Book Description

A children's book that tells how two courageous boys saved their village. Written in the tradition of Native American oral storytelling and accompanied by colorful illustrations, it brings the powers of language, memory, and imagery to a tale that will captivate children ages seven and up. The text is presented in Keres--the language of Acoma Pueblo and six other Pueblo communities in New Mexico--and in English, with an additional Spanish translation in the back of the book. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Good Rainbow Road: A Western Heritage Award Winner
If you are looking for an award winning book filled with wisdom and culture, then The Good Rainbow Road is for you. It should occupy shelf space in every child's library. The book's message is deceptively simple and the artwork is stunning. Our family will cherish it for generations.

Enthusiastically recommended Native American story
The Good Rainbow Road is a fable written by contemporary Native American author Simon J. Ortiz. Though it is not based upon any traditional Native American legend, it has been deliberately crafted with the inspiration and narrative style of such. It is a tri-lingual storybook, with its adventurous tale presented in English, Spanish, and the Keres language of the Acoma Pueblo Native Americans. Brightly illustrated by Michael Lacapa in a slightly stylistic manner, The Good Rainbow Road tells of two brothers who set out to rescue their village from drought, yet for one brother, fear is a far more dire obstacle than even the most perilous hazard. The Good Rainbow Road is a most enjoyable and enthusiastically recommended Native American story exposing avid young readers to languages and cultures outside of the mainstream.

... Read more

Book Description

History explodes in this activity guide spanning the turmoil preceding secession, the first shots fired at Fort Sumter, the fierce battles on land and sea, and finally the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. Making butternut dye for a Rebel uniform, learning drills and signals with flags, decoding wigwag, baking hardtack, reenacting battles, and making a medicine kit bring this pivotal period in our nation's history to life. Fascinating sidebars tell of slaves escaping on the Underground Railroad, the adventures of nine-year-old drummer boy Johnny Clem, animal mascots who traveled with the troops, and friendships between enemies. The resource section includes short biographies of important figures from both sides of the war, listings of Civil War sites across the country, pertinent Web sites, glossary, and an index. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A concise history of the Civil War and 21 activities
The two main elements of "The Civil War for Kids: A History With 21 Activities" work independently of each other. In the main text Janis Herbert provides a concise history of the Civil War that provides a more in-depth look at that period of American history than what young students are likely to find in their textbooks at school. Herbert begins with the turmoil preceding succession and the first shots fired at Fort Sumter, the battles fought on land and seas, up to the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. The text is supplemented with dozens of sidebar stories providing details on everything from Lincoln's beard and Johnny Clem to what Army engineers did and what "Chickamaugua" meant. The book is illustrated with historic photographs and drawings, as well as battlefield maps. There is a time-line of the Civil War up front and a glossary, guide to officers, list of resources, bibliography and index in the back.

The other key part of this book are the 21 activities that are scattered throughout its pages and provide a wide variety of experiences to give young readers in or out of class. Some of the activities are fairly detailed, such as making a North Star Safe Quilt or your own soldier's uniform, and acting out the battle of Antietam (really, but you need 30 kids). Others are fairly simple, like making a coffee can drum and having a Rebel yell contest. Several of the activities are specific to the fighting of the war, such as creating a code, signaling with a wigwag, measuring the depth of a pond or river, building a lean-to- shelter, and making battlefield bandages. A few of the exercises are duplications of things people would have actually done during the war, such as making berry ink, a housewife sewing kit, homemade butternut dye, and hardtack. Teachers would not be expected to use even half of these exercises, but those teaching a unit on the Civil War can certainly find a couple of choice activities to use with their students. The same is true for all of the other books on history and the arts with 21 activities that you can find.

BOUND TO IGNITE A FEW SPARKS
This is a great book my kids love ( maybe I should give it 5 stars just for that alone ). Lots of fun things to do - we've yet to try the butternut dyeing but as soon as their mum goes to work..... ??? This is just the book to get fathers banned from the kitchen, and probably the whole house as there's so many fun activities to rekindle the childhood we forgot we didn't have ? Hell, just buy it, better value than a family meal at McD's, and the starving would give a real War experience beyond the scope of this fine book.

OUTSTANDING!
After buying Ms. Herbert's gorgeous "Leonardo da Vinci for Kids," I bought this book. Notwithstanding my high expectations for this book, I was not in the least bit disappointed. Ms. Herbert has again written an interesting and informative book with entertaining activities that enhance and reinforce the educational value of the book. As the previous reviewer noted, a small number of the activities in this book really need groups of children to make them effective, but overall the book can be recommended for all.

An interesting aside -- adults who enjoy this book should check out the author's first (and adult) book, which was written under the name Janis Martinson. In "The World Don't Owe Me Nothing: The Life and Times of Delta Bluesman Honeyboy Edwards," the author took the exact words of Mr. Edwards and constructed an fascinating autobiography that is also quite an interesting history lesson.

Great hands on activities
We are using this book for a homeschool unit on the Civil War with eight-year-old twins. The chapters give them an interesting overview of this history of the war, but the hands on activities have really made them excited about what they are learning. We have made hardtack (recipe included in the book), facsimile uniforms, lean-tos, and quilts. Most of the activities can easily be accomplished by one or two kids, but some are more appropriate for an entire classroom. The graphics and photographs are exceptional. I am eager to use other books by Chicago Review Press to supplement our study. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Fun Book to Stimulate Interest in History
This is a fun book that should help your youngster develop an interest in American History. It is easy to read an has great illustratiions. You will not be disappointed with this purchase. Look for others by the same author.

Paul Fritz ?
This book was great! Fritz makes learning FUN! I never knew that Paul Revere forgot his spurs on his ride! Did You?

And then what happened, Paul Revere?
The story of Paul Revere is simply written by Fritz. Aftereach account she writes, "And then what happened? This patternthroughout the book makes the book easy to read, as you always know what the next section will be about. The information provided about Paul Revere is authentic. Young readers would find the information appealing. Not only does Fritz give authentic accounts of Revere's ride through Boston, Concord and Lexington, but she adds specific details to each. For example, she tells of how Revere and Adams had to return to a tavern in Lexington to get a trunk of important papers Adams had left, and how they walked right through the American lines in the process. While the actual text is informative yet light-hearted and easy to read, the illustrations provide essential support. This adds to the simplicity of the book. Included at the end of the story is an author's note on historical facts contained within the story that were not completely developed in the text. Fritz in her notes adds to the events so that the reader gets a true account of history. Overall, this book is an appealing, authentic, and easy to read account of Paul Revere's life, perfect for the middle school child!

Now I know a lot about Paul Revere's Ride.
Jean Fritz has a fun way to teach facts and have fun at the same time. She makes reading enjoyable and interesting. ... Read more

Book Description

Scagawea, a Shashone Indian, guided and interpreted for explorers Lewis and Clarke as they traveled up the Mississippi, but she had adventures long before that one, like the time she was captured by the Minnetarees, and taken away from her family and everything that she knew and loved....
... Read more

Reviews (20)

My Favorite Scott O'Dell Book . . . so far!
This story took place in the Louisiana Territory during the early 1800's. The main character is a thirteen year old girl named Sacagawea. Other main characters are people in the Lewis and Clark expedition, her French husband, and her baby boy Meeka. Her husband, Charbonneau, was an ugly, cruel man who she was forced to marry because she was a Minnetaree slave. Clark, on the other hand, was handsome and kind and she loved him at first sight. Sacagawea went with the Lewis and Clark expedition so she could help guide them through the Louisiana Territory. They wanted to reach the North Pacific Ocean. Their journey held many difficulties including near starvation, floods, and frost bite. Do they make it? Does Sacagawea marry Clark? This is a great book. You should read it. Scott O'Dell is a wonderful writer. Out of all the Scott O'Dell books I've read, this one is my favorite.

Her Heart was Her Compass
This book is a fictionalized account of two years in the life of a young Shoshone girl, called "Bird Woman" in her own tongue. Kidnapped by a raiding tribe, whose language she must learn, she is enslaved and groomed for the chief's son. Something about Sacagawea excites the interest of several warriors during the course of this story, but she is forced to marry a sly, truculent French trapper named Charbonneau, by whom she has a son at only 14.

While attempting to maintain historical accuracy (based on Clark's journals), O'Dell weaves an interesting tale of suppressed emotions, greed and jealousy, sacrifice and intrigue in wilderness America. The famous Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804/5 was commissioned to explore and document the geography, geology, flora and fauna of the newly purchased Louisiana Territory for President Jefferson. With the presumptuous claiming of Native American land as far as the
Pacific coast. This ardurous journey to the salty ocean, with her infant son on her back, was undertaken in simple faith and steadfast loyalty to the copper-haired captain. Yet the return proved a trail of unshed tears by the devoted young mother, who realized that the famous white man would never marry an Indian woman and be demeaned as a squaw man.

This story will appeal more to girls, since it is narrated in the first person by Sacagewea herself. Fort Clatsop, where the party wintered near the Washington/Oregon border, has been reconstructed for tourists interested in America's Western history. Of note: the courage of this brave Indian girl has been preserved (with son on back) in a recent commemorative coin.

Streams to a little Boredom but Rivers to History
It was a good historical book, but at some parts it was slow. It was interesting to see Sacagawea's side of the story, not just Lewis and Clarks. It is a good book if you are studying the Lewis and Clark expedition, or if you want to find out about it. The story tells of Sacagawea's hardships throught the journey and what happened before Lewis and Clark even hired her. It is very interesting how she comes to love Clark, but she is already married.

Streams to the River; River to the Sea
This is a fantastic book that portrays the life of Sacagawea. It tells about her life from the time she was captured by the Minnetarees to when she leaves the Corps of Discovery at the end of their journey. It is a great read and very informative.

Fiction, but not Historical Fiction
Before I read the book, I saw the PBS documentary about Lewis and Clark. After reading the book, I double checked the information with the journals of the men of the Corps of Discovery. The first mistake the book made was that it said Sacagawea had learned English, and translated for them. However, she had not learned English at this time. The true translation process worked like this: Lewis or Clark would tell someone something in English; a member of the expedition would tell it to Charbonneau in French. Charbonneau would then translate it to Sacajawea's native language, and then she would speak to the Indians they met in their native language (if she knew it.)
One of the many other problems with Scott O'Dell's version, was that he made it sound like Captain William Clark was in love with Sacagawea, and she was in love with him. There is no proof that he was in love with her, but according to the journals, he did show compassion on her by trying to protect her from Charbonneau, who would often beat her.
Overlooking many small mistakes, I also must point out that Captain Lewis's Newfoundland dog was actually stolen, where in the book, it says that Captain Lewis gave Sacagawea the dog.
The end was the most disappointing part of the book. Once they reached the place where Sacagawea and her husband had started the journey, Captain Clark came to speak to her. He basically told her what he thought of her: that he didn't love her, and that he thought of her as a child. This led her to pack up and leave-the book ends with her riding away. Away from her husband whom she hated, and Captain Clark who she thought she loved. Away to the Shoshone people she truly loved.
However, this is not very accurate. It is known that Sacagawea stayed with Charbonneau at Fort Mandan for a month or two. Captain Clark invited the whole family to come to St. Louis so that her son could be educated. It is also known that they stayed there at least five years. In 1811, Charbonneau sold his land to Captain Clark and moved back to the Dakotas. Jean Baptiste, their son, was left in the care of Captain Clark. He became a trapper and guide who worked with Kit Carson, Jim Bridger and other explorers. He was fluent in French, German, Spanish and English as well his native Shoshone. ... Read more

Book Description

"This is the story that I tell my grandchildren at Christmas. I hope that this book will bring the tradition of sharing history to families all across America."
-- Lynne Cheney

Christmas night, 1776, was a troubled time for our young country. In the six months since the Declaration of Independence had been signed, General George Washington and his troops had suffered defeat after defeat at the hands of the British. It looked as though our struggle for independence might be doomed, when Washington made a bold decision. He would lead the main body of his army across the Delaware River and launch a surprise attack on enemy forces.

Washington and his men were going against the odds. It seemed impossible that the ragtag Americans could succeed against the mightiest power in the world. But the men who started across the icy Delaware loved their country and their leader. Under his command they would turn the tide of battle and change the course of history.

Best-selling author Lynne Cheney tells the dramatic story of the military campaign that began on Christmas night in 1776. When Washington Crossed the Delaware will teach the young about the heroism, persistence, and patriotism of those who came before them. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Young adults (and even older ones!) will love this book
This book is a visual feast and a joy to browse; the graphic design captures the energy of the Harlem Renaissance. It's like a scrapbook jammed with "rent party" tickets, dinner programs, book covers, letters, playbills, song lyrics and more. There is something here to capture the interest of even reluctant readers.

But the text also shines. The story of how and why Harlem came to be is told clearly and without mincing words: we learn the glorious achievements in art, music, theater, literature and just plain survival, but we also learn of the racism haunting the era, and the infighting within the Black community itself. I think readers will appreciate this honest, realistic approach, which brings the era to life.

By the way, given the graphic beauty of this book, the price is a steal! ... Read more

Book Description

A provocative question-and-answer format and a multitude of facts bring to life the Oregon Trail in the 1840s. New larger format with full-color illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

...If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon
We are homeschoolers, and are studying U.S. History. We used this book to compliment our studies of the Reconstruction and Reform Period. My children enjoyed the layout, as well as the information. They liked it so well, they usually read ahead of the scheduled assignments!

Excellent Teaching Book!
This book was wonderful to use in the classroom with my Fourth Graders! It is written so that they can easily read and understand it and provided realistic illustrations to support the text. While it is not a book that can be easily read in one sitting it goes along well with our study of the Westward Movement and was enjoyed by all the students. It was conducive to group discussion and covered all the aspects of the topic that the students wished to know from the question "What was a covered wagon?" to "Could they recieve mail along the way?". It lent itself to projects and assignments for the students. ... Read more

Book Description

In 1861, when war erupted between the States, President Lincoln made an impassioned plea for volunteers. Determined not to remain on the sidelines, Emma Edmonds cropped her hair, donned men’s clothing, and enlisted in the Union Army. Posing in turn as a slave, peddler, washerwoman, and fop, Emma became a cunning master of disguise, risking discovery and death at every turn behind Confederate lines. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The story of the brave young lady with the imp voice...
Written by Seymour Reit, "Behind Rebel Lines" tells the true story of Emma Edmonds. Running away from her father at the age of sixteen, she had left Canada for the country where freedom and liberty would become a reality. Now the year 1861, Emma is now 21 and the Civil War between states has begun. When President Lincoln asks for volunteers, Emma is determined not to just sit by. She disguises herself as a man and enlists herself into the Union Army. Now everyone, including her superior officers and fellow soldiers, believe her to be Private Franklin Thompson, assigned to Company F. But Emma wants to do more, so she volunteers to be a Union spy. But while she has been all this time fooling her own army, can she keep her secret behind rebel lines?

A truly well-written story, "Behind Enemy Lines" is sure to please. The author did a lot of research to write this book, re-creating Emma Edmond's story through Emma's memoirs, U.S. Army Records, and files from the National Archive. At the front cover of the book it is written "Great Episodes". This is because each chapter is separated in such a way. In that sense, while reading the story the reader might feel as though the book does not really flow as well as you would like. But on the overall, the whole story is written well if not a bit aimed more for younger audiences.

Emma's character is captivating and very realistic. Oh, I know that she WAS a real character, but in few cases, some authors cannot seem to grasp the character of who they're writing about. Fortunately, Seymour Reit puts down Emma's life down on paper flawlessly. You can almost 'hear' the imp voice in Emma's ear!

On the whole, "Behind Rebel Lines" is a gripping and fascinating historical biography and I can easily recommend it. Best for ages 10 - 14 but older teens and some adults might find this a good read.

"This stranger-than-fiction story will captivate history buffs and hold the attention of the most reluctant reader."
-Bank Street College of Education-

Girl Power
This is a very quick read even for the 9-12 year age group it is intended for. Never-the-less, it is a very exciting and interesting bit of true Civil War drama. It is the story of Sarah Emma Edmonds, or Emma Edmonds as she was known, a young woman, born in Canada, who, disguised as a man, became a solider, battlefield nurse, spy and detective for the Union army. Emma was sworn into the Union army as Private Franklin Thompson and served bravely and cunningly in many dangerous missions and in many disguises. She was also a devoted and skilled battlefield nurse and tended the wounded of both the Union and the Confederacy with compassion. Her career as a male soldier ended at Vicksburg when she became so ill with malaria that she had to go AWOL in order to escape detection as a female. Her adventures did not stop there. This book is sure to grab the interest of anyone who picks it up. It is not a great work of writing skill, being very episodic with little to link together the various elements of Emma's courageous life. The dialogue is fabricated, of course, and rather stilted, but the facts here are accurate and taken from Emma's memoirs and other historical documents. At least 400 women disguised as men fought for the North during the Civil War, but Emma's tale of espionage is perhaps the most thrilling. I highly recommend this book to young people as a wonderful introduction to the Civil War. Getting to know the people who fought this tragic and bloody war is a wonderful way to understand this astonishing chapter of American history. This book is definitely a page turner and so all the better for keeping interest high and fostering curiosity and discovery. Don't miss it.

A woman's extraordinary role in the civil war
Behind the Lines is an adaptation of the Emma Edmonds story for young adults. Emma Edmonds was a native of Saint John New Brunswick, Canada who left for the United States several years prior to the war. She eventually found her way to Michigan where, following the outbreak of war, she under the alias Franklin Thompson enlisted with the 2nd Michigan Infantry. She served with the unit as an orderly for about a year before she volunteered herself as a spy, and during the course of the next year went on eleven assignments. Not only were her spying activities dangerous, but she always had to remain vigilant among her comrades as well, lest her identity be discovered. This is a very interesting and entertaining bit of history, one that is sure to interest even some of those who insist that history is "bo-ring".

Me from TN(I'm not really under 13 shhhhhh)
This is a true story,written by Seymour Reit, about a woman overcoming the odds in a man's place. The incredible woman i am talking about is Emma Edmonds. She posed as a male nurse named Franklin Thompson. Edmonds was sent as a spy behind rebel lines.She successfully completed 11 missions!
Behind Rebel Lines really did make me think. This book was excellent! I loved it. I could barely put it down(but I did haha). I loved reading about the struggle of a real woman who could demonstrate this amount of courage. It is so inspirational. By the way,I know I sound like a fruit but my teacher is making me write this haha. See ya!Have a GREAT day!!Love yas!

It was OK
I think that this book was ok but if you have a sick mind i suggest u not to read this book because it sounds like they are doing some gross stuff. But other than that the book was really good and i recommend it to anyone who thinks women have equal rights or women can do anything a guy can because in this book it seems like they can. ... Read more

Book Description

There's a sweet, sweet smell in the air as two young girls sneak out of their house, down the street, and across town to where men and women are gathered, ready to march for freedom and justice.

Inspired by the countless young people who took a stand against the forces of injustice, two Coretta Scott King Honorees, Angela Johnson and Eric Velasquez, offer a stirring yet jubilant glimpse of the youth involvement that played an invaluable role in the Civil Rights movement. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Unnoticed...
When mentioning the Civil Rights movement, we automatically think of Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, and other adults who spoke out against inequality.However, the role of children and young adults is not often discussed, and it should be.A SWEET SMELL OF ROSES by Angela Johnson takes a step in sharing their involvement.

The book opens early one morning as two girls sneak out of their house to join a civil rights march. They run through the streets and upon meeting the others, listen as Dr. King talks of peace, love, and nonviolence.They then join the march as protestors shout along the sidelines and police observe the group.Finally, they stop in the middle of town as King again takes center stage. Afterwards, they run back home late in the afternoon to find their mother waiting, with a worried face.

THE SWEET SMELL OF ROSES is written as a tribute to the many children and young adults who took part in the fight for justice during the Civil Rights era.Though I can't really imagine younger children leaving their houses without permission, racing through the streets alone, joining a march, and staying out all day, it could've happened, as the times were a bit safer for our children. Additionally, there are likely other areas they participated in as well and I would've loved to see that incorporated in the book.Better yet, to have them joining their parents in the march would've been more age-appropriate.

The illustrations are highly detailed, done in black and white, capturing the tone of the book. Additionally, the writing is easy to understand and children may enjoy it in a reading circle type of scenario, but I wouldn't recommend it otherwise.It doesn't fit the projected age group. It is, however, a great look into the history of the Civil Rights Movement and a nice way to introduce children to it.

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers
... Read more

Reviews (9)

All kids' books should be this good.
I thought my 4-year-old was only half listening as I read "The First Americans" to her sister (age 6). But the other evening at story time, her face lit up and she begged for "history"! I can give it no higher praise.

This volume covers the first 12,000 years--give or take a few millennia--of human life on our continent. Hakim strikes a good balance between outlining the broad sweep of the period, and focusing in on interesting stories, people, and trivia ("fun facts" in my girls' lingo). She doesn't gloss over difficult subjects, such as the massacre of the Aztecs by the Spaniards under Cortés. But she relates these events with balance and sympathy, helping her young readers to understand them from different points of view (in this case the Aztecs; their neighbors who were victims of cruel Aztec rituals; and the Spaniards who wanted Aztec gold, but also were abhorred by Aztec viciousness towards their neighbors). What's more, Hakim openly invites them to think about and even reject her own judgements.

She has sparked many good conversations in our household. For instance, she used the example of Cortés to illustrate some tough ethical questions that philosophers debate to this day. I talked about these questions with my daughters, and helped them to express and refine their own thoughts. Then I invited them to think up some other tough questions. My younger one took the cake with "what is 'is'?". She had offered it in jest, but to her surprise I pulled out "Being and Time", one of several big books on my shelf devoted to that very question. She was amused, but quite pleased.

No doubt you will find something to disagree with in this, as in any good history. When that happens, do what the author suggests: use it as an opportunity to debate her conclusions with your kids, and sharpen their critical skills. For the rest of it, enjoy a great story well-told. I can hardly imagine a better history for this age group.

The first volume in Joy Hakim's "A History of US"
A History of US is basically an attempt to write a juvenile history of the United States that will speak to a generation of young readers who get most of their information from computers and the Internet. That means Joy Hakim offers up lots of information with lots of illustrations, but it also means been very much aware of the mind set of her readers. When Hakim describes the scope "The First Americans: Prehistory-1600" we get a clear sense of this perspective: "This book begins in the Ice Age with some people who hiked and canoed from Asia to a New Land and, thousands of years later, got called Indians by Christopher Columbus, who didn't know where he was." This first volume begins with the first human beings crossing the land mass that once connected Asia and North America and ends with the defeat of the Spanish Armada, the event that signaled the beginning of the end of Spain's empire in the New World and the start of English colonization of the land that would become the United States.

The volume is basically divided into two main sections. After establishing the value of studying history, Hakim looks at how human beings crossed Beringia to a new continent and how these first Americans became Indians. The first section looks examines the Indians on a regional basis, from the Eskimos of the far north to the Cliff Dwellers of the southwest, as well as from the people of the Northwest coast and the Plains Indians to the Mound Builders and People of the Long House in the East. Chapter 13 is a transitional section that covers how the Vikings came to the New World. The rest of the book is devoted to the European voyagers of exploration to the Americans and the early colonization efforts of the Spanish and French. Consequently Hakim tells the stories of Columbus, Balboa, Magellan, Cortes, Ponce de Leon, and Coronado. The establishment of New Spain and New France is contrasted with the lost English colony of Roanoke.

Throughout the volume there are features on related topics from the Vikings at L'anse Aux Meadows and the first map to include "America," to stories of how the world began and how to ravel by canoe and portage, including excerpts from the writings of explorers Christopher Columbus and John White. The margins are crammed with additional information such as quotations, definitions, names to know, and even some jokes. The volume is illustrated with mostly historic etchings, drawings, and maps, as well as contemporary photographs of ancient sites and artifacts, (accurate) maps of voyages, and quotations from primary and secondary sources. The back of the volume offers a Chronology of Events, a list of More Books to Read, and a series of Maps: Old and New.

The strength of "The First Americans: Prehistory-1600" is that it is written as if it were actually being taught in a classroom. Hakim knows when to stop and explain the material, the same way a teacher would talk to their students about what they were reading. For example, she discusses the various names used to talk about the First Americans, pointing out that not even the Indians are really "native" Americans and then later addresses the question of what would have happened if Columbus had actually found Cathay as he expected. I can see why these volumes would be popular with parents who are home schooling their children, because Hakim is able to assume the role of teacher within the pages of her textbook (besides, I am not sure how many school districts can afford a 10-volume American history textbook or how many years it would take to get students to read them all). She also constantly asks her young readers to imagine themselves as specific people in particular situations to appreciate what it was like to live during these time periods, and I find such role-playing to be another key ingredient of computer life for young students in the 21st century.

Great history book for homeschooling!
I am currently using the first book in The History of US to teach history to my homeschooled children, ages 9 and 6. Written for children, the books tell a story of being a time and space traveller, and visiting chronologically the stages of development of the Unites States. The first book starts in the Ice Age, with Asians crossing the land bridge, and follows up through Native American tribes, ending with explorers from Europe.

I'd say these books are probably around a 6th grade reading level, and they are fun, interesting, and capture the imagination as well as teach an awful lot about history. The perspective of the books is that no one view of history is correct, and your child is expected to formulate his/her own ideas about what is right and wrong (for example, about forcing "native americans" to live on reservations.)

I highly recommend the first book in the series, and I can hardly wait to finish it up, so we can start in on the next one!

Making History Interesting for Any Person
This book is the first in a series written by Joy Hakim that captures the essence of topics that can often be presented in a dull format, but which have been developed to capture the imagination and attention of anyone of any age who is capable of reading at a mid-elementary school level or higher. The chapters in each book are developed from the adventurer's viewpoint of being directly involved in the timeline of history as it evolves. The writing draws you in and the chapters are short enough to complete one topic at a time with very little time. Each chapter is enhanced with pictures, maps, and other small vignettes of additional information applicable to the narrative. There are questions and definitions to expand the chapters into a more involved learning experience. As a middle-aged adult who never was provided a cohesive learning experience on the subject of history, even as I lived through some of our most historical events, I find this series to be one of the best ways to connect to information I never knew or never fully understood as a sequence of events with historical and future impact. I highly recommend this series for anyone, but especially for parents and children to share together one small step at a time.

i will not let my children read this book
As an avid, albeit amateur reader of prehistory through Native Americans, I found this book to be appalling. In one chapterm the author states that the Native Americans wasted the buffalo, leaving their bodies to rot and wasting meat. This, unfortunately, would have been the doings of the white man - the "Indian" wanted all parts of the animal, not just the tongue and tail. I was horrified, and will make sure my children's schools will never read this book, unless as an example of twisted "facts". ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wonderful story for preschool and elementary aged children!
My children (ages 3&4) loved this book! We rented it so much from the local library that it was well worth the money to buy it. ... Read more

Book Description

As a seamstress in the Big House, Clara is luckier than the slaves who work the fields. Still, she dreams of a reunion with her Momma, who lives on another plantation–and even of running away to freedom. Then she hears two slaves talking about how they could find the Underground Railroad if only they had a map. In a flash of inspiration, Clara sees how she can use the cloth in her scrap bag to make a map of the land–a freedom quilt–that no master will ever suspect. Drawn from true incidents in African-American history, this is a compelling and emotionally charged picture book. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Good book for kids to learn about history
I liked Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson. It is a book about a girl who likes to quilt and make things. I like to make things myself. I think it's important to learn how to make things that means something to you or to people. This book also takes place during a time in America's history when there were slaves. I would have given this 5 stars, but it was too short of a book. If you like books about quilts and history, I also recommend Lucy and the Liberty Quilt by Victoria London. It also is about a girl who likes to sew things with meaning.

A tale not often heard
A small quibble before I sink into utter praise. The cover of this book depicts the aforemention sweet Clara and her sweetheart as they run joyfully through the fields. To freedom. Running joyfully, mind you, away from the slave plantation in broad daylight. I'm not saying that there weren't a couple slaves here and there who felt complete and utter joy as they ran, but this scene is positively idyllic. Shouldn't they be afraid of getting caught? Then again, maybe it's just representing the feeling that accompanies such flight, rather than sticking to the strict facts of the matter.

In any case, I began off point and I'm bound to wander off point unless I pull myself up and mosey on over the actual point. Ahem.
ACTUAL POINT: The book is quite good. You don't see that many stories reflecting the quilts that served as maps to lead slaves to freedom. The story is a realistic one, despite everything I said about the cover. And the people are especially well represented. You like Clara. You want her to find her mother and escape off of the plantation. The illustrations are, in pure James Ransome style, beautiful. I've nothing more to say. It's a book that should belong in every library's collection. Nuff said.

--This is a well written and very interesting story--
I discovered SWEET CLARA AND THE FREEDOM QUILT when I was doing a little research into the Underground Railroad. It has been a long-standing theory that patchwork quilts were used to help the enslaved people to escape by the encoded messages in the quilt patterns. This story is another take-off on that traditional idea.

Clara, a slave girl under the age of twelve, was sent away from her mother to another plantation to work in the fields and pick cotton. She makes friends with Young Jack who sees that she's unhappy and not eating and advises her that she must eat to have the strength to be a field worker. Clara now shares a cabin with an older woman, who is kind to her and though unrelated, is called Aunt Rachel.

Aunt Rachel also sees that Clara may not be strong enough to be a field laborer, and over a period of time teaches Clara the art of sewing. Once she can learn to sew, she can work with Rachel at the Big House. Clara proves to be an apt pupil and eventually becomes a seamstress and goes to work for the mistress of the plantation.

The sewing room is next to the kitchen so that Clara meets a lot of people who move around the countryside. She also hears stories about the Underground Railroad, which is a group of people who help slaves to escape. As Clara listens to the people talking, she begins to question them about the surrounding land and decides to make a map out of sewing scraps. Eventually the quilt map is completed and Clara and Jack are ready to leave the plantation and go north to find the Ohio River, and head for Canada. Since Clara had memorized the quilt map, she left it behind so that others could use it too, and escape to the North.

The illustrations by James Ransome are excellent. The drawings are colorful and the expressions on the faces of the characters are wonderfully presented. My favorite illustration and excerpt takes place when Clara is leaving the plantation, and Aunt Rachel advises, "Before you go, just cover me with your quilt, Sweet Clara," she say, "I'm too old to walk, but not too old to dream. And maybe I can help others follow the quilt to freedom."

This is a wonderful offering by Deborah Hopkinson and James Ransome!

Great intro to history for young readers
This is a great book to share with young students as an introduction to the history of the Underground railroad and the many couragous and creative measures taken for freedoms sake. I enjoyed the story a great deal and found a number ways to connect the book to a variety of subjects.

A Story of Freedom
Sweet Clara's aunt teachers her how to sew and she makes a quilt. She and young Jack leave because they were slaves, but you are going to have to find out if they make it to freedom or not. I liked this book. It was very interesting and I learned about history. I think you will like it too. ... Read more

Reviews (140)

The most realistic book ever (so far that I've read).
This book was tragic But adventureous. I felt like I was Hattie. It is about a girl who leaves her hometown in Booneville, Missora and heads out west to Oregon. Their are a lot of deaths in the story but none of Hattie's family members died on the Oergon trail so don't worry. I'm eight and I didn't have nightmares for a week but if I were you I would not let anybody under eight read this. they may get scared. There are great characters like Pepper, Gideon, Wade, Ben, Jake and of course Hattie Campell. If you like adventure and danger I recomend this book to you.

Good Book!!
In the 1800's, many people traveled the Oregon Trail in search of a better life. Hattie Campbell and her family were no exception. While traveling the Oregon Trail, Hattie kept a diary of her adventures she faced while making the long, hard journey. In her diary, Hattie tells of the hardships that the wagon train faced such as disease, theft, and exposure to the elements. This book is appealing to children grades 5 and up. Teachers, as well as parents, can use this book to teach their students about the Westward Expansion of the United States.

We read this book for our education class at the University of Mississippi. Hattie Campbell explains her adventures in such a way that it motivates anyone who is reading this book to become interested in the Westward Expansion. As teacher candidates, we quickly realized that this book could be integrated into all subject areas. This selection is an easy read and once started you will not want to put it down until the last page is read.

Oregon Here We Come!
Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie: The Oregon Trail Diary of Hattie Campbell by Kristiana Gregory, is a novel about a 14 year old girl and her family traveling west to Oregon. Hattie goes through everything you can think of. She goes through the emotion of love, hate, anger, and sadness. Of course she has a good time sometimes, but it was a hard struggel moving west. Some turned back and some went on. Did they go all the way? You will have to read it yourself and find out. The setting is all the way from Missouri all the way up the Oregon Trail. Tootles from Mayflower.

Yet Another 8th Grade Review
I really liked reading this book. I give it 5 stars because the Donner family are canibles. Anyway it is about this girl who gets excited about moving to Oregon. Her grandpa falls out of his coffin in the begining which causes them to move. Along the way she makes a friend and they make all sorts of plans for when they get there, but something happens and Hattie, the girl's plans are ruined. So Hattie doesn't know if she will make it. Read this book!

A Great book about westward expansion
Across the wide and lonesome prairie was a great book! It was written by Kristiana Gregory. It was full of adventure. Some parts were sad and some were kind of funny. This is great for girls to read. They can connect to the young teenage girl (Hattie) in the story. Hattie faces a long hard journey to Oregon. She deals with a lady in her wagon train that steals from other families. Hattie almost loses her younger siblings and she has to deal with a lot of deaths of friends. This is a great book and full of adventure! ... Read more

Book Description

In the winter of 1846, the Donner Party was stranded by heavy snows in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The pioneers endured bitter hardships, and many of them died. But some survived, including 8-year-old Patty Reed, a girl filled with dignity and determination in the face of mortal danger. This is her story, as told by Dolly, the wooden doll she kept hidden in her dress. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

No 4th Grade Class should be without
This is a beautifully written book that captures the plight of pioneers traveling west. My fourth grade students really gain a sense of what life was like once upon a time. Great book!!...

Lingering
I read this book in 1964 as a 4th grader in Northern California learning state history. I have never forgotten Patty or her doll (which used to be on display at Sutter's Fort). When my children were small it was not in print and I am so happy to see it is again. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know about American history from a totally different perspective. That of a little wooden doll, chosen amongst many beautiful sisters, to make a rough trip in the pocket of her owner. You will never forget Patty Reed, or her doll, I know I haven't. I am buying the book to keep to read and to my grandchildren.

Patty Reed's Doll
Patty Reed's Doll is an excellent account of the Donner Party and all the other families that were part of the Donner Tragedy.The book describes the families in such detail you feel like you're traveling with them. The Reeds are one of the families that are traveling with the Donner Party. The story is an excellent way to teach elementary school children as well as adults what trailblazing was really like and the severe hardships that went with it. As an elementary school teacher I highly recommend this book. It is an asset to studying California history.

a great book
when you start to read this story . it transforms you into a person in the donner party . this story really makes you take a second look on the donner party .

This book was great!!!
I'm an 8th grader and recently we've been learning all about the westward movement in the mid-1800's. Now, I haven't been read TO since about third grade, but our school librarian has been coming in to my history class and reading Patty Reed's Doll to us. I loved the story, and reccommend it to people of all ages. It was very educational, too, because it made me realize how hard the journey must have been. It made me feel like I was traveling with the Donner party across America. If you're looking for a good historical fiction, I suggest you try this book. IT'S THE BEST!!! :-) ... Read more

Reviews (83)

A young girl observes the events at Valley Forge in 1777-78.
Abigail Jane Stewart, called Abby by her family and friends, is the narrator of this fictional diary. She is only eleven when the American army makes camp near her home in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania in December of 1777. She and her older sister, Elisabeth, and younger sister, Sally, are worried about their mother and newborn brother, but they try to help the army in whatever way they can. Abby, her mother, and sisters do laundry for General Washington, and Abby and Elisabeth sew for the soldiers and visit the encampment with Mrs. Washington to help with the sick soldiers. In viewing the horror of war firsthand, Abby matures from a child who views war as an adventure to a girl who, in spite of her young age, understands the sacrifices the soldiers are making to fight for freedom. This was one of the first Dear America books I read, and I still remember how very much I enjoyed it. It started me out on my way to loving this series.

The Winter of Red Snow
The Winter of Red Snow, by Kristiana Gregory, is a great book about the Revolutionary War. It is easy to understand and explains much of the War. Two of the main characters are Mr. and Mrs. George Washington. Therefore, you learn a little bit about them and what they were possibly like.
         This Book is a diary of a young girl 11 years of age, named Abigail. She lives 18 miles out of Pennsylvania duringthe war. Her small town is Valley Forge. The 13 Colony's army has camped there during the harsh winter. Many end up with Small Pox or amputated hands andfeet.
         This story goes along with Abigail for six months. The army helps her life in many ways, although it can also be very frustrating and annoying. Abigail her self lives with her family. She is one of three girls, the middle one. Her mom gives birth to a baby boy on the first page of the book. Her mom although has given birth to six sons before whom all died through terrible winters. Johnny is the new sons name, and he lives through winter and grows to be healthy. Abigail's Father is a shoemaker and slaves all winter long to make shoes for the thousands of soldiers without. Abigail is closest to her sister Elisabeth who is 16. They both sew jackets with their name embroidered on the inside. The two girls eventually give the coats to a soldier to wear. Elisabeth's jacket wearer returns and falls in love with her. The women in her family receive the job of doing General Washington's laundry; because of the weekly visit to his house, they become friends with him.
         In this book, it clearly laid out the important events of this war. It explained them more clearly than the text book and made it come together. It also showed the gruesome but true facts about poor soldiers who fought this war for all Americans. This is a great book to read for a Revolutionary War experience.

winter of red snow
i thought this book is well written and is interesting to know about the revolutonary war. i hope you liked it.

The Truth
I'm going to be honest. I haven't read the book since the sixth grade. Little of the book was good, some parts just didn't seem important to me. This girl was supposed to be telling about what she went through during the revolution. Instead she tells about her family. Though the book did touch my heart at some points, it mostly just seemed like scribbling. So if you would rather read about a messed up family, then read this book. If not then move on to something that pertrays to the actual revolution.

A Revolutionary war Diary???
At first I thought that the book THE WINTER OF RED SNOW was going to be a bore. To my suprise it as actually really good and interesting. the main character is Abigail Stewart. She is living in the 1777's. She lives in Valley Forge. Where General George Washington is quartered. Abigail and her family are hired to wash the General's clothes. after they are hired Abigail and her sister Elizabeth become friends with Mrs. Martha Washington the general's wife. She takes them to the camps of soldiers and they see how poorly the soldiers are doing. Some were getting their legs and arms amputatied and some where just freezing cold and hungry. Afterwards, they feel terrible. They wish they could do more to help. So they make bounty coats for some of the soldiers. Elizabeth puts her name in one she made from her own coat. And a dog named Azor ends up wearing it! She ment for a really cute french man to get it but you can see how that went. they go through many hardships, but they allways seem to find a way out. ... Read more

Book Description

The set includes: Little House in the Big Woods, Little House on the Prairie, On the Banks of Plum Creek, By the Shores of Silver Lake, and The Long Winter.

Little House in the Big Woods

Wolves and panthers and bears roam the deep Wisconsin woods in the late 1870's. In those same woods, Laura lives with Pa and Ma, and her sisters, Mary and Baby Carrie, in a snug little house built of logs. Pa hunts and traps. Ma makes her own cheese and butter. All night long, the wind howls lonesomely, but Pa plays the fiddle and sings, keeping the family safe and cozy.

Little House on the Prairie

Pa Ingalls decides to sell the little log house, and the family sets out for Indian country! They travel from Wisconsin to Kansas, and there, finally, Pa builds their little house on the prairie. Sometimes farm life is difficult, even dangerous, but Laura and her family are kept busy and are happy with the promise of their new life on the prairie.

On the Banks of Plum Creek

Laura's family's first home in Minnesota is made of sod, but Pa builds a clean new house made of sawed lumber beside Plum Creek. The money for materials will come from their first wheat crop. Then, just before the wheat is ready to harvest, a strange glittering cloud fills the sky, blocking out the sun. Soon millions of grasshoppers cover the field and everything on the farm. In a week's time, there is no wheat crop left at all.

By the Shores of Silver Lake

Pa Ingalls heads west to the unsettled wilderness of the Dakota Territory. When Ma, Mary, Laura, Carrie, and baby Grace join him, they become the first settlers in the town of De Smet. And Pa begins work on the first building in what will soon be a brand-new town on the shores of Silver Lake.

The Long Winter

The first terrible storm comes to the barren prairie in October. Then it snows almost without stopping until April. Snow has reached the rooftops, and no trains can get through with food or coal. The people of De Smet are starving, including Laura's family, who wonder how they're going to make it through this terrible winter. It is young Almanzo Wilder who finally understands what needs to be done. He must save the town, even if it means risking his own life.

Reviews (11)

Never to late to enjoy these great books.
This one will be short and sweet. I just completed reading all five of the boxed set. I feel I knew the Ingalls family as I shared their lives, dangers, joys, and challenges. But, why, oh why, did I wait over fifty years to discover these wonderful stories. Laura waited until she was 65 years old to start writing them, so I think it safe to say that 65(my age) is not too late for me to read them.

To say this is about a pioneer family moving west, or about a little girl who lived in the big woods, on the prairie, near a creek, on the shores of a lake, and in various structures including a sod house dug into the side of a hill - misses the point. These stories are about adventures and goodness and have successfully warmth the hearts of generations of all ages since they were written.

I recommend anyone of any age read Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House Series. The best part of all is that the stories are based on her family and her life and capture the time and a spirit of those strong and determined folks who moved west in the 19th Century.

Wonderful Way to Look at Simpler Times
I remember devouring these books as a young girl, I'm 35 now and have begun reading the books with my 5 year old daughter. The first in the series is written so that she can read a great deal herself. Laura wrote such a wonderful recount of her life that you can really imagine, even if you are five, how much simpler life was . . . or complicated depending on how you look at it. We've had several discussions about the husstle and busstle of our life, brought on by the togetherness and importance of family that these books demonstrate.

The Long Winter
Have you ever been trapped in your home the whole winter and only getting out between blizzards? The author Laura Ingalls Wilder has in the book The Long Winter. Laura's family had to move off of the lonesome praire into pa's builing in town for the long winter. Ma told Laura and Carrie that they would have to go to school while they were living in town. After a while they loved school. They didn't go to school for long because blizzards hit and it was only clear for one day or less between blizzards. There was also no coal in town. One night it snowed so bad that there was snow all the way up to the second floor window. Laura saw the wild hores's hooves pass the window. With all the blizzards the train was stopped till the Spring. There was hardly any food left in town. There was no meat, crackers, wheat, flour and nothing left in the shops. The townspeople thought Spring would be in March but it didn't come till April. Laura's family and the Boasts had Christmas dinner in May. They got a barrel from the church in the big woods. How long could you be trapped indoors with only bread and potatoes for every meal?

Good for elementary age
I devoured these books when I was in 2nd grade. My mom bought me the complete set in 3rd grade. I think that these books helped me to become very interested in museums and history, which I still am to this day. The only gripe I have about this set is that it does not include "Farmer Boy" and "These Happy Golden Years." They are very important books to be read along with this series. For the curious, "The First Four Years" lets the reader know what happened to Laura when she married Almonzo. Also, there is a diary of Laura's journey to Missouri with her family, "On The Way Home." Please do not let your children grow up without reading these books!

Down Memory Lane
I remember reading the "Little House" books when I was a little girl. I am now 28 and looking forward to reading them with my 6 year old. We now live about 40 miles from Walnut Grove, MN and my daughter can't wait to read about that town and how life was in the pioneer days! I definitely recommend these books! ... Read more

Book Description

In 1851, 12-year-old orphan Austin Ives joins a wagon train headed for

California.As he makes his way across the country, Austin writes home to his

brother Levi, describing life on the rugged Overland Trail.Extensively

researched, with episodes based on true incidents, "the epistolary format and

character development offer solid reading."--Booklist


An IRA Teachers' Choice




... Read more

Reviews (4)

Oregon or Bust!!!
We recently read this as an adjunct to an Oregon Trail unit. Most of the fourth grade students could relate to what was going on in the story, especially the relationships that parents and children have. An excellent tool to "hook the learner" and keep them interested. I would recommend this to teachers and students. It convinced me that I need to visit the real Oregon Trail before I teach this again!!

Adventures on a Wagon Train
Dear Levi is a historical fiction book that is based on a true story. This splendid story is about a boy named Austin who is traveling on a wagon train to Oregon, while writing letters to his little brother Levi. On the way he meets new friends and has many difficult problems. We recommend this book to anyone. So,read Dear Levi by Elvira Woodruff.

Great book and author!
I've met the author and would recomend any one of her books to you! This book is about a boy who writes to his brother while he(austin) is on the Oregon Trail. There is a sequel coming or is out that's called dear Austin. It's about Levi Writing back to austin.

Exciting, and the letter format made it even more realistic.
I read this book a couple of years ago (to my son). We both loved it. The events that happen to the boy as he travels along the Oregon Trail gave my son a realistic account of what it was like for the people who lived it. At the end of each letter he would beg me to go on, and it was so interesting I never needed much convincing. Even though the reading level is probably 4th-6th grade, I have decided to use the book with my special education students (grades 10, 11, 12). I predict they will love it too! ... Read more

Book Description

When Joe Stoshack's dad ends up in the hospital after a car accident, he has two words to say to his son: Mickey Mantle. For Stosh has a special power -- with a baseball card in hand, he can travel back in time. And his dad has a rare card -- Mantle's valuable 1951 rookie card. "I've been thinking about it for a long time. Go back to 1951. You're the only one who can do it," Dad whispers.

That night Stosh grips the card and prepares for another magical adventure. But when he opens his eyes, he's not in Yankee Stadium -- he's in Milwaukee on June 8, 1944. And how he wound up there is not half as surprising as what he finds!

Reviews (2)

Mickey and Me
This was a great book! It started out sad. Then Joe's dad asked him to go back in time to save Mickey Mantle. Instead of ending up in Yankee Stadium watching a game-Joe ended up in Borchert Field watching the Milwaukee Chicks play! It was a very good book. I will read Babe and Me next.

The Best Of The Series
I read all the "...and Me" books and this one was definitely the best. It had the biggest plot twist in the series that REALLY surprised me. ... Read more