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America's History: A Tuttle Twins Series of Stories (1215-1776)
History is more than just dates and names and battles--it's about ideas and power and philosophy. America's history is no different. It's a tale of trade, exploration, adventure, and tension between groups of people with different perspectives and priorities. The problems and challenges we face today are quite different from what America's founders lived through--but their experiences offer us a treasure trove of inspiration and knowledge that we can learn from and apply to our own circumstances. Why did the colonists embrace independence? What had to take place for the public to be ready for a revolution? How do trade and tariffs play into the tensions that provoked political problems between nations? These questions and many more are answered in this set of stories. In them, we can learn the lessons that will help us to stop repeating mistakes from our past.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published July 5, 2022
34 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Connor Boyack
94 books260 followersConnor Boyack is founder and president of Libertas Institute, a libertarian think tank in Utah. In that capacity, he has spearheaded important policy reforms dealing with property rights, civil liberties, transparency, surveillance, and education freedom.
Connor is the author of several books, including the new Tuttle Twins series that teaches the principles of liberty to young children. Other books include Latter-day Liberty: A Gospel Approach to Government and Politics and its companion, Latter-day Responsibility: Choosing Liberty through Personal Accountability.
Connor's work has been publicly praised by former Representative Ron Paul, Judge Andrew Napolitano, Tom Woods, and other nationally recognized figures. He is a frequent commentator on current events and has appeared in local, national, and international interviews to publicize and comment on his work.
Connor is the author of several books, including the new Tuttle Twins series that teaches the principles of liberty to young children. Other books include Latter-day Liberty: A Gospel Approach to Government and Politics and its companion, Latter-day Responsibility: Choosing Liberty through Personal Accountability.
Connor's work has been publicly praised by former Representative Ron Paul, Judge Andrew Napolitano, Tom Woods, and other nationally recognized figures. He is a frequent commentator on current events and has appeared in local, national, and international interviews to publicize and comment on his work.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 25, 2023
When I saw that this book was a thing, I was expecting a text book, and was very surprised and intrigued by the lesson being primarily driven through dialogue with characters we are already familiar with. It’s a great idea and very well delivered, but even then, you don’t need to be familiar with the characters to enjoy this unique presentation of American History.
In addition to the narrative, and like many others, it does have margin and post script additions after each chapter. They are of relevant facts, pictures, as well as editorial and philosophical reflections over the events or motivations by American history’s accepted protagonists and antagonists.
But besides all of that, why should you get this book instead of any other in this saturated field of Children’s American History?
For one, and very uniquely, it starts with Marco Polo and the Silk Road. In this way it’s reminiscent of Rothbard’s incredible series Conceived in Liberty. Unlike any other kids history book, the reader learns about historical things like the Ottoman Empire, Columbus’ motivations, the Gutenberg press, the Bible and the Reformation, but also concepts like taxation, trade and tariffs. And a major theme is understanding motivations and influences from everyone during the 1200s to 1776.
And we learn all this through our character’s dialogue rather than sometimes boring text book factoids. As the Tuttle Twin children learn, we learn. Connor’s ability to distill indepth information into kid relatable dialogue is uncanny. If you’re familiar with his other books you might expect this, but again from a kid’s history book perspective. It is interesting to get reflections on how we identify “good guys” and “bad guys”, and leading questions in favor of liberty, as well as religious and economic freedom.
There are also good illustrations using contemporary movie references like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.
Something that I really liked and find unique about this book is how it addresses hypocrisy of puritans that escaped religious persecution then became very oppressive themselves, and the hypocrisy of slaveholders that spoke so clearly about freedom. And it actually addresses the way natives have been treated. I like how they have us think about it honestly, rather than picking a side a making excuses. This is a constant theme as they encourage us in multiple ways to resist picking a good guy and bad guy, as we try to learn from history.
There are always going to be things we might personally disagree with in a history book covering this era. This book has my least amount of disagreements. Personally I don’t like John Knox being so highly elevated among others in the reformation because his views were not merely against monarchy but specifically having a female monarch. And there is an expressed statement justifying violence when there is no other option. I’m not against defense by any means, but I thought this could have been handled better to not come off as if you can use violence if you don’t get your way.
As the book nears the end we get an honest view of what it calls a “shameful history” of slavery. I like the way it is presented because it’s something everyone will come to this book understanding, or trying to understand. A history book is likely not the first encounter with this topic, so the author addresses it from the kid characters’ perspective, giving voice to all kids’ confusion over the history of slavery, as well as the hurt and consequences still felt today. And in the manner set forth from the beginning of the book, we are given facts and we are allowed to ask questions that we may have to answer ourselves, or just not answer because that’s history.
This book is amazingly contemporary and will be an excellent resource to encourage your children to learn and understand history.
⚠️Parental Warning ⚠️
There aren’t any inappropriate art, pictures, or comments. It mentions briefly and biographically Benjamin Franklin’s son born from an affair.
In addition to the narrative, and like many others, it does have margin and post script additions after each chapter. They are of relevant facts, pictures, as well as editorial and philosophical reflections over the events or motivations by American history’s accepted protagonists and antagonists.
But besides all of that, why should you get this book instead of any other in this saturated field of Children’s American History?
For one, and very uniquely, it starts with Marco Polo and the Silk Road. In this way it’s reminiscent of Rothbard’s incredible series Conceived in Liberty. Unlike any other kids history book, the reader learns about historical things like the Ottoman Empire, Columbus’ motivations, the Gutenberg press, the Bible and the Reformation, but also concepts like taxation, trade and tariffs. And a major theme is understanding motivations and influences from everyone during the 1200s to 1776.
And we learn all this through our character’s dialogue rather than sometimes boring text book factoids. As the Tuttle Twin children learn, we learn. Connor’s ability to distill indepth information into kid relatable dialogue is uncanny. If you’re familiar with his other books you might expect this, but again from a kid’s history book perspective. It is interesting to get reflections on how we identify “good guys” and “bad guys”, and leading questions in favor of liberty, as well as religious and economic freedom.
There are also good illustrations using contemporary movie references like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.
Something that I really liked and find unique about this book is how it addresses hypocrisy of puritans that escaped religious persecution then became very oppressive themselves, and the hypocrisy of slaveholders that spoke so clearly about freedom. And it actually addresses the way natives have been treated. I like how they have us think about it honestly, rather than picking a side a making excuses. This is a constant theme as they encourage us in multiple ways to resist picking a good guy and bad guy, as we try to learn from history.
There are always going to be things we might personally disagree with in a history book covering this era. This book has my least amount of disagreements. Personally I don’t like John Knox being so highly elevated among others in the reformation because his views were not merely against monarchy but specifically having a female monarch. And there is an expressed statement justifying violence when there is no other option. I’m not against defense by any means, but I thought this could have been handled better to not come off as if you can use violence if you don’t get your way.
As the book nears the end we get an honest view of what it calls a “shameful history” of slavery. I like the way it is presented because it’s something everyone will come to this book understanding, or trying to understand. A history book is likely not the first encounter with this topic, so the author addresses it from the kid characters’ perspective, giving voice to all kids’ confusion over the history of slavery, as well as the hurt and consequences still felt today. And in the manner set forth from the beginning of the book, we are given facts and we are allowed to ask questions that we may have to answer ourselves, or just not answer because that’s history.
This book is amazingly contemporary and will be an excellent resource to encourage your children to learn and understand history.
⚠️Parental Warning ⚠️
There aren’t any inappropriate art, pictures, or comments. It mentions briefly and biographically Benjamin Franklin’s son born from an affair.
June 13, 2025
This is usually my least favorite way to learn/teach history. Learning about history from characters who are having conversations about history generally comes across as too forced to me. But my son really liked this approach, and it did help he and I to be able to engage in our own conversations about the things presented in the book. I appreciate that it teaches the student to think critically, and to realize that history isn’t really black and white. The authors sometimes came to conclusions that I don’t agree with, but it just made for more good conversations between me and my son. Overall it was a good history study for the year.
November 29, 2022
I know that the drawings are classic Tuttle Twin style, but I think it would have made the stories come to life if they used more realistic pictures. I liked how the book started with Marco Polo and showed the progression up to the Revolutionary War. There were a few times where I had to point out to my kids that Boyack's Libertarian ideas don't jive with our Christian values, especially when discussing how we relate to authorities. All in all, it is a good basic overview suitable as a school book for younger kids, if read aloud, or older elementary kids to read along side their parents.
March 7, 2025
I like how it encourages kids to think critically and also not to think so black and white with history. It encourages them to look at both sides and not just label one side as bad and the other as good. There is a lot of fluff in this though and we have to supplement with other books and videos, etc.
March 14, 2023
I really enjoyed this book: we all learned a lot and my kids liked the way the history was woven into a story of the Tuttle Twins learning from their neighbor.
I really appreciated that it encouraged readers to look at different perspectives and avoid lumping history into “good guys and bad guys.” It’s definitely written from a libertarian perspective but I found it to be mostly balanced and not too pushy. I especially liked how the last chapter addressed the fact that there are some really ugly things in American history but we can still look at how much more freedom and equality exist here because of the principles on which our country was founded.
I really appreciated that it encouraged readers to look at different perspectives and avoid lumping history into “good guys and bad guys.” It’s definitely written from a libertarian perspective but I found it to be mostly balanced and not too pushy. I especially liked how the last chapter addressed the fact that there are some really ugly things in American history but we can still look at how much more freedom and equality exist here because of the principles on which our country was founded.
March 13, 2023
Read this with my 2nd and 3rd grader and all 3 of us truly loved the stories and Factual history represented. Would recommend for every student!!
April 29, 2023
***Actual Star Rating: 3.5***
Purchased for a lower amount than was priced originally when I bought the other books in the series so I was intrigued just to see what type of history would be covered in it. And for the most part I have to say I was impressed, I was fascinated and actually really did enjoy the book. My main hang-up was towards the end when it was discussing the fact that the United States has a history for bad things against minority groups while having Emily being comforted by an interracial couple as she struggled with her feelings about these findings. To me it just felt like they made it where all the minorities felt like ashamed victims (although not like the Woke crowd today) and not one of the adults chose to discuss the elephant in the room that it wasn't just white Americans who did these horrid things but instead several different groups at any given time who did horrid things to each other as well as slightly negating the whole message of the book that there are no heroes/villains in the long run. Either way I still would pay for a chance to read the next book to see what it included.
As for the rest of the book it was quite refreshing to have a textbook-style book that didn't actually read like a text. Instead the story started off with a friendly game of pool Marco Polo and after learning who Marco Polo was the readers along with the Tuttle Twins were taken on a lengthy multi-day lesson that explored how Marco Polo indirectly led to the American Revolution as the butterfly whose wings made a hurricane. Each major milestone has its own chapter and its own way of being told to the readers thus even though the history part is familiar although a bit dusty at least for me there was no one story fits all mode.
At the same time the book liberally has timelines at the back of each chapter giving the main dates and the events that occurred on them. There are insert boxes and pages dedicated to giving the reader more information about the focal people and also more information on different aspects such as the Gutenberg press for those who would like to know more. Finally each chapter is closed off with one of the two authors providing more insights into the lessons presented to the reader in the prior chapter and then a section called Let's Talk About It, which helps the reader to address particular issues while also encouraging questions that you can apply to your own life.
The illustrations are brightly colored and match the simple format of the series itself except for the paintings, maps and other artwork provided that give a bit more of a realistic touch to the history itself. But tucked into the Tuttle twin illustrations are dad jokes, popular trivia quips and also puns to help lighten up the mood.
Along with the historical aspects, America's History Vol 1 does also provide readers of all ages with different messages on how to perceive the political world around us such as the propaganda that people pass on as well as why, how we as a species are developing from what our ancestors did while at the same time nodding to the fact they were a product of their time slowly changing to our time and also that there are no actual heroes/villains as it depends on whose point-of-view you are looking at.
This will most definitely be one book that you as an adult should really want to share with your child(ren) for the history, for the start of political talk if you are into doing it and also as a stepping stone into explaining some of the more relevant issues that we as a country are facing today....
Purchased for a lower amount than was priced originally when I bought the other books in the series so I was intrigued just to see what type of history would be covered in it. And for the most part I have to say I was impressed, I was fascinated and actually really did enjoy the book. My main hang-up was towards the end when it was discussing the fact that the United States has a history for bad things against minority groups while having Emily being comforted by an interracial couple as she struggled with her feelings about these findings. To me it just felt like they made it where all the minorities felt like ashamed victims (although not like the Woke crowd today) and not one of the adults chose to discuss the elephant in the room that it wasn't just white Americans who did these horrid things but instead several different groups at any given time who did horrid things to each other as well as slightly negating the whole message of the book that there are no heroes/villains in the long run. Either way I still would pay for a chance to read the next book to see what it included.
As for the rest of the book it was quite refreshing to have a textbook-style book that didn't actually read like a text. Instead the story started off with a friendly game of pool Marco Polo and after learning who Marco Polo was the readers along with the Tuttle Twins were taken on a lengthy multi-day lesson that explored how Marco Polo indirectly led to the American Revolution as the butterfly whose wings made a hurricane. Each major milestone has its own chapter and its own way of being told to the readers thus even though the history part is familiar although a bit dusty at least for me there was no one story fits all mode.
At the same time the book liberally has timelines at the back of each chapter giving the main dates and the events that occurred on them. There are insert boxes and pages dedicated to giving the reader more information about the focal people and also more information on different aspects such as the Gutenberg press for those who would like to know more. Finally each chapter is closed off with one of the two authors providing more insights into the lessons presented to the reader in the prior chapter and then a section called Let's Talk About It, which helps the reader to address particular issues while also encouraging questions that you can apply to your own life.
The illustrations are brightly colored and match the simple format of the series itself except for the paintings, maps and other artwork provided that give a bit more of a realistic touch to the history itself. But tucked into the Tuttle twin illustrations are dad jokes, popular trivia quips and also puns to help lighten up the mood.
Along with the historical aspects, America's History Vol 1 does also provide readers of all ages with different messages on how to perceive the political world around us such as the propaganda that people pass on as well as why, how we as a species are developing from what our ancestors did while at the same time nodding to the fact they were a product of their time slowly changing to our time and also that there are no actual heroes/villains as it depends on whose point-of-view you are looking at.
This will most definitely be one book that you as an adult should really want to share with your child(ren) for the history, for the start of political talk if you are into doing it and also as a stepping stone into explaining some of the more relevant issues that we as a country are facing today....
January 16, 2026
America’s History: A Tuttle Twins Series of Stories (1215–1776) succeeds by reframing history as a living conversation about ideas, power, and human choice rather than a static list of events. Connor Boyack presents complex historical forces, trade, governance, conflict, and philosophy, in a way that is both accessible and intellectually engaging for young readers. The narrative approach encourages curiosity, helping children understand not just what happened, but why it mattered.
What makes this book especially effective is its emphasis on cause and consequence. By exploring how economic pressures, political decisions, and competing worldviews shaped the path toward independence, the stories invite readers to think critically about the foundations of American society. The illustrations complement the text by adding clarity and momentum, reinforcing the idea that history is dynamic and deeply relevant. This volume offers young readers tools to recognize patterns, question assumptions, and learn from the past rather than simply memorize it.
What makes this book especially effective is its emphasis on cause and consequence. By exploring how economic pressures, political decisions, and competing worldviews shaped the path toward independence, the stories invite readers to think critically about the foundations of American society. The illustrations complement the text by adding clarity and momentum, reinforcing the idea that history is dynamic and deeply relevant. This volume offers young readers tools to recognize patterns, question assumptions, and learn from the past rather than simply memorize it.
July 17, 2023
This is the textbook to use! Instead of reading paragraphs about each event in American History, the author has students learning about American History through every day activites two children are experiencing. The author ties history into everyday life of kids today. Yes, the book is made up of simple cartoon figures, but honestly, that keeps the students focused on reading and learning.
Read the other reviews for more details. I don't need to rewrite what they wrote already! But I wish this was the way history was taught to students. They will retain a lot more. This is not watered down history. Parents should purchase this book, and volume 2 to have their children read at home.
Read the other reviews for more details. I don't need to rewrite what they wrote already! But I wish this was the way history was taught to students. They will retain a lot more. This is not watered down history. Parents should purchase this book, and volume 2 to have their children read at home.
August 15, 2023
One sentence. American history taught the right way. (And it's entertaining, too! 😉) Join the Tuttle Twins, Ethan and Emily, their parents, and their neighbor, Fred, on a history-learning journey! My whole family loves all of the Tuttle Twins books - they're amazing! My mom and I have been doing a unit study using this book and are loving it! All of the books are written very well and are of wonderful quality. If you haven't already, you definitely should read these books! I really hope that you love and enjoy all of the Tuttle Twins books, especially the history book, as much as we do! Follow @bronteandwilder on Instagram for more fun book recommendations!
December 13, 2022
This is a great history book. It teaches the basic timeline of the lead up to the Declaration of Independence and also talks about how important it is to learn the good and the bad. That only being taught one side is propaganda. We seek to know the truth. It talks about being United with even people you don’t agree with. I love that it takes you from Marco Polo, through the reformation all the way to the Declaration. All at the same time it is in story form.
February 25, 2025
3.5 stars. I really wish I had liked this better. I wanted to like it. I also wanted it to be a more thorough overview of the history it is supposed to cover. It was too much nonsense, not enough substance. Otoh, my kiddo looked it enough that he wants to read it to himself, too so that is something. This book definitely requires a lot of supplementation. Good thing we have a lot to fill in the many gaps.
January 20, 2024
🥇🥇This history book featuring the Tuttle Twins is amazing! In this Tuttle Twins history book the twins' neighbor, Fred, teaches them things about the silk road, the voyages to America and the start of the revolutionary war along with tons of other facts. This is one of the few history books that I actually wanted to read!🥇🥇
March 25, 2023
I really liked this book (as did my children: 14, 12, and 9). The way the ideas are taught help everyone who reads it apply the situations into their own life as well as really visually SEE what is happening. Fred, their neighbor, teaches the Tuttle Twins in a very hands on manner. I would love to teach my kids this way but the costumes and props and being creative enough to come up with the ideas just doesn’t work. This is the next best thing. I love that it addresses the way that minority people have been treated poorly and how we can come together with the ideas of understanding history in the context of the time and using the stories to do better in our day and how we can all ultimately come together and be so grateful for the most freedoms and liberty of any time in history living in America. It also helped my children to see how events happening in our day are detracting from the ideas that were put up in the late 1700s by our Founding Fathers and how government can easily become tyrannical so they’re willing to learn more and be better to provide a better future for their children.
November 7, 2022
Excellent.
December 14, 2023
I was very skeptical about this book, but my 9yo son loves it. History is presented in context with comments on how to interpret the events. It reads like a story. The illustrations are detailed.
August 19, 2024
We used this for our homeschool history curriculum. It was fantastic for my 8 year old.
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March 12, 2025*I read it for school*
October 1, 2024
My nine year old sone loves learning about American History because of the story-like way this book presents it. He can relate to the kids in modern day as they learn from their parents and neighbor. The stories in each chapter bring the history into perspective for the Tuttle twins and for the readers.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews