Best History Books for 12 Year Olds

Here are the top 30 history books for 12 year olds. Please click Read Review to read book reviews on Amazon. You can also click Find in Library to check book availability at your local library. If the default library is not correct, please follow Change Library to reset it.

1. The Book Thief

by: Markus Zusak
Release date: Mar 08, 2016
Number of Pages: 592
Find in Library
Read Review
The extraordinary #1 New York Times bestseller that is now a major motion picture, Markus Zusak’s unforgettable story is about the ability of books to feed the soul.

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

tags:

Children’s Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > Holocaust

2. Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims: Time-Travel Adventures with Exceptional Americans

by: Rush Limbaugh
Release date: Oct 29, 2013
Number of Pages: 225
Find in Library
Read Review
America’s #1 radio talk-show host and multi-million-copy #1 New York Times bestselling author presents a book for young readers with a history teacher who travels back in time to have adventures with exceptional Americans.

MEET RUSH LIMBAUGH’S REALLY GOOD PAL, RUSH REVERE!

Okay, okay, my name’s really Rusty—but my friends call me Rush. Rush Revere. Because I’ve always been the #1 fan of the coolest colonial dude ever, Paul Revere. Talk about a rock star—this guy wanted to protect young America so badly, he rode through those bumpy, cobblestone-y streets shouting “the British are coming!” On a horse. Top of his lungs. Wind blowing, rain streaming…

Well, you get the picture. But what if you could get the real picture—by actually going back in time and seeing with your own eyes how our great country came to be? Meeting the people who made it all happen—people like you and me?

Hold on to your pointy triangle hats, because you can—with me, Rush Revere, seemingly ordinary substitute history teacher, as your tour guide across time! “How?” you ask? Well, there’s this portal. And a horse. My talking horse named Liberty. And—well, just trust me, I’ll get us there.

We’ll begin by joining a shipload of brave families journeying on the Mayflower in 1620. Yawn? I don’t think so. 1620 was a pretty awesome time, and you’ll experience exactly what they did on that rough, dangerous ocean crossing. Together, we’ll ask the pilgrims all our questions, find out how they live, join them at the first Thanksgiving, and much more.

So saddle up and let’s ride! Our exceptional nation is waiting to be discovered all over again by exceptional young patriots—like you!

tags:

Children’s Books > Animals > Horses

3. Rush Revere and the First Patriots: Time-Travel Adventures With Exceptional Americans

by: Rush Limbaugh
Release date: Mar 11, 2014
Number of Pages: 256
Find in Library
Read Review
America’s #1 radio talk-show host and multi-million-copy #1 New York Times bestselling author presents the second book in a series for young readers with a history teacher who travels back in time to have adventures with exceptional Americans.

Rush Revere rides again! Saddle up with Rush Limbaugh’s really good pal for a new time-travel adventure.

“Whoa there, young historians! Before we go rush, rush, rushing off anywhere, I’d like a moment. I’m Liberty, Rush Revere’s loquacious equine companion—his trusty talking horse! Always at the ready to leap from the twenty-first century into America’s past, that’s me. When he says ‘Let’s go!’ I’m so there. I’m jazzed, I’m psyched, I’m—”

“Ah, excuse me, Liberty?”

“Yeah, Rush?”

“Usually you say ‘oh no, not again!’ and ‘while we’re in colonial Boston, can I try the baked beans?’”

“Okay, fine—you do the talking. I’ll just be over here, if you need me.…”

Well, he’s sulking now, but I couldn’t be your tour guide across time without Liberty! His name says it all: the freedom we celebrate every July Fourth with fireworks and hot dogs (and maybe some of those baked beans). But how did America get free? How did thirteen newborn colonies tell the British king where he could stick his unfair taxes?

Jump into the bustling streets of Boston in 1765, where talk of revolution is growing louder. I said LOUDER. You’ll have to SHOUT to be heard over the angry cries of “Down with the king!” and “Repeal the Stamp Act!” that fill the air. You’ll meet fierce supporters of liberty like Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and my idol, Paul Revere, as they fearlessly defy British rule. It’s an exciting, dangerous, turbulent, thrilling time to be an American…and exceptional young patriots like you won’t want to miss a minute. Let’s ride!

tags:

Children’s Books > Animals > Horses

4. The Hiding Place

by: Corrie ten BoomTim FoleyLonnie DuPont
Release date: Apr 28, 2015
Number of Pages: 208
Find in Library
Read Review
The True Story of a Real-Life Hero

It’s World War II. Darkness has fallen over Europe as the Nazis spread hatred, fear and war across the globe. But on a quiet city corner in the Netherlands, one woman fights against the darkness.

In her quiet watchmaking shop, she and her family risk their lives to hide Jews, and others hunted by the Nazis, in a secret room, a “hiding place” that they built in the old building.

One day, however, Corrie and her family are betrayed. They’re captured and sent to the notorious Nazi concentration camps to die. Yet even in that darkest of places, Corrie still fights.

This is her story–and the story of how faith, hope and love ultimately triumphed over unthinkable evil.

tags:

Children’s Books > History > Holocaust

5. Rush Revere and the American Revolution: Time-Travel Adventures With Exceptional Americans

by: Rush LimbaughKathryn Adams LimbaughKathryn Adams Limbaugh
Release date: Oct 28, 2014
Number of Pages: 257
Find in Library
Read Review
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN—AND RUSH REVERE, LIBERTY THE HORSE, AND THE TIME-TRAVELING CREW ARE READY TO RIDE INTO THE ACTION!

Join us on this incredible time-travel adventure!

Liberty, my wisecracking horse, our old friends Cam, Tommy, Freedom, and I are off to meet some super-brave soldiers in the year 1775. Yep, that’s right. We’ll be visiting with the underdog heroes who fought for American independence, against all odds—and won! But not before eight very real years of danger and uncertainty. Be a part of Rush Revere’s crew as we rush, rush, rush into a time when British rule had become a royal pain, and rebellion was in the air. We’ll be on hand to see two lanterns hung in the Old North Church, prevent a British spy from capturing Paul Revere, and grapple with danger at the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill.

The extra special part of this trip is that right here in the twenty-first century, Cam’s dad is a soldier fighting in Afghanistan, and Cam has been pretty angry that he is away. Visiting with exceptional American heroes like Dr. Joseph Warren and George Washington, racing along after Paul Revere on his midnight ride, and seeing the Declaration of Independence signed make Cam see his own dad in a new and special way.

But don’t worry. Along with the danger, excitement, and patriotism, there will still be time to stop for a delicious spinach, oats, and alfalfa smoothie. No, wait—that one’s for Liberty. The kids and I voted for strawberries.

Now let’s open the magic portal to the past!

tags:

Children’s Books > Animals > Horses

6. Gifts from the Enemy (The humanKIND Project)

by: Trudy LudwigCraig Orback
Release date: Apr 04, 2014
Number of Pages: 32
Find in Library
Read Review
Gifts from the Enemy is the powerful and moving story based on From a Name to a Number: A Holocaust Survivor’s Autobiography by Alter Wiener, in which Alter recalls his loss of family at the hands of the Nazis and his internment in five prison camps during World War II. This picture book tells one moving episode during Alter’s imprisonment, when an unexpected person demonstrates moral courage in repeated acts of kindness to young Alter during his imprisonment. Written by acclaimed children’s writer Trudy Ludwig, author of Better Than You and Confessions of a Former Bully, and illustrated by award-winning children’s book illustrator Craig Orback, Gifts from the Enemy teaches children in age-appropriate language about the dangers of hatred, prejudice, and stereotyping and that there are good and bad in every group of people. The accompanying questions and activities for readers provide teachers and parents with helpful direction in presenting this history and the valuable story. Gifts from the Enemy highlights how acts of social justice and kindness can change lives.
tags:

Children’s Books > History > Holocaust

7. The Underground Abductor (Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales #5): An Abolitionist Tale about Harriet Tubman

by: Nathan Hale
Release date: Apr 21, 2015
Number of Pages: 128
Find in Library
Read Review
Araminta Ross was born a slave in Delaware in the early 19th century. Slavery meant that her family could be ripped apart at any time, and that she could be put to work in dangerous places and for abusive people. But north of the Mason-Dixon line, slavery was illegal. If she could run away and make it north without being caught or killed, she’d be free. Facing enormous danger, Araminta made it, and once free, she changed her name to Harriet Tubman. Tubman spent the rest of her life helping slaves run away like she did, every time taking her life in her hands. Nathan Hale tells her incredible true-life story with the humor and sensitivity he’s shown in every one of the Hazardous Tales—perfect for reluctant readers and classroom discussions.
tags:

Children’s Books > History > United States > Civil War Era

8. The Blackberry Patch

by: Gina McKnight
Release date: May 26, 2009
Number of Pages: 24
Find in Library
Read Review
The Blackberry Patch is an exhilarating, step-by-step journey into the beautiful, lush haven of blackberries! Using all five senses, join author Gina McKnight on a hazardous quest through brambles and swarming varmints to find the ultimate blackberry patch for a delicious, natural treat. Readers of all ages will get lost in The Blackberry Patch.
tags:

Children’s Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Nature > Flowers & Plants

9. Horse Diaries #7: Risky Chance (Horse Diaries series)

by: Alison HartRuth Sanderson
Release date: Sep 13, 2011
Number of Pages: 178
Find in Library
Read Review
For all lovers of horses and history, it’s the next book in the popular Horse Diaries series. Born in California at the start of the Great Depression, Risky Chance is a gray thoroughbred who was born to race. Life at the track and being spoiled by his jockey’s young daughter, Marie, is all Chance could ask for. He loves nothing more than running fast and winning. But after an accident, Chance discovers a side of horse racing that has little to do with glory.

Like Black Beauty, this moving novel is told in first person from the horse’s own point of view and includes an appendix full of photos and facts about thoroughbreds, horse racing, and the Great Depression.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

tags:

Children’s Books > Animals > Horses

10. Adventures of Rush Revere: Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims, Rush Revere and the First Patriots, Rush Revere and the American Revolution

by: Rush LimbaughKathryn Adams Limbaugh
Release date: Dec 01, 2015
Number of Pages: 736
Find in Library
Read Review
Saddle up with Rush Limbaugh’s really good pal Rush Revere, his wisecracking horse Liberty, and the whole Time-Traveling Crew for an epic American history adventure with this special boxed set edition of the New York Times bestselling series for young readers.

Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims: Hold on to your pointy triangle hats. We’ll begin by joining a shipload of courageous families journeying on the Mayflower in 1620. Yawn? I don’t think so. 1620 was an awesome time, and you’ll experience that rough, dangerous ocean crossing too. Together, we’ll ask the pilgrims all our questions, find out how they live, and join them at the first Thanksgiving.

Rush Revere and the First Patriots: Jump into the bustling streets of Boston in 1765, where talk of revolution is growing louder. You’ll meet fierce supporters of liberty, such as Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Paul Revere, as they fearlessly defy British rule. It’s an exciting, turbulent, thrilling time to be an American.

Rush Revere and the American Revolution: We’re off to meet some super-brave heroes who fought for American independence in 1775, against all odds—and won! We’ll be on hand to see two lanterns hung in the Old North Church, prevent a British spy from capturing Paul Revere, and dodge musket balls at some famous battles.

tags:

Children’s Books > Animals > Horses

11. Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom

by: Tim TingleJeanne Rorex Bridges
Release date: Apr 01, 2008
Number of Pages: 40
Find in Library
Read Review

When it was first published, Crossing Bok Chitto took readers by surprise. This moving and original story about the intersection of Native and African Americans received starred reviews and many awards, including being named an ALA Notable Children’s Book and a Jane Addams Honor Book. Jeanne Rorex Bridges’ illustrations mesmerized readers—Publishers Weekly noted that her “strong, solid figures gaze squarely out of the frame, beseeching readers to listen, empathize and wonder.”

Choctaw storyteller Tim Tingle blends songs, flute, and drum to bring the lore of the Choctaw Nation to life in lively historical, personal, and traditional stories.

Artist Jeanne Rorex Bridges traces her heritage back to her Cherokee ancestors.

tags:

Children’s Books > Growing Up & Facts of Life > Family Life > Values

12. If You Were Me and Lived in…Viking Europe

by: Carole P. RomanMateya Arkova
Release date: Sep 05, 2016
Number of Pages: 78
Find in Library
Read Review
Hop in our time travel machine and join Carole P. Roman as she visits a Viking settlement in the year 890 AD.

Learn what your name could be and the kind of food you might eat. Read about the different levels of society, how they affect where you would live, and the type of clothing you might wear.

Mateya Arkova’s beautiful illustrations illustrate what Vikings ate and their children did for fun.

If You Were Me and Lived in.. Viking Europe is an exciting trip that shows a colorful culture through the eyes of a child.

tags:

Children’s Books

13. No Good

by: John Hope
Release date: Jun 06, 2014
Number of Pages: 146
Find in Library
Read Review
Twelve-year-old Johnny “No Good” Emmerstaff is an only child in a semi-rural section of Sanford, Florida in the late 1940s—until town snitch Tommy J drops in with the news that Johnny is getting a brother, an orphan named Josh. At first, Johnny doesn’t know what to think of Josh. He’s short, quiet, and he’s butting into his life, sharing his bed, and eating his pancakes. But when Johnny’s friend, Cully, picks on Josh, Johnny sticks up for him – his new brother.

Soon after, Tommy J is found murdered, and the town forms a posse to track down the killer. The town’s main suspect is an elderly Negro nicknamed Old Man Badeau, who all the kids in town think is bewitched. But Josh knows more about Old Man Badeau than anyone else. And when Johnny squeals the secret, Josh runs off with the killer still on the loose. Johnny must now track Josh down before it’s too late. In the process, he discovers who he really is.

Recipient of the Florida Writers Association’s Royal Palm Literary Award, this heart-felt story brings to life a lost segment of American life when boys could be boys as they struggle to understand racial prejudice and how to see people for who they really are.

tags:

Children’s Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > United States > 1900s

14. The Eye of Midnight

by: Andrew Brumbach
Release date: Mar 08, 2016
Number of Pages: 256
Find in Library
Read Review
“Combining a 1920s New York setting with ancient Turkish and Arabian folklore and history, this novel reads like a young Indiana Jones adventure. . . . As smart as it is action-packed.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
 
On a stormy May day in 1929, William and Maxine arrive on the doorstep of Battersea Manor to spend the summer with a grandfather they barely remember. Whatever the cousins expected, Colonel Battersea isn’t it. Soon after they settle in, Grandpa receives a cryptic telegram and promptly whisks the cousins off to New York City to meet an unknown courier and collect a very important package. Before he can do so, however, Grandpa vanishes without a trace. When the cousins stumble upon Nura, a tenacious girl from Turkey, she promises to help them track down the parcel and rescue Colonel Battersea. But with cold-blooded gangsters and a secret society of assassins all clamoring for the mysterious object, the children soon find themselves in a desperate struggle just to escape the city’s dark streets alive.

“A youthful mystery worthy of John Bellairs, with lyrical language reminiscent of Edith Nesbit; yet it stands on its own, creating a fully realized world with clearly defined lines of good and evil, and just a dash of magic.” —Booklist

“Readers of R. L. LaFevers’s Theodosia Throckmorton series as well as lovers of the Rick Riordan books will enjoy this. A well-crafted adventure with a dash of magic.” —School Library Journal 

“Brumbach’s vivid descriptions and terse, to-the-point dialogue keep the action moving and readers constantly engaged and surprised. . . . A fast-paced, action-packed adventure.” —Kirkus Reviews

From the Hardcover edition.

tags:

Children’s Books > Growing Up & Facts of Life > Family Life

15. Last Ride of Caleb O’Toole

by: Eric Pierpoint
Release date: Sep 03, 2013
Number of Pages: 304
Find in Library
Read Review

“I need you to be strong.”

Caleb O’Toole could hear his mother’s last words as clearly as if she was sitting right next to him. He promised her he’d keep his sisters safe. But safety is over a thousand miles away in the rugged Bitteroot Mountains—past dust-choked deserts and thorny tumbleweeds and as sun so hot, it’s hard to breathe. Tornadoes and hungry wolves wait for them on the path ahead. But with the infamous Blackstone Gang hot on their trail, Caleb has no choice but to keep going. There’s no telling how far the gang will go to keep their latest murder a secret. And Caleb is the number one witness to their crime.

Caleb O’Toole can hear his mother’s last words: “I need you to be strong.” and he can’t let her down.

tags:

Children’s Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > United States > 1800s

16. Wheels of Change

by: Darlene Beck Jacobson
Release date: Sep 23, 2014
Number of Pages: 180
Find in Library
Read Review
Racial intolerance, social change, and sweeping progress make 1908 Washington, D.C., a turbulent place to grow up in for 12-year-old Emily Soper. For Emily, life in Papa’s carriage barn is magic, and she’s more at home hearing the symphony of the blacksmith’s hammer than trying to conform to the proper expectations of young ladies. When Papa’s livelihood is threatened by racist neighbors and horsepower of a different sort, Emily faces changes she’d never imagined. Finding courage and resolve she didn’t know she had, Emily strives to save Papa’s business, even if it means going all the way to the White House.
tags:

Children’s Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > United States > 1900s

17. When on Earth?

by: DK
Release date: Apr 07, 2015
Number of Pages: 160
Find in Library
Read Review
Teach history in a way that’s fascinating to visual learners and children who are captivated by pictures and timelines. When on Earth? approaches history in a different way than most books, giving context that can put what children learn in school in a broader historical perspective. In more than 60 specially commissioned maps, this one-of-a-kind history book shows where, when, and how history happened.

Find out how the first farmers lived and worked. Discover the Viking world. Learn about the Arab Spring. Beautiful illustrations, 3-D graphics, clear annotations, and fun facts bring history to life and show how it fits in to the world at large. Whether your child is a visual learner or a geography buff, When on Earth? is perfect for any student of history, giving a guide to our shared past and a birds-eye view of the history of life on Earth.

tags:

Children’s Books > History

18. Renewable Energy: Discover the Fuel of the Future With 20 Projects (Build It Yourself)

by: Joshua SneidemanErin TwamleyHeather Jane Brinesh
Release date: Apr 12, 2016
Number of Pages: 128
Find in Library
Read Review
How do we heat our homes, light our rooms, and power our cars? With energy! In 2014, the United States relied on fossil fuels for about 67 percent of its power. But as the fossil fuel supply dwindles and climate change becomes an increasingly urgent issue, individuals, businesses, and governments are expanding their sources of renewable energy, including solar, wind, biofuel, hydro, and geothermal.

In Renewable Energy: Discover the Fuel of the Future, readers ages 9 to 12 learn about these renewable energy sources and discover how sunshine can be used to power light bulbs and how the earth’s natural heat can be used to warm our houses. Young readers weigh the pros and cons of different energy sources and make their own informed opinions about which resources are the best choices for different uses.

Renewable energy industries provide a booming field for future scientists and engineers. This book shows kids these future jobs and gets them excited about contributing to a world run on clean energy. Hands-on projects, essential questions, links to online primary sources, and science-minded prompts to think more about energy, the environment, and the repercussions of our choices make this book a key addition to classrooms and libraries.

tags:

Children’s Books > Growing Up & Facts of Life > Health > Diseases

19. The Crystal Navigator: (Mom’s Choice Book Award Recipient)

by: Nancy Kunhardt LodgeNancy Kunhardt LodgeEvi Gstottner
Release date: Apr 24, 2014
Number of Pages: 166
Find in Library
Read Review
The Crystal Navigator is a middle grade fantasy in the classic tradition of The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland that celebrates the power of imagination. Eleven year old Lucy Nightingale is a special little girl. She can make things with her thoughts. However, she lost her confidence when her mind went blank during an oral report. Then a dazzling new teacher assigns another report about five paintings. Convinced that the only way to get an A on this assignment is to actually talk to the artists, Lucy summons a Wise One to help her with time travel. Her Wise One shows up in the form of a loveable, well-spoken, befuddled Corgi named Wilbur. He wears spectacles and reads brochures about liquid mirrors. With Wilbur’s magic gadget, the Navigator, to guide them, Lucy and Wilbur fly back to fifteenth-century Florence. The journey turns perilous when the Navigator contracts a virus and propels the two friends into the wrong time. In triumphing over the obstacles Wilbur sets in her way, Lucy finds her self-confidence and more. So, if you know someone who has always wanted to fly, someone who likes cutting edge magic gadgets, someone who would agree that the best way to escape from an ogress is to jump into the nearest painting; if you know someone who might like the idea of helping Leonardo da Vinci entertain an unruly teenager named Lisa while he tries to paint her smiling, and finally if you know someone like Lucy, who loves school, but who is afraid of oral reports because her confidence walked out on her, then you know someone who will love The Crystal Navigator. This book will appeal to anyone who loves art, as it brings five famous painters and their art to life. The book will thrill and educate young readers about the value of viewing life as a journey and the magic that lives inside each of us.
tags:

Arts & Photography > History & Criticism > History

20. Two Little Savages (Dover Children’s Classics)

by: Ernest Thompson Seton
Release date: Oct 27, 2011
Number of Pages: 320
Find in Library
Read Review

This is one of the great classics of nature and boyhood by one of America’s foremost nature experts. It presents a vast range of woodlore in the most palatable of forms, a genuinely delightful story. It will provide many hours of good reading for any child who likes the out-of-doors, and will teach him or her many interesting facts of nature, as well as a number of practical skills. It will be sure to awaken an interest in the outdoor world in any youngster who has not yet discovered the fascination of nature.
The story concerns two farm boys who build a teepee in the woods and persuade the grownups to let them live in it for a month. During that time they learn to prepare their own food, build a fire without matches, use an axe expertly, make a bed out of boughs; they learn how to “smudge” mosquitoes, how to get clear water from a muddy pond, how to build a dam, how to know the stars, how to find their way when they get lost; how to tell the direction of the wind, blaze a trail, distinguish animal tracks, protect themselves from wild animals; how to use Indian signals, make moccasins, bows and arrows, Indian drums and war bonnets; how to know the trees and plants, and how to make dyes from plants and herbs. They learn all about the habits of various birds and animals, how they get their food, who their enemies are and how they protect themselves from them.
Most of this information is not generally available in books, and could be gained otherwise only by years of life and experience in suitable surroundings. Yet Mr. Thompson Seton explains it so vividly and fully, with so many clear, marginal illustrations through the book, that the reader will finish “Two Little Savages” with an enviable knowledge of trees, plants, wild-life, woodlore, Indian crafts and arts, and survival information for the wilds. All of this is presented through a lively narrative that has as its heroes two real boys, typically curious about everything in the world around them, eager to outdo each other in every kind of endeavor. The exciting adventures that befall them during their stay in the woods are just the sort of thing that will keep a young reader enthralled and will stimulate his or her imagination at every turn.

tags:

Children’s Books > Action & Adventure

21. Soldier Bear

by: Bibi Dumon TakLaura Watkinson
Release date: Aug 22, 2011
Number of Pages: 158
Find in Library
Read Review
Winner of the 2012 Batchelder Award

Based on a real series of events that happened during World War II, Soldier Bear tells the story of an orphaned bear cub adopted by a group of Polish soldiers in Iran. The soldiers raise the bear and eventually enlist him as a soldier to ensure that he stays with the company. He travels with them from Iran to Italy, and then on to Scotland. Voytek’s mischief gets him into trouble along with way, but he also provides some unexpected encouragement for the soldiers amidst the reality of war: Voytek learns to carry bombs for the company, saves the camp from a spy, and keeps them constantly entertained with his antics.

Always powerful and surprising, Bibi Dumon Tak’s story offers readers a glimpse at this fascinating piece of history.

tags:

Children’s Books > Animals > Bears

22. You Found Me: God’s Relentless Pursuit to Find You

by: Keith M. Robinson
Release date: Jan 23, 2014
Number of Pages: 176
Find in Library
Read Review
By the time Keith was 17 years old, he was emaciated from drug use, dirty and rumpled, and under house arrest awaiting trial. That’s when a stranger paid him a visit, sitting down in his filthy room to touch his gaunt shoulder and pray.
     Maybe you are facing circumstances even worse than Keith’s. Maybe you’ve made choices that have hurt you and the people around you. Maybe your family has failed or damaged you, leaving scars you’re sure will never heal. Or maybe you just can’t bring yourself to care anymore, because you’ve forgotten how to dream big. How ever lost you are, you have not been abandoned–a relentless God is pursuing you.
     You Found Me is Keith’s story of a tragic life redeemed, but it’s more than that: It’s the story of anyone willing to be found.
tags:

Christian Books & Bibles > Christian Living > Personal Growth

23. Hearts and Dreams: Katherine

by: Cameron Dokey
Release date: Nov 01, 1997
Number of Pages: 184
Find in Library
Read Review
Set against well-known historical events, this new Young Adult romance series centers on a hope chest that passes through the lives of various young women who respond to the challenges of their day. Sixteen-year-old Katherine rescues a handsome young stranger who is fleeing from the loyalists, and soon finds out her own father is secretly involved in American Patriot activities. Disguising herself as a boy, she sets out to help the cause of freedom and finds adventure and love along the way.
tags:

Children’s Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > United States > Colonial

24. Magnificent Minds: 16 Pioneering Women in Science and Medicine

by: Pendred E. Noyce
Release date: Mar 01, 2015
Number of Pages: 180
Find in Library
Read Review
Winner of:
National Science Teachers Foundation/Children’s Book Council, Outstanding Science Trade Book Award

Full of the inspirational stories girls need for exploring a future in science

Did you know that Florence Nightingale pioneered the use of statistics in public health? That Marie Curie is still the only person to have won the Nobel Prize in both physics and chemistry—and the only winner whose daughter also won a Nobel Prize? That in the 17th century, the most accomplished scholar in mathematical astronomy was a Polish woman, Maria Cunitz? That the pysicist who first explained nuclear fission was a woman, Lise Meitner?That two of the pioneers of computer science were women, Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper? For centuries, women have risen above their traditional roles to pursue new understanding of the natural world. This book, which grows out of an exhibit at the Grolier Club in New York, introduces the lives, sayings, and dreams of sixteen women over four centuries and chronicles their contributions to mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomy, computer science, and medicine. Sweeping and inspirational, this book should be read by all girls and young women who share curiosity about the world and the dream of making a difference.

tags:

Biographies & Memoirs > Professionals & Academics > Scientists

25. The Peace Tree from Hiroshima: The Little Bonsai with a Big Story

by: Sandra MooreKazumi Wilds
Release date: Jul 14, 2015
Number of Pages: 32
Find in Library
Read Review
**Winner of the 2015 Gelett Burgess Award for Best Intercultural Book**
**Winner of the 2015 Silver Evergreen Medal for World Peace**

This true children’s story is told by a little bonsai tree, called Miyajima, that lived with the same family in the Japanese city of Hiroshima for more than 300 years before being donated to the National Arboretum in Washington DC in 1976 as a gesture of friendship between America and Japan to celebrate the American Bicentennial.

From the Book:
“In 1625, when Japan was a land of samurai and castles, I was a tiny pine seedling. A man called Itaro Yamaki picked me from the forest where I grew and took me home with him. For more than three hundred years, generations of the Yamaki family trimmed and pruned me into a beautiful bonsai tree. In 1945, our household survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. In 1976, I was donated to the National Arboretum in Washington D.C., where I still live today—the oldest and perhaps the wisest tree in the bonsai museum.”

tags:

Children’s Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction

26. Who Was Clara Barton? (Who Was…?)

by: Stephanie SpinnerDavid Groff
Release date: Jul 24, 2014
Number of Pages: 112
Find in Library
Read Review
Clarissa “Clara” Barton was a shy girl who grew up to become a teacher, nurse, and humanitarian.  At a time when few women worked outside the home, she became the first woman to hold a government job, as a patent clerk in Washington, DC. In 1864, she was appointed “lady in charge” of the hospitals at the front lines of the Union Army, where she became known as the “Angel of the Battlefield.” Clara Barton built a career helping others.  She went on to found the American Red Cross, one of her greatest accomplishments, and one of the most recognized organizations in the world.
tags:

Children’s Books > History > United States > Civil War Era

27. Aliens, Dudes, and Redcoats

by: Mary Smigliani
Release date: Dec 30, 2014
Number of Pages: 162
Find in Library
Read Review

PJ is really looking forward to his birthday. His grandfather has promised to take him to opening day at the ballgame. So when his swim coach organizes a mandatory practice on the same day, PJ decides he’d rather quit the team.

At the same time, his new video game keeps turning on randomly and scrolling “One if by land, two if by sea,” across the screen—and it’s a game about robots, not the American Revolution.

Things get really weird when a freak storm transports PJ and his sister Sammy back in time to 1775 Boston. There they meet Copper, a colonial kid helping Paul Revere gather information on British troop movements. Copper’s convinced the strangely dressed time travelers are British spies. And just when it seems things can’t get any stranger, they encounter Pog, a kid alien desperate to save his abducted parents.

Now PJ and Sammy have to help their new friends while they evade Pog’s enemies and the Redcoats. If they’re going to succeed—and find their way home—PJ, Sammy, Pog, and Copper need to work as a team, even if PJ’s given up on teamwork.

tags:

Children’s Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > United States > Colonial

28. Frederick Douglass for Kids: His Life and Times, with 21 Activities (For Kids series)

by: Nancy I. Sanders
Release date: Jun 01, 2012
Number of Pages: 144
Find in Library
Read Review

Few Americans have had as much impact on this nation as Frederick Douglass. Born on a plantation, he later escaped slavery and helped others to freedom via the Underground Railroad. In time he became a bestselling author, an outspoken newspaper editor, a brilliant orator, a tireless abolitionist, and a brave civil rights leader. He was famous on both sides of the Atlantic in the years leading up to the Civil War, and when war broke out, Abraham Lincoln invited him to the White House for counsel and advice.

            Frederick Douglass for Kids follows the footsteps of a true hero, one of the leading African Americans of his day. And to better appreciate Douglass and his times, readers will:

·        form a debating club

·        create a sailor’s tarpaulin hat and cravat that Douglass wore during his escape

·        make a Civil War haversack

·        participate in a microlending program

and more

tags:

Children’s Books > History > United States > 1800s

29. National Geographic Kids Everything Volcanoes and Earthquakes: Earthshaking photos, facts, and fun!

by: Kathy Furgang
Release date: Oct 08, 2013
Number of Pages: 64
Find in Library
Read Review
National Geographic Kids Everything Volcanoes and Earthquakes explodes with incredible photos and amazing facts about the awesome powers of nature. You’ll find out that three-quarters of Earth’s volcanoes are underwater, that an earthquake in Chile shortened the day by 1.26 milliseconds, and much more. Bursting with fascinating information about the biggest volcanic eruptions and earth-shattering earthquakes, this book takes a fun approach to science, introducing kids to plate tectonics and the tumultuous forces brewing beneath the Earth’s surface. Filled with fabulous photos and peppered with great facts, this is a must-have for all young nature lovers, sure to satisfy kids’ curiosity about natural disasters and the powers of nature.
tags:

Children’s Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Nature > Earthquakes & Volcanoes

30. Women Making America

by: Heidi HemmingJulie Hemming Savage
Release date: Oct 31, 2014
Number of Pages: 379
Find in Library
Read Review
U.S. women’s history for everyone! Explore the history you never learned in school. Experience the everyday struggles, delights, and courage of America’s women from the Revolutionary War to the present in a format that all readers can enjoy. Dabble in history at a glance, or immerse yourself in comprehensive study. Read it for pleasure, or use it in the classroom. Historian Sally Roesch Wagner says, This is the book I’ve been waiting for. Full of rich and well-researched detail, it is a breathtaking swoop of everything from popular culture to suffrage, distilling complex material down to easy to understand information, and full of engagingly good anecdotes. The feel and taste and smell of the time come alive and the attention to accuracy is exemplary. Most importantly, it is not the typical narrow-focused history of white women of means, but the multifaceted story of the diversity of histories that speaks to all women of the United States. A joy to read!
tags:

Children’s Books

Best Selling Books for 12 year olds:

Recommended Books for 12 year olds:

Best Selling History Books for:

Recommended History Books for:

Last updated: Monday, December 5, 2016 9:23 AM