​📖 A History of US series by Joy Hakim. Many homeschoolers choose to use this superbly written 10-book series as a spine for their US History studies. Joy Hakim has a rare knack for introducing sophisticated concepts in an engaging style that is accessible to children. Refer to the individual pages for more on each volume. Highly recommended. – Elementary • Middle

📖 American Story series by Betsy & Giulio Maestro. The text is clear, thorough, and informative, but what really elevates the American Story series books are their gorgeous panoramic illustrations. The 7-book series covers American history from the initial discovery of the Americas through the War of 1812.​ – Elementary

📖 Picture Book Biography Series by David Adler. David Adler has published dozens of simple Picture Book Biographies of important figures in American history; perfect for the early elementary set. Refer to the US History topic pages for specific recommendations.​ – Preschool • Elementary

📖 If America Were a Village: A Book About the People of the United States by David Smith. This book takes an interesting approach to helping kids visualize America’s population. Imagine America as a village of 100 people. In this village, 82 people speak English as their first language, 10 speak Spanish, 1 speaks Chinese, 1 French, and 1 German. Smith similarly illustrates other population statistics, including wealth, age, religion, and family structure. Published in 2009, the data are a little out-of-date; nevertheless, it is a fascinating and illuminating read. – Elementary

📖 Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson. Beautifully written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, this poignant book traces American history from The Declaration of Independence through the election of the first black president. With a focus on the African American experience, Heart and Soul offers an essential perspective on the history of the country. Highly recommended. – Elementary • Middle

📖 28 Days: Moments in Black History That Changed the World by Charles Smith, Jr. This poetic picture book touches down on 28 momentous dates in African-American History – from the Dred Scott decision (day 2) to the passage of the 14th Amendment (day 4) to the assassination of Malcolm X (day 21) to the election of President Barack Obama (day 28). – Elementary • Middle

📖 A Different Mirror for Young People: A History of Multicultural America by Ronald Takaki. Rebecca Stefoff's young reader's adaptation of Takaki's bestseller shines the spotlight on the country's multicultural heritage. "With illustrations, photographs, poems, letters, and even work songs, A Different Mirror traces the history of the American Indians, Africans, Chinese, Japanese, Irish, Jews, Mexicans, Vietnamese, Puerto Ricans, Filipinos, Afghans, South Asians, and others who have made the United States a beacon of multiculturalism." A great companion to a middle grade study of US History. – Middle • High

📖 Barn by Debby Atwell. Atwell traces the history of a New England barn over the course of two centuries; in doing so, she tells the story of the country's transition from agrarian to industrial society. The illustrations are charming. – Preschool • Elementary

📖 Up Before Daybreak: Cotton and People in America by Deborah Hopkinson. Here's a sober look at the many heartbreaking ways in which the cotton industry has impacted American lives over the past four centuries, from slavery to sharecroppers to New England mill workers. This 100-page book includes many first-hand accounts and poignant black-and-white photographs. – Middle

📖 The Cod’s Tale by Mark Kurlansky. The story of US history is told through the lens of the once-abundant cod in this excellent picture book adaptation of Kurlansky’s bestselling adult book, Cod. Learn the role that cod played in the Viking explorations of the New World, the Atlantic slave trade, and the American Revolution. Read about how overfishing is threatening the species today. – Elementary • Middle

💻 TeachRock.org from Rock and Roll Forever Foundation. Learn US History through the story of Rock and Roll. “Steven Van Zandt’s TeachRock project brings rich, multimedia educational materials to teachers and students everywhere—at no cost. The lesson plan collections and resources at teachrock.org help teachers engage students by connecting the history of popular music to classroom work across the disciplines. From social studies and language arts to geography, media studies, science, general music, and more: TeachRock has engaging and meaningful arts integration materials for every classroom.” Register for a free account. Resources are primarily aimed at school-based classrooms but are easily adapted for homeschool groups or independent study. – Middle • High

🔗 Content Connection: World History. Find more ideas for interdisciplinary history studies in World History Through a Lens.