Bibliography for Further Reading

Teacher Resources

Boorstin, Daniel. The Americans: The National Experience. New York: Random House, 1965.

An overview of America's collective shift from colony to nation. Includes the chapter "The Mythologizing of George Washington.

Longmore, Paul. The Invention of George Washington. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1999.

Extensively unravels public image-making in the early republic and how Washington's image became transformed in the process. Chapter 17, "In the Hearts of His Countrymen," ably describes Washington's change from man to symbol.

Marling, Karal Ann. George Washington Slept Here: Colonial Revivals and American Culture, 1876-1986. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1988.

On Washington's myth in the modern world. Illustrations show the myriad of tourist sites, advertisements and consumer goods that have aligned themselves with "The Father of Our Country."

Rasmussen, William M.S. and Robert S. Tilton. George Washington: The Man Behind the Myths. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1999.

Biography of Washington as a youth, a soldier, and a statesman. Accompanied by period paintings, his own surveying and architectural plan, and artifacts from Mt. Vernon.

Washington, George. George Washington: Writings. New York: Library of America, 1997.

Perhaps the best one-volume collection of Washington in his own words. Includes his "Rules of Civility", his teenage journal, an extensive cross-section of letters, and his most important speeches. Well annotated.

Student Resources

Fritz, Jean. George Washington's Breakfast. New York: Coward-McCann, 1969. (Grades 3-5)

A young boy who, has the same name and birthday as George Washington, wants to have everything in his life just as George Washington had it, but can't find out what George Washington had for breakfast.

Fritz, Jean. George Washington's Mother. New York: Putnam, 1992. (Grades 2-4)

Describes the life of George Washington's mother and her relationship with her children.

Gross, Ruth Belov. If You Grew Up With George Washington. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1982. (Grades 2-3)

Question and answer format about life in Virginia when George Washington was growing up. Covers everything from food and clothing to Indians, money, and how people got the news. Illustrations by Jack Kent.

Heymsfeld, Carla. Where Was George Washington? Mount Vernon, Virginia: The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, 1992. (Grades 2-4)

Liberty, the Mount Vernon cat, searches for George Washington all over the plantation, and discovers that Jean Antoine Houdon, the French sculptor, is making a plaster cast of Washington's face.

Hilton, Suzanne. The World of Young George Washington. New York: Walker, 1987. (Grades 5-8)

George Washington's letters, diaries, and papers form the basis for this account of his boyhood.

Lukes, Bonnie L. The American Revolution. World History Series. San Diego: Lucent Books, 1996. (Grades 6-8)

Chronologically arranged background and history of the American Revolution. Excellent timeline included. Concludes with ratification of the American Constitution and election of George Washington as first President of the United States.

Picture book. Rhymed couplets and detailed illustrations tell the "real" reason George Washington went into politics. Although not "history," manners and clothing are illustrated with humor.

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