Family Research —
Detective Work for Kids

Children and adults can enjoy investigating family trees together.  Genealogy as a hobby creates a unique opportunity to learn about one’s ancestors and the countries from which they immigrated.  Students are able to use their organizational and research skills and in the process discover a whole new world--in the past.  Here are some helpful guidelines to get you started.

Where to Start

Begin by documenting your personal data, then work backwards.  Start at home by interviewing immediate family members; they are your most valuable resource and can help to establish a framework for further research.  Listen to old family stories at the next reunion.  Send an e-mail or letter to a distant relative who may remember details that otherwise might go unmentioned.  Let the digging begin!

What to Expect

Do not expect to find a single book on the shelf that traces your family tree.  Answers may be found in the most unexpected places.  Anticipating results and discovering clues along the way adds excitement to this potentially life-long project.  Documenting your family tree is a worthwhile task which preserves your family name for future generations.  Patience is a requirement, although with so many resources accessible online, information is more readily available than ever before.   

Where to Look

Websites, obituaries, newspapers, microfiche, census and military records, birth and death certificates, marriage and divorce records, city and county records, family heirlooms, bibles, journals, letters and old photographs all may contain family clues.  Document copies requested may require a nominal fee.   

Basic Forms Available for Recording Findings

Copies of ancestral charts and census forms for recording family specifics are available in the Genealogy Department on the main level.  Reproducible forms also are in various genealogy reference materials.

Introductory Titles Available in the Youth Services Department

Where Did You Get Those Eyes?: A Guide to Discovering Your Family History by Kay Cooper    J 929.1 COO

The Family Tree Detective: Cracking the Case of Your Family’s Story by Ann Douglas  J 929.1 DOU

Using Technology to Find Your Family History by Tammy Gagne   J 929.1 GAG

Genealogy: How to Find Your Roots by Henry Gilfond  J 929.1 GIL

Ancestor Hunting by Lorraine Henriod  J 929.1 HEN

Who Do You Think You Are? Digging for Your Family Roots by Suzanne Hilton  J 929.1 HIL

Basic Genealogy for Kids by Bonnie Hinman  J 929.1 HIN

Super Smart Information Strategies: Your Fascinating Family History by Mary Johnson  J 929.1 JOH

Design Your Family Tree by Amie Jane Leavitt  J 929.1 LEA

The Kids’ Family Tree Book by Caroline Leavitt  J 929.1 LEA

Beginning Genealogy by Jim Ollhoff  J 929.1 OLL

Filling the Family Tree by Jim Ollhoff  J 929.1 OLL

How to Research Your Ancestry by Tamra Orr  J 929.1 ORR

Through the Eyes of Your Ancestors by Maureen Taylor  J 929.1 TAY

Climbing Your Family Tree: Online and Offline Genealogy for Kids: The Official Ellis Island Handbook by Ira Wolfman  J 929.1 WOL

They Were Strong and Good by Robert Lawson  J 929.2 LAW

A Sampling of Resources Available in the Adult Genealogy Department

Located in the Carnegie Business Room

Roots for Kids: A Genealogy Guide for Young People by Susan Provost Beller  GENEALOGY 929.1 BEL

Genealogy for the First Time: Research Your Family History by Laura Best  GENEALOGY 929.1 BES & GEN REF 929.1 BES

Organizing Your Family History Search: Efficient & Effective Ways to Gather and Protect Your Genealogical Research by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack  GENEALOGY 929.1 CAR

Creating Junior Genealogists: Tips and Activities for Family History Fun by Karen Frisch  GENEALOGY 929.1 FRI

Writing Family History Made Very Easy by Kyle Noeline  GENEALOGY 929.1 KYL

The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Genealogy, the Internet, and Your Genealogy Computer Program by Karen Clifford  GENEALOGY 929.10285 CLI & GEN REF 929.10285 CLI

Finding Your Chicago Ancestors: A Beginner’s Guide to Family History in the City and Cook County by Grace DuMelle  GENEALOGY 929.10720773 DUM & GEN REF 929.10720773 DUM

Genealogy Reference Collection

International Vital Records Handbook by Jay Thomas Kemp  GEN REF 929.1 KEM 2009

The Genealogist’s Question & Answer Book by Marcia Yannizze Melnyk  GEN REF 929.1 MEL

Red Book: American State, County & Town Sources edited by Alice Eichholz  GEN REF 929.1 RED

The Great Ancestor Hunt: The Fun of Finding Out Who You Are by Lila Perl  GEN REF 929.1072 PER

Subscription Databases Available from the Library’s Website

A valid St. Charles Public Library card is required for remote access.

• Ancestry Library Edition (Only available from within the library)
• Genealogy Bank          
• HeritageQuest Online
• Newspaper databases

These and other resources and websites are found on the Library’s Genealogy Research Guide.

Kid-Friendly Websites

COKids GenWeb Project

Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet: Kids & Teens

Ellis Island

Family Search

Illinois State Archives

Kane County Genealogical Society

Internet Surname Database

Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database

USGen Web Project

Youth Fiction Titles for Fun and Inspiration

When I Was Young by James Dunbar  JE DUNBAR

My Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather…Was a Warrior! by Riccardo Francaviglia JE FRANCAVIGLIA

My Mother’s Pearls by Catherine Myler Fruisen  JE FRUISEN

Homeplace by Anne Shelby  JE SHELBY

My Family History by Jane O’Connor  JR O’CONNOR

The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge  J GOUDGE

Rosy Cole Discovers America! by Sheila Greenwald  J GREENWALD

Seven Brave Women by Betsy Gould Hearne  J HEARNE

Family Tree by Katherine Ayres  JH AYRES

Backwater by Joan Bauer  JH BAUER

The Gramma War by Kristin Butcher  JH BUTCHER

Search for the Shadowman by Joan Lowery Nixon  JH NIXON

revised 2/13 MEC

This list was prepared by the Youth Services Department of the St. Charles Public Library.
(630) 584-9390

Ask Youth Services! at St. Charles Public Library
      630-584-9390 or contact us online.