Scarlet Pimpernel OK for 6th Grade? Suggestions for 1600-1700s

[shburks]

I'm looking for a book to go along with the time period 1600-1700s in world history. 

 

We're using From Adam to Us (Notgrass world history) which I love, but I can't find the suggested book for this unit (Madeline Takes Command) at our library or easy to find and frankly, would love something more along the lines of classic literature versus the Living History series. (Nothing wrong with them....just looking for something else.)

 

DS is 6th grade with a reading level much higher. Is the Scarlet Pimpernel appropriate? Or does anyone have other suggestions?

 

Covered during this time period is Peter the Great, Bach, Louis XVI.

 

Thanks!

[Pen]

As with characters like Fagin and Merchant of Venice, I think there is a character where anti-semitism is in an issue to discuss with your son. That's really the only issue I can think of. Well, there is certainly violence, but it is mostly of a swashbuckling sort.

 

If he can read it, go for it. It is a great story and can be compared not only to historical matters, but also superheroes, Star Wars, and so on.

 

My son saw a movie version with Anthony Andrews in lead role, and really liked that. If you need to scaffold the reading at all, that could help. Or could come after reading the book.

 

Also consider Tale of Two Cities.

[Tanaqui]

Pretty much exactly what Pen said.

[Lori D.]

The Scarlet Pimpernel would be okay for a strong reader, although I think a 6th grader would likely find the book a bit long and slow unless the student has read a lot of older classics or really loves historical works. I agree with Pen and suggest watching a film version first to get a general understanding of the Reign of Terror in France -- and also, for more lively swashbuckling action, intrigue, disguises, and skin-of-the-teeth rescues. ;)

 

I would not recommend A Tale of Two Cities as a student's first outing with Dickens, even if the student is a strong reader. Dickens takes some getting used to (Victorian vocabulary and sentence structure, plus his unique focus on eccentric characters), and Tale of Two Cities is unusually stiff going and confusing for the first 10-12 chapters, what with the additional layer of complicated political events and people of the French Revolution / Reign of Terror era.

 

Both of those works are set in the 1790s. Here are more ideas of historical fiction and some classics set in the requested time period of 1600s-1700s:

 

Young Adult Historical Fiction

 

1600s

1600s England/Buccaneers = The Dark Frigate (Hawes) 

1600s Sweden = Kristine, the Girl King (The Royal Diaries series)

early 1600s, Spain/artist = I, Juan de Pareja (de Trevino)

early 1600s, Holland/Pilgrims = Stink Alley (Gilson)

1620s Colonial US/Mayflower = Journey to the New World: Diary of Remember Patience Whipple (Lasky)

1660s England/plague = Master Cornhill (McGraw)

1660s England/plague = A Parcel of Patterns (Walsh)

1680s France/Africa/Carribbean/New York = Escape Across the Wide Sea (Kirkpatrick)

1680s Colonial US = Witch of Blackbird Pond (Speare)

 

1700s

1700s Japan = The Master Puppeteer (Paterson)

1700s Colonial/early US = Amos Fortune Free Man (Yates)

1740s Russia = Catherine: The Great Journey (Royal Diaries series)

1740s Colonial US = Calico Bush (Field)

1750s Japan = Samurai Mystery series: Ghost in the Tokaido Inn (Hoobler)

1750s-60s Colonial US/Native Americans = I Am Regina (Keehn)

1750s-60s Colonial US/Native Americans = Indian Captive (Lenski)

1760s Colonial US/Native Americans = The Light in the Forest (Richter)

1760s Captain Cook/South Pacific = Stowaway (Hesse)

 

 

Classics

1620s France = The Three Musketeers (Dumas)

1640s-50s France = Cyrano De Bergerac (Rostand) -- recommend watching the Jose Ferrar version rather than reading at this age

1660s England/shipwreck survival = Robinson Crusoe (Dafoe)

1720s-30s Irish, satire = Gulliver's Travels (Swift)

1740s England/Pirates = Treasure Island (Stevenson)

1750s England/Pirates = Kidnapped (Stevenson)

 

Edited January 4, 2016 by Lori D.

[Bluegoat]

What about Children of the new Forest?

[4ofus]

My oldest son read it in 5th grade, but stretched out over an entire semester. I scaffolded for the first few chapters....he read a short section, we discussed, I read, we discussed, back & forth, until he got the flavor of the story & rhythm of the writing down. It was a little daunting at the start, but when it was over, he said it was a great book.  I think I remember that it was originally written as a play & later adapted to the novel format, so there's some fluidity lost as a result. It doesn't hinder the enjoyment of the story at all though~just a little rough at the start as it was so different from other things he'd read.

Edited January 4, 2016 by 4ofus

[Mommy22alyns]

Sylvia just read it for fun.  It didn't take her long, but she's just like that.  I really have to work to keep her in books.

[Mommy22alyns]

Lori D., would you say that Gulliver's Travels could be read by a 6th grader?  I had DH read a children's version of it to the girls because I wasn't sure about having them read it themselves.

 

My younger daughter reads about 5 times as fast as my older, so I always need plenty of reading material for her.

[shburks]

 

The Scarlet Pimpernel would be okay for a strong reader, although I think a 6th grader would likely find the book a bit long and slow unless the student has read a lot of older classics or really loves historical works. I agree with Pen and suggest watching a film version first to get a general understanding of the Reign of Terror in France -- and also, for more lively swashbuckling action, intrigue, disguises, and skin-of-the-teeth rescues. ;)

 

I would not recommend A Tale of Two Cities as a student's first outing with Dickens, even if the student is a strong reader. Dickens takes some getting used to (Victorian vocabulary and sentence structure, plus his unique focus on eccentric characters), and Tale of Two Cities is unusually stiff going and confusing for the first 10-12 chapters, what with the additional layer of complicated political events and people of the French Revolution / Reign of Terror era.

 

Both of those works are set in the 1790s. Here are more ideas of historical fiction and some classics set in the requested time period of 1600s-1700s:

 

Young Adult Historical Fiction

 

1600s

1600s England/Buccaneers = The Dark Frigate (Hawes) 

1600s Sweden = Kristine, the Girl King (The Royal Diaries series)

early 1600s, Spain/artist = I, Juan de Pareja (de Trevino)

early 1600s, Holland/Pilgrims = Stink Alley (Gilson)

1620s Colonial US/Mayflower = Journey to the New World: Diary of Remember Patience Whipple (Lasky)

1660s England/plague = Master Cornhill (McGraw)

1660s England/plague = A Parcel of Patterns (Walsh)

1680s France/Africa/Carribbean/New York = Escape Across the Wide Sea (Kirkpatrick)

1680s Colonial US = Witch of Blackbird Pond (Speare)

 

1700s

1700s Japan = The Master Puppeteer (Paterson)

1700s Colonial/early US = Amos Fortune Free Man (Yates)

1740s Russia = Catherine: The Great Journey (Royal Diaries series)

1740s Colonial US = Calico Bush (Field)

1750s Japan = Samurai Mystery series: Ghost in the Tokaido Inn (Hoobler)

1750s-60s Colonial US/Native Americans = I Am Regina (Keehn)

1750s-60s Colonial US/Native Americans = Indian Captive (Lenski)

1760s Colonial US/Native Americans = The Light in the Forest (Richter)

1760s Captain Cook/South Pacific = Stowaway (Hesse)

 

 

Classics

1620s France = The Three Musketeers (Dumas)

1640s-50s France = Cyrano De Bergerac (Rostand) -- recommend watching the Jose Ferrar version rather than reading at this age

1660s England/shipwreck survival = Robinson Crusoe (Dafoe)

1720s-30s Irish, satire = Gulliver's Travels (Swift)

1740s England/Pirates = Treasure Island (Stevenson)

1750s England/Pirates = Kidnapped (Stevenson)

 

Oh my gosh!! You're so helpful! I actually have Kidnapped already on my list, too. DS has read Treasure Island, but Three Muskateers or Gulliver's Travels might be good options, too. These chapters in his history book are covering Europe for the most part, but this is a great list to work from. I might grab The Scarlet Pimpernel and review it myself and then make a decision. DS has read Christmas Carol, but I know that's pretty light for Dickens; I think he's read an abridged version of Oliver Twist, too, but I agree with you--Tale of Two Cities feels too heavy for this year. DS does truly love history and historical novels, so he might do OK with it. The list is just great! (Do you have handy lists somewhere or did you pull this from a website? It's terribly handy!)

 

As with characters like Fagin and Merchant of Venice, I think there is a character where anti-semitism is in an issue to discuss with your son. That's really the only issue I can think of. Well, there is certainly violence, but it is mostly of a swashbuckling sort. If he can read it, go for it. It is a great story and can be compared not only to historical matters, but also superheroes, Star Wars, and so on. My son saw a movie version with Anthony Andrews in lead role, and really liked that. If you need to scaffold the reading at all, that could help. Or could come after reading the book. Also consider Tale of Two Cities.

 

Pen, this is very helpful, too. I think I'll check it out myself and then make a final decision about whether or not to try it. I so appreciate your help!

 

Thanks everyone for the great feedback!

[Lori D.]

Lori D., would you say that Gulliver's Travels could be read by a 6th grader?  I had DH read a children's version of it to the girls because I wasn't sure about having them read it themselves.

 

My younger daughter reads about 5 times as fast as my older, so I always need plenty of reading material for her.

 

Just my reaction to it, but I think sections of Gulliver's Travels are kind of dry and dull, but I think it's from not being familiar with the people and politics that Swift was parodying. My choice for my own average reader DSs was just to read the Lilliputian excerpts (or we could have gone with an abridged version). But if your student is advanced in her reading and already tackling harder works (Victorian vocabulary and sentence structure), then no harm in giving it a try… And nothing says your student has to finish it at this younger age if it's not clicking, right? :)

[Lori D.]

The list is just great! (Do you have handy lists somewhere or did you pull this from a website? It's terribly handy!)

 

 

Um… mostly my booklists are in my head, although I often scout around for lists and pull ideas from things I find online or from old threads. ;) I usually try to tailor lists specifically for what a poster is looking for to meet their specific needs. :)

[MEmama]

My son picked this up on a whim from a used bookstore a few months ago and loved it. I'd never heard of it before but it just happened to mesh with our studies about the French Revolution. I don't pre-read any of his books so I can't comment on the appropriateness for your kid, but DS really enjoyed it. I don't tend to think much is off limits at this age though. This was a pretty different read for him though so I was glad to see the old fashioned language and so forth didn't throw him.