I actually imagine most of my lady energy vitality got here from a combination of Spice Ladies, American Girl dolls, and the Expensive America sequence. The latter was extraordinarily impactful for me as a child — there was one thing about diving into historic fiction, written as if the creator was additionally a younger lady experiencing every part for the primary time, and feeling a deep connection. It’s one thing I’ve needed my very own ladies to really feel, too, and whereas they’ve plenty of Baby-Sitters Club books, my outdated American Woman sequence, and all the empowering graphic novels they may dream of, one thing was nonetheless lacking.
However not for lengthy. As a result of the Expensive America sequence is coming again.
When you have been a younger lady within the ‘90s or ever occurred to stroll right into a library or e-book truthful, you should keep in mind the covers. That includes an illustrated lady on the middle, with a semi-transparent/light setting illustration within the background, these books have been enormously in style.
They have been revealed by Scholastic beginning in 1996, and there have been tons of them. Every e-book stood alone as its personal story, however represented one lady’s story throughout a selected time interval. There have been books from the Civil Rights period, colonial occasions, the Nice Despair, and past, however there have been additionally books themed round particular voices, reminiscent of immigrants and Native Individuals.
There have been additionally tales centered round historic occasions, just like the Triangle Shirtwaist Manufacturing facility Hearth and the sinking of the Titanic.
When you can nonetheless buy these books, Scholastic is now repackaging the Expensive America sequence in a beautiful deluxe paperback, full with new cowl artwork. Releasing April 7, 2026, the primary two Expensive America tales to come back again are Kristiana Gregory’s The Winter of Crimson Snow — a narrative concerning the Revolutionary Struggle — and Kathryn Lasky’s A Journey to the New World — a narrative centered on the Mayflower voyage. The sequence is really useful for ages 9 to 12.
And though these new redesigns are in paperback, they’ll nonetheless really feel as luxurious and particular as some other e-book on the shelf, because of their gold foil and French flaps. Very like our personal bookworm childhoods, children can even be capable to search for new Expensive America books to drop all year long, and a re-release in Fall 2026 of Voyage on the Nice Titanic is already within the works.
Look, it’s no secret that these are extraordinarily unprecedented occasions (a phrase I’m extraordinarily uninterested in), and diving again into historical past is at all times a great way to type of get your toes underneath you when there may be a lot change and turmoil and stress occurring round you.
I discovered nice consolation in books just like the Expensive America sequence as a child — particularly as a younger lady rising up within the ’90s being informed we have been the longer term, solely to really feel utterly overwhelmed and terrified about what that meant. With voices much like mine sharing how they survived (and triumphed) by way of different large moments in American historical past, I used to be capable of really feel slightly extra empowered and able to tackle no matter got here.
It additionally, it have to be mentioned, made me need to doc my very own life from begin to end.
Bringing this sequence again into paperback editions and revamping it looks like a promise to my very own ladies: Your voice issues as a result of these voices matter.
You’ll find the repackaged Expensive America sequence on-line and in shops on April 7, 2026.
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