This picture book for older readers focuses on George Washington as farmer, inventor, and scientist. Infused with excerpts from George's letters and diaries, the narrative makes a convincing case for Washington's place as the nation's First Farmer. He invented a combination plow-tiller-harrow, tested different fertilizers, and bred donkeys and horses to create strong mules. His goal to make Mount Vernon self-sufficient carried over to his goal to make the new country independent. Layne Johnson's richly colored oil paintings portray the Colonial era with fine details. The book includes a timeline of Washington's life; shares his views on slavery, and includes a bibliography of additional reading materials and websites.

 

There are 40 pages in this book. This book was published 2013 by Boyds Mills Press .

LayneJohnson has illustrated a number of books for young readers, including "Ben, King of the River "by David Gilfaldi, and "On the Day His Daddy Left "by Eric J. Adams. He lives in Houston, Texas. " Peggy Thomas is the author of more than a dozen books for children and young adults, including Joshua the Giant Frog , a tall tale about the Erie Canal. Ms. Thomas is a frequent speaker in schools and libraries. She lives in Middleport, New York. Layne Johnson has illustrated many acclaimed picture books for children, including Remembering Grandpa by Uma Krishnaswami. He lives in Houston, Texas.