To celebrate Disability Pride Month, we're highlighting a story from our Hidden Voices series about Judith Heumann, an advocate who earned the nickname “the Mother of the Disability Rights Movement” for her important role in the fight for equal access for people with disabilities.
July 4 is the USA’s birthday, and this year is a big one! Learn about 250 years of US history with us this week as we celebrate Independence Day with books that tell the stories you may already know about the founding of our nation, in addition to exploring perspectives from the earliest days of our country that you might not usually hear. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Early Readers (3-K–Grade 2)
- Anna Strong: A Spy During the American Revolution, by Sarah Glenn Marsh; illustrated by Sarah Green
- Blue Sky, White Stars, by Sarvinder Naberhaus; illustrated by Kadir Nelson
- My America, by Karen Katz
- On the Fourth of July, by Maggie C. Rudd; illustrated by Elisa Chavarri
- Revolutionary Friends, by Selene Castrovilla; illustrated by Drazen Kozjan
Elementary (Grades 3–5)
- The Constitution Decoded, by Katie Kennedy
- How Benjamin Franklin Became a Revolutionary in Seven (Not-So-Easy) Steps, by Gretchen Woelfle; illustrated by John O’Brien
- Judy Moody Declares Independence, by Megan McDonald; illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
- Lafayette and the American Revolution, by Russell Freedman
- When Paul Revere Rode, by Sarah L. Thompson; illustrated by Nik Henderson
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
- Answering the Cry for Freedom: Stories of African Americans and the American Revolution, by Gretchen Woelfle; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
- For Which We Stand, by Jeff Foster; illustrated by Jule McLaughlin
- History Smashers: The American Revolution, by Kate Messner; illustrated by Justin Greenwood
- Rebellion 1776, by Laurie Halse Anderson
- This Land is Our Land, by Linda Barrett Osbourne
Upper Grades (Grades 9–12)
- 1789, edited by Marc Aronson and Susan Campbell Bartoletti
- Answering the Cry for Freedom: Stories of African Americans and the American Revolution, by Gretchen Woelfle; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
- For Which We Stand, by Jeff Foster; illustrated by Jule McLaughlin
- History Smashers: The American Revolution, by Kate Messner; illustrated by Justin Greenwood
- Rebellion 1776, by Laurie Halse Anderson
You can find these books and many more great reads on Sora, our Citywide Digital Library, which provides free access to thousands of digital e-books and audiobooks for our students. You can also find even more recommendations in the America 250 Collection on Sora! Have a happy and safe holiday weekend.
Missed our previous book recommendations?
Check them out in the "What We're Reading" Archive!
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR SCHOOLS
This past June was one for the history books for New Yorkers—not only did our City commemorate a long-awaited championship and host the start of the biggest sporting event in the world, but we also marked the end of the 2025–26 school year!
From graduation ceremonies and award celebrations, to final project presentations and end-of-year exams, City public schools were buzzing with activity and excitement all month long! Check out some of the snapshots we took over the past month, and join us in thanking all of the incredible educators, school leaders, volunteers, and students who made the past year truly special for NYC Public Schools!
