Did you know George Washington loved dogs? He also understood how important dogs were to soldiers. At the time of Washington, dogs were often used to hunt for food and to help keep their owners warm in the cold winters.

We often see soldiers on horseback and indeed Washington’s horse Nelson was important to him as were all the horses used by soldiers. But a funny thing happened during a battle. One of the dogs became confused and ended up in the American camp. The dog was wearing a collar that told Washington who owned the dog. George Washington may not have chopped down a cherry tree but he was an honest and honorable man. He could have kept the dog. Many of the men encouraged him to keep it as a prize of battle. Washington understood the importance of a soldier’s dog. He chose to send the dog back to his owner with a letter to General Howe. The fame of Washington’s honesty spread not only through the British army but all across the continent of Europe. He received presents from kings, dogs and even mules arrived at his home.

George Washington and the General’s Dog by Frank Murphy and Richard Walz is a level 3 reader but contains many interesting details about Washington and his love of animals. This book intrigued my interest in Washington and the history of the beginnings of our nation. It includes the severity of the winter, and the honor of men on both sides of the battles. This is a great read for children in celebration of Washington’s birthday and the birth of our nation. I give this easy reader 5 stars.

Today we celebrate not only George Washington’s birthday but all the presidents of the United States. Two of our greatest presidents have birthdays in February, Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809. George Washington was born February 11, 1731. So why would we celebrate February 22, 1732 as his birthday? Long story short, someone changed the calendar. When Britain adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752 in place of the Julian calendar it changed the year and Washington’s birthday a whole year plus 11 days. That’s a tease to find out more next month as we investigate two calendars.

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Happy Presidents’ Day — Gail Cartee

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