One thing is certain—whenever we get these books in used, they sell almost immediately and all at once. The 48 titles follow the adventures of a single family across several generations, from the landing of the Pilgrims to the end of World War II. A number of authors have contributed to the series, but the style is pretty constant throughout, and ideal for early elementary readers.

The American Adventure books are all explicitly Christian, with Bible verses, hymns, Psalms, and moral lessons freely distributed in each text. The main characters are all Christians, and react to the important events in American history with virtue and faith, making this a good choice for character-building reading as well as just for fun.

Because the texts are easy to read and fairly short (each one is 144 pages), these would make a decent introduction to American history for youngsters not yet ready to undertake a more in-depth study. These are not history: they're fiction, and they deal with made-up people experiencing made-up adventures in a real historical setting. However, they do bring highlights of American history to readers' attention, so that when kids get around to reading real history they'll be somewhat familiar with the major events and figures.

This isn't classic literature by any stretch, and the stories start to get repetitious after awhile. The best part about American Adventure is the wholesome content—you don't need to worry about what your kids are reading with these. At the same time, you'd probably be better off having them read the Dear America books, which are wholesome and well-written (though not explicitly Christian).

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.