A Time for Courage
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"Great-grandfather Caleb was his name, I think. My grandfather told me a whole long story about how this watch is a symbol of what true independence is, and how it has been in our family since before the Revolutionary War. As I remember the story, he said Great-grandfather Caleb got this watch just before the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed throughout the colonies." JT chuckled to himself. "In fact, my grandfather made me memorize the entire preamble to the Declaration of Independence before he finally gave me the watch." "Really?" Tom replied. "I don’t know the preamble to the Declaration." "Well," JT said, " I don’t remember all of it anymore, but I do remember this part." JT closed his eyes, took a deep breath and began, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal," As JT was speaking, Tom noticed that the picture of Independence Hall in Ms. Watson’s history book seemed to start getting larger. Tom blinked and looked again as JT kept speaking. Sure enough, the picture was getting bigger. It was as big as the table now. JT kept reciting. "that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights," Tom could now see people moving around Independence Hall as the picture became as large as the whole library. Tom could not believe that no one else in the library was noticing what was going on. By the time JT finished saying, "--that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness," the library had completely disappeared. Tom and JT were now standing in the dusty streets outside Independence Hall on an extremely hot and sultry day. Tom watched JT open his eyes and look around in confusion. JT looked at Tom with astonishment and said, "Where are we?"
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About the Book
Tom Devaney is miserable at his new school. Teased by his fellow students, Tom is now assigned to be partners on a history project with one of his worst tormentors, JT Kennedy. While doing research in the library, Tom and JT suddenly find themselves outside the State House in colonial Philadelphia just prior to the writing of the Declaration of Independence. As the two boys experience events straight from their history books and meet people like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, Tom and JT slowly become friends. But will their friendship stand the test of time?
About the Author
Christina Semmens has a Masters degree in history and is a former social studies teacher. When not writing historical fiction, she is busy being wife, mother, church volunteer, and youth hockey coach. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado with her husband, Paul, and their son, Sean.