Cultural Anthropology

Bannon, K. T. (2002). Yonder Mountain: A Cherokee legend. Tarrytown, NY:

Marshall Cavendish.

            An ancient Cherokee folktale that tells the story of an aging chief and the three young men competing to be his successor. (3^rd – 5^th grades) [I, III, IV]

Elya, S. E. (2002). Home at last. New York: Lee and Low Books.

            The story of a family that must adjust to a new life of relocation from Mexico to the United States. (1^st – 2^nd grades) [I, IV, III]

Mitchell, B. (2003). Down Buttermilk Lane. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.

            The story of an Amish family as they go through their typical daily events. {3^rd – 4^th grades) [I, IV, II]

Rylant, C. (1982). When I was young in the mountains. New York: E. P. Dutton.

            The story of an Appalachian childhood which evokes a love of a place, a family, and a way of life. (2^nd – 3^rd grades) [I, II, III, IV]

Yashima, T. (1976). Crow boy. New York: Puffin Books.

            The heart-wrenching tale of a young boy in a Japanese village who is misunderstood by peers until it becomes apparent that children of all cultures really are similar. (3^rd – 5^th grades) [I, IV, V]

History

Hopkinson, D. (1995). Sweet Clara and the freedom quilt. New York: Alfred Knopf.

            A delightful, historical tale of an African-American slave that creates a map of the land on a quilt to help find the Underground Railroad. (3^rd – 4^th grade) [II, III, VII]

Kay, V. (1999). Gold fever. New York: Puffin Books.

            The story of a man’s many misadventures during the 1849 California gold rush. (3^rd – 4^th grades) [II, VII, III]

Polacco, P. (1994). Pink and Say. New York: Philomel Books.

            The delightful true story of an unlikely Civil Wartime friendship between a young white Union soldier and a young black Union soldier. (4^th grade) [II, IV, V]

Wilder, L. I. (1953). Little house on the prairie. New York: Harper and Row.

            The Little house book tells us the story of the INgalls family from the Big Woods to the prairie. (3^rd – 5^th grades) [II, III, IV]

Winter, J. (1992). Follow the drinking gourd. New York: Alfred Knopf.

            The historical account of how Peg-Leg-Joe teaches a family of slaves a song about a drinking gourd (the big dipper) to help them travel along the Underground Railroad. (3^rd – 4^th grades) [II, III, VII]

Geography

Chesanow, N. (1995). Where do I live? New York: Scholastic.

            A delightful book that teaches the reader where they live in accordance with their home, city, state, country, and planet. (2^nd – 3^rd) [III, V, IV]

MachLachlan, P. (1985). Sarah, plain and tall. New York: HarperCollins.

            The story of a mail-order bride from Maine who becomes the wife of a midwestern farmer. (3^rd – 5^th) [III, I, V]

Priceman, M. (1994). How to make an apple pie and see the world. New York: Alfred

Knopf.

            The story of a little girl who gathers the ingredients necessary to make an apple pie from all over the world. (2^nd – 3^rd grades) [III, V, VII]

Riehle, M. M. (2004). M is for Mountain State: A West Virginia alphabet. Chelsea,

MN. Sleeping Bear Press.

            The delightful book shares historical and geographical facts about West Virginia. (2^nd – 3^rd grades) [III, II, I]

Sweeney, J. (1996). Me on the map. New York: Crown Publishers.

            A young girl shows how to read various maps including a map of her room, a map of her street, a map of her town, and even a map of the world.  She demonstrates how readers can find their own places on a map. (2^nd – 3^rd grades) [III, IV, V]

Sociology

Creech, S. (1994). Walk two moons. New York: HarperCollins.

            The life of a young teenager and her grandparents as they travel in search of another family member.  Along the way they discover more about their relationships with one another. (5^th grade) [V, III, IV]

Fleishman, S. (1986). The whipping boy. New York: HarperCollins.

            A story of a young prince and his whipping boy and how their two worlds aren’t so different after all. (3^rd – 5^th grades) [V, IV, I]        

Frank, A. (1993). Anne Frank: The diary of a young girl. New York: Bantam

Doubleday Publishers.

            The diary of a young girl living in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam explores her relationships with others. (4^th – 5^th grade) [V, III, II]

Hendershot, J. (1987). In coal country. New York: Alfred Knopf.

            The life of a miner’s family is vividly seen through the eyes of his daughter. (3^rd – 4^th grades) [V, I, III]

Warner, G. C. (1977). The boxcar children. Toronto: Albert Whitman.

            The delightful story of four young children living in a boxcar who must make it on their own as a family. (2^nd – 4^th grades) [V, I, VII]

Political Science

Christelow, E. (2003). Vote. New York: Clarion Books.

            The wonderful book features information about voting rights, voting processes, questions and answers about registration, and recounting ballots. (2^nd – 3^rd grades) [VI, X, II]

Granfield, L. (2003). America votes: How our President is elected. Toronto: Kids Can

Press.

            An overview of Presidential elections, historical elections, political parties, and more. (4^th and 5^th grades) [VI, X, II]           

Grodin, E. (2004). D is for democracy: A citizen’s alphabet. Chelsea, MN. Sleeping

Bear Press.

            This book shares informative facts about political processes, parties, and people. (2^nd – 3^rd grades) [VI, X, V]

Sobel, S. A. (1999). How the U.S. government works. New York: Barron’s

Educational Series.   

            A description of the three branches of the federal government and how they work together. (4^th – 5^th grades) [VI, X, II]

St. George, J. (2000). So you want to be President? New York: Philomel Books.

            The interesting book introduces readers to the various types of Presidents that have held office. (2^nd – 4^th grade) [VI, X, II]

Economics

Castenada, O.S. (1993). Abuela’s weave. New York: Lee and Low Books.

            This delightful story is about a young girl and her grandmother that weave some special creations and take them to the market to sell. (3^rd – 4^th grades) [VII, IV, III]

Hall, D. (1997). The ox-cart man. New York: Scholastic.

            The story of a family who works all winter, spring, and summer to sell items at the market. (2^nd – 3^rd grades) [VII, II, V]

Martin, C.E. (1986). For rent. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Island children spruce up a little shed and turn it into rental property, in this book. Along the way they learn that it is hard to be a landlord. (2^nd – 4^th grade) [VII, III, V]

Slawson, M.B. (1994). Apple picking time. New York: Crown Publishers

            A young girl spends her day picking apples with her family and others to help bring in the autumn harvest. (3^rd grade) [VII, III, I]

Wilder, L. I. (1932) Going to town. New York: HarperCollins.

Adapted from Little House in the Big Woods, this story follows Laura and her family as they make their first trip from their Wisconsin home to the town general store. (2^nd – 3^rd grades) [VII, II, IV]