Celebrate being an American on the Fourth of July, Constitution Day, Citizenship Day, and other special days, but don't stop there. Celebrate year-round with children's books for younger kids to kids in middle school. These recommended children's books include books about the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, a children's cookbook, a poetry book, book of tall tales, stories about the White House and its occupants, an illustrated version of the poem "America the Beautiful," and children's books about some of our important national symbols, like the Statue of Liberty. Keep scrolling down to see all 10 of the books I recommend.
1. Lady Liberty: A Biography
Doreen Rappaport’s Lady Liberty: A Biography is the story of the Statue of Liberty, from the idea to the planning, fundraising and building to the celebration when it was completed. The book, in picture book format, features large and dramatic watercolor, ink and pencil illustrations by Matt Tavares. I recommend Lady Liberty for children eight and older, younger if they have visited the Statue of Liberty. Because of the dramatically told story and the large amount of fascinating information in the book, I would also highly recommend Lady Liberty for teens and adults. Compare prices. (Candlewick Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780763625306) Read my review of Lady Liberty: A Biography.
2. Our White House: Looking In Looking Out
Our White House: Looking In Looking Out is a large book, with a great many entries by a variety of authors and illustrators, and including both historical fiction and nonfiction. While the book is sometimes confusing, it is filled with fascinating stories and facts, presented in a variety of ways. The book should be of interest to 9-14 year olds and to families looking for a book related to American history to enjoy together. Compare prices. (Candlewick Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780763620677) Read my review of Our White House: Looking In Looking Out.
3. America the Beautiful
Chris Gall's powerful artwork is the perfect complement to the words of the poem "America the Beautiful" by Katharine Lee Bates. The illustrations are reminiscent of WPA murals. Even children who are used to singing "America the Beautiful," the song based on Bates' poem, may not have really thought about the meaning of the words until seeing this book. Compare prices. (Little, Brown and Co., 2004. ISBN: 0316737437) Read my review of America the Beautiful.
4. Celebrate Independence Day
If you are looking for a nonfiction children's books about Independence Day for kids in elementary school, I recommend Celebrate Independence Day by Deborah Heiligman. The book is illustrated with high quality color photographs, accompanied by brief paragraphs that stress the history of Independence Day in the U.S. and Fourth of July traditions and festivities. Compare prices. (National Geographic Society, 2007. ISBN: 9781426300752) Read my review of Celebrate Independence Day.
5. Shh! We're Writing the Constitution
I recommend this book for 8-12 year olds, particularly on Constitution Day. Jean Fritz, who is known for her children’s books about American history, wrote the book. Award-winning artist Tomie dePaola provided the entertaining illustrations. While the subject is serious and the content rich with information, the author and illustrator tackle the serious subject matter with enough humor to keep the readers’ interest. Compare prices. (Putnam Publishing Group. 1987. ISBN: 0399214038)
6. The United States Cookbook
As the subtitle states, this children’s cookbook contains recipes for “Fabulous Food and Fascinating Facts from All 50 States.” For each state, there’s a map, illustrations of several state symbols, information about the state, fun food facts about the state, plus a recipe related to the state. Recipes include key lime pie from Florida and Swedish meatballs from Minnesota. The cookbook also contains sections on cooking skills and safety rules. Compare prices. (John Wiley & Sons, 2000. ISBN: 9780471358398)
7. The Declaration of Independence
This nonfiction book contains the full text of the Declaration of Independence inscribed by Sam Fink and accompanied by his witty illustrations. The book also contains a four-page 1748-1776 events chronology, a four-page glossary, and a page of recommended online and print resources. I recommend it for children 10-14 and would include it on your Constitution Day and Citizenship Day booklist. Compare prices. (Scholastic Inc., 2000. ISBN: 9780439407007)
8. American Tall Tales
The nine stories in Mary Pope Osborne’s 115-page collection of American tall tales feature, among others, Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, John Henry, and Sally Ann Thunder. A U.S. map shows the location of each tale. Each story includes historical notes and contains a number of colorful wood engravings by Michael McCurdy. Compare prices. (Alfred A. Knopf, 1991. ISBN: 0679800891)
9. Uncle Sam and Old Glory
Delno C. West and Jean M. West provide a brief look at 15 different American symbols, each illustrated with a handsome woodcut by Christopher Manson. The symbols include the American flag, Smoky the Bear, the Liberty Bell, and Uncle Sam. While I would not have selected all of the symbols chosen, I’d recommend the book. Compare prices. (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2000. ISBN: 0689820437)
10. My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States
This book of poetry selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins is divided into sections representing different regions of the U.S., each with a map and information about the states. The illustrations, paintings by Stephen Alcorn, and the poetry, such as Nikki Giovanni’s “Knoxville, Tennessee,” create a sense of place for the reader. Compare prices. (Simon & Schuster, 2000. ISBN: 0689812477)