American history can be a tough sell. It’s yesterday’s news, people dressed in funny, old-fashioned clothes, a hodge-podge of dates, wars, and obsolete politics. Right? Not necessarily. It’s all in the presentation. Well-designed titles make it much easier to engage young people in the meaningful study of history. Many of the series reviewed here offer fresh, attractive takes on history that will draw in readers, all while maintaining the academic substance and quality educators expect.

Preschool to Grade 4

Gr 3-5 –With the use of an appealing scrapbook style format, this series pairs primary source documents with concise, accessible writing for a winning combination. Throughout each title, the narrative is threaded with diary and letter entries written by the person being featured. Quotations appear in a color that contrasts with the color of the main narrative, giving the quotations visual prominence. The quotes deal with major historical issues and every-day concerns. For instance, the volume about Abigail Adams features several quotes concerning the war and independence, as well as more domestic concerns such as the happiness felt by the family upon receiving letters from the long-absent John. Photographs, maps, drawings, and other ephemera are tinted in sepia, underscoring the archival tone of the books. Attractive and substantive.

Gr 3-5 –In this lively collection, pivotal historical periods are told in the words of young people who lived through them. Each book begins with a two-page introduction that places the diary and its author in a broader historical context. The youthful perspective is refreshing and, at times, unexpected. The bulk of the content is made up of the diary excerpts, while editorial sidebars expand on things mentioned in the diaries. For instance, Sally Wister mentions “Hessians” in a diary entry, while an adjacent sidebar explains who the Hessians were and what they did. The illustrations are made up of well-reproduced photographs, drawings, and maps. A useful and new take on history.

Gr 3-5 –A promising premise yields mixed results in this time-travel series. Without warning or explanation, 15-year-old Nickolas Flux is swept back in time to various pivotal moments in American history. Once on the scene, Nickolas learns about the specific situation at hand, such as the Boston Tea Party or the Battle of the Alamo. The illustrations suggest cartoon realism, while the panels are packed with action. A switch from full color to sepia tones help shift the reader from the present to the past and back again. However, the time-travel aspect comes across as contrived and artificial; Nickolas meets all the key players and asks all of the right questions from the get-go, and major historical figures such as Sam Adams have no problem revealing sensitive information to a teenager clad in blue jeans and a sweatshirt whom they have just met. Appropriate for educators seeking supplemental materials for reluctant readers.

Gr 2-4 –Written clearly and concisely, this series is similar in scope to Scholastic’s “True Books.” Each title is made up of short, two-page long chapters that contain a brief but substantive paragraph and a full-color, high-resolution photograph of people and places. Occasional “Fact” sidebars add an assortment of tangential information, such as “One President, Grover Cleveland, served two terms that were four years apart.” The writing style is straightforward and on target for young readers, while the design is done in an attractive stars and stripes theme. An ideal introduction to the ins and outs of the U.S. government.

Gr 3-5 –An attractive, organized, and informative series. Each title consists of two-to-four page chapters of concise, engaging text. The authors keep the information age appropriate without oversimplifying. Captioned illustrations mostly consist of archival and modern-day photographs, many of which show the monuments from a variety of perspectives—during construction, from above, inside, and outside. A period drawing, for instance, shows what the White House looked like following its destruction by the British in 1814. Real winners.

Gr 3-5 –According to the publisher’s website, this series “addresses reading achievement gaps between English Language Learners (ELLs) and non-ELLs.” In an effort to fulfill its mission, the series describes American history through various pieces of art, with one short paragraph and one illustration per page. However, details are spotty, and the quality of the illustrations is poor. For instance, in the book about the Capitol, a photo of a fancy door is said to have friezes depicting scenes of Columbus’s adventures on it, but this fact cannot be confirmed through the image. The illustrations are not captioned, nor are they credited. There are no chapter divisions, table of contents, or index. Not recommended.

Gr 3-5 –This series is perfect. Not only does each title explain clearly and concisely a specific crisis in American history, but it also details how each was resolved and how it impacted people and places for generations to come. In the Johnstown Flood title, for instance, the author explains how the social hierarchy and industrial importance of Johnstown influenced how the 1889 disaster was remedied. In addition, the author links those issues to future Johnstown floods and the 2005 flooding of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Colorful time lines and sidebars are used throughout each title and complement the accompanying text. Quotes from eyewitnesses are used liberally and add drama and immediacy to the narrative. At least one illustration appears on every page. Most of the images consist of archival photographs, all of which complement the text. A bonus is that new or challenging words are defined on the page as well as in the glossary.

Grades 5 & Up

Gr 4-6 –The authors distill history down to its essentials, explaining the key players, events, causes, and effects in a way that is accessible to young students. Sidebars highlight key people, places, movements, and primary source documents. The primary source documents are accompanied by questions that prompt students to think in greater depth (“Read this excerpt closely. How would you change it for a different audience, such as your parents or younger friends?”). Each chapter ends with “Further Evidence,” a sidebar that provides discussion questions and a publisher affiliated web address for more research, and the well-curated illustrations consist of archival photographs, drawings, and maps. A solid series.

Gr 6-8 –Each volume in this series begins with a two or three page introduction that sets the scene by describing in brief the conflict or war at large and how the titular turning points played into that. The content is organized carefully into blocks. The same layout is used in each chapter, with liberal use of sidebars to round out the books. The progression of each military campaign is explained in a logical, straightforward way, and the politics and key figures behind each campaign are integrated seamlessly into the text. Illustrations are captioned clearly and consist of a well-curated selection of archival photos, drawings, and maps.

The best of these series possess one or more qualities emphasized in Common Core, traits that keep learning fresh and relevant. “What Went Wrong” encourages critical thinking by comparing and contrasting the lessons learned from past disasters. “First Person Histories,” “The Story of the United States,” and “Eyewitness to History” integrate riveting first-person accounts to make their subjects immediate and personal, while “Our Government” and “United States Landmarks” use stellar illustrations and clear writing to make content attractive and accessible. History is alive and well in these books.