As an adult, one of my favorites genres to read is historical non-fiction. I'm particularly fascinated with books about World War II and exploration, like the Shackleton Expedition or the conquering of Mt. Everest.
As a librarian, though, I have a really hard time getting kids to check out books about historical topics. Luckily, many authors are writing books about history that read more like narrative picture books. History is full of fascinating stories and I think these slightly disguised history books are the perfect way to hook kids. They would be especially good for parents and kids to read together. That way, you could have some conversations about the content. The conversations don't have to be heavy and serious even if the subject is. These stories could provide some background for our kids so that when they study the topics in school they're not starting from scratch. Maybe more conversations and a better historical understanding will help us stop repeating the mistakes of the past. It's worth a try, isn't it?
These great books are available in our Cannon library. Come check one out!
The inspiring story of regular people rescuing British servicemen at Dunkirk during World War II
The story of hard-working immigrant boy in New York at the turn of the century
A little boy and his father look for his grandfather's name on the Vietnam Memorial
A colonial boy is determined to sled on Boston Common even if the British troops are camped in the way
The story of young Booker T. Washington who wanted to learn to read more than anything else
A beautiful story of the flight of Apollo 11 and the first moon landing
Until next time, happy reading!
Mrs. Wagner
