We read so many books about the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War but we were still able to find more books for this Pennsylvania study. This booklist includes books that introduce the state and the early history of Pennsylvania. Also be sure to check out this booklist about the Lenni Lenape, the indigenous people who lived in this area.
We also studied the life and art of Benjamin West. Other biographies introduced Milton Hershey and the inventor of the Crayola crayon. Now we are wanting to visit those very fun places: Hershey Park and the Crayola Factory!
We watched the Pennsylvania episode of State Plate which inspired us to make Amish Pretzels from scratch and Philly Cheesesteaks.
State Overview Books
K is for Keystone, link to read it for free online at archive.org
“Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water, Gettysburg, Ben Franklin’s inventions, the Liberty Bell — there is so much to learn about Pennsylvania’s history and geography. K is for Keystone is a wonderful introduction to many of Pennsylvania’s unique features for readers young and old.” (description from Amazon)
Rupert and the Liberty Bell, link to read it for free online at archive.org
This is part of a “State Stories” series and a fun introduction to the state’s symbols. Rupert, a ruffed grouse (the state bird of PA), travels across the state, hitting all the major locations. Side bars provide photographs and additional information about such places as Allegheny National Forest, Amish Traditions, and the Fulton Opera House.
“In addition to the illustrated story, interesting and informative factual sidebars & photos about the state are found throughout the book. A treasure-hunt map plots the journey and a cultural recipe is also included. This book ends with state facts at a glance, a reading comprehension quiz, and more things to see and do around Pennsylvania with a map showing the locations.” (description from Amazon)
Focus on Philadelphia
This is a silly and fun book about a teacher taking her class on a field trip to Philadelphia. She introduces them to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, a statue of Benjamin Franklin, and Betsy Ross’s house.
A Day in the Life of a Colonial Sailmaker
This is more of a textbook than a story. It highlights the life of a free black man, James Forten. Born in Philadelphia in 1766, he becomes a sailmaker and wealthy businessman.
We attended a live presentation of a re-enactor playing James Forten at the Museum of the American Revolution. A whole special exhibit about the Forten family brought the character to life.
Seventh and Walnut, link to read it for free at archive.org
Part of the Adventures in Colonial America series, reading this book is akin to having a dialogue with Philadelphia’s night watchman. Black and white sketches introduce us to William Penn, the city of colonial Philadelphia, and inventions by Benjamin Franklin. The book takes place in 1775 while the members of the Continental Congress are meeting.
Biographies
This is wordy chapter book about William Penn. We enjoyed the brief history and found it to be perfect for ages ____.
The Boy Who Loved to Draw, link to read it for free at archive.org
We enjoyed this story about the early childhood of artist Benjamin West. We then dove into “Penn’s Treaty with the Indians” for art study. This video explains the nuances of the painting which was painted far after William Penn made the treaty with the Lenape Native Americans.
“What child doesn’t love to hold a crayon in their hands? But children didn’t always have such magical boxes of crayons. Before Edwin Binney set out to change things, children couldn’t really even draw in color…With experimentation, and a special knack for listening, Edwin Binney and his dynamic team at Crayola created one of the world’s most enduring, best-loved childhood toys – empowering children to dream in COLOR!” (description from Amazon)
Edwin Binney was born in 1866. We found the story and illustrations to be vibrant, interesting, and inspiring. The endnotes contain more information about him.
On the Corner of Chocolate Avenue
This was a delightfully illustrated picture book about how Milton Hershey’s life as a business owner, inventor, and philanthropist. We enjoyed the photographs and timeline at the end. Also included are source notes, bibliography, and resources to learn more about Milton Hershey and about chocolate.
Chocolate by Hershey, link to read from free at archive.org
This is a short book with seven chapters that my kids enjoyed. There are black and white illustrations throughout and an Afterword and Bibliography at the end.
“Milton Hershey loved candy. As a boy, he saved his hard-earned pennies for the candy store. He soon discovered that he had a gift for making delicious treats and, after years of trying, Milton finally make it big. People loved his new HERSHEY’S chocolate. Readers will delight in the story behind Hershey’s mouth-watering world of chocolate.” (description from Amazon)