Synopses & Reviews
In history, there are two sides to every story. Too often students only hear one side of a story. We must give kids access to correct information from the beginning - we don't need to throw out all that we have learned, we just need to broaden the picture. Presenting both sides of every story gives young readers a whole picture.
In our "American Story" series, we want kids to begin to understand the connections between the people and events they are already familiar with - to see that Columbus, the Pilgrims, and George Washington are parts of one story. That the action of one led to the others in a direct way. Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, and Washington's Birthday are celebrations of connected events - happenings that involved real people and led to life in the United States as we know it today.
Our books often bring complicated subjects to young readers for the first time - the Constitution, the history of money, world religions, the workings of government. Each new topic presents its own challenge, which is what keeps our work so interesting. We enjoy sharing our enthuisasm for our work with students and teachers. We derive great reward from a feeling of contribuing to the education of children in a positive way. We have a role in the shaping of young minds - of helping kids to open their eyes and hearts to all the wonders of our world both past and present and to helping them to feel the connections that we all truly share.
Synopsis
When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in 1620, much of America remained a vast wilderness. Within sixty years of their arrival, America's first cities were thriving seaports, the first college was founded, public education had begun, books were printed, coins minted, and postal service launched. The New Americans tells the story of the origins of our rich multicultural heritage, an exciting chapter in Betsy and Giulio Maestro's acclaimed American Story series.
About the Author
Before beginning her career in children's books, Betsy Maestro was a teacher. Her first book with Giulio Maestro was
A Wise Monkey Tale published in 1975, and since then they have collaborated on more than one hundred books. Their on-going "American Story" series began with the highly acclaimed
The Discovery of the Americas and continues to help young readers understand and appreciate our nation's history.
The Maestros live with two cats and a goldfish in a converted cow barn in Old Lyme, Connecticut.