Customer Reviews

The Children's Book of America

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I really liked this book, and so did my children.

Bennett has taken familiar vingettes (Pilgrims, Paul Bunyon, Johnny Apple Seed, Martin Luther King, Jr., moon walk, etc.) and presented them in a short form that is perfect for four to seven year olds and above.

Each story teaches lessons based on core values and can lead to good discussions with children in trying to explain the underlying values. The tales are also a wonderful introduction to the story of our country through our history and myths. They cover the range of the American Experience and are exactly the kind of tales that can serve as a launching pad to introduce youngsters to a wider exploration of our national heritage.

The stories themselves are well written and captivating (though my four year old's attention wandered with some -- it is for older than pre-school on the whole). The illustrations are first rate and help younger children understand the written story.

The format is perfect for bedtime stories -- good length for a one story a night reading. It is also one you'll want to return to again.

This is a wonderful book for children to become familiar with the people and events that helped shape this great nation. The stories are inspirational and guided by a moral purpose. Our children need to know what a special and great country they live in!

Bennett's most recent work is a wonderful treasury of American folktales and the origin of many of our most treasured Patriotic songs. I am a third grade teacher in Orange County, California and I can say,without a doubt, each and every one of my students thoroughly enjoyed every entry in the book. The illustrations are breathtaking and the stories of Americana through the ages capture the child in each of us. A truly wonderful addition to any teacher or parent's library, as well as excellent enrichment to any Social Studies curriculum.

Wonderfully written stories of Johnny Appleseed, Lewis & Clark, John Henry, etc. My children and fascinated by them, and frankly, so I am. I look forward to reading A Children's Book of Heroes by Bennett.

While perusing the comments, I noticed that some people accused William Bennett of being a racist. One must look at the context in which he made his statement. When the argument was made by a caller to a radio talk show that crime is down because abortion is up (theorizing that most aborted babies were from low income families) Bennett countered with, " But I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could -- if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down. That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down. So these far-out, these far-reaching, extensive extrapolations are, I think, tricky."
What could possibly be racist about this statement? I find it morally reprehensible that people would accuse anyone of being a rascist without first exploring the facts.

Bill Bennett again has created a compilation of intrigueing stories that will stimulate young minds and provide a foundation for children to begin to appreciate what it means to be an American. Parents who have ultra-liberal views that America is basically a sexist, racist, homophobic, corrupt, sinister empire should pick another selection. Parents who believe that America is a wonderful place that is the beacon for liberty, freedom and justice, who may have made some mistakes along the way would be well served to provide this valuable educational tool to their children.

We just finished reading The Children's Book of America which is edited by William J. Bennett and illustrated by Michael Hague. If you are proud of America and the accomplishments of the people and events that built this great country, you will love this book!

As we read through the stories, I couldn't help but get a lump in my throat and feel a sense of pride in our heritage. I am not implying we are better than any other country, but I am proud to be a part of the country we live in. These stories are written in easy to follow language for children. The stories are full of adventure, hope, persistence, bravery, and history. The illustrations help to bring the stories to life. Here is a list of the stories you will find in this book:

"America the Beautiful," Katharine Lee Bates
The Legend of the Grand Canyon
The Pilgrims and the First Thanksgiving
Father Junipero Serra
The Bravery of Abigail Adams
"Yankee Doodle"
Westward with Lewis and Clark
Paul Bunyan
The Story of "The Star Spangled Banner"
Johnny Appleseed
Abe Lincoln's School Days
"The Erie Canal"
Remember the Alamo!
"I Hear America Singing" Walt Whitman
The Tale of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"
Robert E. Lee and the Wounded Soldier
Magaret of New Orleans
"Home on the Range"
John Henry and the Steam Drill
"The New Colossus," Emma Lazarus
The Wizard of Menlo Park
Martin Luther King's Dream
The Eagle Has Landed
"America," Samuel Francis Smith

We purchased this book to introduce a 6 yr old to American history, and we found it to be a good beginning for that. However, the editing by Simon & Schuster leaves much to be desired. The Contents page is erroneously numbered. This is frustrating to a child or even an adult trying to locate the proper page per topic. Hopefully the error will be corrected in future editions.
Despite the problem, I would recommend purchasing this book.

What a great book for children, I bought it for my granddaughter aged 7 and she loves it. She reads very well so she can even read it herself and seems to understand what it's about.

This is an excellent book. My children loved the stories and the illustrations were top-notch. This book would be a great supplement to any US History curriculum.

Inspiring children's stories that will shape a child's American identity
and make him or her feel proud to be citizens of the United States.