As America approaches its 250th birthday, there’s no better time to spark curiosity about our shared story! These recommendations celebrate the people, ideas, and moments that shaped the nation and can help kids connect to America’s past while imagining its future. Looking for more? Visit mcldaz.org to browse for more titles, or stop by your local library!
0-3 YEARS OLD
American Babies: A Global Babies Book by The Global Fund for Children
This book is part of the Global Babies board book series. It combines simple text with seventeen photographs of babies to highlight the diversity of the United States.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: This is a great book to share with the youngest of board book readers. Babies (and their caregivers) will enjoy the adorable photographs of babies throughout the book. -Amy C., Librarian
My America by Karen Katz
My America celebrates the many cultures and backgrounds that make up the United States, showing how people from all over the world contribute to its richness. It highlights that, despite our differences, everyone belongs and helps create the diverse tapestry of America.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: This warm, positive book encourages feelings of belonging and diversity in a way little ones can understand. The pictures are fun to look at and easy for little ones to point to, helping them name things and talk about what they see, all of which support early literacy and language development. -Marisela M., Paraprofessional
4-6 YEARS OLD
Independence Cake: A Revolutionary Confection Inspired by Amelia Simmons, Whose True History Is Unfortunately Unknown by Deborah Hopkinson
Amelia did many tasks to help out the Bean family and the Bean boys loved her cooking and cakes. Not only did she bake for them, but she baked for a very important person too. To celebrate and honor George Washington, the first president of the United States, Amelia baked 13 cakes (one for each of the colonies) for Washington’s inauguration.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: This historical fiction picture book introduces you to Amelia Simmons who wrote, American Cookery, the first cookbook written by an American and published in the United States. Other than her cookbook, little is known about Simmons so this is an imagined account of what her life may have been like in the late 1700s. -Amy C., Librarian
50 States of Love: A Celebration of America by Anna Aronson
On each richly illustrated page of this picture book, Aronson features something big or small to love in each state (from sweet tea in Kentucky to the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas.)
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: It’s a great way to share the incredible variety of landscapes and experiences in the United States with a little one in your life. For added fun, Aronson also includes fun facts about each state at the back of the book. -Davina N., Librarian
1st – 3rd GRADE
Anna Strong: A Spy During the American Revolution by Sarah Glenn Marsh, illustrations by Sarah Green
This engaging picture book biography tells the story of Anna Strong, a member of America’s first spy network, the Culper Ring, and how she risked her life to send important messages to General Washington during the American Revolution.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: Strong’s story highlights how critical the bravery of everyday citizens was to the success of the Revolution. This book also includes a glossary of spy codes used by the Culper Ring for kids to pen their own secret messages, as well as a recipe for invisible ink. -Davina N., Librarian
Austin, Lost in America: A Geography Adventure by Jef Czekaj
Celebrate America’s 250th birthday by traveling all across the U.S. with the main character Austin, the dog. Learn about what makes different parts of America special as you try to navigate with Austin through the U.S. Will you and Austin be able to find your way around the country?
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: Austin will take readers on the perfect adventure that balances geographic facts with a fun plot line. -Mary B., Librarian
4th – 6th GRADE
One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome
1879, Mississippi. Young dreamer Lettie may have her head in the stars, but her body is on a covered wagon heading westward towards independence, opportunity, and a plot of land. But the hopes–and mouth–of Lettie’s father are bigger than his ability, supplies, and money. This novel in verse, told in alternating perspectives, explores the hardships of poverty, opportunity, society, and the pioneer journey for a young black family after the Civil War.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: For parents who grew up reading Little House on the Prairie, playing Oregon Trail, and looking to inspire that feeling in their own children, this award-winning book is the key. And don’t worry, the dog survives! – Lindsey P., Librarian
Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy by Nathan Hale
Chocked full of information about the American Revolution, this graphic novel opens with the unlucky Nathan Hale about to be hung by the hangman and the British Provost for spying against King George. To forestall his hanging, Hale tells the stories of the siege of Boston and later how the Patriots were driven out of Long Island and New York, including Washington’s miraculous crossing of the East River.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: The back of the book includes biographical information about the men mentioned in the book, and a mini-comic about Crispus Attucks, one of the five people killed in the Boston Massacre. Historical and entertaining, this is a fun read. Look for other books in the series! -Lynn T., Librarian
TEENS
Audacity by Melanie Crowder
Inspired by the real-life story of Clara Lemlich, Audacity, explores one young woman’s dream for better working conditions for herself and others. In verse, readers follow her as she convinces her fellow workers to strike, organize, and unionize for better working conditions.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: This novel is perfect for young adult readers looking to blend fiction with real life history. -Mary B., Librarian
Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson
In the spring of 1776, thirteen-year-old Elspeth Culpepper wakes to the sound of cannons amidst the American Revolutionary War and cries for inoculation as a smallpox epidemic sweeps Boston. Left alone after her father disappears, Elspeth must find work and navigate the dangers of war and disease with her wit, determination, patience, and courage.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: While we celebrate the 250th anniversary, this thoroughly researched book spotlights a historic moment with the context of daily struggles and medical decisions still relevant today. Dates and quotes from famous Americans start each chapter and an author’s note at the end grounds this novel in our history and celebration! – Lindsey P., Librarian
