Hitler's Youth: Growing Up In Hitler's Shadow

1.   BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell, 2005. HILTER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER’S SHADOW, New York, NY:  Scholastic. ISBN 0-394-80020-6

2.   PLOT SUMMARY

A nonfiction book that describes how young boys and girls followed Hitler and his Nazi party and were called the Hitler Youth.  “Some Joined because they desired to…others because it was dangerous not to” and they were trained to be “Stormtroopers”. Hitler gathered over 3 million of these children who willingly follow in his “shadow”.  This book told of horrifying stories from both Nazi and Jewish children about the mass murders of Jews by the Nazi German party.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This historical nonfiction book was painfully riveting to read and made you wonder how so many children seem to be “brainwashed” by Hitler and the his movement. 

The documented photos exhibited appeared grim and sorrowful; some of the children seemed emotionless, making you feel their anguish. The author words made you feel as if you were there when children would turn on their own parents saying, “I had to pick”. The book included actual interview from the young people featured in this book who lived through this horror.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Epilogue that described what happened to the children featured in this piece, including where they moved and if they were imprisoned. 

4.   REVIEW EXCERPT (S)

School Library Journal: This book “challenges readers to prevent history from repeating itself”

Newbery Honor 2006 and Sibert Honor Award-winning Book

5.   CONNECTIONS

* Also read the book GIRL IN THE BLUE COAT by Hesse.

*Explore related teaching about the rise and fall of Hitler.

Becoming Ben Franklin: How A Candle-maker's Son Helped Light The Flame of Liberty - Review

1.   BIBLIOGRAPHY

Freedman, Russell, 2013. BECOMING BEN FRANKLIN; HOW A CANDLE-MAKER’S SON HELPED LIGHT THE FLAME OF LIBERTY New York, NY:  Holiday House. ISBN 9780823423743

2.   PLOT SUMMARY

This nonfictional biography focuses on the life of Ben Franklin.  The story explains his life from childhood when he ran away from home until his death at the age of 84.  Along the way the book describes his accomplishments as a printer, publisher, writer, inventor, and his many government duties with examples of how he helped to “draft the Declaration of the Independence” and other achievements. Also described are his family and the many homes and countries in which Ben Franklin lived.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This story a long, drawn out biographical story of the life of Ben Franklin with examples of government documents, maps, artwork and published newspaper pages. I can see this book being a social history book because of the photos, letters, and artwork that’s included.  I found this book to be boring and more historical resembling a textbook. 

The Photo essay was extremely interesting and gave many historical facts.  For example they included drawings of his homes, places of travel, and his inventions.

4.   REVIEW EXCERPT (S)

Kirkus Review: Best Children’s Books of 2013

Russell Freedman was Newbery Honor Medal winner.

5.   CONNECTIONS

* Use the time line in the back of book to assign students reports.

* Lessons on over famous people in history.

Truce-Book Review

1.   BIBLIOGRAPHY

Murphy, Jim. 2009. TRUCE, New York, NY:  Scholastic Press, Inc. ISBN-13:9780545130493, ISBN-10:0545130492

2.   PLOT SUMMARY

This is an incredible non-fiction book about a truce that happened in 1914 during World War I. It was a vicious war with battles that were bloody from machine guns, and trenches “with swarms of hungry rats”. The heart felt story goes on to describe how two enemies came together with “friendly exchanges” of gifts one Christmas.  Their superiors told them “not to fraternize with the enemy” but they came together anyways and for over two weeks.

3.   CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Mr. Murphy tells of this war as if you were in the trenches with the troupes.  It was a sad story that was a portrait of death and hope for “peace on earth”.  The battles were described with details so you could envision how it was to be so close to the enemy that you could hear their voices singing the carols.  He paints a portrait in your mind of “beer and plum pudding” and men shooting riffles in the air to make their superiors think they were still at battle.

This type of picture book gave photo and illustrations of the men meeting in “No Man’s Land”, the trenches, men crossing barbed wire, and dying and sick soldiers.  Maps were also included in the text so you could understand the placement of the battles.

4.   REVIEW EXCERPT (S)

Newberry Honor: two times

School Library Journal: Best Book of the Year

5.   CONNECTIONS

*Other books written by Murphy THE GREAT FIRE and BLIZZARD!

* Research web page British Soldiers and the Christmas Truce.

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream - Review

1.   BIBLIOGRAPHY

Stone, Tanya Lee 2009. ALMOST ASTRONAUTS; 13 WOMEN WHO DARED TO DREAM, Somerville, MA:  Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780329700805

2.   PLOT SUMMARY

ALMOST ASTRONAUTS: 13 WOMEN WHO DARED TO DREAM is a telling nonfiction book that describes how 13 that wanted to be in the Mercury Space Program in the 1960’s.  Women were not considered equal to men until these women pilots had to prove themselves as “capable as men”.  Some of the women were even more qualified, with more flight hours than the men of that time.  They were put through all test and proved themselves capable, yet were still denied the chance to show they had the “right stuff”.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This social history style of book was an interesting read and definitely focused on the challenges of women trying to overcome the prejudices of the 1960’s.  Women were “considered minorities” and the book gave examples on how these women were put through many tests to prove their ability. 

The book was written in a picture-book format, with examples of space history and the test that these women endured.  Displayed were photos of like Jerri Cobb quoting “floats in an isolations tank”.  There were also cartoons with women fighting for women’s rights. Letters shown gave documentation and a true timeline of the events. 

4.   REVIEW EXCERPT (S)

Winner of the Robert F. Smibert Medal (American Library Association’s Award for Best Nonfiction Book of the year 2010

5.   CONNECTIONS

·      History connections with American Women and Women’s Rights.

·      Create poster over Space Exploration and their tragic disasters.