Chicago History for Kids: Triumphs and Tragedies of the Windy City Includes 21 Activities (21)

For Kids

by Owen J. Hurd, Gary Johnson (Foreword)

From the Native Americans who lived in the Chicago area for thousands of years, to the first European explorers Marquette and Jolliet, to the 2005 Chicago White Sox World Series win, parents, teachers, and kids will love this comprehensive and exciting history of how Chicago became the third largest city in the U.S. Chicago’s spectacular and impressive history comes alive through activities such as building a model of the original Ferris Wheel, taking architectural walking tours of the first skyscrapers and Chicago’s oldest landmarks, and making a Chicago-style hotdog. Serving as both a guide to kids and their parents and an engaging tool for teachers, this book details the first Chicagoan Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, the Fort Dearborn Massacre, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the building of the world’s first skyscraper, and the hosting of two World’s Fairs. In addition to uncovering Windy City treasures such as the birth of the vibrant jazz era of Louis Armstrong and the work of Chicago poets, novelists, and songwriters, kids will also learn about Chicago’s triumphant and tortured sports history.

Genres: History, Travel, Education, Childrens

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

A Chicago-area resident for thirty-eight years, I live in the Andersonville neighborhood with my wife and son.

I've always been interested in history and literature, making my living one way or another through the written word: as an editor for several book publishers, freelance writer for corporations and non-profit organizations, and most recently as an author.

I recently finished my second book, After the Fact: The Surprising Fates of American History's Heroes, Villains, and Supporting Characters. Targeted to adult readers, the book will be published on August 7, 2012 by Perigee Trade, a division of Penguin Group USA.

Check out my book giveaway:

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After the Fact


by Owen Hurd

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Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a ton of information in this book and it's almost geared more towards adults than kids. I would've liked to have seen more pictures of the city, especially current tourist destinations.

[Maura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better for the school aged than this adult learner.

[Hongxi Mao]

History is a very important part of everyone’s life, so knowing the history of things that are related to one is cruel. The book Chicago History for Kids by Owen Hurd is a good book for children at an intermediate level to learn more about the history of Chicago. The organization of this book is based on different time periods, from the earliest to later in years. This book includes real pictures of back in the olden days. The main idea of this book is is making the readers understand what has happened in Chicago and how many event happened. Since the children here will be in Chicago, they can tell from the pictures and the information in the book to find its relevance.
This is a good book because it has many pictures and block of important words so the students can read this book more fluently. When I first moved to Chicago, I was wondering about the skyscrapers in downtown. Therefore, is it important to have a book that just talks about Chicago, so it can have more information about it. Teachers should know about this book because if they teach in Chicago, their students might ask them things about Chicago. So this book is a good reference for them. Overall, this is good book as a reference if anyone is interested in the history of Chicago.

[Miguel Melchor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great book. It covers a lot of the history of Chicago that appeals both to kids as well as adults. Owen Hurd wrote this in such an intelligent way that it is as entertaining for adults as it is for kids.