This year’s monumental Independence Day celebration is made accessible to young readers through a special collection of historical fiction and interactive books.
‘Rebellion 1776’ by Laurie Halse Anderson
It is Boston 1776, and 13-year-old Elsbeth Culpepper is living in the best of times and the worst of times. While the Continental Army holds the city to contain the British Army, she finds herself working as a kitchen maid to a Loyalist judge, while her father must earn his living as a sailmaker at the docks. But as soon as the British leave, her father also disappears. With her employer fleeing to Canada, she becomes a servant to a new family that has taken over the judge’s lodgings. The Pike family, with their crew of six children, proves to be a handful, especially when Boston is beset by the smallpox epidemic. As the country declares its independence from Britain, Elsbeth continues to search for her father, help friends along the way, and care for the family she serves.
Set against the backdrop of the early colonies’ struggles for freedom, “Rebellion 1776” is an engaging story of family, friendships, love, and betrayal. While the characters are fictional, the situation that Elsbeth and her father find themselves in is based on actual accounts of people from that era. The first-person narrative, together with Elsbeth’s occasional asides, will draw readers in for a fully immersive experience of 1776 America. Recommended for readers age 12 and up.
Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 432 pages, June 30, 2026
‘Sophia’s War: A Tale of the Revolution’ by Avi
While “Rebellion 1776” takes place in Boston, “Sophia’s War” is set in New York. Manhattan has been fully occupied by the Redcoats with the fall of Fort Washington. Twelve-year-old Sophia Calderwood’s older brother, William, has been charged as a rebel by British forces. Prior to that, she had also witnessed the horrific hanging of the patriot Nathan Hale, firming her resolve that she would do what she could to contribute to the patriots’ cause. While working as a maid in Gen. Henry Clinton’s headquarters, Sophia comes across incriminating information about a popular American general who plans to leak vital information to the British. With no one she can trust and, likely, no one to believe the word of a poor maid, she vows to do what she can to stop the traitor’s plans. Will she succeed, or will she be thwarted and hanged for treason?
Written mostly in Sophia’s first-person account, with some moments of third-person commentary to narrate events outside the scope of Sophia’s world, Avi capably reimagines New York as a British stronghold and the events that led to the capture of Gen. John André and to the unmasking of the traitor. Readers get a front-row seat to these shocking, tense moments.
First published in 2012, this gripping historical fiction is reissued in hardcover this year, just in time for America’s 250th celebrations. A highly recommended read for 12-year-olds and up.
Beach Lane Books, 320 pages, May 19, 2026
‘Spy for George Washington’ by Jay Leibold and Don Hedin
Speaking of treasonous acts, it is the summer of 1777. You have decided to join the Revolution. Your mission is to retrieve British military information and deliver it safely to Gen. George Washington. But beware! You are surrounded by Tories and traitors, and one false move can mean the capture of Washington or your own demise. With 31 possible endings, the fate of this country is in your hands.
Initially published in 1985, “Spy for George Washington” is being re-released for this year’s semiquincentennial celebrations of America’s independence, with updated Colonial-era information. As part of the “Choose Your Own Adventures Retro Editions,” this classic, fun interactive gamebook will delight readers age 8 and up.
Choose Your Own Adventures Retro Editions, 144, pages, June 9, 2026
‘The American Book of Fables’ by Matthew Mehan and John Folley
Take a road trip across America by way of its stories, poems, and fables. Each section of the book represents this vast country’s landscapes, from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Appalachia to the Great Lakes, from Yellowstone’s geysers to the Alaskan glaciers.
Author Matthew Mehan presents himself as a traveling bard taking readers through each region’s lore and local stories. Each section is divided according to age groups. The “Littles” will enjoy nursery rhymes and poems that reflect the landscape.
For the “Middles,” Mehan greatly adapts Aesop’s fables with native animals and local settings: out with the fox and the crow and in with the rattlesnakes and buffalo. In his adaptation of “The Country Rat and the City Rat,” for example, City Rat is found scurrying the alleys of Manhattan, while Country Rat is situated in Concord, Massachusetts. And in true Aesop fashion, there is always a moral to each story.
The “Bigs” will delight in little-heard-of biographies such as the “apocryphal story” of one Willard Erastus Christensen, who was an outlaw-turned-lawman in Utah, and the adventures of Upper Missouri steamboat captain Joseph LaBarge. “Bigs” also get to read some of George Washington’s correspondence and one from Rhode Island delegate Samuel Ward, exhorting his son to appreciate his God-given rights.
Each section of the book is prefaced with an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence and ends with a related selection of “Witty-Wise Sayings” from notable personas.
This book is a wonderful testament to this country’s diverse landscapes, the wisdom of our Founding Fathers, and the enduring tales that form the fabric of the nation’s story. The book is a collection of Americana to be enjoyed today and by future generations.
Sophia Institute Press, 396 pages, May 19, 2026
‘God Bless America: A Coloring Book Celebrating the History of the USA’ by Ink & Willow
It’s time to express patriotic love in red, white, and blue—and all the colors in between. With 45 coloring pages, colorists of all ages will encounter memorable sayings from the Founding Fathers and modern American leaders, accompanied by symbolic images that represent our freedom and the diverse landscapes that make America truly beautiful. There are simple enough coloring pages for the younger crowd and plenty of detailed images that will challenge the older coloring book aficionados. Perfect for the whole family.
Ink & Willow, 96 pages, May 5, 2026
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