Kansas is bored, sitting in the middle of the country, so all the states switch places. Minnesota lakes visit the Grand Canyon, Alabama peanuts go hiking in Rocky Mountains, but Alaska is crowded by other states and waves are ruining Arizona's hairdo. Wisecracking states and humorous illustrations! (Picture book)

Ride with President Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir ("Teedie" and "Johnnie") through Yosemite, from the redwood groves to high in the mountains. Hiking on their own and sleeping outdoors, they talked about preserving the wildness for everyone, for generations to come. (Picture book)

A fresh, fun look at Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president, whose portrait is on a five-dollar bill. He loved apples and vanilla cake, hated slavery, and when you visit the Lincoln Memorial, you can look into his beautiful eyes. Fabulously illustrated, this is a gem! (Picture book)

Babar, Celeste and the family take a grand tour of the United States – sightseeing in New York City, hiking in the West, riding the cable cars in San Francisco, visiting the Grand Canyon, kayaking in Florida, standing at the Cloud Gate in Chicago, and more. (Picture book)

Never a dull moment when the Founding Fathers were kids – bold John Hancock, noisy Paul Revere, honest George Washington, clever Ben Franklin, and independent Thomas Jefferson. They wanted a revolution, and the rest is history. (Picture book)

Patience Wright was an accomplished wax sculptor, who created true-to-life portraits of Ben Franklin and the king and queen of England. She was also a spy during the American Revolution, hiding secret messages in her wax sculptures. An exciting story, beautifully illustrated. (Picture book)

A visual guide to the American Revolution – battles and leaders, soldiers, spies and traitors, battlefields and the home front, peace and birth of a nation. Rich, historical illustrations. (Picture book)

Ste-e-e-e-eamboat Comin'!
Jill Esbaum, Adam Rex

A sleepy town along the Mississippi River comes to life when the steamboat arrives. Passengers push down the gangplank, barrels, foods and farm animals are unloaded, news spreads fast, but when the whistle blows, it's time to wave farewell. Bygone days in colorful paintings and rhymes. (Picture book)

Fascinating story of Sarah Edmonds, a nineteen year old woman who enlisted and fought in the Civil War - and she was disguised as a man. She learned to be a solider, nursed the wounded, and spied behind enemy lines! Spectacular illustrations. (Picture book)

Pictorial history of the Civil War – battles east and west, camp life, soldiers and generals, war timeline, plus 21 activities, make a quilt, create a code, berry ink, coffee can drum, homemade hardtack, and more. Wonderful historical photographs (Chapter book)

Wild and wonderful adventures of America’s westward expansion – Indians, mountain men, pioneers, miners, cowboys, immigrants, filled with amazing tales of boom and bust (no one ever said life would be easy out west). Super illustrations, fresh stories, thoughtful insights with a light touch, this is fun for kids and parents alike. (Chapter book)

Disguised as boys, sisters Sallie and Maude March ride west to Missouri, looking for their long-lost uncle. Newspapers report that Maude leads a gang of bank robbers, but it's just the two sisters, trying to avoid mountain lions, treacherous snows, and real desperados. A fun, wild west read. (Chapter book)

Spooked by a thunderstorm, a young girl rides with the village horses. In the hidden hills, she meets the wild horses, led by a magnificent stallion, who welcomes her to live with them. A vibrant, spirited tale with bold illustrations, like Native American art. (Picture book)

Three kids, a mystery, and one tattered baseball with a hole in the center. To earn money to save the family fortunes, the kids play on a baseball team traveling around the country, but when they hold that baseball, strange things happen ... (Chapter book)

More Sluggers adventures and the magic of baseball with Horsin' Around, Great Balls of Fire, and Water, Water Everywhere, Blastin' the Blues, and the finale, Home of the Brave.

With a spooky baseball card, young Joe travels back in time to 1932, where he meets Babe Ruth. It's the Depression, but food is cheap, it's game three of the World Series, and Babe Ruth is the home run king of baseball. (Chapter book)

More baseball card adventures: Jackie & Me

Louis Armstrong was too poor to have a real trumpet, but he had a tin horn. And music was everywhere in the streets of New Orleans, jazz, blues, ragtime. This is the story of how Louis got his first real horn, when he was just a boy with a dream. (Easy reader)

Discover the wideness and wonder of deserts and canyons through the eyes of painter Georgia O'Keefe. Deep-colored cut paper collages capture the artist's imagination and amazing landscapes that inspired her work. (Picture book)

Absolutely charming biography of Mark Twain, seen through the eyes of his daughter Susy. Here's Mark Twain at home, writing by day and reading pages to his family at night, riding a balky donkey, making jokes and discussing deep questions. (Picture book)

For an excellent chapter book biography of Mark Twain: The Trouble Begins at 8

Wild and wonderful buildings from all over the United States – climb up an elephant-shaped building, or check out a teapot gas station, stay in concrete wigwams, eat in the Milk Bottle restaurant. Plus, a handy map, so you can visit the buildings on your trip around the U.S. (Picture book)

Take a family trip with Sienna, to discover her African American heritage – Amistad slave ship in New Haven, the streets of Harlem, a black-doll museum in Philadelphia, historic sites in Washington, DC, and more. Sienna's scrapbook is chock-full of hand-written entries, lively illustrations and historical photographs – an inspiration for your own road trip. (Picture book)

The national parks from A to Z, in quick rhymes and fun facts, with richly detailed illustrations. Fifty national parks, from Acadia in Maine, to petrified forests, gushing geysers, bat-filled caves, and Zion in Utah. (Picture book)

Also, a wonderful introduction to wild animals of the national parks: Antelope, Bison, Cougar

50 states of fun, with wacky and humorous facts – what state is the earmuff capital of the world, where were the first hamburgers served, what is the Cereal Festival, who hosts the Hog Calling Contest and more. Zippy illustrations. (Picture book)

A young boy travels to Appalachia to learn to play the songs of an old fidddle player. Together they play "tunes as old as the mist and twisty as the roads." And one day the boy is grown, and he's passing the music down. (Picture book)