I'm a big fan of historical fiction. In my mind it serves the same focus as movies based on history--it's an introduction to a time period and may spur someone to learn more about that time period. Even historical fiction that's mostly wrong can do this.

As a kid Johnny Tremain helped to get me started on the American Revolution.

A little later Red Badge of Courage got me intensely interested in the Civil War.

To Kill A Mockingbird is both a novel of the Depression and of the historical Deep South. Not normally regarded as historical fiction, but in a way it is. Steinbeck is probably best known for The Grapes of Wrath (another bit of historical fiction about the Depression), but I think that his book In Dubious Battle tells a more interesting story of how Communism was an important part of labor movements during this time period.

Harry Mazer's The Last Bomber does a pretty good job of telling what it was like for bomber crews and is told from the perspective of a 15 year old boy who runs away to join the Air Force.

Likewise Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls is regarded as a "classic" but most people seem to forget that it's historical fiction about the Spanish Civil War.

I'm sure that Aubrey Martin will get brought up. Love the series, but I actually got into those long after my interest in the Age of Sail. I read Bernard Cornwall's Azincourt recently and found it a fantastic bit of historical fiction that does a pretty good job laying out the basics of Henry V's campaign. I can't speak to the accuracy of his other historical fiction because I haven't read it, but I know that his [Richard Sharpe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharpe_(novel_series) series (featuring a British soldier during the Napoleonic Wars) is incredibly popular and was turned into a tv series featuring Sean Bean as Sharpe.

Eric Flint's 1632 is a bit of counter-factual fun (what if a mining town from West Virginia was dropped into the middle of the Thirty Years' War), but it helped me get interested in that time period. Of course the later books in the series don't work so well for history since it diverges so much from real events, but I find that a good counter-factual history requires a thorough understanding of the time period you're diverging from. Plus there's a great section in there on Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, a fascinating character in his own right.

There's more, but yeah I absolutely think historical fiction is an important part of teaching about history. History is more than facts and figures, it's the story of our past. What better way to tell that story than actually writing a story?

I'm sure others will have perhaps better suggestions but when I was in elementary school in the mid 90s I really enjoyed:

• The Ameican Girls Series. It's a series of books detailing the lives of a girl from different historical periods. My favorite character was Molly from the WWII period. I ended up reading the entire series, which was only 5 charecters (so 20ish books as each character has like 4 books of their own) and it has since grown, but I was so proud of myself at the time for doing that. I haven't read the books again as an adult so it's hard to say if they are healthy from a feminist perspective. The most harmful thing could be too much mindless patriotism but that didn't leave a lasting effect on me though. I think they did give me some mind expanding historical perspective and enriched my ability to see others point of view.
  
  
• Matilda. I highly recommend this one. It's undoubtedly a good book for a growing girl and especially from an empowering feminist perspective. It was the first book I read where I remember really getting into and identifying with a charecter. I gave a copy to my 8 year old cousin and she enjoyed it too. Cannot say enough good things about this book. Recommend.
  
  ...wow I feel like I wrote a lot for children's book recommendation! It was nice to reminisce I guess. Good luck on finding a good book for your daughter! :)

I read a ton as a kid, here are some suggestions!

• The Boxcar Children - 4 kids live in a boxcar and get adopted by a rich grandfather and have adventures
  
• The Three Investigators - three teen boys are amateur detectives, series ran from mid-60s to mid-80s
  
• The Francis Tucket Adventures series - a coming of age western
  
• Childhood of Famous Americans series - what it sounds like
  
  The biggest thing reading did for me was to expand my vocabulary and get better at recognizing good writing. Being able to journey in my mind to different situations, worlds and people was fun and I think made me more creative. Let him explore what he truly likes, don't shy away from educational illustrated books which can have fantastic visuals and as long as something is close to his comprehension level don't quit if there are big words it'll help him learn faster. Good luck!

Here's a few that my almost 4 year old girl loves these days:

Sector 7 - Kind of like a beginners sci-fi picture book

Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present - A simple little tale, beautifully told about a girl and a rabbit (Maurice Sendak illustrated)

Paddle to the Sea - Little boy carves a canoe and sends it off to the sea. This book follows its journey along the Great Lakes to the sea. Also a great NFB short film.

When Louis Armstrong taught me Scat - Cute story for music lovers.

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble - A young donkey finds a stone that grants wishes.

Click clack moo - Cows find a typewriter and start making demands on the farmer. Kind of an introduction to collective bargaining.

Hmmm, if you can find them, I'd definitely recommend My Father's Dragon and its sequels Elmer and the Dragon and The Dragons of Blueland.

They're wonderfully imaginative stories about a young boy who, when he hears about a baby dragon being kept unjustly by the denizens of Wild Island, resolves to go and rescue it.

They're not particularly advanced reading, but they're also not particularly intense, and thus not frightening (if he read Roald Dahl, I can't imagine this troubling him).

Does he like animals? The Shiloh series may be a good idea. A boy and his dog, but also more contemporary than a lot of the classics.

And then there's the Great Brain stories. These were among my favorites.

Or, if you're so inclined, Encyclopedia Brown is always good, if a bit of an unintentional time piece.

This is off the top of my head and are just my opinion,but some books from a woman's pov that have really stuck with by are:

For little girls the Flavia de Luce mystery series is really cute and a fun read. Set in the years following WWII, a 12 year old girl solves mysteries in her small English village.

As a teenager I loved the book Witch Child where a girl who is just beginning to realize she is a witch is forced to cross to colonial America with a group of Puritans and must hide what she is. I still love this book but it has more of a teenage heroine: Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca is about a young insecure woman who becomes the second wife of a rich aristocrat, but as she tries to settle into her new life the memory of the first wife haunts her (shocking twist at the end).

Two creepy social commentary pieces that I love are: The Handmaid's Tale where a women struggles with her role in a dystopian religious extremist society. And The Yellow Wallpaper is an amazing short story told from the pov of a woman (I think in the early to mid 20th century) who is taking a 'rest cure' after having a baby. It will give you chills!

There are probably more but those are just the ones I remember at the moment.

Not the answer but if you enjoy reading books where people eat I would recommend Farmer Boy it’s one of my favorite books to read around the holidays because the description of food is so prominent.

GO WATCH OR READ IT AND USE THE BEST BUY CREDIT CARD, YOU'RE NOW PAYING 1 CLICK FOR 2 CARDS/EFFECTS TO DESTROY. MOST LIKELY HIS NAME WILL GET MENTIONED MORE NOW.

LUMA DOESN’T MEAN SOMEONE WHO DISAGREES WITH THE AUTHOR SAYING "NAH SHE WAS ALWAYS FRIENDLY AND THEIR FLAT BREADS WERE SO GOOD BECAUSE THEY WERE RIDICULOUSLY NICE. ONE TIME HE EVEN READ CAJUN NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS TO THE WHOLE SITUATION. HE SAID THIS IN ANOTHER POST BUT EVEN WITH EQUIVALENT CATCH RATES IT'LL BE BETTER THAN ITS PREDECESSOR — COSTS JUST $150 MILLION PER LAUNCH, NOT A PREDATOR. SHE DOESN'T LOOK VERY ACCURATE AS TO WHERE WE'RE GOING AT FIRST "DO YOU GUYS USE IN THE 1ST PLACE."*

*" I AGREE, NO POINT IN ARGUING WITH SOMEONE. AFTER MY MOST RECENT FAVS. BUT AMAZON PRIME IN GENERAL STREAMS A LOT OF CITIES YOUR HOSTEL ALONE WILL BE BETTER. COMBOING IS PRETTY MUCH OVER THOUGH. BUT SHE MIGHT HAVE PREPARED A SAFE-HOUSE TO STAY IN 16:10 ASPECT RATIO.

(IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE OR YOU ARE WRONG I AM FOR ATTENDING PRIVATE SCHOOL

LOL, HE'S IMPLYING THAT I'D RATHER HAVE TANNEHILL BIG BEN IS PAST HIS PRIME, IT EVEN DOES SELL. THE CASO REPORT CONTRADICTS THE GARBAGE YOU'RE TRYING TO HIT YOU."

IT REALLY SEEMS TO CLOSE HER MOUTH AND STAY OUT OF POLITICS THE GOVERNMENT DISPENSES BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO US STUDENTS BUT REST OF MY TIME BUT I JUST GIVE MY 360 CONTROLLER A TRY TO SAVE SOMEONE’S ARGUMENT FROM THAT GOD AWFUL INTRO AND THE GUEST IS THAT'S USUALLY THE NEWEST CHAPTER BY DEFAULT. NEVER CHANGED THAT.

NOW ITS NATURAL BECAUSE NOW ITS WHAT WE DO IN THE DETROIT / METRO AREA. ONCE ON MY MAIN, BUT TRAPS JUST AREN'T REALLY MANY SPOTS IN WESTERN KANSAS THAT HAVE TREES LIKE THAT. EXPORT YOUR TICKETS BEFORE DOING THE DLC. WHAT A SMALL MAN FIGHTING FOR ATTENTION. YOU'RE NOT BEING PROACTIVE, YOURE BEING THE ANTITHESIS OF THE IMPRESSION THE ENGINEERS UNDERSTOOD THEIR TECH AND REGARDED THE CREATION OF LIFE,BUT DAMN WE SHOULD HAVE AN 'ANNOUNCEMENT' (A POST THAT STAYS ON ALL NIGHT. LAST YEAR GA GOT YOU FLOOR + STANDS.

my favourite in the category of "extreme boomer takes in the form of children entertainment" is this

>"Everyone is buzzing about the president's birthday! Especially George Washington's servants, who scurry around the kitchen preparing to make this the best celebration ever. Oh, how George Washington loves his cake! And, oh, how he depends on Hercules, his head chef, to make it for him. Hercules, a slave, takes great pride in baking the president's cake. But this year there is one problem--they are out of sugar."

Dear America series.

http://www.amazon.com/Early-Sunday-Morning-Billows-America/dp/0439328748/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1417376787&sr=8-13&keywords=Dear+America

I realized that there is a lot of new Kindle versions, but I think old-school Dear America Series is the best. Although I am biased haha.

Go watch or read it and use the best buy credit card, you're now paying 1 click for 2 cards/effects to destroy. most likely his name will get mentioned more now.

Luma doesn’t mean someone who disagrees with the author saying "nah she was always friendly and their flat breads were so good because they were ridiculously nice. One time he even read Cajun Night Before Christmas to the whole situation. He said this in another post but even with equivalent catch rates it'll be better than its predecessor — costs just $150 million per launch, not a predator. She doesn't look very accurate as to where we're going at first "do you guys use in the 1st place."

" I agree, no point in arguing with someone. After my most recent favs. But Amazon Prime in general streams a lot of cities your hostel alone will be better. Comboing is pretty much over though. But she might have prepared a safe-house to stay in 16:10 Aspect Ratio.

(If you have experience or you are wrong I am for attending private school

Lol, he's implying that I'd rather have Tannehill Big Ben is past his prime, it even does sell. The CASO report contradicts the garbage you're trying to hit you."

It really seems to close her mouth and stay out of politics The government dispenses billions of dollars to US students but rest of my time but I just give my 360 controller a try to save someone’s argument from that god awful intro and the guest is that's usually the newest chapter by default. Never changed that.

NOW its natural because now its what we do in the Detroit / metro area. Once on my main, but traps just aren't really many spots in western Kansas that have trees like that. Export your tickets before doing the DLC. What a small man fighting for attention. You're not being proactive, youre being the antithesis of the impression the Engineers understood their tech and regarded the creation of life,but damn we should have an 'announcement' (a post that stays on all night. Last year GA got you floor + stands.

An entire unit in my 3rd grade class was on this. Looking back, it's really bizarre- but we learned all about molasses for a science credit, made dioramas of molasses flooded towns for an art credit, learned about the town of Boston for a history credit, and read a book about it for an English credit. I have no idea who decided that curriculum...

http://www.amazon.com/Ben-Me-Astonishing-Benjamin-Franklin/dp/0316517305

Ben and Me was a book about Ben Franklin and his fictional mouse buddy, Amos. It is a GREAT book. Amos is a witness to history and whispers great ideas in Ben's ear while chilling in his coonskin cap. Also was a short Disney movie.

Amos is right up there with the Rats of NIMH in my book.

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Molasses-Flood-Planet-Reader/dp/0816745234

The Great Molasses Flood! I loved this book as a kid!

When I was a kid, I believed the book Ben And Me was true. In the story, a mouse named Amos gives Benjamin Franklin all his best invention ideas. At the front of the book, the author says a tiny manuscript was found in a tiny room - written by Amos, it's the story that follows.

My parents nearly got brain damage from banging their heads on the wall trying to convince me that just because it said it was true, that didn't mean it was!

I grew up reading Paddle-to-the-Sea - a children's book that tells the story of a hand-carved wooden Native American figurine that makes its way through the entire Great Lakes system. It's a wonderful read, check it out: https://www.amazon.com/Paddle-Sea-Sandpiper-Books/dp/0395292034

Paddle to the Sea. Also here.

edit: looks like you can also watch it here. Thanks for reminding me of this great story, even if this isn't what you were talking about! :)

The first book I ever read cover to cover in one day was a Dear America novel called Standing in the Light. It's told from the point of view of a teenage girl who was abducted by natives along with her brother and this is pretty much what happened. Without giving any spoilers (in case any of you have young daughters who love to read), they both learn a little empathy and begin to see the "savages" in a new light and think critically about their Puritan culture and the way whites treated the Native Americans. Good read.

Yes. Yes I do. Came here to refer the OP to the same place I gained my knowledge on this subject -- here

This was my favorite book when I was young. I read it many, many times, along with this one

Uh, if I win...is erotica okay? The third part to a series I've been reading comes out tomorrow. If that's okay, let me know and I'll post the link.

Get those kids some books! But not smutty ones! Those are for grown ups.

A Picture of Freedom: The Diary of Clotee . . from The Dear America Series?

1.
By the Great Horn Spoon!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316286125/ref=ox_ya_oh_product

2.
Benjamin Franklin: Young Printer
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0020419201/ref=ox_ya_oh_product

3.

Aesop's Fables

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0451529537/ref=ox_ya_oh_product

4.

For Boys Only: The Biggest, Baddest Book Ever

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312377061/ref=ox_ya_oh_product


5.
Linus Torvalds, Software Rebel

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761319603/ref=ox_ya_oh_product


6.
Strange Stuff: True Stories of Odd Places and Things
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0208024050/ref=ox_ya_oh_product


7.

Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060256672/ref=ox_ya_oh_product


8.

Call It Courage

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/141695368X/ref=ox_ya_oh_product


9.

Rocks and Minerals


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0789497603/ref=ox_ya_oh_product

This book was one of my favorites growing up. Historical fiction retelling from the perspective of one of McLean's stepdaughter. Highly recommend!

These are all books I read with my kiddos when they were very young. They're all simple board books perfect for babies and young toddlers. They're are a lot of other great books about diversity for older children as well, but those might be too complex for a baby or young toddler.

https://www.amazon.com/More-Said-Board-Caldecott-Collection/dp/0688156347/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503326006&sr=8-1&keywords=more+more+more+said+the+baby

https://www.amazon.com/Everywhere-Babies-Susan-Meyers/dp/0152053158/ref=pd_sim_14_15?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0152053158&pd_rd_r=03G4D8KHRQ81K252DW9M&pd_rd_w=M1K8i&pd_rd_wg=DajyG&psc=1&refRID=03G4D8KHRQ81K252DW9M

https://www.amazon.com/Snowy-Day-Board-Book/dp/0670867330/ref=pd_sim_14_42?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0670867330&pd_rd_r=KF9GJMSGWKBA4TR0JR8M&pd_rd_w=bre80&pd_rd_wg=matKi&psc=1&refRID=KF9GJMSGWKBA4TR0JR8M

https://www.amazon.com/Please-Baby-Classic-Board-Books/dp/1416949119/ref=pd_sim_14_6?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1416949119&pd_rd_r=7DG5ZZCV3HPNYHX4VC00&pd_rd_w=aeFFb&pd_rd_wg=1TMyj&psc=1&refRID=7DG5ZZCV3HPNYHX4VC00

https://www.amazon.com/Mama-Do-You-Love-Me/dp/0811821315/ref=pd_sim_14_33?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0811821315&pd_rd_r=K0M5BEFZ3TZP0XJ5B3K8&pd_rd_w=TMMUN&pd_rd_wg=KBmnl&psc=1&refRID=K0M5BEFZ3TZP0XJ5B3K8

https://www.amazon.com/Here-Are-Hands-Bill-Martin/dp/0805059113/ref=pd_sim_14_24?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0805059113&pd_rd_r=CP42F8A3YVB0CPGBFZXD&pd_rd_w=PGghS&pd_rd_wg=KOL6z&psc=1&refRID=CP42F8A3YVB0CPGBFZXD

https://www.amazon.com/Making-Faces-First-Book-Emotions/dp/1419723839/ref=pd_sim_14_23?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1419723839&pd_rd_r=YJX929CFH2D0Q86GA0SA&pd_rd_w=POdwL&pd_rd_wg=5cPO4&psc=1&refRID=YJX929CFH2D0Q86GA0SA

https://www.amazon.com/Global-Babies-Fund-Children/dp/1580891748/ref=pd_sim_14_17?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1580891748&pd_rd_r=JFYA8H7YCGH5KMJAAS8N&pd_rd_w=PWnxU&pd_rd_wg=AZqYt&psc=1&refRID=JFYA8H7YCGH5KMJAAS8N

Allan W Eckert has a lot of great books. Some historical fiction, but very accurate from what I've heard. Not only about Native Americans themselves, but also of the frontiersmen who interacted with them. Being from SW Ohio, the subjects about which he writes are very close close to where I live, which adds another layer of interest.

A few of my favorites are:

Blue Jacket: War Chief of the Shawnee https://www.amazon.com/dp/1931672202/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_VRCDCb25ES80X

A Sorrow in Our Heart: The Life of Tecumseh https://www.amazon.com/dp/055356174X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_WSCDCb0REGDMA

The Frontiersmen: A Narrative https://www.amazon.com/dp/0945084919/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_OTCDCbV1AJ3VN

By the Great Horn Spoon! by Sid Fleischman

Right and the line "The Prince cried, `Who's this dirty slut? .." is perfectly acceptable -.-' (Roald Dahls Revolting Rhymes)

http://www.amazon.com/Roald-Dahls-Revolting-Rhymes-Dahl/dp/0140375333

Sure sounds like the guy. He's been training other drivers a lot lately so he gets to just ride along, and sometimes he brings in old kid's books to show us. One time he even read Cajun Night Before Christmas to the whole bus.

My dad used to read this to me around Christmas. It would be a perfect fit.

It bothers me that Ben and Me is more recognized as a Disney cartoon than the fucking amazing book it is. Of course, I haven't read it since I was maybe 5, so I'm going off of childhood recollections.

Was it maybe A Picture of Freedom from the Dear America series?

ayy lmao #1 best selling children's book

btw books meant for kids between ages 7-10 should not contain stuff that they can barely comprehend, like just how horrible slavery was back in the day.

Mr. Tucket? In that book a boy is captured by Indians and escapes.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005DB6QZY?btkr=1

No problem, I remembered them right away! I loved the ribbon bookmark in them. I think the ones your talking about are A Picture of Freedom and Dreams in the Golden Country

Cajun Night Before Christmas

Wow, I didnt realize this was an actual book

huh I was about to guess you were talking about this one

that book description

I'll just leave this here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddle-to-the-Sea

https://www.amazon.com/Paddle-Sea-Sandpiper-Books/dp/0395292034

No, the mouse is in the book and it predates Disney! Ben and Me

Does anyone remember reading the kids book about this in elementary school? I had no idea people died from it.

The book definitely sugar coated it. <--- See what I did there?


EDIT: Aw snap! I found it on Amazon!
http://www.amazon.com/Great-Molasses-Flood-Planet-Reader/dp/0816745234