As a Christian parent, your opinion of this title will probably come down to how you feel about books trying to be humorous with serious content. This book shares real and interesting history (see below), but presumably to capture interest of young readers, it presents it with a lot of comedic relief. The historical account is provided as flashbacks from a man who is about to be executed by hanging. There are several lighthearted jokes made in this situation where an American patriot is about to lose his life. In fact the hangman is the common clueless character used to provide comedic relief (in times we would not normally expect it). We love history and we love (clean) humor… but the mix here of someone losing their life for a cause they believe in mixed with joking is an odd mix. There are other examples throughout, such as when it reports a few soldiers were struck by lightning, to which we see the response, “shocking”. It seems many authors think that kids won’t pay attention to anything serious so we have to bathe it in jokes and make it light. We underestimate children made in God’s image so much. Parents will obviously have to decide how they feel about this.
Related to this, there is another odd choice by the author that comes across as a bit strange. Outside of the attempts at humor, the book is a historical retelling. At one point a giant floating history book shows up (out of nowhere) and consumes/eats Nathan Hale. He reappears soon after and explains that his recent words made history and so the book came. He then proceeds to explain that while “in” the book he saw hundreds of years of future history. So there’s that. We mainly bring it up because it is a bit confusing for kids to be reading real history and then one of the characters (who is a real historical figure) to experience something so fantastical (and odd).
A handful of additional items for you to consider:
Nathan Hale is “sentenced to be hung until he is dead”
When Nathan recounts school subjects he was in the hangman comments, “boring”. When Nathan says he rose extremely early for prayers the same character comments, “that’s horrible”.
Someone suggests a ‘luck test’ to prove they are unlucky.
There is a drawing of the Boston Massacre. If you look close you see a few dead.
The following historical quote is shown: “Go now and complain to that damn scoundrel your governor! I’ll send his troops to hell!”.
Someone comments, “get out or we’ll kill everyone in the fort”.
An army finds a liquor storage. Unfortunately the author shows an image of them singing and drinking.
A man is described as pure evil, “the devil himself”.
The book mentions death by hanging and starvation.
The following terms are used: nitwit, goon, weirdo, dirty brits, damned, holy cats.