What's the Big Deal About Americans

Book excerpt: From Native American traditions to immigrant inventions, from diversity to democracy, from ice cream cones to apple pie, this fun and fact-filled book--now in chapter book format!--celebrates the melting pot and mosaic that is America. A perfect way to start a conversation about America with young readers. Did you know that the inventor of American cheese actually came from Canada? Or that founding father Benjamin Franklin was inspired to create a democratic society by a confederacy of Native American tribes who came together to stop their constant warring? How about that both "God Bless America" and "White Christmas" were written by Irving Berlin, a Russian Jew who fled to the U.S. because of persecution back home? This entertaining, fact-filled book, perfect for fans of the Who Was series, is a great way to talk about the idea that people have come to America from many countries, in many ways, for many reasons. Americans have many different beliefs, different languages, and different traditions. But even with all of these differences, America comes together with the understanding that our country and government is "of the people, by the people, and for the people." And there's nothing more American than that. With full-color illustrations throughout and a timeline of American history and additional reading resources at the end, this book is a perfect introduction to the story of America.