As students start the countdown to the end of the school year and the beginning of summer vacation, we rounded up a new batch of books for young readers to keep them reading all summer long! This eight-book reading list, inspired by the compelling stories and complex events of the American Revolution, features stories of famous presidents, undercover spies, history-making women, and unsung heroes whose names may not be as well-known as Washington, Franklin, or Adams.
These recently published works will encourage your young reader to explore the past and the people who shaped it, and to find connections with the everyday citizens who made their mark on the nation’s founding.
Forgotten Founders by Mifflin Lowe
Best for ages 7 – 11
The founding of America was not accomplished by a handful of people; it required the heart, soul, and grit of an entire nation. Forgotten Founders: Black Patriots, Women Soldiers, and Other Thinkers and Heroes Who Shaped Early America is about the heroic women, African Americans, immigrants, and others who played pivotal roles in America’s birth.
Cloaked in Courage by Beth Anderson
Best for ages 7-10
Caught up in her country’s fight for independence, 18-year-old Deborah Sampson declares her own independence by enlisting in Washington’s Continental Army as Robert Shurtliff. A young lady can’t battle the British, but a man can! Can she keep her identity a secret? Cloaked in Courage: Uncovering Deborah Sampson, Patriot Soldier brings this remarkable true story to life.
The World Turned Upside Down by Tim Grove
Best for ages 10-14
In October 1781, American, French, and British forces converged on Yorktown. In his riveting, balanced, and thoroughly researched account of the Revolutionary War’s last pivotal conflict, The World Turned Upside Down: The Yorktown Victory that Won American Independence follows the true stories of the many players, whose lives intersected at Yorktown.
