Let's Talk About Books
Certain topics in historical fiction have struggled over the years. Many books once considered classics and award winners have not stood the test of time with today's youth. They want drama, details, and an emotional connection. On the other hand, they want simplicity. Finally, after reading many Civil War books, I have narrowed the field… Continue reading Civil War Historical Fiction
Good Revolutionary War stories are hard to find. In all honesty, many of them are downright boring. This wasn't an easy list to create. I tried to cover many different aspects of the war. These are my top picks for books that are the most likely to keep young people's attention. The Fifth of March… Continue reading Middle Grade Revolutionary War Stories
Most of us learned our history from dry, boring textbooks, and pretty much can't remember any of it. One of the most well respected children's nonfiction authors, Steve Sheinkin, admits to being one of those boring textbook writers. He's made amends, and two of his books appear on this list. Some will leave you laughing.… Continue reading Revolutionary War Nonfiction
Slavery is right up there with some of the worst events in modern history. Our minds have a hard time believing that humans can be so cruel to one another. Because of that, we are drawn to it. We want to understand. These books capture the history in a way middle grade kids will enjoy.… Continue reading Middle Grade Books About Slavery
You'll never understand a person's hardships until you walk a mile in their shoes. For most of us, the closest we can get is through a book that tells their story. From the difficult journey to the cultural barriers to the racism, immigrants must have guts of steel to make it in a new land.… Continue reading Middle Grade Immigration Stories
It's hard to compete with history. There's something compelling about a story that actually happened, real people, facing real odds, surviving, and sometimes not surviving. We can't help but wonder about the untamed world our ancestors navigated, coming up against disasters, both natural and manmade. How did they do it? Could we do it?… Continue reading Middle Grade American Historical Fiction
CHATTERING LIBRARIAN 