History Books for Kids  

When History Comes to Life

While summer equals fun here in our household, we like to sneak in some educational materials, too. Before you (or your kids) start groaning, rest assured kids will never realize these books’ educational value. Each collection offers tales packed with adventure, great escapes, and much more to hold kids’ attention and keep them coming back for more.

Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: These graphic novels highlight different major historical events. Each selection in the series covers one topic, like the Revolutionary War or The Louisiana Purchase. Told from the perspective of one Nathan Hale (and written by a descendant of the same name) along with two other repeat characters, kids will love the thrills and chills contained in these pages. Get the regular version or go big with the giant edition. 

I Survived: Each of these books covers a major catastrophe, from natural disasters like floods to the sinking of the Titanic. Told from the perspective of a kid who lived through the event, these quick reads capture kids’ attention and indulge their love of adventure, all based on actual historical events.

Great Battles for Boys: Despite the title, anyone of any gender can enjoy these tales written especially for kids. Explore topics from ancient times to the big world wars with frequent illustrations and lots of short chapters. Explore big battles or learn something completely new thanks to these historical adventures.

Oregon Trail Choose Your Own Adventure: Did you love the computer game as a kid? Get all the fun with none of the screen time thanks to these books. Read them over and over again until you survive the hazards of pioneer life and cross country travel. Unlike traditional books, these pages require kids to skip around based on their choices at the end of each chapter. Read all four and see if you can survive to reach the Pacific Ocean.

World War II Visual Encyclopedia: If your child craves the nitty gritty info on everything from World War II, this book has the answers. From types of weapons to military strategy to the biggest names in battle, this book has it all. Find information easily thanks to the organized sections dealing with different topics. Or pick a page at random to learn even more about any one of the many topics covered. Each page comes packed with illustrations to complete the experience.