Living History Books

[Kendra AU]

Hey Ladies..

I'm hoping someone can help me. What I'm looking for is a list of books that represent American History (or world for that matter). I'd prefer fictional, but based on real events or timeframes in history. I'm not sure if you'd need an example, but I'd consider books like By The Great Horn Spoon a living history book of the California Gold Rush. I sailed With Columbus is a book I'd consider living history for World History.

Anyway, I'd love a list, or just book titles, etc if anyone has them. I'm trying to piece together history that meshes with both countries.. SO.. I need all the help I can get! :D

Kendra

[Jen in AL]

:) Here are some links that would be helpful for you:


http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/history.htm


http://www.abookintime.com/

[CINDY LB OH]

Here is a great booklist that I have been using as well.

http://bookgirl3.tripod.com/historicalfiction.html

[WendyW]

All Through the Ages (http://www.nothingnewpress.com/atta.shtml) is a book that lists books according to period in History, further broken down by reading level, and fiction/non-fiction.

[MichelleTN]

How about the "My Name is America" series?

I haven't read them yet but I picked up a couple of books in the "Young Founders" series.
I got
"1863 A House Divided" a novel of the Civil War
"1776 Son of Liberty" a novel of the American Revolution

[YoLanda]

Truthquest is a Christian based list of books. you can check out their web site for more info.

[Paige P]

Kendra, here are some specific titles I've just thought of:

Joan Lowry Nixon's Orphan Train Quartet (there are 4 in the series) -- it's about a mom who sends her 6 children off on the Orphan Train during pioneer days b/c she can no longer afford to keep them and hopes for a better life for them. They each give involved in different events (ie., one helps with the Underground Railroad). http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=a+family+apart A Family Apart is the 1st one in the series.

Escape from Warsaw is another one (I think) that's based on a true story. It's a WWII book about a boy who escapes the Nazi's by going across rooftops. I don't know what age this is appropriate for -- I think I read it about 6th or 7th, but I read it to myself. I'd preview it first..... http://www.amazon.com/Escape-Warsaw-Original-title-Silver/dp/0590437151/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1248879277&sr=8-1

Another WWII book is I Am David -- I think it's about 4th, 5th grade (for read-alone, I'd guess -- again, not sure, since I haven't read it in a loooooonnnnngggg time) http://www.amazon.com/I-Am-David-Anne-Holm/dp/0152051600/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1248879277&sr=8-4

A couple that I've just ordered (haven't read them yet) but look really good are:

A Lion to Guard us by Clyde Robert Bulla (the author of Daniel's Duck -- btw, it looks like he's written several other chapter books of this nature :thumb: ) -- it's about children whose dad left for Jamestown 3 years before. Their mom died, so the oldest daughter (13) decides to take her 2 siblings to America to find their dad. http://www.amazon.com/Lion-Guard-Clyde-Robert-Bulla/dp/0064403335/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1248879629&sr=8-1

Titanic Crossing by Barbara Williams http://www.amazon.com/Titanic-Crossing-Barbara-Williams/dp/0590944649/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1248879716&sr=8-1

Castle Diary The Journal of Tobias Burgess, Page is not a chapter book, but it's a book filled of pictures of life in the Middle Ages. With each double-page picture (great pictures, btw), Tobias "writes" diary entries about what was happening in his life on that day/at that event. That probably doesn't make much sense :lol: So, here's an example: There's a double-page picture of a "tournament" scene. The next page shows individual pictures of what might happen -- a joust, a tent, etc. and has diary entries of what happened Monday through Thursday. It's a really neat depiction of what life was like then :thumb:
http://www.amazon.com/Castle-Diary-Journal-Tobias-Burgess/dp/0763621641/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1248879969&sr=8-1 (The front of my book looks different from this, but it's the same title.)


SOME ADULT books I'd strongly recommend are books by James Alexander Thom. I started reading them as a teenager, and they are fabulous Historical Faction accounts. My favorite is Follow the River, which is about a woman in the 1700s kidnapped by Indians. She escapes and "follows the river" back home -- over 1000 miles!!!!! Jim's favorite is The Children of First Man about the settlement of America by a Welsh prince long before Columbus ever got here (his people eventually married Indians, etc.) -- neat historical details and "unexplained" evidence to prove this. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=james+alexander+thom

If you want some more recommendations for you, just let me know. I LOVE Historical Faction :)

[Suz MamaFrog]

Just an FYI:

Thom's "Follow the River" is based on a true story, the incredible story of Mary Ingalls Draper. Much of the territory she traveled through is the present state of WV, and she may have been the first white person to see the lands along our southern and western rivers, as she followed them from her settlement in Virginia and then back again. Thom actually used her first-hand accounts in writing his book.

Blessings,
Suz

[Paige P]

A couple of other kids books I just thought about:

The American Girl books -- of course, they have female protagonists, etc., so I don't know if your boys would enjoy those or not.

Katie's in the middle of reading a series about Annie Henry (the daughter of Patrick Henry) and is enjoying it :) There are 4 books in the series -- the link I'm giving is a "big" book with all 4 in 1 volume: http://www.amazon.com/Annie-Henry-Adventures-American-Revolution/dp/1581345216/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1248885500&sr=8-1

What about the Gramma's Attic books? They don't relate to anything specific historically, but they give a good idea of what life was like in the late 1800s.



I also know that anytime I type books like this in on Amazon, they give others that I might like .... that's dangerous around here ;) Kendra, I think we're like-minded on that :D

[Jennifer in TX]

Here is a great booklist that I have been using as well.

http://bookgirl3.tripod.com/historicalfiction.html

Thanks!! I love this list.

[Kendra AU]

Thanks ladies I've actually got a book list (http://aussiepumpkinpatch.blogspot.com/2008/10/living-book-list-history.html) running on my blog at the moment. Mind you, it's in no way complete and I'm awaiting a few historical books to arrive so that if they are good enough I can add them to my list. :) Loving the suggestions, I just have to be super picky about books I buy because our library doesn't have lots on American history. ;)

Paige, I recently purchased A Lion To Guard Us. :D

Have to check out some of the others recommended.. Michelle, I think I noticed that series of books (or rather two of them) in my library.. Very interesting!

Kendra

[Anjie in PA]

Laura has really enjoyed books from the American Adventure series. Another one we just discovered is the Trailblazer series.

[Paige P]

I didn't type out On to Oregon since I just posted a separate thread about that one, but for others looking at this thread, that's one not to miss :)
http://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Honore-Morrow/dp/0688104940/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1248920102&sr=8-1

Kendra, didn't you say you ordered this one, too? You won't be sorry :) I just re-read it for the first time in ooooooohhhhh, close to 25+ years :blush: and I enjoyed it immensely. I can't wait for dh to read it :)

[Nettie]

Hi Kendra,
by the way I love your blog, I go to it all the time - you inspire me.

I don't know if you have come across an online bookstore in Australia Home School Favourites (http://www.homeschoolfavourites.com.au/index.html).

They sell a variety of history living books there which some might be from an American perspective but I do know they have ones from different eras over the world. I haven't had a close look but hope this helps in some small way.

[Kendra AU]

:yes: Paige I did. It's in a package that's about to be shipped from the US.. Soon we hope. :lol: Can't wait to get my fingers on a bunch of the books in that box..

Kendra

[Kendra AU]

:hi: Nettie,

I have seen Homeschool Favourites! I often forget to check the homeschool sites though. I check Angus & Robertson for books and then get quite cross with them. I need to remember to check the other sites more often! :lol: Thanks for the reminder!

Kendra