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Walter Edmonds was a writer who lived almost as long as the 20th century lasted, from 1903 to 1998. He mainly wrote historical novels, for adults and for children. His best-known adult novel was Drums Along the Mohawk, and his best-known children’s book was The Matchlock Gun, which was based on a true story. He wrote several children’s books, most in a picture-book format but with many more words and more sophisticated text than is usual in what we expect from picture books. You can get a feel for the type of children’s book he wrote by noting that The Matchlock Gun was in this format and won the 1940 Newbery Award, awarded for a junior book, not the Caldecott Medal, which is awarded for a picture book.
Edmonds also wrote Tom Whipple, a book with a similar format and also based on a true story, which is set in the 1830s, when Andrew Jackson was president. Tom was a Yankee lad, from New England and probably about 16 years old, who conceives the idea that he should see some of the world. He joins the crew of a ship going to Russia and got it into his head that he would like to see the Emperor of Russia and talk to him.
It might be well to remember that the United States in the 1830s was still very much of an experiment – common people ruling themselves without a king. This form of government was very unusual across the world at that time. The American character had been formed by then and was commented on by many European observers at the time. One of these observers was Alexis de Tocqueville, who wrote his famous analysis of the American experiment and national character, Democracy in America, in the 1830s. Each American felt themselves to be as good as anyone else, regardless of socioeconomic distinctions, so it was quite reasonable that a young man could seriously think of speaking to the Emperor of all Russia, or indeed anybody, on terms of equality. This attitude, simultaneously humble and proud, shines through Tom’s character.
Though a series of fortunate events, Tom does get to meet the Emperor and his family and gets along well with them. He gives the Emperor a gift that even a very rich and powerful man could value that came from a humble American sailor. Then Tom headed for home, missing his little New York town. The story is full of whimsical humor and the wonderful illustrations are by Paul Lantz, who did the illustrations for The Matchlock Gun. As with that book, an upper elementary school student can read this book and it would make a lovely story to be read aloud to even younger children. But middle school and high school students can enjoy and get out of it insights that younger students might miss. Tom Whipple the young man and Tom Whipple the book make one remember that it is quite special to be an American.