The Doctor's Boy

As the assistant to an army doctor during the Revolutionary War, Eleazor Portis sees first hand the toll war takes on the human body and mind. Despite the difficult times, Eleazor loves working as a 'doctor's boy' and is good at it. Even General Washington's wife, Martha, praises Eleazor on her visit to the hospital at Valley Forge. But, when an envious Bill Wormish starts prying, Eleazor's future at the hospital may be in danger. Readers learn of the difficulties, horrors, and victories of life at Valley Forge through Eleazor's eyes, and learn the price that was paid for American independence. Each volume in this innovative historical-fiction series is designed to look like a scrapbook created by the story's main character. Each historical period comes vividly to life in events chosen for their curricular relevance. Elementary students will love the activity section, which encourages readers to write their own historical fiction, offers instructions for personal scrapbooking, and provides lessons in compiling oral histories from family and friends. Additional features to aid comprehension include a historical essay on the actual event, a table of contents, a glossary, informative sidebars, sources for further research, and an introduction to the author.