Ben Franklin and the Magic Squares

Reach for this book when your child is struggling with boredom, fidgeting, or the need for constant stimulation during long waits. It serves as a fantastic bridge for kids who may feel that history is dry or that math is just about rote memorization. By framing Ben Franklin as a real person who got bored in long meetings, the story validates a child's own restlessness while offering a creative outlet for that energy. The book follows Franklin during his time as a clerk for the Pennsylvania Assembly. To keep his mind active, he develops the magic square, a mathematical puzzle where rows and columns add up to the same number. It beautifully highlights themes of curiosity and self-regulation, showing how a proactive mind can turn a dull situation into a game of discovery. For parents of 6 to 9 year olds, it is a practical tool to introduce logic puzzles and historical figures in a way that feels playful rather than academic.