Children's American History Books

THE AMERICAN FLAG BOOKPLATES (Sample available)
art from a photo. Condition: NEW package of 10 bookplates made by pacaritambo books. The peel-off label stock is heavier than most bookplate materials and is matte and not glossy. We can also personalize the bookplates if you like - email us the name you want on the bookplate. They are as perfect as possible, and we feel the subject matter is much different than you can get anywhere else. 3.75" H x 3.75" W. Content: This bookplate is a version of the American Flag - with plenty of room for a name of even an inscription. Any questions or for a sample, click here to email us.
$ 3.59 + $ 2.75 first class shipping.

ALL ABOUT HOLIDAYS With Inspector McQ (Childcraft)
by Kathleen Kain. Wonderful colorful illustrations by Ben Mahan. Inspector McQ illustrations by Eileen Neill. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1992 World Book hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), no printing given. Light shelf wear with an odd pale foxing to top of pages. Interior clean & tight. Content: This is a wonderful book - especially for homeschooling. All of the major (and some minor) holidays celebrated in the US are here: New Year's Day, Chinese New Year, Groundhog Day, Valentine's Day, Easter, Earth Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. This is a secular book. The holiday's traditions as well as history is explained. Excellent! Questions welcome. [1 left]
$ 4.89 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

AN AMERICAN PLAGUE: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 [Newberry Honor Book]
by Jim Murphy. B&W era newspaper reports, art, drawings, city maps, and photos. Excellent documentation. Condition: NEW 2006 Scholastic trade paperback, 4th printing. Content: History, science, politics, and public health come together in this dramatic account of the disastrous yellow fever epidemic that hit the nation's capital more than 200 years ago. Drawing on firsthand accounts, medical and non-medical, Murphy re-creates the fear and panic in the infected city, the social conditions that caused the disease to spread, and the arguments about causes and cures. With archival prints, photos, contemporary newspaper facsimiles that include lists of the dead, and full, chatty source notes, he tells of those who fled and those who stayed--among them, the heroic group of free blacks who nursed the ill and were later vilified for their work. Murphy chronicles this frightening time with solid research and a flair for weaving facts into fascinating stories, beginning with the fever's emergence on August 3, when a young French sailor died in Richard Denny's boardinghouse on North Water Street. As church bells rang more and more often, it became horrifyingly clear that the de facto capital was being ravaged by an unknown killer. An afterword explains the yellow fever phenomenon, its causes, and contemporary outbreaks, and source notes are extensive and interesting. Grades 6 - 12. Questions welcome. [1 left]
$ 4.89 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

AMERICAN SAILING SHIPS COLORING BOOK
by Peter F. Copeland. B&W drawings illustrate. Condition: NEW 1987 Dover soft cover (stapled wraps), no printing given. Tiny edge wear. Content: Forty-five magnificent ready-to-color illustrations depict USS Constitution, sloops, whalers, frigates, clippers, more. Informative captions. Ages 8+, Questions welcome. [1 left]
$ 4.00 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

ANDREW JACKSON: Frontier Patriot
by Louis Sabin. B&W illustrations by Dick Smolinski. Condition: UNREAD 1986 Troll softcover, first printing. Tiny edgewear. Content: The biography of President Andrew Jackson aimed at grades 4-6.
$ 2.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

ANTLER, BEAR CANOE: A Northwoods Alphabet Year
text and adorable illustrations by Betsy Bowen. Condition: NEW 1995 Little Brown soft cover, first printing. Content: An alphabet book that is novel in overall concept, ABC words, and illustrations. Bowen has taken as her theme ordinary life in the Minnesota northwoods from January ("Aa" for "Antler") to December ("Zz" for "Zero" temperature). Each letter-word pair is accompanied by a brief, explanatory anecdote. Above it is a -page full-color woodblock illustration that contains true-to-life details that increase effectiveness. There are good find-it-in-the-picture text clues for pre-readers, while older children--especially those familiar with northwoods life--will reread and enjoy the book for Bowen's bold accuracy of concept and presentation. Ages 4 - 8. [1 copy available]
$ 5.00 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

ATTACK ON FORT McHENRY (Reading Level 7)
by David R. Collins. Color illustrations by James Noel Smith. Condition: NEW 2001 Rigby soft cover (stapled wraps), 4th printing. Content: This is the story of the British attack on Fort McHenry and the writing of the Star Spangled Banner. Perfect for home schooling. Ages 6+. [1 copy available]
$ 3.98 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

A BIG CHEESE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE: The True Tale of A Tremendous Cheddar
by Candace Fleming. Color illustrations by S. D. Schindler. Condition: NEW 1999 DK Ink hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: This is a great little book! Fleming once again parlays a little-known historical nugget into a diverting picture book. In the late 19th century, the folks of Cheshire, Mass., a locale known for its delectable cheddar, grow mighty disgruntled when they learn that President Thomas Jefferson is offering cheese from a Connecticut town to his White House visitors. The Cheshire residents band together to produce a gigantic wheel of cheese that will catch the Chief's eye and please his palate for years. They gather produce from every milk-yielding bovine in nearby pastures into a "cow-created river," a large apple press squeezes whey from the curds and the village blacksmith pounds out an enormous hoop to hold the 1235-pound, four-foot-high cheese. A town elder, accompanied by the cranky local naysayer transports the formidable fromage by sleigh and ship to the White House, where Jefferson "cut into the cheddar's golden glory." With his finely detailed, droll pen and watercolor pictures, Schindler, who collaborated with Fleming on other works, wryly captures both the period flavor and tall-tale tone of the story. A satisfying, well-aged slice of American lore. Ages 6-10. [1 copy left]
$ 3.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

BLACK HEROES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
by Burke Davis. B&W photos and drawings. Condition: NEW 1976 Harcourt Brace hardcover (pictorial boards) edition - most likely published in 1989 or early 90s. No printing given. Content: History of Black freedom fighters of the American Revolution who had been overshadowed by "white" heroes and "white" history. Larger than normal print. Grades 6 and up. Questions welcome. [1 copy available.]
$ 4.89 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

BLIZZARD!
by Jim Murphy. Sepia-tone drawings & era photos illustrate. Brown & white text. Condition: NEW 2006 Scholastic large soft cover, 5th printing. Content: Snow began falling over New York City on March 12, 1888. All around town, people struggled along slippery streets and sidewalks -- some seeking the warmth of their homes, some to get to work or to care for the less fortunate, and some to experience what they assumed would be the last little snowfall of one of the warmest winters on record. What no one realized was that in a very few hours, the wind and snow would bury the city in nearly 21 inches of snow and bring it to a ferocious standstill. Recommended for Young Adults. [1 copy available]
$ 4.59 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

THE BUFFALO NICKEL
text and color illustrations by Taylor Morrison. Condition: NEW 2004 Houghton Mifflin hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), 5th printing. Content: This fully illustrated book begins with the Dakota Territory boyhood of artist James Earle Fraser, who grew up listening to trappers' stories and playing with Sioux children when their families camped nearby. He drew on this heritage when he became a sculptor of such works as The End of the Trail. In particular, the book tells of Fraser's design for his most widely distributed work: the famous nickel depicting a buffalo on one side and a Plains Indian chief on the other. Morrison's colorful illustrations include full-page and double-page tableaux of Indians, settlers, buffalo, and railroad men on the plains, as well as close-ups of individuals. Smaller pictures depict, step-by-step, the making of the bas-relief medallion, the die, and the coins themselves. Well researched and colorfully illustrated, the book offers intriguing glimpses of America's past. [1 copy available]
$ 4.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

CAN'T YOU MAKE THEM BEHAVE, KING GEORGE?
by Jean Fritz. Color and B&W pictures by Tomie de Paola. Condition: UNREAD c. 1990s Coward-McCann soft cover, 14th printing. Tiny edge wear. Content: This is a very clever intro to the American Revolution and England's kings for young readers. Reviewer: "Jean Fritz has created many fabulous books for children. This book is one of my favorites. It shows the beginning of the American Revolution from the eyes of King George. The book is humerous and historically correct. Kids and adults will enjoy reading it together!" [1 copy available]
$ 4.59 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

THE CEMETERY KEEPERS OF GETTYSBURG
text by Linda Oatman High. wonderful color illustrations by Laura Francesca Filippucci. Condition: NEW 2007 Walker hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: A family of cemetery keepers at Gettysburg is the unique vehicle for describing the battle. In a spare, free-verse text, the oldest boy tells about his father, away fighting for the Union; his pregnant mother; and how the family carries on as best it can. When Confederate and Union soldiers turn Gettysburg into a battlefield, the family is ordered to leave Cemetery Hill. It takes shelter in a nearby farmhouse along with wounded soldiers. After a few days, the family returns to its battered, empty home and begins digging graves. Some months later, Lincoln comes to dedicate a new cemetery. High's sensitive verse creates a vivid yet restrained impression of the boy's experiences. While the lovely ink-and watercolor illustrations are entirely appropriate to the periods before the battle and some time afterward, the sanitized pictures of the fight and its aftermath are altogether too pretty to represent one of the bloodiest battles in the war. Still, the text offers a unique perspective on the Civil War, when the home front too often became the front line. [1 copy available]
$ 4.69 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

CHARLES BALL AND AMERICAN SLAVERY (History Eyewitness series)
edited & introduction by Jane Shuter. Color and B&W era art and contemporary photos & art. Condition: NEW 1994 Raintree Steck-Vaughn hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), first printing. Content: Provides a first person account of the author's experiences both as a slave on tobacco and cotton plantations and as a runaway with intermittent periods of freedom during the late 1700's and early 1800's. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 2.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

A Coloring Book of the CIVIL WAR
by Allan Archambault. B&W drawings by the Author. Condition: NEW 1983 Bellerophon large soft cover, no printing given. Tiny edge wear. Content: The interesting uniforms of the different units were far more colorful than just blue and gray. Line drawings of soldiers wearing these uniforms are included along with a coloring key. Uniforms from Zouaves to Hampton's Legion to Rhode Island Detaached Militia to the Drummer Boys - they are all here. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 4.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

CORNELIUS VANDERMOUSE, THE PRIDE OF NEWPORT [SIGNED BY AUTHOR]
by Peter W. Barnes and Cheryl Shaw Barnes. Adorable color illustrations by Susan Arciero. Condition: UNREAD SIGNED BY AUTHOR. NEW 1998 VSP Books hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), second printing. Content: Kids learn about the architecture and history of one of America's most famouse port city, home of the Vandermouses! Follow Cornelius on his quest for a good luck charm as he enters an exciting sailboat race. History and fun - Neat! [1 copy available]
$ 6.69 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

CUT FROM THE SAME CLOTH: American Women of Myth, Legend, and Tall Tale
collected & told by Robert D. San Souci. Wonderful B&W illustrations by Brian Pinkney. Intro by Jane Yolen. Condition: UNREAD 1994 Philomel large hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first impression. Light shelf wear scratches to "black cow" front DJ panel. Light edge wear to DJ. Interior perfect. Content: San Souci confines himself to North America and organizes his selections by region, moving from east to west. The women come from the Native American, African American, Mexican American, and Canadian traditions. Although they differ in many ways from their male counterparts, there are still tricksters, sweet talkers, and brave and strong protagonists like those found in hero stories. There has been some retelling, some modifications of dialects, some reshaping of open endings, but the plots have not been tampered with. Each story is illustrated with an engraving of some sort, with black background and white lines that give the pictures an antique quality like a woodcut or copper engraving. Notes on the stories and an extensive list of further reading are appended. An impressive and gratifying collection that's a cut above other such compilations. Stories: The Star Maiden; Bess Call, Drop Star, Molly Cottontail, Annie Christmas, Susanna and Simon, Sal Fink, Sweet Betsy from Pike, Old Sally Cato, Pale-faced Lightning, Pohaha, Sister Fox & Brother Coyote, Hekeke, Otoobah, Hiiaka. Includes sources and bibliography. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 5.29 + $ 3.39 media shipping.

DAILY LIFE ON A SOUTHERN PLANTATION 1853
by Paul Erickson. Beautiful, historically correct color illustrations by Paul Gabbey. Color photos, as well. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 2000 Lodestar over-sized hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), second printing. Problem: While the book is perfect, the DJ has nics and 2 "repaired" tears. It has been price-clipped. Content: In this handsome book, you will meet the Hendersons, who live on a Southern plantation with their children in 1853. You'll also meet Daddy Major, Rosena, Scipio, and Cicero, slaves who work in the Big House and in the cotton fields. Full-color photographs of interiors, clothing, and objects, plus artwork and oral history, document a typical day on a plantation. You will see the stately bedrooms and dining room of the plantation house, as well as the simple slave quarters and cabins. Inside the Big House, morning chores are done and the children readied for school (or play); in the kitchen house, food is cooked and bread is baked; and in the sugar house, cane is crushed. Readers will learn about mealtimes, leisure hours, doctors and disease, and bedtimes. They'll also learn about attitudes toward slavery, slave meetings in the woods, and much more in this unique visit to a restored Southern plantation in New Iberia, Louisiana. Ages 9 - 12+. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 8.59 + $ 3.39 media shipping.

THE DAY MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. WAS SHOT: A Photo History of the Civil Rights Movement
by Jim Haskins. B&W era photos and era art reproductions throughout. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1992 Scholastic large soft cover, 4th printing. Light edgewear. Content: A readable and attractive photo essay recounting the struggle for civil rights in the U. S. Haskins's clearly written text and archival black-and-white photographs trace the long, hard road to equal rights for African-Americans from the earliest days of the slave trade; through the desegregation battles; to The Day Martin Luther King, Jr., Was Shot , which Haskins cites as the ``end of the civil rights era.'' Brief accounts of brave individuals, both black and white, are included: abolitionists; students who integrated Central High School in Little Rock in 1957; demonstrators who sat-in at a lunch counter in Greensboro in 1960; civil right workers who were murdered in Mississippi in 1964; and many, many more. This is an excellent overview. [1 copy available] Questions welcome.
$ 3.09 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

An Educational READ & COLOR BOOK OF COLONIES
edited by Linda Spizzirri. Detailed B&W illlustrations by Peter Spizzirri. Condition: NEW 1994 Spizzirri large soft cover, no printing given. Content: Actually, the drawings and the excellent history text made for a good supplement book for homeschooling elementary kids. The book covers the history of each of the 13 colonies plus revolution and independence. Some junior high school kids will find this interesting as well, but may not cotton to the coloring of the pages. Nifty, IMHO. [1 copy available]
$ 9.69 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

EDWARD'S PORTRAIT
story & pictures by Barbara Morrow. Great color drawings illustrate. Condition: NEW 1992 Simon & Schuster hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: [NOTE: While this is not technically "history", this is such a wonderful accurate look into life in the mid-1800s in America, I included it here in the history section.] An itinerant daguerreotypist is coming to town, and Pa is taking the family, including young Edward and the baby, to have their portraits made. Morrow contrives to include a lot about this early form of photography while telling a lively story; she cleverly broadens the context by having the photographer talk about his travel adventures as he tries to keep Edward still. Nicely composed soft-pencil and watercolor illustrations add humor and interesting detail. A spirited bit of social history. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 2.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

EXPLORATION OF NORTH AMERICA: The story of the discovery and exploration of the New World
by Shirley Greenway. Beautiful color photos, art repros, and maps. Condition: NEW 1998 Barron's soft cover, no printing given. Content: This is agreat overview of the invasion and exploration of the North American continent - from the Norse to Columbus to a discussion of the Indian Nations who were already here and ending with Manifest Destiny and Lewis & Clark. Excellent for homeschooling. [11 copy left]
$ 3.49 + $ 2.94 media shipping.

FELICITY LEARNS A LESSON: A School Story 1774 (American Girls #2)
by Valerie Tripp. Color illustrations by Dan Andreasen. Condition: NEW 1992 Scholastic Trade PB, first thus, first printing. Content: Nine year-old Felicity is sent to Miss Manderley's house to learn to be a polite gentlewoman. She practices elegant penmanship, fancy stitchery, formal dancing, and the proper way to serve tea. Two sisters from England join the classes, and one of them (Elizabeth) becomes Felicity's best friend. Learning the tea ceremony is great fun until Felicity's father decides the King's tax on tea is unfair, and he refuses to sell tea in his store or to drink it in the household. How can Felicity continue the tea lessons she loves and still be loyal to Father?
$ 2.89 + $ 2.89 media shipping.

FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY (Muhammad Ali)
by Ntozake Shange. Color illustrations by Edel Rodriguez. Condition: Gently pre-read 2002 Hyperion Books for Children hardcover (pictorial boards) and DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Interior clean. Content: Shange offers a streamlined, clearly affectionate account of the life of Muhammad Ali, who, she says in an introductory note, continues to inspire "hope and courage." Her portrait effectively reveals the fighter's personality, re-creating conversations between young Cassius and his parents and later quoting some of his well-known proclamations. Rodriguez begins with a close-up view of the subject as a child, poised and gazing heavenward, then shifts to a full-bleed spread that conveys the historical backdrop: the boy stands at a "colored" water fountain, on the right of the horizontal painting, looking across the gutter at a "white" fountain ("As a boy, he struggled to make his way in the segregated world of the pre-civil rights South," reads the text). The author subtly intimates that his parents are the source of Ali's confidence (his father compliments him on his way with words; his mother tells him, "So long as you are alive, I want you to remember, you are God's work"). The volume nicely characterizes this modern-day hero, with poster-like illustrations and punchy text. Ages 5 - 9. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 3.59 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

FOLKS CALL ME APPLESEED JOHN (John Chapman)
by Andrew Glass. Color illustrations by the Author. . Condition: UNREAD 1998 Yearling soft cover, first printing. Content: Glass retells, in the voice of John Chapman, a series of incidents relating to Appleseed John and his half-brother, Nathaniel, who joined him in western Pennsylvania at the age of 14 or 15. The embellished account comes from Robert Price's Johnny Appleseed, which quotes from William Glines's recollections (ca. 1922) of stories told to him by Chapman's brothers and sisters. John sets out by canoe for Fort Pitt to buy supplies for the winter, leaving his brother in the shelter of a hollow sycamore tree. Pulling his canoe atop an ice cake in order to rest, he falls asleep and floats far past the fort. When he returns weeks later with provisions, he finds that four Senecas have saved Nathaniel from freezing and taught him to hunt small game with bow and arrow. The action-packed, large-figured cartoon illustrations are done in oils in earth tones and turquoise. Young Appleseed has a rough, scuzzy, backwoods look, admitting in the text that he expects he "smelled worse than a wild pig" after his river adventure. The text presents him as a plain, sensible, religious man. A two-page endpaper map shows the region where this folk hero traveled. Three pages of biographical notes are appended. A good read-aloud with historical content that will make the tale useful in classrooms. Ages 5 - 9. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 3.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

GOD BLESS AMERICA
words and music by Irving Berlin. Illustrations by Lynn Munsinger. Includes CD recording of the great Barbra Streisand singing God Bless America. Condition: NEW 2002 HarperCollins large hardcover (pictorial boards) and DJ (in mylar jacket). Full-page color graphics. First Edition, first printing. Content: Illustrator Munsinger, along with a very cute family of bears, brings 20th-century songwriter Irving Berlin's 1938 classic to life in God Bless America, a warm, nostalgic picture book packaged with a CD of the song sung by none other than Barbra Streisand. Berlin's original lyrics are accompanied by various scenes of a bear father and his two cubs on a road trip--from the mountains, to the prairies, to the ocean white with foam. Along the way they witness a parade of firefighters and police officers, stop at the Lincoln Monument, and stand in the crown of the Statue of Liberty. The trip ends back at the ranch: "My home sweet home." Inspired youngsters will find the musical notation to the song at the back of the book. Perfect gift for the young patriot in your life - geared to ages 4 - 9.
$ 4.25 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

GEORGE WASHINGTON'S TEETH
by Deborah Chandra & Madeline Comora. Appropriate color illustrations by Brock Cole. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 2003 Farrar Strauss hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), 7th printing. Problem: The DJ shows edgewear and small "repaired" tears. The interior is perfect. Content: The authors unhinge the jaws of history to examine the mouth of America's first president, tracking the poor man's dental woes as he gallops to war, crosses the Delaware, and, with only two teeth left, takes his place as leader of the country. Washington was plagued by black, rotting teeth from the time he was 22, losing about one a year until he was nearly "toofless" and had to have his first dentures made from a hippotamus tusk (that's right, not wood!). Poets Deborah Chandra and Madeleine Comora begin their quirky historical tale at a lively clip: "The Revolutionary War/ George hoped would soon be won,/ But another battle with his teeth/ Had only just begun..." Indeed. Evidently he was losing teeth even as he crossed the Delaware: "George crossed the icy Delaware/ With nine teeth in his mouth./ In that cold and pitchy dark,/ Two more teeth came out!" (Cleverly, illustrator Brock Cole mimics Emanuel Leutze's famous painting "Washington Crossing the Delaware," making Washington seem more uncomfortably tight-lipped than dignified.) The story ends happily ever after with the crafting of a nice new pair of ivory false teeth that allow George to dance around the ballroom through the night. Truth be told, however, he would be deeply troubled by his teeth until the day he died. A four-page, illustrated historic timeline of Washington's life (and mouth) completes this carefully researched, very funny, charmingly illustrated picture book that works to humanize a larger-than-life historical figure and in turn, history itself. Brilliant! (Ages 7 and older) [1 copy available.]
$ 3.25 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

HANUKKAH AT VALLEY FORGE (Sidney Taylor Winner)
by Stephen Krensky. Excellent color illustrations by Greg Harlin. Condition: NEW 2006 Dutton soft cover, first printing. Content: Reviewer: "Based on some historical evidence, this inspiring story relates how, in the middle of winter at Valley Forge, General George Washington meets a Jewish soldier; an immigrant from Poland who is celebrating the first night of Hanukkah. As the soldier retells the Hanukkah story to the general, Washington's faith is renewed, and he begins to believe in the possibility that his ragtag army can also win against a larger foe. He says to the soldier, "We too have a cruel enemy who leaves us only with the choice of brave resistance or abject submission." Greg Harlin's beautiful watercolor illustrations bring this poignant tale to life. Children will be proud to know that a chance encounter with a Jewish soldier may have given General Washington the courage to continue the battle for independence of the United States." For ages 7 - 10+. [1 copy available.]
$ 7.59 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

THE HEROINE OF THE TITANIC:
A Tale Both True and Otherwise of the Life of Molly Brown
by Joan W. Blos. Watercolor illustrations by Tennessee Dixon. . Condition: Very good 1991 William Morrow hardcover (pictorial boars - probably library binding), first printing. This is an ex-library book with all markings, but it is unread. Shelfwear top spine. Content: Told in exuberant verse, this story of "the unsinkable Molly Brown" is scattered throughout with wit, tall tales and exaggeration, much like the hearty heroine herself. Molly Brown is best remembered for refusing to go down with the Titanic , but Blos presents this episode as only one part of a full, unusual life -- focusing instead on her youth, marriage and later travels. Relying on an abundance of brown hues for a beguiling period tone, Dixon's robust watercolors admirably depict Molly's childhood in Missouri, while the artist's attention to detail, particularly fashions, complements Mrs. Brown's ascension to high society. Both appealing and accessible, this collaboration makes Molly Brown's love of life and straightforward nature a cause for celebration. Ages 6-up.
$ 4.89 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

HIROSHIMA: The Story of the First Atom Bomb
by Clive Lawton. B&W and color era photos illustrate. . Condition: NEW 2004 Candlewick hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: A large, profusely illustrated account of the development and use of the atomic bomb. Lawton presents the basics of the nuclear theory behind it; the Manhattan Project; the progress of World War II and V-E Day; Truman's decision to use the bomb; the mission of the Enola Gay and the results of the Hiroshima explosion; and the subsequent use of the bomb on Nagasaki. The book also looks at the aftermath, including the surrender of Japan, the survivors, the rebirth of Hiroshima, and the continuing influence of nuclear weapons on the world. The text is clearly written though superficial in places, especially the passage on the complexities of the decision to use this weapon. Brief biographical entries on the primary characters and a chronology enhance the text, while outstanding black-and-white and full-color photos and drawings convey as much of the story as the text. Questions welcome. [1 copy left]
$ 5.89 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

HOME OF THE BRAVE
text & color illustrations by Allen Say. Condition: NEW 2002 Houghton Mifflin large hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Wonderful, detailed somber color illustrations Content: This is a surreal look at the relocation of Japanese Americans into detention camps during World WAr II and the effects on the children. An important lesson - especially for today. [1 copy available]
$ 5.59 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

HOW MANY DAYS TO AMERICA?: A Thanksgiving Story
by Eve Bunting. Color illustrations by Beth Peck. Condition: Very good pre-read Trumpet Club special edition Trade PB. Light edgewear and a book plate stamped on title page. Interior clean. Content: "A Thanksgiving story that knows no season or race, but is for everyone all year 'round." A family flees its native country in a small boat and lands in America on a particularly appropriate holiday. Originally had a audio cassette with it, but this is the BOOK ONLY.
$ 1.89 + $ 2.89 media shipping.

I KID YOU NOT: A Kid's Guide to the Land of the Free and the Home of the Strange!
by Hammond Road Atlas. Color cartoons & illustrations by Dave Winter. Condition: UNREAD 1994 large softcover with small shelfwear in form of diagonal crease bottom back cover. Interior perfect. Content: This is the best traveling companion for kids I've ever seen. Broken down into map regions (New England, Plains states, Mountain states, etc.), each state has cartoon representations of unusual sites kids (and probably adults, too) would enjoy seeing. Information on the state is also included in the text. Excellent data and clever.
$ 3.59 + $ 2.89 media shipping. Priority shipping available.

JOSHUA CHAMBERLAIN AND THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR (Robert F. Kennedy, Jr's American Heroes series)
by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Wonderful color paintings by Nikita Andreev. Condition: NEW 2007 Hyperion hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: This book on Joshua Chamberlain proves to be a well written and pretty interesting book for school level between third grade to eighth grade level of student interested in the American Civil War or American history. Chamberlain was a college professor (languages) in Maine who enlisted and led his troops from Antirtam to Appomattox. He was wounded several times but is most remembered for his gallant stand at Gettysburg which saved the Union army. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for Gettysburg - but almost 30 years later. (Ages 7 and older) [1 copy available.]
$ 4.25 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

A KID'S BOOK OF VACATION FUN IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS
by Eileen Ogintz. Illustrations. Condition: NEW 1996 HarperSanFrancisco Trade Paperback. Content: A travel guide written for the kids. Learn to snowboard in Utah, pan for gold in Colorado, see and touch real dinosaur bones at Dinosaur National Monument, or spot a bear at Glacier National Park. It's easy to have a great vacation when you have the scoop on all of the best places to go, the most exciting things to see, and the most fun things to do. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 2.89 + $ 2.94 media shipping.

American Girls Pastimes: KIRSTEN'S CRAFT BOOK: A Look at Crafts from the Past with Projects You Can Make Today
by Jodi Everett. Cover art by Renee Graef. Interior illustrations by Geri Bourget. Condition: UNREAD, but perused on the shelf, 1998 Pleasant soft cover, 9th printing. No major problems, just perused. Tiny edge wear. Content: Grade 3-6-An unusual craft book. Introductions to each chapter provide a historical perspective, transporting readers to Kirsten's 19th-century world. The 16 activities are then categorized by household items: braided rugs and quilted potholders; toys yarn dolls; and Indian arts, such as clay beads. The individual projects list materials needed and step-by-step directions. In most instances, they are clear and will require little adult interpretation. Adult assistance is suggested when sharp tools are needed. Full-color photographs and diagrams further assist young crafters, and full-size patterns are provided. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 3.99 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

THE LEWIS & CLARK EXPEDITION (Highlights from American History series)
by Sanna Porte Kiesling. Color illustrations by Dan White. Condition: UNREAD 1990 TwoDot Trade Paperback, first printing. Perfect but for light edgewear bottom page corners. Warm & appropriate color illustrations. Content: Nice way to introduce kids to American History and exploration of the continent. In 1804 two young Americans set out to explore the land between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean, a land no white man had ever seen. What awaited them? Prehistoric monsters? Fire-breathing dragons? Meriwether Lewis and William Clark intended to find out. Their travels were full of dangerous encounters, narrow escapes, and hardships that would have made other men give up in despair. Yet they succeeded. Their two-year journey took them from St. Louis, Missouri, up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, across the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Lewis and Clark lived one of the most exciting chapters in American history, and their expedition shaped America's destiny. Recommended for grades 4 - 7.
$ 1.59 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS: Cowboys; Immigrants; Inventors; and Pioneers (4 books/1)
by Martin W. Sandler. B&W photos from the archives of the Library of Congress. Condition: UNREAD 2002 HarperCollins small softcovers - all perfect. Chick-fil-A edition. Content: Four books from the halls of the Library of Congress with B&W photos to illustrate the text. Educational and fun. Grades 5 and up. Questions welcome.
$ 5.29 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

LIGHTHOUSES OF NORTH AMERICA!: Exploring Their History, Lore & Science
by Lisa Trumbauer. Clever, colorful, comic illustrations by Michael Kline. Condition: NEW 2007 Williamson Books large softcover, no printing given. Content: This book is suitable for ages 9 to 12 years. With fun, hands-on activities, dramatic play, and creative thinking, children will discover the wonder of lighthouses and the geography that made lighthouses necessary, as well as the science that improved the strength of the light itself. See specific lighthouses of North America, while you light an (indoor) cliff, make a rocky reef and a rough current, name a lighthouse, write a captain's log entry and a lighthouse poem, learn the colour codes of lighthouses, and explore lighthouse shapes. Learn the strengths and weaknesses of tower lighthouses, screw piles, caissons, skeleton lighthouses, and more. Let it Shine! Learn all about the kinds of lights including the spider lamp, reflected light, fresnel light, lights of different brightness, occult lights, fixed and flashing lights, and making a blinking beacon. Let there be light! Explore the science of light and see how both sound and light travel, bend a light, reflect light, and diffuse light in water. Be a Keeper! Learn all about living in a lighthouse and growing up in one, too. Chronicle a storm, write about a daring rescue, imagine living far from all others, and write lighthouse poetry. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 5.00 + $ 3.19 media shipping. International shipping available - please use the drop-down menu.

LOOKING FOR SEABIRDS: Journal from an Alaskan Voyage
text & illustrations by Sophie Webb. Beautiful color maps and watercolor graphics of the birds. Condition: NEW 2004 Houghton Mifflin hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Content: The natural history diarist who earned a Sibert Honor for My Season with Penguins: An Antarctic Journal now invites readers to join her aboard the Alpha Helix, a research vessel, on a month-long expedition to the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. She is there to count seabirds, whose population density can help researchers gauge the ocean's health. The birds involved here probably won't garner the same instant enthusiasm among young children as waddling, tuxedoed penguins, and Webb's shipboard vantage point precludes the hands-on interactions that enlivened her first book. However, the text and accompanying watercolors are just as brimming with gritty details (it's wise not to serve spherical foods on a boat, because they roll off the plate), and children will feel Webb's delight in the moments that make the rigors of field research worth it: a glimpse of Crested Auklets "like something out of Dr. Seuss' imagination" or an albatross that commutes from Hawaii to Alaska to collect food, then backtracks 5,600 miles to nourish its waiting chicks. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
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MRS. KENNEDY GOES ABROAD
by Vibhuti Patel. Intro by John Kenneth Galbraith. Beautiful color paintings by Jacqueline Duheme. Decorated end pages. Condition: Gently pre-read, IF at all, 1998 Artisan hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. No problems, just may be pre-read. Content: This is a wonderful piece of Camelot for the younger generation - and even adults who remember the magic of the White House then will love this book. Jacqueline Kennedy - American icon and inimitable symbol of strength and beauty. Her majestic elegance is captured in this delightful gift book, Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad, by French painter, illustrator, and lifelong friend of the First Lady, Jacqueline Duheme. When President and Mrs. Kennedy traveled to Paris in 1961 Mme Duheme began painting scenes from their historic trip. These intricate miniatures impressed President Kennedy, and so Mme Duheme offered the series as a gift. Delighted, Mrs. Kennedy, who herself always enjoyed painting as a pastime, invited Mme Duheme to visit her at the White House and in Cape Cod. Later, upon Jacqueline's request, Mme Duheme accompanied the First Lady and her sister Princess Lee Radziwill on their diplomatic tour through India and Pakistan via Rome. From a visit with the pope at the Vatican to a walk through Nehru's gardens, from a camel ride in Karachi to lunch with Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, Mme Duheme illustrated the unforgettable moments of the trip. Now in Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad, these exquisite watercolors are published for the first time--along with line drawings, photographs from Mme Duheme's collection, and nostalgic text drawn from the recollections and reportage of the time. Also included is an introduction by John Kenneth Galbraith, who was a personal friend of Mrs. Kennedy's and, as ambassador to India, accompanied her on her 1962 trip. Beautifully designed and printed, this intimate portrait is a treasure for all those who appreciate the style and grace of the Kennedy era. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 7.59 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

MY SENATOR AND ME: A Dog's-Eye View of Washington, D.C.
by Senator Edward M. Kennedy (and Splash!). Great comic color illustrations by David Mall. Condition: NEW 2006 Scholastic Press large hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: Kennedy's introduction to the political process is clear, informative, and loaded with child appeal, in part due to the choice of narrator: his Portuguese Water Dog, Splash. This canine bundle of friendly, panting fun takes readers on a tour of monuments and then describes a typical day: staff discussion of an education bill, a ride in the underground tram between the Senate and the Capitol, a press conference, a committee meeting, and a floor vote. Children will appreciate Splash's joy at the snacks and time for outdoor catch along the way, as well as the strategic Woof when the committee reaches an impasse on the bill. While the swift and tidy resolution is clearly fictional, the actual process is rendered memorable through the presentation. Small's shifting perspectives capture the shimmering lights viewed from a moving tram, the glory of the soaring Capitol rotunda, the heartfelt affection in a beloved dog's eyes. Back matter includes information about Kennedy, Splash, and how a bill becomes a law. With its multicultural cast, nonpartisan viewpoint, and protagonist brimming with personality, this look inside the Beltway is a first choice for classrooms, tourists, and animal lovers everywhere. Grades 1 - 5. [1copy available]
$ 8.19 + $ 3.29 media shipping. .

MYSTERIOUS JOURNEY: Amelia Earhart's Last Flight
byMartha Wickham. Color illustrations by David Lund. . Condition: NEW 1997 Soundprints/Smithsonian hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Content: Lucy, Tomas, Emma, and Kevin are visiting the Amelia Earhart exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum when Lucy is transported through time and becomes Amelia Earhart at the airplane controls?with navigator Fred Noonan beside her - on the last leg of that fateful journey. Lucy hopes to find out what really happened to Earhart, but is transported back to the present before that occurs. The text is clear and concise, and the illustrations have a scratchy, textured look using rich, warm colors and a smoky affect. The map illustration marking all the stops on Earhart's final flight shows just how close the aviatrix came to attaining her goal. The story may spark interest in Amelia Earhart or aviation history. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 4.69 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

NATALIE'S JOURNAL (Liberty Landing Collection)
text & illustrations by Liberty Landing. B&W illustrations. Condition: NEW 1996 Brass Key hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), no edition given. Content: This series depcts the real life stories of four cousins who lived and immigrated to America in the 1890s. Natalie's family was from France and settled in Louisiana. Educational and entertaining. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 3.59 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

NEW YORK IS ENGLISH, CHATTANOOGA IS CREEK
text & illustrations by Chris Raschka. Clever comic color illustrations. Condition: NEW 2004 Richard Jackson hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: At once carefully intentional and casually random, this is both a fascinating exploration of the etymology and derivation of American city names and a characteristic Raschka farcical flight-of-fancy. Each city is portrayed as a colorfully costumed caricature relating to its name's origins, and each one has a headdress topped by a significant symbol. St. Louis wears its famous arch while New York is crowned by the Chrysler Building. The latter is depicted as a pompously bewigged Duke who plans a party for his friends, the other cities. A guest list at the beginning gives the history of the names of 39 invitees. The party is a success and a reminder of American diversity even in the founding and naming of its cities. (Unfortunately, Pittsburgh is capped anachronistically by pollution-spewing smokestacks.) Raschka's illustrations rendered in ink and watercolor employ his loose, impressionistic, brushy style to perfect effect, giving the book its humor while artfully delivering his message and entertaining information. It's a rousing reminder that, A thousand names,/a hundred languages,/a million, and a million, and a million people/name one nation. Educational and entertaining. Ages 4 - 8. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 6.59 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

ON THE MAYFLOWER: Voyage of the Ship's Apprentice & a Passenger Girl
by Kate Walters. Color photos by Russ Kendall. Condition: UNREAD 1996 Scholastic softcover first printing. Bookplate stamp inside front cover - everything else is perfect. Content: Similar to Waters and Kendall's earlier works about children in the 1620s, Sarah Morton's Day (1989), this book tells of two young people crossing the Atlantic on the Mayflower. The narrator is William Small, apprentice to the ship's master; Ellen Moore is the young passenger he befriends. Readers can follow the journey from these two different perspectives. Full-color photographs of costumed characters aboard the Mayflower II illustrate the story, making it more vivid than most accounts of the Mayflower voyage. Although the photos sometimes look posed, they provide intriguing glimpses of seventeenth-century ways; many of the pictures are quite handsome in their own right. Historically accurate.
$ 2.69 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

THE PERILOUS JOURNEY OF THE DONNER PARTY
by Marian Calabro. Great B&W era photos and drawings illustrate. Condition: NEW 2000 Scholastic large soft cover, third printing. Content: Reviewer: "This is a story about a group heading to California in April, 1846. However, bad decisions and trickery lead them to the point of starvation. To survive, they must eat those that have died along the way. The Donner Party [sic] is the most exciting nonfiction book I've read, written not as a documentary or research thing, but as an adventure story. It is, however, hard to imagine this actually happening because it seams so much like fiction. It is also written in a way that all the families, excluding the main family, the Reeds, are shoved way into the backround and seem to barely exist. I recommend this book to those that don't mind lengthy stories and the overall concept of the book. It may also work well as something to help a report or something, having all the information right there in an easier-to-read way than most forms of research. I'd recommend this book for ages 12 and higher, because of the way it is written and it's length." (Review from "A Kid") Historically accurate and detailed enough for adults to enjoy, as well. Questions welcome. [1 copy left]
$ 5.49 + $ 3.19 media shipping. Priority & International shipping available - please use the drop-down menu.

PETERSBURG (Sieges That Changed the World series)
by Bruce L. Brager. Sepia era photographs with B&W maps. Condition: NEW 2003 Chelsea House Trade Paperback, first printing. Content: Reviewer: "The siege of Petersburg was the final battle of the American Civil War and nearly everyone who took part in it knew that to be the case. As Brager points out several times, even the foot soldiers understood that if the Union forces were to prevail and take control of Petersburg, the Confederacy would be no more. Sherman had taken Atlanta and had reached the Atlantic and was slowly turning his mighty army northward. Fortunately for the Union side, they had finally settled on a General that knew how to fight and win the war. Ulysses S. Grant was not as imaginative as his counterpart Robert E. Lee, but he understood that he had resources and staying power that Lee lacked. Therefore, he kept the pressure on, wearing down the armies of Lee until there was nothing left. Unfortunately for the Union side, Grant took control of the Army of the Potomac much too late to execute a quick end to the war. This story opens as the Union siege of Petersburg, Virginia begins in June, 1864 and moves through until the Lee surrender in April, 1865. The lengthy battle was not a siege in the traditional sense, the battle line extended over thirty miles and there was some significant movement of forces. As many historians have pointed out, it was a harbinger of the stationary carnage of the western front in the First World War. If the battle had taken place earlier, before the Confederacy was worn down, it would have been an accurate prelude. Even then, it took nearly a year for the more powerful Union forces to win the battle. This is a book of historical relevance, because it not only describes the battle in detail but from it you can see what was to come. There were opportunities for a quick victory and an end to the war, unfortunately there was no commander on the Union side with the daring to take advantage of it. Those opportunities are explained, along with the specifics as to why they were missed and the reasons why the victory took so long to achieve." Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 3.59 + $ 3.09 media shipping. Priority shipping available - please use the drop-down menu.

THE PILGRIMS OF PLIMOTH
text & illustrations by Marcia Sewall. Wonderful "American primitive" style color illustrations. Condition: NEW 1996 Trumpet/Scholastic soft cover, 7th printing. Content: The bustling colony of Pilmoth springs to life in this outstanding work of nonfiction. Author/illustrator Marcia Sewell offers a glimpse into the day-to-day tasks performed by the Pilgrim men, women, and children, the hardships the settlers endured, and the help provided by their Native American neighbors. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 3.59 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

PLACES IN TIME: A New Atlas of American History
by Elspeth Leacock and Susan Buckley. Wonderful, detailed color illustrations by Randy Jones. Condition: NEW, but with one small problem, 2001 Houghton Mifflin hardcover (pictorial boards) and DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Problem: the cover was placed on the book upside down. Content: This book frames our country's history in visits to 20 significant historic places, from the bustling ancient North American city of Cahokia and colonial battlefields of Saratoga and Gettysburg to Ellis Island and an early 1950s suburban tract house. Remarkably every one of the incidents or episodes is recast from actual historical accounts, usually of an eyewitness or participant. The painted illustrations are also careful reconstructions: either uncluttered maps on which a red line traces each journey, or elevated or cutaway views of the featured places showing accurately rendered landforms, buildings, and even individual rooms. A key matches significant events or locations in pictures and texts, and a box of background facts ends every spread and helps to create a wider perspective. As the source notes show, Leacock and Buckley have drawn their information not just from published documents but from archives and their own interviews as well. A great way to get readers interested in the U.S.'s past and people. Grades 6 - 9. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 6.59 + $ 3.39 media shipping.

POCAHONTAS COLORING BOOK
by Brian Doherty. B&W and color illustrations by Thea Kliros. Condition: NEW 1994 Dover large soft cover, no printing given. Tiny loss-of-color spot front cover at spine. Interior perfect. Content: Bring history to life with this educational, entertaining coloring book featuring 48 well-drawn scenes from life of Indian heroine: begging her father to save Capt. Smith, her marriage to John Rolfe, voyage to England, presentation at the British court, much more. Detailed, informative captions. Age 4 - 8. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 3.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

POLAR THE TITANIC BEAR: The True Story of the Toy Bear Who Suvived the Titanic
by Daisy Corning Stone Spedden. Wonderful color illustrations by Laurie McGaw. B&W era family photos, also. Condition: UNREAD c. 1998 Madison Press small soft cover, no printing given. Tny edge wear. Content: Imagine the excitement of rooting around in an old attic and discovering the letters, diaries, and photo albums of a relative. What if that memorabilia opened a window on the sinking of the Titanic, the most famous sea disaster of all time? That's exactly what happened to Leighton H. Coleman III. Exploring the attic of his relative Daisy Corning Stone Spedden, he found many personal treasures, including a charming book Daisy had written for her 8-year-old son, Douglas, in 1913. This story, combined with award-winning artist Laurie McGaw's gorgeous watercolor illustrations, actual family photographs, keepsakes, and historic postcards, weaves the fabric of Polar the Titanic Bear, an engaging slice of history for all ages, told through the black glass eyes of an extraordinary toy bear named Polar. The story begins in the toy workshop where Polar is born, and quickly moves to the point where he is given to "Master," Daisy Spedden's son Douglas. Soon the boy and bear are inseparable! As the wealthy Speddens are world travelers, Polar and his new family sail from New York to Algiers and on to the French Riviera, until it comes time for them to return to America on the Titanic. On the fateful night of the sinking, Polar and the Speddens are lucky enough to be lowered down the side of the luxury liner in a lifeboat, but when the family boards the rescue ship, Polar finds himself left behind! How will Polar make it back to his best friend? In the epilogue, rich with family photographs, the historical context for the story is fully and engagingly explained, with more details on the Titanic disaster as well as a smattering of toy history. This is a wonderful gift book--the richness and emotion of the story are all the more poignant when enhanced by the Spedden family photographs, their tragic personal story, and the reflection of an era that will never exist again. (All ages ... excellent for reading aloud to ages 6 and older, but perfect for 9- to 12-year-olds, too.) A wonderful book!!! Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 5.00 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

A RIVER RAN WILD
text and color illustratins by Lynne Cherry. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1995 Harcourt Brace hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ , 4th printing. 2 impressions (pale) front cover. School supplemental book. Content: Cherry traces the ecological evolution of New England's Nashua River--how it was respected by generations of Indians, polluted and ultimately deadened in the wake of the industrial revolution and restored in recent years through the efforts of concerned citizens. In the 15th century, when native people first settled on the banks of the river now called the Nashua, it was a fertile and beautiful place. By the 1960s, the river valley had been ravaged by many years of serious pollution , and fish, birds, and other animals were no longer seen in the area. Through the efforts of Marion Stoddart and the Nashua River Watershed Association, laws were passed that resulted in the restoration of this river and the protection of all rivers. The author gets high marks for documenting the negative impact of industry on the environment and for highlighting the difference one determined person can make. However, young readers lacking historical background need more facts and dates than are included here. Cherry uses borders on pages that detail, for example, some of the inventions conceived in the 19th century; inexplicably, most are labeled but only some are dated. Her note and the maps on the endpapers, which include a timeline, also help to place the events in context. The watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations are sweeping in their subject matter and adequately convey the physical deterioration of the watershed. [1 copy available]
$ 2.49 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

SOUTHERN PLANTATION COOKING {Exploring History through Simple Recipes]
by Mary Gunderson. Color Color photos & reprodductions plus B&W era photos. Condition: NEW 2000 Blue Earth hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), first printing. Content: Discusses everyday life, family roles, cooking methods, most important foods, and celebrations of people on southern plantations before the Civil War. Includes recipes. Also includes a typical layout of a plantation and the differences in food between "the big house" and slave quarters. Grades 4 - 9. Questions welcome. [1 copy available.]
$ 5.19 + $ 3.19 media shipping. International shipping available on arrangement - email us.

THE STORY OF THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL (Cornerstones of Freedom Series)
by David K. Wright. B&W and color photos illustrate. Condition: UNREAD 1990 Children's Press hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), first printing. Content: An account of the inspiration, conception, and construction, after much controversy, of the memorial designed by a college student, Maya Lin, honoring the men and women who served in the Vietnam War. This is a great book for youngsters to learn about the most (IMHO) powerful, beautiful and sad monument in D.C. Also included are some of the "villians" in the attempt to get the monument made - James C. Watt, in particular. [1 copy available]
$ 2.50 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

TURKEYS, PILGRIMS, AND INDIAN CORN
by Edna Barth. Two-tone color illustrations by Ursula Arndt. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1975 Clarion Bookds Trade Paperback, 14th printing (c. 1990s). Name top front loose end page. Rest of interior perfect. Content: Turkeys, pumpkins, cranberries, ears of multicolored Indian corn - the fruits of the harvest spilling out of an animal horn. How did these colorful festive foods become the symbols of the first American holiday? This book explores the history of the first American Thanksgiving and traces it to its sources in the harveset festivals of the egyptians, Hebrews, Greeks, and Celts. Like those ancient celebrations, Thanksgiving reminds us of how much we depend on the earth, and helps us to renew our ties with it. Reviewer: "This book is well-researched and very informative. It is written for an upper-elementary/middle school reader, but is still a great resource for the lower-elem teacher. It could be read aloud to older students in short segments, but is not intended to be shared in its entirety. It is presented in narrative form with pleasant pen-ink sketches. Great for a research project and another look at a familiar story. Good details. Doesn't skim over the unpleasantries of the time." [1 copy available]
$ 4.39 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

A VOICE FROM THE WILDERNESS: The Story of Anna Howard Shaw
written & illustrated by Don Brown. Wonderful soft watercolor illustrations. Condition: NEW 2001 Houghton Mifflin hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Content: Brown hones in on a little-known figure. The book focuses on Shaw's tumultuous childhood and young adulthood marked by her long, stormy journey from England to Massachusetts in 1851, hardscrabble pioneering days in the Michigan woods when she was 12, self-education, and college and medical school. The fact that she was a trailblazer for women's rights is only brought to light near the end of the volume. Full-page, at times cartoonlike, pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations are pleasing to the eye. One spread, showing Anna and her brother planting and fishing, is particularly touching. Another, awash in blue, reveals perfectly her mother's despair at attempting pioneer life with young children and an absent husband. Most of the information for this text comes from Shaw's autobiography, written in 1915. Nice "girls" biography for Early Readers. Grades 1 - 4. [1 copy available]
$ 4.50 + $ 3.39 media shipping.

THE STORY OF THE WHITE HOUSE (A Blue Ribbon Book)
by Kate Waters. Color and B&W era photos illustrate. Condition: UNREAD c. 2000 Scholastic soft cover, 17th printing. Content: A subject of perennial interest is introduced in this photo-essay. Waters traces the history of the White House, gives an overview of its layout, discusses the rooms shown on tours and some that are not, and tells about some of the people employed there. The strength of the book is the photographs and reproductions of old drawings, engravings, and paintings. The photographs are mostly full color, well framed, clearly focused, and eye catching. The text is generally clear and concise but never rises above the level of a basal reader. The use of primarily short simple sentences makes it accessible to young readers but results in a book that is deadly to read aloud. The history section is on a fawn-colored background, giving it the look of an antique album. One page in another section depicts and describes various government buildings; this switch in focus from the White House to these departments and then back is made with little transition and may be confusing. A section of tiny portraits of presidents and their wives adds interest. [While the book only goes up to the Clinton Administration, the real point of interest here is the history of the White House itself.] Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 1.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

VIRGINIA 1607 - 1776 (Voices from Colonial America series)
by Sandy Pobst with Kevin Roberts, Ph.D. Color & B&W era art works, maps, and woodcuts. Decorated end pages with the known (& supposed) North America at the time. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 2005 National Geo hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), no printing given. Problem: DJ shows edgewear top edge with very short "repaired" tear at spoine. Everything else perfect. Content: One of the largest and most prosperous of the original colonies, Virginia played a huge role in forming America. Here, an appealing mixture of maps, archival photographs and first-person accounts opens kids' eyes to life in colonial Virginia. They'll learn the latest theories about Sir Walter Raleigh's Lost Colony and Pocahontas's rescue of John Smith. They'll learn about the Knights of the Golden Horseshoe, life on a Tidewater plantation, and the role George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and other native sons played in the birth of the nation and the emergence of Virginia as the 10th state in 1788. Middle-school students will encounter Colonial America through fresh eyes in this comprehensive series. Archival photographs, period maps, and lively, first-person accounts from explorers, Native Americans, missionaries, slaves and indentured servants, farmers, government officials, and more are seamlessly woven together to create a vibrant and accurate portrait of life in 18 European colonies—not just British but French and Spanish, too. The book begins "the hstory of the United States starts with Virginia." Point taken, but those of us in the Southwest would not agree. Very nice book. Young Adults and adults as well. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 10.59 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

A VISUAL DICTIONARY OF A COLONIAL COMMUNITY
by Bobbie Kalman. Detailed color illustrations by Barbaa Bedell. Condition: NEW 2008 Crabtree soft cover, no printing given. Content: this is a great overview of American Colonial living - subjects covered: what men and women wore; housing, occupations, slavery, food, travel, etc. Excellent for homeschoolers of grade school kids. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 4.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

VOICES OF GETTYSBURG
by Sherry Garland. Wonderful color illustrations by Judith Hierstein. Condition: NEW 2009 Pelican (best little publishing house going) hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), assumed first printing. Content: This illustrated history for young readers offers a sweeping view of the events that led up to and followed this famous battle. The story begins in 1863 and continues to 1923, told through the voices of the participants. The gripping images draw readers into the turning point of the American Civil War. Brief but poignant, first-person narratives from a variety of fictional individuals present a portrait of the battle of Gettysburg and highlight its importance in the larger conflict of the Civil War. From a mother watching soldiers march by outside her window in Chambersburg, PA, to a teacher-turned-nurse and a photographer to generals from both sides of the conflict, the “voices” represent a wide cross-section of people and demonstrate the far-reaching effects of war. The chronological entries (with dates, and often hour, noted) provide readers with a timeframe of the conflict. An author's note adds useful background information. While the dialogue is fictionalized, it's based on historical research. Included are small details that will fascinate readers (hot-air balloons were used for spying) and offer information about peoples' characters (General Lee orders his soldiers to buy food rather than steal it, though Confederate dollars were worthless in Pennsylvania). The text is especially effective in describing the topography of the Gettysburg area and how it affected the battle. The artwork effectively provides a sense of time and place. This book is not intended as an introduction to the Civil War, but will be a valuable supplementary source to enrich a classroom study or to prepare for a visit to the battlefield. Ms. Garland lives in Bryan, Texas. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 7.59 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

WOODROW, THE WHITE HOUSE MOUSE (SIGNED COPY)
written and illustrated by Peter W. Barnes and Cheryl Shaw Barnes. Wonderful, cute color illustrations by the Authors. Condition: UNREAD 1996 Rosebud Books hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), second printing. Content: Well, this is too cute and very timley. Woodrow is elected President on the Bull Mouse Party and life goes on from there. Reviewer: "Peter and Cheryl Barnes have taken the stuffiness out of the office of the presidency and written a picture book full of solid information that's perfect for youngsters 4-8 years old. Told in rhyme, Woodrow G. Washingtail's administration parallels that of his human counterpart. From his inauguration to work in the oval office, from sending bills to congress and meeting with foreign heads of states, to hosting the Easter egg roll and artistic events in the East Room, Woodrow explains how the president does his job. Cheryl Barnes' charming, detailed illustrations show actual White House rooms, furnishings and decor and Woodrow's first lady Bess is even wearing Mamie Eisenhower's gown, at the inauguration ball. At the end of the book, there are historical notes for teachers and parents, about the presidency and White House, to help expand discussions and lessons. Woodrow the White House Mouse is a delightful book, chock full of fun facts, history, and amusing descriptions that kids will find interesting and enjoy again and again." This is a great into for kids to Presidential politics and duties. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 7.59 + $ 3.39 media shipping.

A YOUNG PATRIOT (Memoir)
by Jim Murphy. Wonderful B&W era drawings and paintings illustrate. Condition: UNREAD 1993 Clarion Books hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket). Intended for library but was never shelved. NO library markings. Content: Murphy tells the story of the American Revolution through the eyes of Joseph Plumb Martin, who enlisted in the army in 1776, at the age of 15. Murphy frequently quotes Martin, evidently drawing from Martin's book A Narrative of Some of the Adventures, Dangers, and Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier (1830), listed in the extensive bibliography. Many black-and-white reproductions of period engravings, paintings, and documents appear throughout the book. Although source notes would have been a welcome addition, young readers researching the military and social history of the American Revolution will find this an excellent resource. This is a great book! Recommended for Grades 5 - 8, but it will delight any American history buff. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 4.49 + $ 3.39 media shipping.