June Giveaway: Mended Wood Literary Society
What are your plans for July 4th? This year, as you may have heard by now, is the 250th anniversary of our founding as a nation. Just in time for your celebrations, we have this month’s Mended Wood Literary Society selections. Read on for the book descriptions as well as how you can win!
The year 1776, celebrated as the birth year of the nation and for the signing of the Declaration of Independence, was for those who carried the fight for independence forward a year of all-too-few victories, of sustained suffering, disease, hunger, desertion, cowardice, disillusionment, defeat, terrible discouragement, and fear, as they would never forget, but also of phenomenal courage and bedrock devotion to country, and that, too they would never forget.
― David McCullough, 1776
This Month’s Books
Ben and Me, Robert Lawson. The subtitle of this book is “An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by His Good Mouse Amos.” I consider this one a children’s classic; I’ll bet you or one of your kids has already read it. A biography of a famous founding father, written by a mouse, is a fun read. Amos here takes credit for many of Franklin’s most famous achievements. (Don’t forget your sense of humor as you enjoy this one!)
Sleds on Boston Common: A Story from the American Revolution, Louise Borden, illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker. This book tells the story of one boy’s interaction with the commander of the British forces encamped on Boston Common prior to the Revolution. All he wants is to use the new sled he received for his birthday. Based on a local favorite story retold in Boston.
Answering the Cry for Freedom, Gretchen Woelfle, Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. This book for older kids explores thirteen stories from enslaved individuals during Revolutionary times. From north to south, the colonies were home to many people who did not have freedom, even as “Freedom” became a rallying cry. The pen-and-ink illustrations here are fantastic!
From Sea to Shining Sea: A Treasury of American Folklore and Folk Songs, Amy L. Cohn. This is a great collection of folk tales and songs from American history, illustrated by Caldecott-winning artists. It includes selections from Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, and many more like them. Illustrators include Jerry Pinkney, Barbara Cooney, Chris Van Allsburg, and more!
Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word, Sarah Jane Marsh, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. A picture book biography of Paine, this book is still quite lengthy and suitable for older kids. The author of the famous pamphlet Common Sense had a challenging life full of ups and downs. “The mind once enlightened cannot again become dark.”
One winner will receive not only these fantastic books but ALSO our minivan-proof, sturdy, beautifully made-in-the-USA tote with our logo on it! Two runners-up will receive one of our fantastic bags as their prizes.
There are a few ways to enter this giveaway:
On Instagram: Follow @story_warren, like the giveaway post, and share the giveaway (be sure to tag us!). You’re welcome to tag a friend in the comments for extra entries, too!
On Facebook: Follow Story Warren, like the giveaway post, and share the giveaway (be sure to tag us!). You’re welcome to tag a friend there in the comments for additional entries.
No social media? Leave a comment on this post, naming one of the titles here that you’d love to own or give away!
Giveaway not associated or affiliated with Meta; ages 18+; US addresses only, please. Giveaway ends at midnight Eastern Time on Monday, June 22, 2026; winners will be contacted by Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
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When she’s not behind her laptop, Kelly enjoys live music, baseball, reading great books, and traveling with her husband, David. Kelly hails from beautiful snowy New England, but after two decades in North Carolina, she feels right at home.
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Although I\’ve heard of most of these, I don\’t think my daughter and I have actually read any of them. The mousy Ben Franklin one sounds particularly fun!
We have read Sea to Shining Sea and LOVED the music in it. Sadly we lost the Cd. But I loved listening to these historical songs.
These all look FANTASTIC and we don’t own any of them, so I would be excited about adding each of them to our home library. But Answering the cry for Freedom looks very powerful for my older one.
My four kids would love to read Ben and Me!
Ben and Me sounds so fun! I love the “as told by a mouse” perspective!
This is great! From Sea to Shining Sea would be so fun!
\”From Sea to Shining Sea\” sounds really cool! Thanks!
I’d like to see Thomas Paine and the Beautiful Word. Several of the others are classics at our house!
I read some of these as a homeschool student and would love to add them to our library for when we homeschool!
Ben and Me sounds so fun! But I’d love to read any with my crew! And we are studying American history in our homeschool this year!
Answering the cry for freedom is part of our cirric. Love it!!
We have also loved Ben and Me, and would love to add others to our collection! Thanks for the list!
These would be the perfect addition to my family\’s homeschool library! Thank you for the giveaway!
All is these sound good, but if I had to pick one, I\’d pick From Sea to Shining Sea.
I would love to read Ben and Me with my three boys!
Sleds on Boston Common looks like a great family read aloud! It’s always a hit with my kids when they feel like they are experiencing life along with those who were there.
My granddaughter would love to read all of these great books! Thank you!
We would love to read From Sea to Shining Sea!
From Sea to Shining Sea!
What a great collection of books. We would be excited to read Ben and Me! I haven’t heard of any of these books; I guess I need to look into US History books for kids more!
I love this list. Ben and Me is a favorite in my house. As someone who is interested in culture and folktales, From Sea to Shining Sea looks especially interesting. I like how it shows different eras.
We’d love to read Ben and Me! All of the books look great though!
The kids and I just listened to Ben & Me on audiobook. I’d love to check out from Sea to Shining Sea!
We only last week rediscovered Ben & Me so I’d definitely share that one with someone but the sled on Boston common sounds like a great story and interesting perspective on the war. Also answering the cry for freedom looks beautiful.
We\’re interested in Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word
We’ve never read any of these so I’d love to read them all! Ben and Me looks especially interesting!
We \’d love to have all of these, but Sleds on Boston Common would be a new one we\’d love to have.
Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word would be perfect as we study American History! I have never heard of this title but it sounds like it would be a wonderful living book.
I would enjoy reading aloud Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word and adding it to my lending library.
Oh! We are scheduled to read Answering the Cry of Freedom this year in school. I may need to add some of these titles to our queue as well!
I have seen Ben and Me on several booklists, but we have not read it yet. From Sea to Shining Sea looks like a good one, too!
These all look great, but I’m so curious to read the Paine biography and Answering the Cry for Freedom! We read about Phyllis Wheatley in our homeschool this year and it was both fascinating and sobering.
From sea to shining sea sounds great! We love to learn folk songs.
Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word would be fun !
From Sea to Shining Sea sounds really interesting!
Thomnas Paine looks really interesting!
What a great selection of books for this summer! I\’d love to read Ben & Me with my girls.
I\’d love to have a copy of the Thomas Paine picture book!
Ohh, so many great books, but I\’d pick From Sea to Shining Sea!
Amos is a family name for us, so it seems that Ben and Me is a must read! Although they all would be of interest.
Thomas Paine and The Dangerous Word is one we haven’t read yet!
I have actually never read any of these with my family! I think Answering the Cry for Freedom sounds especially interesting!
Sled on Boston Common sounds great. I love historical fiction from a child’s perspective!
From Sea to Shining Sea sounds beautiful!
Ben and Me sounds excellent!
I\’d love to read them all! Ben Franklin is the only one I\’ve read and that was many years ago to my older set of children who are now grown…haven\’t read it to the younger ones who are quickly outgrowing read alouds!
Oh, I would just LOVE From Sea to Shining Sea!!
I read Ben and Me to our children. Would love to have it to read to out grands! Thanks for offering these!
We\’ve not read any of these! Sleds on Boston Common sounds like it would be a hit with my kids.
I have not read any of these before and they all look great. From Sea to Shining Sea sounds particularly interesting.
I would love to read \”Ben and Me\” to my grandchildren. I think they\’d love it!
What a fun giveaway opportunity! Thank you! Ben & Me has been enjoyed in our house. All the other books sound great, particularly the Thomas Paine book.
I\\\’m very interested in Answering the Cry for Freedom, but all look like great reads.
What a neat way to commemorate! I hadn\’t heard of \”Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word\”. That one sounds like a perfect addition to our library.
All of the books look great, but we’d love to read Ben and Me (since we have a Ben at home). Thank you!
I would love a copy of From Sea to Shining Sea!
My two older boys I’m sure would love to read Ben and Me! I’d love to own From Sea to Shining Sea!
Would love the Thomas Paine book.
I would to get From Sea to Shining Sea! Thank You!
Answering the Cry for Freedom sounds great.
Wow! All these books look amazing! I would love to have the Ben and Me book. I am just getting into historical fiction, and would love to read all these books about American history. also, Ben and Me is appealing to me because my dad calls me his \’Mouse\’, and it seems like a cute book to read.
Sleds on the Boston Common. Thanks!
I would love to recommend Ben and Me. It is a treat and treasure to enojoy for all readers.
All the tiles sound like fun reads, We would love to read Sleds on Boston Common first!