The Antidote to the 'Great Man' Theory
Most history textbooks are written by committees trying not to offend anyone, which is why they end up being as dry as unbuttered toast. Lies My Teacher Told Me takes the opposite approach. It assumes that kids are smart enough to handle the fact that history is a series of arguments, not a settled list of facts.
By focusing on the gaps—like why we don't talk about Helen Keller's radical politics or the actual motivations behind the first Thanksgiving—Loewen builds a bridge between the classroom and the real world. This Young Readers' Edition trims the academic density of the original without losing the edge.
Literacy Beyond the Page
At Screenwise, we talk a lot about language comprehension as a key strand of literacy. This book is a heavy-lifter for that strand. It builds massive background knowledge and teaches kids to navigate complex narrative structures. It’s not just about reading words; it’s about reading the world.
If your kid is a 'reluctant reader' because they find fiction too fluffy and school books too fake, give them this. It respects their intelligence. It’s also a great 'do it with them' pick—read a chapter, then look up how their current school textbook handles the same topic. The contrast is usually where the real learning happens.
The grown-up original: This is the official young readers adaptation of Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen — James W. Loewen's own retelling, at a length and reading level a middle-schooler can finish. When they close this one and want more, the original is the natural next step.
