What's all this fuss about tea again? A two-page note swiftly sets the stage for the insurrection of the Sons of Liberty against the British Crown, explaining why the tea tax was symbolic of so much more. Then we're off to graphic-novel land, with Adams delivering two rousing speeches to thousands of antsy protesters. There's probably a limit to how excitingly a speech can be rendered, but after the patriots (disguised as Mohawk Indians) take to the streets, Spender's night-blue and fire-orange illustrations capably convey the tumult of the marauding rebels and the seething of the waves that swallow the tea. The shocked King George looks expectedly fatuous, and it ends with noble Adams anticipating the oncoming war. Easily comprehensible and sporadically exciting, this title bodes well for the rest of the Graphic Heroes of the American Revolution series.

JEFFREY, Gary . John Adams and the Boston Massacre . illus. by Emanuele Boccanfuso. ISBN 978-1-4339-6016-1 ; ISBN 978-1-4339-6017-8 ; ISBN 978-1-4339-6056-7 . LC 2010053711. JEFFREY, Gary . Paul Revere and His Midnight Ride . illus. by James Field. photos. ISBN 978-1-4339-6019-2 ; ISBN 978-1-4339-6020-8 ; ISBN 978-1-4339-6057-4 . LC 2010050925. JEFFREY, Gary . Samuel Adams and the Boston Tea Party . illus. by Nick Spender. photos. ISBN 978-1-4339-6022-2 ; ISBN 978-1-4339-6023-9 ; ISBN 978-1-4339-6058-1 . LC 2010051829. JEFFREY, Gary . Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence . illus. by Emanuele Boccanfuso. photos. ISBN 978-1-4339-6025-3 ; ISBN 978-1-4339-6026-0 ; ISBN 978-1-4339-6059-8 . LC 2011004701. JEFFREY, Gary . Thomas Paine Writes Common Sense . illus. by Nick Spender. ISBN 978-1-4339-6028-4 ; ISBN 978-1-4339-6029-1 ; ISBN 978-1-4339-6060-4 . LC 2011000888. ea vol: 24p. (Graphic Heroes of the American Revolution Series). reprods. glossary. index. CIP. Gareth Stevens . 2011. PLB $23.95; pap. $8.15; ebook $23.95. Gr 3-5 These graphic novels illustrate pivotal moments of the American Revolution. Each has a two-page introduction and single-page conclusion, but the main body features comic-book-style art. The texts are limited, with often a sentence or two per frame, and there is almost no background or analysis. The illustrations tend to be dark and unappealing. While these books do recount important events, they are so simplistic that they will not help their intended audience or struggling readers learn adequate details or understand the events' importance. Many of the extant high-interest, low-vocabulary titles about the American Revolution offer more information and are better executed.