We the People Bookshelf--Freedom

 

"These classic books on freedom explore a central idea of our nation's history, culture and legacy. Such stories remind us how precious freedom truly is."

 

Grades K-3

 

Sam the Minuteman by Nathaniel Benchley

As the Revolutionary War begins, a father and son must fight to defend their liberty.

 

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble

A young American Indian girl realizes her dream to live free among the horses she loves.

 

Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

A patriot races to warn his countrymen of danger at the onset of the American Revolution.

 

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

A little rabbit tests the limits of his freedom. Also available in Spanish.

 

Grades 4-6

 

The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton

A ghostly mystery surrounds a house that was a way station on the Underground Railroad.

 

Ben and Me by Robert Lawson

Benjamin Franklin's times and achievements are recounted by his mouse, Amos.

 

To Be a Slave by Julius Lester

Men and women who endured slavery provide powerful testimony of life without freedom.

 

The Complete Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

These stories of an imaginary land convey lesions about the struggle against oppression. Also available in Spanish.

 

Grades 7-8

 

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

A man discovers the liberating power of the written word. Also available in Spanish.

 

Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt

One boy comes of age as his brothers fight on opposing sides in the Civil War.

 

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

A teenage girl clashes with the way of life in Colonial Connecticut.

 

Grades 9-12

 

Miracle at Philadelphia by Catherine Drinker Bowen

Remarkable people and powerful ideas come together to create the Constitution.

 

My Antonia by Willa Cather

An independent woman shows the strength of the immigrants who settled the Great Plains. Also available in Spanish.

 

Animal Farm and 1984 by George Orwell

In these cautionary tales, absolute power destroys the promise of an animal revolution and stifles one man's existence.

 

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn

The inmates of a Soviet camp for political prisoners struggle to survive.

 

About the Program: The We the People Bookshelf is offered in cooperation with the American Library Association. Libraries in communities and schools can apply to receive free copies of these books. Information for readers, parents, librarians and teachers can be found at The National Endowment for the Humanities.

 

This page updated 4-21-2010.