Annotated Bibliography for the Americas
2016 Geography Awareness Week Theme
The Navajo Year, Walk Through Many Seasonsby Nancy Bo Flood
For the Navajo people, the new year begins in October, when summer meets winter. Follows the Navajo calendar, and provides poetic descriptions of the many sights, sounds, and activities associated with each month.
Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airportby Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
A New York City boy has some preconceived ideas of life in the West and they make him very apprehensive about the family's move out there.
Exploring and Mapping the American West by Judy Alter
Children can imagine being witnesses to history-in-the-making in this series that explores important events in United States history.
Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico!: America's Sproutings
This concept book serves as a delicious introduction to 14 types of food, all of which have their origins in the Americas. Snippets of information and a haiku poem accompany each one, ranging from blueberry and chili pepper through papaya, prickly pear, and vanilla. Using English and a smattering of Spanish words.
Young Pele, Soccer’s First Star by Lesa Cline-Ransome
Readers will meet Edson do Nascimento, a young Brazilian boy who dreams about his one true passion: soccer. Through hard work, drive, perseverance, and practice, Edson grows up to become an international sports superstar known the world over by a single name: Pelé. Pelé became an inspiration to children all over the globe, and this story of his beginnings will inspire readers as well.
Apples to Oregon by Deborah Hopkinson & Nancy Carpenter
When Papa decides to move from Iowa to Oregon his biggest concern is not his family but his apples--and his peaches, plums, grapes, cherries, and pears! He constructs a dirt-filled wagon to transport his fruit saplings, while his family travels in a smaller cart. Along the way, they encounter the requisite Oregon Trail hardships, but luckily daughter Delicious is clever enough to help her family (and Papa's precious darlings) arrive safely at their new home. Based loosely on the life of Henderson Luelling, who founded Oregon's first nursery in 1847.
Let it Shine Three Favorite Spirituals by Ashley Bryan
In his most recent collection of African American spirituals, Bryan uses brilliant cut-paper collages to interpret three well-known songs about the African American experience.
The Voyage of Columbus In His Own Words by Stacie Strong
Join Christopher Columbus on his daring voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, experience his challenges and share in his discoveries! Spectacular three-dimensional illustrations burst from the pates, adding excitement and drama to one of the greatest adventures of all time, told in the worlds of the explorere himself. Excerpts from columbus’s legendary Journal tell what the journey was like all the way from Spain to the New World
Travels with Charlie: Way Out West by Miles Backer
Get ready for a trip through the western United States with Charlie, the adventurous pup with a passion for geography! Don't forget to look for Charlie, carefully hidden on each map, before turning the page to find out where Charlie's going next!
A Place Where Sunflowers Grow by Amy Lee-Tai
Mari wonders if anything can bloom at Topaz, where her family is interned along with thousands of other Japanese Americans during World War II. The summer sun is blazingly hot, and Mari’s art class has begun. But it’s hard to think of anything to draw in a place where nothing beautiful grows. Somehow, glimmers of hope begin to surface under the harsh sun—in the eyes of a kindly art teacher, in the tender words of Mari’s parents, and in the smile of a new friend.
This Land is Your Land by Woodie Guthrie
Legendary folksinger-songwriter Woody Guthrie’s stirring lyrics and acclaimed folk artist Kathy Jakobsen’s detailed paintings invite readers on a journey across the country, creating an unforgettable portrait of our diverse land and its people.
Get Ready for Gabí #1: A Crazy Mixed-Up Spanglish Day by Marisa Montes
Gabi's got issues. Her arch nemesis Johnny Wiley keeps teasing her about her name, her little brother gets bullied by some boys down the street, and Gabi has to give up her bedroom when Abuelita comes to visit. ¡Que horror! It's more than one wiry little third-grader can handle. And with Abuelita speaking to her en espanol and the radio blaring at her in English, anyone can see how the words get all jumbled inside her head.
Get Ready for Gabi #2 Who’s That Girl! By Marisa Montes
Gabi's getting new neighbors...and they are a big mystery. After a little investigating, Gabi discovers a pink and purple bike just like hers in the moving van--and that can only mean one thing: a new friend! Now Gabi, her BFFs (Best Friends Forever), and Abuelita (her grandma) are doing a little snooping to find out what's up with the mystery neighbors.
Get Ready for Gabi #3 No More Spanish! By Marisa Montes
Gabí used to believe that speaking two languages was great, but lately it's been getting her into tons of trouble. She mixes up words and gets made fun of, so she decides Spanish has got to go. But her family won't allow her to speak English at home.
Get Ready for Gabí #4: Please Don't Goby Marisa Montes
It's so hard to say, "Adios!" Gabi loves having her abuelita visit and wants to do anything she can to keep her grandmother from returning home to Puerto Rico -- from teaching her to speak English to signing them up for kickboxing classes. But does all the whispering among the grown ups mean that abuelita is leaving soon? Or could there a surprise in store?
River Townby Bonnie and Arthur Geisert
During the fall harvest, trucks, trains and barges carry the town's goods around the world. But come Halloween, the residents are ready to take a break and have fun. Winter brings a frozen quiet to the river-save for the skaters and ice fishers. And with the spring thaw come worries about flooding. Summer once again sees the river and its banks as the hub of activities. They have also done Prairie Town, Desert Town and Mountain Town.
American Sisters Series by Laurie Lawlor
1630 Voyage to a Free Land
1704 Horseback on the Boston Post Road
1775 Adventure on the Wilderness Road
1829 Down the Rio Grande
1852 West Along the Wagon Road
1864 Crossing the Colorado Rockies
1893 Exploring the Chicago World’s Fair
1905 Pacific Odyssey to California
1912 Titanic Journey Across the Sea, A
Visit to provide you with some connections to fiction and nonfiction for children and young adults, directly from the author.
My Name is America Series:
Join the adventure, as these ordinary boys become extraordinary heroes. Travel across time on the pages of their journals and find out how these young men helped shape our nation’s history. They come with discussion guides and some activities. Visit Examples…
The Journal of Augustus Pelletier: The Lewis and Clark Expedition 1804 by Kathryn Lasky
The Journal of William Thomas Emerson: A Revolutionary War Patriot 1774 by Barry Denenberg
The Journal of Patrick Seamus Flaherty: United States Marine Corps, Khe Sanh, Vietnam, 1968 by Ellen Emerson White
My America Series:
Let a character’s story grab you and lead you through a series of adventure-filled diaries of their daily lives. Amazing authors tell the great many stories of these young pioneers during the building of America. They come with discussion guides and some activities. Visit Examples…
Hope in My Heart: Sofia's Immigrant Diary, Book One (of three) by Kathryn Lasky
Westward to Home: Joshua's Diary, The Oregon Trail, 1848(book one of three) by Patricia Hermes
Our Strange New Land: Elizabeth's Diary, Jamestown, Virginia, 1609 (book one of three) by Patricia Hermes
Dear America Series:
Travel back to the earliest days of America through the diary pages of these courageous girls. Follow their amazing journey – as told by incredible authors – through the growth of our great nation. They come with discussion guides and some activities. Visit Examples…
Dreams in the Golden Country: The Diary of Zipporah Feldman, a Jewish Immigrant Girl 1903(Dear America Series) by Kathryn Lasky
I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly: The Diary of Patsy, a Freed Girl, Mars Bluff, South Carolina, 1865 by Joyce Hansen
Standing in the Light: The Captive Diary of Catharine Carey Logan 1763 (Dear America Series) by Mary Pope Osborne
The Royal Diaries Series:
Take a trip around the world, back through time and straight into the lives of royalty. Let these leading ladies surround you with the adventures, struggles and responsibilities of being part of a royal family while still trying to be yourself. They come with discussion guides and some activities. Visit Examples…
Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, 57 B.C. by Kristiana Gregory
Lady of Ch’iao Kuo: Warrior of the South, Southern China, A.D. 531 by Laurence Yep
Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, England, 1544 by Kathryn Lasky
The Young Patriot Series from Patria Press (Carmel, Indiana):
Amelia Earhart, Young Air Pioneer By Jane Moore Howe
William Henry Harrison, Young Tippecanoe By Howard Packham
Lew Wallace, Boy Writer By Martha E. Schaaf
Juliette Low, Girl Scout Founder By Helen Boyd Higgins
James Whitcomb Riley, Young Poet By Minnie Belle Mitchell & Montrew Dunham
Eddie Rickenbacker, Boy Pilot and Racer By Kathryn Cleven Sisson
Mahalia Jackson, Gospel Singer & Civil Rights Champion By Montrew Dunham
George Rogers Clark, Boy of the Northwest Frontier By Katherine E. Wilkie
John Hancock, Independent Boy By Kathryn Cleven Sisson
Phillis Wheatley, Young Revolutionary Poet By Kathryn Kilby Borland & Helen Ross Speicher
Abner Doubleday, Boy Baseball Pioneer By Montrew Dunham
John Audubon, Young Naturalist By Miriam E. Mason
The Young Patriots Seriesis aligned to national and Indiana state academic standards in Language Arts
and Social Studies. Detailed charts available on our website. Timelines, .Fun Facts, and Vocabulary sections enhance the learning value of each book. Free Teacher.s Guides and Webquests expand the reach of each title across the curriculum.
Link Across America: A Story of the Historic Lincoln Highway by Mary Elizabeth Anderson
A look at the old Lincoln Highway, a pre-Interstate road that reaches across the U.S. from New York City to San Francisco where today I-80 roughly follows its course. The information is presented in story format, as students at an elementary school in Nebraska learn about the history and current status of the thoroughfare.
The Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller
At the first annual "states party," Virginia and Idaho hatch a plan to swap spots so each can see another part of the country. Before the party is over, all the states decide to switch places.
Go Go America by Dan Yaccarino
Hitch a ride with the fabulous Farley family--Mom, Dad, Freddie, Fran, and Fido--as they travel state to state and discover far-out festivals, kooky contests, ludicrous laws, peculiar people, and oodles of oddities across America. So fasten your seat belt and get ready to go, go through fifty states of fun!
Minn of the Mississippi by Holling Clancy Holling
The history of the Mississippi River Valley is told in text and pictures through the adventures of Minn, a snapping turtle, as she travels downstream.
Tree in the Trailby Holling Clancy Holling
The history of the Great Plains and the Santa Fe Trail is told in text and pictures by focusing on a cottonwood tree and the events that happen around it.
Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling Clancy Holling
A young Indian boy carves a little canoe with a figure inside and names him Paddle-to-the-Sea. Paddle's journey, in text and pictures, through the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean provides an excellent geographic and historical picture of the region.
A Big Adventure for a Small Seed by Greg Hawley
A Big Adventure For A Small Seed is a tale inspired by the discovery and excavation of the steamboat Arabia. Both young and adult readers will find themselves emotionally connected to this intriguing story of hope and faith. Author and excavator of the Arabia, Greg Hawley weaves together this fable of a young tree and its struggle to find a purpose in life.
Journey Around Washington DC by Martha Day Zschock
Take a fact-filled tour of one of the world’s grandest cities! This educational storybook takes readers of all ages on an exciting excursion through America’s capital, pointing out all its attractions from A-Z.
Treasure Hunt Across America Illustrated by Cathy Morrison
Search for over 500 people, places and things in all 50 states.
Good Night America by Adam Gamble
Young children are invited to explore the wonders of America before bed with thisbeautifully illustrated boardbook. Watch a diverse group of people engage in community-oriented activities and journey to some of the nation’s majestic natural treasures—including the Everglades, Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, and redwood forests. Moving from the morning and spring through nighttime and winter, each image falls within a specific period during the day and an associated season, introducing to the concept of the passage of time.
Are We There Yet Daddy? By Virginia Walters
On a hundred-mile car trip to Grandma's house, a father and son travel from the city to the country. Every ten miles the son asks, "Are we there yet, Daddy?" and is told to consult the map. A gatefold map, as well as a map on each page, will allow young readers to follow the father and son's route and to count down the miles left in their journey.
The Story of Chocolate by C. J. Polin
Following a discussion of how cocoa beans grow and are harvested, Polin traces the product's history over 2,000 years and discusses current methods of processing. A photo, painting, or map, usually in full color, appears on nearly every page. Sidebars carry additional information, such as the ingredients that make up white chocolate and the meaning of "fair trade" labels on products. A glossary is appended.
Climbing Kansas Mountains by George Shannon
On a hot summer afternoon when there's nothing to do, Sam's father says, "Sam, time you and I went to climb a Kansas mountain." When they climb to the top of one of the grain elevators full of wheat, they see the patchwork of beautiful fields that is the Midwest's beauty.
Purple Mountain Majesty by Barbara Younger
A brief biography of the author and college professor whose travels across the United States inspired her to write the poem which became the song "America the Beautiful."
The Bunyans by Audrey Wood
You may know that Paul Bunyan was taller than a redwood tree and stronger than fifty grizzly bears--but you may NOT know that he also had a wife and two kids who helped him create some of the most striking natural wonders of North America!
The Floating House by Scott Russell Sanders
In 1815, the McClures sail their flatboat from Pittsburgh down the Ohio River and settle in what would later become Indiana.
Someplace Else by Carol P. Saul
After living her whole life by an apple orchard, Mrs. Tillby takes to the road in search of a suitable new place to live. Although the big city thrills her, the sea-coast attracts her, and the mountains impress her, Mrs. Tillby keeps moving on until she finally discovers the perfect home for her adventuresome spirit.
Explorers Who Got Lost by Diane Sansevere Dreher
Examines the adventures of such early explorers of America as Columbus, Dias, and Cabot. Includes information on the events, society, and superstitions of the times.
Alice Ramsey’s Grand Adventure by Don Brown
On June 9, 1909, twenty-two-year-old Alice Ramsey hitched up her skirts and climbed behind the wheel of a Maxwell touring car. Fifty-nine days later she rolled into San Francisco, becoming the first woman to drive across America.
Coast to Coast with Alice by Patricia Rusch Hyatt
Alice Ramsey, determined to be the first woman to drive across the United States, ventured out with her sixteen-year-old friend, Minna Jahns, and two other traveling companions for the journey of a lifetime. Sixteen-year-old Hermine Jahns relates her experiences traveling on the first cross-country automobile trip with a woman driver in 1909.
Night of the Twisters by Ivy Ruckman
A fictional account of the night freakish and devastating tornadoes hit Grand Island, Nebraska, as experienced by a twelve-year-old, his family, and friends.