American History Read Aloud Books for the Family

I love American History! I hated it in school, I hated the boring, dry facts and having to memorize dates.  Now that I am teaching the next generation, history has become extremely important to me.  I am often reminded of the quote that those who don't know history are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past.  As I see what is going on in the world today I see evidence of a failed public school system and wonder if we are at a point of repeating past history.

My favorite way to learn history is through stories.  I love to hear about the lives of past generations and the successes and failures that they were faced with.  Reading stories with your kids is such a great way to learn history.  I have compiled a list of fun books to read with your kids.

Early American History 1700's

Patriots, Redcoats, and Spies

"When Revolutionary War Patriot Lamberton Clark is shot by British soldiers while on a mission for the Continental Army, he has only two hopes of getting the secret message he’s carrying to General George Washington: his 14-year-old twin boys John and Ambrose. Upon discovering that their father is a spy in the Culper Spy Ring, the boys accept their mission without a clue about what they may be up against. They set off from Connecticut to New Jersey to find General Washington, but the road to the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army is full of obstacles; including the man who shot their father who is hot on their trail."

Patriots, Redcoats, and Spies is a fun historical fiction, packed with action.   It gives the reader an idea of what life was like during the Revolutionary War.   A great read for the whole family. 

Jacob's Rescue - A Holocaust Story

"The Nazis had invaded Poland and stolen Jewish homes and businesses, promising the non-Jewish Polish people that once the Jews were gone, the property would be theirs. At the same time, the Germans sent all Poles who were strong enough into work camps to do forced labor. Jews were ordered to move into ghettos, fenced or walled areas in the city that separated Jews from the rest of the population."

No Jew was safe in Poland during the Nazi invasions during 1939-45.  Jacob's Rescue is the story of the Gutgeld family and their fight for their lives.  As a young boy, Jacob lived a comfortable life in a spacious home with servants and a chauffeur, that all changed with the invasion of the Nazi's.  Horrified the family watched as businesses were destroyed and people disappeared. Jacob lived with his grandmother and aunt as his mother had died when he was 4 and his brothers were sent to the country for their safety.  Jacob's grandfather, uncle, and father had left Poland the year before as it was not safe for the men to remain in the city.