Name: Spreading the Feast Gathering
Start: 2025-07-11T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-07-12T23:59:59-05:00
Location: LaGrange, KY

Tagged: modern american history

This topic has 4 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 2 months ago by Amy.

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

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March 19, 2016 at 10:28 pm
Amy
Participant
Hi, I am planning next year’s American History selections, and I am having trouble deciding on books for my dd10’s independent reading. She has always been a little behind on her reading level due to some dyslexia problems. I would say she is at about a third or fourth grade level at this point. She is reading the American Girl series right now, which I feel like is borderline twaddle, but it is getting her excited about reading, so I am excited too!! You don’t know how much I love it when I see her curled up on the couch with a book! I had despaired of ever seeing that!
We used the Beautiful Feet Early American this year, and I have been using both the elementary and intermediate levels of the BF because she just couldn’t read some of the longer books in the intermediate. We also did some picture books for her little brother, and she LOVES craft books. So I will definitely try to find some good ones for the subjects we will be covering.
But…. almost all of the BF books for Modern American History are probably above her level, and I can’t read everything out loud! lol I think this coming year I am going to use a combination of SCM Modern History Module and Truthquest. So I would like your recommendations on some independent reading books for the Modern America period from the pioneers, Civil War, building of America, etc. that will help ignite a love for reading.
Thanks! I just found this forum and I have learned so much just reading old posts!! 🙂

March 20, 2016 at 7:35 am
Melanie32
Participant
Hi and welcome! My daughter enjoyed many of the American Girl books. I really don’t think they are complete twaddle. Some are better than others. 🙂
I can think of several lovely historical fiction books from that time period.
The Little House on the Prairie series
Amos Fortune: Free Man
Bound For Oregon
The Sign of the Beaver
The Matchlock Gun
The Courage of Sarah Noble
Sarah Plain and Tall
The Cabin Faced West
Abraham Lincoln and Buffalo Bill are two biographies by the D’Aulaire’s that are at about a 3rd grade level. They are wonderful!
Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalken (artist biography)
March 20, 2016 at 9:50 pm
mommamartha
Participant
A few books we have fallen upon are Old Yeller and it’s sequel, Savage Sam. In both books there is a lot of emotion, but my 4 kids loved them as a read a loud. We just watched the old Yeller movie and it follows the book nicely. I feel they are a good portrayal of life in America then. My kids have begged me to try and find others by the same author, they loved them so much.
Also, our 10 yr. old daughter loves the Marguerite Henry collection. Her dad reads them to her for her bedtime selection ,especially Justin Morgan had a horse. We loved her audios too. Also, sometimes after a book is finished they ask if they can listen to it on audio.
I was raised on a farm and some of these tales with animals are written so realistically, that it gives you that perspective. ie: the deep love for animals and the friendships that result
Hope this helps. Martha
March 21, 2016 at 10:08 pm
Wings2fly
Participant
There are several good level 4 readers like Step Into Reading if she would want to read those. The Wright Brothers and their Sister. We all enjoyed Twenty and Ten about WWII. Would she like some of the Childhood of Famous Americans series of biographies?
March 22, 2016 at 10:51 am
Amy
Participant
Thank you so much, everyone! This will definitely give me a starting point!