James Whitcomb Riley
Young Poet

It was like a breath of fresh air of history. I got a sense of Little House on the Prairie- Indiana edition. It read into a child’s mind and reasoning with humor and family values. I’m saving this one for my homeschool pile.......more

The vote was 5 stars by the kids. This was a read aloud and they enjoyed hearing the poems and antics of this Hoosier poet. Part of the Childhood of Famous Americans series. It was cute and fun. I let the kids give the review on this one.......more

Good for elementary/ early middle readers, not sure about 8th grade, so I am debating using it this year for SBHE. This is short vignettes about the poet's life, his family, interspersed with his poetry. The stories are alternatingly serious and funny......more

I enjoyed this as a simple intro to Whitcomb's growing-up years. It gave me just the right amount of information. Riley, his parents, and siblings grew up in the big house on National Road that is still standing. Life was happy until Riley's dad joined the army to fight for the Union in the Civil Wa......more

This series is fantastic for young boys. It tells little stories of famous American men when they were young boys. It gives them great men to look up to.......more