Great Books to Celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution for kids of all ages!

In celebration of the the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, check out these books available at the Sussex County Library System for kids ages birth to 17.

In celebration, we have compiled a list of books that celebrate the people, ideas, patriotism and moments that shaped our nation. These great "reads" can help children connect to America’s past while imagining its future.

Updated April 30, 2026
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Sussex County Library System (NJ)
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An American story
Alexander, Kwame
Paper Book
A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Book A 2023 New York Times Best Children's Book A 2023 Publisher's Weekly Best Picture Book An NPR Best Book of the Year #1 New York Times Bestselling and...
Fever, 1793
Anderson, Laurie Halse.
Paper Book
From Fever 1793 "Where's Polly?" I asked as I dropped the bucket down the well. "Did you pass by the blacksmith's? "I spoke with her mother, with Mistress Logan," Mother answered softly, looking at her neat rows of carrots. "And?" I waved a mosquito away from my...
Sophia's war : a tale of the Revolution
Avi
Paper Book
Lives hang in the balance in this gripping Revolutionary War adventure from a beloved Newbery Medalist. In 1776, young Sophia Calderwood witnesses the execution of Nathan Hale in New York City, which is newly occupied by the British army. Sophia is horrified by the event and...
God bless America
Berlin, Irving
Paper Book
This first illustrated picture book of Irving Berlin's classic song celebrates America and invites young readers -- and singers -- to experience all of her colorful glory, from the mountains to the prairies. Lyrics by America's most celebrated songwriter, together with Lynn Munsinger's heartwarming...
Chester Nez and the unbreakable code : a Navajo code talker's story
Bruchac, Joseph
Paper Book
A Junior Library Guild Selection April 2018 2018 Cybils Award Finalist, Elementary Non-Fiction BRLA 2018 Southwest Book Award 2019 Southwest Books of the Year: Kid Pick 2020 Grand Canyon Award, Nonfiction Nominee 2020-2021...
Fireworks
Burgess, Matthew
Paper Book
Fireworks is a sparkling picture book from the award-winning team of Matthew Burgess and Cátia Chien, highlighting the simple delights of a steamy July day in the city as two siblings eagerly anticipate a spectacular fireworks display. POP! As a hot day sizzles into...
Bud, not Buddy
Curtis, Christopher Paul.
Paper Book
Hit the road with Bud in this Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award-winning classic about a boy on a journey to find his father--from Christopher Paul Curtis, recipient of the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.   It's 1936, in Flint...
Stella by starlight
Draper, Sharon M.
Paper Book
Sharon M. Draper presents "storytelling at its finest" (School Library Journal, starred review) in this New York Times bestselling Depression-era novel about a young girl who must learn to be brave in the face of violent prejudice when the Ku Klux Klan reappears in her segregated...
Her right foot
Eggers, Dave
Paper Book
"A friendly reminder of how America can be at its best." - Entertainment Weekly If you had to name a statue, any statue, odds are good you'd mention the Statue of Liberty. Have you seen her? She's in New...
Who was Sacagawea?
Fradin, Dennis B.
Paper Book
A brief biography of Sacagawea, the Shoshoni woman who accompanied explorers Lewis and Clark on their expedition in the early 1800s.
Grandfather Twilight
Berger, Barbara
Paper Book
When day is gone, and shadows begin to deepen, it is time for Grandfather Twilight to close his book, put on his jacket, and go for a walk through the forest. Little birds hush as he walks by, and the rabbits and other small creatures watch in silence as he performs his very special...
Lincoln and Douglas : the debates that defined America
Guelzo, Allen C.
Paper Book
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Out of the dust
Hesse, Karen.
Paper Book
Acclaimed author Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal-winning novel-in-verse explores the life of fourteen-year-old Billie Jo growing up in the dust bowls of Oklahoma."Dust piles up like snow across the prairie. . . ."A terrible accident has transformed Billie Jo's life, scarring her inside and out. Her...
Everything World War I
Kenney, Karen Latchana
Paper Book
Explore the fascinating history of America's first World War, meet the greatest military leaders and tacticians, and learn about key battles in this compelling new book in the popular Everything series.   Each book in the National Geographic Kids Everything series has more than...
Henry's freedom box
Levine, Ellen.
Paper Book
A stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom by a Jane Addams Peace Award-winning author and a Coretta Scott King Award-winning artist.Henry Brown doesn't know how old he is. Nobody keeps records of slaves' birthdays. All the time he dreams about freedom, but that dream seems...
Sarah, plain and tall
MacLachlan, Patricia.
Paper Book
"Did Mama sing every day?" Caleb asks his sister Anna. "Every-single-day," she answers. "Papa sang, too." This Newbery Medal–winning book is the first of five books in Patricia MacLachlan's chapter book series about the Witting family. Set in the late nineteenth century and...
A very large expanse of sea
Mafi, Tahereh
Paper Book
Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature! From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Shatter Me series comes a powerful, heartrending contemporary novel about fear, first love, and the devastating...
I am Sonia Sotomayor
Meltzer, Brad
Paper Book
Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina Supreme Court Justice, is the subject of the sixteenth picture book in the New York Times bestselling series of biographies about heroes. This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great--the traits that...
I am Abraham Lincoln
Meltzer, Brad.
Paper Book
Each picture book in this series is a biography of an American hero, told in a simple, conversational, vivacious way, and always focusing on a character trait that made the person heroic. The heros are depicted as children throughout, telling their life stories in first-person...
I am Rosa Parks
Meltzer, Brad.
Paper Book
Civil Rights leader Rosa Parks is the 3rd hero in in the New York Times bestselling picture book biography series for ages 5 to 8.  Each picture book in this series is a biography of a significant historical figure, told in a simple, conversational, vivacious way, and...
The American Revolution
Messner, Kate
Paper Book
Myths! Lies! Secrets! Uncover the hidden truth behind the Revolutionary War with beloved educator/author Kate Messner. The fun mix of sidebars, illustrations, photos, and graphic panels make this perfect for fans of I Survived! and Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales. On...
Blue sky white stars
Naberhaus, Sarvinder
Paper Book
An inspiring and patriotic tribute to the beauty of the American flag, a symbol of America's history, landscape, and people, illustrated by New York Times bestselling and Caldecott-honor winning artist Kadir Nelson Wonderfully spare, deceptively simple verses pair with...
Wow! America!
Neubecker, Robert.
Paper Book
Izzy chases her little sister Jo down the mountainand across the country!The girls head off on a fantastic journey, rowing down the Mississippi, eating pies at a Kentucky state fair, marveling at Niagara Falls and enormous California sequoias. Izzy and Jo take readers on a trip that celebrates what...
American revolution : a nonfiction companion to Revolutionary War on Wednesday
Osborne, Mary Pope.
Paper Book
The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system! Getting the facts behind the fiction has never looked better. Track the facts with Jack and Annie! When Jack and Annie got back from their...
Benjamin Franklin :
Osborne, Mary Pope
Paper Book
Track the facts about the great printer, inventor, and Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin! When Jack and Annie came back from their adventure in Magic Tree House #32- To the Future, Ben Franklin! they had lots of questions. What was Ben Franklin's first job? How did a kite...
To the future, Ben Franklin!
Osborne, Mary Pope
Paper Book
Get whisked away through time in the magic tree house with Jack and Annie in the #1 bestselling series--and meet famous Founding Father and inventor Ben Franklin! Jack and Annie know all about Ben Franklin. He was a Founding Father, a journalist, and a famous inventor! When the...
To the future, Ben Franklin!
Osborne, Mary Pope
Paper Book
Get whisked away through time in the magic tree house with Jack and Annie in the #1 bestselling series--and meet famous Founding Father and inventor Ben Franklin! Jack and Annie know all about Ben Franklin. He was a Founding Father, a journalist, and a famous inventor! When the...
Planet earth is blue
Panteleakos, Nicole
Paper Book
"Tender and illuminating. A beautiful debut." --Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Reach Me A heartrending and hopeful debut novel about a nonverbal girl and her passion for space exploration, for fans of See You in the Cosmos, Mockingbird, and...
Martin's big words : the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Rappaport, Doreen.
Paper Book
Illustrated by Bryan Collier Winner of the 2001 NY Times Best Illustrated Children's Book Award, Rappaport weaves her simple and graceful text and the words of Martin Luther King Jr. into a captivating narrative, telling the story of Dr. King's life in a way that is entirely accessible for young...
The skeleton in the Smithsonian
Roy, Ron
Paper Book
From popular A to Z Mysteries author Ron Roy comes a red, white, and blue mystery perfect for the election season!  In the third book of the Capital Mysteries--an early chapter book mystery series featuring fun facts and famous sites from Washington, D.C.-- KC and...
Esperanza rising
Ryan, Pam Munoz.
Paper Book
**CELEBRATING 25 YEARS IN PRINT!** A modern classic for our time and for all time―this beloved, award-winning bestseller resonates with fresh meaning for each new generation. Perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo, Christopher Paul Curtis, and Rita Williams-Garcia. ...
What's the big deal about first ladies /
Shamir, Ruby
Paper Book
Did you know that Mary Todd Lincoln hated slavery and helped to end it in America? Or that Edith Wilson helped decode secret messages during World War I? How about that Sarah Polk didn't let anyone dance in the White House while she was first lady? It's true! In addition to being...
Hidden figures : the true story of four black women and the space race
Shetterly, Margot Lee
Paper Book
Based on the New York Times bestselling book and the Academy Award-nominated movie, author Margot Lee Shetterly and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award winner Laura Freeman bring the incredibly inspiring true story of four black women who helped NASA launch men into space to...
Hidden figures : the untold true story of four African-American women who helped launch our nation into space
Shetterly, Margot Lee
Ebook
The uplifting, amazing true story--a New York Times bestseller! This edition of Margot Lee Shetterly's acclaimed book is perfect for young readers. It's the powerful story of four African-American female mathematicians at NASA who helped achieve some of the greatest moments in our space...
Women of the American Revolution /
Slavicek, Louise Chipley,
Paper Book
Young and old, rich and poor, white, African American, and Native American, women from all parts of the American colonies were profoundly affected by the Revolutionary War and the decade-long political struggle that preceded it. In turn, American women affected the revolutionary crisis in...
John, Paul, George & Ben
Smith, Lane.
Ebook
Who were the Tuskegee Airmen?
Smith, Sherri L.
Paper Book
It's up, up, and away with the Tuskegee Airmen, a heroic group of African American military pilots who helped the United States win World War II. During World War II, black Americans were fighting for their country and for freedom in Europe, yet they had to endure a totally...
Where is the White House?
Stine, Megan
Paper Book
Learn about the White House, how it came to be, the changes it has experienced since its initial design, and more in this detailed history for young readers, part of the beloved Where Is? series. The perfect way to celebrate America's 250th anniversary! The history of the White...
I survived the American Revolution, 1776
Tarshis, Lauren
Paper Book
Bestselling author Lauren Tarshis tackles the American Revolution in this latest installment of the groundbreaking, New York Times bestselling I Survived series. British soldiers were everywhere. There was no escape. Nathaniel Fox never imagined he'd find himself in the...
I survived the American Revolution, 1776 /
Tarshis, Lauren
Paper Book
Bestselling author Lauren Tarshis tackles the American Revolution in this latest installment of the groundbreaking, New York Times bestselling I Survived series. British soldiers were everywhere. There was no escape. Nathaniel Fox never imagined he'd find himself in the...
I survived the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863
Tarshis, Lauren.
Paper Book
The bloodiest battle in American history is under way . . .It's 1863, and Thomas and his little sister, Birdie, have fled the farm where they were born and raised as slaves. Following the North Star, looking for freedom, they soon cross paths with a Union soldier. Everything changes: Corporal Henry...
Roll of thunder, hear my cry
Taylor, Mildred D.
Paper Book
A stunning repackage of Mildred D. Taylor's Newbery Award-winning masterpiece with cover art by two-time Caldecott Honor Award winner Kadir Nelson and an introduction by Jacqueline Woodson! Set in Mississippi at the height of the Depression, this is the story of one family's...
The American Revolution
Thompson, Ben
Paper Book
Now available in paperback, this fourth book in the action-packed Guts & Glory series takes readers through the exciting and fascinating history of the American Revolution. Perfect for history buffs, reluctant readers, and fans of Hamilton! From George Washington crossing...
Red, white, and boom!
Wardlaw, Lee
Paper Book
Fireflies flit Sparklers spit Pinwheels spin Goosebump skin It's the Fourth of July! Travel across the country for a city parade, a beach picnic, and fireworks in the park in this poetic celebration of the many cultures and traditions that...
I could do that : Esther Morris gets women the vote
White, Linda
Paper Book
One Crazy Summer: The Graphic Novel
Williams-Garcia, Rita
Paper Book
"I wish I didn't know that I was marching my sisters into a boiling pot of trouble cooking in Oakland..." Eleven-year-old Delphine is like a mother to her two younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern. She's had to be, ever since their mother, Cecile, left them seven years ago for a...
One crazy summer
Williams-Garcia, Rita.
Paper Book
In this Newbery Honor novel, New York Times bestselling author Rita Williams-Garcia tells the story of three sisters who travel to Oakland, California, in 1968 to meet the mother who abandoned them. A strong option for summer reading--take this book along on a family road trip or enjoy...
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Woodson, Jacqueline.
Paper Book
Winner of a Newbery Honor! Soonie's great-grandma was just seven years old when she was sold to a big plantation without her ma and pa, and with only some fabric and needles to call her own. She pieced together bright patches with names like North Star and Crossroads, patches with...
This is the rope : a story from the Great Migration
Woodson, Jacqueline.
Paper Book
The story of one family's journey north during the Great Migration starts with a little girl in South Carolina who finds a rope under a tree one summer. She has no idea the rope will become part of her family's history. But for three generations, that rope is passed down, used for everything from...
My life as an ice cream sandwich
Zoboi, Ibi Aanu
Paper Book
National Book Award-finalist Ibi Zoboi makes her middle-grade debut with a moving story of a girl finding her place in a world that's changing at warp speed. Twelve-year-old Ebony-Grace Norfleet has lived with her beloved grandfather Jeremiah in Huntsville, Alabama ever since she...

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