Hamilton and Peggy!: A Revolutionary Friendship

by L. M. Elliott

Overview

Drawing from historical journals and letters, New York Times bestselling author Laura Elliot weaves a richly detailed tale about the extraordinary Peggy Schuyler and her revolutionary friendship with Alexander Hamilton. Perfect for fans of the smash musical sensation Hamilton.

Peggy Schuyler has always felt like she’s existed in the shadows of her beloved sisters: the fiery, intelligent Angelica and beautiful, sweet Eliza. But it’s in the throes of a chaotic war that Peggy finds herself a central figure amid Loyalists and Patriots, spies and traitors, friends and family.

When a flirtatious aide-de-camp, Alexander Hamilton, writes to Peggy asking for her help in wooing the earnest Eliza, Peggy finds herself unable to deny such an impassioned plea. A fast friendship forms between the two, but Alexander is caught in the same war as her father, and the danger to all their lives is real.

Everything is a battlefield—from the frontlines to their carefully coded letters—but will Peggy’s bravery’s and intelligence be enough to keep them all safe?

 Bank Street College Best Book of the Year (Historical Fiction, 2019) * 2018 Grateful American Book Prize Honorable Mention

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062671301
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	02/13/2018
Pages:	448
Sales rank:	402,469
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.60(d)
Lexile:	880L (what's this?)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

L. M. Elliott is the New York Times bestselling author of Da Vinci’s Tiger; Under a War-Torn Sky; A Troubled Peace; Across a War-Tossed Sea; Annie, Between the States; Give Me Liberty; Flying South; and Hamilton and Peggy! She lives in Virginia with her family. You can visit her online at www.lmelliott.com.

Editorial Reviews

★ 12/11/2017
Elliott (Suspect Red) combines a flair for fiction with masterly research to create a dense yet eminently readable story about Peggy Schuyler, third daughter of Gen. Philip Schuyler, one of George Washington’s right-hand men. Spanning the period from 1777 through 1781, as Peggy ages from 19 to 23, the book presents day-to-day life in Albany and its environs during the Revolutionary War years through the eyes of a young woman witnessing some of its most momentous events, detailing both the ordinary and extraordinary through her perceptive point of view. Well educated and sharp-witted (but feeling inferior to her older sisters), Peggy is a strong and appealing protagonist who eventually takes on a role in her father’s clandestine work as an intelligence officer. Elliott does a remarkable job of humanizing important historical figures; despite the title, Hamilton is just one of several intriguing people in Peggy’s sphere. While the extensive detail on military and intelligence operations may overwhelm some readers, the “stubborn, defiant, willful” Peggy will win their hearts as she forges on to take her place alongside her older sisters. Ages 13–up. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

Hamilton and Peggy allows us to relive the tumultuous years of the War for Independence through the eyes of Peggy Schuyler. It is rare to find YA historical fiction so steeped in research; Hamilton and Peggy! is sure to fire the imaginations and minds of its readers.

Ian Mumpton

Laura Elliot’s work richly colorizes the often sepia-toned narrative of America’s founding era. Her characters restore humanity to a myriad of historical actors, some famous, some long forgotten.”

Joseph F. Stolz III

[T]he independent female narrator and the richly drawn portrait of Italian culture will attract history buffs and artists alike to this story behind da Vinci’s first-known painting.

Booklist

Praise for Da Vinci’s Tiger: “An exquisitely detailed story of the passionate relationship between artist and muse, whose spirited yet gentle Renaissance heroine put me in awe of just how far women have had to come in 500 years. Beautifully painted.

Elizabeth Wein

[T]he independent female narrator and the richly drawn portrait of Italian culture will attract history buffs and artists alike to this story behind da Vinci’s first-known painting.

Booklist

11/01/2017
Gr 7 Up—Margarita Schuyler, called Peggy, is the youngest of the eldest trio of Schuyler girls. Their relationship rings of the closeness of the March sisters, and Peggy is the Jo March of this family. Intelligent and fierce, she is determined to escape the shadow of her stunningly beautiful sister, Angelica, and her sweet, doe-eyed sister, Eliza. This historical novel opens in the midst of the bloody Revolutionary War. Peggy uses her razor-sharp wit and cleverness to make her mark on all those with whom she interacts, especially the young aide-de-camp Alexander Hamilton. After an impassioned letter requesting her help in wooing middle sister Eliza, Peggy and Hamilton form a fast friendship that proves most pivotal in the outcome of the Revolution. Too often her family is in danger, from Loyalists and from would-be suitors, and Peggy must rely on her talents to save the people she loves as well as the young America she believes in. The story is drawn from extensive research on each of the characters, through their letters, magazines, newspapers, and personal diaries. VERDICT Elliott has accomplished something wonderful here, and this is an absolute must-have for all middle and high school collections.—Nicole Coover-Thompson, Maine West High School, Des Plaines, IL

School Library Journal

2017-10-28
The story of Alexander Hamilton's romance with Eliza Schuyler as seen through the eyes of her younger sister Peggy.Set during the American Revolution, the tale offers the adventure of war, the family dynamic of sisterhood, and the drama of young love. Peggy Schuyler is a spirited young woman who feels overlooked in her large family as her two older sisters attract attention and suitors. This feeling only grows when George Washington's aide-de-camp, Alexander Hamilton, seeks her help in his efforts to woo her sister, Eliza. Their home is at the center of information about wartime conflicts in upstate New York and Canada, facilitating many cameos as well as glimpses at exchanges with the Oneida nation. In her relationships with her sisters, Peggy is supportive of the steadfast Eliza and occasionally exasperated by the more worldly Angelica. She carries out an amazing act of courage when British Loyalists storm their home looking for her father. While Elliott was inspired by Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical Hamilton, her story is based on independent research, and her afterword is as readable as the novel itself. Like many historical novels for teens, the language is quite modern, and the narrative has a fast pace.The demand for stories about the world of Alexander Hamilton shows no sign of letting up, and this entry ably feeds the need. (Historical fiction. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews

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