
by Diane Stanley, illustrated by Holly Berry
Recommended for ages 5-10
This is a fun approach to learning about the Boston Tea Party, as it follows a pair of time-traveling twins as they go back in time to visit their ancestors.

by Russell Freedman, illustrated by Peter Malone
Recommended for ages 8-11
This is written and illustrated in the style of a storybook, but is a somewhat lengthy, factual retelling of the Boston Tea Party.

by Peter Cook, illustrated by David Antram
Recommended for ages 8-10
This is a humorous, fun-loving, and sometimes silly approach to history. There are several books in this series, which can make learning about history attractive for many kids.

by Dennis Brindell Fradin, illustrated by Larry Day
Recommended for ages 6-10
This book is a nice way to introduce younger children to the first battles of the American Revolution.

by Don Brown
Recommended for ages 7-10
This is similar to the above title, but is a longer story and is more appropriate for kids who can maintain attention levels a little longer.

by Elaine Landau
Recommended for ages 7-9
This is an informational text, not a storybook, so may not be as appealing to some children. My kids tend to do well with these types of books, and enjoy the drawings, paintings and photographs.

George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides
by Rosalyn Schanzer
Recommended for ages 9-12
This book is helpful in encouraging kids to try to see the perspective from the other side - or at least gain greater understanding of where they are coming from - regardless of whether you end up agreeing with it or not.

by Stuart Murray
Recommended for ages 8-12
While this book is geared towards older kids, I find that it is still a nice way to show pictures of people and artifacts associated with the American Revolution. My kids find the pictures interesting, and we skip around the book reading tidbits of information as they see fit. The DK Eyewitness series is produced in association with The Smithsonian Institution and is reminiscent of a visit to a museum.

by Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrated by Matt Faulkner
Recommended for ages 6-10
This is a great book for exposing kids to the role women played in the American Revolution and introducing them to some of the more notable female figures of that time. The book provides quick snippets of information about several women, as well as a timeline of events during the Revolution.

by Cokie Roberts, illustrated by Diane Good
Recommended for ages 7-12
This book is more wordy and detailed than the above text, so may be better suited for older children, but is still a great way to quickly learn about the ladies of the American Revolution. I am able to skim over the text and provide my kids with a synopsis, but this is a book I plan to bring out again when they are older. For adult-level reading, I recommend Cokie Roberts book Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation.

by Nancy I. Sanders
Recommended for ages 9-12
This book is really too advanced for the age of my children - it is primarily wordy text with some black and white pictures. However, there are some good suggestions for activities, nice synopses of several notable African Americans of the 1700's and early 1800's, and some good background on the role of and impact on African Americans around the time of the American Revolution. The information in the book can be used for general discussion with younger children.

by Karen B. Winnick
Recommended for ages 5-7
This is an enjoyable storybook relating the tale of Sybil Ludington, a 16-year old girl who rode through the night to warn her father's, Colonel Ludington's, militiamen of an oncoming British attack. Her nighttime ride was more than twice the distance of Paul Revere's famous ride.

by Ann Turner, illustrated by Ronald Himler
Recommended for ages 5-8
This is a good storybook for younger children, and I appreciated how it humanized the people involved in the Revolution, both those loyal to Britain and those rebelling against Britain. The story is based on an actual incident with the author's ancestors, and is centered around a loyalist/Tory family. The book provided an opportunity to discuss with my kids how, regardless of how much our beliefs and ideology might differ from those around us - including our family and neighbors - we should not let that make us forget our and others' humanity.

by Anne Rockwell, illustrated by Cynthia von Buhler
Recommended for ages 3-7
Many experts now believe Molly Pitcher was a mythical figure who was grounded in fact, a composite of camp followers. Though the author's note in this book indicates that Molly was a real person named Mary Hays McCauly, other texts insist that there is evidence to the contrary. Regardless, this is still an enjoyable story and one of the enduring legends of the American Revolution.

by Suzanne Tripp Jurmain, illustrated by Larry Day
Recommended for ages 5-9
This book does a nice job of using light-hearted prose to create a more human portrait of George Washington, revealing his reluctance and nervousness about assuming the presidency.

by Mike Veneza
Recommended for ages 6-9
As the title and series suggest, this is an informative book and not a storybook. The text is written in language understandable to younger children, so although a bit dry, some children may find the historical pictures and cartoon drawings enough to keep it interesting.

by Laura Crawford, illustrated by Judith Hierstein
Recommended for ages 7-10
Though not as engaging as a storybook, this book does provide some interesting snippets of facts about Ben Franklin.

by David A. Adler, illustrated by John & Alexandra Wallner
Recommended for ages 6-9
Like David Adler's other picture books highlighting historical figures, the story is factual, but written well for younger children, and the illustrations maintain interest.

by Barbara Kerley, illusttrated by Edwin Fotheringham
Recommended for ages 7-10
This book, though a long read for young children, has fun illustrations and enjoyable writing. It juxtaposes John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two very different many who often disagreed but together "helped launch a new nation."

Rated G
This is not a book, but rather a DVD series of 40 episodes. The series follows Benjamin Franklin's fictional teenage reporters, a young colonist named James and a young Englishwoman named Sarah, through the many events leading up to and through the American Revolution. My kids love this series, and though we are still in the earlier episodes (it will take us awhile to get through these since I limit screen time), they are asking me each day to watch more. I tend to prefer books to movies, but this series is a fun and easy way to expose kids to the events of the American Revolution.