When my children say, “I want to watch Susan Wise Bauer history again,” what they really mean is, “read to me.” This mix-up of reading, hearing, and seeing perfectly reveals the deep and wonderful imagination that my kids use to learn and experience the world. And of all stories I can read to them, true stories are definitely on the short list of favorites.
Nothing offers intrigue, mystery, adventure, heroism, bravery, and morality like a true story. If written in an engaging manner, history is absolutely the most satisfying read out there. And if you can find authors with similar morals to your own, reading their accounts of history to your kids can be a wonderful way to teach. I think most everything can be read aloud to your kids. Reading aloud allows you to catch new and unfamiliar words that need to be looked up or discussed right away. You can interject relationships and ideas that enhance your child’s understanding. You can edit out the parts they are not yet ready for. Most importantly you can open world for your kids that their vocabulary set does not yet enable them to reach.
We are currently reading Roanoke by Lee Miller. This is a history book written as a wonderful mystery which bridges Middle Ages Europe to early America in a vivid and exciting plot style sure to engage your kids. The kids ask me to read this book to them at all times of the day. Yesterday I was at it for over 4 hours, and this morning the first thing out of their mouths was, “We want to hear more about the Raleigh mystery today please.” I refuse to tell them how the story ends and so they spend a good deal of time throwing out possible fates of the Roanoke separatists that range from death to migration to being taken by the Doctor in his tardis. So far they have not guessed the right ending to this tale, but I think they will before we are through.
I have currently only a short list of authors who write superb historical accounts, but there is enough material to satisfy many years of reading aloud to my children. And I know there are more authors to find. Good books really are the lifeblood of good education… 
