For many years I have been encouraging families to create their own home libraries. It started with the increasing revision of historical information on the internet. While that is still a major issue, we are now learning that public libraries and school libraries cannot be trusted to be a safe and beautiful place for families.
I’m putting all of my book lists in one easy place, and will continue to add to it. Bookmark this page, and share with your friends!
Excellent American History Books for Kids
Whatever curriculum you use for homeschool history, you can (and dare I say, must) read great books with your children. The stories of the people who made our history are the most important part of America. Places, dates, treaties…these are all important, but they mean almost nothing without the stories of the people behind them. And trust me when I say that an exciting story cements the important events in a person’s mind for the rest of their lives. Click here for the list.
Excellent Books for Girls
There’s a world of books out there for kids to read, and it’s hard to weed through them for the good stuff. Reading is an extremely important part of life, but for Christian parents the content is crucial when handing books to our kids. I’ve been raising daughters for 25 years, so I’ve come up with a few favorites that are worth recommending. Get the list here
Excellent Books for Boys
A list of great books is always in demand for the parents of boys. But not every list is the same, and in my own search, I found that many such lists did not meet the standards we have for our boys. Once my boys learned to read, they became avid readers. The search began for good quality books that were exciting, fun, and full of excellent content. I read many lists of books for boys, but so often they were lists of “books boys like” instead of “high quality books that boys should read.” So I decided it was time to create a list of EXCELLENT books for boys. Click here for the list.
74 of the Best Medieval Books for Kids and Teens
Who doesn’t love castles, knights, princesses, dragons, and everything medieval?? This list has something for every age, fiction, non-fiction, easy readers, pictures books, lengthy historical novels, and even some activity books! Get the list (and a free printable PDF) here.
Mud Hen Mama: carefully curated books for the Christian family.
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Six Great Children’s Authors on History
When a writer tells a story that keeps kids hanging on every word, you know you’ve found a winning book. And if that story teachings history, you’ve pretty much won the lottery. That’s why I love great books about history, and not history textbooks. Over my years of homeschooling, I’vefound some favorites that we return to again and again, so I’m sharing my top six great children’s authors on history. Read the list here.
Usborne History Books You Need in Your Homeschool
Let me start by saying that I am not a distributor for Usborne Books. I just love and use their history books so much that I wanted to do a roundup of great titles. Many of their older ones are now out of print, but you can still find them used. And, they always introduce new titles that are fabulous. No matter what curriculum you use, there are many Usborne history books you need in your homeschool. See my suggestions here.
Churchill and Henty
After Nazi Germany was defeated, Winston Churchill was able to complete a project that he had begun before the war: compiling the complete history of England and its people. WOW. What a project! He did it, and did it well. It’s a fascinating, easy read. It’s the history of England as one long story, and the tales of its people as they migrate around the world. I love it so much that I also downloaded it on Audible and listen to it there, as well.
As I went through Churchill’s history, I recalled some stories that were based on the actual events. These stories were written by G. A. Henty. If you’re not familiar with Henty, stop what you’re doing right now and look him up. His books are wonderful historic novels “written for boys” in the 19th century. He wrote stories that cover all of history. Each book has a young, fictional boy as the main character, surrounded by actual events and people. The stories are exciting. And clean. And I love them.
So, my notes on Churchill’s books included the Henty books that corresponded to the history timelines. I then realized I could build a curriculum around these two authors that would cover hundreds of years of history. And that’s what lead to this post. See the chronological list here.
Tolkien Gift Guide
As a fan of Tolkien’s books, I can point you in the right direction for reading or gift-giving! Get the list here. You might also like my guide to Teaching History and Literature with J. R. R. Tolkien.
6 Excellent Books for Christian Parents
The parenting book market is overwhelming, and for Christian parents, it’s difficult to weed through the options to find some truly great books that will encourage and challenge us in our journey. The 6 excellent books for Christian parents I’ve chosen here are a mix of old-fashioned and newer releases, and they have one thing in common: they make no apologies for an unwavering commitment to raising children by God’s biblical standards. Get the list here.
In my spare time, I run a publishing company that specializes in old historic accounts from American history. Each one is a journal, a series of letters, a personal narrative, or an eyewitness account. They are suitable for the whole family! I choose each title for its interesting content and casual writing style. There’s no better way to get the real story of America than through the personal memories of the generations before us.
The Knowledge Keepers series in chronological order:
- Christopher Columbus: His Story and His Journals
- Valiant Navigators: Sailor’s Narratives Of voyages along the New England Coast 1524–1624
- Miles Standish, the Puritan Captain
- The First Year at Plymouth Plantation: MOURT’S RELATION A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth
- Prelude to Independence: The Life of George Washington, Volume 1
- Virginia Tutor: Journal of Phillip Vickers Fithian
- Able and Mighty Men: A Biography of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, and of Washington and Patrick Henry
- War in the Colonies: The Life of George Washington, Volume 2
- The Iroquois Handbook: History, Manners, and Customs of the Indian Nations Who Once Inhabited Pennsylvania and the Neighbouring States
- True Stories of Nebraska Pioneers
- Diary of a New York Girl: Caroline Richards Clarke
- Memories of a Trailblazer: Seventy Years on the Frontier
- General Lee: Southern Commander: A LIFE OF GEN. ROBERT E. LEE and RECOLLECTIONS AND LETTERS OF ROBERT E. LEE
- Autobiography of a Mississippi Slave: Thirty Years a Slave
- Freighters and Pilgrims: Two Stories of Western Immigration
- Up the Western Trail: The Log of a Cowboy
- American Christmas Stories, Volume 1
- An American Girl in Boston: The Diary of Anna Green Winslow
- Life of George Washington 1: Prelude to Independence
- Life of George Washington 2: War in the Colonies
- Life of George Washington 3: Betrayal, Desperation, and Victory
- Life of George Washington 4: Patriot Chief
Book Lists at Knowledge Keepers Bookstore
My passion is preserving great books in home libraries. I want to encourage YOU to build a home library, too. The Knowledge Keepers site also features my favorite history books and recommendations.
Tuttle Twins Review
This is not so much a list, but an opinion on the usefulness of the Tuttle Twins books. They are geared for ages 5-11, and approach economics and political concepts in a way that is easy for kids to understand. Read my review here.
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