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The Story of America's Birthday
A simple introduction to the American Revolution, the writing of the Declaration of Independence, and the significance of the Fourth of July.
26 pages, Board Book
First published May 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 4, 2018
This 24 paged board book explains why we celebrate July 4th, America's birthday. It explains colonists, how we had to pay taxes to the king of England, the war, and the Declaration of Independence. I thought it was pretty thorough for a board book! My three year old enjoyed the illustrations with the sparklers, picnics and flags. A nice little book to read during the week of July 4th.
July 5, 2018
I wish this was better. I understand that this is for little kids, but I think that then it's even more important that the information is accurate. Just because you've simplified something doesn't mean you can't be truthful.
July 7, 2016
I won't lie and say that this was a really interesting and fun read, BUT I will say that I was impressed with the quality of the information given in a really short board book. When I think of board books, I don't think of this, and I was pleasantly surprised. Besides, it made me get all the more excited about the 4th of July reading this to my little girl.
July 3, 2019
Ugh! I absolutely do not recommend this book!!!
It is possible to write simple books for children that are accurate, but this author completely missed that mark.
- She uses "colonies" and "states" synonymously. >Colonies and states are not the same thing.
- She very strongly implies that the reason the colonists had an issue with the king was because of taxes, of course mentioning the ubiquitous tea tax. >Unjust taxation was only one of twenty-seven specific ways the king had wronged the colonies enumerated in the Declaration of Independence. One of twenty-seven. Why is the tea tax the only thing we ever hear about? Seriously. Our ancestors did not risk their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor because of a tax on tea or a tax on anything else. It was one of many problems they had with the king, and the tax wasn't even the issue. "Taxation without representation is tyranny," said James Otis, and that was the problem. Not that they had to pay taxes, but that they had to pay taxes while being denied the basic right of representation, in this case, in the English Parliament.
- "On July 4, 1776, leaders from the colonies met. One of the leaders, Thomas Jefferson, wrote the Declaration of Independence." >Again, misleading at best. The congress did not meet on July 4th. They were already in session before that, and the Declaration was being discussed on the third and fourth. And Jefferson absolutely did not just sit down and scrawl out the Declaration on the fourth of July.
-She says that the king sent soldiers because the Declaration made him angry. >Wrong yet again. Soldiers had been in the colonies for years by 1776. One of the twenty-seven accusations against the king was that he had quartered troops in private homes (which violated English law going back at least a hundred fifty years). Obviously troops had to precede the Declaration if the Declaration talked about the troops.
-"One day at Yorktown, Virginia, the king gave up..." >Strike five. The king never set foot in Yorktown, or Virginia, or the colonies, or even the continent. Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown (or rather had his second in command surrender for him), not the king.
Children's books, perhaps even more than those for adults, should be accurate. What is the point of a non-fiction book if it is not accurate? Any American kids growing up with this book will also be growing up with inaccuracies and falsehoods about their country and their history. It's seriously not even worth borrowing, much less buying.
It is possible to write simple books for children that are accurate, but this author completely missed that mark.
- She uses "colonies" and "states" synonymously. >Colonies and states are not the same thing.
- She very strongly implies that the reason the colonists had an issue with the king was because of taxes, of course mentioning the ubiquitous tea tax. >Unjust taxation was only one of twenty-seven specific ways the king had wronged the colonies enumerated in the Declaration of Independence. One of twenty-seven. Why is the tea tax the only thing we ever hear about? Seriously. Our ancestors did not risk their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor because of a tax on tea or a tax on anything else. It was one of many problems they had with the king, and the tax wasn't even the issue. "Taxation without representation is tyranny," said James Otis, and that was the problem. Not that they had to pay taxes, but that they had to pay taxes while being denied the basic right of representation, in this case, in the English Parliament.
- "On July 4, 1776, leaders from the colonies met. One of the leaders, Thomas Jefferson, wrote the Declaration of Independence." >Again, misleading at best. The congress did not meet on July 4th. They were already in session before that, and the Declaration was being discussed on the third and fourth. And Jefferson absolutely did not just sit down and scrawl out the Declaration on the fourth of July.
-She says that the king sent soldiers because the Declaration made him angry. >Wrong yet again. Soldiers had been in the colonies for years by 1776. One of the twenty-seven accusations against the king was that he had quartered troops in private homes (which violated English law going back at least a hundred fifty years). Obviously troops had to precede the Declaration if the Declaration talked about the troops.
-"One day at Yorktown, Virginia, the king gave up..." >Strike five. The king never set foot in Yorktown, or Virginia, or the colonies, or even the continent. Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown (or rather had his second in command surrender for him), not the king.
Children's books, perhaps even more than those for adults, should be accurate. What is the point of a non-fiction book if it is not accurate? Any American kids growing up with this book will also be growing up with inaccuracies and falsehoods about their country and their history. It's seriously not even worth borrowing, much less buying.
July 3, 2021
I use books as part of my holiday decorations and this is a great Patriotic book that is displayed in my home from Memorial Day through July. My grandkids are 3 and 6 and this book is written in a way that they can hear about the history of the USA. The book is well written and the illustrations are very nice.
July 22, 2018
A toddler-sized board book with vivid, interesting illustrations explaining the origin and current celebration of the 4th of July. Two thumbs up from my 4yo.
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June 21, 2019Good explanation.
July 17, 2021
What a great educational book
May 26, 2023
This board book is a sweet and child friendly look at the meaning of July 4th and why we celebrate it. Cheerful illustrations fill a page and 1/3 of the double page spread. Highly recommended.
June 23, 2023
A cute board book telling the story of why America has a birthday, and how we celebrate it.
February 24, 2026
Oversimplified and bad/inaccurate because of it. The illustrations are kind of fun. ⭐️2.5/5
July 4, 2015
Other than some inaccuracy about the actual meeting of the leaders and reason for and creation of the Declaration of Independence, it's a nice short story to illustrate to children why we celebrate.
August 4, 2011
"Never again would a king tell Americans what to do". CRACKED me up. Educated me, though, too.
June 15, 2016
As an English and history teacher I cannot in good conscience read this book to my child. I'll just tell her the story of the United States of America.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews