In this rhyming, hilarious romp about a little-known facet of American
history, Thomas Jefferson tries to disprove a French theory that those
in the New World are puny and wussy by going in search of mammoth
bones.
In the New World called America big changes were a'brewing.
Independence was declared with bold hurrahs and ballyhooing!
The French feel threatened by America's new freedom and confidence, as
embodied by Count Buffon who claims that the "New World was a chilly,
swampy place, filled with puny, scrawny creatures, every species, breed,
and race." Thomas Jefferson won't stand his young country being
insulted, so he sets out to prove Count Buffon wrong. He sends people
across the country in search of an animal or animal bones to prove that
creatures in the United States are big and strong and worthy.
Hilarious, energetic, and a delight to read aloud, this book shines a
light on this little-known slice of American history. Included in the
back matter are an author's note, who's who and what's what from
American history, bibliography, and further reading.