Beth Anderson, Children's Writer

One look at my bookcase will tell you I’m a fan of Benjamin Franklin. That man was into everything! For a writer, no matter what you want to share about him, there’s the challenge of focus, scope, and finding the best way to tell the story. In this post, author Gretchen Woelfle shares how she carved out the path for her latest middle grade book, HOW BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BECAME A REVOLUTIONARY IN SEVEN (NOT-SO-EASY) STEPS. 

GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment after the post for a chance to win a copy of the book! 

‘Twas a Long Time Coming: A New Look for Benjamin Franklin by Gretchen Woelfle

I first fell for Benjamin Franklin working as an editorial assistant at the Benjamin Franklin Papers editing project at Yale. For several years I spent most days copyediting transcripts of his letters and fact checking the work of the senior editors, stalking musty stacks of the Yale Library to find obscure history books and scholarly journals. I also spent evenings and weekends reading biographies of Franklin, some of them written by the editors who worked alongside me.

Many years later, when I started writing for children, I remembered my youthful crush on Dr. Franklin. Perhaps I could write a book about him. It had been done countless times of course. What could I add to the mix? Nothing came to mind.

I went on and published fiction and nonfiction for different age groups, leaning toward biography. I focused on women’s history and Black history, writing about people unfamiliar to young readers – not Benjamin Franklin. I read the new children’s biographies of Franklin as they appeared over the years. Many presented Franklin as someone who succeeded brilliantly at everything he tried – business, writing, community service, science, politics, diplomacy.

But I knew that wasn’t the whole story. Could this be my hook for a Franklin book? I titled the first two drafts of my story Benjamin Franklin Fails Again: he failed, but he kept trying. Big yawn. I needed to give him a bigger stage with bigger consequences to make it compelling.

Much had been added to the adult Franklin canon since my days at Yale, and so I read on. By Draft #3 I had my title and my narrative arc – Franklin evolves from staunch supporter of the British Empire to fiery American rebel. He spent nearly twenty years in England, trying to restore peace between the American colonies and Britain, a peace that would strengthen the whole British Empire. He failed big time.

His failure had shifted his world view. But what came before? What life lessons had he learned from childhood to make that shift possible, perhaps even inevitable? I settled on seven.

Then came the best part: how to structure the book. I revel in innovative structure in the books I read (and the movies and plays I see). I wanted my book on Benjamin to reflect his extraordinary character – his curiosity, sociability, ambition, perseverance, probing intellect, social conscience, and wit – in short, his irrepressible love of life. There was no better way to do that than to put his own words on the page.

Each of my seven steps references roughly a decade of his life, and each one begins with a memorable quote from Franklin. These quotes aren’t always clear until the end of the chapter where I summarize the “step” or lesson learned. More quotes and sidebars from Franklin’s Autobiography present his views in hindsight, of earlier events in his life.

John O’Brien’s illustrations are a dream-come-true. His cover colorfully illustrates the rather cumbersome but droll title of the book. His black ink drawings suggest 18^th century engravings. And on nearly every double page spread, O’Brien adds the sort of wit and humor that Franklin mastered in his satirical writings. A few examples accompany this essay.

When I sat down to write How Benjamin Franklin Became a Revolutionary in Seven (Not-So-Easy) Steps, I wrote the book that came to me. The manuscript was 3500 words with nearly 1800 words of back matter. Some writer friends questioned it. It was way too long for a traditional picture book and too short for a middle grade biography. Illustrations or not? Who would be my audience? I didn’t have answers.

I sent the seventh draft to my longtime editor, Carolyn Yoder, at Astra Books for Young Readers/Calkins Creek. She and the editorial committee bought it on first viewing. Then John O’Brien added his magic touch. The finished book is 96 pages long, suggested for grades 4-7.

My love letter to Benjamin Franklin was a long time coming. For me, it was worth the wait. As for Benjamin Franklin, I like to think he’d enjoy it – and didn’t mind waiting a long time.

[Fun Fact: There is no evidence that Benjamin Franklin was called Ben. None the thousands of letters he sent and received – personal or professional – use the nickname. He signed his letters B. Franklin. I chose to call him Benjamin.]

Don’t forget to leave a comment below for a chance to win HOW BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BECAME A REVOLUTIONARY IN SEVEN (NOT-SO-EASY) STEPS! (US addresses only, please. Winner announced 10/27/23)

Gretchen Woelfle is an award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction books for young readers. She is most awfully curious – some would say nosy – about people who do extraordinary things. Some, like Benjamin Franklin, are already famous. Others should be more famous. Her biographies include A Take-Charge Girl Blazes a Trail to Congress: The Story of Jeannette Rankin; Answering the Cry for Freedom: African Americans and the American Revolution; and Mumbet’s Declaration of Independence. When not traveling the world looking for new stories, Gretchen lives in Los Angeles, California.