Happy 4th of July

As parents we try to pepper our children’s experiences with learning opportunities. Below are some books you can share with your children about Independence Day. Have a Happy 4th of July!

Fourth of July, Sparkly Sky by Joan Holub—board book toddlers will enjoy.

Hats off for the Fourth of July by Harriet Ziefert—(Preschool to 1st Grade)—Spectators wait to see what will come next as they watch the town's Fourth of July parade.

Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet S. Wong—(Kindergarten-Gr. 2)—A Chinese American child fears that the food her parents are preparing to sell on the Fourth of July will not be eaten.

Beat the Drum : Independence Day Has Come selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins/illustrated by Tomie dePaola—An anthology of poems for all ages about American independence.

Happy 4th of July, Jenny Sweeney! by Leslie Kimmelman—(Kindergarten-Gr. 2)—Town residents prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July with food, a parade, and fireworks.

Happy Birthday, America by Mary Pope—(Kindergarten-Gr 2)—The whole family joins in a lively small-town celebration of Independence Day, including a parade, a picnic, music, and fireworks. An author's note explains the origin of the celebration of July 4th.

Hold the Flag High by Catherine Evans Clinton—(Gr 3-6)—Describes the Civil War battle of Morris Island, South Carolina, during which Sergeant William H. Carney became the first African American to earn a Congressional Medal of Honor by preserving the flag. In July 1863, a significant battle in the Civil War was fought. Sergeant William H. Carney, an officer of the newly formed Massachusetts Fifty-fourth Regiment - comprised entirely of African Americans - led his soldiers over the ramparts of Fort Wagner, where Union soldiers charged the Confederates. As the soldiers fought, they gained strength from the stars and stripes of the American flag, Old Glory. It was Carney's vow to never let Old Glory touch the ground, and despite several gunshot wounds, he was able to rescue the flag from the fallen bearer. Carney held the flag high as a symbol that his regiment would never submit to the Confederacy. The battle of Fort Wagner decimated the Fifty-fourth Regiment, but Carney's heroism that night inspired all who survived.