Columbus

Ingri D’Aulaire, Edgar Parin D’Aulaire
Beautiful Feet Books; Paperback; 56 pp.

The D’Aulaire classic about Columbus, “Admiral of the Ocean Seas”, is an inspiring and accurate view of the famous discoverer. The story is told in detail with beautiful full-color lithographs.

Richard of Jamestown: A story
of Virginia Colony

James Otis
Living Books Press; paperback; 140 pp.

A compelling and historically-accurate tale of ten-year-old Richard Mutton, who sailed with Captain John Smith of the Stusan B. Constant to help found Jamestown Colony. Boys and girls alike will enjoy the struggles and triumphs of young Richard as he learns first to survive, then thrive, in the New World.
Appropriate for ages 7-12.

Mary of Plymouth: A story
of the Pilgrim Settlement

James Otis
Living Books Press; paperback; 128 pp.

Join Mary Allerton eleven years after the landing at Cape Cod as she relates the story of the sea voyage on the Mayflower and the first few hard years. Historically accurate and full of rich details of colonial life, Otis draws a clear portrait of life in Plymouth Colony that children will love.
Appropriate for ages 7-12.

Finding Providence:
The story of Roger Williams

James Watling
HarperCollins; Paperback; 48 p

The year is 1635, and Mary Williams and her family live in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Her father, Roger, is on trial for preaching new ideas about freedom. When found guilty, he flees into the cold, telling Mary that she must trust in God’s providence to see him to safety.

Leif the Lucky

Ingri D’Aulaire, Edgar Parin D’Aulaire
Beautiful Feet Books; Paperback; 54 pp.

Leif Erickson is considered one of the earliest explorers to the Americas (1000 AD). This well-crafted story by the D’Aulaires’ is one of my favorites. In it you will learn of Leif’s childhood in Greenland, his voyage to Norway, subsequent conversion to Christianity, discovery of the North American continent and his evangelization of Greenland.

Small Wolf

Nathaniel Benchley
HarperCollins; Paperback; 64 pp.

When Small Wolf encounters settlers on the Island of Hills, now known as Manhattan, he learns that their ideas about owning land are much different from his. This poignant story about the impact of European settlers on Native American people has an important message to convey and no study of early American history is complete without it.

La Salle

Jeff Donaldson-Forbes
PowerKids Press; Hardcover; 24 pp.

The LBC American history curriculum tries to include important figures in the events that led to that founding of our nation. Sieur de la Salle, an early French explorer, was instrumental in establishing maritime trade in the Great Lakes and followed the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. He also claimed one-third of the continent for King Louis XIV and called it Louisiana.

Pocahontas

Ingri D’Aulaire, Edgar Parin D’Aulaire
Beautiful Feet Books; Paperback; 44 pp.

The third of the D’Aulaire American history books included in the LBC curriculum, this is the favortie story of the Indian maiden Pocahontas, Captain John Smith, and the Jamestown settlement. In the D’Aulaire’s original style, they bring the colorful tale of this colony’s struggle in 1607 to life. It complements and completes the picture created by Jamestown, New World Adventure.

Juan Ponce de Leon

Claude Hurwicz
PowerKids Press; Hardcover, 24 pp.

An important figure in the settling of the Americas, Ponce de Leon was a Spanish explorer who first came to the New World with Columbus and went on to become governor of Puerto Rico. He later came to Florida looking for the “Fountain of Youth”. This book details his early life and adventures.

The First Thanksgiving

Jean Craighead George
Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers; Paperback; 32 pp.

This picture book created by the beloved author of My Side of the Mountain is a unique and beautiful telling of the landing of the Mayflower, the first year and how the Pilgrims celebrated their first harvest with a feast of Thanksgiving.