Family Roots Publishing recently received shipments of two new Roots For Kids books, both written by Susan Provost Beller. Susan had two previous editions of Roots For Kids, and has now produced Roots For Kids, A Genealogy Guide for Young People – 3rd Edition. She has also written a companion volume entitled Roots For Kids, Finding Your Family Stories.
FPRC is making the books available for 10% off through December 31. Read about the books below and/or click on the links to order.
Roots for Kids: A Genealogy Guide for Young People – 3rd Edition; 2020; by Susan Provost Beller; 104 pp; Soft Cover; Perfect Bound; ISBN : 9780806321066; Item #: GPC423
Roots for Kids, first published in 1989, is based on a twelve-week course the author developed for her fourth-grade class. This is now the 3rd edition of this classic book, with updates reflecting both the recent explosion of interest in genealogy and the changes in how we can now do our family history research. While the book is suitable for teachers seeking to supplement their social studies curriculum with material on family history, it is also a wonderful resource for families looking for a meaningful project to work on together, and for any young person interested in making their first attempt at genealogical research.
Many children are curious about their heritage. They know their parents, and if they are lucky, they know–maybe even live with–one or more grandparents. But the average lower-school child only knows about their living relatives. This book will help them explore their own family history by teaching them the fundamentals of genealogy research and giving them the tools they need to learn more about their ancestors, to uncover the stories and events that make them and their families unique.
The author first takes the young readers through an introduction to genealogy. Then she proceeds to discussions of their families and their parents’ families, teaching them how to ask questions, what documents to look for, how to organize materials, and how to use the internet to conduct research in local, state, national, and international records. It is easier than ever for youngsters to explore genealogy databases and to tap into the online resources of libraries and historical societies without leaving home, and this new 3rd edition contains the most current information on how to access these.
For children who are not yet ready to research in documents and get into the detailed records contained in this book, the author has written a companion title called Roots for Kids: Finding Your Family Stories. This companion book is a great way to start children’s genealogy research by collecting stories about their families.
Roots for Kids: Finding Your Family Stories; by Susan Provost Beller; 2020; 78 pp; ISBN 9780806321073; Item #: GPC424
“Begin with a story, and then keep adding the stories of the people who came before. Suddenly you have a genealogy!” So writes Susan Provost Beller in Roots for Kids: Finding Your Family Stories, which provides children with a novel and fun way to learn about themselves and their family history through the collection of family stories.
Every family has its own stories—stories that define who you are, that help you touch the past and make your ancestors come to life. This book helps children of all ages find those stories, using many stories of the author’s own family as examples.
In the process, children will also examine their ancestors’ nationalities, their family’s food traditions, and the origin of their surnames and given names. They will pick up skills essential to genealogy research: how to ask questions, construct timelines, create family group sheets, and organize information.
Each beautifully illustrated chapter ends with an activity related to the subject of that chapter. Younger children will have fun doing these activities with their parents, while older children can work on them on their own.
Roots for Kids: Finding Your Family Stories celebrates all the wonderful stories and family traditions that make you who you are and that tie your family, past and present, together.
For children who want to learn even more about their families, and who are ready to research in documents, the author has written a companion volume, Roots for Kids: A Genealogy Guide for Young People – 3rd Edition.
“Beller encourages curiosity and individuality, giving readers ideas plus hands-on tools to start on the road to discovering and documenting family history . . . . The cover and illustrations by Kate Boyer beautifully complement the text and really enhance the reading experience. Do take a look at this book if you want to get the younger generation interested in family history!”–Marian B. Wood, Climbing My Family Tree, Sept. 21, 2020.