United States

American History for Young Catholics, Grade 1

Book cover: 'American History for Young Catholics, Grade 1'
American History for Young Catholics includes 18 short stories, offering a gentle introduction to American History. Not longer than two pages each, each interesting selection takes less than five minutes to read aloud. The stories include famous American heroes; such as George Washington and Daniel Boone; American Saints, such as Kateri Tekawitha and St. Frances Cabrini; and interesting facts about American history, such as famous inventions and the Panama Canal. The selections are short, but substantive.

American History, Grade 5

Author(s): 
Rt. Rev. Msgr. Edmund J. Goebel
Sister Mary Richardine
John E. O'Laughlin
There is no shortage of reprinted United States for elementary Catholic students, but this one designed for fifth grade offers a unique perspective. The student's text is an overview of American history from the discovery period through to 1963, with the final chapters on the history of machines and transportation and the Constitution.

Winter Danger

Author(s): 
William O. Steele
This is a somewhat unusual, but highly rewarding story of a half-wild woodsman (who "lived by the woods. He had no trade, he couldn't farm a lick or keep a store or run a tavern. All he knew to do was follow the bear and deer through the woods and sleep in caves and hollow trees.") and his eleven year old son Caje. Caje and his father travel through the wilderness - living off the land and escaping from unfriendly Indians. Although Caje would love to settle down in a real house among civilized people, his father is happier in the woods and frets about being "beholden to others".

The Outlaws of Ravenhurst

Book cover: 'The Outlaws of Ravenhurst'
Author(s): 
Sr. M. Imelda Wallace, S.L.
This is a lovely and engaging story set in early 17th Century Scotland and Colonial America. A mysterious "gray-cloaked" stranger leaves a toddler to be found by a passing priest. A young boy notices that he looks surprisingly unlike his "twin." It is a story of a boy being suddenly thrust into great challenges to faith and life. Secret passages, mysteriously changing identities and subtleties of who you can trust surround a story that stirs the blood to stand up for the faith - inspired by true stories of long ago.

The Educated Child

Book cover: The Educated Child
Author(s): 
William J. Bennett
Chester E. Finn
John T.E. Cribb

This book is designed to assist parents in choosing and judging good schools and how well their children are doing there. Brief "scope and sequence" lists (based on the Core Knowledge Curriculum) and some suggested resources are included. Although it is not specifically aimed at homeschoolers, homeschoolers are favorably addressed in several portions and will find much useful advice and ideas in the book.

Thomas A. Edison: Young Inventor

Book cover: Thomas A. Edison: Young Inventor
Author(s): 
Sue Guthridge
Illustrator(s): 
Wallace Wood

This is a fascinating and often humorous story of one of the most renowned inventors of all time. As a boy, Edison was fascinated by the world around him and full of questions about everything. Although he had many mentors as a boy, his first grade teacher reacted so negatively to his natural curiosity that his mother took him out of school and taught him at home. His adventures involving chemistry, trains and printing newspapers make for enjoyable and interesting reading.

The Journal of Ben Uchida

Book cover: 'The Journal of Ben Uchida'
Author(s): 
Barry Denenberg
This is a fictitious diary of a 12 year old boy in a Japanese internment camp in California during World War II. (The diary covers the bombing of Pearl Harbor - Dec. 7 1941 thru parts of 1943). The diary is based on letters from Internment camp survivors and other actual events from the time period.

The story helps the reader to understand certain truths about the camps and the consequences of having such camps;

Pages