Some of Our Favorite Books

I love history because I love a good story. The characters and events of our past make for dramatic retellings and can be great fodder for children’s stories.

Here are some of our favorite books and videos, organized by era. Some are, strictly speaking, more accurate than others, but all are enjoyable and can be a great conversation starter with little ones.

Note that this post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any of these titles for yourself, I may gain a small commission. 

 

Colonial and Revolutionary America

The Adventurous Life of Myles Standish


Trials of the early settlers.

Let It Begin Here


The Battle of Lexington begins the American Revolution.

Henry and the Cannons

Daring and creativity save the new American army.

The Journey of the One and Only Declaration of Independence

Parchment should always be rolled, never folded.

A Picture Book of George Washington

A solid introduction to the General, and the concept of biography.

Henry's Big Kaboom

You'll be signing about the importance of artillery.

The Early Republic

The House that George Built


Building a new capital for a new nation.

A More Perfect Union


Creation of the U.S. Constitution.

Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library

How a personal collection grew to become the Library of Congress.

Noah and His Words


The first American dictionary.

The Picture Book of Davy Crockett


King of the Wild Frontier.

Mid-19th Century

Follow the Drinking Gourd


A classic look at the Underground Railroad.

How Kate Warne Saved President Lincoln


The first female detective.

Locomotive

A lyrical journey on the transcontinental railroad.

New York's Bravest


Larger-than-life firefighter Mose keeps New York safe.

Brick by Brick


A beautifully illustrated book offering an introduction to the concept of slavery.

Gilded Age

The Camping Trip that Changed America


Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir dream of the National Park System.

Brave Girl


Workers face a difficult life at the turn of the century.

Other Eras & Subjects

A Street Through Time


Watch 12,000 years of human history pass across a single location.

Botanicum: Welcome to the Museum
There is incredible beauty in the diversity of plant life.

Maps

A whimsical take on geography, history and culture.

Historium: Welcome to the Museum

Compact and visually compelling volume of human civilization.

Animalium: Welcome to the Museum

Zoology never looked so stylish.

Dinosaurium: Welcome to the Museum

More limited in scope than the rest of the series but still a treat.

This is only a partial listing of history-related books that we have enjoyed. If you are looking for something set in a particular era, I may have additional suggestions, so feel free to ask. New titles will be added as we find them!