To mark the United States’ 250th anniversary, KidsWorldBooks is offering free reading guides and classroom resources designed to help families, educators and librarians explore American history through storytelling.
KidsWorldBooks is a children’s literacy company that creates award-winning books and educational materials developed by authors, illustrators and educators. Its resources focus on literacy, language development, cultural understanding and family engagement through reading.
The initiative highlights five books that reflect different parts of the American experience, including immigration, bilingual learning, Indigenous perspectives, frontier life and the American West. Each title is supported by classroom materials designed to encourage discussion, vocabulary growth and critical thinking.
“Stories help children understand history through people, not just dates,” said Karl Beckstrand, founder of KidsWorldBooks and Premio Publishing. “When families read together, they build literacy, curiosity and conversations that last long after the book is finished.”
Featured titles include:
• “4 Stories of Immigrant Kids,” illustrated biographies following four resilient children who came to America between 1856 and 1926 in search of freedom, opportunity and belonging.
• “Arriba Up, Abajo Down at the Boardwalk,” a bilingual picture book set at California’s historic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It includes an English-Spanish pronunciation guide.
• “Bright Star, Night Star: An Astronomy Story,” a STEM picture book that introduces astronomy through the perspective of a Native American child in Monument Valley.
• “Horse & Dog Adventures in Early California,” stories and poems inspired by life, nature and courage in early California.
• “To Swallow the Earth,” an award-winning young adult historical novel set during Nevada’s silver rush that explores perseverance, trust, and the American West.
The books are supported by 18 free classroom reading lists organized by age, reading level and topic, along with lesson plans, STEM activities, literacy extensions and discussion materials. These resources are designed to help children build vocabulary, communication skills, creativity and a lifelong love of learning.
KidsWorldBooks also recently released “4 Insect Books for Kids: Bugs, Blossoms & Backyard Adventures,” a collection of four picture books that introduces young readers to pollinators, gardens, ecology and early STEM concepts. The collection includes access to free teacher guides and online learning activities.
The resources are part of the observance of America’s 250th anniversary, encouraging families to explore history through stories that foster discussion, curiosity, empathy and understanding across generations.
To explore the reading and teaching guides, free ebooks and other online extras, visit KidsWorldBooks.com.
About KidsWorldBooks
KidsWorldBooks, an imprint of Premio Publishing, is a children’s literacy company that creates award-winning cross-cultural books and SEL educational resources developed by authors, illustrators and educators. Since 2004, the company has produced more than 300 educational products, including bilingual books, STEM resources, wordless picture books, teaching guides, interactive learning materials and free ebooks used by families, classrooms, homeschools and dual language/ESL programs worldwide. Its titles have been recognized by the Library of Congress, the USDA (via Virginia Tech), Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal and The Horn Book.
KidsWorldBooks helps children become curious, confident lifelong learners through stories and educational resources that build literacy, language, character, resilience and strong family connections.Karl Beckstrand
Premio Publishing & Gozo Books
+1 801-953-3793
