Elbridge Gerry brought his worries and complaints with him, earning the name 'Grumbletonian.' And, of course, George Washington presided over the meetings, exerting his strong convictions to keep the process going. Ben Franklin arrived in a sedan chair carried by four convicts. Alexander Hamilton felt that America at that time was 'nothing but a monster with thirteen heads.' But come the delegates did. The result was the writing of the Constitution, but initially no one agreed as to what should be in it, or even if a constitution should be drawn up! Patrick Henry, when told of the convention, said he 'smelt a rat' and wouldn't go. Against this background of confusion, fifty delegates gathered in the summer of 1787 to attempt to draw up a plan that would bring order out of confusion. Although Americans were happy to be free of England, the states were used to being sovereign and that was the way many of them wanted to keep it. IN PRINT 'Contrary to popular opinion, America had to be dragged kicking and screaming into nationhood. Shh! We're Writing the Constitution, by Jean Fritz. It takes a clever elf called Gerald to pick up the pieces and help save Christmas for the Sylvesters.' (Ages 4-8) 1977 'When Santa lands his reindeer on the Sylvesters' roof, falls out of his sleigh, bumps his nose, loses his handkerchief, and can't find his nose drops, he realizes 'it's going to be one of those awful nights.' Things go from bad to worse, as he bumbles his way through the Sylvesters' living room, leaving a topsy-turvy mess behind him. Santa's Crash-Bang Christmas, by Steven Kroll.

Strega Nona by Paola Tomie de