There seems to be a plethora of picture books available to supplement our history studies.  While I enjoy teaching with picture books, sometimes I want my middle schooler to dig a little deeper. Last week, I shared a list of books about Abraham Lincoln that middle schoolers might enjoy. They are perfect for your American History lessons or your President’s Day unit studies. Today, I’m sharing books about George Washington. If you have younger readers, you’ll want to check out the books I shared in my Homeschool Through the Year: February post last week. 

George Washington Biographies for Middle School

 George Washington, Spymaster: How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the Revolutionary War {gr. 6-9} – Follow the action as 1775 dawns, and Washington finds himself in serious trouble. At war with Britain, the world’s most powerful empire, his ragtag army possesses only a few muskets, some cannons, and no money. The Americans’ only hope is to wage an invisible war—a war of spies, intelligence networks, and deception.

The Real George Washington:  The True story of America’s Most Indispensable Man  – Why, after two centuries, does George Washington remain one of the most beloved figures in our history? The Real George Washington answers that question by giving us a close look at this man who became the father of our country and the first American President. But rather than focus on the interpretations of historians, much of his exciting story is told in his own words. The second part of this 928-page book brings together the most important and insightful passages from Washington’s writings, conveniently arranged by subject.

George Washington’s World – The period measured by the life of George Washington 1732 to 1799 was one of revolution and change in many parts of the world as Enlightenment thinking took hold in the minds of men. When George was a young man, Benjamin Franklin was the most well-known American, Louis XV was on the throne of France, and George II was king of England. Father Junipero Serra had just arrived in Mexico to work with the Panes Indians. Mozart and Bach were writing their immortal music and Voltaire warred with his pen against Ignorance, Injustice and Superstition. The young nobleman Lafayette watched the feisty American colonies with fascinated interest as they stood up to Mother England when she sought to tax them unfairly. James Cook was sent by the Royal Society of London to Tahiti where their team of astronomers might observe a total eclipse of the sun and thereby accurately measure the distance between the earth and the sun.

 George Washington: Hero of the American Revolution – Born into a wealthy, plantation-owning family, George Washington grew up in privilege. He quickly rose in the ranks of the Continental Army until, ultimately he became its commander-in-chief. Committed to the ideals of republicanism, he led the army to victory in the American Revolutionary War, and the United States of America was born. This title examines the life of George Washington, with a focus on his military leadership.

George Washington:  True Patriot  – On a dangerous mission for the British army, young Major Washington had no idea that one day he would lead an army of fellow colonials in a bitter battle for independence against Great Britain herself, the most powerful empire in the world.

In each new crisis, the young United States sought out George Washington. As commander in chief of the Continental army, chairman of the Constitutional Convention, and first president, this indispensable American served the struggling nation when its survival and form hung in the balance.

DK Biography: George Washington – George Washington is often called the father of our country. He beat the odds to lead the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War, served as first president of the United States, and then retired from public life to farm Virginia’s largest plantation.

Full-color photographs of people, places, and artifacts, and sidebars on related subjects add dimension and relevance to stories of famous lives that students will love to read. Modern scholarship and a variety of narrative approaches give today’s reader a chance to explore the extraordinary world of George Washington. This new way of looking at classic subjects creates a unique reading experience that breathes life into the book-report and summer-reading repertoire.

George Washington & the Founding of a Nation – fascinating, fast-paced account of our first president’s life and times Albert Marrin examines the “father of our country” from the perspectives of his character, military experience, and also his slaveholding, to assess Washington’s role in our history. A born leader with a commanding physique, unwavering self-discipline, and an unconquerable will to succeed, he was also-as Lord Fairfax observed when Washington was only sixteen-“a man who will go to school all his life.” Washington’s schools were the rugged country of the French and Indian War, the misery-creating insolvency of the Continental Army, and the agrarian responsibility of his plantation in Mount Vernon. Neither a political theorist nor a firebrand, Washington embodied the virtues of fairness, restraint, and farsightedness that could hold the American colonies together-at least for a while. For, as he said near the end of his life and after two terms as president, “I can clearly foresee that nothing but the rooting out of slavery can perpetuate the existence of our union.”

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Now, let’s get on to this week’s What to Read Wednesday link-up! Last week’s most clicked post was Free Books for Bloggers.

If you have a children’s literature post you’d like to share, please link up with us. Share what you’ve been reading with your kiddos. Do you have a fun book-based activity or printable? Share it with us. You may find yourself featured next week!

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