Looking for more ways to squeeze social studies into your day? Using historical novels and picture books is one of the best ways to get more social studies to your students, especially if you work in a district that limits the time given to teach social studies each day. Here are some of my favorite books about Jamestown for kids.
I hope this blog post gives you a few new book ideas for your classroom! Do you know of a great book about Jamestown that I missed? Let me know in the comments so I can keep growing my list of Jamestown books, too!
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How to Use Books About Jamestown in the Classroom
Historical novels and picture books aren’t just for social studies. You can easily incorporate these books throughout the school day to keep your social studies lessons going. Here are a few ways I use books about Jamestown in my classroom.
- A classroom read aloud during breaks and transitions throughout the day.
- Historical books can be used during whole-group or small-group ELA instruction.
- A novel study for small groups or the whole class.
- Leave the books in a basket that students can access. They can be used as part of a center or for early finishers.
Novels About Jamestown
Historical fiction is a fun way to teach kids about history. All of the novels listed below are historical fiction that tell about the early Jamestown settlement from a child’s perspective.
- A Lion to Guard Us by Clyde Robert Bulla – This is my all-time favorite novel about Jamestown! In this story, three children are sent to the New World to live with their father in Jamestown after their mother dies in London. This novel does an outstanding job of highlighting the challenges experienced at sea as the colonists traveled to Jamestown. (Lexile 570)
- Shadows at Jamestown by Steven K. Smith – If you are a Virginia Studies teacher, you must introduce your students to The Virginia Mystery series. Each book in this series involves a group of kids solving a mystery about Virginia’s history. Book six in the series is all about Jamestown. (Lexile 650)
- Blood on the River: James Town 1607 by Elisa Carbone – This book is rated on Amazon as the “Teacher’s Pick” for books about Jamestown. In this story, a young boy travels to Jamestown to assist John Smith. More so than the other books on this list, this book highlights the relationships between the colonists and the Algonquian Indians. As a bonus, if your students enjoy this book, there is a sequel book about Jamestown in 1622. (Lexile 820)
- Our Strange New Land: Elizabeth’s Jamestown Colony Diary by Patricia Hermes – This book is a part of the My America series, which tells about historical events through the diary entries of a young child. In this story, the main character arrives at Jamestown in 1609 on the first ship carrying women and children. (Lexile 460)
Picture Books About Jamestown
The picture books on this list include nonfiction and one graphic novel.
- You Wouldn’t Want to Be an American Colonist by Jacqueline Morley – The You Wouldn’t Want to… series is always popular with upper elementary students. These books use funny illustrations and interactive elements to teach students about history. The popular picture book recently received an update and now includes even more fun elements, such as a timeline and Jamestown recipes. (I was unable to find a Lexile level for this book, but all other books in the series that I can find have Lexile levels of 840+.)
- A Jamestown Colony Time Capsule: Artifacts of the Early American Colony by Jessica Freeburg – Using artifacts to make inferences about Virginia’s past is an important part of the Virginia Studies SOLs. I like this picture book because it is all about artifacts. It includes a wide variety of artifact images and draws conclusions about Jamestown from those artifacts. (Lexile 850)
- Living in the Jamestown Colony: A This or That Debate by Jessica Rusick – Most upper elementary students love to share their opinions and engage in a good debate. This picture book allows students to make choices related to the Jamestown colony. For example, would you rather work as a blacksmith or in the tobacco fields? The “this or that” questions create good class discussions. (Lexile 690)
- John Smith Escapes Again by Rosalyn Schanzer – This picture book uses fun illustrations to tell stories about John Smith in London and Jamestown. It’s full of facts you likely never knew about John Smith, and it is one that students always enjoy. (Lexile 980)
- The Story of Jamestown by Eric Braun – This book is part of the Graphic Library: Graphic History series, which tells about historical events in the form of a graphic novel. These graphic novels are always a big hit with my students. (Lexile NA)
One Other Jamestown Book for Kids…
This last book about Jamestown doesn’t really fit into the novel or picture book categories, but it is a lot of fun!
In Jamestown Trivia by Carole Marsh, students learn interesting and “flabbergasting” facts about the early Jamestown settlement.
For example, did you know that the colonists only had a one in seven chance of surviving the first year at Jamestown? Or, that colonists were buried without their clothes so that their clothes could be recycled due to limited materials? These are just a few of the interesting facts shared in this book that will intrigue students.
More Ways to Teach Jamestown
The founding of the Jamestown settlement is an important part of the Virginia Studies curriculum in Virginia. From books about Jamestown to hands-on activities, there are so many ways to get your students excited about Virginia Studies.
My store is full of engaging resources to teach students about Jamestown including detailed lesson plans and review games like task cards and escape rooms.
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