Book excerpt: See how homes in the United States have changed over the years. Our homes give us shelter and keep us safe, but homes have changed over time. Long ago families used oil lamps for light and kept food cold in iceboxes; now we use electricity to light our homes and refrigerators to keep our food cold. Historical and modern-day photographs interspersed throughout clearly illustrate how aspects of daily life change over time, while simple text shows readers how to compare and contrast ideas. Timelines in the back of each book give readers perspective by listing key inventions and developments that have modernized our lives.