By Jean Fritz.  Illustrated by Ronald Himler.  ISBN 0-698-11882-0.  Copyright 1999.  Softcover with 87 pages and 10 black and white illustrations.  

The Marquis de Lafayette’s motto was “Why Not”?  His story is that of the brave and appealing man, known as the Hero of the New World, who at age 19 traveled to America to help a struggling nation fight for independence.  Lafayette threw off the boundaries imposed upon him to stand up for what he believed was right and grew from an idealistic young man searching for honor and glory to an idealistic statesman with rock-solid principles of liberty.  Chapter book for grades 4 and up.