This book has no bibliography, no index, no about the author, no chapter titles. The table of contents listed the chapters simply as "Chapter 1," and so forth. The book is part of the Creative Minds Biography book series.
I picked the book based on the title. This is an inspirational story about one of the first African-American mathematican and astronomer. He was one of the very few free blacks in a time of slavery. It was difficult for me to overlook the flaws of this book, that I could not read through the book. I only perused through to get the main points of the story. At the end of the book, there is a section that is titled, "More about Benjamin Banneker" but had information that does not pertain to him at all. The book feels cheap and hastily put together. My high school literary magazine is the same quality of this published work. Overall, this is a terrible book. ( )

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

Benjamin Banneker was raised on a farm in Maryland. Growing up, he counted everything. He learned to read and constantly wanted to know more. He worked hard growing tobacco and fishing, but he wanted more than that out of his life. When a Quaker moved in nearby and started a school, Benjamin was permitted to attend. He lasted there about four years, until he learned all the Quaker had to teach him.

One day in town, he encountered a man he knew. The man had a watch that he let Benjamin borrow. Benjamin spent many hours taking the watch apart and documenting how all the pieces worked and fit together. It took Benjamin two years, but he recreated the watch and built his own working clock.

People talked, and soon many wanted to come and see the man that built the clock.

Life went on like this for Benjamin. He discovered something new and then had to master it. It was his mastery of astronomy and surveying that eventually landed him in the midst of President Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Benjamin was now part of the team that would design the layout of the new capital in Washington.

Benjamin had only a basic education by today's standards, but Ms. Ferris goes on to document the amazing accomplishments one man made on his own. She shows what hard work and perseverance can accomplish. ( )

55370000461344