David Bushnell and his Revolutionary War Submarine: A 15-Minute Heroes in History Book

David Bushnell sat on the bank of the Connecticut River. He kept scanning the water for signs of life.

At first there was nothing. Suddenly two curved metal pipes rose out of the water.

David smiled. The pipes came toward him slowly.

A moment later a large round tube appeared under the pipe. The top of the tube flipped open. Out popped a young man's head.

"I think it's going to work," the man said.

"How does she handle," David asked.

"She's very slow," came the answer. "I would hate to use her in a storm. She tends to wobble back and forth a bit."

"So she moves like a Turtle?" David asked.

"Yep," the man said with a smile. This was their own little joke. The men called the thing in the water the American Turtle.

It was not a Turtle at all. It was a submarine. It was the first one that had ever been built in America.

Find out how they use the submarine to try and win the Revolutionary war in this exciting 15-minute book.

Ages 7 and up.

Reading level 2.8

This book is part of our "Heroes in History" series. These 15-minute books focus on a specific moment in a historic person's life. Aimed at second graders, they provide the perfect introduction to famous Americans in an exciting, fun-to-read way.

LearningIsland.com believes in the value of children practicing reading for 15 minutes every day. Our 15-Minute Books give children lots of fun, exciting choices to read, from classic stories, to mysteries, to books of knowledge. Many books are appropriate for hi-lo readers. Open the world of reading to a child by having them read for 15 minutes a day.