melissel Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 We went to see Kit Kittredge the other day, and my DD (almost 6) and I talked a bit about the Depression afterward. I want to read more about it with her, but I have no idea where to start looking for books for this age group. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I'd love to read some nonfiction, but this is a pretty heavy topic. I'm not sure how much is out there for first graders :lol: TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 There is info on the Depression, and life in that time period, at the back of each Kit books, also in other Kit-theme books from American Girl. Your local library should have them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiegirl Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Leah's Pony deals with the depression. It is a picture book. Sorry, I don't know the author. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jana Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 The Bread Winner by Arvella Whitmore is a good piece of fiction for children set in the depression. It could work as a read aloud for a 1st grader. A good picture book set in the depression is Saving Strawberry Farms by Deborah Hopkinson. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faline Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Not sure if these would be at her level or not, but Rose's Journal and Kids During the Great Depression are two more to consider. I think they are listed as gr.3-5 at Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michele B Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 This might be a good time to forgo the books and head to a grandparent's home or a nursing home. That opportunity won't always be available! ;) Michele B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoffeeBean Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Children of the Great Depression by Russel Freedman is a book of photographs of kids during the depression. I love his books. My 8 & 10 year olds looked at it. I don't remeber anything in their that would upset a 6 year old but just preview it first. CoffeBean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack25 Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 We saw Kit yesterday too! The kids loved it! Anyway, I second the idea of looking in the back of the Kit books for a bit of kid appropriate non-fiction of the time period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN Mama Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 We don't own this book, but I flipped through this one and several others at the AG Store in Atlanta. It's on my wishlist! Welcome to Kit's World Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 The Gardener by Sarah Stewart Rose's Journal by Marissa Moss Dust for Dinner by Ann Turner HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli in TN Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Angels in the Dust is really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretchen in NJ Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Welcome to Kit's World is an American Girl history book. They have them for all of the historical Dolls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Blue Willow by Doris Gates I'm not sure it is set in the Depression but I am fairly certain it is. In any case, it is about a poor family and how it feels to be poor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midwest Momma Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 From Publishers Weekly: At age 79, Uncle Jed, after a lifetime of obstacles (including segregation and the Great Depression), finally realizes his dream of owning a barbershop. "Convivial descriptions of family life are enhanced by Ransome's spirited oil paintings," said PW. Ages 4-7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2GirlsTX Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 This might be a good time to forgo the books and head to a grandparent's home or a nursing home. That opportunity won't always be available! ;) Michele B This is such excellent advice! Two years ago when my dd read the Kit books she wanted to know more about the Great Depression. We got on the phone and started calling older relatives (those in the 75 to 100 years old) and the stories were amazing! Not to mention that the relatives were thrilled to share their experiences and wisdom with a younger generation. I would recommend that anyone studying the depression take the time to seek out those who lived through it, it will enrichen your lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweed Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 For younger children, I love The Babe and I. It sounds like a book for boys, but my girls love it too. This is the description from Amazon: So begins David Adler's inspired tale of the challenges and magic--yes, magic--of a depression-era childhood spent in the Bronx, New York. Disappointed, but not surprised by his present, the young narrator in The Babe & I spends his birthday afternoon wandering neighborhood streets with his best friend Jacob, discussing--as always--the New York Yankees and the world's greatest baseball player, Babe Ruth. The boys may have little in the way of monetary goods, but they do live within walking distance of Yankee stadium. They get a special lift from their proximity to this golden team of graced athletes, even if they can never go inside the gate. On this day, however, the stakes are raised significantly when the narrator discovers a difficult, saddening secret about his father. In response, he decides to join Jacob and become a newspaper boy--a decision that helps his family through these tough years and leads the narrator into the best, most unbelievable encounter of his life--better than any bike or birthday or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 I might be a bit ahead of your daughter's age, but "Out of the Dust" by Karen Hesse is a profoundly moving short novel about a girl growing in in the "dust bowl" during the Great Depression. This is a work of truly great literature! IMS it won a Newberry Award. My wife and I did this as a read-aloud for ourselves, and neither of us escaped with dry eyes. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Indeed Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 There is a unit study on Leah's Pony at http://www.homeschoolshare.com They will be down for a day or 2 while adding new unit studies, but you may want to take a look. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CactusPair Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 I was going to say Out of the Dust, but Spy Car beat me to it.:auto: There are some pretty intense subjects in the book, though. Preview it first for such a young listener. It is a beautifully written, special book. I even enjoy it as an adult reader. If you don't read it this year, but it on your "save" list. I think there is also a book called Dear Mrs. Roosevelt. I'd take a look at books of photographs of the time period with a youngster, too. So many powerful images of that era. The photos speak of the Depression's suffering, hope and strength that words cannot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in MO Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 I might be a bit ahead of your daughter's age, but "Out of the Dust" by Karen Hesse is a profoundly moving short novel about a girl growing in in the "dust bowl" during the Great Depression. This is a work of truly great literature! IMS it won a Newberry Award. My wife and I did this as a read-aloud for ourselves, and neither of us escaped with dry eyes. Bill read this book, and it was excellent! I'm not certain, but isn't "Bud, Not Buddy" take place during the Depression? It's been a while since we read it, but I thought it took place during the Depression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Here is an Amazon link where you can view the table of contents and sample pages: Welcome to Kit's World, 1934 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted July 13, 2008 Author Share Posted July 13, 2008 Thank you all! I put all your suggestions on my list. I don't know why it didn't occur to me to go directly to the Kit book. We only own one AG book, so I don't have much experience with them. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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