Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of Independence

Written by Neil Gorsuch
 Jane Nitze
Illustrated by Chris Ellison

Grade:

K-3

ISBN-13:

9780063473973

Publisher:

HarperCollins (2026)

Just in time for our nation’s 250th birthday comes an extraordinary picture book for older children by Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and writer/lawyer Janie Nitze. From the title, we might expect a conventional collection of biographies—Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, perhaps Abigail Adams. But no! Gorsuch and Nitze have something richer in mind. While the major figures and the broad arc of the Revolution are here, the heart of the book lies with the many lesser-known and ordinary Americans who risked everything to make independence real. We meet the gravely ill signer Caesar Rodney of Delaware, who rode roughly eighty miles through a thunderstorm to cast the deciding vote for the Declaration. We encounter Charles Carroll of Maryland, who, when warned that his common name would shield him from hanging, boldly signed “Charles Carroll of Carrollton” with the memorable words, “They cannot mistake me now.” We learn of Baltimore printer Mary Katharine Goddard, who usually published under the initials “M.K. Goddard” but proudly spelled out her full name on the broadside edition of the Declaration. The authors never lose sight of how dangerous these choices were. They highlight the courage of young courier Emily Geiger, who rode through enemy lines carrying a vital message, was captured, and then escaped after memorizing it. They tell of the enslaved African American spy James Armistead Lafayette, who posed as a runaway to gather intelligence for the Patriot cause. Several signers endured devastating losses—their homes burned, family members imprisoned or killed—yet they held fast to their pledge of “our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” The illustrations are vivid, lively, and compelling. What lingers most powerfully are the ordinary men, women, and even children— couriers, spies, drummers, and everyday patriots—who sacrificed for the radical ideals of equality, God-given rights, and self-government. Their stories remind us that the Revolution was not won by famous names alone, but by countless acts of bravery, sacrifice, and conviction from people whose names we are only now beginning to know.