Each year, we celebrate America’s independence on July 4th, the birthday of the United States of America. To commemorate this special day, we have gathered five must-read American history books for kids that will help them to understand and appreciate their country’s heritage. Each book features American heroes or historic events that had an impact on our nation’s history and our shared culture today. Happy Fourth of July!
This Land is Your Land by Woodie Guthrie
Woody Guthrie’s song, This Land Is Your Land, debuted in the 1940s and has become one of the best-loved and most timely folk songs in America, inspiring activism and patriotism for all. Now you can have the book too in a picture-filled edition, perfect for sharing with the whole family. Kathy Jakobsen’s in-depth paintings, which draw readers on a journey across the country, create a profound portrait of our nation’s varied landscape and the diverse people who live there.
Horrible Histories: USA by Terry Deary
Readers can uncover a myriad of the most eccentric facts about the United States, such as which president was so scared of electric switches that he slept with his light on, why cowboys declared war on sheep, and how to have a civil battle. With a revamped, easier-to-read design and lots of bonus material, these long-time bestselling titles are sure to capture the interest of another generation of Terry Deary fans.
It’s Not About You Mrs. Firecracker by Soraya Diase Coffelt
Independence Day is a celebration of the United States that is extra special because it includes activities that friends and families participate in, as well as magnificent fireworks to end the day. But what happened on that day, that causes us to remember and celebrate it for many hundreds of years? This wonderfully illustrated children’s book details what brave Americans did to declare their freedom and equality, teaching kids the true meaning of one of their favorite holidays.
Blue Sky White Stars by Sarvinder Naberhaus
Enchanting, colorful illustrations paired with lyrical verse paint many colorful pictures of American life and celebrate the iconic imagery of our nation in its simplest forms–beginning with the American flag. Each scene, drawn beautifully by renowned artist Kadir Nelson, features striking art. From the Statue of Liberty’s side of Ellis Island to civil rights marchers with linked arms, this story takes the reader on a moving, timeless journey. This book is a commemoration of America’s trials and tribulations throughout its history, from sea to shining sea.
Independence Cake by Deborah Hopkinson
Go back in time to Revolutionary America and discover what it was like to live during this period in history through the eyes of someone who was there- real-life cookbook author Amelia Simmons.
Historical fiction master Deborah Hopkinson whisks us back to eighteenth-century America and the discombobulated home of Mrs. Bean, mother to six rowdy sons, who simply can’t cope—until Amelia Simmons arrives and sets things right. She cooks so well, too! She can cook everything from flapjacks to bread pudding to pickled cucumbers! Her latest inventions include baking recipes with American ingredients like winter squash. Better yet, in honor of the first President of the United States, George Washington, she creates thirteen cakes, one for each of the original colonies.
Looking for More Fun and Educational Books For Kids?
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