This coloring book, Waves of Independence, is a companion piece to a children's chapter book of the same title, to be released in 2026. Willa Thyer, oldest of the Thyer children, tells of colonial life in Cape May, New Jersey leading up to the year 1776. Waves of Independence is a fictional story told in the voice of a pre-teen over the course of a few years. From Mayflower descendants, to whalers, and finally becoming farmers, the Thyer family tree grew many branches. Willa's account takes us back to a simpler, but often tougher time as seen through the eyes of one the brave families that moved to Cape May Island in the 1760's. Although the story is fictional, it includes many historical references to the different types of people, both rich and poor, who inhabited the early settlement during the Colonial period in Cape May County. Inga Buccella, artist, and author based most of the coloring book pages from her colorful renderings in the companion chapter book. Children of any age, but especially young children, will enjoy coloring these entertaining and educational pages that capture Cape May's Waves of Independence story. Both the chapter book and the coloring book were created to celebrate the 250th Centennial celebration of America for The Greater Cape May Historical Society.
Review #1: Review by Philip Van Heusen
Reviewed by Philip Van Heusen for Readers’ Favorite
Our nation will soon celebrate its 250th anniversary, and the Greater Cape May Historical Society wants to help children learn about life before the War of Independence. This purpose is seen in Inga E. Buccella’s Waves of Independence Coloring Book about Colonial Times in Cape May County. While this children’s coloring book focuses on the Cape May area, the information is relevant to the thirteen original colonies. For each page of information, there is a picture to be colored. Inga covers many topics from colonial days, including slavery, indentured servitude, local taverns, chores around the house, etc. The Revolutionary War’s first sea battle occurred off Cape May’s shore on June 29, 1776. This book will pique children’s interest in history as they enjoy coloring the pictures. I strongly recommend this book as a starting point for discussing how the United States of America came into existence.
Inga E. Buccella’s Waves of Independence Coloring Book is an excellent introduction for children to life leading up to the Revolutionary War. This book will pique children’s interest in history as they enjoy coloring the pictures. I strongly recommend this book as a starting point for discussing how the United States of America came into existence. This easy-to-read coloring book will delight children and serve as a gateway to understanding how different life used to be. It would benefit young readers for adults to use this book to discuss difficult topics such as slavery, indentured servitude, old forms of getting the news, the importance of chores, etc. Parents can also discuss genealogy with their children and discover their roots. Talk to your child about people who are different from them, using the visit from Mesquite as a starting point.