A Kid's Life in Colonial America

by Sarah Machajewski

In the early 17th century, all the world knew of North America came from reports of the earliest European explorers. By the end of the 18th century, the world knew America as the United States—a country whose earliest years were shaped by colonialism. This historical, non-fiction text examines life in Colonial America through the eyes of the kids who lived there. Age-appropriate language takes readers inside the clothes, toys, schools, and ways of life in the 17th and 18th centuries. Fact boxes provide opportunities for additional learning. A glossary and index round out the text, completing a comprehensive learning experience.

24 pages, Paperback

Published December 30, 2014

Reviews

[Deborah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Part of the problem with teaching history in this country, is that we lie to our children through textbooks and often a misguided sense of protecting them from harsh truths--the result--segregated history. A Kid's Life in Colonial America should be titled A White-European-American Kid's Life in Colonial America, as it deliberately excludes the American experiences of all people of color. There are two misleading sentences, Native American groups lived in North America thousands of years before the colonists." It reads as if they'd died off like dinosaurs. How did they those children live? Omitting the immediate and ongoing conflicts over Native American land is a disgrace. Holocaust picture books and children's non-fiction do not deny the atrocities, only put them in a language appropriate for target ages. So it should be with all children's histories of the United States. Most glaring and unforgivable, this book does not mention slavery, which was an intrinsic part of Colonial America and would have affected all children of all colors. And while some Northern girls were permitted to attend school, Southern girls were not. And obviously, slaves were not permitted to learn. We are trying to teach our children to be critical thinkers--to analyze primary source documents to learn history. Publishers of history books for all ages, must at least do the same.

[Serenity · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through my district library services*

This is an okay book. It's a good starting point for kids just learning about the colonies. I think my review is colored a bit by my disappointment in the American Civil War book in this series, which I just didn't enjoy. A teacher could start with this book to introduce some of the basic precepts of colonial life, and to share the pictures. Includes captions, a glossary, and an index.