Renthead Mommy Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 (edited) We just started one of these. What is the group feeling on these? Do you like them well enough to keep using them for a number of different people through history? What about the My America series? Is this the one that people recommended more for boys in place of the American Girls stories? Do we like this one? I'd like to get my son a series of books to have on hand to use as we go through history. Ones to actually buy. (We don't normally buy, we normally just use the library. Once it's read, we're done with it and it's returned.) Ones he'd like well enough to hopefully read again. Suggetions? Thougths on these series? Thanks. Edited January 17, 2011 by Renthead Mommy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 We've read many of the Childhood of Famous American series. I once heard from a librarian that librarians don't exactly care for them b/c they take so much creative license with what was said to whom etc. But, in my mind, the stories are neat ways to get the basic facts across about a hero's childhood. Also, different people write different ones. We like Augusta Stevenson books the best. Alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 My America-bleh. We have a few and only buy more when they're cheap. COFA's--adore, have tons, definitely buy. The older ones (not the silhouttes though) have timelines, activities, etc. in the back. My dd enjoyed those extra resources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbabe Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Yep we love 'em here! Have a whole bookshelf full of them! They may not be the exact "conversations" that these people had, but the stories are true and they teach good values about real American heroes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 We haven't read any of these. My oldest ds read two of the Dear America books and enjoyed them. I read one of them with him and it didn't grate on my nerves to continue reading like with some children's books, so I give it a thumb's up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renthead Mommy Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 We haven't read any of these. My oldest ds read two of the Dear America books and enjoyed them. I read one of them with him and it didn't grate on my nerves to continue reading like with some children's books, so I give it a thumb's up. Wait is it Dear America? Is that the one geared more towards boys? More like the American Girls series? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 (edited) Wait is it Dear America? Is that the one geared more towards boys? More like the American Girls series? Dear America is an old series that is being reprinted. This link is to one of the books my son read, and it is the one I read. Most Dear America books are written from a girl's perspective but not all of them. Though this book has this ridiculous romance novel looking picture on the cover, the diary contained no romance or overly girly stuff. That is just one book though, so I can't speak for the whole series. Wikipedia says it was intended for girls. I asked my ds (age 9) if he thought the second Dear America book he read was girly and he said, "Not really. The Dear America books should be for anyone." My America is a spin-off of Dear America. Edited January 17, 2011 by crstarlette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 My library has ALL the old COFA. I tried to get my son into them for our TQ history reading. He just doesn't like them, he says they focus on the childhood when what he wants to know is about their accomplishments as a grown-up! He loves the Garrard Discovery biography series though - there are lots of those as well. Maybe your library has these? http://www.valerieslivingbooks.info/garrard.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 My dd really liked the COFA books in 1st and 2nd grade. She read a bunch, but never wanted to reread any. We just checked them out of the library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 (edited) When we go through American history, I do plan to have my son read some of the My Name is America books. He loves journal-type books, and these are actually decently written. My dd already has a collection of American Girls books, to which I plan to add some Dear America and Patricia Beatty books. I like that there is a similar series more geared toward boys! Edited January 17, 2011 by momto2Cs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 My DD has enjoyed both series. The Dear America/My America ones are not quite as interesting as the COFA, I think, but the COFA is easier reading. I think the series about boys is called My Name is America; we've not read those, as she's not interested, and my DS1 is a bit young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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