If You Were Me and Lived In The American West by Carole P. Roman is an Excellent Book for Teaching Kids About American History

If You Were Me and Lived in the American West is part of a new children’s book series from author Carole P. Roman. In this edition, Ms. Roman teaches children about the 19th century American West migration and the history of the Oregon Trail. Children learn through the experiences of a twelve-year-old boy who migrates from Ohio to the Oregon territory during the Great Migration of 1843.

This is a wonderfully educational book for children. I love the way the author places the reader in the role of the main character. The language used is easy to follow, yet never oversimplified. There’s a lot of additional information at the end of the book – a section on famous people from the American West and a sizable glossary of words, phrases and terms. Children, parents, teachers and other educators are sure to find these sections valuable.

I loved the illustrations. They’re nicely detailed and incredibly expressive – the sister’s face while collecting buffalo chips was priceless and I’m sure kids will get a kick out of this illustration as well as all the others. The illustrations are great accompaniments to the story and serve to further explain the historical lessons in this book.

I would highly recommend this book to children wanting to learn more about the Oregon Trail and what life was like in the American West at that time in history. I can see this book being used in school, at home, and as a welcome addition to any homeschool curriculum.

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.