Star-Spangled Stories: Youth Reads for America's 250th from The Bookshelf

Submitted by: Mary Gehring

A trip to Batesville might involve food or a movie, but tucked on the corner of Boehringer and Walnut Street is a store that's been around since 1980. At that time, Chris Fairchild bought the Paperback Exchange and wanted to specialize in children's books. Later, Chris added new books and later adult books as the store grew. Chris passed away in 2024, and her daughter Dana took over ownership, keeping Batesville and the surrounding areas reading. 

At The Bookshelf, we're proud to help celebrate America's 250th by offering these great youth reads!

Across the USA with the Very Hungry Caterpillar is a board book featuring the timeless art of Eric Carle while celebrating all of the things that make us America. Look for a bald eagle, sports, mountains, music, and fireworks at the end. The book is geared toward ages 1-3, with a reading level of about 2nd grade.

Sing the 50 United States was written by Dr. Seuss Enterprises, and was found in the Dr. Seuss archives in May of 2025 -- just in time to be released for the 250th anniversary of the USA! The book features the famous Cat in the Hat as he struggles to not only name all 50 states, but place them on a map. At the end, you can see original sketches of Seuss's draft of the book.  The book is 40 pages and is available in hardcover. The book is geared toward ages 3-10, but if you are a Suess collector, age does not matter!

Have you ever wondered where the idea for the flag came from -- or why the eagle holds significance to the United States?  And, for that matter, who was Uncle Sam? Learn about these and more - like national monuments and state symbols in Teresa Bateman's Red, White, Blue, and Uncle Who? The Stories Behind Some of America's Patriotic Symbols. The book comes with sketches that go with each topic addressed -- and there are more than 20!  Did you know that Benjamin Franklin wanted the national emblem to be the wild turkey? It was "noble and tasty," according to him. Or, learn that there was a contest to design the White House -- and it was won by an architect from South Carolina who was also awarded a $500 prize for his design.  Geared toward ages 8-12 and written around a 3-4th grade level, each symbol is explained in about two pages of text, in a reader-friendly format and language. The book is available in hardback. 

The Bookshelf is honored to be included in the first issue of The SEI Times.