America’s Founding Myths…And What Really Happened! by Christy Mihaly, illustrated by Marta Sevilla (Barefoot Books, 40 pages, grades 2 and up). Each two-page spread covers a different event in American history, beginning with the idea of America as the “New World” and Christopher Columbus and continuing through colonial days and the American Revolution. The myth is printed on a flap on the left-hand page; lift the flap to find out where that myth came from and what the true story is. The rest of the information is arranged in question-and-answer format, with photos, illustrations, cartoon bubbles, and brief facts. Questions are posed to give kids a chance to think critically about the event. The last few pages give some pointers for ascertaining if history is true and encourage kids to record their own history. There’s also a glossary; information about the author and illustrator, including their experiences creating the book; and a lit of additional resources.

Celebrations such as the American 250th celebration this year can often be a reason to trot out old myths about the past. This book is a great antidote, with a fun format and brief but interesting information about each event that may inspire readers to dig deeper into what really happened. I liked the emphasis on being an active consumer of history, asking questions and evaluating sources.

Hot Dog: The History of America’s Favorite Sausage by Christine Van Zandt, illustrated by Steven Salerno (Odd Dot, 48 pages, grades 1-5). Official hot dog historian Frank de Wienerdog takes readers on a journey through the world of hot dogs, a food item consumed by Americans at the rate of 20 billion a year. Starting with the history of hot dogs–aka, frankfurters or wieners–readers will learn how the ordinary sausage became a hot dog, and how it came to be eaten in a bun. Their cheap price and easy transportability made them popular at amusement parks and ballparks, as well as a staple during the Great Depression. Nowadays, the average American eats around 70 hot dogs per year…and a couple people eat that many in a matter of minutes at the famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest held annually in Brooklyn. The last few pages celebrate ways to eat hot dogs, including a U.S. map that shows local specialties around the nation. Includes a timeline of hot dog history, a recipe for Curly Snake Dogs, and additional information and resources on hot dogs.

This colorful introduction to hot dogs with a friendly dachshund narrator is full of interesting facts about hot dogs that are fun and easy to digest (which may or may not be the case for the food they describe). The eye-catching cover and interesting topic will make this an easy nonfiction book to sell to kids.