Books about Benjamin Franklin, Inventor and Statesman

Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin, link to read for free on archive.org

“What would you do if you lived in a community without a library, hospital, post office, or fire department? If you were Benjamin Franklin, you’d set up these organizations yourself. Franklin also designed the lightning rod, suggested the idea of daylight savings time, and invented bifocals-all inspired by his common sense and intelligence. In this informative book, Gene Barretta brings Benjamin Franklin’s genius to life, deepening our appreciation for one of the most influential figures in American history.” (from the publisher)

This is a fun comparison book of inventions. Each layout compares one modern-day inventions with it’s early counterpart by Benjamin Franklin.

A Ben of All Trades: The Most Inventive Boyhood of Benjamin Franklin,

“Young Benjamin Franklin wants to be a sailor, but his father won’t hear of it. The other trades he tries — candle maker, joiner, boot closer, turner — bore him through and through. Curious and inventive, Ben prefers to read, swim, fly his kite, and fly his kite while swimming. But each time he fails to find a profession, he takes some important bit of knowledge with him. That tendency is exactly what leads him to become the astonishingly versatile genius we remember today.” (from the publisher)

Benjamin’s desire to become a sailor is overridden by his father, so Ben’s love for water manifests in interesting ways of swimming. Learn about the quest young Benjamin and his father take to find a trade to suit him. The illustrations are fantastic in this book and the ending is sweet lesson.

An Inconvenient Alphabet

“Once upon a revolutionary time, two great American patriots tried to make life easier. They knew how hard it was to spell words in English. They knew that sounds didn’t match letters. They knew that the problem was an inconvenient English alphabet. In 1786, Ben Franklin, at age eighty, and Noah Webster, twenty-eight, teamed up. Their goal? Make English easier to read and write. But even for great thinkers, what seems easy can turn out to be hard. Children today will be delighted to learn that when they “sound out” words, they are doing eg-zakt-lee what Ben and Noah wanted.” (from the publisher)

This book is so much fun and a great segue into teaching kids how a dictionary works.

How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning, link to read for free on archive.org

“Ben Franklin was the most famous American in the entire world during colonial times. No wonder! After all, the man could do just about anything. Why, he was an author and an athlete and a patriot and a scientist and an inventor to boot. He even found a way to steal the lightning right out of the sky.” (from the publisher)

This book introduces many of Benjamin Franklin’s most famous invention, ending with the lightning rod. The author’s cartoon-like illustrations will engage the youngest reader. I appreciate such careful details as the author’s use of a version of the typeface that Benjamin Franklin brought to America.

Ben Franklin and the Magic Squares, link to read for free on archive.org

“A funny, entertaining introduction to Ben Franklin and his many inventions, including the story of how he created the “magic square.” A magic square is a box of nine numbers arranged so that any line of three numbers adds up to the same number, including on the diagonal!” (from the publisher)

This is a Level 4 “Step Into Reading” book. It gives a fun overview of his inventions and then dives into the story of how Benjamin Franklin discovered the magic square.

Ben Franklin Thinks Big

“Beginning readers will learn about the milestones in Ben Franklin’s life in this Level Two I Can Read biography. This biography includes bonus materials, complete with a timeline and historical illustrations, including Franklin’s electrical machine invention and his leaf print money that couldn’t be counterfeited.” (from the publisher)

This Level 2 “I Can Read!” Book provides the main details of Benjamin Franklin’s life and his inventions for early readers. There is a Timeline and photographs of artifacts at the end of the book.

The Remarkable Benjamin Franklin, link to read for free on archive.org

Electric Ben: The Amazing Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin

The Amazing Life of Benjamin Franklin, link to read for free on archive.org

What’s the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?, link to read for free on archive.org

This is a short and fun biography about Benjamin Franklin’s whole life. There are a few illustrations of his bare bottom while swimming. Otherwise, it is a light introduction to his contributions to the community and to the American cause.

Poor Richard in France, link to read for free on archive.org

This is a fictional memoir of Benjamin Franklin’s time in France at the beginning of the American Revolution. Told from the point of view of his grandson, we learn about how Benjamin Franklin behaved in France and how King Louis eventually comes around to aiding the American cause. There is additional information at the end.

Ben and Me, link to read for free on archive.org

This charming chapter book blends fact with fiction. We learn about Benjamin Franklin’s inventions through the stories of Amos the mouse, who claims to have been the source and inspiration for many of them. We listened to this on audiobook, narrated by George Guidall, and we all enjoyed it very much (age 6 and up!)

Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia, link to read for free on archive.org

This 12-chapter biography leads the reader through Benjamin Franklin’s life, from birth to death. His inventions and service to his community and country make this a great read for ages 8 to 12. This book is in the Landmark Book series.