During our study of Delaware, we had the chance to visit Winterthur Gardens. We also looked back on our memories of seeing the horseshoe crab spawning in Delaware Bay. Learning about Caesar Rodney and Annie Jump Cannon rounded out this week of Delaware. Here are our top 5 books for Delaware.
The indigenous people in the area that is now Delaware are the Lenni Lenape. They also resided in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and a portion of New York. Take a look at the booklist here: Lenni Lenape booklist.
F is for First State, link to read it for free online at archive.org
“As the first state to ratify the United States Constitution, Delaware rightfully earned its nickname of “First State.” Though small in size, it is a treasure trove of history (Fort Delaware), inventions (the Victrola), and garden wonders (Winterthur). State symbols such as the Blue Hen Chicken and peach blossom speak to the character and traditions that formed the state. Historian Carol Crane loves looking through the kaleidoscope of the past and has taken many delightful journeys through Delaware. She loves to imagine her Swedish ancestors coming to this country on the Kalmar Nyckel, building log cabins, or starting the first Swedish church in Wilmington.” (description from Amazon)
Caesar Rodney’s Ride, link to read it for free online at archive.org
This was quite the wordy picture book but I appreciated the perspective it gave of the importance of having a unanimous vote among the state delegates who signed the Declaration of Independence. Caesar Rodney’s Ride is depicted on the state quarter for Delaware.
“On the afternoon of July 1, 1776, Caesar Rodney received a letter from a fellow Delaware delegate urging him to return to Philadelphia at once. The congress was on the verge of casting the vote for independence. Battling bad weather and physical handicaps, Caesar Rodney embarked on a journey that would change the course of history. Here is the dramatic story of that ride, set against the extraordinary events of July 1776, with the remarkable men who shaped them, including John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Dickinson, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and Caesar Rodney. With exquisitely detailed watercolors by Gary Lippincott, Jan Cheripko presents the burning issues of that time, the men who fought for them, and the story of the great patriot whose breakneck ride for freedom served to ensure the birth of the United States.” (description from Amazon)
Annie Jump Cannon, Astronomer, link to read it for free online at archive.org
Annie Cannon was born in 1863. We enjoyed learning about her contributions to astronomy and about gender inequalities of the era. There is a timeline of her accomplished life at the end.
“This biography illustrates the accomplishments of a woman who developed a system of classifying stars and who-to this day-holds the record for identifying more stars than anyone else in the world. In 1925, Annie Jump Cannon became the first woman to be honored by Oxford University with a doctor of science degree. In addition to noting the achievements of the astronomer and her contributions to science, the book details Cannon’s work and system of ranking stars by heat.” (description from Amazon)
High Tide for Horseshoe Crabs, link to read it for free at archive.org
We were able to see the spawning of the horseshoe crabs a few years ago. We spotted one with a tag and I took a photo of it, although I didn’t know what it was about at the time. In the back of this book are many resources, one of which says, “If you see a tagged crab: https://www.fws.gov/crabtag/” Upon entering the data online, we received a certificate and a pin of a mini horseshoe crab! It was an exciting day and the first time we had participated in a Citizen Science event! Check out our experience with this Instagram Post.
“Every spring millions of horseshoe crabs crawl to the beaches of Delaware Bay to lay their eggs. But they aren’t the only ones crowding ashore. Flocks of shorebirds migrating north from South America stop to feed on the horseshoe crab eggs. People also flock to the scene. Scientists and tourists turn out to see the spectacle and learn more about the creatures that call this habitat home for a few weeks.” (description from Amazon)
This book is specifically about the Children’s Fairy-tale Garden at Winterthur Gardens in Delaware. This book would only be meaningful as a part of a Delaware study if you were to visit Winterthur Gardens. Otherwise, it is a sweet story of children who wander into a fairy-tale garden and the adventures they have there.
“On a warm spring day, Tara and her brother Thomas venture into the woods in search of wild blueberries. Although they lose their way, they soon find a magical realm of fairies, trolls, and wondrous surprises.” (description from Amazon)