SOTW 3 & 4 Literature Lists for Logic

[Roxy Roller]

I am having my Logic Stage child go through SOTW 3 & 4 this year.  He is a voracious reader, and is asking for 3-4 history related literature books to read EVERY week.  Does someone have a list of Logic level books that corresponds with the chapters in SOTW 3 & 4.  I have seen different curriculums with lists, but most of them list 1 book every week or so.  I need to put together a pretty extensive list to keep up with this boy.

[stlily]

I don't have a list but I have a few suggestions of where/how you can get some book ideas. If you own the SOTW  Activities book, you'll see that for every chapter there is a list of recommended Additional History Reading & Corresponding Literature Suggestions. Most of these books are for elementary level students but sometimes there will be some that are IR 3-5 or IR 6-8, IR meaning Independent Reading. Another thing I've done in the past is search the topics being covered in a particular chapter, in my libraries catalog. Then I sort by by reading level. I also use the reading list provided in TWTM. There is enough there for an entire school year (for most kids:). Finally, there are a few lists already made that I have found on Pinterest. Here's an example: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/139400550952942941/ Hope this helps.

 

[Lori D.]

From your signature, it looks like he is your 14yo? If so, might I suggest widening the reading options beyond just more historical fiction for your voracious reader? Rather than just tripling/quadrupling the amount of historical fiction he reads each week, also do OTHER kinds of reading and literature... So, sure, add some more historical fiction to choose from, but ALSO:

- add non-fiction history books
Have him choose topics of high interest from the current history studies, make a bi-weekly trip to the library for non-fiction books on that topic, and he can read, assimilate the info, and maybe once a month produce a short written report, or give an oral report on the topic

- add non-fiction that is also NOT about history
• regularly include books on other topics such as science, math, geography, the arts, etc.
• add magazines or news articles on current events, and discuss

- add non-history-related readings to his school literature:
• maybe a literature program (like, Excellence in Literature, or Lightning Lit, or Illuminating Literature, or Essentials in Literature -- etc.)
• or classics and good books from any time era
* add short stories and discussion to your weekly school literature
• add high-interest / highly-discussable Young Adult (YA) works to the regular school literature rotation

Another thought is that if DS is burning through 3-4 historical fiction books a week, perhaps DS needs books that are at a higher reading level books than logic stage, and that are longer and more complex, so that the books take more time for reading, thinking, absorbing.

All that said as a preface, you might check these resources for more historical fiction:
- YA  section of Historical Novels website (note: a lot of the titles are sort of "romance-y", but also some non-romance titles in there)
- Guest Hollow History Bookshelf, with ideas for fiction/nonfiction books, documentaries, and feature films, listed by century. You will need to preview, as these resources range from elementary-age through adult.

And for your historical fiction, here are just a few ideas to get you started -- this would go with SOTW 3, and the first half of your school year:

EARLY MODERN TOPICS & TITLES

1650-1675
"classics"
     Pilgrim's Progress (Bunyan) -- an adapted version
World historical fiction:
     England = The Dark Frigate (Boardman)
     England = A Parcel of Patterns (Walsh)
     England = Master Cornhill (MacGraw)
US historical fiction:
     James Printer: A Novel of Rebellion (Jacobs)

1675-1700
"classics"
     France = Charles Perrault fairy tales
World historical fiction:
     France = Escape Across the Wide Sea (Kirkpatrick)
US historical fiction:
     Witch of Blackbird Pond (George)

1700-1725
"classics"
     Robinson Crusoe (Dafoe)  -- an abridged or adapted version
World historical fiction:
     North Africa/England = King of the Wind
     Scotland = Bonnie Dundee (Sutcliff)
US historical fiction:
     The Ransom of Mercy Carter (Cooney)

1725-1750
"classics"
   Gulliver's Travels (Swift) -- an abridged or adapted version
World historical fiction:
     Africa/U.S. = Copper Sun (Draper)
     Caribbean = My Name is Not Angelica (O'Dell)
     England = Flame-Colored Taffeta (Sutcliff)
US historical fiction:
     Calico Bush (Field)

1750-1775
"classics" :
     Last of the Mohicans (Cooper) -- abridged/adapted/or graphic novel version
     Treasure Island (Stevenson)
World historical fiction:
     Japan = Master Puppeteer (Paterson)
     Japan = The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn (or other Samurai mystery) (Hoobler)
     England = Stowaway (Hesse)
US historical fiction
    Light in the Forest (Richter)
     I Am Regina (Keehn)
    Indian Captive (Lenski)
     Guns for General Washington (Reit)

17775-1800
"classics"
     "Rip Van Winkle" (Irving) -- short story
      "Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Irving) -- short story
     The Scarlet Pimpernel (Orczy) -- written in 1800s; set in French Revolution
World historical fiction:

US historical fiction:
     Seeds of America trilogy: Chains; Forge; Ashes (Anderson)
     Fever 1793 (Anderson)
     Johnny Tremain
     My Brother Sam is Dead (Collier)
     Carry On Mr. Bowditch (Latham)

1800-1825
"classics"
     Frankenstein (Shelley)
     Tales from Shakespeare (Lamb)
     Ivanhoe (Scott) -- written in 1819, set in 1100s England
World historical fiction:
     England = Midshipman Quin series (Styles)
     England = The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (Avi)
     France = Betsy and the Emperor (Rabin)
US historical fiction:
     Naya Nuki (Thomasma)
     Sacajawea (Bruchac)
     Streams to the River, River to the Sea (O'Dell)
    Bold Journey (Bohner)
     The Journeyman (Yates)

1825-1850
"classics"
     fairy tales by brothers Grimm
     fairy tales by Hans Christian Anderson
     A Christmas Carol (Dickens)
     Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Twain) -- written 1870s, but set in 1830s
     short story by Edgar Allen Poe
     a version of the Arabian Nights -- date back to around 1000AD, but 1840 = first English translation
World historical fiction:
     Ireland = Nora Ryan's Song
     China/US = The Serpent's Children (Yep)
US historical fiction:
     A Gathering of Days (Blos)
     Slave Dancer (Fox)
     Lyddie (Paterson)
    The Birchbark House (Erdrich)
     Moccassin Trail (MacGraw)
     All Sails Set (Armstrong)

1850-1860
"classics"
     Wondertales (Hawthorne) -- written in 1850s; they are versions of Ancient Greek myths
World historical fiction:
     Ireland = Nora Ryan's Song
     Japan = Heart of a Samurai (Preus)
     Japan = Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdon (Paterson)
US historical fiction:
     The Great Turkey Walk (Kerr)
     Elijah of Buxton (Curtis)

Edited September 13, 2019 by Lori D.

[Roxy Roller]

1 hour ago, stlily said:

I don't have a list but I have a few suggestions of where/how you can get some book ideas. If you own the SOTW  Activities book, you'll see that for every chapter there is a list of recommended Additional History Reading & Corresponding Literature Suggestions. Most of these books are for elementary level students but sometimes there will be some that are IR 3-5 or IR 6-8, IR meaning Independent Reading. Another thing I've done in the past is search the topics being covered in a particular chapter, in my libraries catalog. Then I sort by by reading level. I also use the reading list provided in TWTM. There is enough there for an entire school year (for most kids:). Finally, there are a few lists already made that I have found on Pinterest. Here's an example: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/139400550952942941/ Hope this helps.

 

 

Yes, I have the activity book, but most of the books are below his reading level.  I will look at the lists you mentioned. Thank you!

[Roxy Roller]

58 minutes ago, Lori D. said:

Another thought is that if DS is burning through 3-4 historical fiction books a week, perhaps DS needs books that are at a higher reading level books than logic stage, and that are longer and more complex, so that the books take more time for reading, thinking, absorbing.
 

 

Thanks for your response, Lori!  I am wondering if what you mentioned here, is what is an issue.  The only problem is that DS is an immature 14 YO, so most longer, more complex works might be at his reading level, but emotionally, I am not sure he could handle them.  Does that make sense.  I do want to push him so that by next year he will hopefully be ready for higher level reading.  He has already read quite a few of the books that you have listed that might go with SOTW 3, but not all, so I will look at them.  We are Canadian, so I am trying to add in Canadian historical fiction as well as some US historical fiction.

[Lori D.]

16 minutes ago, Roxy Roller said:

 

Thanks for your response, Lori!  I am wondering if what you mentioned here, is what is an issue.  The only problem is that DS is an immature 14 YO, so most longer, more complex works might be at his reading level, but emotionally, I am not sure he could handle them.  Does that make sense.  I do want to push him so that by next year he will hopefully be ready for higher level reading.  He has already read quite a few of the books that you have listed that might go with SOTW 3, but not all, so I will look at them.  We are Canadian, so I am trying to add in Canadian historical fiction as well as some US historical fiction.

Gotcha.

Definitely check out the Guest Hollow History Bookshelf link -- lots of biographies and nonfiction titles at a grade. 5-8 level that could be added into your voracious reader's list. 🙂 

Alas, can't help with the Canadian history / Canadian historical fiction -- I haven't seen any lists for that specifically.

ETA -- Annnnddd... I just found a list, LOL:

Canadian History books:
- I Am Canada series -- various books
- Dear Canada series -- fictional diaries from various time periods
- On a Canadian Day -- 9 stories at different time periods
1795 = Willa's New World (Demers)
1812 = The Schooner's Revenge (Sutherland)
1812 = Jeremy's War 1812 (Ibbotson)
1825 = There Million Acres of Flame (Sherrard)
1838 = Sophie's Treason (Boissery)
1850s = Underground to Canada (Smucker)
1863 = Grease Town (Towell)
1882 = Big Water (Curtis)
1885 = Belle of Batoche (Guest)
late 1800s = Red Wolf (Dance)
early 1900s = Mable Reily (Jocelyn)
1903 = Boxcar Kid (Charles)
1903 = Journey of the Shadow Bairns (Anderson)
1913 = The Lamp, The Ice, and the Boat Called Fish (Martin)
1914 = The Button Necklace (Harrison)
1940s = The Cook Camp (Paulsen)
1965 = Secret of the Night Ponies (Hiatt)

"classics"
- Anne of Green Gables series (Montgomery)

Edited September 13, 2019 by Lori D.

[Roxy Roller]

47 minutes ago, Lori D. said:

Gotcha.

Definitely check out the Guest Hollow History Bookshelf link -- lots of biographies and nonfiction titles at a grade. 5-8 level that could be added into your voracious reader's list. 🙂 

Alas, can't help with the Canadian history / Canadian historical fiction -- I haven't seen any lists for that specifically.

ETA -- Annnnddd... I just found a list, LOL:

Canadian History books:
- I Am Canada series -- various books
- Dear Canada series -- fictional diaries from various time periods
- On a Canadian Day -- 9 stories at different time periods
1795 = Willa's New World (Demers)
1812 = The Schooner's Revenge (Sutherland)
1812 = Jeremy's War 1812 (Ibbotson)
1825 = There Million Acres of Flame (Sherrard)
1838 = Sophie's Treason (Boissery)
1850s = Underground to Canada (Smucker)
1863 = Grease Town (Towell)
1882 = Big Water (Curtis)
1885 = Belle of Batoche (Guest)
late 1800s = Red Wolf (Dance)
early 1900s = Mable Reily (Jocelyn)
1903 = Boxcar Kid (Charles)
1903 = Journey of the Shadow Bairns (Anderson)
1913 = The Lamp, The Ice, and the Boat Called Fish (Martin)
1914 = The Button Necklace (Harrison)
1940s = The Cook Camp (Paulsen)
1965 = Secret of the Night Ponies (Hiatt)

"classics"
- Anne of Green Gables series (Montgomery)

 

Thanks, Lori! He has read a few of the books on the Canadian list you posted, but most of them I haven't heard of.  I will check them out.

 

[serendipitous journey]

Roxy Roller, these are _not_ SOTW-related literature suggestions, but I did post earlier this year for books for my sensitive child (then 13, now 14yo) who loves science fiction and humor.  That thread is here. 

I've found that the WTM official reading lists for the "logic stage" are, so far, surprisingly okay for us.  There are a lot of YA novels set in contemporary times that are not good for a sensitive child, but Bauer's "required reading" lists have been suitable for us even if they aren't DS' favorite reads -- he is not a history lover -- and we did replace Tolkien's Gawain with a more contemporary translation.  I'm thinking of the lists in the literature section specifically, not the longer lists of history resources. 

HTH!