Don’t just celebrate being an American on the Fourth of July, Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and other special days. Celebrate year round with children's books for third through seventh graders. These recommended children's books, include books about the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, a children's cookbook, poetry, art, tall tales, stories, an illustrated version of "America the Beautiful," and children's books about some of our important national symbols.
1. My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States
This book of poetry selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins is divided into sections representing different regions of the U.S., each with a map and information about the states. The illustrations, paintings by Stephen Alcorn, and the poetry, such as Nikki Giovanni’s “Knoxville, Tennessee,” create a sense of place for the reader. (Simon & Schuster, 2000. ISBN: 0689812477)
2. America the Beautiful
Little, Brown and Company
The powerful artwork by Chris Gall gives new meaning to the words of Katharine Lee Bates' poem "America the Beautiful." Yes, that's the same poem that was put to music by Samuel A. Ward and has become one of our country's most beloved songs. The artwork reminds me of WPA murals. According to the book's notes, the illustrations "...were done by hand engraving clay-coated board, then digitizing with Adobe Illustrator for adjustments and color." (Little, Brown and Co., 2004. ISBN: 0316737437)
3. Lady Liberty: A Biography
Candlewick Press
Doreen Rappaport’s Lady Liberty: A Biography covers the history of the Statue of Liberty, from the initial idea to the grand celebration upon its completion. The book, in picture book format, features large and dramatic watercolor, ink and pencil illustrations by Matt Tavares. I recommend Lady Liberty for children eight and older, younger if they have visited the Statue of Liberty. Because of the dramatically told story and the large amount of fascinating information in the book, I would also highly recommend Lady Liberty for teens and adults. (Candlewick Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780763625306)
4. American Tall Tales
The nine stories in Mary Pope Osborne’s 115-page collection of American tall tales feature, among others, Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, John Henry, and Sally Ann Thunder. A U.S. map shows the location of each tale. Each story includes historical notes and contains a number of colorful wood engravings by Michael McCurdy. (Alfred A. Knopf, 1991. ISBN: 0679800891)5. Uncle Sam and Old Glory
Delno C. West and Jean M. West provide a brief look at 15 different American symbols, each illustrated with a handsome woodcut by Christopher Manson. The symbols include the American flag, Smoky the Bear, the Liberty Bell, and Uncle Sam. While I would not have selected all of the symbols chosen, I’d recommend the book. (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2000. ISBN: 0689820437)6. Celebrate America in Poetry and Art
This book is illustrated with paintings, photographs, and other works of art from the National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. The artwork and the poetry stress the history and diversity of our country. Artists and poets include Thomas Hart Benton, Roger Shimomura, Langston Hughes, and Tato Laviera. Recommended for children 8 and up. (Hyperion Press, 1999. ISBN: 0786813601)7. The Declaration of Independence
This nonfiction book contains the full text of the Declaration of Independence inscribed by Sam Fink and accompanied by his witty illustrations. The book also contains a four-page 1748-1776 events chronology, a four-page glossary, and a page of recommended online and print resources. I recommend it for children 10-14 and would include it on your Constitution Day and Citizenship Day booklist. (Scholastic Inc., 2000. ISBN: 9780439407007)8. The United States Cookbook
As the subtitle states, this children’s cookbook contains recipes for “Fabulous Food and Fascinating Facts from All 50 States.” For each state, there’s a map, illustrations of several state symbols, information about the state, fun food facts about the state, plus a recipe related to the state. Recipes include key lime pie from Florida and Swedish meatballs from Minnesota. The cookbook also contains sections on cooking skills and safety rules. (John Wiley & Sons, 2000. ISBN: 9780471358398)9. Happy Birthday, America!
Author Marsha Wilson Chall’s text and Guy Porfirio’s illustrations in watercolors and colored pencils lovingly recreate a large family Fourth of July celebration at the lake. Eight-year-old Kay and her family welcome aunts, uncles, cousins, great-grandma, and other relatives to the fun of a family picnic, Independence Day parade, swimming, boating, and fireworks. (HarperCollins, 2000. ISBN: 9780688130527)10. Shh! We're Writing the Constitution
I recommend this book for 8-12 year olds, particularly on Constitution Day. Jean Fritz, who is known for her children’s books about American history, wrote the book. Award-winning artist Tomie dePaola provided the entertaining illustrations. While the subject is serious and the content rich with information, the author and illustrator tackle the serious subject matter with enough humor to keep the readers’ interest. (Putnam Publishing Group. 1987. ISBN: 0399214038)