The Patriots and The Pox - Perfect Picture Book Friday #PPBF

1 hour ago

4 min read

This ingenious, narrative nonfiction picture book explores the American Revolutionary War through the lense of the smallpox epidemics and the difficult decisions General George Washington faced as he battled both seen and unseen enemies to win our country's independence.

Book cover - George Washington standing with his hands on hips, while to the left are three rows of soldiers and two ships in the harbor.

The Patriots and The Pox: George Washington's Battle to Save the Continental Army

Author: Beth Anderson

Illustrator: Ashley Yazdani

Publisher: Calkins Creek (September 26, 2026)

Ages: 7 - 10

Nonfiction

Themes:

American Colonial history, George Washington, smallpox, vaccines, and inoculations.

Synopsis:

This nonfiction picture book for young readers ages 7-10 reveals the true story of General George Washington’s brave decision to inoculate his troops against smallpox during the American Revolution.

General George Washington and his ragtag army are preparing to battle the powerful British military when the first attack comes— from an enemy that is invisible and deadly—smallpox!

The disease wreaks havoc on his troops, foils his plans, and threatens to extinguish hope for independence. Desperate to get smallpox under control, Washington faces an agonizing decision—one that could either destroy his army or save it. He knew what he had to do, but how? The fate of a nation was on the line. Here is a new look at a founding father that uniquely shows why vaccines remain important today.

Opening Lines:

Leading the fight for independence from British

rule weighed heavily on the new commander

in chief. George Washington’s mission to defeat

King George III’s mighty military force seemed

impossible. And now he faced a mounting attack

from another enemy.

What I LOVED about this book:

Following George Washington's quote "I do not think my self equal to the Command I am honored with," and an interesting yellow and green swirl reaching toward him on the title page, we see a very solemn General Washington preparing to mount his horse and lead his troops on this opening spread.

Then with a wonderfully succinct, lyrical text and stunning illustrations, Beth Anderson and Ashley Yazdani introduce the Colonial army's "other enemy" in such an immersive manner that even today's readers who have not had to worry about smallpox will understand exactly what it is and what it does.

Internal spread - on the right British soldiers in red coats, carrying muskets, advance toward the left. On the right, a red, male sihouette is covered in various sizes and intensities of red dots as a green and yellow cloud wiggles toward and surrounds the body.

Text © Beth Anderson, 2026. Image © Ashley Yazdani, 2026.

Although George Washington and most of the British soldiers had immunity to the disease, most of the colonists did not. A point poignantly demonstrated by Ashley Yazdani with a green and yellow cloud engulfing Boston as the British camp on the outskirts had clear skies and rows of red shapes in formation. What if the British used the disease as a weapon? Terrified that if the disease killed a third of his army, "he could lose his army before his first battle." Washington ordered the camps locked down and the sick isolated. It might have been enough had he not witnessed . . . possible biowarfare.

Internal spread - on the left, mounted on his horse next to another mounted soldier, George Washington peers through a telescope across the harbor toward Boston. On the right, set in an zoomed-in image within a brass circle, a boat with the British flag, soldiers, and colonists - encircled by a green and yellow cloud - row away from Boston.

Text © Beth Anderson, 2026. Image © Ashley Yazdani, 2026.

As Washington agonized over the logistics of inoculating his troops (one month quarantine and possible deaths) and how easily one errant soldier could cause an epidemic, smallpox erupted in his northern army. Terrified soldiers fled, fueling "the fire of disease." Two impactful illustrations, showing the introduced virus spread through a person's body and flowing outward to engulf a whole camp and then the silhouettes of colony soldiers fleeing as a green and yellow swirling, roiling cloud behind bare trees mimics a fire, increase the tension and anxiety.

Internal spread - on the left, silhouettes of men run across the ground, as a green and yellow swirling cloud rises and a stone plaque announces small pox in the northern army. On the right, silhouettes of men run past bare trees, bushes, and brambles as the green and yellow cloud fills the page and a skull adorns a stone plaque talking about the pox spread and death.

The alternating close-up and panoramic watercolor, gouache, watercolor powder, colored pencil, and Neocolor crayon detailed illustrations help the text relay not just Washington's tough decisions but his successes and failures. An author's note explains a little more about the global fight against smallpox and the importance of inoculations, discipline, and unified action in response to current, continuing epidemics. There's also a section exploring questions about the past and a note about Mount Vernon online resources for students, teachers, and homeschoolers. Portraying an honest look at George Washington's struggles, strategies, and leadership, this is a great book capturing the importance of inoculations and immunity during the revolutionary war.

Resources:

how would you draw (or describe) an unseen enemy (virus or bacteria)? Create an image (or write a short description) of how the unseen illness could affect your school, community, or town.

which do you think was Washington's toughest decision? Would you have made the same one? Why or why not?

check out the wonderful educator's guide (here) and "The Math of Cause and Effect with Smallpox" activities (here).

If you missed my interview with Beth Anderson on Monday, find it (here).

This post is part of a series of blog posts by authors and KidLit bloggers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays. For more picture book suggestions and resources see Susanna Leonard Hill's Perfect Picture Books.

Also, if you are in the area, be sure to check out Beth Anderson's upcoming book events:

October 10-11: SCBWI Rocky Mountain Chapter Letters and Lines Conference. Beth presents 2 sessions.