British History

[Momma4]

Hi everyone, Im looking for a good book to read aloud to my Kindergarten age son on British History.  I've always read well above his age so his comprehension is actually pretty good.  I heard about a book called 'Our Island Story' but I don't think it's all that accurate.  I want something that is honest, accurate and can be used a read aloud.

 

Thanks

xxx

[Laura Corin]

A fun book to use with that age group is Britannia, by McCaughrean. It tells stories from British history that have been passed down the ages and may or not be true (Alfred burning the cakes, etc.)  There's a side-bar that discusses the historical truth of each tale.  It was a good way of putting over traditional British history stories, but also introducing the idea that history is a telling, not a truth.

[Emerald Stoker]

My kids loved Britannia at that age (and I found it in the first place years ago here, when Laura recommended it!). They still flip through it fondly from time to time, actually.

 

They also had a couple of books of poetry about British history--one was published by Jane Nissen and one by Faber, but I can't remember titles or editors at the moment--I'll come back when I've had a poke around the shelves.

 

ETA: Just remembered the Nissen-published one was Kings and Queens by Eleanor and Herbert Farjeon.

The Faber and Faber one was edited by Kenneth Baker: A Children's English History in Verse.

 

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Another Laura-recommendation we read a little later was The Young Oxford History of Britain and Ireland. My kids were maybe 8ish? 10ish? It was very good--lots of illustrations, well-written, concerned with accuracy.

Edited January 31, 2016 by Emerald Stoker