World War II Days

by David C King

Published 6 September 2000
Now kids can find out how tough and exciting life was in America during World War II. This newest edition to the popular American Kids in History Series takes kids back to 1942 and introduces them to two fictional families, the Donatos and the Andersens. Kids can join 11-year-old Frank Donato in San Francisco as he makes a flashlight to use during blackouts and 12-year-old Shirley Andersen on her family's wheat farm in southern Minnesota as she makes patched jeans and fondue. Packed with entertaining and easy projects, games, and recipes, World War II Days takes kids on an exhilarating adventure into the past, where they can create a Victory Garden, make a periscope, invent secret codes, and make lots of toys and games. With this playful book, the past comes alive for kids as never before! David C. King (Hillsdale, NY) has written many books for children and young adults, including Colonial Days, Pioneer Days, Wild West Days, Civil War Days, and Victorian Days. He has previously worked as an educational journalist, a curriculum developer in both history and social studies, and a high school English and history teacher.

Pioneer Days

by David C King

Published 3 September 1997
Dozens of fun, hands-on projects and activities from the days of the American pioneers Join twelve-year-old Sam Butler and his nine-year-old sister, Liz, on the American frontier in 1843. Discover the hard work, fun, and adventure of their daily lives, and along the way learn how to play games, make toys and crafts, and perform everyday activities just like Liz and Sam. You can make your own homemade soda pop and cook up a batch of johnnycakes. Use clay to create your own pottery and design a string of African trade beads, or learn the Native American art of sandpainting. You can even make your own holiday decorations out of dough or pinecones--if you're not too busy playing tangram, a Chinese puzzle game, or a beanbag target game. Pioneer Days is filled with interesting bits of historical information and fun facts about growing up in days gone by. Discover how different--and how similar--life was for American kids in history. Watch for Colonial Days the next exciting book in the American Kids in History series!

Civil War Days

by David C King

Published 25 March 1999
American Kids in History?(TM) Dozens of projects and activities that will take you back to the days of the American Civil War Travel back to 1862 and spend a year with the Wheelers, an African American family in New York City, and the Parkhursts, a white family in Charleston, South Carolina, Eleven-year-old Emily Parkhurst and twelve-year-old Timothy Wheeler are eager to share the fun, adventure, and hard work of their daily lives. Along the way, they'll show you how to play the games they play and make the toys and crafts they make. Make your own apple pandowdy and whip up a batch of tasty gingerbread. Send top-secret messages in Morse code, gather materials for crafting evergreen wreaths and pinecone turkeys,and sculpt a miniature sheep out of homemade clay dough. Play the exciting African game of mankala--that is, if you have time after making your own potato-print wrapping paper, papier-mache bowl, and marzipan decorations. Civil War Days is filled with interesting historical information and facts about growing up in days gone by. Discover how different--and how similar--life was for American kids in history.
Watch for Victorian Days, the next exciting book in the American Kids in History?(TM) series! Also available: Pioneer Days, Colonial Days, and Wild West Days For Children Ages 8 to 1 2

Victorian Days

by David C King

Published 10 January 2000
American Kids in History?(TM) Share the Fun, Challenges, Dreams, and Adventures of Life in Victorian America What would it be like to grow up in New York City during the exciting Victorian era? Travel back to 1893 and find out. Join the Kadinskys, a family of Polish immigrants working hard to start a new life, and the Hobarts, a well-to-do American family living in a large house near Central Park. Steam into New York Harbor with eleven-year-old Mary Kadinsky and share her thrilling first sight of the Statue of Liberty. Start a new school year with twelve-year-old William Hobart and discover a game called basketball. Be a part of their daily lives during this time of remarkable growth and change with fun and easy projects, recipes, activities, and games. Make cinnamon bread sticks and play Polish checkers. Decorate Easter eggs and prepare for a Victorian Christmas. Create Polish paper cutouts and cook up your own rock candy. Share the Victorians' love of nature and collecting, and learn to make plaster of paris casts of natural objects like autumn leaves--or animal footprints. Experiment with snowflake impressions, learn to measure the distance of lightning, and unlock the secrets of electricity.. From Mary's inviting kitchen and William's basement workshop to the bustling beach resort at Coney Island and ice-skating in Central Park, Victorian Days will take you back to a fascinating period in American history. Watch for World War II Days, the next exciting book in the American Kids in History?(TM) series! Also available: Civil War Days, Pioneer Days, Colonial Days, and Wild West Days for Children Ages 8 to 12

Wild West Days

by David C King

Published 24 July 1998
Now the kids of today can walk in the boots of wranglers of the Wild West. This new addition to the American Kids in History Series transports readers to a cattle ranch near Cheyenne, deep in the Wyoming territory of the 1870s. They'll join 12-year-old Tom as he goes on his first cattle drive, and 11-year-old Amy as she helps the bronco busters tame the horses. And they'll be able to try over 30 fun, simple, step-by-step projects, activities, and games, including making a Cheyenne shield and pioneer cap, playing a buttonhole puzzle game, braiding a cowboy lariat, whipping up a batch of authentic sourdough flapjacks, and more. Learning history has never been so hands-on-or so much fun! David C. King (Hillsdale, New York) is a well-known author of books for children and young adults. He has previously worked as an educational journalist, a curriculum developer in both history and social studies, and a high school English and history teacher.