Beth Anderson, Children's Writer

Many myths persist in US history, but never fear, author Christy Mihaly is here with a super new book for this year’s 250th anniversary! I can attest, it’s a fascinating read chock full of info delivered with great voice and engaging graphics to capture any reader.

GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of AMERICA’S FOUNDING MYTHS…AND WHAT REALLY HAPPENED! from Christy!

Congrats to Jennifer Merrifield, winner of THUNDER AND MERCY from Jennifer Robin Barr!

Exploring “What Really Happened”

by Christy Mihaly

I’ve enjoyed reading here about so many excellent books telling true stories that everyone should know (and which many of us don’t). I’m excited that America’s Founding Myths … And What REALLY Happened, is now joining the party. This book shares with kids some less well-known, and sometimes distressing, aspects of America’s founding. 

The Book Concept

America’s Founding Myths seeks to debunk some of the nation’s foundational myths. Creating this book was a major collaborative effort. The book arose out of much creative brainstorming and back-and-forth with the brilliant editing and design team at Barefoot Books and the talented illustrator Marta Sevilla.

The core of the book is fifteen double-page spreads. Each one focuses on the truth behind a myth (and yes, it was difficult to choose fifteen!). We cover stories surrounding folks including Columbus, Pocahontas, the Pilgrims, and Paul Revere, and pivotal events like the Boston Massacre and the Battle of Bunker Hill. We start with the myth that there was this “NEW WORLD” in what is now called North America, entirely empty and free for the taking. We controvert that myth by surveying some of accomplishments of the thousand-plus Indigenous civilizations that thrived here for millennia before Europeans arrived.

Debunking without Disillusioning

I worried that in debunking the cherished “founding” stories, we risked making kids feel disillusioned. (“Here’s the truth about Santa Claus, kiddo, aren’t you glad you know that now!!”) But I was committed to finding a kid-friendly way to do it, knowing that if we just keep repeating mythic stories, we’ll never understand and appreciate our country’s rich history.

I wanted to shine a light on important contributions of women, Black Americans, and Indigenous people, telling stories too often ignored. But sometimes true stories are more troubling or negative than those shining tales of red-white-and-blue heroes. How could the book avoid coming off as dark and depressing, and instead leave kids feeling empowered? 

Among other things, we used flaps, and questions.

Flaps and Features

First, we created a playful, fun format. This includes fifteen big gatefold flaps. (PSA for librarians: These are heavy-duty, durable, and kid-friendly flaps!)  

For each of the main spreads, we briefly restate a myth on the front of a left-hand gatefold flap, introduced with the words “You may have heard …” Then, the reader opens the flap to the left to reveal the entire double-page spread, setting forth what really happened. Text on the back of the flap discusses where the myth originated or why it has endured. 

Marta and the design team were obviously central in bringing this vision to life. Marta’s art combines historical images (carefully sourced and credited) with photographic elements and cartoon-like characters and speech bubbles. The team collaborated on dialogue and quips. The book has an overall “graphic novel” vibe.

A variety of other features adds to the fun factor. Some spreads include true/false questions (with small lift-the-flaps to reveal answers). Others have “Did You Know?” boxes presenting kid-friendly trivia related to the myths. Comic-type sketches and jokes are scattered throughout.

Posing Questions 

The book also uses a second feature to inspire engagement: questions. We ask kids questions to engage them and to help them process facts that contradict myths they may have believed. A thread running through the book is that we learn about history by asking questions. The book’s introduction emphasizes that historians are truth seekers, trying to ascertain what really happened in the past. In the back matter, we include resources on media literacy, a list of questions kids can ask about stories they hear or read, and tools to analyze the reliability of sources. 

The book also notes that our understanding of history can change, and that we don’t always know exactly what happened long ago. Quotations from primary sources reinforce this. For example, our Boston Massacre spread states the myth (courtesy of Paul Revere) that the vicious, bloodthirsty British soldiers slaughtered unarmed colonists. Then we provide eyewitness testimony from different perspectives, including colonists reporting that the mob harassed the soldiers and pelted them with ice and sticks. We ask kids to consider how these different statements affect their understanding of the event. 

Each of the main spreads poses a provocative question, related to the myth, for readers to ponder. On the “New World” spread we ask: “How do YOU think the story of America’s founding changes if we acknowledge that the land wasn’t ‘free for the taking’”? On the Boston Massacre spread: “Do YOU think it is ever okay for protesters to break the law?” We hope these questions, and others like them, will spark conversations about the truth of America’s founding. We hope they’ll pique readers’ interest in learning about what really happened.

What myth will YOU bust?

A DOWNLOADABLE EDUCATOR RESOURCE GUIDE includes discussion guides, activities, and a certificate of completion for “Junior Myth Busters.” 

Don’t forget to leave a comment below to get in the drawing for a copy of AMERICA’S FOUNDING MYTHS…AND WHAT REALLY HAPPENED!  (US addresses only, please. Winner announced 6/5/26)

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