Beginning Reader Stories about America’s Past at the Elmhurst Public Library

These books can be found in the beginning reader (J B) section of the Kids' Library,
shelved alphabetically by the authors' last names.

Sam’s Wild West Show   by Nancy Antle
Sam and his Wild West Show entertain the townsfolk and catch two bank robbers before moving to the next town.

Abigail Takes the Wheel   by Avi
When the first mate of the freight boat Neptune falls ill, it is up to Abigail, the captain’s daughter, to steer the ship up the Hudson River.

George the Drummer Boy   by Nathaniel Benchley
A view of the incidents at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, which were the start of the American Revolution, as seen from the eyes of George, a British drummer boy.  Also by this author: Sam the Minuteman.

Wagon Wheels   by Barbara Brenner
Shortly after the Civil War a black family travels to Kansas to take advantage of the free land offered through the Homestead Act.

The Golly Sisters Go West   by Betsy Byars
May-May and Rose, the singing, dancing Golly sisters, have adventures while traveling west by covered wagon, entertaining people along the way. Followed by: The Golly Sisters Ride Again and Hooray for the Golly Sisters!

The Big Balloon Race   by Eleanor Coerr
Ariel almost causes her famous mother to lose a hot air balloon race and then helps her win it.  Also by this author: The Josefina Story Quilt.

Chang’s Paper Pony   by Eleanor Coerr
In San Francisco during the 1850’s gold rush, Chang, the son of Chinese immigrants, wants a pony but cannot afford one until his friend Big Pete finds a solution.  Also by this author: Buffalo Bill and the Pony Express.

Clara and the Bookwagon   by Nancy Smiler Levinson
Clara’s dream of enriching her rough life on the family farm is fulfilled when a horse-drawn bookwagon visits with the country’s first traveling library.

Prairie Friends   by Nancy Smiler Levinson
When Betsy learns that a new family is coming to the Nebraska prairie, she hopes they have a daughter who will be her friend.

Snowshoe Thompson   by Nancy Smiler Levinson
One winter John Thompson skis across the Sierra Nevada and creates a path upon which mail and people may travel, thus earning his nickname.

The Drinking Gourd   by F.N. Monjo
A young boy and his father help a family of slaves escape to freedom via the underground railroad.

The One Bad Thing About Father   by F.N. Monjo
The one bad thing about Quentin’s father is that he is the President of the United States – Theodore Roosevelt.

Thomas Jefferson’s Feast   by Frank Murphy
Tells of Thomas Jefferson’s trip to France in 1784, and all the exotic foods he learned about and then introduced to America, including ice cream, macaroni and cheese, and tomatoes.

The Boston Coffee Party   by Doreen Rappaport
During the Revolutionary War, two young sisters help a group of Boston women get coffee from a greedy merchant.

Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie   by Peter Roop
In the winter of 1856, a storm delays the lighthouse keeper’s return to an island off the coast of Maine, and his daughter Abbie must keep the lights burning by herself.

The Long Way to a New Land   by Joan Sandin
Carl Erik journeys with his family from Sweden to America during the famine of 1868. In The Long Way Westward, the family arrives in New York, then continues on their way to their new home in Minnesota.

Pioneer Bear   by Joan Sandin
Andrew and his family are excited when a photographer comes to take a picture of their dancing bear, but then Bearly can’t be found.  Also by this author: The Long Way Westward.

A Mare for Young Wolf   by Janice Shefelman
Teased for choosing a mare for his first horse, Young Wolf learns how to ride like a warrior.

The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto   by Natalie Standiford
The story of Balto, the sled dog who saved Nome, Alaska, in 1925, from a diphtheria epidemic by delivering medicine through a raging snowstorm.

Dust for Dinner   by Ann Turner
Jake narrates the story of his family’s life in the Oklahoma dust bowl and the journey from their ravaged farm to California during the Great Depression.

The 18 Penny Goose   by Sally M. Walker
Eight-year-old Letty attempts to save her pet goose from marauding British soldiers in New Jersey during the Revolutionary War.

Kate Shelley and the Midnight Express   by Margaret K. Wetterer
Fifteen-year-old Kate risks her life in a storm to prevent a train disaster. Based on a true story.