HSMom2One Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 We'll be doing Notgrass's America The Beautiful next year and Across Five Aprils is on the literature list. Dd and I read the book four years ago while studying the Civil War era, so next year for our 8th Grade U.S. History I'd like to find a good alternate. I read Uncle Tom's Cabin in high school and was thinking about adding that, but would it fit at 8th grade level? I'd really like to add more literature to the reading list in addition to the Notgrass list anyway, so we could have 2-3 Civil War era selections and hopefully one or two that are classics. Any other suggestions? Thanks! Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Autobiography of Frederick Douglas Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Hospital Sketches Red Badge of Courage Shades of Gray (a younger book than the above) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Thanks for the suggestions. :001_smile: We have read Shades of Gray, but not the other ones yet. Oh, and I just remembered that I do have the Frederick Douglas book on the shelf. It's on TWTM literature list for 8th grade if I remember right. Blessings, Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Thanks for the suggestions. :001_smile: We have read Shades of Gray, but not the other ones yet. Oh, and I just remembered that I do have the Frederick Douglas book on the shelf. It's on TWTM literature list for 8th grade if I remember right. Blessings, Lucinda You might read selections from Uncle Tom's Cabin. I think it's a powerful book, but there has to be a lot of reading between the lines to get everything. I'm rereading it for the first time in many years. Probably since my own high school days. For example, I think one early chapter had the suggestion that one young slave was the master's son. That was probably a clear implication for readers of the time, but it went right over my head when I read it the first time. Uncle Tom's Cabin was (and is) an incredibly powerful book. But it's also densely packed and probably requires more work to read than one of the shorter works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Autobiography of Frederick Douglas You need to preread this for an 8th grader. There are rape scenes, and beating scenes (including a naked, tied-up woman being beaten for a full day), and descriptive murder scenes. Not so nice. I did love the book, however. Very good (in that sort of not-so-nice way). Ruth in NZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Thanks for the reminder. I haven't read it in a long time. Though I will probably be willing to give my sons a pretty heavy dose of nastiness. I think it is too easy to fall into the trap of thinking slavery wasn't all that bad, that it was just a loss of freedom. I understand the point some are trying to make with the discussion of states' rights. I want to be clear with them what they were asserting the right to legislate - the ownership of other people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine in al Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I think it's called " Color of Blood" looked on my shelf, but cant find it, It's being read somewhere in the house. While some folks think their non-fiction too liberal. ( just a disclaimer.. I like their non-fiction ) I find their fiction to be engaging, well written and balanced with several points of view from different characters. I think they may have other Civil War historical fiction books as well. ~Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 I think it's called " Color of Blood" looked on my shelf, but cant find it, It's being read somewhere in the house. While some folks think their non-fiction too liberal. ( just a disclaimer.. I like their non-fiction ) I find their fiction to be engaging, well written and balanced with several points of view from different characters. I think they may have other Civil War historical fiction books as well. ~Christine I think you mean this book, right? From the description I just read it sounds like a really good choice. Thanks! Blessings, Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 You need to preread this for an 8th grader. There are rape scenes, and beating scenes (including a naked, tied-up woman being beaten for a full day), and descriptive murder scenes. Not so nice. I did love the book, however. Very good (in that sort of not-so-nice way). Ruth in NZ Well, if we want to learn history, we do need to understand the ugliness that took place in some eras and cultures. I think for 8th grade level, to share the book with a parent and have discussions together it could be very insightful and meaningful. I'm not one to glaze over the rough spots once a kid is old enough to handle it and the parent is there for some guidance. Blessings, Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 You might read selections from Uncle Tom's Cabin. I think it's a powerful book, but there has to be a lot of reading between the lines to get everything. I'm rereading it for the first time in many years. Probably since my own high school days. For example, I think one early chapter had the suggestion that one young slave was the master's son. That was probably a clear implication for readers of the time, but it went right over my head when I read it the first time. Uncle Tom's Cabin was (and is) an incredibly powerful book. But it's also densely packed and probably requires more work to read than one of the shorter works. Hmmmm. This is so true. You know, the more I think about it, I should read this again too. If I do it ahead of time then I could decide whether to use it next year or just save it to be read at high school level. Thanks very much for your input. Blessings, Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2jjka Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 We are doing ATB, too, and we are also looking for options insteat of Across Five Aprils. My DD says that she is tired of all of the "boy books" in ATB, so we wanted something from a girl's perspective for a change. Right now she is reading a short biography about Clara Barton, and then I have these books on hold from the library http://www.amazon.com/Behind-Rebel-Lines-Incredible-Edmonds/dp/0152164278/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327512849&sr=1-10 http://www.amazon.com/Gentle-Annie-Story-Civil-Nurse/dp/0590435000/ref=sr_1_47?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327512951&sr=1-47 http://www.amazon.com/War-Within-Novel-Civil/dp/0689843585/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poke Salad Annie Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 (edited) Here's one more, Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. It can be found free on Google books here. You might want to pre-read a bit ahead. I've read bits of it on and off. Pretty much brutal honesty, but it's first person, and really, that's a perspective you might want to explore. Editing to add... I picked my copy up at a National Park gift shop. It's a Dover Thrift Edition. It is brutally honest, but part of the draw for me was the testimonial in the appendix of the book, in which a friend states his witness to the accuracy of her story. In her preface, the author states that some of the events in the book seem incredible, though they are very true. It seemed so sad to me that the author needed someone to vouch for her story. Amy Post also writes in the appendix of her friendship with the author. Edited January 25, 2012 by Poke Salad Annie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine in al Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I liked it. I too, wish for more history from women's perspective? You may want to look at books like " 100 Great books for girls" and things like that. Come at it from collections with female characters, and then search within THAT control group for your area. ~christine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Though I will probably be willing to give my sons a pretty heavy dose of nastiness. I think it is too easy to fall into the trap of thinking slavery wasn't all that bad, that it was just a loss of freedom. Well, if we want to learn history, we do need to understand the ugliness that took place in some eras and cultures. I think for 8th grade level, to share the book with a parent and have discussions together it could be very insightful and meaningful. I'm not one to glaze over the rough spots once a kid is old enough to handle it and the parent is there for some guidance. :iagree: My ds will read it next year in 7th. I just thought people should know that it is NOT nice. Ruth in NZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 Thanks for all the recommendations, everyone. There are more here than I know we can possibly even read in one unit, and it's going to be hard to narrow it down. That's actually a NICE problem! Blessings, Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMom Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Killer Angels --my 13yos read it this year and couldn't put it down. Have you ever seen Turn Homeward Hannalee? It would be an easy read for an 8th grader, but it is based on actual events about the mill workers in Roswell, GA, who were sent to work up north against their will. The main character (obviously) is a girl, but my boys both liked it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 Killer Angels --my 13yos read it this year and couldn't put it down. Have you ever seen Turn Homeward Hannalee? It would be an easy read for an 8th grader, but it is based on actual events about the mill workers in Roswell, GA, who were sent to work up north against their will. The main character (obviously) is a girl, but my boys both liked it. I've never heard of Killer Angels, but we did read Turn Homeward Hannalee the same year we read Across Five Aprils. We really liked the story - especially since it was from a girl's perspective. Thanks! Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poke Salad Annie Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I'm sorry, but I think I posted in error about the book I suggested to you. It is more likely a high school level book, due to the subject matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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