📖 Two Miserable Presidents: The Amazing, Terrible, and Totally True Story of the Civil War by Steve Sheinkin. Perfect for kids who enjoy a little humor with their history, Sheinkin's Two Miserable Presidents offers a comprehensive and engaging account of the Civil War Era. – Elementary • Middle

📖 Thunder at Gettysburg by Patricia Lee Gauch. This short, easy reader chapter book gives an engaging account of the Battle of Gettysburg, as seen through the eyes of young Tillie—the book is based on the autobiography of Gettysburg resident Tillie Pierce Alleman. The Author's Note explains the historical importance of the battle. – Elementary

📖 Bull Run by Paul Fleischman. Fleischman’s fictionalized account of the Battle of Bull Run absolutely deserves to be included in a middle grade study of the Civil War. In this award-winning chapter book, readers experience the battle through the eyes of sixteen distinct characters. – Middle

📖 Fields of Fury by James McPherson. If you are the parent of a military history buff, then this is your book. Two-page spreads tackle many aspects of the Civil War, with a definite focus on the battles. Sections include The Anaconda Plan and the Battles of Shiloh, Antietam, Atlanta, and more. Students who love this book can also check out A Savage Thunder: Antietam and the Bloody Road to Freedom by Jim Murphy. – Middle

📖 The Boys' War: Confederate and Union Soldiers Talk About the Civil War by Jim Murphy. Learn what it was like to serve in the Confederate or Union army during the Civil War. The book draws heavily from the actual words of the young soldiers—excerpted from letters, memoirs, and diaries. The text is accompanied by many photos, including images of dead soldiers, which may be upsetting for some. – Middle

📖 All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson. On June 19th, 1865, the last slaves were freed in Galveston, Texas. This simple picture book tells the story of Juneteenth through the eyes of a young girl. End material provides important dates and explains the history of "Juneteenth" celebrations. – Preschool • Elementary

📖 Ben and the Emancipation Proclamation by Pat Sherman. Enslaved in Charleston, South Carolina, young Ben secretly teaches himself to read. During the Civil War, Ben and many fellow slaves are imprisoned, and when Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation is published in the paper, it is Ben who reads the news to his fellow prisoners. Based on the true story of Benjamin Holmes. – Elementary • Middle

📖 Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln and the Dawn of Liberty by Tonya Bolden. Read this book to learn more about the story behind Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. "Filled with little-known facts and fascinating details, it includes excerpts from historical sources, archival images, and new research that debunks myths about the Emancipation Proclamation and its causes." – Middle

📖 Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books by Kay Winters. This charmingly illustrated picture book biography focuses on Lincoln's childhood, and nicely conveys the character of our sixteenth president. – Elementary

📖 Lincoln Tells a Joke by Kathleen Krull. This recently published picture book focuses on how Lincoln used humor as a tool to navigate tense situations. Aside from the historical value, this lovely book teaches kids a valuable life lesson. Some of Lincoln's famous witticisms are incorporated throughout the text. – Elementary

📖 Abe Lincoln Goes to Washington by Cheryl Harness. This richly illustrated picture book biography follows Lincoln's professional rise from a small town lawyer to President of the United States. In this brief book, Harness touches on the major events in Lincoln's adult life and introduces key historical figures of the Civil War Era. Also see Harness' Young Abe Lincoln, which focuses on Lincoln's younger years. – Elementary • Middle

📖 Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman. Freedman's Newbery Award-winning photobiography of Abraham Lincoln is a good resource for an upper elementary or middle school study of the 16th president. The seven chapters span Lincoln's life, from his childhood to his assassination, and include many interesting photographs as well as samples of the president's own writings. – Elementary • Middle

📺 Lincoln ​from DreamWorks. Daniel Day Lewis is Abraham Lincoln in this excellent 2012 movie, directed by Steven Spielberg. Adapted from Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals, the movie focuses on the last four months of Lincoln's life. Rated PG-13 for violence, gore, and some language (see IMDB Parental Guide). – High

📖 The Gettysburg Address by Michael McCurdy and Abraham Lincoln. ​This is a wonderful illustrated version of The Gettysburg Address. McCurdy breathes life into Lincoln's historic words by placing a single phrase on each page alongside evocative illustrations. A perfect resource if you're planning on memorizing the Address. Another good option along these same lines is Sam Fink's The Gettysburg Address. – All

📖 Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln by Jean Fritz.​ This All Aboard Reading book gives some historical context to Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address.​ – Elementary

📖 Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco. This poignant Civil War tale is based on a true story. Pink and Say are soldiers in the Union army. When Say is injured, Pink brings him home to be cared for by his mother. Be warned: the ending is quite sad. – Elementary • Middle

📖 Walking Home to Rosie Lee by A. LaFaye. ​The Civil War is over and freed slaves across the south are searching for their family members from whom they have been separated. In this sweet story, earnest Gabe embarks on a long search for his beloved mother, Rosie Lee. – Elementary • Middle

📖 The Perilous Road by William O. Steele. “The heartbreaking, bitter view of the Civil War as experienced by Chris Brabson, whose brother is fighting for the ‘wrong’ side.” A Newbery Honor Book. – Elementary • Middle

📖 The River Between Us by Richard Peck. "Civil war is imminent and Tilly Pruitt's brother, Noah, is eager to go and fight on the side of the North. With her father long gone, Tilly, her sister, and their mother struggle to make ends meet and hold the dwindling Pruitt family together. Then one night a mysterious girl arrives on a steamboat bound for St. Louis. Delphine is unlike anyone the small river town has even seen. Mrs. Pruitt agrees to take Delphine and her dark, silent traveling companion in as boarders." National Book Award Finalist and winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. – Elementary • Middle

📖 Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt. “In 1861, America is on the cusp of war, and young Jethro Creighton is just nine-years-old. His brother, Tom, and his cousin, Eb, are both of fighting age. As Jethro's family is pulled into the conflict between the North and the South, loyalties are divided, dreams are threatened, and their bonds are put to the test in this heart-wrenching, coming of age story.” A Newbery Honor Book. – Middle

📖 Turn Homeward, Hannalee by Patricia Beatty. “During the closing days of the Civil War, plucky 12-year-old Hannalee Reed, sent north to work in a Yankee mill, struggles to return to the family she left behind in war-torn Georgia. A fast-moving novel based upon an actual historical incident with a spunky heroine and fine historical detail." – Middle