Sharing my top picks for grades 1–3 on modern history.
Welcome to the Simply Charlotte Mason podcast. I’m Sonya Shafer.
There are a lot of books available on modern history (and by that I mean about 1850 to
present day). The trick is to find the good ones, the ones that are appropriate for those
younger grades mentally and emotionally. Some very difficult events occurred in modern times,
and because of advancing technology, we are more aware of some quite disturbing details
about those events—details that we don't usually have for older history. But I don't
believe that the younger grades are the time to share those details in full force.
Children that age are still in the beginning stages of wrapping their heads around how
big the world is and how many different people are in it and how they personally relate to
all those others. They still have a strong need to feel safe as they make sense of the
world around them. I lean toward offering a more gentle pass through history for these
students; time enough to learn grisly details later, when they grow more mature and emotionally
stronger and better able to grapple with disturbing ideas. I'm not saying everything should be
sweet and light; I'm saying be careful of expecting a child to handle descriptions and
images that can set an adult back on her heels. So the books I'm going to share with you today
follow that philosophy. They talk about the world wars and the interpersonal conflicts
but in a way that is appropriate for this age group.
I'll be sharing both American history and world history titles, both set in modern times.
Studying both tracks of history helps our children develop a global perspective and
understand that what happened in America did not happen in isolation. If you don't need
American history books, check the time stamp in the notes to skip to the world history
section. Now, I'm going to review lots of titles for
you. Half of them are included in the daily lesson plans in the book, Modern Times and
Epistles, Revelation; the other half are bonus titles that you can substitute in your study
or keep for leisure reading as desired. There are a lot of good books out there for modern
times, so we have to be choosy and not overload. All right, first American history.
A Boy Named FDR: How Franklin D. Roosevelt Grew Up to Change America by Kathleen Krull
This book traces FDR's years leading up to his election. It focuses on his wealthy childhood
and his home education. Most importantly, it traces the lessons his parents taught him
about character and caring for the less fortunate and outlines how those ideas took root in
Franklin's heart and began to bear fruit as he grew older. It follows his fledgling political
career and the devastation of his contracting polio and paralysis but also his persistence
in not giving up. His achievements as President are highlighted on one page. This is mainly
a book about the ideas that shaped his life and character. And in the back there is a
timeline of his life with short excerpts from his speeches or fireside chats on the radio
during those times. Just as a side note, I first became aware
of this book when I visited the Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia. That was the
retreat home where FDR would go to rest or have informal meetings. I also visited the
Warm Springs facility that he helped establish for polio victims, taking advantage of the
revitalizing power of the naturally warm spring water. Both locations have an excellent museum.
I'll leave links to their websites in the notes in case you're interested. They make
a great field trip if you happen to be in the area.
The Unbreakable Code by Sara Hoagland Hunter This is a fascinating book about a chapter
of World War II that many people don't know. During the war, the U.S. was sending messages
in code, which is a common practice; but the Japanese were having no trouble intercepting
and decoding all those messages. The U.S. needed a harder code, and they decided to
use the Navajo language. Few outsiders had ever learned it, and it had never been written
down; so there was no alphabet for the Japanese to discover and use to decode. In this lovely
book, a Navajo grandfather tells the story of how he used his Navajo language and character
during the war; and in the process, he gives his grandson courage to face his own future.
The original code is included in the back of the book.
I Have a Dream: The Story of Martin Luther King by Margaret Davidson
This short biography is a wonderful way to introduce Martin Luther King, Jr. and the
civil rights movement to your children. As I mentioned earlier, it presents this time
of conflict in a way that is appropriate for younger children. It begins when Martin was
six years old and he is told that he can no longer play with his two best friends next
door, simply because their skin is a different color. His mother does a wonderful job of
explaining the views of society during that era and ends that first chapter with the key
idea that the civil rights movement championed: "You must never feel that you are less than
other people. You are as good as anyone." The book follows the story of Martin Luther
King, Jr.'s life and work and handles his assassination very well. Plus, it is illustrated
with captivating photographs from his life. A great introduction to a key figure in American
history. Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian
Floca This book is an interesting mixture of simplicity
and complexity. Some of the pages feature only one sentence—a well-written sentence,
but still only one sentence. Other pages contain a lot of information about the first moon
landing. Taken together, it's a great resource for this age group. And don't overlook the
extras on the end sheets inside the front cover and inside the back cover. You can use
as much as your child is ready for and save the rest for enjoyable discovery in the future.
I agree with how the inside flap describes the book: "Simply told, grandly shown, here
for a new generation of readers and explorers is the story of Apollo 11. Here are the steady
astronauts, the ROAR of rockets, and the silence of the Moon. Here is a challenge met, a journey
made, and a view of home, seen whole, from far away."
Those four titles are the books that are scheduled in the Modern Times and Epistles, Revelation
lesson plans. But I also want to give you four bonus titles for American history.
Abraham Lincoln by Ingri and Edgar d'Aulaire I mentioned some of the D'Aulaire books in
the Early Modern reviews. They are superb living narratives for younger children. In
fact, I like to use this one as an example of what a living book sounds like, and people
who are brand new to that concept quickly understand the difference between a dry recitation
of facts and a truly living book. It's great to see their eyes light up when I begin reading
this one. One page is all it takes. It's a wonderful introduction to Abraham Lincoln
from his birth "deep in the wilderness down in Kentucky" through the end of the Civil
War, "with malice towards none, with charity to all." It does not mention his assassination.
It ends with the idea that he had done what he should do and he sat down in his rocking
chair to rest. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
Anna and Caleb live with their father in a cabin on the prairie. Since their mother has
died, Papa has placed an ad in a newspaper back East to find a new wife. Sarah answers
that ad, saying that she will come by train, and describes herself as plain and tall. When
she arrives, the children respond to her warm and wise ways and do all they can to convince
her to stay. How they become a family is a beautiful story. The chapters are short, but
they contain some powerful ideas that deserve thinking time; so don't rush through it.
Franklin and Winston: A Christmas That Changed the World by Douglas Wood
With a perfect mixture of national leadership and personal anecdotes, this book describes
the extraordinary visit when Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt met at the White House
for the first time. During those pivotal days, they got to know each other and made plans
that would lead to the success of the Allies in World War II. Excerpts from speeches and
letters are woven into the narrative, and the painted illustrations by Barry Moser are
absolutely fabulous. An impressive picture-book biography.
Lily's Victory Garden by Helen L. Wilbur When Lily's town responds to President Roosevelt's
call for growing food in Victory Gardens during World War II, Lily asks a neighbor if she
can use their land. Their gardens have been neglected ever since their son died in the
war. Reluctantly, the neighbor agrees with the stipulation that Lily must not bother
his wife, who is not well. But as Lily faithfully works the soil and plants begin to grow in
the garden, healing also begins to grow in the grieving mother's heart. It's a sweet
story that spotlights efforts on the homefront during the war, to contribute to the cause
and to deal with the losses. Now on to world history. I have two books
that I especially recommend, and that are included in the lesson plans, plus two bonus
titles. Only a Dog: A Story of the Great War by Bertha
Whitridge Smith It's hard to find books about World War I—or
any war, for that matter—that are appropriate for young children. But when I read Only a
Dog, I knew I had found one of those rare gems. The story is told from the dog's point
of view. When his family is targeted by the enemy and disappears, this Irish Terrier goes
looking for them and ends up in No Man's Land between the two lines of combat. An English
soldier rescues him and from then on, the dog faithfully stays by his side. Your children
will learn about the realities of the Great War but in a tender, first-person style, somewhat
like Black Beauty in tone. Army, as the dog comes to be called, encounters saddened civilians,
enemy fire, life in the trenches, hand-to-hand combat, medical care, and soldiers' camaraderie—all
described from his innocent point of view. The character trait of faithfulness is emphasized
throughout. But, yes, it ends like most great dog stories do; so be prepared. A fabulous
book and a gentle way to introduce World War I to your younger students.
The Journey That Saved Curious George by Louise Borden
Many of our children (and us) have grown up with Curious George, created by Margret and
H. A. Rey. What most of us don't know is that—well, two things: George's name was originally Fifi,
and those beloved books almost didn't happen because of World War II. It was only because
of a daring wartime escape that we have Curious George in our libraries and hearts today.
This book is the story of that journey by bicycle and train. It is divided into two
parts; the first part tells about the artists and their life before the war, and the second
part relates their escape from Paris. It reads like a mixture of scrapbook and illustrated
children's book, featuring both photographs and drawings. And I think it's a great way
to gently share what life was like for those civilians trapped in the midst of the war
and looking for a way to escape to safety and freedom.
The two bonus titles are both related to World War II.
The first is The Little Ships: The Heroic Rescue at Dunkirk in World War II by Louise
Borden (same author as The Journey That Saved Curious George). This book highlights the
brave English fishermen, civilians, who responded to the call to help their country and used
their personal boats to rescue soldiers trapped across the English Channel. The story is told
by the daughter of one of those fishermen, who accompanied him on his trips across the
channel. She tells what she saw and heard and thought and did to help the effort, all
the while looking for her big brother who could be among those soldiers somewhere.
The second bonus title is Always Remember Me: How One Family Survived World War II by
Marisabina Russo. This is one of the best books I have found for introducing the Holocaust
to young elementary children. It is based on a true story. When the author was a little
girl, she went to her grandmother's house every Sunday for a family dinner. Every week
she and her grandmother would sit down with two photo albums: one from her grandmother's
old life in Poland and one from her grandmother's current life in America. She would always
ask her grandmother to tell the story of her life, but her grandmother would always stop
at a certain page in the old album, close it, and move on to the new album. Well, one
Sunday the grandmother decided that the girl was old enough to hear the whole story. Her
experiences as a Jew in Nazi Germany and a concentration camp are recounted simply and
with reassuring, loving comments mixed in. This book will explain what happened but in
a manner that I think is appropriate for grades 1–3. The only disappointment I have in this
book is that the recurring theme is "May luck follow you wherever you go." The grandmother
repeatedly refers to feeling lucky, rather than holding to faith in a personal God. That
emphasis saddens me, but it can prompt some good discussion within your family. And I
love the real photographs from the grandmother's albums that are included on the end sheets.
It's a sensitive narration of a heart-wrenching subject.
Let me just remind you that these books are designed to dig deeper into certain people
and events during modern times. The books that I reviewed for the whole family to read,
Stories of America, Volume 2, and Stories of the Nations, Volume 2, will give the broader
scope and offer stories of people and events through 2012.
When you put the two together—a collection of stories about people and events that span
the time period plus additional books that focus on some of the specific people and events
in that collection, like the ones we've shared today—you have a great living study of modern
times, or any time period in history. It is books like these that make history come
alive to our children and plant seeds of ideas that will nestle deep within their hearts
and shape who they are becoming. I'll be sharing more great book reviews in
upcoming episodes. Make sure you're subscribed, so you don't miss any of them. I'll also leave
a link to those over-arching history books I mentioned for the whole family as well as
the lesson plans for modern times that will give you a daily itinerary for reading through
the recommended books in a school year. Thanks for joining me. See you next time.