This is a list I’ve gathered over the years of children’s history related picture books or books that are primarily pictures sharing historical stories and info in an interesting way…vs textbooks (which feed facts, not stories, in a dry, dull way…with FAR too many words, not enough pictures. And the pictures they do have are not usually very interesting.)
I have found that I, myself, MUCH prefer short, well-written text that is written in a highly interesting way, making good use of many good pictures to make history come alive. So I have always attempted to use primarily these types of books with my children at all ages of their development.
These books seem to be aimed at elementary and middle school children…but I believe even high school age children can enjoy them as well. My older children have always delighted in picture books as much as I have! And they can help them really enjoy history in a way no boring textbook can.
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PLEASE NOTE: The Amazon links are affiliate links, and I do receive a small percentage of purchases made through those links…THANK YOU for helping to support a fellow homeschool family and all the work I’ve put into creating this website and these resources that I share with you!
Title | Author | Amazon Link |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Explorers Who Changed the World | Gifford, Clive | http://amzn.to/2FRUlJg |
| 10 Inventors Who Changed the World | Gifford, Clive | http://amzn.to/2FQk4SA |
| 10 Kings and Queens Who Changed the World | Gifford, Clive | http://amzn.to/2FErPHX |
| 10 Leaders Who Changed the World | Gifford, Clive | http://amzn.to/2FAcJHi |
| 19th Century Railway Station (A) | MacDonald, Fiona | http://amzn.to/2tIkV2J |
| Boy Who Invented TV | Krull, Kathleen | |
| Chocolate: Riches from the Rainforest | Burleigh, Robert | http://amzn.to/2Fz7pUH |
| City Through Time (A) | Noon, Steve | http://amzn.to/2FUiAXc |
| Cod's Tale (The): A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World | Kurlansky, Mark | http://amzn.to/2FCtMo9 |
| Cold, Hard Facts about Science and Medicine in Colonial America (The) | Raum, Elizabeth | http://amzn.to/2tOl4l4 |
| Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors (The) | Barton, Chris | http://amzn.to/2DoOh5P |
| Escaping to America: A True Story | Schanzer, Rosalyn | http://amzn.to/2p86q3C |
| Foul, Filthy American Frontier: The Disgusting Details about the Journey Out West (The) | Schwartz, Heather E. | http://amzn.to/2FxYmmW |
| Great Events That Changed the World | Delf, Brian | http://amzn.to/2tKD5AL |
| Hairdo: What We Do and Did to Our Hair | Swain, Ruth Freeman | http://amzn.to/2FMT3PV |
| Houses | Gallimard Jeunesse | http://amzn.to/2FGaq1q |
| I Wonder What's Under There?: A Brief History of Underwear | Lattimore, Deborah Nourse | http://amzn.to/2FGasq4 |
| Its Disgusting and We Ate It: True Food Facts from Around the World and Throughout History | Solheim, James | http://amzn.to/2p7BO1V |
| Johann Gutenberg and the Amazing Printing Press | Koscielniak, Bruce | http://amzn.to/2pannu4 |
| Levi Strauss Gets a Bright Idea: A Fairly Fabricated Story of a Pair of Pants | Johnston, Tony | http://amzn.to/2HsACwQ |
| Nine for California | Levitin, Sonia | |
| Oh Rats! The Story of Rats and People | Marrin, Albert | http://amzn.to/2FO8Rlf |
| Queen's Progress: An Elizabethan Alphabet (The) | Mannis, Celeste Davidson | http://amzn.to/2FRFChC |
| Samurai: Warlords of Japan | Dean, Arlan | http://amzn.to/2tHYv1J |
| See Inside Famous Buildings | Jones, Rob Lloyd | http://amzn.to/2HuImyt |
| Story of Chocolate (The) | Polin, Caryn J. | http://amzn.to/2HuKZ3k |
| Story of Salt (The) | Kurlansky, Mark | http://amzn.to/2Hs9bn1 |
| Street Through Time (A) | Millard, Anne | http://amzn.to/2FBEET9 |
| Tricking the Tallyman | Davies, Jacqueline | http://amzn.to/2tJsBlp |
| Ultimate Field Trip #4: A Week in the 1800s (Ultimate Field Trip) | Goodman, Susan E. | http://amzn.to/2FHArNX |
| What Life Was Like Amid Splendor and Intrigue: Byzantine Empire Ad 330-1453 | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2peeuyK |
| What Life Was Like Among Druids And High Kings (Celtic Ireland AD 400-1200) | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2DoxnnU |
| What Life Was Like Among Samurai and Shoguns: Japan, AD 1000-1700 | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2DnW0kJ |
| What Life Was Like at the Rebirth of Genius: Renaissance Italy, Ad 1400-1550 | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2HybRzv |
| What Life Was Like During the Age of Reason: France Ad 1660-1800 | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2tKjhO1 |
| What Life Was Like in Europe's Golden Age: Northern Europe, AD 1500-1675 | Ozment, Steven E. | http://amzn.to/2tKhZTb |
| What Life Was Like in Europe's Romantic Era: Europe, AD 1789-1848 | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2FxTxKk |
| What Life Was Like in the Jewel in the Crown: British India, AD 1600-1905 | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2FQhPOR |
| What Life was Like in the Land of the Dragon: Imperial China Ad 960-1368 | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2pbf3dF |
| What Life Was Like in the Lands of the Prophet: Islamic World, Ad 570-1405 | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2FDX7hP |
| What Life Was Like in the Realm of Elizabeth: England, Ad 1533-1603 | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2Hvktaa |
| What Life Was Like in the Time of War and Peace: Imperial Russia, Ad 1696-1917 | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2paMVGJ |
| What Life was Like on the Banks of the Nile: Egypt 3050 - 30 BC | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2FFzrK5 |
| What Life Was Like When Longships Sailed: Vikings Ad 800-1100 | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2FNgf0f |
| What Life Was Like: At Empire's End : Austro-Hungarian Empire Ad 1848-1918 | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2tJIjwS |
| What Life Was Like: At the Dawn of Democracy : Classical Athens 525-322 Bc | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2p8rXJn |
| What Life Was Like: In the Age of Chivalry : Medieval Europe Ad 800-1500 | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2HuP7QS |
| What Life Was Like: When Rome Ruled the World : The Roman Empire 100 Bc-Ad 200 | Books, Time-Life | http://amzn.to/2HxCGE1 |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Chicago Gangster!: Some Dangerous Characters You'd Better Avoid | Matthews, Rupert | http://amzn.to/2FE0MfG |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Civil War Soldier! | Ratliff, Thomas M | http://amzn.to/2FyBFyX |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Greek Athlete! | Ford, Michael | http://amzn.to/2Fy3ebI |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Mammoth Hunter: Dangerous Beasts You'd Rather Not Encounter | Malam, John | http://amzn.to/2FQrdCg |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Medieval Knight! | MacDonald, Fiona | http://amzn.to/2FP9k6H |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Ninja Warrior!: A Secret Job That's Your Destiny | Malam, John | http://amzn.to/2FEZFfY |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Nurse During the American Civil War!: A Job That's Not for the Squeamish | Senior, Kathryn | http://amzn.to/2GmTbmV |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Pirate's Prisoner! | Malam, John | http://amzn.to/2FEAQ3L |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Polar Explorer: An Expedition You'd Rather Not Go on | Green, Jen | |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Pyramid Builder!: A Hazardous Job You'd Rather Not Have | Morley, Jacqueline | http://amzn.to/2Dq4SpJ |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Roman Gladiator!: Gory Things You'd Rather Not Know | Malam, John | http://amzn.to/2FDfjsc |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Secret Agent During World War II!: A Perilous Mission Behind Enemy Lines | Malam, John | http://amzn.to/2FMNH78 |
| You Wouldn't Want to be a Victorian Schoolchild | Malam, John | |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Viking Explorer! | Langley, Andrew | http://amzn.to/2GpLuMP |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a World War II Pilot!: Air Battles You Might Not Survive | Graham, Ian | http://amzn.to/2tJzVxl |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be an American Colonist | Morley, Jacqueline | http://amzn.to/2HyyCn5 |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be an American Pioneer!: A Wilderness You'd Rather Not Tame | Morley, Jacqueline | http://amzn.to/2pcaejn |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be an Aztec Sacrifice! | MacDonald, Fiona | http://amzn.to/2pcPxUv |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be an Egyptian Mummy!: Digusting Things You'd Rather Not Know | Stewart, David | http://amzn.to/2FFPSpV |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be at the Boston Tea Party!: Wharf Water Tea You'd Rather Not Drink | Cook, Peter | http://amzn.to/2p5nVBG |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be Cleopatra! | Pipe, Jim | http://amzn.to/2tIWD8Z |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be in a Medieval Dungeon!: Prisoners You'd Rather Not Meet | MacDonald, Fiona | http://amzn.to/2Go2XFq |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be in Alexander the Great's Army!: Miles You'd Rather Not March | Morley, Jacqueline | |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be on Apollo 13!: A Mission You'd Rather Not Go on | Graham, Ian | http://amzn.to/2FxRZzY |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be on the First Flying Machine! | Graham, Ian | http://amzn.to/2HxXVFP |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be Sick in the 16th Century!: Diseases You'd Rather Not Catch | Senior, Kathryn | http://amzn.to/2FMPd9k |
| You Wouldn't Want to Explore with Lewis and Clark! | Morley, Jacqueline | http://amzn.to/2p7oP0y |
| You Wouldn't Want to Sail on the Mayflower! | Cook, Peter | http://amzn.to/2FDN5xk |
| You Wouldn't Want to Work on the Railroad!: A Track You'd Rather Not Go Down | Graham, Ian | |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Slave in Ancient Greece! | MacDonald, Fiona | http://amzn.to/2FMMv3L |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Pony Express Rider!: A Dusty, Thankless Job You'd Rather Not Do | Ratliff, Thomas M | http://amzn.to/2FGy8uF |
| You Wouldn't Want to Sail on the Titanic! | Stewart, David | http://amzn.to/2tLtz0j |
| You Wouldn't Want To Be A Crusader!: A War You'd Rather Not Fight | MacDonald, Fiona | http://amzn.to/2tKLEMe |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Mayan Soothsayer!: Fortunes You'd Rather Not Tell | Matthews, Rupert | http://amzn.to/2DoU7E8 |
| You Wouldn't Want to Be a Sumerian Slave!: A Life of Hard Labor You'd Rather Avoid | Morley, Jacqueline | http://amzn.to/2DoTbQo |
oh noooo!
the links are gone!!
Well that’s strange. Something weird must have happened.
Don’t worry! I’ll fix it!
The links still aren’t there : ( Let me know when you fix it : )