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Benjamin Franklin color sheets and timeline

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Benjamin Franklin color sheets and timeline

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Collection of kids books about Ben Franklin

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Collection of kids books about Ben Franklin

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Are you studying the life and legacy of Benjamin Franklin in your homeschool? If so, you're going to love this list of Ben Franklin books for kids.
*Post contains referral links. See disclosure for more information.*
It's not often that my kids learn about the same person at the same time since they're five years apart and following different homeschool plans.

Even so, all the stars have aligned recently and we've been exploring key leaders in the American Revolution together. One of those key leaders is Benjamin Franklin and that's why I've been rounding up Ben Franklin books to use in our reading time.

We already owned a couple of these books, but we hit our library and Amazon to discover the rest. Some are better suited for younger kids, some for read-alouds, and some for older kids and middle schoolers. Regardless of what you're looking for today, you should be able to find something that will help you get to know Benjamin Franklin, a man whose contributions should never been taken for granted in the United States.

15 Ben Franklin Books for Kids

1. Benjamin Franklin

If you only read one book about Ben Franklin, this one is a great choice. D'Aulaire's Benjamin Franklin is one of my favorite Ben Franklin books because of its folksy illustrations and engaging storytelling. We worked through a few pages a day so that we could digest all we learned before jumping into more, but my daughter enjoyed it so much that she now asks to read it for fun.

2. Electric Ben

I wasn't expecting Electric Ben by Robert Byrd to be packed with information when I found it at our local library, but I was super impressed when I brought it home and began flipping through it. It's full of facts, quotes, and interesting illustrations, making it a great option for older kids who are learning about Ben Franklin.

3. Now and Ben

Got a kiddo who doesn't tolerate lots of text? Now and Ben is a great reading option because explores the many contributions of Ben Franklin through fun and colorful illustrations, yet gets to the point with only the necessary text to get the point across.

4. How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning

How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning is also full of colorful and fun illustrations, but is a bit meatier than Now and Ben. That said, this picture book about Ben Franklin held my youngest kiddo's attention and I found it to be a great book focusing on Franklin's scientific endeavors.

5. Cheer Up, Ben Franklin!

A board book about Benjamin Franklin? Yes, please! Cheer Up, Ben Franklin! is a wonderful way to introduce the littlest learners to Ben Franklin and some other important figures from American history.

6. A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin

A Picture Book About Benjamin Franklin is exactly what it sounds like. It's got cartoon-like illustrations that will draw kids in, but also includes important dates and an overview of Ben Franklin's life.

7. What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?

What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin? would be a good fit if you're looking for a basic biography for middle and older elementary kids. It's around 50 pages and is a good overview of Franklin's life.

8. Who Was Ben Franklin?

Who Was Ben Franklin? is a biographical reading choice for kids and tweenagers. It features an engaging account of Franklin's life, well-placed illustrations, and a corresponding timeline.

9. Ben Franklin: Young Printer

Want your older kiddos to focus on Franklin's formative years? Ben Franklin: Young Printer from the Childhood of Famous Americans series is a great place to start. It emphasizes Franklin's childhood, teen years, and beginnings in Philadelphia.

10. Ben Franklin: Live Wire

From the well-loved Heroes of History series, Ben Franklin: Live Wire is yet another good biography for older kids and tweens learning about Benjamin Franklin.

11. Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia

Prefer to stick with biographies from the classic Landmark series? If so, be sure to look for Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia.

12. Ben and Me

If you'd like to forgo the biographies and opt for historical fiction instead, Ben and Me would be a good fit for you. It presents the story of Ben Franklin as told from the perspective of a mouse named Amos.

13. Benjamin Franklin: American Genius

Benjamin Franklin: American Genius is another one of my favorites from this list. It's a part of the For Kids series and presents a detailed account of Franklin's life and important works, but also includes a timeline, glossary, and activity ideas inspired by Franklin himself.

14. Benjamin Franklin's Wise Words

If you want to explore the wisdom of Ben Franklin with your kids, Benjamin Franklin's Wise Words is one book you don't want to miss. It focuses on his many wise sayings and gives kid-friendly explanations for them. For sure, this one is a fun and interesting read.

15. Ben Franklin's in My Bathroom

Sometimes you have kids who are less than enthused to learn about history. That's where Ben Franklin's in My Bathroom comes in. It's newer and I haven't personally read it yet, but it looks like a fun and imaginative introduction to Ben Franklin rather than potty humor with a tiny bit of history mixed in.

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out 100 Ways to Study the American Revolution or pin it for later.

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15 Children's Books About Ben Franklin * TableLifeBlog

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Are you studying the life and legacy of Benjamin Franklin in your homeschool? If so, you're going to love this list of Ben Franklin books for kids. *Post contains referral links. See disclosure for more information.* It's not often that my kids learn about the same person at the same time since they're five years apart and following different homeschool plans.

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Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706-April 17, 1790) was a scientist, an inventor, a writer, and a statesman. He helped draft the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. He learned to read at an early age. But his father, Josiah Franklin, pulled him out of school when he was 10 years old. He sent Ben to work in the family candle and soap shop. Ben grew restless with the work. When he turned 12, his father sent him to work in a printer's shop. It was owned by Ben's older brother, James.

Ben learned all about the newspaper business. At the time, printing was done by hand. The printer laid out the page letter by letter on a printing press. Ben learned how to build sentences with care. He also learned to write. He wrote political essays. He did not sign his name to the essays. Instead, he signed them Silence Dogood. This was so readers would think they were written by an ordinary person in the town. But his brother James did not want Ben to write. He often beat him. So at 16, Ben fled to Philadelphia. He would call the city home for the rest of his life.

Ambition and Invention

Franklin became known in Philadelphia as a hardworking young man. In 1728, he and a friend opened a print shop. Then in 1729, he bought the Pennsylvania Gazette. He turned it into the most widely read newspaper in the American colonies. At the time, newspapers were the best way to spread ideas. Newspapers spread the ideas that would eventually bring about the American Revolution.

Over the years, Franklin became even more well-known. In 1732, he began publishing the yearly Poor Richard's Almanack. He wrote in the voice of a farmer named Poor Richard. The almanac contained weather forecasts, information about astronomy, poetry, and other amusements. It became famous for its folksy proverbs. Two of the most famous proverbs are "No pains without gains" and "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

Benjamin Franklin and associates at Franklin's printing press.

Franklin became one of the richest men in Pennsylvania. In 1748, he retired from the print business. He wanted to devote his time to science. His famous kite-and-key experiment in 1752 demonstrated that lighting was electricity. He invented the lightning rod. Some of the terms he coined are still used today, such as battery, charge, and electrify. He also invented bifocal eyeglasses and maybe even the first rocking chair.

Founding Father

In 1751, Franklin was elected as a representative to the Pennsylvania Assembly. He was reelected every year until 1764.

In March 1765, the British government passed the Stamp Act. This made the North American colonists angry. The act required that the colonists pay a tax on printed materials. The colonists used a lot of printed material. They used print documents for business and legal matters. At the time, Franklin was living in London. He was Pennsylvania's agent in Britain. He went before the British Parliament to condemn the tax. The bill was repealed in 1766.

Franklin was elected to the Second Continental Congress in 1775. He believed the American colonies should separate from English rule. In 1776, he joined a committee to draft the Declaration of Independence. He then traveled to France. There, he negotiated a treaty. France agreed to lend the colonies money and soldiers to fight the war against Britain. After the war, Franklin went to Britain with John Adams and John Jay. They negotiated terms of peace with Britain. This led to the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

In 1787, Franklin represented the state of Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Convention. The purpose of the convention was to draft the U.S. Constitution. At 81, he was the oldest delegate. He went on to serve as president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery. Franklin once owned a slave. But in 1790, he urged Congress to abolish slavery in the U.S.

Franklin died on April 17, 1790, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His memoirs were published the following year. They are known today as The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.

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Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706-April 17, 1790) was a scientist, an inventor, a writer, and a statesman. He helped draft the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. He learned...

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Kids learn about Benjamin Franklin's biography. Inventor, scientist, statesman, and Founding Father of the United States.

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Complete Ben Franklin & Inventions (Parts 1-3) | History Cartoons