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American History Booklist - 1800-1860
Our U.S. History Book List includes literature for children and teens based on important people and events in a typical study of United States history. The titles are organized chronologically from pre-1600 to the 20th century and include both fiction and nonfiction. The complete list is divided into several pages, so click on the menu to the left for selections from other time periods or historical eras. Each book is linked to one of our affiliates, primarily so you can see pictures, further description, and more information. If you choose to purchase, please consider doing so through one of these links! Thanks for your support!
AMERICAN HISTORY: 1800s — Tall TalesAmerican Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osborne, wood engravings by Michael McCurdy. Alfred A. Knopf, 1991. UE+Includes all the prominent tall tales. Entertaining. Good read-aloud for the younger ages. Davy Crockett Saves the World by Rosalyn Schanzer, illus. HarperCollins, 2001. K-UE Silly and fun, with all the exaggeration of an American tall tale. John Henry by Julius Lester, illus. Jerry Pinkney. Dial Books, 1994. K-UE Well told and well illustrated. Please note for sensitive children that John dies in the end. Pecos Bill by Steven Kellogg, illus. William Morrow & Co., 1986. K-UE Based on the historical tall tales, Mr. Kellogg's story is highly entertaining and his illustrations are superb! Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett : A Tall Tale by Steven Kellogg, illus. Morrow Jr. Books, 1995. K-UE Based on the legendary wife of Davy Crockett, Mr. Kellogg's story is highly entertaining and his illustrations are superb! AMERICAN HISTORY: 1800-1809
Bold Journey : West with Lewis and Clark by Charles Bohner. Earthquake in Cincinnati (The American Adventure #14) by Bonnie Hinman. UE-JH Christian historical fiction. How We Crossed The West: The Adventures Of Lewis And Clark by Rosalyn Schanzer. National Geographic Society, 1997. E-UE A picture book full of information, ending at the arrival to the Pacific. Full-page, color illustrations. Some details can be skimmed over for the younger child. Well done. The Incredible Journey of Lewis and Clark by Rhoda Blumberg. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1987. JH-HS Great Source Book for a complete picture of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Illustrations & photos on almost every page, and very readable text. The Lewis and Clark Expedition (Landmark History series) by Neuberger. The Story of Sacajawea : Guide to Lewis and Clark by Della Rowland, illus. Richard Leonard. UE Streams to the River, River to the Sea by Scott O'Dell. *JH+ Sacagawea's amazing life story begins here in girlhood, from her capture by a warring tribe to her contributions as a valued member of the Lewis & Clark expedition. *Note that the story portrays (unhappily) married Sacajawea's romantic feelings for Clark, polygamy in the Indian culture, and Sacajawea enduring slapping, etc., from her less-than-loving husband. Thomas Jefferson: A Picture Book Biography by James Cross Giblin, illus. Michael Dooling. UE+ Full color illustrations on every page enhance a well-told account of Jefferson's life. The Meriwether Lewis Mystery by Wilma Pitchford Hays. The Westminster Press, 1971. UE+ Lewis' explorations as an adventure tale. AMERICAN HISTORY: 1810sAbigail's Drum by John A. Minahan, illus. Robert Quackenbush. Pippin Press, 1995. E-UEAn easy reader about the brave 2 girls who fooled the British into retreat during the War of 1812. Fun! An American Army of Two by Janet Greeson. 1992. E Based on a true story, 2 sisters trick the British army and help the American cause during the War of 1812. The Star-Spangled Banner by Peter Spier. Doubleday. E+ Peter Spier's illustrations are in a class all their own. Fun, and gives excellent visuals to help children understand the song and the history behind it. AMERICAN HISTORY: 1820sAbe Lincoln Grows Up by Carl Sandburg, illus. James Daugherty. UEThe Erie Canal by Peter Spier. K-E Peter Spier's illustrations are in a class all their own. Fun! Hugh Glass, Mountain Man: Left for Dead by Robert M. McClung. Morrow Junior Books, 1990. UE+ A true adventure story of a frontiersman traveling West with a fur company who gets mauled by an 800 lb. grizzly bear, and is left for dead in the wilderness. Sheer grit and determination help him survive and travel alone the 200 miles to the nearest post. Especially appealing for boys. Recommended. If You Grew Up With Abraham Lincoln by Ann McGovern, illus. George Ulrich. Scholastic, 1966. E Describes the typical childhood in the early 1800's in the Midwest—similar to what Abe Lincoln may have experienced. Josefinas Story Collection (The American Girls Collection): The set includes these books: Meet Josefina, an American Girl (American Girls Collection), Josefina Learns a Lesson: A School Story (American Girls Collection), Josefina's Surprise: A Christmas Story (American Girls Collection), Happy Birthday, Josefina!: A Springtime Story (American Girls Collection), Josefina Saves the Day: A Summer Story (American Girls Collection), and Changes for Josefina: A Winter Story (Amrican Girls Collection) by Valerie Tripp. The Pleasant Co. 1997. E-JH Based on the life of a fictional American girl in the southwest in 1824, and written especially for girls. The Story of the Erie Canal, Cornerstones of Freedom series, by R. Conrad Stein, illus. Keith Neely. Children's Press, 1985. UE+ Easy to read, includes line, one-color drawings, and keeps interest level high. Timmy O'Dowd and the Big Ditch: A Story of the Glory Days on the Old Erie Canal by Len Hilts (Great Episodes series). Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988. UE+ Timmy's family's life revolved around the Erie Canal, but it was all new to his cousin from the city. This story provides an incredible wealth of information about the daily use and upkeep of the Erie Canal, its construction, and its impact on New York State. Welcome to Josefina's World 1824: Growing Up on America's Southwest Frontier (American Girls Collection). Pleasant Co. UE-JH Expanding on the Josefina series, this book illustrates and explains many facets of the typical way of life of her time period and location. Young Abe Lincoln : The Frontier Days, 1809 - 1837 by Cheryl Harness. National Geographic Society, 1996. E-UE Short paragraphs and full-page, color illustrations tell of Abe's growing up days until just before his political career. Sequel is Abe Lincoln Goes to Washington 1837 - 1863. AMERICAN HISTORY: 1830sA Gathering of Days : A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32 by Joan W. Blos. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1979. UE+Newbery Medal. Gives a glimpse of life on an early American farm in New Hampshire. A Line in the Sand: The Alamo Diary of Lucinda Lawrence, Gonzales, Texas, 1836 (Dear America) by Sherry Garland. Scholastic, 1998. UE+ The life of a "Texian" girl is affected by Texas' struggle with Santa Ana. The story behind the Alamo. Caution: One sentence describing out-of-control soldiers ravaging the town says they "molest[ed] the women." This is the extent of the description. Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall, illus. Barbara Cooney K-E
A Picture Book of Davy Crockett (Picture Book Biography) by David A. Adler; illus. John & Alexandra Wallner. Holiday House, 1996. E
Samuel Morse and the Telegraph (Graphic Library: Inventions and Discovery series) AMERICAN HISTORY: 1840sAcross the Wide and Lonesome Prairie: The Oregon Trail Diary of Hattie Campbell, 1847 (Dear America) by Kristiana Gregory.Not yet reviewed. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. JH+ Fictional adventures of a young boy, based on life in the deep South in the 1840's. Sequel is Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Attack in the Rye Grass (Trailblazers Series) by Dave & Neta Jackson. UE-JH Christian historical fiction. Marcus & Narcissa Whitman, Oregon Territory pioneers. If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon by Ellen Levine, illus. Elroy Freem. Scholastic, 1986. E-UE Describes the journey on the Oregon Trail by asking questions and giving answers. Katie's Wish by Barbara Shook Hazen, illus. Emily Arnold McCully. Dial Books, 2002. K-E Caldecott Medal. The Irish potato famine sends a girl from her native land to America. The Legend of Jimmy Spoon (Great Episode series) by Kristiana Gregory. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1990. UE+ Jimmy thinks he is riding with Indians for a few days, but ends up adopted by the chief's family far away from home. Good adventure story, good ending, and excellent resource on Indian (Shoshoni) culture. Lyddie by Katherine Paterson. Lodestar Books, 1991. JH+ Lyddie finds work in the mills in Lowell, Mass., to get out of desperate circumstances. Excellent look at New England's mills and the need for labor reform! Caution: a respected unmarried character makes immoral choices and becomes pregnant, but she does reap negative consequences. Also, Lyddie repels a supervisor's unwelcome advances. A Pioneer Sampler : The Daily Life of a Pioneer Family in 1840 by Barbara Greenwood, illus. Heather Collins. Houghton Mifflin, 1994. UE Stories, explanations, and craft/activity suggestions are intermingled to cover virtually every aspect of pioneer life. Illustrated throughout. Good book! Walking the Road to Freedom: A Story About Sojourner Truth (Carolrhoda Creative Minds Book) by Jeri Ferris, illus. Peter E. Hanson. E-UE Westward To Home: Joshua's Oregon Trail Diary by Patricia Hermes. Scholastic 2001. E-UE The Wild West (See Through History) by Tim Wood. Viking Press, 1996. UE-JH Explains westward expansion from the late 1700's to 1800's with colorful illustrations, one major topic per two-page spread. AMERICAN HISTORY: 1850sAlong the Santa Fe Trail: Marion Russell's Own Story by Marion Russell, adapted by Ginger Wadsworth, illus. by James Watling. Albert Whitman & Co., 1993. E-UE
Adapted from an original text, this book is a first-hand account of a young girl's experiences on a wagon train heading to California along the Santa Fe trail. Full-color illustrations on every 2-page spread. By the Great Horn Spoon!  by Sid Fleishman. Little, 1988. E-JH
Fun, entertaining fiction based on the Gold Rush. A young boy and his butler face many adventures when they travel from Boston to find their fortune in California. Carolina's Courage by Elizabeth Yates. BJU Press, 1964. E-UE A pioneer story. A girl from New Hampshire heads west with her family on a wagon train. Clipper Ship (I Can Read) by Thomas P. Lewis, illus. Joan Sandin. E Travel east on a clipper ship from New York to San Francisco with the ship's captain and his family. Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman by Dorothy Sterling. Scholastic. UE+ Go Free or Die: A Story About Harriet Tubman (Carolrhoda Creative Minds Book) by Jeri Ferris, illus. Karen Ritz. E-UE Gold Fever  by Verla Kay, illus. S. D. Schindler. K-E
Simple text with entertaining, descriptive pictures portray a farmer leaving his fields to travel through wilderness and desert in search of gold. The reality of the hard life in a mining camp and the lack of gold send him home again! The Josefina Story Quilt (An I Can Read Book) by Eleanor Coerr, illus. Bruce Degen. HarperCollins, 1986. E Delightful story of a young girl's trip West on a wagon train centers around her pet and her quilt. Kirsten: An American Girl: 1854 (The American Girls Collection/Boxed Set): The set includes these books: Meet Kirsten: An American Girl (American Girls Collection), Kirsten Learns a Lesson: A School Story (American Girls Collection), Kirsten's Surprise: A Christmas Story (The American Girls Collection), Happy Birthday, Kirsten: A Springtime Story (American Girls Collection), Kirsten Saves the Day: A Summer Story (American Girls Collection), and Changes for Kirsten: A Winter Story (American Girls Collection) by Janet Shaw. The Pleasant Co. 1986. E-JH Based on the life of a fictional American pioneer girl who immigrated from Sweden. Especially for girls. Listen for the Whippoorwill (Trailblazer Books) by Dave & Neta Jackson. E-JH Christian historical fiction about Harriet Tubman. Curriculum Guide, Harriet Tubman: Curriculum Guide: Listen for the Whippoorwill (Trailblazer Curriculum Guides, 5), also available. Old Crump: The True Story of a Trip West by Laurie Lawlor, illus. John Winch. Holiday House, 2002. K-E True story of four children traveling West with a party of forty-niners who survive the hard journey only because of the family's faithful ox. Well Done. Prudence Crandall: Woman of Courage by Elizabeth Yates. JH-HS Against all opposition, Prudence opens a school to educate African Americans. Ransom's Mark: A Story Based on the Life of the Pioneer Olive Oatman (Daughters of the Faith Series) by Wendy Lawton. Moody Press. UE-JH Attacked on the Santa Fe Trail with her family, Olive was taken captive by Indians, then ransomed by a different tribe. The Secret Valley (Trophy Chapter Book) by Bulla. California Gold Rush Tree in the Trail by Holling Clancy Holling. E+ A tree growing on the Santa Fe Trail sees changes occur all around it for over 200 years. Welcome to Kirsten's World, 1854: Growing Up in Pioneer America (The American Girls Collection). Pleasant Co. UE-JH Expanding on the Kirsten series, this book illustrates and explains many facets of the typical way of life of her time period and location. When Jessie Came Across the Sea by Amy Hest, illus. P.J. Lynch. Candlewick Press, 1997. E-UE A picture book of a young immigrant girl's journey to America., conveying her homeland, the journey across the ocean, Ellis Island, and life in New York City with beautiful illustrations. Recommended. The Wind Wagon by Celia Barker Lottridge, illus. Daniel Clifford. Silver Burdett Press, 1995. E-JH Fun, true story about one inventor's experiment to travel across the prairie faster than the ox-drawn wagons. Short. Advanced E. |
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by David Seidman, illus. David Seidman, Rod Whigham, Charles Barnett III. Capstone Press, 2007. E-UE