I stumbled across a used book in a library clearance sale; “Anthony Wayne: Daring Boy.” It was part of a series called “Childhood of Famous Americans” and I think many were written by an author named Augusta Stevenson. I’d guess they are about 60-70% fictional and definitely reflect a 50s worldview; but I really enjoyed these books as a kid, and now I’m enjoying re-reading the Anthony Wayne one with Cole.
The other one I remember reading was Sam Houston: Boy Chieftain.
The pattern, in those books anyway, is that a boy with promise gets into tough situations, shows pluck, courage, and ingenuity and saves the day; goes on to be Famous American. Sort of a Horatio Alger thing, I guess.
I was brought up calling him “Mad Anthony Wayne”
Tommy has the Mark Twain one and a few others. We pick more up when we see them at used book sales. I used to grab a few of them from the bookmobile each week when I was a wee lad.
The ones I remember offhand were Custer, Pontiac, Sitting Bull, Thomas Edison. But yeah, there are about 50 others.