George Washington (one of many!)

George Washington by Ingri D'Aulaire

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My kids were enthralled with this. At one point someone commented, "George Washington moved around a lot just like us!" Being military kids they were able to identify with some of his earlier life.

The illustrations were lovely and the text easy to understand. It was a great introduction for the younger kids. My older boys will need more but this was a fantastic start.

Highly recommended.

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Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?

Can't You Make Them Behave, King George? by Jean Fritz

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My boys really enjoyed this and told me that 'lots of other kids should read it because it's so funny'. We read it in two days and I've found them looking through it over and over again.

The book treated King George very well and we learned a lot about him we hadn't already known. I liked that it mainly focused on him and not so much on the battles. I liked this better than George vs. George for actually learning about the King.  George vs. George, however, discussed the battles more in-depth.

A nice addition to our study of the American Revolution. Highly recommended.  This would be best for elementary or early middle school.

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Benjamin Franklin by Ingri and Edgar D'Aulaire

Benjamin Franklin by Ingri D'Aulaire

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The boys loved this book. It was always their first choice of which books to read in the day. The information was clear and interesting. The illustrations very d'Aulaire. We enjoyed reading the various sayings of Franklin's listed on each page and trying to figure out what they meant and how one would say them in modern English.

Excellent choice for learning about Benjamin Franklin.

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American History Books

Here is a list of books we have used, will use or want to use for American History. While I'm sure I've missed some good ones, I've tried really hard to include the best. Some great books are not listed here because I have chosen not to use them for my family. And while I have not read all of these, I have read reviews of them and feel that each of them passes at least the first test of usability.

We will not read every book in a category. Some categories have lots of books because there are many good books in that time period; we will choose a couple. Others have very few. When you see an "OR" listed after a book it is because two or three books are so similar I couldn't decide which one to use so I'll either try the library to pre-read them or punt and buy one.

We are currently working our way through this. I will update on Goodreads and at the very end of our studies I will post my final thoughts on the whole thing. If you want up-to-date reviews then click on my Goodreads link on the right. You can even become my friend! I've decided to come back through and bold the ones we've read so you know a review is available.

We school year round and I don't particularly worry about semesters or terms. We will most likely be working on this list for a year or two. We'll just keep going until we're done then find something else to study.

If I've missed an important date (or person) or put something in the wrong order, please let me know. If I've left off your favorite book, please tell me!!!!

Spines - books we will be using throughout the year. We will read a bit, then read some of the books listed for that time period.

Story of the Thirteen Colonies and the Story of the Great Republic, both by H. A. Guerber

For Junior High Spine – Quest for a Hemisphere by Donzella Cross Boyle (can use text only or text and study guide www.learntheconstitution.com)

For High School use 5,000 Year Leap and Making of America by Cleon Skousen. Study guides can be purchased at www.nccs.net

Indians
North American Indians – Marie Gorsline
Indian Book – Holling C. Holling

Explorers
America Begins – Alice Dagliesh
Discovery of the Americas – Betsy Maestro
Leif the Lucky – Ingri D’aulaire
Beyond the Sea of Ice (Henry Hudson) – Joan Goodman
The Island-below-the-Star - James Rumford (discovery of Hawaii)

Columbus
Picture Book of Christopher Columbus – David Adler
Columbus – Ingri D’aulaire
I Discover Columbus – Robert Lawson

Jamestown & Pocahontas
Jamestown: New World Adventure – James Knight
Pocahontas – Ingri D’aulaire

Middle School/Junior High
Pocahontas and the Strangers – Clyde Robert Bulla OR
Double Life of Pocahontas – Jean Fritz
1607: A New Look at Jamestown – Karen E. Lange

High School
Jamestown: The Perilous Adventure – Olga Hall Quest
Blood on the River – Elisa Carbone

Pilgrims
If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 – Ann McGovern
Samuel Eaton’s Day – Kate Waters
The Pilgrims of Plimouth – Marcia Sewell
Three Young Pilgrims – Cheryl Harness
Pilgrim’s First Thanksgiving – Ann McGovern
Eating the Plates – Lucille Penner

Middle School/Junior High
Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims – Robert Clyde Bulla
Landing of the Pilgrims – James Daugherty (1607 – 1648)
Tapenum’s Day – Kate Waters

High School
Of Plymouth Plantation – William Bradford (1620 – 1647)
Mourt’s Relation – Anonymous (William Bradford, Dwight Heath)

Colonists
The New American’s – Betsy Maestro
The Courage of Sarah Noble

Middle School/Junior High
The Witch of Blackbird Pond – Elizabeth George Speare (1687 – 1687)

French and Indian Wars
Struggle for a Continent – Betsy Maestro
Matchlock Gun – Walter Edmonds

Middle School/Junior High
Calico Captive – Elizabeth George Speare (1754)

Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone – Augusta Stevenson

Middle School/Junior High
Daniel Boone: His Own Story – Daniel Boone (1769 – 1818)

Stamp Act
Why Don’t You Get a Horse, Sam Adams? – Jean Fritz

Middle School/Junior High
Chronicle of America: American Revolution – Joy Masoff
American Revolution – Bruce Bliven

Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea Party – Steven Kroll
George vs. George – Rosalyn Schnazer
Can’t You Make Them Behave, King George? – Jean Fritz (1738 – 1820)
Katie’s Trunk – Ann Turner (1775 – 1783)

Middle School/Junior High
Johnny Tremain – Esther Forbes (1773)
King George - What Was His Problem? Steve Sheinkin

Lexington and Concord
Sam, The Minute Man – Nathaniel Benchley (1775)
George, the Drummer Boy – Nathaniel Benchley (1775 – 1783)

Middle School/Junior High
Let it Begin Here! – Dennis Brindell Fradin

Paul Revere
Paul Revere’s Ride - illustrated by Ted Rand
And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? – Jean Fritz (1735 – 1776)
America’s Paul Revere – Esther Forbes (previewed and didn't like)

Middle School/Junior High
Early Thunder – Jean Fritz (1775)
A Young Patriot – Jim Murphy
Mr. Revere and I – Robert Lawson

Bunker Hill
Liberty or Death – Betsy Maestro (1763 – 1783)

Declaration of Independence
Guns for General Washington – Seymour Reit
If You Were There in 1776 – Brenner
The Fourth of July Story – Alice Dalgliesh
Give Me Liberty – Russell Freedman

Middle School/Junior High
Declaration of Independence (the actual document)
The Signers – Dennis Brindell Fradin OR
Lives of the Signers – Benson Lossing

High School
Declaration of Independence (the actual document)
Common Sense – Thomas Paine (1776)
Federalist Papers

The Flag
Stars and Stripes – Sarah Thomson

More Fighting
Aaron and the Green Mountain Boys – Patricia Lee Gauch
Buttons for General Washington – Peter Roop

Valley Forge
Winter at Valley Forge – James Knight
Winter at Valley Forge – F. VanWyck Mason (Landmark)

John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones – Iris Vinton

Swamp Fox
Francis Marion and the Legend of the Swamp Fox – Kate Salley Palmer

Benedict Arnold
Middle School/Junior High
Traitor, the Case of Benedict Arnold – Jean Fritz (1741 – 1801)
Twice a Hero – Dirk Wales

George Washington
George Washington and The General’s Dog – F. Murphy
George Washington – Ingri D’aulaire
George Washington – James Giblin
Adventures of George Washington – Mickie Davidson
George Washington’s Teeth – Deborah Chandra

Middle School/Junior High
George Washington’s World – Genevieve Foster (1732 – 1799)
Why Not, Lafayette? – Jean Fritz (1758 – 1834)
Justin Morgan Had a Horse – Marguerite Henry (1747 – 1798)
The Sign of the Beaver – Elizabeth George Speare (1768 – 1768)
Toliver’s Secret – Esther Wood Brady (1776-1778)
The 18 Penny Goose – Sally Walker
Reb and the Redcoats – Constance Savery

High School
1776 – David McCullough (there is an illustrated version which is amazing)
Real George Washington – Andrew Allison

John Adams
Revolutionary John Adams – Cheryl Harness

Samuel Adams
High School
Samuel Adams: The Father of the American Independence – Dennis Fradin

Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin – Ingri D’aulaire
Meet Benjamin Franklin – Maggi Scarf
Ben Franklin and the Magic Squares – F. Murphy
What’s the Big Idea, Ben Franklin? – Jean Fritz
Ben and Me – Robert Lawson
How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning – Rosalyn Schanzer

Middle School/Junior High
Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography – Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1757)
Amos Fortune, Free Man – Elizabeth Yates (1725 – 1801)
Go Free or Die – Jeri Ferris

High School
The Real Benjamin Franklin – Andrew Allison

Constitution
Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution – Jean Fritz
Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? – Jean Fritz
Where Was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May? – Jean Fritz
We the People: The Story of Our Constitution – Lynn Cheney

Middle School/Junior High
Constitution (actual document)

High School
Constitution (actual document)

Thomas Jefferson
Meet Thomas Jefferson – Marvin Barrett (not worth reading)
Pass the Quill – Robert Quackenbush (Jefferson)
A More Perfect Union – Betsy Maestro
If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution – Elizabeth Levy
Journey to Monticello – James Knight

Middle School/Junior High
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch – Jean Lee Latham (1779 – 1800)
The Cabin Faced West – Jean Fritz (1784)
What's the Deal?: Jefferson, Napoleon, Louisiana Purchase – Rhoda Blumberg (1803)

High School
The Real Thomas Jefferson – Andrew Allison

Lewis & Clark
How We Crossed the West – Rosalyn Schanzer
Lewis & Clark: Explorers of the American West – Steven Kroll
Incredible Journey of Lewis & Clark – Rhoda Blumerg
Louisiana Purchase – Gail Sakurai OR use the Blumberg What’s the Deal book OR Louisiana Purchase - Peter and Connie Roop
Seaman’s Journal – Pattie Reeder Eubank OR
Lewis and Clark and Me – Laurie Myers
Sacagawea – Stacy DeKeyser OR
Sacagawea – Liselotte Erdich
Year of the Horseless Carriage – Genevieve Foster (1801)
Diary of an Early American Boy – Eric Sloane (1805)

Middle School/Junior High
As Far As the Eye Can Reach – Elizabeth Kimmel (1803 – 1806)
Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery – Dayton Duncan (1804 – 1877)
Sacajewea, Guide to Lewis and Clark – Della Rowland

War of 1812
Star Spangled Banner – illustrated by Peter Spier
War of 1812: Expanding and Preserving the Union – Jill Mulhall
War of 1812 – Don Nardo (won't use)
Cornstalks and Cannonballs – Barbara MItchell

Middle School/Junior High
Barbary Pirates – C.S. Forester
Battle of New Orleans – Robert Vincent Remini
1812: The War Nobody Won – Albert Marrin

Davy Crockett (1786 -1836)
A Picture Book of Davy Crockett – David Adler
Davy Crockett Saves the World – Rosalyn Schanzer
Story of Davy Crockett – Enid Lamonte Meadowcroft OR
Davy Crockett – Stewart Holbrook (Landmark) OR
Davy Crockett – Walter Retan
Heroes of the Western Outposts – Edith McCall
Hunters Blaze the Trails – Edith McCall
Mountain Men: True Grit and Tall Tales – Andrew Glass
Mountain Men – Don Berry

Erie Canal (1825)
Amazing Impossible Erie Canal – Cheryl Harness
Story of the Erie Canal - R. Conrad Stein

The Alamo (1836)
Story of the Alamo – Norman Richards OR
The Alamo (Cornerstones of Freedom, Second Series) – Tom McGowen
Boy in the Alamo – Margaret Cousins

Start of the Westward Movement
Which Way to the Wild West? - Steve Sheinkin
A Pioneer Sampler: The Daily Life of a Pioneer Family – Barbara Greenwood (1840)
Wagons Westward – Armstrong Sperry (1846)

Gold Rush
Gold Fever – Rosalyn Schanzer (1848)
California Gold Rush – Peter Roop

Lincoln and Civil War
Abraham Lincoln – Ingri D’aulaire (1809 – 1865)
Lincoln: A Photobiography – Russell Freedman (1809 – 1865)
Abe Lincoln: Log Cabin to White House – Sterling North (1809 – 1865)
Two Miserable Presidents - Steve Sheinkin
Billy and the Rebel – Deborah Hopkinson
The Last Brother: A Civil War Tale – Trinka Hakes Noble
Picture Book of Robert E. Lee – David Adler (1807 – 1870)
If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War – Kay Moore (1861 – 1865)
Kids During the American Civil War – Lisa Wroble
Strength of These Arms – Raymond Bial
A Right Fine Life (Kit Carson) – Andrew Glass OR
Kit Carson and the Wild Frontier – Ralph Moody
Civil War Sub: Mystery of the Hunley – Kate Jerome
Pink and Say – Patricia Polacco
Drummer Boy: Marching to the Civil War – Ann Turner
Gettysburg – Neil Johnson
Gettysburg: A Day That Changed America – Shelley Tanaka
Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln – Jean Fritz (1863)
Gettysburg Address – Michael McCurdy
Escape North – Monica Kulling

Middle School/Junior High
Abraham Lincoln’s World – Genevieve Foster (1809 – 1865)
Across Five Aprils – Irene Hunt (1861 – 1865)
Red Badge of Courage – Stephen Crane
Rifles for Watie – Harold Keith
Iron Thunder – Avi (1862)
Billy Yank and Johnny Reb – Susan Beller
History of the Civil War: Ordeal By Fire – Fletcher Pratt
Emancipation Proclamation (1863 - actual document)
Gettysburg – MacKinley Kantor OR
Long Road to Gettysburg – Jim Murphy
Gettysburg Address (1863 – actual speech)
Stonewall – Jean Fritz

High School
Emancipation Proclamation (1863 - actual document)
Gettysburg Address (1863 – actual speech)
Uncle Tom’s Cabin – Harriet Beecher Stowe
Unconditional Surrender – Albert Marrin (1822 – 1885)
Virginia’s General – Albert Marrin (1807 – 1870)
Lee and Grant at Appomattox – MacKinley Kantor
Up From Slavery – Booker T. Washington (1858 – 1915)

More Western Expansion
Geronimo: Wolf of the Warpath – Ralph Moody (born 1829)
Journal of Jesse Smoke – Joseph Bruchac (1837)
Buffalo Bill – Ingri D’aulaire (1860)
Cowboys – Sanford Tousey OR
Book of Cowboys – Holling C. Holling

Industrial Revolution (covers 18th and 19th century, but we’ll fit it here!)
Mill – David Macauley
Kids During the Industrial Revolution – Lisa Wroble
Life in a New England Mill Town – Sally Isaacs
Working in the First Factories – Patrice Coupry

Pioneers
Caddie Woodlawn – Carol Ryrie Brink (1864 – sequel is Magical Melons)
Coming to America – Betsy Maestro
Ox Cart Man – Donald Hall (1800-1900)
Little House on the Prairie series – Laura Ingalls Wilder (1836 – 1957)
I Walked to Zion – Susan Arrington Madsen
The Donner Party Chronicles – Frank Mullen OR
Perilous Journey of the Donner Party – Marian Calabro
Stout-Hearted Seven – Neta Lohnes Frazier (1840s)

High School
Laura: The Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder – Donald Zochert (1836 – 1957)
The Price We Paid: Willie and Martin Handcart – Andrew Olsen

Inventions and Railways
Always Inventing: Alexander Graham Bell – Tom Matthews OR
Alexander Graham Bell – Elizabeth MacLeod
Story of the Statue of Liberty – Betsy Maestro (1875 – 1886)
Liberty! – Allan Drummond
Full Steam Ahead: The Race to Build the Transcontinental Railroad - Rhoda Blumberg (1860s)
Ten Mile Day: And the Building of the Transcontinental Railroad - Mary Ann Fraser (1869)
Coolies – Yin (1869)

More Pioneers
The Sweetwater Run: The Story of Buffalo Bill Cody and the Pony Express - Andrew Glass (1860)
Frontier Living – Edward Tunis
Custer’s Last Stand – Quentin Reynolds (1876)
Across America on an Emigrant Train – Jim Murphy (1879)
Charlie Drives the Stage – Eric Kimmel
Dandelions – Eve Bunting
Dakota Dugout – Ann Turner (pioneers – 1885)
Sod Houses on the Great Plains – Glen Rounds
Treeless Plains – Glen Rounds
Story of My Life – Helen Keller (1880 – 1901)
Story of Geronimo – Ronald Syme (1886) OR
Geronimo – Ralph Moody
Steamboat! The Story of Captain Blanche Leathers - Gilliland (DK Publishing - late 1800s - Miss.area)
Twenty One Elephants and Still Standing – April Prince (1884)
Story of Wounded Knee – R. Conrad Stein (1890) OR
Wounded Knee – Neil Waldman
Chief Joseph – Guardian of His People – Elizabeth Montgomery OR
Chief Joseph: Nez Perce Leader – Marian Taylor OR
Chief Joseph: Guardian of the Nez Perce – Jason Hook

Spanish American War - 1898
Spanish American War – Robert Somerlott (if use this don’t use the Kent books) OR
Spanish American War – Mary Collins (1898 - much shorter)
Story of the Sinking of the Battleship Maine – Zachary Kent
Rough Riders – Zachary Kent
One Bad Thing About Father – F.N. Monjo (1901 – 1909)
Bully For You, Teddy Roosevelt! – Jean Fritz (1859 – 1919)

Wright Brothers (1903)
Bud & Me – Alta Abernathy (1905)
Orphan of Ellis Island – Elvira Woodruff (1908)
Kids on Strike – Susan Bartoletti (early 1900s)
Eat My Dust! Henry Ford’s First Race – Monica Kulling OR the Mike Venezia book (1901)
Little Britches series – Ralph Moody
The Glorious Flight – Alice Provensen (1909)
Inside the Titanic – Hugh Brewster (1912)
The Great Ships – Patrick O’Brien
Steam, Smoke and Steel – Patrick O’Brien
American Tall Tales – Mary Pope Osborne

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World – Jennifer Armstrong (1914) OR
The Endurance – Meredith Hooper OR
Ice Story – Elizabeth Kimmel OR
Trapped by Ice – Michael McCurdy

World War I
The Yanks are Coming – Albert Marrin (1914 – 1918) OR
A Short History of WWI – James Stokesbury
Sergeant York and the Great War – Richard “Little Bear” Wheeler (1887 – 1964)
Impossible Journey – Gloria Whelan (1930s)
Singing Tree – Kate Seredy (1914 – 1918, WWI)
Eddie Rickenbacker: Boy Pilot and Racer – Kathryn Sisson
Where Poppies Grow – Linda Granfield
Rascal – Sterling North
Christmas in the Trenches – John McCutchen (1914)
Casey Over There – Rabin Staton
America’s First World War: General Pershing and the Yanks – Henry Castor (Landmark)
Flying Aces of World War I – Gene Gurney (Landmark)
Story of World War I – Robert Leckie

1920s
Aunt Minne McGranahan – Mary Prigger (1920s)
Roaring Twenties – R. Conrad Stein AND/OR
Ticket to the Twenties – Mary Blocksma

Depression (1929)
Great Depression - R. Conrad Stein (1929 on)
Turning Points in American History – Bruce Glassman (Depression and rebuilding)
Rocks In His Head – Carol Hurst
Bravest Dog Ever: Balto – Natalie Standiford
Children of the Dust Bowl – Jerry Stanley (1930-1936) AND/OR
Dust to Eat – Michael Cooper AND/OR
Dust for Dinner – Ann Turner
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
The Gardener – Sarah Stewart (1930s)
When Grandpa Wore Knickers – Fern Brown

Sky Pioneer: Amelia Earhart – Corinne Szabo (1937) OR
Amelia Earhart: More Than a Flier – Patricia Lakin

High School
Zimmermann Telegram - Barbara Tuchman (1917, about US entering WWI)

World War II
The Good Fight: How World War II Was Won – Stephen Ambrose
Victory in the Pacific – Albert Marrin (WWII) OR
First Book of World War II – Louis Snyder OR
Story of Word War II – Robert Leckie (Landmark Giant)
A Day That Changed America – D-Day – Shelley Tanaka
Battle for Atlantic – G.C. Skipper OR
Battle for Atlantic – Jay Williams (Landmark – much longer)
Battle of Britain – G.C. Skipper (1940)
Dunkirk – R. Conrad Stein (1940)
Snow Treasure – Marie McSwigan (1940)
World War II for Kids – Richard Panchyk

Pearl Harbor
Air Raid- Pearl Harbor – Theodore Taylor (1941)
Pearl Harbor – Stephen Krensky

WWII continued
Number the Stars – Lois Lowry (1943)
North to Freedom or I am David – Anne Holm
Anne Frank – Anne Frank (1942 – 1945)
Twenty and Ten – Claire Huchet Bishop
General George Patton: Old Blood & Guts – Alden Hatch
A New Coat for Anna – Harriet Ziefert (1945)
Little Riders – Margaretha Shemin
V is for Victory – Kathleen Krull
The Unbreakable Code – Sara Hunter
Pennies in a Jar – Dori Chaconas
Baseball Saved Us – Ken Mochizuki
Tuskegee Airmen Story – Lynn Homan
Wind Flyers – Angela Johnson

Middle School/Junior High
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry – Mildred Taylor (1933)
Invasion: The Story of D-Day – Bruce Bliven Jr.
Hey Mac: A Combat Infantryman’s Story – William McMurdie
So Far From the Bamboo Grove – Yoko Kawashima Watkins (WWII)
Navajo Code Talkers – Nathan Aaseng (WWII)
A Conspiracy Of Decency: The Rescue of the Danish Jews - Emmy Werner
George Preddy, Top Mustang Ace - Joe Noah (WWII fighter pilot)
Donald's Story - Sandra Merrill (WWII fighter pilot)
Journey Through the Night - Anne DeVries (WWII occupation of Holland)

High School
Stalin: Russia’s Man of Steel – Albert Marrin (1930s)
Hitler – Albert Marrin
Hiding Place – Corrie Ten Boom (1898 – 1947)
Story of the Trapp Family Singers – Maria Augusta Trapp (1905 – 1940s)
No Promises in the Wind – Irene Hunt (1930s)
Tell Them We Remember – Susan Bachrach
Escape from Warsaw – Ian Serraillier (1942)
The Endless Steppe – Esther Hautzig (1942)
Hiroshima – John Hersey (1945)
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes - Eleanor Coerr (Japan after WWII)
Code Talker – Joseph Bruchac (WWII)
Book Thief – Marcus Zusak
Thomas Edison: The Great American Inventor – Louise Egan

Korean War (1950-1953)
Korean War: The Forgotten War – R. Conrad Stein
Korean War Soldier at Heartbreak Ridge – Carl Green

Vietnam
America and Vietnam – Albert Marrin OR
Vietnam War: How the US Became Involved – ed. By Mitch Yamasaki OR
10,000 Days of Thunder – Philip Caputo OR
America and Vietnam – The Elephant and the Tiger – Albert Marrin
Escape from Saigon – Andrea Warren

Team Moon – Catherine Thimmesh (1961 – 1969) OR
One Small Step: A Scrapbook – Jerry Stone
Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 – Brian Floca
Look at the Stars – Buzz Aldrin
As Good as Anybody (Martin Luther King) – Richard Michelson OR
Speaking Out: Civil Rights Movement – Kevin Supples
The Story of Ruby Bridges – Robert Coles
Whatever Rosa Parks book we have (I think we have one)
Jonas Salk and the Polio Vaccine – John Bankston
The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet – Eleanor Cameron
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain – Peter Sis (1940s to 1989)
The Fall of the Soviet Union – Miles Harvey
Desert Storm: The First Persian Gulf War – Debra McArthur
Gulf Crisis – Michael Evans
Basher Five-Two – Scott O’Grady (1995)
September 11 (We the People) – Mary Englar OR
New York Times - A Nation Challenged – Nancy Lee
America in the 1990s (Decades of American History) – George Ochoa (maybe look at others in the series too, by other authors)

Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out – David McCullough (1792 – 2008)

Consider reading some of the Presidents books by Mike Venezia

Activities
If we feel we need some hands-on activities try these books:
World War II for Kids – Richard Panchyk
Native American History for Kids – Karen Bush Gibson
American Revolution for Kids – Janis Herbert
Civil War for Kids – Janis Herbert
Lewis and Clark for Kids – Janis Herbert
Heading West: Life with the Pioneers – Pat McCarthy
Colonial Kids – Laurie Carlson
A Kid’s Guide to Native American History – Yvonne Dennis
More Than Moccasins – Laurie Carlson
Kickin’ Up Some Cowboy Fun – Monica Hay Cook
Westward Ho – An Activity Guide – Laurie Carlson

History Pockets: American Revolution – Even Moor Publishers
Colonial America
Civil War
Moving West
Native Americans
Life in Plymouth Colony
Explorers of North America

Discover the Past series – David King
Colonial Days
Civil War Days
Victorian Days
Pioneer Days
Wild West Days
WWII Days
Revolutionary War Days

Struggle for a Continent

Struggle for a Continent by Betsy Maestro 
Overall I felt that this book did an excellent job teaching about the French and Indian Wars. The pictures were very helpful but sometimes a little bloody. Nothing gross, but it was there. We enjoyed learning about many of the battles and tactics and then discussed how we might have done it or what they should have done differently. I had each boy build a model of a battle when we were done and they had fun blowing up Lego guys and shooting down rows of soldiers. Should that worry me?

Most of the Maestro books have a slight White Man Is Bad flavor to them. We always take the time to discuss that hurtful and unjust things were done on both sides. I feel that the value of the books (especially since there are very few children's books about the French and Indian Wars) outweigh the negatives.

This book was a little harder for my 6-yr-old to understand. He's been great with the earlier books but I think all the names and battles and such made it difficult to remember. Probably best for 2nd or 3rd grade on up.  Recommended.

Yes, those are Pokemon posing as the French, English and Indians in the first picture.  We strive for realism here.  In the second picture, the cannonballs are suspended on yarn to show them "flying through the air."  He has several miniature cannons set up on the bookcase to lob said cannonballs.  The purple yarn in the bottom picture represents fire and there are several "Lego men who have been blown to pieces and there is blood everywhere."  Lovely. 

Rain Player

Rain Player by David Wisniewski
We read this as part of our ancient American study of the Mayans. The boys really liked it. The illustrations are superb and bring a lot to the story. The story itself is sensational, as are most legends/fairy tales, but that's what makes it fun. As with all things Mayan, there are a lot of references to their gods.

Valuable addition to study for the Mayan culture. It makes it very easy for the little ones to feel involved too.

John Paul Jones

THE STORY OF JOHN PAUL JONES by Iris Vinton

There's a story behind this book. My husband received this as a gift from his Uncle Terry in the second or third grade and it became "his favorite book." When I was pulling together a list of books for American History he recommended this one but couldn't remember the author so I spent over 3 hours looking at every John Paul Jones book ever written. We finally figured out it was this one, but the cheapest copy I could find was $75!!!!! Sorry, honey, not going to happen.

So I hit eBay and found it for $1. My love for eBay knows no bounds. The boys were super excited to read their dad's favorite book from when he was their age. And to make it even more fun, dad was the one to read it to them.

They all really enjoyed it. One night the 5-yr-old fell asleep before they started reading so they voted to wait until the next night because he (the 5-yr-old) would be really sad to miss it. Everyone could tell me what was happening in the story and were really animated in their retellings.

A great "boy" book. Highly recommended if you can find a copy for a decent price! Not "necessary" for American history, but a great story about a really cool guy. I mean, he has one of the most awesome quotes in all of history, "I have not yet begun to fight." I so wish I could figure out ways to use that throughout my day.

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham
I was really surprised by this book.

The main character is such a great example of hard work and self-learning. I was amazed at what he was able to accomplish on his own, but still kept searching out and learning what he wanted/needed to. He has a lot of 'bad luck' along the way, but also a lot of people who truly love this humble, industrious man, people who do their best to help him along.

The author did an excellent job developing the characters and moving the action along.

My husband just finished reading this to the kids and they all loved it. I'm sure that a lot of the science and math went over their heads, but the rest of the story was enough to hold their attention. I plan on having them read it when they're older as well.

This works as a read aloud for elementary and middle school. An older middle school/junior high child could read and understand this on their own.

A valuable addition to any home library and a wonderful man to learn from.

Johnny Tremain

Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
I read this to determine if we'd use it this year for American History. The characters were interesting and real. It was great to see Johnny grow and change and overcome some unsavory personal characteristics.

I loved the weaving in and out of famous American patriots. The little snippets we see of Paul Revere or John Hancock and others were so well done.

I'm not sure if I'll be reading it to my 9, 8 and 5 yr old though. I felt like the philosophical ideas might be above them. I really want them to enjoy this book and be able to discuss it, and I'm not sure they are at that age yet. It also deals with some sad and sometimes disturbing things (well, it's war). I'm still pondering what age to use it. Most likely as an independent read when they're a bit older.

Very highly recommended though.