Fantastic Florida

Fantastic Florida: The Story of the Sunshine State is a BFB exclusive, written by Rebecca Manor, a local Florida author and educator who brought her love of this state to every page. This Florida history book for kids follows Florida's remarkable story from its first inhabitants to today, making it the ideal spine for any literature-based Florida history curriculum. Throughout the book are stunning vintage lithograph illustrations of Florida scenes by artist C.H. DeWitt. You will not find this book anywhere else.

Children reading this book will learn about Florida’s First Peoples, its history under Spain and England, its role in the Civil War, how it became a tourist destination, how the residents of St. Augustine helped spark the battle for civil rights, the rise of the space industry, and much more. This book helps your young readers develop the ability to think critically about history and the story of people and events in the past.

In Fantastic Florida, BFB’s exclusive for homeschool families, journey alongside Florida's earliest inhabitants, whose shell mounds, pottery, and artwork still whisper of civilizations long past. Follow Spanish explorers as they establish St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in what is now the United States, and learn how they defended it against rival empires. Discover Fort Mose, the first legally sanctioned free Black settlement in North America, and meet the remarkable people who shaped Florida through courage, perseverance, and hope.

Watch a young state wrestle with war, reconstruction, and the challenge of forging its own identity. Meet Florida Crackers driving cattle across open prairies, learn why Tallahassee became the capital, and see how two visionary men, Henry Flagler and Henry Plant, transformed an isolated frontier into one of America's fastest-growing destinations.

Then experience the Florida of the twentieth century, where world wars, air conditioning, immigration, and the space race forever changed the landscape. Meet Greek sponge divers in Tarpon Springs, Cuban families who carried their love of freedom across the Florida Straits, and the scientists and astronauts who launched humanity toward the stars.

Filled with engaging narrative, fascinating historical figures, and unforgettable stories, Fantastic Florida is a one-of-a-kind Florida history book for kids and homeschool families. It invites students to discover the extraordinary history hidden beneath the Sunshine State's beaches, theme parks, and palm trees. Used as the spine of the Florida History curriculum by Beautiful Feet Books, this living book brings Charlotte Mason homeschool history to life for grades 4–6. Once you know Florida's story, you will never see it the same way again.

From the Author, Rebecca Manor

"For millenia, this sun-soaked peninsula has drawn people to its mysterious forests, slow-moving rivers, sandy beaches, and many islands. It has provided a haven for pirates as well as refugees seeking safety from oppressors. It has been a home to freeman and enslavers, conquerors and the conquered. It continues to draw the wealthy and the poor, the liberal and the conservative, the partying spring-breaker, and the volunteering grandmother. It is a state of contrasts and great beauty. And it is our home. This book tells its story."