Ronald Reagan famously once said: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”
Whereas once we could trust schools and mainstream entertainment to help us teach our children what it means to be American, nowadays children’s books, films and lessons are far more likely to teach our kids Woke ideas on how to dismantle America.
That means it’s up to us parents to make sure our children know about true American values like courage, determination, self-reliance, family values, and equal opportunities for all. But teaching our children those values doesn’t have to be difficult.
One of the best ways to pass them along is through classic children’s books which can usually be relied upon to have American values at the heart of their stories. Some more modern popular children’s books also contain these timeless values, which make for exciting stories generation after generation.
Here we’ve picked out five of the best. As the evenings are getting cooler, why not sit down with your children this weekend with a mug of hot chocolate and a new book?
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The first in the award-winning Little House series, set in 1871, we meet four-year-old Laura Ingalls and her family, who live in a log cabin on the edge of the great woods of Wisconsin.
Life as a pioneer was tough. The family had to produce food to see them through the long cold winters, and there was the ever-present threat of bears and other hazards. But although the children had few toys and the work was hard, the family was cheerful and loving, especially when Pa played his fiddle in the long cold nights.
The Little House series, beloved by readers worldwide, reminds us of the tenacity and Christian values of the people who built America.
Sample Quote: “They were cosy and comfortable in their little house made of logs, with the snow drifted around it and the wind crying because it could not get in by the fire.”
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Beloved by children and adults alike since first published in 1952, Charlotte’s Web is a somewhat whimsical tale about a little pig named Wilbur, and his friend, a spider named Charlotte. Like most farm pigs, Wilbur is destined for the slaughterhouse. But Charlotte helps him by weaving words to describe his finer qualities in her webs above his stall.
Although Charlotte’s Web is, on the surface, another fanciful tale of talking animals, this classic children’s story will long be remembered after you’ve turned over the last page for the warm way in which it teaches children about the passing of time, the circle of life, and the friendships that make this reality bearable.
Sample Quote: “Why did you do all this for me?' he asked. 'I don't deserve it. I've never done anything for you.' 'You have been my friend,' replied Charlotte. 'That in itself is a tremendous thing.”
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Before there was Lord of the Rings, there was The Hobbit. Written for Tolkein’s own children, The Hobbit is the perfect introduction to the world of Middle Earth, with its wizards, dragons, trolls — and, of course, hobbits.
Bilbo is a respectable hobbit who likes living in his clean and cosy hobbit-hole, when one day Gandalf the wizard knocks on his door. Before he knows what has happened, Bilbo is whisked away on an adventure to find the dragon Smaug and help the Dwarves reclaim their stolen gold.
The Hobbit reminds us that even the smallest people can make a big difference in the world, if they have courage and an honest spirit.
Sample quote: “It was at this point that Bilbo stopped. Going on from there was the bravest thing he ever did. The tremendous things that happened afterward were as nothing compared to it. He fought the real battle in the tunnel alone, before he ever saw the vast danger that lay in wait.”
Holes by Louis Sachar
In the quarter century since it was published, Holes has become a modern day classic children’s story, and, given the amount of heart the story has, it’s not hard to figure out why.
The action centers around Stanley Yelnets, a boy who lives under a curse. Fate conspires to send him to Green Lake Detention Center, where, along with the other boys, Stanley finds himself having to dig a hole in the desert every day, five feet wide by five feet deep. It quickly becomes apparent that this is no character building exercise as the warden claims. Rather, she is looking for something specific … but what?
At the heart of Holes is the important message that no matter what life throws at us, if we take responsibility for ourselves and dig deep, we can turn things around.
Sample Quote: “Nothing in life is easy. But that’s no reason to give up. You’ll be surprised what you can accomplish if you set your mind to it. After all, you only have one life, so you should try to make the most of it.”
The Heroes of Liberty Series
Not just one book, but a series of ten with more on the way, each telling the real-life story of someone who, during their lifetimes, embodied the values that make America great.
It’s only by remembering the heroes of yesterday that we can carry their spirit and their lessons with us on into the future.
Learn about equality with Thomas Sowell, freedom with Ronald Reagan, free speech with Rush Limbaugh, family values with Amy Coney Barrett, the pioneering spirit with Mark Twain, and so much more.
Sample quote: “Ronald Reagan believed in God, family, and patriotism. He believed in personal liberty, democracy, and the free market. And he believed America would remain strong as long as its government avoided the mistakes of communism. It should never try to do for people what they ought to do for themselves. Nor should it run their lives for them. We should all be free to choose our own path in life.”
