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Readers of Plumfield Moms may have noticed that I’ve been slowly reading my way through the Tales of Young Americans series this year. These picture books offer vivid slices of American history—accessible to younger readers, yet rich and interesting enough to captivate adults like me. I often find myself getting lost in their brief but powerful narratives, and each one leaves me with a deeper appreciation for some facet of the American experience.
As a librarian, I’ve noticed that once families read one or two of these titles, they’re eager to explore the rest. In response, I’ve begun bundling them into pouches—four books per set, each with a balance of stories featuring boys and girls and spanning a variety of historical periods. With nearly twenty titles in the series, I expect to end up with five such bundles.
The Peach Pit Parade, written by Shana Keller and illustrated by Margeaux Lucas, is a charming entry in the series. Set during World War I, it highlights a lesser-known home front effort: Americans were asked to save peach pits, which were used as filtration material in gas masks due to their ability to absorb harmful chemicals. Girl Scouts and other groups organized community drives to collect the pits—a detail drawn from true accounts.
This particular title uses slightly simpler language than some others in the series, and its tone is lighter and more cheerful—making it especially well-suited for younger readers.
When Polly’s father joins the army to fight in France, she and her mother respond by planting a victory garden, conserving fuel, and observing “Meatless Mondays” and “Wheatless Wednesdays.” They collect scrap metal, write letters to soldiers, and look for every opportunity to help the troops. When Polly’s teacher announces the peach pit campaign, Polly and her Girl Scout troop organize a lively parade through town to gather as many pits as they can.
Margeaux Lucas’s illustrations are warm and inviting, beautifully capturing the rhythms of Polly’s daily life and the spirit of her community. I especially appreciated the clear depiction of how the gas masks worked—an excellent visual aid for young readers.
This series has become, in my view, indispensable. The Peach Pit Parade is a delightful read-aloud, a strong resource for teaching about World War I, and a lovely glimpse into everyday American life during that time. I recommend it wholeheartedly.