John Bartram’s son, William, loved nature just like his father. William and John explored the wilderness in search of a plant. When William became an adult, he and his father took one last journey together. They discovered a very rare tree and they named the tree after one of their good friends, Benjamin Franklin.

This book has both history and science in it and you could even incorporate math by finding out how many miles they went on their journey.

Reading Level: Intermediate
Genre: Biography

I was inspired to read this biography after reading a fictional portrayal of John and Billy Bartram in Matthew J. Kirby's historical American fantasy, The Lost Kingdom. I admire and envy William Bartram's gentle demeanor and exploration and discovery of the flora and fauna of colonial America. What a wondrous time for a naturalist! Deborah Kogan Ray lovingly portrays William's writings and art in her own words and illustrations. I am further inspired to read William's accounts of his journies in the southeastern United States in Travels and Other Writings, published in 1791. ( )

William Bartram was America's First Naturalist. He would make maps and renderings of different leaves to document for others. He named a tree after Benjamin Franklin because he was a good friend of his families. The story is written in journal form and is chalked full of great vocabulary terms.

Summary: Using the journals of William Bartram, as well as maps and drawings, this book tells a brief history of Bartram and his explorations of nature in America. The book also lists some of the plants Bartram identified and described. A bibliography is also included for further study and help in the classroom, as well as a history of Bartram at the end.
Media: Transparent watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil ( )