Trade Books\u27 Representations of Benjamin Franklin, a Life of Reinvention

State and national education standards require teachers to introduce historical topics through multiple diverse texts, with emphasis on informational texts. Historical based trade books allow teachers to meet both English/language arts standards as well as history/social studies standards. Primary sources help provide students with a balanced view of history that may not be covered in textbooks and trade books, allowing students to gain a more complete and accurate understandings. The standards allow educators the flexibility to select trade books and primary sources for their classrooms. My research empirically evaluated how Benjamin Franklin is represented in children\u27s trade books, a figure that appears in United States history. Misrepresentations within trade books concerning Franklin are reported and analyzed. This research will guide educators in selecting books for teaching primary grade classrooms about Franklin, an important historical figure