Author Description

Product Description Thomas Jefferson was wild about numbers. He was constantly counting, measuring, and observing things that caught his interest. He loved sharing his discoveries and reading the discoveries of others. But when a famous Frenchman published a book about America, Jefferson was appalled: all the information in the book was wrong. The author insisted that America was a wretched, dismal place, where birds could not sing, dogs could not bark, and everything and everyone was puny and weak. Thomas Jefferson resolved to set the record straight―with numbers―and prove to the world that the new nation was worthy of investment. But how do you show that a country is plentiful in an age when photography hasn’t been invented yet? Mara Rockliff, master of children’s nonfiction, details another little-known moment in math and natural history. About the Author Mara Rockliff is the author of many lively historical books for children, including Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled All of France, winner of the Cook Prize and an Orbis Pictus Honor book. Her newest picture book biographies are Billie Jean! and Doctor Esperanto and the Language of Hope. She lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with her family. For more information, visit mararockliff.com. Bronson Pinchot is an experienced narrator and actor who has appeared in multiple films and television shows. His film and television credits include Risky Business, Beverly Hills Cop, True Romance, and Perfect Strangers. A lover of Greek Revival architecture and soft shell crab, he currently resides in Manhattan. S.D. Schindler embraces the inventive spirit every time he illustrates a book - and he has illustrated many! An award-winning and best-selling illustrator, his books have won a Parents' Choice Award for Illustration, a Smithsonian Award for outstanding natural history title, and a Best Book selection by School Library Journal. S.D. live