At head of title: Reader's Digest. Over 600 true stories delve into history and come up with all-American entertainment.

If you ever thought history was dull and our forefathers stodgy, here is a book to change your mind. Its short newsy approach to the most fascinating offbeat stories in American history make it fun to read and hard to put down. Did you know that Polish immigrants reached America 12 years before the Pilgrims? That a Supreme Court justice was once arrested--a a vice president indicted--for murder? That Al Capone's brother was a federal Prohibition agent? This is America at its most fascinating--more than 600 true stories as gripping as a whodunit, as fast paced as a spy chase, as atmospheric as a historical novel--guaranteed to give many hours of reading pleasure. B02226.

American history comes alive in these 100 true stories that define our country. This magnificent treasury tells the story of America through 100 true tales. Some are tales of triumph—the midnight ride of Paul Revere, the Wright brothers taking to the air, Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon. Some are tales of tragedy—the fate of the Donner Party, the great fire in Chicago, the eruption of Mount Saint Helens. There are stories of inventors and athletes and abolitionists and artists. Stories about struggling for freedom—again and again, in so many ways. With full-color illustrations on nearly every page and short, exciting stories, this book is perfect for browsing by the entire family. Notes at the end of each story direct readers to related stories. And a guide to thematic story arcs offers readers (and teachers) an easy way to follow their particular interests throughout the book. A treasure trove of a book that belongs in every home! “This lively and engaging collection of stories recounting American history is a wonderful gift not only to the children of this country but also their parents. I can’t wait to share it with my grandchildren.” —Tom Brokaw

Contains 101 curious tales and oddball facts about events and people from the fifty states.

Bring history to life for students in grades 4 and up with Amazing Facts in U.S. History! Students will love to explore little-known historical facts, folklore, and “facts” often taught in school that are either untrue or undocumented in this captivating text. Topics covered in this 128-page book include the Fountain of Youth, the first Thanksgiving, the colonies, the Revolutionary War, George Washington, the Cherokee nation, the Gold Rush, the Wild West, and American Presidents. The book includes questions, explanations, historical mysteries, quizzes, puzzles, logic problems, and answer keys.

A comprehensive history of the brutal wilderness war that secured America’s independence in 1777—by an author with “a flair for vivid detail” (Library Journal). With Musket and Tomahawk is a vivid account of the American and British struggles in the sprawling wilderness region of the American northeast during the Revolutionary War. Combining strategic, tactical, and personal detail, historian Michael Logusz describes how the patriots of the newly organized Northern Army defeated England’s massive onslaught of 1777, all but ensuring America’s independence. Britain’s three-pronged thrust was meant to separate New England from the rest of the young nation. Yet, despite its superior resources, Britain’s campaign was a disaster. Gen. John Burgoyne emerged from a woodline with six thousand soldiers to surrender to the Patriots at Saratoga in October 1777. Within the Saratoga campaign, countless battles and skirmishes were waged from the borders of Canada to Ticonderoga, Bennington, and West Point. Heroes on both sides were created by the score amid the madness, cruelty, and hardship of what can rightfully be called the terrible Wilderness War of 1777.

For classroom reading teachers and specialists, this unique resource is one of two volumes of "Reading Stories for Comprehension Success" packed with ready-to-use story lessons and activities for building students' reading, comprehension, and writing skills in grades 1 through 6. Volume I, PRIMARY LEVEL, presents 45 detailed lessons, reproducible story selections and questions, and related activities for reading grade levels 1, 2, and 3. Volume II, INTERMEDIATE LEVEL, presents 45 detailed lessons, reproducible story selections and questions, and related activities for reading grade levels 4, 5, and 6. The story lessons and activities in both volumes are designed with modifications for the learning disabled built in. They can be used with all regular and special students in any basal or whole language reading program, and help increase students' confidence, interest, and involvement in learning while growing comprehension skills. You'll find 15 story lessons at each grade level. Each story lesson is organized into the following sections: About the Story: A brief overview introduces the story's topic, e.g., "Fast-Food Computers" (Reading Level 2) or "The Mystery of St. Elmo's Fire" (Reading Level 4). Preview Words: A helpful word list introduces students to any unfamiliar vocabulary. Books to Read: Recommended books relate to the subject of the story lesson. Videos/CD's, Records & Cassettes: These additional resources will help get students hooked into the story lesson. Introductory Activities: Role-playing, card games, crafts projects, and other activities familiarize students with the topics of the story. The Story: Each factual story is designed to capture and hold children's interest and is accompanied by a reproducible full-page picture. Questions: Specially designed comprehension questions require students to think out their answer and respond with complete, written sentences. Extension Activities: Projects, plays, and a variety of other activities allow the student to experience the subject beyond the story. Each grade-level volume also includes a special introduction offering detailed suggestions for using "Reading Stories for Comprehension Success" with students of all abilities. This covers teaching strategies, reading ability guidelines, sentence writing lessons, and directions for effective use of the pre-tests, teacher lesson plans, and student data sheets. In short, "Reading Stories for Comprehension Success" gives you a single developmental program you can use with all of the regular and special students in your classroom. It provides maximum flexibility in lesson preparation and the freedom to base each lesson on your students' needs.