Here's another great collection of nonfiction history books written for young readers. This time around, we have several books featuring presidents and politics. I'm a big fan of Teri Kanefield's Making of America Series, and I'm thrilled to be featuring the first three books in the series today and plan to read each and every addition to the series as they come out. We also have several books that explore the contributions of women in history. And to round out the post, we finish up with a book about WWI (just in time for the centennial of the war's conclusion) and one about Buffalo Bill. Although aimed at a middle-grade or young adult audience, many of these books are fascinating at any age.
Alexander Hamilton: The Making of America by Teri Kanefield:
Hamilton is having one heck of a cultural moment. Teri Kanefield begins
her Making of America series with a biography of the star of the hit
musical. This book will give young fans a fuller picture of Hamilton's
life. I especially appreciated the chapters on the work Hamilton did between
the revolution's end and the creation of Washington's first cabinet.
During this time, Hamilton served in the Continental Congress and on a
delegation that met in Annapolis where Hamilton drafted a resolution
calling for a convention to revise the Articles of Confederation. Teri
Kanefield's history books are very readable, and I flew through this one
in a couple of days. Out March 7, 2017 from Abrams Books for Young Readers. Review copy from NetGalley.
Andrew Jackson: The Making of America by Teri Kanefield:
are, of course, many books about the controversial presidency of Andrew
Jackson, some even for young readers. Jackson was a very interesting
person, and this book hits all of the highlights and low points of
Jackson's life, from his childhood during the Revolutionary War, to his
elopement with Rachel Donelson, his military ambitions, and divisive
politics. I didn't have a lot of good feelings about Andrew Jackson
going into this book, and I don't feel much better about him after
finishing, but I do feel like I have a more complete picture of his
life, legacy, and the lasting impact of his politics. Out March 13, 2018 from Abrams Books for Young Readers. Review copy from NetGalley.
Abraham Lincoln: The Making of America by Teri Kanefield:
Abraham Lincoln routinely scores the number one spot on lists of greatest United States Presidents. Most people know the highlights of Lincoln's career--securing the presidency, leading the country during the Civil War, signing the Emancipation Proclamation, and delivering the Gettysburg Address. What I really loved about Teri Kanefield's biography for young readers, is that it clued me in to how Lincoln began his path to the presidency, where he gained his abolitionist convictions, and the role Mary Todd played in his life. I've loved every one of the Making of America Series, and I'm hoping for many, many more additions to the series. Out September 4, 2018 from Abrams Books for Young Readers. Review copy from NetGalley.
Assassins' America by Jessica Gunderson and Joe Tougas:
This book explores the stories behind the four presidential assassinations. Moving from Abraham Lincoln to Andrew Garfield and onto William McKinley and finally John F. Kennedy, Assassins' America shows how the lives of these presidents and their killers came together. It also explores the possibilities of what might have happened had the president not died. I really enjoyed this brief, but thorough, introduction to these national tragedies. I learned a lot about both the presidents and the assassins. We all know about the great deeds of Abraham Lincoln, but I also was impressed with the potential of Andrew Garfield who didn't live long enough to do much in office. Out March 1, 2018 from Capstone. Review copy from NetGalley.
Eleanor Roosevelt: Fighter for Justice by Ilene Cooper
was an absolute pleasure to read about Eleanor Roosevelt. She is an
impressive and much-admired historical figure. I did not know much about
Eleanor's childhood and youth, and I am now thoroughly convinced that Eleanor is one
of the main reasons that her husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, had
four successful presidential terms. Ilene Cooper's biography of Eleanor
specifically emphasizes her work in social justice, civil rights, and
racial equality. I really like how Cooper conveys Eleanor's growth in
terms of these issues. She was not a perfect person; she held racial
prejudices that were wrong and needed to be overcome. I was so impressed
by Eleanor's Roosevelt's willingness to listen and learn from other
people. This is a trait that I deeply admire. Out August 7th, 2018 from Abrams Books for Young Readers. Review copy from NetGalley.
House of Dreams: The Life of L.M. Montgomery by Liz Rosenberg
grew up on Anne Shirley. I read all of the Anne books as a girl and
watched the 1985 miniseries countless times, so I jumped at the chance
to read and review this new biography on the creator of Anne of Green
Gables, L.M. Montgomery. One thing that I found so fascinating is how
much Maud Montgomery pulled from her own life and personality in the
creation of Anne. The similarities go far beyond the setting of Prince
Edward Island. Maud was raised by her grandparents; she was a lonely
child with a vivid imagination; she was a bright student; her college
years were very similar to Anne's; she worked as a teacher; she turned
down many proposals. And I could go on. Maud's life is a mixture of high
highs and low lows. Maud dealt with some significant mental health
issues in a time when treatment was very limited. She had an unhappy
marriage and a child who brought on a lot of heartache. She was also
wildly successful in an era when being a woman with a career was an
uphill battle in every sense. Out June 12, 2018 from Candlewick Press. Review copy from NetGalley.
Coco Chanel: Pearls, Perfume, and the Little Black Dress by Susan Gilman Rubin:
Rubin chronicles the life of the extremely influential fashion designer Coco Chanel. I didn't know much about Chanel's biography, besides her dicey World War II period, and it was very interesting to learn about her childhood spent in a Catholic orphanage and her years developing and growing her young business. Rubin also discusses Chanel's influential designs, from the little black dress, to the menswear inspired pieces, to Chanel No. 5. I read this slim volume in one sitting, and enjoyed every minute. The book itself is also quite lovely in its design, which is only fitting. Out March 13, 2018 from Abrams Books for Young Readers. Review copy from NetGalley.
Innocent Heroes: Animals in War and the Battle of Vimy Ridge by Sigmund W. Brouwer:
of animals played a crucial role in World War I. Brouwer's book
explores the contributions of these creatures. Each chapter begins with a
fiction story about an animal who crosses paths with the Storming
Normans, a fictional Canadian Platoon. After the story, a nonfiction
section provides facts about World War I and the animals who were
involved in the war. The format of this book was a really engaging way
to learn history. The stories are all interconnected and feature the
same characters, one of whom is First Nation, which gives readers a look
into the prejudices and injustices faced by native peoples during this
period of history. The nonfiction sections explain how the facts inspired
the story. Readers meet a variety of animals, a cat, two dogs, a mule,
a pigeon, a horse, all of whom play a crucial role in the Storming
Normans' platoon. Out February 14, 2017 from Tundra Books. Review copy from NetGalley.
Presenting Buffalo Bill: The Man Who Invented the Wild West by Candace Fleming:
In 2015 I read and loved Andrea Warren's The Boy Who Became Buffalo Bill and Candace Fleming's The Family Romanov. With that background, reading Fleming's new book on Buffalo Bill was a given. Fleming's book
covers all of Buffalo Bill's life. It was interesting to learn about how
the Wild West Show got started and about its tours to Europe. Although, his final years were rather sad. I
was pleased to find that this book corroborates Buffalo Bill's
respectful attitude toward the Native Americans who performed in his
shows (and their respect for him). Fleming begins each chapter with a description of one of the
performances from the Wild West Show, and I liked that I walked away
from the book with a little bit of knowledge about the performances
themselves and what it would be like to be an audience member. Fleming takes a real demystifying approach in this book. She was pretty
skeptical about a lot of the things that Buffalo Bill said he did. Out September 20, 2016 from Roaring Brook Press.