Benjamin Franklin: Young Printer (Childhood of Famous Americans Series) Book

I have yet to find a "Childhood of Famous Americans" book that doesn't make sure readers know how terribly savage and dangerous "The Indians" are. This one starts out with young Ben being castigated by his parents for being friendly to a native trader and warning him that he must never go visit them, or he will surely be murdered or kidnapped. Punctuated, of course, with his little sister crying and begging him not to consider such a terrible thing as befriending and visiting Indians.

The family is framed as poor, but so loving, except that then the children are ruled with an iron hand and punished by withholding food if they dare comment, good or bad, about the meal. At which point, lonely Ben goes to bed wishing for another adult to step in and save him, and cowering for fear of "Indians with Tomahawks" who might be hiding in the dark. Sounds loving to me.

Benjamin Franklin is always a good boy, never doing, saying, or thinking anything wrong, and he is supremely obedient. And he apparently finished his life as the Best Loved Citizen of All America, Ever!!! Which, of course, feels quite forced. No wonder people seem to think this country was founded by superheroes. Franklin was an amazing man, no doubt, but this book is getting removed from my shelves post haste.