Entropymama Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 I'm teaching a modern history class next fall for 5th - 8th graders and I'm looking for a good novel to go along with the Civil War bit of our class. I don't want to do The Red Badge of Courage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Why not? Might be easier to suggest a different book if we know why you don't like Red Badge. Could try The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropymama Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 It's too dense for this crowd, most of whom are 5th or 6th graders. Plus it's something of a supplement - I'm not teaching literature, I just want something to go along with it to make the story come alive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropymama Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 Also - best Abraham Lincoln biography? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 So you're thinking "short", then? And maybe "not terribly sad"? Well, I'll stand by Homer P. Figg, but see if I can come up with something else as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropymama Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 I'm considering 'Little Women'. It's been a while but that's the time frame, right? So not necessarily short or not sad, just easily read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirstenhill Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 I honestly think Little Women is not necessarily easily read...I found parts of it very boring. Just being honest! I know some people love it. Boys in particular I think might have a hard time getting into it. What about Rifles for Watie? (http://amzn.com/006447030X) My DD liked it and she doesn't usually like "war books" in general. It is exciting, and not a sad ending (obviously people die in the book, but not the main character). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Behind Rebel Lines by Reit? It is a pretty quick read, IMO. Looks like the reading level is higher than you are looking for, but I honestly didn't think it was as high as the 830 Lexile they gave it. [Edited to add: Appeals to boys but central character is a female.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropymama Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 Behind Rebel Lines by Reit? It is a pretty quick read, IMO. Looks like the reading level is higher than you are looking for, but I honestly didn't think it was as high as the 830 Lexile they gave it. I forgot about this one. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Tharp Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt. Wonderful book. ETA to add: Bull Run by Paul Fleischman looks like it could be really good, but I've never read it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 We liked Behind Rebel Lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I seriously don't get the idea that Little Women could be *less* dense and difficult than Homer P. Figg. Homer Figg has 240 pages, Little Women (in the most popular edition on Amazon) has 280. Homer Figg has a more modern voice that's easier to read. It's also very funny and informative about many aspects of the war. Have you actually read the book? I think the book you really want is Bull Run by Fleischman. It's short. It's incredibly well written - just a beautiful, poetic little book of different voices. It's very closely tied to the history. It's perfect for a group because you can do some reader's theater with it or use it to extend the story by adding your own characters or adding more parts to the characters that are already there. Really, it's a great little book. Though if you want something *fun* do Homer P. Figg. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Bull Run (Fleischman) -- gr. 4-8 Super short, at a grade 4/5 reading level, but it presents 12 (16?) different points of view. Each person appears several times in the book; each speaks in first person in their own unique voice, and each time that person "appears" their section is quite short -- 1-3 pages. Each person speaks before, during, and after the battle of Bull Run. The book brings up loads of great points for discussion, and having characters on different sides of the same issues makes for interesting discussion. For your class that is mostly gr. 5-6, this would be my vote. Behind Rebel Lines (Reit) -- gr. 4-8 A fascinating spy book, based on real life person and events. Written at a gr. 4/5 level. A teen girl who wants to serve in the Civil War disguises herself as a boy, enlists in the Union army, and ends up being called on to be a spy on the Confederacy. For your class that is mostly gr. 5-6, this would be my second vote. Across Five Aprils (Hunt) -- gr. 8+ A longer more complex novel written at more of a grade 7/8 level. Very well done, showing the War tearing apart a family, with sons serving on both sides, as well as seeing some of the "home front" issues. The Perilous Road (Steele) -- gr. 5-8 Not as well-written as Across Five Aprils, but more for your target age. Boy hot to join the Civil War changes his mind when he sees the realities of the brutal battles. Lincoln: A Photobiography (Freedman -- gr. 4+ Non-fiction biography, written at a grade 4/5 level. Short, but lovely in the writing, with powerful photos. The Boys War: Confederate and Union Soldiers Talk About the Civil War (Murphy) -- gr. 7+ Powerful non-fiction, with photos. Short and written at a grade 5 level BUT, pretty emotionally intense; I don't know if I would hand this one off to elementary/young middle schoolers if they are sensitive students…. I keep hearing good reviews of Homer P. Figg, but haven't been able to read it yet... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I seriously don't get the idea that Little Women could be *less* dense and difficult than Homer P. Figg. Homer Figg has 240 pages, Little Women (in the most popular edition on Amazon) has 280. Homer Figg has a more modern voice that's easier to read. It's also very funny and informative about many aspects of the war. Have you actually read the book? I think she meant that Red Badge of Courage was too dense and difficult :) Though I concur that Little Women is probably not significantly less dense or difficult than Red Badge! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Not a novel but a memoir I enjoyed, Co. Aytch ("Company H," I think--it's been a while, so I could have that wrong). An easy read. I didn't love Homer Figg; it was too silly for my taste, but your audience might appreciate it more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Add me to those who found Little Women on the tedious side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropymama Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 I'm going to read Little Women again, I think my memory is off about that one. Thanks for all the suggestions, it looks like I'm going to have a full summer of prereading! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropymama Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt. Wonderful book. ETA to add: Bull Run by Paul Fleischman looks like it could be really good, but I've never read it. According to Amazon the Hunt book is written in an accent that makes it difficult for kids to read. Did you find that to be true? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 American Girl Addy books. The AG website also has curriculum guides for each of their historical characters. Addy's is here: http://www.americangirl.com/wcsstore/Tridion/AGStore/Images/Addy_OnlineCurric924-133552.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivingHope Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith is one of our favorites. It won the Newbery Medal in 1958. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Elle Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 We loved Across Five Aprils. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SebastianCat Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt Turn Homeward Hannalee and Be Ever Hopeful Hannalee by Patricia Beatty The Perilous Road by William Steele Shades of Gray by Carolyn Reeder According to Amazon the Hunt book is written in an accent that makes it difficult for kids to read. Did you find that to be true? My kids didn't have any trouble reading it. They were in 6th & 4th grades at the time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternallytired Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I am replying solely to vote against Across Five Aprils. I've always been a voracious reader, and A5A was the only book I couldn't bring myself to finish as a kid. (I started it in 8th grade.) For years, whenever I thought of that book I just pictured someone standing by a fence in the middle of a field, thinking and rambling. I went back and read it in college because I felt bad that I hadn't stuck it out; in college I could appreciate its introspective nature and thought it was a great book, but even as a pretty mature 8th grader (homeschooled!) I found it boring at that age. Though it seems that most are more mature than I was, since I see several votes for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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