Broadcast originally aired Monday, November 20, 2017 at 9:30am
on www.WRCR.com
Selene Castrovilla discussed her new children’s book, Revolutionary Rogues: John Andre and Benedict Arnold. It's a riveting nonfiction picture book that unfolds like a play, telling a story from American history.
Gravely injured and with little chance for more military honors, Major-General Benedict Arnold seeks reward and recognition another way. He contacts Major John André, the new head of British intelligence and another man determined to prove himself. Arnold and André strike a deal and use Arnold’s intelligence to take over West Point, the strategic American fort. The plan ultimately fails, leading to André’s capture and death and Arnold’s loss of reward and glory. Ms. Castrovilla and the book's illustrator, John O’Brien, brilliantly capture the tensions and high drama of these two revolutionary rogues by highlighting their similarities and differences and demonstrating how they brought about their own tragic ends. The book also includes an afterword, timelines of the lives of both men, an extensive bibliography, and a list of key places to visit.
About the author: Selene Castrovilla is an award-winning young adult (YA) novelist and nonfiction author. Her third YA novel, Melt, Book One of the Rough Romance Trilogy, was the recipient of six honors, including the SCBWI Spark Award. Revolutionary Friends, her third nonfiction picture book, was the recipient of four awards, including Booklist Top Ten Biography for Youth. Ms. Castrovilla holds a masters in fine arts in creative writing from the New School and a bachelor's degree in English from New York University. She is a member of the Bank Street College Writers Lab and PEN American Children’s Book Committee. She is the Long Island Liaison for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Metro-NY Chapter and a former chair of the Long Island Children’s Writers and Illustrators, Jacqueline Woodson, a teacher at the New School, calls Ms. Castrovilla “a writer worth watching.”
Revolutionary Rogues: John Andre and Benedict Arnold
Age Range: 9 - 12 years
Grade Level: 4 - 7
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Calkins Creek (September 19, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1629793418
ISBN-13: 978-1629793412
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"Crossroads of Rockland History," a program of the Historical Society of Rockland County, airs on the third Monday of each month at 9:30 am on WRCR radio at www.WRCR.com. Join host Clare Sheridan as we explore, celebrate, and learn about our local his
Crossroads of Rockland History, a program of the Historical Society of Rockland County, starts streaming new episodes on the third Monday of each month at 10am. From October 2010 to May 2025, the program aired after the morning show on WRCR radio 1700 AM and www.WRCR.com.
Join host Clare Sheridan as we explore, celebrate, and learn about our local history, with different topics and guest speakers every month. Our recorded broadcasts are also available for streaming on all major podcasts platforms and at our website.
The Historical Society of Rockland County is a nonprofit educational institution and principal repository for original documents and artifacts relating to Rockland County. Its headquarters are a four-acre site featuring a history museum and the 1832 Jacob Blauvelt House in New City, New York.
