Books to Read While Physically Distancing: Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy

Did you know that your Galesburg Public Library card allows you to check out e-books and audio books through the Libby app? All you need is your library card and your PIN (your birth date in MMDDYYYY format) and you'll be on your way to reading on your phone or tablet!  

Books to Read While Physically Distancing (BtRWPD) will focus on books available for checkout through Libby.

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy
by Nathan Hale
New York: Amulet Book, 2012

It's the Revolutionary War and Nathan Hale is an American soldier, about to be hanged by the British for spying. Suddenly, he's swallowed up by a gigantic book! After he reappears, he tells the shaken British officer and hangman about how he's now been in the history book, and describes the events that led him to his current predicament, and hints about the future. 

So, it should be noted that the author was named after the historical figure and it is not, in fact, a clever pen name. This graphic novel provides a wonderful introduction to the Revolutionary War, the major characters, and really gives a feel to the events of the time. It follows the titular character (he of "I regret I have but one life to give" fame) through his career in Washington's army. The book is chock full of information, and there were several times where I stopped in order to look up people and events in order to learn more. I did find some of the hangman's puns a little tiresome, but otherwise the dialog is quite good. While this is listed for grades 3-8, it does contain multiple deaths on the battlefield, although Nathan himself isn't hanged by the end of the book. The rest of the series covers a range of topics and time periods. I highly recommend this for anyone who is looking to learn more about history.