Fourth of July Books

Here are a few Fourth of July picture books to share with your children.  Enjoy your weekend!

“Cranberry Summer”
Wende and Harry Devlin
Publisher: Four Winds (April 1992)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-0027291810

A poor donkey has been left behind by the circus.  Starving, the donkey starts eating Mr. Grape’s vegetable garden.  Mr. Grape starts to chase the donkey away, but is rescued by Mr. Whiskers and a little girl named Maggie.  Now Mr. Whiskers and Maggie have a donkey.  But how can they feed it?  Mr. Whisker’s money box is empty.  But Maggie’s grandmother has an idea.  I won’t give away the ending, but the donkey is the talk of the town during the Fourth of July celebration.  There is a recipe for cranberry punch at the end of the book that sounds great on a hot day. 

“A Fourth of July on the Plains”
Jean Van Leeuwen & Henri Sorensen
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Dial (June 1, 1997)
ISBN-13: 978-0803717725

Jean Van Leeuwen is the author of the popular Amanda Pig series for beginning readers.  “Plains” is an historical picture book meant to be read to younger children.  Beautifully illustrated by Sorensen, the book is based on a true story of life on the Oregon Trail in the 1850s.  Traveling for weeks in a covered wagon caravan is hard on men, women and children alike.  But on the Fourth of July, they rest and celebrate.  The story is told from the point of view of a small boy who gets into trouble, but ends up entertaining everyone at the end. 

“Fourth of July Bear”
Kathryn Lasky & Helen Cogancherry
Hardcover
Publisher: William Morrow & Co (April 1991)
ISBN-13: 978-0688082871

Kathryn Lasky wrote the Gardians of Ga’hoole chapter book series that was recently made into a movie.  She has written other picture books as well.  In “Fourth of July Bear,” we find Rebecca Grace Albright.  She is a little girl who does not want to move to an island off Maine shaped like a dolphin.  She won’t find any friends or have any fun.  But it just so happens that she is invited to dress up like a bear for the Fourth of July parade.  It turns out that she does have fun and make a friend. 

“We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States”
David Catrow
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Puffin (April 21, 2005)
ISBN-13: 978-0142402764

Yes, someone actually made a picture book of the Preamble.  If you want a simple, entertaining way to introduce the Constitution to young children, look no further.  On the first page, Catrow explains in easy to understand language what the words to the Preamble mean.  The rest of the book goes through the Preamble with illustrations of three kids who form a “union,” “establish justice,” and so on while camping out in their back yard. 

By the way, is it just me, or does anyone else read the Preamble humming the tune from Schoolhouse Rock?

Happy Independence Day!