American History through Picture Books Over the Years

Like many homeschooling families, we love picture books. So while the requirements for history at the kindergarten level are limited (as in, you really don't need to do anything at all), we have always read picture books either on their own, or in combination with other readings.

For First Son, I put together all of American History in picture books over the course of a single year. For First Daughter, we focused more selectively on the same decades her big brother was studying. Each year, the list changes slightly, adapting to the kids and my goals for the year.

This post is going to pull together the American History through Picture Books posts I've made in the past. If I ever have time to write posts for the others years, I'll come back and add to this list. My guess is that your local library is going to have plenty of these books on hand as well as many wonderful news ones you might find as you search for these.

As a reminder, I am an affiliate with both Bookshop and Amazon. Links to those sites may generate income for me at no additional cost to you.

2009-2010 (First Son in Kindergarten)

Overall Plan

North America before 1600

Colonial America through the Revolutionary War

Exploration, Expansion, and the Civil War

Reconstruction, Urbanization, and Industrialization (1865-1889)

The Progressive Era (1890-1913)

World War I and the Jazz Age (1914-1928) 

The Great Depression

Everything after the Great Depression

2012-2013 (First Daughter in Kindergarten)

Slavery and the Civil War

Progressive Era and Immigration

World War I, Women's Suffrage, and the 1920s

The Great Depression and World War II

Civil Rights, Hawai'i, Alaska, and Space Exploration

Additional Books

The Mayflower (1620)

Follow Me Down to Nicodemus Town (1870s)

The Hundred-Year Barn (1919-2019)

Home in the Woods (1930s / Great Depression)

Reading Around the World in Picture Books

It's been many years now since I had a kindergartener, but our Reading Around the World in picture books brought us great joy then and later, as we re-read the books. I wanted to share those lists all in one place for those who are just starting out.

The picture book world goes in and out of print so quickly, it might be hard to find these particular books, but they might give you some ideas for searching your local library catalog. The library is your best friend for these studies because many of the books you'll read once and then return. Every so often, you'll find one that speaks to the heart of your family; then you know you've found one worth owning. If you are willing to wait, I found PaperBackSwap.com to be invaluable in building our picture book library. 

Some years, I scheduled these books once, twice, or three times a week and we always read them. Other years, I had lots of picture book lists going for the year and would put a week's selection in a picture book basket from which we'd pull books when it was time to read the picture book for the day.

As the years go by, younger children with older siblings will naturally be exposed to more literature and other subjects than an oldest child is. So the family plans will adapt and change. In our case, the picture book focus for our Around the World readings would often reflect what an older brother or sister was reading. We would also read fewer picture books as a family; instead, an older brother or sister would read to a younger one. Seeing all these lists in one place, you might be able to get a feeling for how the same kind of study can be adapted to fit a family where they are in age and where they are in family life. 

2011-2012 School Year

second grade / Level 1A Year 1, preschool / Prep

This year I focused on a different continent each term using lots of library books. The goal was not to learn any specific geography, but just to introduce my young ones to people from all over the world.

Africa

Asia

Central and South America

2012-2013 School Year

third grade / Level 1A Year 2, kindergarten / Prep

My goal this year was to coordinate with First Son's Extreme Environments reading, though we swapped Europe for Africa since we read books set in Africa the year before. My third grader sometimes read these books aloud to the girls.

Europe

Australia, New Zealand, and Hawai'i

Canada, Alaska, the Arctic, and the Antarctic

2013-2014 School Year

fourth grade / Level 2 Year 1, first grade / Level 1B, preschool / Prep

We focused the entire year on Central and South America to coordinate with the Level 2 Year 1 Americas focus in People and Places. My fourth grader generally didn't read these aloud to the girls nor did he really listen while I read them, but they were strewed in case he was interested.

Central and South America

2014-2015 School Year

fifth grade / Level 2 Year 2, second grade / Level 1A Year 1, kindergarten / Prep

We focused the entire year on Africa to coordinate with the Level 2 Year 2 Africa focus in People and Places. Again, my fifth grader didn't generally read them aloud or listen in, but they were floating around the house during his study.

Africa

2015-2016 School Year

sixth grade / Level 3 Year 1, third grade / Level 1A Year 2, first grade / Level 1B, preschool / Prep

Asia

2016-2017 School Year

seventh grade / Level 3 Year 2, fourth grade / Level 2 Year 1, third grade / Level 1A Year 1, kindergarten / Prep

Our last year of Reading Around the World in Picture Books...

Europe

Books I Found Later

These are books I discovered as we continued to read widely at our library, but too late to include in an "official" reading around the work study.

China

The Dinner that Cooked Itself

Himalayas

Cloud Tea Monkeys

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop, Amazon, and PaperBackSwap are affiliate links.

Reading Around the World in 2016-2017: Europe

I recently realized I never posted the books we read when Second Son, my youngest, was in kindergarten for our Reading Around the World in Picture Books. In the previous three years we read books from Asia, Africa, and Central and South America, so in 2016-2017, we focused on books set in Europe.

We had read books set in Europe when First Daughter was in kindergarten, but that was four years earlier and only for one term. So this list is quite a bit longer, though some books are on both lists.

We were still using the picture book basket method that year, so we didn't read every single one of these books. If books were similar or by the same author, I would put them in the basket on the same week, so there are more than 36 books in the list. The books were available in the basket for a week and then floated around the house for another three weeks before they had to go back to the library. Some of these we owned, so those went back on our shelves, but most were library books.

I'll put asterisks by the ones we have loved and revisited in the years since we did this study.

I'm going to link to Bookshop if they have the book and Amazon otherwise. These are all affiliate links.

** The Remarkable Christmas of the Cobbler's Sons by Ruth Sawyer - Austria; I'm not sure why I felt the need to schedule this in August rather than around Christmas time, but regardless, I had to include it because it's illustrated by Barbara Cooney, my absolute favorite children's book illustrator.

A Gift for Mama by Linda Ravin Lodding - Austria; a sweet book

A Tale of Two Brothers by Eveline Hasler - Switzerland; a folktale 

Chasing Degas by Eva Montanari - Paris, France; This one does double-duty with artist study!

** Adele and Simon by Barbara McClintock - Paris, France; I love Adele and Simon so much! They have a book set in America, too.

Anatole by Eve Titus - France; I feel like this book is a classic. If not, it should be. 

** The Iridescence of Birds: A Book about Henri Matisse by Patricia MacLachlan - France; This is another book that doubles as artist study, but with more actual information. It's quite lovely!

Madame Martine by Sarah S. Brannen - Paris, France; a sweet story about trying new things

The Cat Who Walked Across France by Kate Banks - France; I feel like I liked this book more than my kids did, but it's a great one for showing more of France than just Paris.

A Giraffe Goes to Paris by Mary Tavener Holmes and John Harris - Paris, but also Egypt; I find books about animals traveling from one continent to another fascinating.

** Hana in the Time of Tulips by Deborah Noyes - Holland; A beautiful book and one of my favorites.

Hans Brinker retold by Bruce Coville - Holland; I actually like this picture book better than the original story.

Katje the Windmill Cat by Gretchen Woelfle - Holland; you have to have cat stories, too.

** The Boy who Held Back the Sea by Thomas Locker - Holland; This is another of my favorites.

Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming - Holland; an uplifting story that just touches on the horror of World War II

The Golem's Latkes by Eric A. Kimmel - Czech / Slovakia; a fun book based on a Jewish tale

** Little Rooster's Diamond Button retold by Margaret Read MacDonald - Hungary; one of our favorite books. Second Daughter still loves to read this and she's almost 12.

The Race of the Birkebeiners by Lunge-Larson - Norway; I love how this book combines a bit of history, virtue, and beautiful artwork.

D'Aulaires' Book of Trolls and Children of the Northlights - Scandinavia; because everything by the D'Aulaires is magical.

Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka and their New Skates by Maj Lindman - Sweden; there are a number of books in this series, but this was our favorite.

Master Maid: Tale of Norway by Aaron Shepard - Norway

Seven Fathers by Ashley Ramsden - Norwegian folktale; another tale I think I liked more than the kids, but one worth sharing

Boots and His Brothers by Eric A. Kimmel - Norway; a folktale

Sister Bear: A Norse Tale by Jane Yolen - Norway; beautiful illustrations

The Day Hans Got His Way by David Lewis Atwell - Norway; I don't remember this book at all! Perhaps the kids didn't choose it.

How the Ladies Stopped the Wind and The Problem with Chickens by Bruce McMillan - Iceland; these are kind of odd books, but my children enjoyed them.

The Mouse Bride by Linda Allen - Finland; nicely done illustrations.

** Summer Birds by Margarita Engle - Germany; a lovely picture book about Maria Sibylla Merian

The Famous Nini: A Mostly True Story of How a Plain White Cat Became a Star by Mary Nethery - Italy; a fun story

Vivaldi and the Invisible Orchestra by Stephen Costanza - Venice; I don't suppose this book is that realistic, but it's always nice to combine composer study with Reading Around the World. And it was a good excuse to listen to some of The Four Seasons.

** Do Re Mi: If You Can Read Music, Thank Guido d'Arezzo by Susan L. Roth - Italy; I liked this book much better than the Vivaldi one, especially the illustrations. (I marked it as a favorite, because it was a favorite of mine, but I'm not sure the kids would agree.)

Building on Nature: The Life of Antoni Gaudi by Rachel Victoria Rodriguez - Spain; architecture and Reading Around the World

The Hedgehog Boy: A Latvian Folktale by Jane Langton - Latvia; this one was a bit odd, but I was a little surprised to find anything from Latvia at our library at all.

Elinda who Danced in the Sky: An Estonian Folktale by Lynn Moroney - Estonia; this tale was quite nice.

** How Mama Brought the Spring by Fran Manushkin - Belarus; bright, colorful, and enticing! I always feel like I can smell delicious treats when we read this book.

The Mitten by Jim Aylesworth (wonderfully illustrated by Barbara McClintock and The Mitten by Alvin Tresselt (with a completely different illustrative style) - Ukraine; The Mitten is one of my favorite folktales so of course we had two versions of it.

The Orphan: A Cinderella Story from Greece by Anthony L. Manna and Soula Mitakidou - Greece; I liked this story, but the illustrations weren't my favorite.

The Black Bull of Norroway by Charlotte Huck - Scotland; a Scottish tale that's sort of about Norway. 

** The Ink Garden of Brother Theophane by C. M. Millen - Ireland; one of my favorite picture books.

The Leprechaun's Gold by Edwards by Pamela Duncan Edwards - Ireland; I don't remember this one.

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant -  England; I have always enjoyed this book, but I think it appeals more to older children.

And that's it. At the end of the year, we set aside official Reading Around the World plans forever as my youngest, Second Son, "graduated" to first grade and Level 1B. I think he might have appreciated more reading around the world, but without younger ones around, I didn't have the impetus to keep it up.

As usual, I have received nothing in exchange for this post, but links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links.

Second Son's Kindergarten and First Grade Book Lists

I started some reading lessons with Second Son, my fourth and youngest child, during his pre-kindergarten year, focusing on phonics using Doodling Dragons and alphabet books. Read about that loose plan here.

Once he had mastered the letters and basic phonics, we started lessons in The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading (skipping the first 26 lessons on the letters). Each day, Second Son and I would work through a lesson or two (or half a lesson, depending on how it went) and then we'd read a book together. Sometimes we'd alternate paragraphs and sometimes pages. Gradually he increased how much he read until by the end he was reading whole chapters aloud to me.

This plan worked very well for Second Son. However...if I were just starting out to teach multiple children to read over the next decade (as opposed to having taught four children to read over the past decade), I would be very tempted to buy the Foundations series. (This is not an affiliate link and I've never seen it in person.)

So here you'll first find all the books Second Son read for our reading lessons. Given that he's read all seven of the Harry Potter novels and is currently working his way through Stormy (which I haven't read) and a graphic novel version of The Odyssey (which I'm not necessarily recommending for your seven-year-old), I probably didn't challenge him enough. I suppose that's what happens when you're the fourth and last; I didn't want to skip any of my favorites and I wanted to let him read whatever he wanted out loud to me.

Unless otherwise noted, these are books we owned. I would grab a handful of books and let him choose one. These are therefore only loosely in reading-level order.

• A Bug, a Bear, and a Boy by David McPhail
• Sammy the Seal by Syd Hoff
• Danny the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff
• Walpole by Syd Hoff
• Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
• Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik
• Danny and the Dinosaur Too Tall by Syd Hoff (library) - Second Son found the Danny and the Dinosaur books hilarious, so we checked some out from the library.
• Danny and the Dinosaur and the New Puppy by Syd Hoff (library)
• Danny and the Dinosaur Go to Camp by Syd Hoff (library)
• Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel
• Happy Birthday Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff (library)
• Bear's Loose Tooth by Karma Wilson
• Grasshopper on the Road by Arnold Lobel
• Oscar Otter by Nathaniel Benchley (library)
• Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel
• There's No Place Like Space by Tish Rabe (library)
• Days with Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
• Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel
• Cookiebot by Katie Van Camp - one of our favorites
• Findus Moves Out by Sven Nordqvist (library) - I adore Findus and even have a little stuffed Findus that sneaks around our house, entertaining us with bizarre antics.
• When Findus Was Little and Disappeared by Sven Nordqvist (library)
• The Fox Chase by Sven Nordqvist (also called Findus and the Fox) (library)
• A Story of Saint Blaise by Brother Franklin Cullen
• Lulu and the Duck in the Park by Hilary McKay - I wrote all about Lulu on the blog; she's terrific!
• Lulu and the Dog from the Sea by Hilary McKay
• Daisy Dawson Is on her Way by Steve Voake
• A Story of Saint Benedict by Brother Ernest
• Hot Fudge Hero by Pat Brisson - I just love this book and its sequel (Bertie's Picture Day).
• Bertie's Picture Day by Pat Brisson
• Anna, Grandpa, and the Big Storm by Carla Stevens
• The Bears on Hemlock Mountain by Alice Dagliesh
• Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner - A little sad, so be prepared or pre-read.
• The King's Equal by Katherine Paterson
• The Giants' Farm by Jane Yolen
• A Lion to Guard Us by Clyde Robert Bulla

First Son's lists: kindergarten and first grade. In comparison, they are generally much harder much faster than Second Son's list. Since they both read well and neither of them hate me (or reading), perhaps this is some slight evidence that there's a lot of leeway for mistakes in this business of teaching someone to read.

First Daughter's first grade list is here. She doesn't have a kindergarten list because I didn't read "real" books with her until she had finished the lessons in The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading.

Second Daughter's kindergarten and first grade book lists, which I only posted last week.

We are officially done teaching reading here on the Range!

Second Daughter's Kindergarten and First Grade Book Lists

Second Daughter just finished her third grade year in 2018, so of course it's time to post her kindergarten and first grade books.

In her pre-kindergarten year, Second Daughter and I read some alphabet books (though not as extensively as I did with Second Son) and played lots of phonogram games from the Phonogram and Spelling Game Book. She's always loved games. Then we worked through the lessons in The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading. With First Daughter, I waited until we finished all of the lessons before reading any "real" books, but I realized later that wasn't necessary. With Second Daughter, we started reading books together after her official lesson each day so she could have some actual stories along with her phonics.

First, we alternated paragraphs. (I would read one, then she would read one.) Then we moved up to pages. Eventually, she would read half of a chapter or a whole chapter out loud to me.

The combination of The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading and reading books together worked very well. She can read! If, however, I were just starting out to teach multiple children to read over the next decade (as opposed to having taught four children to read over the past decade), I would be very tempted to buy the Foundations series. (This is not an affiliate link and I've never seen it in person, but I did purchase and use Essentials with First Son and, a little, with First Daughter, and I have heard good things about Foundations.)

Unless otherwise noted, all of these books are from the library.

The kindergarten books (2014-2015):

• The Lion and the Bird by Marianne Dubuc (library) - I remember this sweet day.
• Henry and Mudge Under the Yellow Moon by Cynthia Rylant (purchased at a library book sale)
• Harley by Star Livingstone
• Henry and Mudge The First Book by Cynthia Rylant
• Henry and Mudge and Annie's Perfect Pet by Cynthia Rylant
• Tye May and the Magic Brush by Molly Bang
• Curious George: A Home for Honeybees by H. A. Rey
• Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble by Cynthia Rylant
• Henry and Mudge in the Green Time by Cynthia Rylant
• Mouse Soup by Arnold Lobel

The first grade books (2015-2016):

• Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel
• Blaze and Thunderbolt by C. W. Anderson
• Henry and Mudge in the Sparkle Days by Cynthia Rylant
• Dinosaur Time by Peggy Parish
• Sammy the Seal by Syd Hoff (own)
• Henry and Mudge and the Forever Sea by Cynthia Rylant
• Henry and Mudge Get the Cold Shivers by Cynthia Rylant
• Daniel's Duck by Clyde Robert Bulla
• Hot Fudge Hero by Pat Brisson (own) - Such a good book!
• Henry and Mudge and the Bedtime Thumps by Cynthia Rylant
• Grasshopper on the Road by Arnold Lobel (own) - Second Daughter still enjoys this book, years later!
• Little Sister, Big Sister by Pat Brisson (own)
• The Giants' Farm by Jane Yolen (own) - This book has a candy recipe in the back that First Son still likes to make!
• Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie by Peter and Connie Roop (own)
• Saint Germaine and the Sheep by Eva K. Betz (own) - She also read the other books by Betz published by Neumann. They are beautifully bound books and make good gifts.
• A Grain of Rice by Helena Clare Pittman (own)
• The King's Equal by Katherine Paterson (own)
• Anna, Grandpa, and the Big Storm by Carla Stevens (own)
• The Shoemaker's Boy by Joan Aiken (own)
• Lulu and the Duck in the Park by Hilary McKay - I wrote about this series before.
• Saints for Girls from Neumann Press (own)

I posted First Son's first fifty books of kindergarten. Apparently I intended to post more but never did and I suspect I don't even have them written down anywhere. Here's the list of books he read with me in first grade.

First Daughter didn't have any kindergarten books (because I was waiting to finish The Ordinary Parent's Guide), but here are her first grade books.

Reading Around the World with Picture Books 2015-2016: Asia

As you can see, I'm still finishing up drafts from years ago. These are the books we read when focusing for a year on the countries, culture, and geography of Asia back in 2015-2016. That year, I had a sixth grader, a third grader, a first grader, and a preschooler. These books were mainly for the younger two, but the third grader often listened in as well or read them on her own.

** I've used two asterisks to mark the ones we enjoyed the most.

Unless I state otherwise, these books were all checked out from the library.

The Littlest Matryoshka (Russia) by Corinne Demas Bliss, illustrated by Kathryn Brown begins with a woodcarver in Russia who sends a beautiful set of nesting dolls to an American toy store. The littlest one is bumped off the shelf and goes through a few adventures before being reunited with the set. There's a note in the back about nesting dolls in general and the ones lovingly and carefully crafted in Russia beginning in the 1890s.

** The Gigantic Turnip (Russia) by Aleksei Tolstoy and Niamh Sharkey, with illustrations by Niamh Sharkey, is a hilarious retelling of Tolstoy's short story. The old man and old woman eventually call on all the creatures on their farm to pull the gigantic turnip. Second Daughter and Second Son adored this book. They anticipated what would happen but were still delighted to see each page turn and the expected events depicted.

** The Blessing Cup (Russia) by Patricia Polacco is the story of a young family of Russian Jews trying to escape persecution is aided immeasurably by a kind doctor and a real cup that embodies hope and love for the author's family.

The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship (Russia) retold by Arthur Ransome, pictures by Uri Shulevitz, is a fun standard fairy tale in which the third son wins all in the end. Uri Shulevitz is not my favorite illustrator, but the pictures are bright and colorful.

** Magic Maestro Peter and the Wolf (Russia) is an audio CD of the Prokofiev symphony complete with narration and demonstration of the traditional Russian instruments. It also includes a brief biography of Prokofiev. The very best tracks are not available as MP3s so be sure to find a copy of the CD. Our library has one and we've checked it out many times over the years. Along with the CD, there are many versions of the story available in picture books. My favorite is Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev, translated by Maria Carlson and illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak

The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art (Russia) by Barb Rosenstock, illustrated by Mary Grandpre is a little biography of a fascinating artist who probably had synesthesia which allowed him to "see" sounds.

The Sea King's Daughter (Russia) retold by Aaron Shepherd, illustrated by Gennady Spirin, is simply magnificent. The illustrations by Spirin are magical though the text is a little dense for very young listeners. There is a pronunciation guide for a few of the names.

** The Chiru of High Tibet by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, illustrated by Linda Wingerter is the true story of one man's quest to protect the chiru, an animal unique to Tibet. It's a beautifully illustrated tale of perseverance and hardship on a scientific expedition. There are a few photographs at the end.

Cherry Tree (Himalayas) by Ruskin Bond, illustrated by Allan Eitzen tells of a young girl who learns about growth from her grandfather as they watch and care for a growing tree. Apparently there is another book by Bond with the same title written about a boy rather than a girl. I haven't read that one, but just from the cover I'd guess the illustrations aren't as inviting as the Eitzen ones.

** Kami and the Yaks (Nepal) by Andrea Stenn Stryer, illustrated by Bert Dodson is one of my favorite picture books full of beauty and bravery.

All the Way to Lhasa: A Tale from Tibet retelling and art by Barbara Helen Berger is a parable showing a humble young boy and his yak struggling but persevering in a journey to Lhasa, a holy city. This book has small amounts of text and vivid pictures making it a good choice for young listeners.

** King for a Day (Pakistan) by Rukhsana Khan, illustrations by Christiane Kromer is exactly the kind of book for Reading Around the World. A young Pakistani boy, confined to a wheelchair, dominates the skies with his sleek homemade kite during the festival of Basant. He conquers the bully next door and soothes his victims.

The Lotus Seed (Vietnam and the United States) by Sherry Garland, illustrated by Tatsuro Kiurchi, tells of a lotus seed treasured by a grandmother who collected it the day she saw the emperor cry in Vietnam then carried it to America when she fled her war-ravaged Vietnam.

The Story about Ping (China) by Marjorie Flack, illustrated by Kurt Wiese is a familiar story to most of us. (own copy, probably received as a gift many years ago)

** Ruby's Wish (China) by Shirin Yim Bridges, illustrated by Sophie Blackall, is one of my favorite picture books. (copy from PaperBackSwap.com)

The Leaky Umbrella (Japan) by Demi is no longer available at our library and I'm afraid I don't remember it well enough to say anything other than that we read it.

** On My Way to Buy Eggs (Taiwan) by Chih Y. Chen is one of my favorite picture books. It's sweet and simple and conveys some of Taiwanese life through the joyful experience of a young girl on a short errand.

The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale (China) by Ying Chang Compestine, illustrated by Sebastia Serra, is one of the silly stories I always try to include for the little ones.

** Brush of the Gods (China) by Lenore Look, illustrations by Meilo So, is an "imagined version" of Wu Daozi, one of China's greatest painters at the height of classical Chinese civilization. I love the beautiful and vibrant illustrations.

Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China by Ai-Ling Louie, illustrated by Ed Young, is the story of a young girl in southern China mistreated by her stepmother.

** Mulan (China) by Li Jian, translated by Yijin Wert with the Chinese characters remaining on the page, is an excellent Chinese story to share because it is not an Americanized version of the legend of Mulan, but one written and illustrated originally for a Chinese audience.

** One Grain of Rice (India) by Demi is one of those picture books you can read over and over again, focusing on the mathematical concepts, the gorgeous illustrations, or the Indian parable. (own)

Dim Sum for Everyone! (China) by Grace Lin is a brightly colored book celebrating a happy family dinner at a restaurant, enjoying the different little dim sum dishes. It's limited text is perfect for little listeners and there's more information on the dim sum tradition at the back for grown-ups and older readers.

** Rabbit's Gift (China) told by George Shannon, illustrated by Laura Dronzek, is based on a folktale from China in which a gift is passed from friend to friend until it is shared by all. It's sweet and welcomes the anticipation of little ones as they guess who will receive the gift next and what will happen to it.

Daisy Comes Home (China) by Jan Brett is a sweet story of a little girl with a flock of happy hens, all except one who is the outcast. One night, she floats away on the adventure of a chicken's lifetime and learns how to establish her place on the roost. It's not exactly a true depiction of chicken behavior, but it's close enough to be fun. The illustrations are classic Jan Brett with hidden pictures in the background.

The Bee Tree (Malaysia) by Stephen Buchmann and Diana Cohn, illustrated by Paul Mirocha, is a story of respect, family, tradition, and accomplishment. I absolutely love one stunning illustration in particular, showing a rain of sparks from the upper branches of the bee tree. The text is a little heavy for very little ones, but my five year old and seven year old were entranced for the whole book.

The Boy Who Drew Cats (Japan) retold by Anushka Ravishankar, illustrated by Christine Kastl, and The Boy who Drew Cats adapted by Margaret Hodges, with illustrations by Aki Sogabe. I wrote about these two picture books here.

** Yuki and the One Thousand Carriers (Japan) by Gloria Whelan, illustrated by Yan Nascimbene, tells of a young girl traveling on more than 300 miles for her father's new position. It's beautifully illustrated with many examples of haiku. (library) - library no longer has

Grass Sandals : The Travels of Basho (Japan) by Dawnine Spivak, illustrated by Demi, is an interesting book on the famous Japanese poet, Basho. Each page contains a haiku, a Japanese character and its meaning, and text describing some of the few facts we know about Basho. It's beautifully illustrated and nicely incorporates history and poetry.

Issun Boshi: The One-Inch Boy (Japan) by Ichinori is a retelling of a Japanese folktale in which a tiny boy overcomes an ogre to save a beautiful girl. The illustrations are overlays of yellow, orange, and blue, very different from most other books we have read.

The Boy from the Dragon Palace (Japan) by Margaret Read MacDonald, illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa, is a Japanese folk tale about a flower seller who receives the blessing of a young boy after giving flowers to the Dragon King by sprinkling them on the sea. He's annoyed, feeding the boy shrimp, but the snotty boy sneezes out money and other treasures. My kids loved this book; they laughed hilariously at the snotty boy. The message of thankfulness and contentment is welcome, but it was a little too gross for my own taste.

Three Samurai Cats: A Story from Japan retold by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Mordecai Gerstein (Japan), is a folktale that delighted all of the children. As I was reading it, the twelve-year-old and the nine-year-old crowded around along with the two younger ones. A big ugly rat has taken over a palace. Three samurai cats come, one by one, to battle him. The oldest and seemingly weakest is the last to come, and conquers in a surprising way. The illustrations are entertaining. The rat is despicable. There was much cheering at the end.

Yumi and Kimonos (Japan) by Annelore Parot were great fun. Both the younger children enjoyed them. I wrote about them earlier on the blog here.

Hopefully this post gives some good ideas for Reading Around the World with Picture Books in Asia, but the best strategy is to search your own library's catalog for appropriate books. I've had excellent results by searching for individual country names.

I have received nothing for writing this post. Most of these books were ones we checked out of our local library. Links above are Amazon affiliate links and I do receive a small commission if you follow a link and make a purchase.

Reading Around the World in Picture Books 2014-2015: Africa

These are the picture books we read when Reading Around the World with a focus on the continent of Africa. Oh so long ago, my children were in fifth grade, second grade, kindergarten, and diapers. My fifth grader usually did not sit with us while we read these books, but he was around and they hung out with our library books for the full month we had them.

** I've used these two asterisks to mark the books we enjoyed most of all.

The Storytellers by Ted Lewin (Morocco) tells of Abdul and his grandfather in the market in Fez, Morocco, lavishly illustrated by Lewin. (His illustrations always make me want to travel.) (library copy)

The Butter Man by Elizabeth Alalou and Ali Alalou, illustrated by Julie Klear Essakalli (Morocco), is a story of hunger told within a loving family. It's authentic and touching. Though young children may be distressed to hear of a hungry child, it's good to introduce these themes to children over time so they understand our obligations to care for all people. (library copy)

** Mirror by Jeannie Baker (Australia and Morocco) - Baker shows a family in Australia on the left and, turning pages the other way, a family in Morocco on the right. The illustrations are beautiful and I love how she attempts to show the similarities and differences between the families in an understanding way. (library copy)

Ali, Child of the Desert by Jonathan London, illustrated by Ted Lewin (Morocco), is the story of a young boy who is separated from this father in a sandstorm while traveling in a caravan. He is offered hospitality and invaluable aid by a Berber and his grandson. (library copy)

Bintou's Braids by Sylviane A. Diouf, illustrated by Shane W. Evans (West Africa), is told in the voice of young Bintou who desperately wants braids for her short fuzzy hair. At the baptism of her baby brother, she sees all the other women and their beautiful braids, and wanders off sadly only to discover boys in need of help. Her quick thinking earns her some beautifully decorated hair of her own. This is a sweet book for young girls with all kinds of hair. (library copy)

** Tug of War by John Burningham (Nigeria) is a retelling of a Nigerian folktale of wisdom and strength, and inspiring lots of laughter. (library copy)

** The Hatseller and the Monkeys retold and illustrated by Baba Wague Diakite (West Africa) - Many may be more familiar with this tale as it is shown in Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business, but I love this West African version. The illustrations are delightful. (library copy)

** I Lost My Tooth in Africa by Pende Diakite, illustrated by Baba Wague Diakite (Mali) is a book written by the illustrator's daughter, hoping desperately to lose her tooth while she's visiting extended family in Africa so the African tooth fairy will bring her a chicken. It's a nearly perfect book for showing children in America what family life and love looks like in Mali. (library copy)

My Baby by Jeanette Winter (Mali) tells of a woman making a bogolan, a cloth painted with mud, for her baby, depicting the natural world in the painting. (library copy)

** Rain School by James Rumford (Chad), written by a man who taught school in Chad when a member of the Peace Corps, tells of a school built by the community at the beginning of the year that is broken down by the seasonal rains after nine months. It's a celebration of education, beautifully illustrated. (library copy)

** My Name Is Sangoel by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed, illustrated by Catherine Stock (Sudan and the United States), is the story of a young boy who immigrates to the United States to escape the war in Sudan that killed his father. Bewildered by his new surroundings, he finds it impossible to explain to his new classmates how to properly pronounce his name...until he discovers a creative solution. Catherine Stock's illustrations are wonderful, as always. The themes of the book are a big deeper and harsher than most picture books, but I think the value is worth the risk. Read ahead and decide for your own family. (library copy)

** The Best Beekeeper of Lalibela: A Tale from Africa by Christina Kessler, illustrated by Leonard Jenkins (Ethiopia), is the story of Almaz, a girl who wants to keep bees and collect the best honey. Turned away by the male beekeepers of her village, she is encouraged by the young Orthodox priest. It's a brilliant book of problem-solving and perseverance. (library copy)

The Perfect Orange: A Tale from Ethiopia by Frank P. Araujo, illustrations by Xiao Jun Li (Ethiopia), is a tale of a young girl who travels to her ruler to share with him a perfect orange. Her generosity is rewarded while the greed of another is thwarted. (library copy)

Muktar and the Camels by Janet Graber, illustrated by Scott Mack (Kenya and Somalia), is the story of an orphan who shows himself to be adept at caring for camels and in so doing finds a place for himself in the world. (library copy)

** Head, Body, Legs: A Story from Liberia by Won-Ldy Paye and Margaret H. Lippert, illustrated by Julie Paschkis (Liberia), is a fun tale describing how arms, legs, a head, and a boy joined together. (library copy)

** Mrs. Chicken and the Hungry Crocodile by Won-Ldy Paye and Margaret H. Lippert, illustrated by Julie Paschkis (Liberia), is the hilarious story of a chicken who outwits a crocodile. (library copy)

** Koi and the Kola Nuts: A Tale from Liberia by Verna Aardema, illustrated by Joe Cepeda (Liberia), is a tale of wisdom and goodness, wonderfully illustrated. (library copy)

One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes (West Africa), is based on a true story of a young boy who takes out a loan to buy a hen, the beginning of a flourishing egg business. It's text-heavy for younger children, but a fascinating introduction to micro-loans for older elementary students. I also ask my children to read this book in third grade when they do a little financial literacy study. (library copy)

The Spider Weaver: A Legend of Kente Cloth by Margaret Musgrove, illustrated by Julia Cairns (Ghana), is a brilliantly illustrated origin tale of kente cloth, common in many African nations. (library copy)

** The Village that Vanished by Ann Grifalconi, illustrated by Kadir Nelson (unspecified country or area), features a young girl who courageously leads all the people of her village across a hidden bridge to escape marauders searching for people to sell as slaves. The text is a bit long but it's worthwhile for those ready for it as it portrays some of the fear and tragedy of slavery in a successful escape from it altogether. Nelson's realistic illustrations are presented uninterrupted by the text, which appears on white space next to them. (library copy)

** Once Upon a Time written and illustrated by Niki Daly (South Africa), is the sweet story of a young girl who struggles to read but flourishes in the imaginary escapades with her Auntie Anna. With perseverance and practice under the supporting gaze of her Auntie, she succeeds in achieving fluency. The setting of this book gives glimpses into life in Africa while connecting us with the familiar school setting. (Even though we homeschool!) (library copy)

Mama Wangari (Kenya) is an inspiring woman who deserves a place in any picture book study of Africa. She attended college in Kansas which gives us an even more personal connection here on the Range. There are quite a few books featuring her life and work. In addition to reading a few picture books, we watched this video (more than once).

** Seeds of Change: Wangari's Gift to the World by Jen Cullerton Johnson, illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler, is probably my favorite, if you can only read one, though young children may tire of the amount of text. The colorful illustrations will delight children of all ages. Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya by Donna Jo Napoli, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, is a more lyrical book with less details. The illustrations fill the pages with vibrant color. Even I enjoy looking through this book again and again. Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa by Jeanette Winter, is less detailed story with more gaps. The illustrations are not as lavish as those of Nelson, simpler but suited to the setting. (all library copies)

** The Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Feed Families by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore with collages by Susan L. Roth (Eritrea), tells the true story of a scientist who guided the people of a village to improve their lives by planting mangrove trees. Ecology, botany, creativity, generosity, and perseverance...all presented in poetic repetitive text for younger listeners and more detailed text for older readers. The collages contrast the bright clothes of the villagers against the browns of the land before it's transformation. (library copy)

** The Most Important Gift of All by David Conway, illustrated by Karin Littlewood (unspecified, but I think Kenya),  is a beautifully illustrated book about a little girl who goes in search of love to give to her new baby brother. It's African, but her family is as lovely a family as you'd want to meet anywhere. (library copy)

** My Rows and Piles of Coins by Tolowa M. Mollel, illustrated by E. B. Lewis (Tanzania), is one of my favorite picture books and also appears in our third grade literacy study. It's about family and perseverance, prudence and joy. Read it! (library copy)

First Come the Zebra by Lynne Barasch (Kenya) is an encounter between a Maasai boy and a Kikyua boy, from two cultures who employ land differently and yet find common ground. It is an decent story for the presentation of overcoming differences, but the illustrations are merely adequate. (library copy)

** Ah, then we read the Elizabeti books, just wonderful books! Elizabeti's Doll, Mama Elizabeti, and Elizabeti's School by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen, illustrated by Christy Hale (Tanzania), all feature Elizabeti and are definitely among our favorite pictures books! (We own Elizabeti's Doll and checked the other two out from the library)

** The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, pictures by Elizabeth Zunon (Malawi), is based on the true inspiring story of a young boy in Africa who builds a windmill from scraps to power a light bulb using only his ingenuity and a book from the library after he's been forced to leave school. I love the illustrations for this book, a combination of collage and paintings. For those who want to learn more, the middle grade book of the same name is also excellent. (library copy)

** How the Guinea Foul Got Her Spots retold and illustrated by Barbara Knutson (a Swahili tale) - another favorite picture book. (library copy)

Jamela's Dress, Happy Birthday, Jamela, and Where's Jamela?, all by Niki Daly (South Africa) share the life of Jamela in a sweet fun way, especially for little girls. She gets into exactly the kind of trouble an American girl might find, but always manages to come out on top. There are other Jamela books as well, but these are the ones our library had. (library copies)


** Where Are You Going, Manyomi? by Catherine Stock (Zimbabwe) is one of my absolute favorite books! You can find the book online here. (owned, from a member at PaperBackSwap.com)

** Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe (Zimbabwe, mostly) is like a fairy tale in which the more generous daughter receives her just reward. My daughter loved this book so much, she insisted we buy our copy, albeit a much loved and repaired one from a library book sale. (owned)

Gugu's House by Catherine Stock (Zimbabwe) is another Catherine Stock book, this one sharing the beautiful painting and sculpture of Gugu, Kukamba's grandmother, as well as a story of recovery. It's based on an inspiring woman in Zimbabwe. (library copy)

The Herd Boy by Niki Daly (South Africa) tells the story of a day in the life of a young goat herder. We see his world and his bravery, and his dream of being president. (library copy)

Under the Baobab Tree by Julie Stiegemeyer, illustrated by E. B. Lewis (unspecified, but maybe southern Africa) is mostly the musings of a brother and sister as they walk through the African countryside for a gathering "under the baobab tree." We see a bit of what sometimes happens under the tree and therefore glimpses into the lives of the Africans who live near-by. In the end, they are gathering to worship God. (library copy)

We also read a book of poetry called Off to the Sweet Shores of Africa and Other Talking Drum Rhymes by Uzo Unobagha, illustrated by Julia Cairns. The poet was born and raised in Africa and the illustrator lived in Botswana for nine years. It's a lovely book we've enjoyed many times.

I'm sure there are many new picture books set in African countries. When I was first putting this list together, I copied a list of all the countries in Africa and then searched our library catalog for each country's name. That's how I found most of these books. Do that yourself and you'll find not only potentially lovely new picture books, but a wealth of picture books set in Africa you can check out of your library for only the cost of your taxes, which you've already paid!

The links above are all affiliate links to Amazon, which means if you click on one, put something in your cart, and order it within a specified length of time (whatever Amazon decides), I receive a small commission. You can also find these books by searching by title on Amazon or at your library.

Games of Math: Counting and Number Bonds and Addition and Subtraction

Math You Can Play Combo: Number Games for Young Learners

by Denise Gaskins 

I reviewed Let's Play Math by Denise Gaskins in February 2016. At the time, I think I'd already been using these two books for half a school year, but I haven't take the time to review them. On Facebook and in person, I highly recommend Let's Play Math to just about any homeschooling family struggling with math. I also think it's just about the best thing a new homeschooling mother or father could read. No matter what curriculum you choose for math, Let's Play Math can help you understand it and implement it for your children and help you create an environment of mathematical curiosity that can benefit any student. I know my family would have been much better off if I'd read it earlier!

So now that you know I want you to read that first, let's talk about Math You Can Play Combo. This book includes two books: Counting and Number Bonds and Addition and Subtraction.

This book (or rather, these two together) constitute the spine of our math curriculum for prekindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade. I begin with Counting and Number Bonds and we just work through the books playing one game a week (sometimes multiple times) through the whole book. If I had started really young, I may have repeated Counting and Number Bonds, but with the two who started this way, I moved right on to Addition and Subtraction.

In addition, sometimes I read math stories out loud to the whole family as a read-aloud. Let's Play Math has a large list of such books as does the author's website. We also play games from our well-stocked game shelves during math time. I specifically schedule those games through first grade, so Second Son is currently the only one who gets to pick a game once a week. We don't start "formal" math until second grade with the Life of Fred books and Khan Academy. I do let Second Son use Khan Academy, because he felt left out, but only for a short time a few times a week.

I almost can't say enough fantastic things about the Let's Play Math game books. My youngest two children, Second Daughter and Second Son, are the ones who benefited from them. Of course, we changed up a lot between the older two and these two because that's when we switched away from Saxon over to Life of Fred, so it's hard to say if any particular change made all the difference, but our whole attitude toward math is dramatically improved with the younger two.

They love playing these games. In fact, it's not uncommon for Second Daughter to insist she's done with her independent work so she can play with Second Son during his game time. Or she'll ask to play some of the games outside of school time. (Snugglenumber is a particular favorite; she's even taught a friend to play it with her.) The great benefit here is that interest in the game encourages repetition of the math facts and skills. More practice with the basic counting, grouping, addition, and subtraction in these games leads to consistent success and, eventually, the ability to focus instead on more complex math.

The games almost all use cards you already own. (There are a few boards you can make and lots of printables included with purchase of the book if you don't want to make your own.) For the most part, I open the book and we play the game without any preparation. Along with the games are brief explanations of the math behind the games and strategies for guiding children through the math involved.

Some of the games seem like they'll be too challenging for the child, but we always give them a try. Over and over again, I see them succeed when I might have neglected to even give them the opportunity.

Though First Son and First Daughter seemed to do well with the mental math exercises when we were using Saxon, both Second Daughter and Second Son seem to do mental gymnastics without even realizing it's a skill. Sometimes when Second Son tries to walk me through his mental process to come up with a math answer, I can hardly follow him, but it works!

I have the Kindle version of the game books and they work great. The pictures are clear. The text is well-formatted and easy to navigate from the contents. Still, if I could go back, I'd invest a little more money to get the paperback versions. It's a hassle to pull out my Kindle during school time and then switching around within the two ebooks to find where I am with different children as we work through them. I also think the kids might play some of the games on their own if they had access to the paperback. (I don't let them use my Kindle.) If you use a e-reader more regularly during school time, have only one child, or combine children for math games, that's not as much of an issue.

Because we had such a good experience with these books, I purchased the Kindle version of Multiplication and Fractions. First Daughter (age 11, in 5th grade) and Second Daughter (age 9, in 3rd grade) each play with me once a week.

I purchased this books separately for the Kindle (rather than the combo book) and received a discounted price. I can't remember if they were discounted for everyone or if I received a discount from the author. Either way, this post gives my honest opinion. Links above to the books are Amazon affiliate links.

Homeschool Record: Our 2016-2017 Poetry

In the past couple of years, we've started reading one poem a day, focusing on a particular poet for six weeks or so, depending on the book or books I choose to read. One poem each morning after our prayer - that's all.

Separate from this poet study, we read from a book of poetry about once a week just for beauty and enjoyment as part of our cultural studies loop.

Just for the blog record, here are the books of poetry we read during the 2016-2017 school year (7th grade, 4th grade, 2nd grade, kindergarten).

My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States collected by Lee Bennett Hopkins - We started this last year after First Daughter completed her third grade state study and finished the few left this year. I like this collection of poems that highlights a few characteristics of the areas of the United States. We've checked it out from the library numerous times, but now we have our own copy thanks to PaperBackSwap.com.

The Glorious Mother Goose selected by Cooper Edens - Second Son needed a dose of Mother Goose and this one was on our shelves. I happen to enjoy the illustrations in this book.

Over the Hills and Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes collected by Elizabeth Hammill - This book included a few of the traditional nursery rhymes we know from England and America with lots of variations and additions from cultures all over the world, gorgeously illustrated. (library copy)

Forest Has a Song by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater is a book of poems focused on being outside, perfect for the family needing some nature study encouragement. The watercolor illustrations are fun and vibrant, too. (library copy)

Classic Poetry: An Illustrated Collection selected by Michael Rosen has a carefully selected collection of two or three poems by prominent poets in roughly chronological order, but I was disappointed at the times only a portion of a poem was included without any indication that it was just a portion. I don't mind excerpts of poetry for younger audiences; I just like to know.  There was a nice sentence of two to introduce each poet. We didn't finish by the end of the year, so we started with this book in the fall of 2017. (There's a newer version available, but we read the old one from our library.)