36:120 A History of US, Vol 6: War, Terrible War by Joy Hakim

Review from 2013:

Middle-school history focusing on the Civil War.  I still find her way of jumping around a bit disjointing but I think the presentation of the material worked better for this one than previous ones.  It allowed the horror of the war to be told but she broke it up with other information to keep it from being overwhelming for the intended age group.  There was a lot more information on the Generals and who they were both before and during the war which I think is good to show that none of these people were evil although the things that happen during a war certainly are but that they each thought they were trying to do the right thing for their side.  I found it to be fairly balanced over all with lots of good information.



Page count: 167p/7,058p ytd/281,533p lifetime

32:120 Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

The Aleuts came to the island and killed the chief, Karana's father, when he demanded the payment they promised him for hunting the otters. When the rest of the tribe attacked, almost all of the hunters were also killed so the oldest among them was chosen to lead them and so he went to seek help and brought back a ship to take their crippled tribe to a new home but Karana's brother went back and was left so she dove overboard in order to be with him thinking the ship would return shortly for them.

It didn't.

Now she must figure out how to survive on her own, especially with the wild dogs on the island after they kill her brother.  There are many dangers to prepare for including the return of the Aleuts and always watching for the return of the promised ship to take her away.

Based on a true story of a woman found on this island but who spoke a language no one else could understand, Scott O'Dell recreated one possible story of her life.  It was a lovely tale, with evocative imagery and beautiful language.


Page count: 177p/5,478p ytd/279,953p lifetime

15:120 A History of US Vol. 5: Liberty for All? by Joy Hakim

Review from 2013:
The 5th book in her US history series for middle school.  Better than some of the others.  There was some interesting information in there setting things up for the Civil War and while I appreciated learning more about the authors and artists of that time, I'm not sure how much my son got out of that.  There were definitely parts that I felt could have moved more quickly but at the same time, I think it was good to show where the country was and all the things that went into creating the factions of North vs. South.  It wasn't just slavery although that was the main thing but the industry, life styles, and exploration that slavery enabled that many people did not want to lose as well.


Page count: 219p/3,384p ytd/277,859p lifetime

14:120 Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Brian is angry, so angry.  He knows the Secret that caused his parents' divorce and now he is stuck in a small, single-engine plane on his way to visit his father in Canada because they can no longer all live together. He is stewing about that when the pilot has a heart attack and the fight for survival in the Canadian wilderness starts with the plane crashing in the middle of nowhere, well off the flight path they were supposed to be on.  With the plane sunk in a lake and no supplies but his windbreaker, the hatchet his mother gave him as he left, and his very limited knowledge of survival skills, he must find shelter and food for who knows how long.

I have seen this book around but had never read it before but found a literature study unit for it and grabbed it for homeschooling and now is when my son decided we should read it.  I really enjoyed it as Brian was very easy to relate to.  He makes mistakes, he doesn't have a lot of survival skills, he has set-backs where he almost gives up but then pulls himself out of it.  He has some luck, both good and bad, but in all it's a huge learning experience for him and we get to share it.  I also appreciate that even after his rescue, he doesn't just return to how he was before but they mention some of the issues he has readjusting to regular life.  I think that's an important thing that so often gets left out so I was happy that this book didn't.


Page count: 186p/3,165p ytd/277,640p lifetime

8:120 History of US, Vol 4: The New Nation by Joy Hakim

Previous review written in 2012 when I read it with son #3

I have to admit I learned more in this book than previous ones like the fact that there were presidents between Jackson and Lincoln.  I mean, I knew that in a logical sense because Jackson was number 7 and Lincoln was sixteenth but still, they actually had names.  Of course, she only gave one chapter to all 8 of them since they didn't seem to do much of anything.  Otherwise, it was still better than the first book or two as it seemed to flow better and the presentation was easier to follow.  I still dislike the gazillion side notes and extra articles that get stuck in tho.  I find them distracting and I know that Jon tends to gloss over them.  Sometimes you can as they aren't that important and sometimes they are really important.  Ugh!

Son#4 is enjoying this far more than the last one did which definitely makes it more enjoyable for me as a teacher when we can discuss in depth and it's not fighting over getting him to read any of it.

Page count: 199p/1,971p ytd/276,446p lifetime

5:120 Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

1936, Flint, Michigan.

Bud, not Buddy, has been at the Home (orphanage) for about 4 years, ever since his mother died.  He has never known his father but in his suitcase that contains all his belongings there are fliers for Herman E. Calloway & the Dusky Devastators of the Depression.  When he is sent to a new foster home where the abuse starts immediately, he runs away and comes to the conclusion that Herman E. Calloway must be his father so he will find him.  Bud ends up in a Hooverville at one point and then gets lucky when Lefty Lewis picks him up on his way to Flint.  Lefty knows Herman and gets Bud there in a much easier way than it would have been for him to walk.  Herman is not at all the person Bud was imagining but life has more unexpected surprises in store for the young man.

I read this as part of a literature unit with my 5th grader having never read it before.  I found the story engaging and touching and my son read ahead constantly.  While the story itself is not a true story, many of the scenes and people were based on people in the author's life and the stories he heard growing up and this helps give it a ring of truth.

Page count: 243p ytd/1,220p/276,695p lifetime

104:120 The Giver by Lois Lowry

Jonas is about to turn 12yrs old and find out what career has been chosen to be his life's path.  In a village where everything is concerned with Sameness and society's rules are rigid to enforce this, it comes as a big surprise when Jonas is chosen to become the new Giver, the keeper of memories, for the village.  His instructions are very different than anything he has ever seen in that he is told he can ask any question of anyone and he is given permission to lie.  He doesn't know what to think!  But once his training starts, he starts learning just how much he doesn't know about so many things like love, family, pain, and death.  How can he continue to live in the village knowing what he does and how much everyone else doesn't?

I had heard so much about this book for so long and I'm glad I finally got around to reading it.  Reading it as part of my 10yr old's literature studies was even better because we read it together (he loved it!) and were able to discuss it together.  I think it's an interesting study in that the village seems like a utopia at the beginning but as you learn more, you realize that it's more dystopian than utopian but since no one knows this it's quite the quandry.  They are happy as they are and don't know how bland their lives are and what they have given up to achieve this.  Only the Giver ever knows and he is only called upon for advise when something knew comes up...until Jonas comes along.


Page count: 179p/25,717p ytd/274,874p lifetime

82:120 A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

Mr. Murray has been gone for over a year and the letters have not been coming for the past several months.  This has been hard on his family but even more so on Meg, his only daughter.  Then one very stormy night, there is a banging outside and Charles Wallce, the youngest Murray, introduces Meg and their mother to Mrs. Whatsit.  As the days go by, Meg is introduced to the others, Mrs. Who & Mrs. Which and they tell her that they know where her father is and that she and Charles Wallace must be prepared to rescue him when the time comes.  As the story spins out, Mr. Murray is trapped on another planet, Camozotz, where the Darkness has taken hold and Meg, Charles Wallace, and a neighbor boy, Calvin, must find a way to get Mr. Murray out of the hands of IT who is trying to take over his mind.  A big task for three children.

I didn't read this book as a child even though I know I had a copy.  I read the whole quintet a few years ago so this is my second time reading this book.  I'm reading it as part of my 10yr old's literature study this year.  I find it a bit simplistic and while the fantasy is fun, the storyline is a basic good v. evil with no depth to the evil other than this is what evil does.  I think it holds up ok but I probably would have enjoyed it more had I read it as a child.


Page count: 480p/21,883p ytd/271,033p lifetime

35:120 Barack Obama: United States President by Roberta Edwards

A brief history of Barack Obama from his parents meeting to his inauguration as President.  It's fairly simple and not one of the better president histories that we've read recently as it was just too simple and really rah-rah.  I voted for him twice so I'm not against him but what I was hoping for was something a bit more balanced in the telling and this wasn't it.


Page count: 64p/9,592p ytd/259,639p lifetime

27:120 Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Written when I read this 5 years ago and still true:

This book tells the story of a year in her husband's childhood.  It was a wonderful insight into a boys' life in a different part of the country and the attitudes of the time.  I'm enjoying reading about the earlier times in our country's past and I really enjoyed sharing it with my 10yr old. 

Page count: 357p/7,558p ytd/257,605p lifetime

23:120 John F. Kennedy by Randy Schultz

A brief, basic biography of John F. Kennedy. Told in a straightforward simplistic style it does a decent job of covering the basics of his life from birth to death.  I found it to be adequate but not terribly exciting or gripping.


Page count: 48p/6,667p ytd/256,714p lifetime

20:120 Who Was Franklin Roosevelt? by Margaret Frith

A brief biography of Franklin Roosevelt. A good intro to this president and his time, including WWII.  I appreciated that they included a brief section on the Japanese Internment camps as I think it helps to show children how people can make horrible mistakes and it led to a good discussion with my son on what a horrible thing that was and how we must do everything in our power to make sure that it never happens in our country again.  Otherwise, I didn't learn as much from this book as I have from the others just because I think many of our history books focus so much on this time period and FDR.  Still, it was good for the 4th grader to start getting an idea about who this man was.


Page count: 105p/5,576p ytd/255,623p lifetime

13:120 Who Was Woodrow Wilson by Margaret Frith

A brief biography of Woodrow Wilson from birth to death.  We see him struggle to learn to read and not enjoy learning until he was 16 years old but then how his thirst for knowledge took off after that, how he became interested in law and politics, how being president of universities helped hone him for the role of president, how being a child in the South during the Civil War shaped his thoughts on WWI.  Again, we got to see how important a person's early life was in determining their character and shaping their thoughts and policies as president.


Page count: 106p/3,853p ytd/254,130p lifetime

10:120 Presidents and Their Times: Theodore Roosevelt by Dan Elish

A series that chronicles the life of each president, this one focused on Theodore Roosevelt.  We get to see President Roosevelt as a child and watch as he deals with frailty, the loss of his father, then his mother and first wife.  The strength of purpose and morality side-by-side with his running from personal tragedy.  A conservationist but a big game hunter.  I found there was much to admire but since he was human, there were many contradictions as well.  I really like the rounded approach of this series for learning about our presidents with my 4th grader.


Page count: 96p/3,036p ytd/253,331p lifetime

4:120 These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder

My post from 2011:
A simply lovely story detailing the courtship of Almanzo and Laura as well as Laura's growing up.  You see the steady, innocent affection shared by both of them and enjoy the quiet but sure way their relationship grows.  It was lovely to read a book where things were basically happy and good for all after everything we've seen the family go through. To know that their goodness and faith have brought them through to such a good place...it helps to restore faith in the universe.

What's interesting this time around is the difference in the boys' reactions. When I read this to my 3rd son 4+yrs ago, he was interested in how the relationship grew and what it meant long-term for Laura.  Reading this to my 4th son now, he would do nothing but roll his eyes at all relationship stuff and wanted nothing to do with any of the questions or activities that dealt with growing relationships.  He has enjoyed the rest of the series and I'm sure he'll like Farmer Boy which we are doing next but it will be interesting to see how he is with The First Four Years.  I'm expecting a lot of eye-rolling with that one too.

Page count: 289p/1,372p ytd/251,667p lifetime

138:120 Abraham Lincoln by Ingri d’Aulaire and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire

As usual, a beautifully illustrated book that tells the story of Abraham Lincoln leading to his presidency.  There was nothing really new in it but it's a lovely gentle tale of this important man and his upbringing for young children.


Page count: 64p/34,949p ytd/249,865p lifetime

135:120 Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Abraham Lincoln by Mary Pope Osborne & Natalie Pope Boyce

First, I love that Magic Tree House comes out with these accompanying factual books about subjects in their fictional stories.  They are written to appeal to children which is always wonderful.  This book was no exception.  The focus of the book was much more on Lincoln before he became president, his early life and his journey to the White House than on the Civil War.  Even the Civil War part was more about its toll on him and what he was hoping to accomplish although they did mention a few battles and death tolls.  They didn't shy away from the horror and how many were killed but they approached it gently enough to not scare a young child and didn't dwell on it but did show how it affected the president.  In all, it was a more personal look at Lincoln's life than you usually see in history curriculum type things and was much enjoyed.


Page count: 117p/34,326p ytd/249,242p lifetime

133:120 Who Was Abraham Lincoln? by Janet B. Pascal

A children's history of Abraham Lincoln covering from birth to death.  As always, I'm amazed at how little is covered in the textbooks of my time and even those that I use with my children for school purposes.  We are so busy trying to push more "knowledge" that it's impossible to make the people we read about into real people and to be able to relate to them.  For that reason, I've been loving these books as ways to learn more about some of our presidents as we get to see what they were like as children.  I had no idea that Abraham Lincoln was a practical joker but hearing about some of his pranks definitely made it more fun for my 9yr old to understand him.  I so wish we could always do history in that way for all grade levels.


Page count: 104p/33,836p ytd/248,752p lifetime

123:120 Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

My second time reading it.  Here's the review from my first time:

</i>The long winter is over and  is over and opportunities are popping up all over for Laura.  She is offered her first job in town helping a seamstress which helps her earn the money to send Mary off to the school for the blind.  She continues to study hard even when she finds it difficult due to the distractions that being in a town offer like sociables and Literaries the first winter after that long one and then revivals, sociables, and the school exhibition.  Not to mention that Mr. Almanzo Wilder has been asking to see her home after these events.  Laura misses Mary terribly but at the end is offered a job as a school-teacher which, although only for 2mos, will bring enough money in to allow for Mary to come home for the summer.

Again, I'm always touched by how sweet these books are.  Times are simpler, if harder, but it definitely makes the simple seem gentle and sweet.  </i>


Page count: 374p/31,604p ytd/246,520p lifetime

112:120 Who Was Thomas Jefferson? by Dennis Brindell Fradin

Children's history of Thomas Jefferson.  As with the previous one we read about George Washington, we get a more complete life picture of Thomas Jefferson from childhood through death.  I like this as we are able to see more of the whole picture and place the man in his time which helps to give a better idea of who he really was rather than just the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence and then bought the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon.  He dealt with a lot of tragedy and had a lot of flaws but that only makes his accomplishments stand out that much more which is something that is lost in more traditional school history books.


Page count: 103p/29,405p ytd/244,321p lifetime