K.Y. Craft

Mahlon F Craft

This brilliant edition of a timeless story is sure to become the favorite of a generation. Readers young and old will be enchanted by the vision and mastery of Kinuko Y. Craft’s luminous paintings, inspired by the lavish artwork of late seventeenth-century France and embellished with extraordinary borders and ornamentation. Rich with radiant color and astonishing detail, here is a dream come true for anyone who has ever believed in living happily ever after.

Cinderella

Eric Metaxas

Shannon Stirnweis

Describes how the Massachusetts Indian Squanto was captured by the British, sold into slavery in Spain, and ultimately returned to the New World to become a guide and friend for the Pilgrims.

Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving

Margarita Engle

Julie Paschkis

Documents the work of a young girl, Maria Merian, who lived during the Middle Ages and disproved the theory of spontaneous generation by observing caterpillars as they spun cocoons and emerged as butterflies and moths in the spring. By the author of the Newbery Honor Book, The Surrender Tree.

Summer Birds

Tim J Myers

Oki Han

The great poet Basho lives in the woods and shares the cherries from his cherry tree with the local foxes. But one tricky fox becomes greedy––He uses his magic to turn three river stones into gold coins, and then tricks Basho into giving up all of the cherries. When the fox returns to gloat over his victory, he discovers that Basho is content. Wiser than the fox, Basho knows that a poem inspired by the beauty of the river stones is more valuable than gold. Oki S. Han’s watercolors evoke ancient Japan in this sequel to the New York Times bestseller Basho and the Fox.

Basho and the River Stones

Joseph Bruchac

Greg Shed

In 1620 an English ship called the Mayflower landed on the shores inhabited by the Pokanoket, and it was Squanto who welcomed the newcomers and taught them how to survive. When a good harvest was gathered, the people feasted together–a tradition that continues almost four hundred years later.

Squanto's Journey

D.J. Steinberg

Robert Neubecker

Get to know the hilarious true story of King Louis XIV of France and his famous high-heeled shoes!

King Louie was a very BIG king in all ways but one: He was five-feet-four-inches short. So Louie and his royal cobbler cooked up the perfect high-heeled solution to help Louie appear taller. But after an embarrassing tumble (on the dance floor, no less!) Louie learned that his subjects were loyal no matter how big—or how shrimpy—their beloved Louie might have been. Readers young and old will relate to this silly and sweet story of King Louie XIV—a man who had it all, but still felt small.

King Louie's Shoes

Mary Pope Osborne

Sal Murdocca

Jack and Annie travel in their magic treehouse to the year 1621, where they celebrate the first Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians in the New Plymouth Colony.

Thanksgiving on Thursday

Kathleen Krull

Boris Kulikov

A digital solution for your classroom with features created with teachers and students in mind: • Perpetual license • 24 hour, 7 days a week access • No limit to the number of students accessing one title at a time • Provides a School to Home connection wherever internet is available • Easy to use • Ability to turn audio on and off • Words highlighted to match audio Explore the concepts of motion by learning about movement, speed, force, and inertia.

What was Isaac Newton like? Secretive, vindictive, withdrawn, obsessive, and, oh, yes, brilliant. His imagination was so large that, just “by thinking on it,” he invented calculus and figured out the scientific explanation of gravity.Yet Newton was so small-minded that he set out to destroy other scientists who dared question his findings. Here is a compelling portrait of Newton, contradictions and all, that places him against the backdrop of 17th-century England, a time of plague, the Great Fire of London, and two revolutions.

Isaac Newton: Giants of Science

Warren Chappell

Charles Boardman Hawes

Young readers who love a swashbuckling yarn will be captivated by The Dark Frigate, winner of the 1924 Newbery Medal as the year’s most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Abounding in intrigue, battles, and acts of derring-do, the story takes place in the 17th century and charts a course from England to the Caribbean. The hero, Philip Marsham, lost his mother at an early age and was raised aboard various ships by his sea captain father. Alas, a premature death also claims 19-year-old Philip’s father, and now he’s truly alone in the world. When an accident forces him to flee from London, Philip looks to the sea for his livelihood.

Upon meeting some sailors bound for the port of Bideford, Philip joins them in signing on with the Rose of Devon, a frigate bound for Newfoundland. Their transatlantic passage is disrupted by an encounter with a floating wreck, and their rescue of the survivors is repaid with foul treachery by these “gentlemen of fortune” — a band of bloodthirsty pirates who coerce Philip and the rest of the crew into joining in their murderous deeds. Will Philip hang alongside them when the buccaneers are brought to justice?

The Dark Frigate

Gary Bowen

The Sparrowhawk’s crew set sail October 12 from London in hopes of reaching Jamestown, Virginia. On November 6 our ship crashed in fog on what the captain told us was a New England shore.So begins the journal of thirteen-year - old indentured servant Christopher Sears. Rescued by Indians, Chirstopher anf the crew are taken to Plimoth Plantation. There, the young boy finds a place for himself and begins detailing his life with the Pilgrims’the births, deaths, marriages, and the important role that the Indians play in the settlers’ lives. When a ship arrives nearly a year later to take the stranded passengers to Jamestown. Christopher finds he doesn’t want to leave. But he is still indentured to Captain Sibsey, who won’t set him free. Can his new friends help him? Or will he be forced to leave the community that has given him a home?Careful research from historical accounts makes this an exciting story of one boy’s coming of age as well as an informative reconstruction of the Pilgrims’ daily life.”In this beautifully illustrated work, Bowen provides a well-researched, fictional diary of a young Plimoth settler named Christopher Sears, who documents the trials and tribulations of the year 1626. His diary is decorated with woodcuts…rich, powerful images inked with colors suitable to the time.”– BL. “An enthralling account…Bowen’s reputation rests secure as the crafter of scrupulously researched, beautifully illustrated stories.”– K.  Notable Children’s Trade Book in Social Studies for 1995 (NCSS/CBC)1994 “Pick of the Lists” (ABA)1995 Children’s Information Book Award (IRA)1995 Teachers’ Choices (IRA)Best Children’s Book of 1994(Parenting)Children’s Books of 1994 (NY Public Library) 100 Books for Reading and Sharing 1994 (NY Public Library)

Stranded at Plimoth Plantation 1626

Marcia Sewall

This moving account of James Towne’s difficult early years is told from the viewpoint of one of its settlers and enhanced by original quotations.  During the first summer of 1607, half the James Towne colony died; food was scarce, and the settlers battled oppressive heat and sickness. Over the next few years, supply ships from England became the colony’s lifeline, as they brought much-needed stores of food and carried back offerings from the new land, as well as the settlers’ homesick letters.  Conditions began to improve when Captain John Smith was elected president of the colony, and James Towne soon doubled in size. While some of the settlers had been reluctant to work, Smith required participation from all, and the colonists began to take pride in improving their conditions. Furthermore, by learning the native language and befriending a Native American girl named Pocahontas, Smith was able to establish, temporarily, an uneasy peace between the settlers and the natives whose land they had taken.  As new settlers began to arrive from England though, the resources of the budding colony were strained, and in the autumn of 1609 the colony suffered a Starving Time. Deciding to abandon James Towne at last, the colonists headed back toward England, only to have their journey intercepted by a messenger, who informed the settlers that new leaders sent by the King were due to arrive in the flailing colony any day, and urged them to return.  Not for long after their arrival, the discouraged James Towne colonists were met by a new governor and a ship full of healthy passengers with enough supplies and hope to work together to ensure James Towne’s survival.

James Towne: Struggle for Survival

Kate Waters

Russ Kendall

Text and photographs of Plimoth Plantation follow a pilgrim girl through a typical day as she milks the goats, cooks and serves meals, learns her letters, and adjusts to her new stepfather.

Sarah Morton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl

In color photographs taken on the modern-day reproduction of the colonial “Mayflower” ship, an action-packed adventure follows the journey of William Small and Ellen Moore, two children traveling from England to the New World without their families.

On the Mayflower

Sometime between September 21 and November 9, 1621, the English colonists, whom we call Pilgrims, and the Wampanoag people shared a harvest celebration. That meal has become known as the First Thanksgiving. This is the story of what may have actually happened during those days, as told by Dancing Moccasins, a fourteen-year-old Wampanoag boy, and Resolved White, a six-year-old English boy.Photographed in full color at the Plimoth Plantation, this fascinating reenactment will let readers experience the time when English colonists settled on the rich and fertile land of the Wampanoag people.

Giving Thanks: The 1621 Harvest Feast

Demi

A simple retelling of the travels of 17th century Japanese poet, Basho, across his island homeland. The book includes examples of the haiku verses he composed.

Grass Sandals: The Travels of Basho

When an outbreak of the deadly Black Plague closes the Globe Theatre, William Shakespeare’s acting troupe sets off on a tour of England. Widge, the orphan-turned-actor, knows that he’ll be useful on the trip. Not only does he love the stage, but his knack for a unique shorthand has proven him one of the most valuable apprentices in the troupe. But then a mysterious man appears, claiming to know a secret from Widge’s past-a secret that may forever force him from the theatre he loves. “An exciting, well-written tale that is sure to leave [readers] clamoring for more.” (School Library Journal, starred review)

Shakespeare's Scribe

Lori Alexander

Robert F. Sibert Honor Award winner  A Junior Library Guild Selection  A 2020 Outstanding Science Trade Book  A New York Public Library Best of 2019  A 2020 Best STEM Book by NSTA and CBC For fans of the “Who Was” series, this lively, accessible, and full-color chapter book biography shows how a self-taught scientist was the first to observe the microbial life in and around us. By building his own microscope, Antony van Leeuwenhoek advanced humanity’s understanding of our oft-invisible world around us.   Microbes are everywhere: in the soil and oceans, in snow, and inside our bodies. But in Antony van Leeuwenhoek’s time, people believed that what they saw with their own eyes was all that existed in the world. How did a simple tradesman–who didn’t go to college or speak English or Latin like all the other scientists–change everyone’s minds?  Proving that remarkable discoveries can come from the most unexpected people and places, this eye-opening chapter book, illustrated with lively full-color art, celebrates the power of curiosity, ingenuity, and persistence.

All in a Drop: How Antony Van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World

The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system!  Jack and Annie are headed to a land of fierce samurai and great beauty, the capital city of Edo (now the city of Tokyo), in ancient Japan in the 1600s. They bring only a research book to guide them and a magic wand with three special rules. Formerly numbered as Magic Tree House #37, the title of this book is now Magic Tree House Merlin Mission #9:  Dragon of the Red Dawn.  Did you know that there’s a Magic Tree House book for every kid?  Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books Merlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced reader Super Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventure Fact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures  Have more fun with Jack and Annie at MagicTreeHouse.com!

Dragon of the Red Dawn

Countering the prevailing, traditional story of the first Thanksgiving, with its black-hatted, silver-buckled Pilgrims; blanket-clad, be-feathered Indians; cranberry sauce; pumpkin pie; and turkey, this lushly illustrated photo-essay presents a more measured, balanced, and historically accurate version of the three-day harvest celebration in 1621.

1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving

One year of training in samurai school and Jack Fletcher is in real trouble . . . Not only is he struggling to prepare for the Circle of Three, an ancient ritual that tests a samurai’s courage, skill and spirit to the limit, he’s caught in a running battle with fellow student Kazuki and his gang. But these are the least of Jack’s problems. He knows his deadly rival - the ninja Dragon Eye - could strike at any moment. Jack possesses the very thing he will kill for. Can Jack master the Way of the Sword in time to survive a fight to the death?

Young Samurai: The Way of the Sword

Alexandre Dumas

Dumas’s most popular novel has long been a favorite with children, and its swashbuckling heroes are well known from many a film and TV adaptation. Set in 17th-century France, this tale of the adventures of D’Artagnan and the three musketeers is the finest example of its author’s brilliantly inventive storytelling genius.

The Three Musketeers

Merlin’s beloved penguin, Penny, has been put under a spell! To save her, Jack and Annie must find a rare and precious emerald. When the magic tree house whisks them back to India over four hundred years ago to search for the jewel, they discover an amazing and exotic world filled with great danger. Did you know that there’s a Magic Tree House book for every kid? Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter booksMerlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced readerSuper Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventureFact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures Have more fun with Jack and Annie at MagicTreeHouse.com!

A Crazy Day with Cobras

Ron Roy

Visit Plymouth Rock with the A to Z Mysteries gang!  The hunt is on! Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are spending Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Massachusetts. They can’t wait to see the sights and have a Thanksgiving dinner, just like the Pilgrims would have eaten. Then the kids learn about a sapphire necklace that went missing on the real Mayflower. Could the 400-year-old treasure be hidden somewhere nearby? And will someone else find it before they do?  With A to Z Mysteries Super Editions, chapter book readers can keep on collecting clues and solving mysteries with Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose. Now with over 8 million copies in print, this classic kid-favorite series is back with a bright new look and hidden messages!

Mayflower Treasure Hunt

Stuart Gibbs

The first book in the thrilling time travel adventure trilogy from New York Times bestselling Spy School author Stuart Gibbs–now with a brand-new look! Before they were legends, they were friends. All for one and one for all!On a family trip to Paris, Greg Rich’s parents disappear. They’re not just missing from the city–they’re missing from the century. So, Greg does what any other fourteen-year-old would do: He travels through time to rescue them.Greg soon finds out that his family history is tied to the legendary Three Musketeers. But when he meets them, they’re his age, and they’ll only live long enough to become true heroes if he can save them.To rescue his parents, Greg must assume the identity of a young Musketeer in training and unite Athos, Porthos, and Aramis–but a powerful enemy is doing everything possible to stop him.And don’t miss Traitor’s Chase and Double Cross, the next two books in Stuart Gibbs’s thrilling Last Musketeer trilogy!

The Last Musketeer

Kate Klimo

Tim Jessell

A dog’s-eye view of the Mayflower voyage and the first Thanksgiving at Plymouth Colony! English springer spaniel Dash and his furry friend Mercy–a mastiff–travel with their master, John Goodman, in search of the New World. Taken from the pages of history, this Dog Diary follows the story of the colonists whom we now call Pilgrims, from their sixty-six-day voyage at sea to the celebration of their first harvest with the Wampanoag Indians who become their friends and advisors. With realistic black-and-white illustrations by Tim Jessell and an appendix including information about the Mayflower,  Plymouth Colony, springer spaniels, and the primary sources on which the book is based, this is historical fiction that dog-loving middle graders–and educators–can be truly thankful for!

Dash

William Shakespeare

The epic tale of Macbeth retold in graphic-novel format. Macbeth and Banquo are Scottish generals returning home from a victorious war campaign. Their journey is interrupted when three strange witches come upon them and predict their futures. They claim that Macbeth will one day become King of Scotland! Macbeth is stirred by the prophesy. With the help of his scheming wife, he sets into motion a sinister plan that will paint bloody strokes across the entire landscape of Scotland.

Shakespeare: Macbeth

The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system!  Jack and Annie head back in time to Venice, Italy in the 1700s. With the help of a research book, a book of magic rhymes, and a set of mysterious instructions from Merlin, the heroes will save the beautiful city from a flood! Formerly numbered as Magic Tree House #33, the title of this book is now Magic Tree House Merlin Mission #5: Carnival at Candlelight.  Did you know that there’s a Magic Tree House book for every kid?  Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books Merlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced reader Super Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventure Fact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures

Carnival at Candlelight

Geronimo Stilton

It’s a samurai showdown as Team Geronimo follows the Pirate Cats to feudal Japan! It’s feudal Japan of the first Tokugawa dynasty, and the Pirate Cats are trying to be assigned a specific fiefdom by the emperor. Why? You’ll have to read this tale to find out - it will be a legendary romp, with Geronimo Stilton unwittingly becoming a legendary swordsman, Trap showing off his legendary appetite, and Thea Stilton accidentally inventing Kabuki theater! A rattastic tale of honor, acrobatics, and… cars?

The First Samurai

When a spontaneous time leap sends Nickolas Flux back to the Salem, Massachusetts, during the height of the witch trials, what’s a teenage history buff to do? Try to avoid being tried for witchcraft, of course! From meeting accused witches to running from angry mobs, Nick must survive one of the most frightening moments in American history.

Arrested for Witchcraft!: Nickolas Flux and the Salem Witch Trails

Sarah Glenn Marsh

Filippo Vanzo

Maria Sibylla Merian was fascinated with insects. But when Maria was a girl in the mid-1600s, superstitions about bugs prevented most people from taking a close look. People thought bugs were evil–and anyone interested in such creatures was surely evil too. That didn’t stop Maria. Filled with curiosity, she began to study and paint them. She even witnessed silkworms form cocoons and transform into moths–discovering metamorphosis! Painting and drawing as she studied, Maria pushed the boundaries of what girls were expected to do, eventually gaining recognition as one of the first entomologists and scientific illustrators. This gorgeously illustrated biography celebrates a fascinating female pioneer who broke boundaries in both the arts and sciences.

The Bug Girl: Maria Merian's Scientific Vision

Kathryn Lasky

A Journey to the New World: The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple

Al Berenger

A colorfully illustrated, pocket-size picture book biography of the notorious English pirate Blackbeard. Blackbeard, born Edward Teach, was a notorious and much-feared English pirate who famously conquered and captained the Queen Anne’s Revenge and prowled the seas around the West Indies and the eastern coast of Britain’s North American colonies. Rather than ruling through force and bloody intimidation, it’s believed that Blackbeard largely let his fierce image and reputation drive his success. Pocket Bios are full of personality, introducing readers to fascinating figures from history with simple storytelling and cheerful illustrations. Titles include men and women from history, exploration, the sciences, the arts, the ancient world, and more.

Blackbeard

Dr. Marguerite Tassi

Merce Lopez

Love! Betrayal! Ambition! Tragedy! Jealousy! Williams Shakespeare’s universal themes continue to resonate with readers of all ages more than 400 years after his death. This wonderful, fully illustrated book introduces children to the Bard and more than thirty of his most famous and accessible verses, sonnets, and speeches. From “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” to “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!” and “All the world’s a stage,” the words of the greatest playwright and poet spring to life on the page. The next generation of readers, poets, and actors will be entranced by these works of Shakespeare. Each poem is illustrated and includes an explanation by an expert and definitions of important words to give kids and parents the fullest explanation of their content and impact.

A colorfully illustrated, pocket-size picture book biography of mathematician and physicist Isaac Newton. Best known for “discovering gravity” and formulating the laws of motion, Isaac Newton is often hailed as one of the most influential physicists of all time. From the apple incident that lead to his famous mathematical description of gravity, to the invention of the first reflecting telescope, and beyond, follow this extraordinary man’s life and accomplishments. Pocket Bios are full of personality, introducing readers to fascinating figures from history with simple storytelling and cheerful illustrations. Titles include men and women from history, exploration, the sciences, the arts, the ancient world, and more.

Isaac Newton

Russell Freedman

William Low

Newbery Medalist Freedman explores the mystery of the sinking of the great Swedish warship, the “Vasa, “ on her maiden voyage in 1628, and her resurrection from the seas centuries later. Full color.

Top 10 17th Century Books

17th Century

Bookroo

Book Clubs

Schools

Book Platform

Authors & Illustrators

Follow Bookroo