Books That Love America

A literary salute to America’s 250th birthday

Like many families, we’ve been reading extra Americana to celebrate the Semiquincentennial. (Such a fun word, isn’t it?)

America only turns 250 once, and although my kids may well be here for her 300^th birthday (and I’m hoping to be here, too), they’ll only be kids for this one, so we’re going all out. We’re gearing up to sign our facsimile Declaration of Independence on July 4^th. (We “signed” —really, sealed with wax—the Magna Carta last year, too.) We got our tricorn hat out. I shared a few weeks ago about our family effort to memorize “Paul Revere’s Ride.” We’re excited!

The books are where the real excitement lives. Books shape our imagination and feed our mind. They give us the material on which our minds can rest and ponder. Books have sparked more than a few imaginative play sessions in my house, most recently many re-enactments of Paul Revere’s ride.

At the end of this post I’m sharing a list of 50+ children’s books in honor of America’s 250^th birthday. But first, I want to share a few thoughts on why such books matter.

Something to keep

In Little Town on the Prairie, seventh in the famous “Little House” series, Laura Ingalls and her classmates prepare for a school exhibition. The new teacher Mr. Owen, a young but firm man who expects and usually gets excellence from his students, has the idea to have the students recite before the whole town—or at least as many of them as want to come, and nearly all of them do.

Laura and her friend Ida have the task of retelling American history from Christopher Columbus to Rutherford B. Hayes. They have pictures of each president on the wall but nothing more, just their memories.

Laura goes first, telling in a shaky but gradually steadying voice of 1492, of Spanish and French explorers, Raleigh’s lost colony, the English in Virginia and Massachusetts, the Dutch in New York. Then the Declaration of Independence, the battles of the American Revolution, the drafting of the Constitution, and the life story of George Washington. She gives a play-by-play of the presidencies of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, and John Quincy Adams, then hands off to Ida, who takes the audience from Andrew Jackson to Hayes, who was president at the time.

It’s a remarkable feat. (Laura does more, too, like parsing sentences aloud and dividing six-digit numbers in her head.) It’s remarkable, of course, that two normal high school students in the 1880s knew their nation’s story so intimately. And it’s remarkable that the majority of the town would crowd the local church to listen to such recitations as their entertainment.

It’s remarkable for another reason. Laura and her classmates had hardly any books. They had just a few, but they were all good.

Books tell a nation’s story, and Laura herself, of course, wrote several that tell part of our national story. Laura was born in 1867, on the cusp of the golden age of children’s literature (1860s-1920s) and just as American literature was truly coming into its own. Tom Sawyer would be published in 1876, Huckleberry Finn in 1885. Herman Melville’s Moby Dick came out in 1851, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was writing poetry all the way up until his death in 1882.

Laura had limited access to these books, though it’s clear she treasured every book she owned or borrowed. Today we have even more candidates for books that tell our nation’s story. But we don’t always know them or treasure them.

I’ve seen several Semiquincentennial book lists going around. Some are excellent, others less so. (And I didn’t plagiarize – I made my own list.)

But what’s striking to me is that almost all of the lists I’ve seen have been put forward by individual people, just as I’m doing. I’m glad to see individuals take a civic interest in sharing great books about our country, and probably, like me, these book listers get joy out of doing so.

But there’s not much from, say, the Library of Congress or the American Library Association by way of book lists. The closest thing to a book list is the TV series “Reading Road Trip” from the Library of Congress and PBS, a low-budget effort to profile books and authors from different states. The American Association of School Librarians has one blog post by one librarian giving her personal picks. The White House Teacher Institute has a single book recommendation, written by a fifth grader. Isn’t it a little odd that our official organizations tasked with promoting American reading don’t have much to say about books for our Semiquincentennial?

To be an American

There’s no shortage of great children’s books that wrestle with what it means to be an American. Not just to be someone who happened to be born here, or happened to immigrate here. Nor, on the other extreme, to have merged one’s identity with the fate of the nation. But to be intentional about calling oneself an American, and to see her ideals as some way bound up in one’s own. To be an American, to be shaped in some way by the country that we call our own.

Caddie Woodlawn, another pioneer tale, asks more pointedly what – if anything – constitutes the American identity. Caddie’s father came from England, the son of a wealthy nobleman who lost his inheritance when he married beneath his class. In poverty Caddie’s father came to the American Midwest, where neither social class nor money mattered, just character and hard work. This is where Caddie grew up and where she loves to roam free with her brothers.

When a letter comes offering to reinstate his inheritance and noble title on condition of renouncing American citizenship, Mr. Woodlawn turns to his family for an open debate and a family vote. Even the littlest votes, with the same weight as Mr. and Mrs. Woodlawn themselves. The point comes across beautifully: not to denounce England (now America’s friend and ally) but to probe the depths of the doctrine of American equality.

So, too, do books like Sounder, William H. Armstrong’s Newbery Medal-winning tale of life under Jim Crow. Armstrong puts us deep in sharecropping territory, a land marked by closed opportunity, where black characters are nameless but portrayed vividly, in contrast to small-minded race bigots who have titles but no character. Armstrong never directly addresses American identity. Like all else in the book, his messages are layered deep under intricate storytelling and powerful narratives that show, never tell. But we come away with a clear picture of America’s serious shortfalls and yet its incredible promise.

A literary salute

The shortfalls and the promise: we need to hear both. Indeed, there would be no shortfalls were there not an existing ideal from which to fall. America is not perfect, but she is worth honoring.

America is about to turn 250 years old. As my small offering in honor of this milestone, I’m sharing my list of books to salute America’s birthday.

These are books that love America, that present her as a place worthy of honor without shying away from her faults. They’re clear-eyed but not cynical. They love the United States for who she is and what her founding ideals desire, but they also recognize her failures and flaws.

I include a section on biographies, focused not on famous people who just happened to be Americans, but on people who helped shape what America is.

These are also living books that tell a story. They are not didactic. They are not catechisms of American exceptionalism. They are not owned by any political party. They are written by authors who, if they disclose their politics at all, identify with several different political parties, but all of them love their country and tell a true and worthy story about her.

Books tell a nation’s story, and we the people have quite a story to tell.

As always, every book I list is a book I’ve read in whole. Please add your recommendations in the comments. I include Amazon affiliate links below. You can also see my complete list at Bookshop.org.

Picture books

The American Speller, by Noah Webster, illustrated by Barbara Cooney
A slightly updated version of Webster’s 1783 Blue-Backed Speller, with all the original American wit and wisdom and delightful Cooney illustrations.

Betsy Ross, by Becky White, illustrated by Megan Lloyd
My favorite part: the illustrations are sewn! Get ready to cut out your own Betsy Ross stars using the tutorial at the end.

Sleds on Boston Common, by Louise Borden, illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker
While the British blockade Boston, some American children bring out a kinder side of their British occupiers, convincing General Gage to let them sled.

George Washington’s Breakfast, by Jean Fritz
A curious boy wants to know: What did George Washington eat? He sets off to find out, and learns quite a lot about our first president but also about how to search for knowledge.

Our Colonial Year, by Cheryl Harness
A look at the thirteen colonies month by month. (Read more of my thoughts on this book in one of the first posts I wrote about books through the year.)

When Washington Crossed the Delaware, by Lynne Cheney
The famous tale of courage and fortitude brought to life.

By The Dawn’s Early Light, by Steven Kroll
Tells of the birth of our national anthem, complete with beautiful painted illustrations.

The Ox-Cart Man, by Donald Hall, illustrated by Barbara Cooney
A testament to the American work ethic. (I shared more about this book here.)

January’s Sparrow, by Patricia Polacco
A story from the Underground Railroad, with some intense, mature moments.

Pink and Say, by Patricia Polacco
A story from the Civil War.

Fiona’s Lace, by Patricia Polacco
The true tale of Irish immigrants.

The Blessing Cup, by Patricia Polacco
A story of Eastern European Jewish immigrants.

The Keeping Quilt, by Patricia Polacco
The companion to The Blessing Cup above. Patricia Polacco is a master of the American immigrant story (most of them the true stories of her own ancestors).

Chapter books

The Sign of the Beaver, by Elizabeth George Speare
A young man learns independence and self-reliance from an unexpected source.

Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes
The story of the American Revolution as told through a young Boston silversmith.

Guns for General Washington, by Seymour Reit
The ultimate tale of American grit and perseverance: The Knox Expedition brings cannons 300 miles from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston, making their own roads as they go.

Poor Richard’s Almanack, by Benjamin Franklin
Ben Franklin’s wit and wisdom with woodcut illustrations.

Caddie Woodlawn, by Carol Ryrie Brink
As I described above, Caddie Woodlawn is perhaps the children’s book to most forthrightly wrestle with what it means to be an American.

Amos Fortune, Free Man, by Elizabeth Yates
A prince in Africa, Amos is captured by slave traders and spends decades in slavery before achieving freedom again in the United States.

Across Five Aprils, by Irene Hunt
A story of a young Civil War combatant.

A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood
An introduction to pioneer life, complete with recipes and crafts.

Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder (and the whole series)
Need I say more? America’s most famous pioneer family heads West. The Fourth of July chapter in Farmer Boy is particularly apropos.

Sarah, Plain and Tall, by Patricia MacLachlan (and the whole series)
More tales of pioneer life, with a focus on the importance of women.

Little Britches, by Ralph Moody
A young boy takes on ranching with his dad in a true story that reads a bit like a male version of Little House on the Prairie. (Some profanity.)

Sounder, by William H. Armstrong
A tale of sharecropping and Jim Crow.

Board Books

Books for littles that tell some small bit of an American story.

Cozy Classics: Moby Dick, by Jack and Holman Wang

Cozy Classics: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Jack and Holman Wang

Cozy Classics: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Jack and Holman Wang

Picture Book Biographies

Heroes of the Revolution, by David A. Adler
Twelve one-page biographies of early American heroes, some famous, some not.

Benjamin Franklin, by Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire
A fascinating ride through Franklin’s life and inventions.

The Remarkable Benjamin Franklin, by Cheryl Harness
Cheryl Harness comes up frequently here, painting lively portraits in art and in words. This biography hints at Franklin’s moral indiscretions but in a way that is appropriate for children.

George Washington, by Cheryl Harness
A good look at our first president, with stunning paintings.

George Washington, by Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire
Another look at George Washington, with a little more focus on his childhood.

A Picture Book of Alexander Hamilton, by David Adler
What a life had Alexander Hamilton! Here we get a quick introduction to this extraordinary founding father.

The Revolutionary John Adams, by Cheryl Harness
Harness includes quotes from John and Abigail Adams’s letters and diaries at the bottom of each page.

A Picture Book of John and Abigail Adams, by David Adler
A little more on this famous marriage.

Thomas Jefferson, by Cheryl Harness
Another great biography from Cheryl Harness. It references Sally Hemmings a few times.

Young John Quincy, by Cheryl Harness
John Quincy Adams grew up during the American Revolution and accompanied his father on much of his work.

A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman, by David Adler
A true story of courage on the Underground Railroad.

Young Abe Lincoln, by Cheryl Harness
Part 1 of Harness’s biography looks at Abraham Lincoln’s impoverished childhood.

Abe Lincoln Goes to Washington, by Cheryl Harness
Part 2 takes us through Lincoln’s assassination.

Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln, by Jean Fritz
The story of the Gettysburg Address written for about a 2^nd grade reader.

A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr., by David Adler
A look at the Civil Rights Movement through the life and work of Dr. King.

Chapter Book Biographies

Why Don’t You Get a Horse, Sam Adams? By Jean Fritz
Jean Fritz will come up frequently here – she’s a master of the biography for children.

What’s the Big Idea, Ben Franklin? By Jean Fritz
Another lively look at an early American.

Where Was Patrick Henry on the 29^th of May? by Jean Fritz
Patrick Henry’s famous rhetoric comes through in this biography.

And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? by Jean Fritz
Paul Revere in his old age loved to tell the story of his famous ride, and Fritz gives us the same enthusiasm.

Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? by Jean Fritz
Not shying away from the vanity or other less virtuous motivations, Fritz gives another lively portrait of a famous early American.

Buttons for General Washington, by Peter and Connie Roop
The story of a young American spy, written for a 2^nd or 3^rd grade reader.

The Great Little Madison, by Jean Fritz
Beside biography, it’s also the story of perseverance.

Lincoln: A Photobiography, by Russell Freedman
One of the few works of nonfiction to win a Newbery Medal.

Frederick Douglass: A Noble Life, by David A. Adler
Adler is known for picture book biographies, but this is a chapter book.

Poems

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, illustrated by Christopher Bing
The original text of the famous poem with engravings. Our family used this copy to memorize the poem, as I shared here.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, by Robert Frost, illustrated by Susan Jeffers
A classic poem paired with great art – who could resist? I shared more about this copy in our February book list.

Casey at the Bat, by Ernest Lawrence Thayer, illustrated by Patricia Polacco
Who could better illustrate this famous bit of Americana?

Over the River and Through the Wood, by Lydia Marie Child, illustrated by Christopher Manson
Another famous American poem that really comes to life with the art.

The Oxford Illustrated Book of American Children’s Poems, edited by Donald Hall
This anthology gets constant use over here.

Note: Some publisher needs to bring out a good illustrated version of “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus and “The Village Blacksmith” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. There’s a real market gap here. If you’re a publisher, please take note!

You can also see this complete list at Bookshop.org.

---

There it is! My book list for America’s 250^th birthday.

What have you been reading with your family? What books would you add?

P.S. Is there such a thing as The Great American Picture Book? I’ll say more on this next week, but I’d love to know what books you would nominate.