Lit suggestions--cold war

[Aubrey]

I don't see any in the SOTW 4 AG. Is there anything that's appropriate for elem/late elem?

 

I just remember the feel of the time, the spies that populated our imaginations, the threat of nuclear war, etc. I'd love a novel that captured that to share w/ my kids. Or a movie...

 

It seems like this theme was pervasive in many movies, but now I can't specifically remember any of them, & I doubt most of them are the kind of thing I'd show my kids yet (even though both dh & my parents let us watch them).

 

I'm going to go search Amazon, but if you know of anything off hand, I'd love to hear about it. TIA!

[Veritaserum]

When I looked over a year ago, I couldn't find anything specifically about the cold war. The last two books we did for SOTW4 were When the Tripods Came by John Christopher and Among the Hidden by Margaret Haddix.

 

When the Tripods Came has suspicion and paranoia. It's about an alien invasion. My kids loved it. :)

[Chris in VA]

This is a bit off-the-wall, but the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons feature Boris and Natasha, two Russian stereotypical villians--I was just telling my dd a couple of days ago that this cartoon was done during the Cold War and explaining how it even influenced kids' cartoons!

So you could watch a couple of those...LOL Not a novel, but a somewhat-novel approach! (hahaha).

[Chris in VA]

Oh, and I also should say (ds being a film guy, after all) that all the nuclear threat stuff inspired those monster movies--Godzilla, etc. So you could watch those.

We did. Biiig hit around here...lol.

[Aubrey]

When I looked over a year ago, I couldn't find anything specifically about the cold war. The last two books we did for SOTW4 were When the Tripods Came by John Christopher and Among the Hidden by Margaret Haddix.

 

When the Tripods Came has suspicion and paranoia. It's about an alien invasion. My kids loved it. :)

 

Among the Hidden is rec'd in SOTW? I love that book--I think we even own it--but...I don't really see its relationship to the Cold War...well, except the suspicion & paranoia.

 

Huh. Suspicion & paranoia really describes ME. I guess I'm a product of my environment? :lol:

 

(And maybe that means I should skip this w/ my paranoid 10yo! :lol:)

[Aubrey]

This is a bit off-the-wall, but the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons feature Boris and Natasha, two Russian stereotypical villians--I was just telling my dd a couple of days ago that this cartoon was done during the Cold War and explaining how it even influenced kids' cartoons!

So you could watch a couple of those...LOL Not a novel, but a somewhat-novel approach! (hahaha).

 

Yeah, I just found that one & put it on the Netflix list. :lol:

[Aubrey]

The best thing I've found so far is Turning by Whelan--a ballerina defecting from the USSR. There's also a Classified series by Terry Deary that takes unsolved mysteries (primarily from the Cold War) & gives readers the facts, etc to try to solve the cases themselves. That looks fun.

 

I've got a couple of ideas for movies, but...they're like 95% likely to be adult-only. I'm tempted to let them watch some of the classics from the 80s--Princess Bride, the 80s imaginary spy movie--shoot. what's the name?, & the trailer park-turned alien battle one. Can't remember the name of that one, either. All the really stupid movies that you're shocked to find anyone else ever saw, lol.

 

I imagine the last two have too much language, though. Seems like the 80s were like that. And I'm not sure what value Princess Bride would add to their history education. :lol:

[Veritaserum]

Among the Hidden is rec'd in SOTW? I love that book--I think we even own it--but...I don't really see its relationship to the Cold War...well, except the suspicion & paranoia.

 

Huh. Suspicion & paranoia really describes ME. I guess I'm a product of my environment? :lol:

 

(And maybe that means I should skip this w/ my paranoid 10yo! :lol:)

 

No, they weren't recommended, but they fit the theme/feeling of the last chapters in SOTW. The space race with the USSR made me think of the Tripod Series or The Iron Giant. The wars and terrorism and revolution made me think of Among the Hidden. :)

[usetoschool]

a movie - Night Crossing - about escaping from East Berlin

 

and a book - The Wall: Growing up Behind the Iron Curtain

 

and I would second the Rocky and Bullwinkle idea, just for fun.

 

(and a much more politically incorrect and choose carefully suggestion - Tintin

 

and, not literature, but a look at "spy stuff" - Top Secret: Spy Equipment and the Cold War.

[Carol in Cal.]

You know, if you could just find a stack of old Readers' Digests from that period, they convey it really well. I remember reading articles (in the bathroom, as a 9 year old) about creeping socialism, and about how the communists lie, and excerpts (expurgated) from books like "Escape From Red China". I distinctly remember an exhortation to resolved entitled, "Patience! The Viet Cong is Losing Their Grip!"

 

There are some children's books about living in Red China, but I can't remember any from the perspective of living in the US during those times.

 

You might want to read "God's Smuggler"--I think that it's suitable for children, but I'm not positive. It certainly describes what we were afraid of very, very well.

 

Do you know any stories?

 

That's the other thing--I lived on the West Coast and attended a Lutheran school. We had several Russian families in the school. They had been persecuted for their Christian faith while in the USSR, and they fled illegally. Their stories of how they prayed that God would hold the mouths of the border dogs closed while they crossed were quite hair raising. They were not wild-eyed crazies, by any means--quiet and dignified and effective. Their presence said a lot.

[Brilliant]

We recently watched an EXCELLENT movie on Netflix - not on the Cold War specifically, but on communist North Korea, so it's related. "A State of Mind". My kids are teens but I think your 10yo would enjoy it, as it's about schoolchildren and their families.

[flyingiguana]

Red Scarf Girl

 

It's not exactly the Cold War, but about the right time period.

 

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China is an adult book about the same period. I found it a lot more interesting than Red Scarf Girl. If you're looking for something for yourself, that might be a good one.

 

We just watched Thirteen Days. It's a fairly good movie, but I suspect a bit boring for the elementary age. Also, the whole thing is about how missiles are going to hit half the US, so it's not something I would have shown to MY sensitive kids. (And there is a plane shot down, which might not normally upset kids who are used to seeing that, but the audience got to know the character beforehand.)

[vonfirmath]

You might want to read "God's Smuggler"--I think that it's suitable for children, but I'm not positive. It certainly describes what we were afraid of very, very well.

 

 

I read God's Smuggler and Tortured for His Faith by Harlan Popov at age 8 or 9 after having Mr. Popov come to our church.

 

I was born in the 70s and grew up in Cold war and don't remember it affecting ME that much here. I was affected much more as an adult when I saw that a friend's mom had put a bomb shelter in when they built their house during that time period -- the bomb shelter is still there now though it seems quaint now. And going to the Titan Missile museum in Arizona and hearing all the things that are done to make sure neither side suspects the other, etc.

 

But I do remember my mom sending out portions of Bible to different addresses every week. She had volunteered to do it and wrote a note on the special airmail paper and then tucked the portion of Bible inside and put it in the mail on the specified day. And there was a huge responsibility to it because if someone volunteered and didn't follow through, then the recipient would never have the entire Bible. We'd pray for the person receiving the Bible and the safety of the envelope through the censors way, etc.

 

But this is still happening today -- just in different countries.

[Aubrey]

Red Scarf Girl

 

I have this one but haven't preread yet--I don't always do that, but...seems like a good idea w/ this time period.

 

What do you think? Ok for 8-10yo?

[Aubrey]

You know, if you could just find a stack of old Readers' Digests from that period, they convey it really well. I remember reading articles (in the bathroom, as a 9 year old) about creeping socialism, and about how the communists lie, and excerpts (expurgated) from books like "Escape From Red China". I distinctly remember an exhortation to resolved entitled, "Patience! The Viet Cong is Losing Their Grip!"

 

There are some children's books about living in Red China, but I can't remember any from the perspective of living in the US during those times.

 

You might want to read "God's Smuggler"--I think that it's suitable for children, but I'm not positive. It certainly describes what we were afraid of very, very well.

 

Do you know any stories?

 

That's the other thing--I lived on the West Coast and attended a Lutheran school. We had several Russian families in the school. They had been persecuted for their Christian faith while in the USSR, and they fled illegally. Their stories of how they prayed that God would hold the mouths of the border dogs closed while they crossed were quite hair raising. They were not wild-eyed crazies, by any means--quiet and dignified and effective. Their presence said a lot.

 

God's Smuggler is on my wish list now--I feel certain I read this at some point...?

 

I love the RD suggestion & the stories of the Russian families. I don't think I'll have good access to either, but thank you for sharing! :)

[Aubrey]

I read God's Smuggler and Tortured for His Faith by Harlan Popov at age 8 or 9 after having Mr. Popov come to our church.

 

I was born in the 70s and grew up in Cold war and don't remember it affecting ME that much here. I was affected much more as an adult when I saw that a friend's mom had put a bomb shelter in when they built their house during that time period -- the bomb shelter is still there now though it seems quaint now. And going to the Titan Missile museum in Arizona and hearing all the things that are done to make sure neither side suspects the other, etc.

 

But I do remember my mom sending out portions of Bible to different addresses every week. She had volunteered to do it and wrote a note on the special airmail paper and then tucked the portion of Bible inside and put it in the mail on the specified day. And there was a huge responsibility to it because if someone volunteered and didn't follow through, then the recipient would never have the entire Bible. We'd pray for the person receiving the Bible and the safety of the envelope through the censors way, etc.

 

But this is still happening today -- just in different countries.

 

This was my mom's argument for memorizing Scripture when I was a kid--if "they" ever try to take it away from us, we'll still have it in our minds & hearts.

[Carol in Cal.]

Red Scarf Girl is actually the book I was thinking of that took place in communist China. I think it would be fine for the ages you mentioned.

 

I did think of one kids' book about that era that took place in the US. It was called "Henry III" by Krumgold, who also wrote "And Now, Miguel" and "Onion John" which were more well-known. My recollection of the book is that it was focussed around one suburban, middle class family building a bomb shelter, and the reaction of the neighborhood. I think it would be worth a look--I'm remembering this pretty vaguely, but my impression is that it would have been a decent read aloud at about age 10, but I would preread to make sure.

 

There are a whole bunch of books by Madeleine L'Engle that reference the Cold War. I am having trouble remembering exactly which ones do that. One is "The Arm of the Starfish" I think. Another is that one about the boat trip to Antarctica. They are really more for middle school, though. The books that take place in New York City and the series that starts with "A Wrinkle in Time" all have the Cold War as an explicit backdrop, but they are not specifically about it.

[In The Great White North]

Duck and Cover

 

 

The Flying Classroom - Erich Kastner (Also a good movie in German, Das Fliegende Klassenzimmer)

 

Here's a list from Amazon:

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_adv_b/?search-alias=stripbooks&unfiltered=1&field-keywords=cold+war&field-author=&field-title=&field-isbn=&field-publisher=&node=&field-p_n_condition-type=&field-feature_browse-bin=&field-binding_browse-bin=&field-subject=9-12&field-language=&field-dateop=&field-datemod=&field-dateyear=&sort=relevanceexprank&Adv-Srch-Books-Submit.x=45&Adv-Srch-Books-Submit.y=3

 

Also Landmark Books:

 

The Story of Atomic Energy

John F. Kennedy and PT 109

Americans into Orbit: The Story of Project Mercury

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Walk in Space: the Story of Project Gemini

 

 

Google Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Blockade, etc

[Beach Mom]

We had trouble finding books from this era. The best I found were

 

Escape to West Berlin by Dahlberg

and

The Wall Series Trilogy (Candy Bombers, Beetle Bunker and Smuggler's Treasure) by Robert Elmer

 

We did these as read alouds. I was looking for something set in the U.S. but couldn't really find anything.

 

The movie I remember most is War Games with Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy. I am going to have to look that one up and see if my kids are old enough to watch it yet.

[Carol in Cal.]

Rats, OK, this is going to be very nebulous, but maybe it will help someone else remember the movie--

 

There was a movie, I think maybe a Disney movie, about a family in East Berlin after the Wall was built. The parents are moral and anti-totalitarian and Christian. They have a friend who is going to escape to the West. The kids in the first family are taught in school that the most idealistic thing you can do is turn in someone like that, so they do. The second family is arrested or maybe shot. The first family's parents decide that even though they had thought it was too dangerous to try to escape, that really it's far more dangerous to stay because their very own children are being corrupted. So they craft a daring escape via a train that (IIRC) crashes through a fence onto an old abandoned track that used to go to the west. The children are not told in advance that they are going to do this, for fear they will turn in the parents. That movie was great.

 

Also, I think you could read "Stalin" by Marrin to kids this age, maybe. It tells the facts without a lot of gore. Warning! Do not read the Vietnam book by the same author to them. Way too much gore. Ugh. For background, there is a wonderful children's book called "In Place of Katya" that takes place during a peasant revolt during the time of Catherine the Great that would be very exciting for the ages you mentioned. Loved that book.

 

Also there is a pacifist cold war in the US theme in the book "The Fragile Flag," but I don't think that that book is either well-written or convincing. The author wrote one of my very favorite children's books, but this particular one seems very contrived and not engaging at all.

 

OH! I just remembered another one, kind of hokey but exciting: Dangerous Summer. OK, maybe for middle school--seems to me that it included some romance. A girl on a summer trip abroad runs into a spy ring, with the cold war as the backdrop. Well written. Worth checking out.

Edited May 5, 2011 by Carol in Cal.

[Aubrey]

Red Scarf Girl is actually the book I was thinking of that took place in communist China. I think it would be fine for the ages you mentioned.

 

For some reason, I thought it was college-level. :confused: Thanks for the help!

 

I did think of one kids' book about that era that took place in the US. It was called "Henry III" by Krumgold, who also wrote "And Now, Miguel" and "Onion John" which were more well-known. My recollection of the book is that it was focussed around one suburban, middle class family building a bomb shelter, and the reaction of the neighborhood. I think it would be worth a look--I'm remembering this pretty vaguely, but my impression is that it would have been a decent read aloud at about age 10, but I would preread to make sure.

 

This sounds really interesting!

 

There are a whole bunch of books by Madeleine L'Engle that reference the Cold War. I am having trouble remembering exactly which ones do that. One is "The Arm of the Starfish" I think. Another is that one about the boat trip to Antarctica. They are really more for middle school, though. The books that take place in New York City and the series that starts with "A Wrinkle in Time" all have the Cold War as an explicit backdrop, but they are not specifically about it.

 

I love "A Wrinkle in Time"--it's on our list for next year. I read it in 5th g, & it's one of those books that you want to try to duplicate your experience. :lol:

[Aubrey]

We had trouble finding books from this era. The best I found were

 

Escape to West Berlin by Dahlberg

and

The Wall Series Trilogy (Candy Bombers, Beetle Bunker and Smuggler's Treasure) by Robert Elmer

 

We did these as read alouds. I was looking for something set in the U.S. but couldn't really find anything.

 

The movie I remember most is War Games with Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy. I am going to have to look that one up and see if my kids are old enough to watch it yet.

 

Great titles--thank you. I'm not necessarily focusing on books set in the US.

[Aubrey]

Rats, OK, this is going to be very nebulous, but maybe it will help someone else remember the movie--

 

There was a movie, I think maybe a Disney movie, about a family in East Berlin after the Wall was built. The parents are moral and anti-totalitarian and Christian. They have a friend who is going to escape to the West. The kids in the first family are taught in school that the most idealistic thing you can do is turn in someone like that, so they do. The second family is arrested or maybe shot. The first family's parents decide that even though they had thought it was too dangerous to try to escape, that really it's far more dangerous to stay because their very own children are being corrupted. So they craft a daring escape via a train that (IIRC) crashes through a fence onto an old abandoned track that used to go to the west. The children are not told in advance that they are going to do this, for fear they will turn in the parents. That movie was great.

 

I hope someone thinks of the title--if not the kids, I love this sort of thing!

 

Also, I think you could read "Stalin" by Marrin to kids this age, maybe. It tells the facts without a lot of gore. Warning! Do not read the Vietnam book by the same author to them. Way too much gore. Ugh. For background, there is a wonderful children's book called "In Place of Katya" that takes place during a peasant revolt during the time of Catherine the Great that would be very exciting for the ages you mentioned. Loved that book.

 

I'm not finding this on Amazon or the library. There was one on Amazon called "Katya"--could that be it? I read the summary, & it looked probably right, but I wasn't sure. It's set during tsarist Russia...which is actually what you said now that I reread...I'm not sure if we need to go that far back, though. We read Angel on the Square for the Russian Revolution.

 

Also there is a pacifist cold war in the US theme in the book "The Fragile Flag," but I don't think that that book is either well-written or convincing. The author wrote one of my very favorite children's books, but this particular one seems very contrived and not engaging at all.

 

OH! I just remembered another one, kind of hokey but exciting: Dangerous Summer. OK, maybe for middle school--seems to me that it included some romance. A girl on a summer trip abroad runs into a spy ring, with the cold war as the backdrop. Well written. Worth checking out.

 

Thank you!

[tearose]

Dr. Seuss's The Butter Battle Book references the Berlin Wall, the Cold War arms race, etc.

 

You might also look at old episodes of McGuyver.

[Lizzie in Ma]

How about the movie Blast from the Past? It is a comedy but the cast plays it straight, it is delightful. I'd forgotten about it til now. I am going with Atomic Cafe, but for 10th grade, I don't know if it is ok for younger.

It is a tough time putting books and films together Aubrey, your kids are younger but here is the list I am working on for history next year, if there is anything there to help.

Great War-Now.

[Carol in Cal.]

That book is definitely "In Place of K..." but I don't remember for sure the spelling of the name. Katya, I think, but maybe Katia.

 

It's delightfully written. I tracked it down on Ebay recently and purchased it, and I'm so glad that I did. I think it's really, really special and if you can find it in your library it's really worth a look. I would say that it's one of the top 3 obscure kids' books that I still love.

 

Although it takes place earlier, reading it as an adult I was struck by how similar the peasant revolt was to the communist revolution--same issues, same way of life, same types of arguments. That's why I suggested it for you, because nothing substantially changed between the two except maybe a slight weapons upgrade, LOL. It conveys the 'feel' of Russia that I've gotten at length in many adult books extremely well, while being exciting, non-gory, and very, very engaging. The main character is an American girl whose father is a church organist and who goes to Russia on a long visit. It's really, really charming.

[KarenNC]

We really enjoyed listening to the Mrs. Pollifax books. They are spy thrillers aimed at adults, but were fine in our estimation for our daughter (she's now 10, we did a few last year). Mrs. Pollifax is a retired widow who volunteers with the CIA (accidentally on the part of the CIA). Lots of fun and suspense. There are some instances of torture when some of the spies are captured, but they were primarily implies.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Pollifax

[Spy Car]

If you are going to study the Cold War it would be good to study the sober realities of living under totalitarian Communist nations. Awful stuff.

 

You would also do well to study the anti-American movements in our own nation that attempted to exploit "anti-Communism" to their own ends, and in the process infringed on the basic freedoms and basic decency that makes our nation great.

 

A man like Joe McCarthy, or groups like the John Birch society, were reprehensible in their actions and false accusations. The "Red Scare" is a part of the cautionary history with which children should be aware.

 

Bill

[katilac]

Not lit, but my then-4th grader went nuts over "Chess: In Concert," which you can get from Netflix. It sparked endless discussions and really seemed to elucidate the idea of a "cold" war for her, and how individual lives are affected by the big picture of historical events, even when those events aren't violent or sudden.

 

Plus, Josh Groban, and one of the coolest 80s songs ever.

Edited May 5, 2011 by katilac
brain dead

[KarenC]

I'm reading Countdown by Deborah Wiles to my 14,12, and 9 yo dds now. It's about a girl and her family during the Cuban missle crisis. There are a lot of great pictures from the time period.

 

Karen

[coffeefreak]

Isn't "The Hunt for Red October" a good Cold War Movie? Another one would be "The Right Stuff," about the space race. I don't know how appropriate it is though (been a looooonnnngggg time):001_smile:

 

OH OH!!!! "War Games" would be kinda fun, you know, with Matthew Broderick? You'd get to see all the old computer stuff, and it's all about nukes!

HTH!

Dorinda

[coffeefreak]

Dr. Seuss's The Butter Battle Book references the Berlin Wall, the Cold War arms race, etc.

 

You might also look at old episodes of McGuyver.

 

How Funny! McGuyver is now on Instant (Netflix):lol:

[HollyDay]

So far, I've got planned for reading:

Children of the Storm: The Autobiography of Natasha Vins

Bertie's War by Barbara Tifft Blakey

Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

On the Beach by Nevil Shute

 

I've not started planning dvds yet.

[usetoschool]

Stalin is a really graphic book, probably not suitable for young kids - it is reprinted by Beautiful Feet.

[Chris in VA]

I don't know where my post went, but I swore I wrote one about the monster movies that came out in the 50's and 60's--

 

Godzilla is the big one--all about the scares of nuclear energy. The Americanized version has Raymond Burr kind of randomly inserted--very campy, but not scary. The Japanese version is Gojira--a little more intense, but still pretty mild. My son used to love Mothra! The "Gozilla Versus..." movies are campy fun.

[ereks mom]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_Will_Come_Soft_Rains_(short_story)

and

http://www.enotes.com/there-will-come-soft-rains

[Penelope]

oops, nm

Edited May 5, 2011 by Penelope

[Aubrey]

You guys are awesome. And now I'm overwhelmed! :lol:

[Carol in Cal.]

On the Beach is not difficult, but it is extremely depressing. The premise is that nuclear war has happened, and the novel is written from the perspective of a city of people in either NZ or Australia waiting for the fallout to reach and annihilate them on the winds. You sort of gradually become aware of that scenario. I would not read this with children.

[Aubrey]

On the Beach is not difficult, but it is extremely depressing. The premise is that nuclear war has happened, and the novel is written from the perspective of a city of people in either NZ or Australia waiting for the fallout to reach and annihilate them on the winds. You sort of gradually become aware of that scenario. I would not read this with children.

 

I LOVE after-the-fallout stories, but not if they're depressing. I like the courage & imagination & energy that some people bring to disaster.

[OrganicAnn]

Spy vs Spy?

 

I don't know if any of the content is inappropriate, because after all it is from Mad Magazine.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Spy-vs-Complete-Casebook/dp/0823050211

 

Now why didn't Spy Car suggest it?

Edited May 6, 2011 by OrganicAnn

[kimnc]

Red Dawn (Patrick Swayze) was a great movie in the genre of a cold war scare-type scenario. Might be a little intense for an 8 & 10 yo though.

 

The History Channel has a really good documentary about the Berlin Wall, "The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall." You can find it on Netflix. It is very sobering and thought-provoking.

[katilac]

Red Dawn (Patrick Swayze) was a great movie in the genre of a cold war scare-type scenario.

 

WOLVERINES!!

 

Ah, who else remembers gazing longingly out the window during English class, in hopes that enemy soldiers would parachute onto the quad and liven things up a bit?

[Seeker of Schole]

I second the Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss. I have actually used it in a classroom before. The kids actually all understood the parallels, and it ended up being a powerful lesson.

[Sevilla]

Here is a book for elementary aged children about the Cold War/Russia (CC - deals with smuggling bibles and the underground church, the story follows a Russian family and their travel to Poland and back).

 

Ivan and the Secret in the Suitcase (apparently there is a series of books about Ivan, but i've only read this one)

Edited May 6, 2011 by Sevilla

[Matryoshka]

I had my then 11yos read these when we did the Cold War:

 

The Loud Silence of Francine Green by Cushman, Karen

Catch a Tiger by the Toe by Levine, Ellen

Escape to West Berlin by Dahlberg, Maurine

Penny from Heaven, by Holm, Jennifer

[coffeefreak]

I LOVE after-the-fallout stories, but not if they're depressing. I like the courage & imagination & energy that some people bring to disaster.

 

"On the Beach" is NOT one of those stories. Spoiler alert!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone dies. And, one of the reasons we had to read it in High School is it's written in third person limited point of view. The narrator only tells what people do and say, not what they think or feel. It was actually an excellent literary work, but not for Elementary or Middle School Students.