The popular I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis uses well-written, action-packed stories to get kids interested in historical events.  The latest, I Survived: The Battle of Gettysburg, 1863, came out this week.  Here's a full list of titles available.
I Survived The San Francisco Earthquake, 1906
I Survived The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912
I Survived The Shark Attacks of 1916
I Survived The Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941
I Survived The Attacks of September 11, 2001
I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005

If the books leave you thirsty for more historical knowledge, try one of these.
Summer's Bloodiest Days: The Battle of Gettysburg by Jennifer L. Weber
Earthquake!: On a Peaceful Spring Morning Disaster Strikes San Francisco by Shelley Tanaka
Titanic: Disaster at Sea by Martin Jenkins
Close to Shore: The Terrifying Shark Attacks of 1916 by Michael Capuzzo
Pearl Harbor: The U.S. Enters World War II by Steve Dougherty
September 11: We Will Never Forget by Peter Benoit
Hurricane Katrina by Judith Bloom Fradin