LAFAYETTE! by Nathan Hale. New York: Amulet Books, Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series, 2018. 128p. ISBN 978-1419731488 hc. $13.99     Gr. 4-6     JUV GRAPHIC

It's amazing to see how Hale creates a complete graphic story with only the colors of black, white, red and various shades of gray and pink.  Hale writes an irreverent biography of the Marquis de Lafayette who was born to French nobility and became an orphan at the age of 13.  He followed in his father's footsteps and went on to lead a life of adventure in the military.  Unlike his father, who was killed in battle, Lafayette lived to become a military hero in the American Revolution.  Don't miss the tale within a tale, highlighted with a red border around the pages - visible by looking at the edge of the closed book. It's titled, "Benedict Arnold: Super Good Super Bad" and tells the famous story of America' most well-known traitor - in condensed form with half-sized story blocks. Although the Hazardous Tales series allows for artistic license in both writing and illustration, the information is historic. Readers will learn American history with even trying.
Lynette Suckow, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI