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Lexile/Reading Level
Recommended for 6-9 Grade

Genre/Category
Biographies | Geography | History | Nonfiction

Historical Time Period
Early Modern
Date
1800s
Topic
African | Christian | David Livingstone | Exploration
Geographic Region
Africa | South Africa
Main Character
Man/Men
Format
Book | Ebook

Missionary Travels And Researches In South Africa

Author: Livingstone, David

David Livingstone (1813-1873) was a Scottish missionary and explorer in Africa. Missionary Travels in South Africa is his account of his second expedition, in 1853. His purpose was to abolish the slave trade by opening the continent to Christian commerce and missionaries. Livingstone walked over 4,000 miles, from Cape Town, South Africa through the Kalahari Desert and west to the coastal town of Loanda. He then turned east, followed the Zambesi River, and ended his travels in Mozambique. He reached the east coast at Quelimane, in Portuguese East Africa (now Mozambique), in 1856. Livingstone was a keen observer with wide-ranging interests. He was fascinated, for instance, upon seeing his first ostrich: “When the ostrich is feeding his pace is from twenty to twenty-two inches; when walking, but not feeding, it is twenty-six inches; and when terrified . it is from eleven and a half to thirteen and even fourteen feet in length. Generally one’s eye can no more follow the legs than it can the spokes of a carriage-wheel in rapid motion.” Occasionally, his interaction with wildlife was not so benign, as when he was attacked by a lion. “Growling horribly close to my ear, he shook me as a terrier dog does a rat. The shock . caused a sort of dreaminess, in which there was no sense of pain nor feeling of terror, though [I was] quite conscious of all that was happening. It was like what patients partially under the influence of chloroform describe, who see all the operation, but feel not the knife.” The slave trade was widespread among the Boers, the Portuguese, and even the natives themselves. In one village he was summoned at night by the head man. “When I came he presented me with a slave girl about ten years old; he said he had always been in the habit of presenting his visitors with a child. On my thanking him, and saying that I thought it wrong to take away children from their parents … he thought I was dissatisfied with her size, and sent for one a head taller.” Unlike most of the other Africa explorers of the time, Livingstone was motivated much less by ego or self-aggrandizement than by true altruism and an insatiable curiosity. In 1873 Livingstone died in the village of Chief Chitambo. His African followers carried his body to the coast, from where it was sent to England and buried in Westminster Abbey. This edition contains both volumes of the original.

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Lexile/Reading Level
Recommended for 6-9 Grade

Genre/Category
Biographies | Geography | History | Nonfiction

Historical Time Period
Early Modern
Date
1800s
Topic
African | Exploration | Science
Geographic Region
Africa
Main Character
Man/Men
Format
Book | Ebook

Story of David Livingstone (Yesterday’s Classics) (The Children’s Heroes)

Author: Golding, VautierPart of a Series: Children's Heroes | Yesterday's Classics

A clear, simple account of Livingstone’s pioneer work in Africa as explorer, medical missionary, and suppressor of the slave trade. Describes the horrors of the slave trade and Livingstone’s efforts to thwart the slave traders in Africa and to bring awareness of the dire situation to the people in England and around the world. Emphasizes his indomitable courage and persistence in the face of countless difficulties to achieve his lifelong goal of doing as much good as he could for those most in need of it. A volume in the highly-acclaimed Children’s Heroes series, edited by John Lang.

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Lexile/Reading Level
Recommended for 4-8 Grade

Genre/Category
History | Nonfiction

Topic
Discovery | Exploration
Format
Book | Ebook

Discovery of New Worlds (Story of the World #2)

Author: Synge, M.B.Part of a Series: Story of the World

Book II in The Story of the World series, by M. B. Synge, “The Discovery of New Worlds” relates the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, the middle ages in Europe, the rise of Islam and the Crusades, and finally the age of exploration, and the establishment of trade with the Far East. The book concludes with the discoveries of Columbus and the Spanish settlements in the New World. Suitable for children ages 10 and up to read to themselves and for children as young as 7 as a read-aloud. The Story of the World series, by M. B. Synge, comprises a set of five volumes, written at a middle school reading level, that cover all major events in the history of Western Civilization, from earliest recorded history to the close of the nineteenth century. With fifty or so short chapters in each volume, the series links the great eras in time and place together by a chain of stories of individuals who played principal parts in the events related. While statesmen and military commanders figure heavily in the narrative, stories of explorers, scientists, artists, authors, and religious figures are also presented. The author writes in an engaging fashion, using dialog frequently to bring scenes to life. She juxtaposes events happening at the same time in different parts of the world in a style reminiscent of the books of Genevieve Foster. This series is an excellent introduction to world history for adult readers as well as for children.

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Please note: Our posting a book in our Homeschool Librarian database does not mean that we endorse its contents. Please use your own discretion when selecting books for your child to read. Also, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Purchases made through our affiliate links help support this site. Book descriptions are sourced from either Amazon.com or GoodReads.
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Lexile/Reading Level
Recommended for 9-12 Grade & Adult

Genre/Category
Adventure | Fiction | Historical

Historical Time Period
American West | Modern
Date
1800s
Topic
American History | Exploration | Lewis & Clark | Native Americans/Canadians | Sacajawea | Shoshone
Geographic Region
United States - America
Main Character
Woman/Women
Format
Book | Ebook

Sacajawea (Lewis & Clark Expedition)

Author: Waldo, Anna Lee

Clad in a doeskin, alone and unafraid, she stood straight and proud before the onrushing forces of America’s destiny: Sacajawea, child of a Shoshoni chief, lone woman on Lewis and Clark’s historic trek — beautiful spear of a dying nation.

She knew many men, walked many miles. From the whispering prairies, across the Great Divide to the crystal capped Rockies and on to the emerald promise of the Pacific Northwest, her story over flows with emotion and action ripped from the bursting fabric of a raw new land.

Ten years in the writing, SACAJAWEA unfolds an immense canvas of people and events, and captures the eternal longings of a woman who always yearned for one great passion — and always it lay beyond the next mountain.

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Please note: Our posting a book in our Homeschool Librarian database does not mean that we endorse its contents. Please use your own discretion when selecting books for your child to read. Also, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Purchases made through our affiliate links help support this site. Book descriptions are sourced from either Amazon.com or GoodReads.
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Lexile/Reading Level
Recommended for 5-8 Grade

Genre/Category
Biographies | Nonfiction | Religion

Historical Time Period
Modern
Date
1800s
Topic
African | Biography | Christian | Exploration
Geographic Region
Africa
Main Character
Man/Men
Format
Audiobook | Book | Ebook

David Livingstone: Africa’s Trailblazer (Christian Heroes: Then & Now #11)

Author: Benge, JanetPart of a Series: Christian Heroes: Then & Now

“Each true story in this series by outstanding authors Janet and Geoff Benge is loved by adults and children alike. More Christian Heroes: Then & Now biographies and unit study curriculum guides are coming soon. Fifty-five books are planned, and thousands of families have started their collections Braving danger and hardship, David Livingstone crisscrossed vast uncharted regions of Africa to open new frontiers and spread the message of the gospel to all who would listen (1813-1873).

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Please note: Our posting a book in our Homeschool Librarian database does not mean that we endorse its contents. Please use your own discretion when selecting books for your child to read. Also, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Purchases made through our affiliate links help support this site. Book descriptions are sourced from either Amazon.com or GoodReads.
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Lexile/Reading Level
Recommended for 5-9 Grade

Genre/Category
Nonfiction | Science

Topic
Exploration | Science
Main Character
Family
Format
Book

Spark Files: Chop and Change (The Spark Files #2)

Author: Deary, TerryPart of a Series: Spark Files

This is one of a series which takes an experiment-based approach to science and is designed to fit directly with the National Curriculum at Key Stage 2. The books feature episodes in the life of an eccentric family with a fascination with science experiments, which are woven into the storyline for children to try at home.

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Please note: Our posting a book in our Homeschool Librarian database does not mean that we endorse its contents. Please use your own discretion when selecting books for your child to read. Also, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Purchases made through our affiliate links help support this site. Book descriptions are sourced from either Amazon.com or GoodReads.
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Lexile/Reading Level
1090L

Genre/Category
Biographies | History | Nonfiction

Historical Time Period
Modern
Date
1910s
Topic
Antarctic | Exploration | Sailing the seas | Shipwreck | Survival
Geographic Region
Antarctica
Main Character
Man/Men
Award-Winning Book
Nominee | Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award
Format
Audiobook | Book

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance

Author: Armstrong, Jennifer

The harrowing story of the ill-fated Endurance, now in paperback.

In August 1914, Ernest Shackleton and 27 men sailed from England in an attempt to become the first team of explorers to cross Antarctica from one side to the other. Five months later and still 100 miles from land, their ship, Endurance, became trapped in ice. The expedition survived another five months camping on ice floes, followed by a perilous journey through stormy seas to remote and unvisited Elephant Island. In a dramatic climax to this amazing survival story, Shackleton and five others navigated 800 miles of treacherous open ocean in a 20-foot boat to fetch a rescue ship.

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World vividly re-creates one of the most extraordinary adventure stories in history. Jennifer Armstrong narrates this unbelievable story with vigor, an eye for detail, and an appreciation of the marvelous leadership of Shackleton, who brought home every one of his men alive.

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Please note: Our posting a book in our Homeschool Librarian database does not mean that we endorse its contents. Please use your own discretion when selecting books for your child to read. Also, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Purchases made through our affiliate links help support this site. Book descriptions are sourced from either Amazon.com or GoodReads.
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Lexile/Reading Level
1050L

Genre/Category
Biographies | History | Nonfiction

Historical Time Period
Modern
Date
1910s
Topic
Antarctic | Exploration | Survival
Geographic Region
Antarctica
Main Character
Man/Men
Format
Audiobook | Book | Ebook

Emperors of the Ice: A True Story of Disaster and Survival in the Antarctic, 1910-13

Author: Farr, Richard

Apsley George Benet Cherry-Garrard has always dreamt of becoming an explorer. So in the spring of 1910, when Captain Robert Falcon Scott offers young “Cherry” the position of Assistant Zoologist aboard the Terra Nova, Cherry considers himself the luckiest man alive. Cherry’s luck, however, will soon change. Far off in the icy unknown of Antarctica, where temperatures plummet below –77°F, exploration is synonymous with a struggle for life. Frostbite, scurvy, hidden ice chasms, and packs of hungry killer whales are very real dangers. But even these perils don’t prepare Cherry for the expedition he and two other crew members embark upon to collect the eggs of Emperor penguins. Along the way, he will face the elements head-on, risking life and limb in the name of science.

Rife with captivating details of survival in an icy wilderness, and illustrated with dozens of photographs from the actual journey, this reimagining of the famous 1910 expedition to the South Pole, told in Cherry’s voice, is an unforgettable tale of courage and camaraderie.

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Please note: Our posting a book in our Homeschool Librarian database does not mean that we endorse its contents. Please use your own discretion when selecting books for your child to read. Also, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Purchases made through our affiliate links help support this site. Book descriptions are sourced from either Amazon.com or GoodReads.
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Lexile/Reading Level
Recommended for 5-8 Grade

Genre/Category
Animal | Nonfiction

Historical Time Period
Modern
Date
1800s
Topic
African | Animals | Exploration | Gorilla | Nature
Geographic Region
Africa
Main Character
Man/Men
Format
Book

Stories of the Gorilla Country, Illustrated Edition (Yesterday’s Classics)

Author: Du Chaillu, PaulPart of a Series: Yesterday's Classics

Stories of the thrilling adventures and hair-raising escapes of Paul du Chaillu during his years of venturing into the interior of equatorial Africa, encountering animals and sights no white man had seen before. The accounts of his interactions with gorillas, snakes, and ants are especially engaging. Numerous black and white illustrations complement the text. Suitable for ages 11 and up.

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Please note: Our posting a book in our Homeschool Librarian database does not mean that we endorse its contents. Please use your own discretion when selecting books for your child to read. Also, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Purchases made through our affiliate links help support this site. Book descriptions are sourced from either Amazon.com or GoodReads.
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Lexile/Reading Level
860L

Genre/Category
Fiction | Historical

Historical Time Period
Modern
Date
1800s
Topic
American History | Exploration | Lewis & Clark
Geographic Region
United States - America
Main Character
Boy(s)
Format
Book

Journal of Augustus Pelletier: The Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1804 (My Name Is America)

Author: Lasky, KathrynPart of a Series: My Name is America

In Kathryn Lasky’s first book for the My Name Is America line, the acclaimed author tells the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition through the eyes of fictional, fourteen-year-old Augustus Pelletier. Eager to strike out on his own, Gus joins Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery on their journey from Missouri to the Pacific Ocean as the youngest member of the trip.

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Please note: Our posting a book in our Homeschool Librarian database does not mean that we endorse its contents. Please use your own discretion when selecting books for your child to read. Also, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Purchases made through our affiliate links help support this site. Book descriptions are sourced from either Amazon.com or GoodReads.
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What is my Child’s Lexile Measure?

GRADELEXILE
1st0-300L
2nd140-500L
3rd330-700L
4th445-810L
5th565-910L
6th665-1000L
7th735-1065L
8th805-1100L
9th855-1165L
10th905-1195L
11th/12th940-1210L
College+1210+

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