from Texas to see why people like Sam Houston helped to make Texas the great state it is today.  Plus, with the easy to understand story and vivid illustrations, kids will surely be waiting for the next book in the series to be released.

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