John (Hancock), Paul (Revere), George (Washington), Ben (Franklin), and Tom (Jefferson) were once kids who were always getting into some kind of trouble for one reason or another. But their mischievous behavior will serve them well later on as Founding Fathers of the United States of America. Smith has done something amazing: made history fun. Kids will enjoy the Founding Father's antics and the pen and ink cartoon illustrations, while the adults will enjoy the cleaver puns and sly humor. The amusing "Taking Liberties" page at the end of the book tells the reader what was true and what was false in the book. This is a must have for any class room. John, Paul, George, and Ben by Lane Smith has been nominated for a California Young Reader Medal for 2010-2011. Lesson plans and curriculum connections are available for this book.