3 Famous People from Connecticut

N is for Nutmeg, link to read for free at archive.org

N is for Nutmeg mentions other such notable people from Connecticut as: Harriet Beecher Stowe who wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain who wrote Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. I chose to hold off on Harriet Beecher Stowe until we reach the 1900s and Mark Twain until reading about steamboats on the Mississippi River.

Yankee Doodle, link to read for free at archive.org (Also posted under Overview of the American Revolution)

Yankee Doodle is the state anthem of Connecticut. (More about the history of Yankee Doodle in connection with Connecticut.)

“In a whimsical retelling of the American Revolution, characters such as mice, rabbits, frogs, pigs, and bears–dressed in authentic garb–participate in the crossing of the Delaware and the Boston Tea Party.” (from Amazon)

When I was Built, read it for free online at archive.org

I believe the author based this book upon her own house in Connecticut, “a one-and-a-half story home built around 1720.

“Standing strong and proud, a trusty old farmhouse reflects on its beginnings, remembering the Fairchild family who built it more than two hundred years ago and comparing what life was like then to the bustling world of the Gray family, its present dwellers.

“With rich historical detail and warm affirmation of both past and present, When I Was Built celebrates continuity and change, as it conveys the welcoming spirit that makes a house a much-loved home.” (from Amazon)

Sybil Ludington’s Midnight Ride, read it for free online at archive.org

This is a great true story to study alongside the story of Paul Revere’s midnight ride. This came on our radar during our Connecticut state study. Taking place on April 26, 1777, this is “the story of Sybil Ludington’s ride on horseback to rouse American soldiers to fight against the British who were attacking Danbury, Connecticut during the American Revolution.” (from the publisher) Her ride takes place across the state border in New York.

There is an author’s note at the beginning to lay the background for the story. There is also an afterword to tell us about the rest of Sybil’s life. This book is part of the “On My Own History” series for grades 2-3.

Sybil’s Night Ride

For reading aloud, this picture book is shorter than the previous book. “On the stormy night of April 26, 1777, young Sybil Ludington rode on her horse spreading the word that the British were coming. They had already set fire to the nearby town of Danbury, Connecticut and the glow of the flames had turned the night sky to fiery red. Sybil rode through the countryside to alert the patriots with the cry of ‘Muster at Ludington’s!'” (from the publisher)

An Inconvenient Alphabet

“Once upon a revolutionary time, two great American patriots tried to make life easier. They knew how hard it was to spell words in English. They knew that sounds didn’t match letters. They knew that the problem was an inconvenient English alphabet. In 1786, Ben Franklin, at age eighty, and Noah Webster, twenty-eight, teamed up. Their goal? Make English easier to read and write. But even for great thinkers, what seems easy can turn out to be hard. Children today will be delighted to learn that when they “sound out” words, they are doing eg-zakt-lee what Ben and Noah wanted.” (from the publisher)

This book is so much fun and a great segue into teaching kids how a dictionary works.

Noah Webster and His Words, link to read for free at archive.org

This story describes Noah Webster’s quest to unite the new nation of America with a common language. There is a handy timeline in the back of this book.

“From an early age, Noah Webster was an odd fellow who liked to talk big and loved learning. He thought America needed its own national language and knew he was just the man to create it. He started with a speller, including everyday words like “scab,” “grub,” and “mop,” and moved on to create a small dictionary. He rode around on a horse, selling his books by hand. Then Noah decided to compile a complete and comprehensive dictionary of American English. He thought the book would take him five years to finish. It took twenty, but his dictionary today is the second-most printed book in the English language.” (from the publisher)

Noah Webster’s Fighting Words, link to read it for free at archive.org

This picture book probably has the most engaging illustrations of the three. It describes how Noah Webster attempted to change the alphabet and spellings of words with Benjamin Franklin. An author’s note and timeline can be found at the end.

“Noah Webster, famous for writing the first dictionary of the English language as spoken in the United States, was known in his day for his bold ideas and strong opinions about, well, everything. Spelling, politics, laws, you name it—he had something to say about it. He even commented on his own opinions! With a red pencil in hand, Noah often marked up work that he had already published. So who edited this book? It certainly looks like the ghost of the great American author and patriot picked up a pencil once again to comment on his own biography!” (from the publisher)

W is for Webster, link to read it for free at archive.org

This story hones in on Noah Webster’s creation of the dictionary. He was inspired to do so as a way of uniting his students who were all from different backgrounds.

“From an early age, Noah Webster was an odd fellow who liked to talk big and loved learning. He thought America needed its own national language and knew he was just the man to create it. He started with a speller, including everyday words like “scab,” “grub,” and “mop,” and moved on to create a small dictionary. He rode around on a horse, selling his books by hand. Then Noah decided to compile a complete and comprehensive dictionary of American English. He thought the book would take him five years to finish. It took twenty, but his dictionary today is the second-most printed book in the English language.” (from the publisher)

The Extraordinary Music of Mr. Ives, link to read for free at archive.org

“When the Lusitania was attacked in 1915, the American composer and New Yorker Charles Ives transformed the experience of this heartbreaking news into a musical piece. It begins with a jumble of traffic noises, then the hurdy-gurdy swells into the lovely old hymn “In the Sweet Bye-and-Bye.” In lyrical text and watercolors—sometimes in dramatic wordless spreads—this thoughtful picture book reveals not only a wartime tragedy, but a composer’s conviction that everyday music can convey profound emotion—and help heal a city. Young readers will understand that if they listen, music can be heard in the unlikeliest of places, from the busy chatter of a market to the wail of a fire engine.” (from Amazon)

The Courage of Sarah Noble, free to read online at archive.org

This is a short chapter book with 11 chapters for ages 6 to 10. Based on a true story, the author’s note states “The story happened in Connecticut but it might have happened in many other places in America.”

“In 1707, young Sarah Noble and her father traveled through the wilderness to build a new home for their family. ‘Keep up your courage, Sarah Noble,’ her mother had said, but Sarah found that it was not always easy to feel brave inside. The dark woods were full of animals and Indians, too, and Sarah was only eight!

“The true story of Sarah’s journey is inspiring. And as she cares for her father and befriends her Indian neighbors, she learns that to be afraid and to be brave is the greatest courage of all.” (from Amazon)

The Forbidden Schoolhouse

This is a riveting read in 16 chapters with many photographs about the life of Prudence Crandall (1803-1890), a white woman who tried to open a school for black children in Connecticut. It all began in 1833.

“They threw rocks at the school windows. Villagers refused to sell Miss Crandall groceries or let her students attend the town church. Her schoolhouse was mysteriously set on fire. The town authorities dragged her to jail and put her on trial for breaking the law.   Her crime? Trying to teach African American girls geography, history, reading, philosophy, and chemistry.   Exciting and eye-opening, this account of the heroine of Canterbury, Connecticut, and her elegant white schoolhouse at the center of town will give readers a glimpse of what it is like to try to change the world when few agree with you.” (from the publisher)