George Washington’s Spectacular Spectacles

Did you know that George Washington had a secret? He wore glasses! While initially embarrassed by his reliance on this reading aid, Washington’s spectacles proved to be nothing short of spectacular in this charming, funny, and little-known picture book story from American history.

The Revolutionary War was over, but Washington’s officers had not received their wages from the Continental Congress in years. Afraid they would never get their money, the officers planned to storm Congress and demand it right away. Luckily, George Washington found out about the plot just in time. He delivered a passionate speech to his men, but they were unaffected. It was only when he struggled to read aloud a letter from Congress and had to put on his glasses, that they realized how much he had sacrificed for their country along with them. The officers dropped their plan and pledged their loyalty to America and to Washington.

Selene Castrovilla’s carefully researched yet playful prose and Jenn Harney’s energetic, original illustrations bring George Washington’s more human side to life in this humorous but important story about true American loyalty.

George Washington’s extraordinary character caught Selene Castrovilla’s eye years ago, and she set her sights on penning Revolutionary Friends: General George Washington and the Marquis De Lafayette. Her enthusiasm for the Father of our Country has never weakened. See what this revolutionary writer, native New Yorker, and mother of two sons is all about at selenecastrovilla.com.

Jenn Harney has illustrated more than twenty books, including Cool Off and Ride by Claudia Friddell, Hornswoggled!: A Wacky Words Whodunit by Josh Crute, CATastrophe!: A Story of Patterns by Ann Marie Stephens. She is also the author and illustrator of Underwear! and Swim Swim Sink.