Thomas Jefferson’s Battle for Science: Bias, Truth, and a Mighty Moose!
Illustrated by Jeremy Holmes
Did you know Thomas Jefferson, one of the most famous founding fathers, always had his mind on science? This STEM/STEAM picture book tells how Jefferson’s scientific thinking and method battled against faulty facts and bias to prove that his new nation was just as good as any in the Old World.
Young Thomas Jefferson loved to measure the natural world: plants and animals, mountains and streams, crops and weather. With a notepad in his pocket, he constantly examined, experimented, and explored. He dreamed of making great discoveries like the well-known scientific author, Count Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon.
But when Buffon published an encyclopedia of the natural world, Jefferson was furious! According to the French count, America was cold and swampy, and filled with small and boring animals, nothing like the majestic creatures of the OId World. Jefferson knew Buffon had never even been to America. Where had Buffon gotten his information? Had he cherry-picked the facts to suit his arguments? Was he biased in favor of Europe?
How could Jefferson prove Buffon wrong? By using scientific inquiry, of course! This first picture book to emphasize Jefferson’s use of scientific methods is an accessible and entertaining approach to a lesser-known side of Jefferson.
RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS
NEW! 4 STEAM Workshops from KidLit Grove
- Measuring with Motion – grades 1-2
- Build a Moose – grades 1-2
- Mammoth Mystery – grades 3-5
- Mythbusters – grades 3-5
BOOKTALK mini from Kid Lit for Growing Minds: How do you measure truth?
BOOKTALK mini from Kid Lit for Growing Minds: Activity-Explore the Power of Words & Art
LIT LINKS: Create a Cabinet of Curiosities – STEM + Lang Arts for the classroom
REVIEWS
“With theatrical flair, Anderson and Holmes lay out a historical contretemps between Jefferson, who took “supreme delight” in science and was an eager observer of the natural world, and renowned French naturalist Buffon…The illustrator underscores the narrative’s droll, punchy tone by pinning cartoon figures in period dress, images of wildlife, leaf, and bone specimens with handwritten labels, and sheets and scraps with quotes on ruled or raw wooden backgrounds for an untidy scrapbook effect…readers will come away knowing more about the multifaceted character of the man who…became our third president.” ~ Booklist
⭐️ “Anderson cleverly juxtaposes Buffon’s faulty scientific claims alongside Jefferson’s colorful outrage… Holmes wittily presents Jefferson’s inquiries through comic-book panels depicting heads exploding with arguments set against sepia-colored notebook pages…A delightfully enlightening account and a welcome antidote to our own time’s precarious truthiness.” ~ Kirkus
AND…15 Best May Books for Young Readers from Kirkus 😍
⭐️ “The written narrative appears in text boxes, acting either as previews for the often-humorous illustrations (for example, ideas explode from Jefferson’s head as he writes his own book challenging Buffon) or as comic panels. A concluding author’s note explains the sources and dangers of misinformation and ways to identify and combat such rumors, as well as a timeline of Jefferson’s life and a bibliography—appropriately, for the topic—divided into primary and secondary sources.” ~ Horn Book
⭐️ “…The quirky illustrations will appeal to elementary students, highlighting the scientific inquiry process. Story time discussions could include the topics of presidents, the scientific method, and the pursuit of truth. The book is well researched and includes a bibliography and time line of Jefferson’s life. VERDICT This enlightening account of a president and his study of the natural world is a needed addition to the elementary library. ~School Library Journal
“…the crux of this particular book is all about bias. It’s about how assumptions can upset scientific reasoning. Basically, it’s an anti-misinformation book (something I’m surprised we’re not seeing a lot more of on our shelves these days) with some truly fun art from Holmes. Without relying on any fake dialogue, the book moves at a fast clip and has some truly interesting moments. A complicated character on a complicated subject makes for a good book” SLJ 2024 List of Science and Nature Books for Kids
HONORS:
TOP 100 PICTURE BOOKS OF 2024 – Kirkus Reviews
The 25 Best New Book Releases This Week from Parade Magazine “…features marvelously detailed and inventive illustrations showing how the Founding Father used the scientific method to refute a French scientist’s dismissive attitude towards the New World. Great fun.”
Parade Magazine: The 10 Best Picture Books of 2024…So Far (Aug 7, 2024)
Parade Magazine: The Best 20 Picture Books of 2024 [Parade Magazine loved the book all year long – from best new releases, to 10 best so far in August, to this list for 2024!]
Museum of the American Revolution: Read the Revolution 2024 Summer Reading List for Young Readers
Nonfiction Newbery Contenders, article from SLJ
“The List” of notable books to consider for the Caldecott Award, from The Horn Book
Scientists in Action from The Horn Book
9 must-read books for kids as the U.S. presidential election draws nearer – Datebook, SF Chronicle
*Unanimous 2025 TEXAS TOPAZ Selection: Nonfiction Gems
INTERVIEWS, BLOG ARTICLES AND MORE!
Unpacking the Power of Picture Books: Interview and review
Blog review on Cathy Ogren’s blog Humor Me
Writing and Illustrating from Kathy Temean: review and the book journey
The Picture Book Buzz blog: interview with Maria Marshall
Writing and Illustrating: Illustrator Saturday with Jeremy Holmes
The GROG Blog: Illustration Notes [To note? Or not to note?]
Picture Book Builders blog interview with author Jill Esbaum
Beth Anderson, Children's Writer 