From the Classroom – Revolutionary War Reads

On July Fourth, 2026, the United States will be celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. There has already been a number of events celebrating the 250th with many more to come. What better way to get your students engaged in learning about this time period than by reading some books!

Revolutionary War Texts

Each of the books below can stand alone or you might consider forming text sets around the books, their themes, their topics, etc. Many of these books already have teaching guides that accompany them for immediate use in the classroom as you finish off the year or as a great back-to-school reading in the fall.

Award-winning Author Avi presents this story of treason, revenge, and thrilling real historical events. His website contains teaching resources, reading group guides, and much more. What’s interesting about this particular story is that it contains a British perspective concerning their occupation in the United States.

Almost five years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution hung in the balance. In late May 1781, General Cornwallis invaded City Point, VA, and quartered his army there. As 16-year-old Susanna Bolling served the British general and his officers dinner, she overheard their plans to capture General Lafayette and crush the American rebellion once and for all. Under the cover of darkness, she snuck out of her house through a secret underground tunnel and canoed downriver. Then she grabbed a neighbor’s horse and rode ten miles to warn Lafayette.  But would she make it back home by sunrise without detection?

Make sure you check out the author’s website to see other Revolutionary War books she has written!

This engaging book provides a chance for young readers to learn about the death-defying attempts of black Americans to gain the inalienable rights promised in the Declaration of Independence. By stepping into the shoes of thirteen men and women—stand-ins for the fifth of the population left out of most textbooks—readers can appreciate how the American Revolution rattled the chains of slavery and expanded the boundaries of freedom beyond the Founding Fathers’ intentions.

There is a wonderful teacher’s guide that accompanies this book on the author’s website. 

Myths! Lies! Secrets! Uncover the hidden truth behind the Revolutionary War with beloved educator/author Kate Messner. The fun mix of sidebars, illustrations, photos, and graphic panels make this perfect for fans of I Survived! and Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales.

You might already be a fan of the History Smashers series and this one is no different. There are so many misconceptions about what really happened in 1776, and the endless facts in this book really helps clarify what really happened. Kate Messner has also been known to be available for author visits, both in-person and virtually.

What are your plans to celebration the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution? Leave your ideas in the comments below!

Ben Boche

Ben Boche has tried to get himself locked in a museum overnight several times but keeps getting caught. Therefore he has to spend his time doing other things, primarily teaching children's literature at the university-level and writing middle grade adventures. He's at his happiest when reading, so please be quiet and leave him alone. :-)