Honorable Mentions

Here are a few recommendable books that I have found while preparing for the My America class.  These did not make it into the lessons because they were a little more than I needed, they are better books than most of the ones I ended up using...at least so far.

The Hatmaker's Sign is a story claimed to have been told by Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Jefferson when the continental congress made many revisions to the submitted version of the Declaration of Independence.  It is clever and makes a point - kind of what I imagine Benjamin Franklin to have been himself.  It is understandable for kids, but I thought it would be too confusing to explain to a group.  I read it to our kids, they liked it, but I don't know that they really grasped the whole intent of the story.

This book I really liked.  I saw it on the shelf at the library and grabbed it on my way out.  You really could have a lot of fun with this book if you had a group of older kids - say about 5th grade.  It has activities like acting out the battle of Cowpens and making your own tricorn hat.   It was great for me because I was able to read it and get a good overview of the Revolution in whole.  Being for kids, it was about on my level for history reading! 

I didn't read this book in class because I read it twice at home and cried both times.   It's the story of two boys who are fighting for the Union during the Civil War.  It is dramatic and emotional and based on a true story.  I've read other books by Patricia Polacco and I like her style.

And I requested this one after I finished The American Revolution for Kids.  I have a little more prior knowledge about the Civil War than the Revolutionary War.  This is another one I think would be great for older kids.  You can make your own hardtack and learn the Rebel yell.    Janis Herbert has more books like this - Abraham Lincoln, Lewis and Clark (next for me I think!), and Marco Polo.

All the My America studying has made me a little geeky for American History.  I borrowed the first two episodes on the HBO miniseries John Adams and made Rob watch them with me for date night.  Now I want to be Abigail Adams for Halloween!