Posted on 11/16/2004 12:19:59 PM PST by I'm ALL Right!
My son was recently given an assignment to read a biography, and give a report (in numerous formats) to his class and to the parents of his classmates. I am so proud to say that, when given a choice of any person alive or dead, my son chose Ronald Reagan! (I'm doing something right!)
My question is this: Does anyone know of a great biography (unbiased) written for elementary school students? I have searched online, but am unfamiliar with the books/authors I have found. I don't know if they are written by real historians or by authors who like to rewrite history.
I know there are a lot of homeschooling families out there, and I hope you have some good suggestions. Thank you!
shameless bump
Check out the Reagan Library - they have Reagan Biographies and such that they recommend...
Personally, I recommend How Ronald Reagan Changed My Life
by Peter Robinson and An American Life: The Autobiography by Ronald Reagan...
When Character Was King by Peggy Noonan is by far the best.
Another good one...
Sorry I can't think of one for elementary students, but "An American Life" is a genuinely wonderful, unbiased masterpiece. Hopefully some others will have more age-appropriate suggestions...
I am trying to think, there was one I did for 4th grade that I loved...give me a few moments.
My wife (who is not very political) cried while reading the Peggy Noonan biography of Reagan. I highly recommend it.
When Character Was King is great! Then again, it's hard to find fault with anything Peggy Noonan has written.
I'll definitely have to get this for myself!
All three books that Reagan79 and Chad mentioned would be perfect. All are well-written. They avoid the wonkish Beaureau-Speak that most political writers and historians use.
If you want the moral or religious history/biography of Ronald Reagan, go with Paul Kengor's "God & Ronald Reagan." It is not a difficult read.
Available on line at Barnes & Noble etc.
Paul is a conservative political science prof at Grove City College. I helped edit this Reagan manuscript.
Best wishes.
People will probably laugh at me for this, but I liked "Dutch."
Especially good were his scenes from youth - his heroic lifesaving days and college days.
True enough!
For 4th and 5th graders try Ronald Reagan: Young Leader by Montrew Dunham. It's supposed to be unbiased.
Thank you! I'll look it up now.
An excellent biography I just read is Dinsesh D'Souza's "Ronald Reagan: How an Ordinary Man Became an Extraordinary Leader." It has the added benefit of being somewhat short (about 260 pages). Despite the hagiographic title, the book is unbiased and doesn't hesitate to discuss some of the darker moments, such as the Iran-Contra affair and Reagan's coldness towards those around him. You should also know that the book proceeds in themes, rather than a real time-line, and several important items are left untouched (such as detailed discussion of the political campaigns, etc.).
On the whole, I think it would be a great choice for your son--a solid, if not too deep, look at the life of the Gipper. It isn't definitive by any means, but it does what it sets out to do. I hope your son continues to love history--the greatest of all disciplines. Especially American history--it's taken me far too long to discover its wonders.
How old is your son? My son has a paperback (large) of around 120 pages titled, "Ronald Regan: A Remarkable Life" that is pretty good. It would be appropriate for a 5th grader, or an advanced 4th grader.
I'll definitely add that one to my list!
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