With the Civil War and the decades-long run-up to it behind us, I had hoped to find some books for this month’s U.S. history reading that overtly addressed Reconstruction. In May we’re covering 1850-1900, and how this country went about (imperfectly) putting itself back together is a pretty key theme for that time period.
But aside from Tonya Bolden’s new Cause: Reconstruction America 1863-1877 — which appears to be aimed at readers somewhat older than seven-year-old S (let alone two-year-old F) — I came up empty-handed. (As always, I’d love to get your recommendations.) Still, I came up with several promising titles covering other aspects of the era.
- More Than Anything Else by Marie Bradby and illustrated by Chris Soentpiet. A fictional tale about young Booker T. Washington, in the vein of The Day of Ahmed’s Secret.
- You’re On Your Way, Teddy Roosevelt by Judith St. George and illustrated by Matt Faulkner. I remember being fascinated as a boy by Roosevelt’s transformation from a sickly youth into a man who redefined “robust.” We’ll see how well this newish telling of his story goes over.
- Steamboat! The Story of Captain Blanche Leathers by Judith Heide Gilliland and illustrated by Holly Meade. We read another recent title, Ste-e-e-e-eamboat a-Comin’!, not too long ago, and it went over better with F than with S. Blanche Leathers’ story offers much more technical detail, which may win S over.
- A Weed Is a Flower: The Life of George Washington Carver by Aliki. Like her William Penn book that I brought home a few months back, it says a lot that this biography is still in print four decades after publication.
- The Brooklyn Bridge by Elizabeth Mann and illustrated by Alan Witschonke. The lone ringer, a returning favorite for a budding engineer. It’s a beautiful book to boot, as is every title I’ve seen from Mikaya Press.
- A Full Hand by Thomas F. Yezerski. I’ve come to appreciate historical fiction a lot more in the past year, and I’ve got high hopes for this one. The illustrations remind me of previous winners The Ox-Cart Man and The Amazing Impossible Erie Canal.
- Across America on an Emigrant Train by Jim Murphy. This one looks like it has it all, not just emigrants and trains, but Robert Louis Stevenson and buffalo slaughter as well. Maybe a bit too advanced, maybe not, but anything by Jim Murphy is bound to be good. I would read the man’s old grocery lists, if not for that restraining order.
- When Esther Morris Headed West: Women, Wyoming, and the Right to Vote by Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge and illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers. This makes two months in a row for Wooldridge, whose John Ericsson bio was a hit with both boys in April.
- Kid Blink Beats the World by Don Brown. If my boys go on strike this month, I’ve got only myself to blame.
I’ve been at this for nearly a year now. For you newcomers, here are links to my previous posts on U.S. history reading, which is my main contribution to the homeschooling of our two sons.
Prehistory-1621: The List and The Wrap-Up
1622-1750: The List and The Wrap-Up
1750-1800: The List and The Wrap-Up
1775-1825: The List and The Wrap-Up
1800-1850: The List and The Wrap-Up
1825-1875: The List and The Wrap-Up
1850-1900: You’re reading it!
1875-1925: Stay tuned.
1900-1950: The List and The Wrap-Up
1925-1975: The List and The Wrap-Up
1950-2000: The List and The Wrap-Up
1975-present: The List and The Wrap-Up
Just finished MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE this past weekend. Enjoyed it. You might take a look at DAISY AND THE DOLL by Michael Medearis and Angela Shelf Medearis, both locals.
Just finished MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE this past weekend. Enjoyed it. You might take a look at DAISY AND THE DOLL by Michael Medearis and Angela Shelf Medearis, both locals.
Just finished MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE this past weekend. Enjoyed it. You might take a look at DAISY AND THE DOLL by Michael Medearis and Angela Shelf Medearis, both locals.
Amazing bunch of lists, Chris! Thanks so much for putting them all together. Will link to them as soon as I can manage it (I hope tonight)…
Amazing bunch of lists, Chris! Thanks so much for putting them all together. Will link to them as soon as I can manage it (I hope tonight)…
Amazing bunch of lists, Chris! Thanks so much for putting them all together. Will link to them as soon as I can manage it (I hope tonight)…
Not really for seven-year-olds either — unless you do what we do sometimes and skip most of the text and read instead the picture captions : ) — but maybe in a year or two…
“Civil War & Reconstruction” by David C. King (from American Heritage’s “American Voices” series) and also “Fields of Fury” by James MacPherson, who won the Pulitzer for “Battle Cry of Freedom”. A great kids’ book, though again for those a bit older (and even, and sometimes especially, their parents).
Also, I haven’t looked in here for a while but have it bookmarked for us for next year,
http://rememberingslavery.si.edu/res3.html
Not really for seven-year-olds either — unless you do what we do sometimes and skip most of the text and read instead the picture captions : ) — but maybe in a year or two…
“Civil War & Reconstruction” by David C. King (from American Heritage’s “American Voices” series) and also “Fields of Fury” by James MacPherson, who won the Pulitzer for “Battle Cry of Freedom”. A great kids’ book, though again for those a bit older (and even, and sometimes especially, their parents).
Also, I haven’t looked in here for a while but have it bookmarked for us for next year,
http://rememberingslavery.si.edu/res3.html
Not really for seven-year-olds either — unless you do what we do sometimes and skip most of the text and read instead the picture captions : ) — but maybe in a year or two…
“Civil War & Reconstruction” by David C. King (from American Heritage’s “American Voices” series) and also “Fields of Fury” by James MacPherson, who won the Pulitzer for “Battle Cry of Freedom”. A great kids’ book, though again for those a bit older (and even, and sometimes especially, their parents).
Also, I haven’t looked in here for a while but have it bookmarked for us for next year,
http://rememberingslavery.si.edu/res3.html
You are truly sharing the “story” in “history” with your boys.
You are truly sharing the “story” in “history” with your boys.
You are truly sharing the “story” in “history” with your boys.
Wagon Wheels by Brenner, I believe is post-Civil War.
Wagon Wheels by Brenner, I believe is post-Civil War.
Wagon Wheels by Brenner, I believe is post-Civil War.
Chris, thank you for your great lists!
Although it starts in the 1830’s, the picture book “George Crum and the Saratoga Chip,” fits into your time slot. New one from Lee & Low about the inventor of the potato chip. Nice context about what meant to be a black/Native American chef working during the Vanderbilt era.
Chris, thank you for your great lists!
Although it starts in the 1830’s, the picture book “George Crum and the Saratoga Chip,” fits into your time slot. New one from Lee & Low about the inventor of the potato chip. Nice context about what meant to be a black/Native American chef working during the Vanderbilt era.
Chris, thank you for your great lists!
Although it starts in the 1830’s, the picture book “George Crum and the Saratoga Chip,” fits into your time slot. New one from Lee & Low about the inventor of the potato chip. Nice context about what meant to be a black/Native American chef working during the Vanderbilt era.
You might try Virgie Goes to School With Us Boys by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard. I just read it to my kids and it deals with the opportunities in education that opened up after emancipation.
And thank you for sharing your lists! I’m a homeschooling mom and I’m always looking for read-alouds to match what we’re studying in history.
You might try Virgie Goes to School With Us Boys by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard. I just read it to my kids and it deals with the opportunities in education that opened up after emancipation.
And thank you for sharing your lists! I’m a homeschooling mom and I’m always looking for read-alouds to match what we’re studying in history.
You might try Virgie Goes to School With Us Boys by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard. I just read it to my kids and it deals with the opportunities in education that opened up after emancipation.
And thank you for sharing your lists! I’m a homeschooling mom and I’m always looking for read-alouds to match what we’re studying in history.