American Revolution Era

Paul Revere's Ride

Author(s): 
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Illustrator(s): 
Charlies Santore
Longfellow’s famous poem, Paul Revere’s Ride, is beautifully illustrated in this picture book by Charles Santore. Every page captures both the historical setting and the patriotic significance of a pivotal event in the American Revolution. Illustrations are dark-toned and shadowy, just right for the middle-of-the-night setting. The suspense builds with extreme close-ups that spill over the edges, and bird’s-eye views sweeping over the nighttime landscape.

The Sally Series

Author(s): 
Elizabeth Coatsworth
Illustrator(s): 
Helen Sewell
The Sally Books by Elizabeth Coatsworth Away Goes Sally (pgs 117), Five Bushel Farm (pgs 142), The Fair American (pgs 134), The White Horse (pgs 168), The Wonderful Day (pgs 139) In our house, we always have at least two read-alouds going: one that I read to the kids during the day and the other in the evening that Dad reads to the kids before bed. We do this year-round, so even in the summer-time we’re doing our read-alouds.

Peter Treegate's War

Author(s): 
Leonard Wibberley
Illustrator(s): 
Michael Jaroszko
Benjamin Hatke
Roseanne Sharpe
Will he survive? Although the day started pleasant enough, larks singing and the grass turning a pale gold, the redcoats were forming below, forming a formidable line to overtake their small band of New England militia in the battle of Breed’s Hill. The Treegate saga continues with Peter Treegate’s War.

True to the Old Flag

Author(s): 
G.A. Henty
What would you say to a historical novel filled with action and adventure? What would you say to a book written with boys in mind by an author famous for his morally strong and upright heroes? What would you say to a book that gives the “other side” of the story? Well, I would say – “sounds wonderful; bring it on!” And this book, True to the Old Flag: A Tale of the American War for Independence, by G. A. Henty fulfills all these descriptions. His book is filled with action and adventure, from pre-Revolution events to post-Revolution occurrences.

Guns for General Washington. A Story of the American Revolution

Author(s): 
Seymour Reit
The future looks dim for the Continental army. With scare firewood, little needed supplies of food, blankets and muskets, meager shelter, and disorganized soldiers deserting, the prospects of winning the war, let alone recapturing Boston look doubtful. To compound the problem, their munitions supply is dwindling fast and they have no heavy artillery to defend themselves or create an offensive attack. Aboard the HMS Somerset General Howe, the commander of the British army, is anxiously awaiting reinforcements. But Col. Henry Knox is not one to sit idle and wait.

The American Revolution for Kids

Book cover: The American Revolution for Kids, A History with 21 Activities
Author(s): 
Janis Herbert

What is history? A story. In The American Revolution for Kids, Janis Herbert has given us a well written, high interest story. Her style of writing is lively and interesting as wells as fair and impartial – giving us a fair and balanced picture of an emotionally turbulent time. This book offers a good overview of the time period (suitable for putting together a unit study on the time period) or interesting reading for its own sake.

Hope's Revolutionary War Diary

Book cover: Hope's Revolutionary War Diary
Author(s): 
Kristiana Gregory

For young readers, this is an extremely well written account of the American Revolution. Written as a diary of a young girl, the book opens with Hope's family living with her relatives in Valley Forge. This quickly changes, however, when her family moves back to Philadelphia.

Silver for General Washington

Book cover: Silver for General Washington
Author(s): 
Enid LaMonte Meadowcroft

Silver for General Washington is an engrossing story about twelve-year-old Gil and his sister, Jen, who are living in Valley Forge with their cousins during the occupation of Philadelphia. Before leaving their well-to-do home in Philadelphia, Gil helped his father bury all the family silver in a chest beneath the house. As the winter progresses and conditions grow worse for the poor soldiers, Gil overhears people saying that what's really needed is money to get food and other supplies.

Boston Tea Party

Author(s): 
James E. Knight
Illustrator(s): 
David Wenzel

One of the most famous events leading up to the American Revolution is often not well-understood. Even many history textbooks muddle or even mutilate the facts causing many people to think that those who dumped tea into Boston Harbor on that December night in 1773 were basically looting the ships because they were upset about taxes. The truth is more subtle and a lot more respectable than that and this is a fine book (with lovely pen and ink illustrations) to clear up all the confusion. From the "Adventures in Colonial America" series. 3rd grade and up.

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