Siege: How General Washington Kicked the British Out of Boston and Launched a Revolution

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review by the publisher.

Today's non-fiction post is on Siege: How General Washington Kicked the British Out of Boston and Launched a Revolution by Roxane Orgill. It is 240 pages long and is published by Candlewick Press. The over is a picture with George Washington on his horse in silhouette. The intended reader is someone who likes stories in verse and want to learn more about how the American Revolution got started. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Step back to British-held Boston and hear the voices of citizens, militiamen, and redcoats at a turning of the tide in the American Revolution, brought to life in Roxane Orgill's deft verse.
It is the summer of 1775. The British occupy Boston and its busy harbor, holding residents captive and keeping a strong military foothold. The threat of smallpox looms, and the town is cut off, even from food supplies. Following the battles of Lexington and Concord, Congress unanimously elects George Washington commander in chief of the American armed forces, and he is sent to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to transform the ragtag collection of volunteer militiamen into America's first army. So far the war is nothing more than a series of intermittent skirmishes, but Washington is in constant fear of attack — until he takes the offensive with results that surprise everyone, the British most of all. Roxane Orgill uses verse to zoom in on the siege of Boston that launched the war to defeat the British, giving voice to privates and generals, their wives and city residents. to tell a story that is usually overlooked in Revolutionary War history. Back matter includes source notes, a glossary, and a bibliography.

Review- Orgill is trying to make history more interesting by telling it in verse. We follow Washington from when he took the role of general all the way to the real beginning of the American Revolution. We follow different characters and the many different problems that they faced from getting cannons to Boston and just feeding the soldiers. The verse types change depending the characters giving them each a unique voice. But it does get old and starts to feel unnatural by the time I finished the book. If you have a good knowledge of the American Revolution you will have an easier time following what is going on but if you are a teen trying to use this book to learn about the American Revolution then you are going to  still have to read a normal history book. This would a be a fun side book to have as you are reading about the American Revolution to add some fun into the history but it will not replace the basic history book itself.

I give this book a Three out of Five stars.