America turns 250 this July, and we think there is no better way to celebrate than by reading about the country we live in.
We know that it is a harder sell than it used to be. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 31% of fourth graders and 30% of eighth graders read at or above proficiency level in 2024 — numbers that have been sliding since 2019. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that children ages 8 to 12 now average four to six hours of screen time per day.
Research published in JAMA Pediatrics found associations between higher screen time and lower scores on developmental and language assessments. A 2024 meta-analysis of 49 studies found students who read on paper consistently scored higher on comprehension tests than those reading on screens — a pattern researchers call the "screen inferiority effect." The pattern is consistent enough to take seriously.
Children who read for pleasure for just 20 minutes a day are exposed to approximately 1.8 million words per year.
So, this summer, we are making it easy.
Over the next four weeks, the Pennant education team will release our America 250 Summer Reading List in four installments. This week, we start with children's picture books for the youngest readers. Next week, we move to juvenile chapter books for readers ages 8 to 12. The third week brings young adult titles for teenagers. We close the series with adult books — the kind you read by the pool, on the patio, or on the porch with something cold in your hand.
Every book on this list connects to America — its history, its people, its stories, and its character. Read one yourself. Hand one to a kid. Happy birthday, America.
This Week — Children's Picture Books Recommended for ages 4 to 8
1. We the People — Peter Spier A Caldecott Medal-winning illustrated walk through the Preamble to the Constitution, one phrase at a time, bringing the founding document to life through art that spans American history from 1776 to the present.
2. John, Paul, George & Ben — Lane Smith A tongue-in-cheek look at five young founders — John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson — and the childhood quirks that hinted at the men they would become. Funny, smart, and sneakily educational.
3. The Scrambled States of America — Laurie Keller. The states get bored with their places on the map and decide to swap — geography meets pure slapstick in a book that makes kids laugh and learn state facts at the same time.
4. National Geographic Kids United States Atlas Part reference book, part adventure — packed with maps, photographs, and state-by-state facts that make it the perfect companion for a summer road trip or a school report that actually gets an A.
5. The Flag We Love — Pam Muñoz Ryan, illustrated by Ralph Masiello A rhyming picture book that traces what the American flag has meant to the people who have carried it, saluted it, and been protected by it across more than two centuries of American history.
Next week: Juvenile chapter books for readers ages 8 to 12. Stay tuned.
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