Classic Titles

Anderson, L. H. (2000). Fever, 1793. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

This story is based on the yellow fever epidemic that took place in Philadelphia during the 18th century. The epidemic wiped out over 5,000 people which was 10 percent of the city's population. During the hot mosquito-infested summer of 1793, the fever spreads like wildfire. The rich flee to the country, abandoning the city to looters, forsaken corpses, and frightened survivors.Audience Level: 5-6Readability: 5-6

• Matilda wants to go to the market place in town. Why does she want to go there?

• What causes the fever epidemic?

• How are the farmers outside the city dependent on the city dwellers of Philadelphia? How are the city-dwellers dependent on the farmers?

Collier, J. L., & Collier, C. (1974). My brother Sam is dead. New York: Four Winds.

The American Revolution was a war that divided families many families. Tim Meeker is a young boy who is put into that place. Tim’s father is a supporter of the Redcoats, while his brother Sam is a supporter of the militia. With the war soon raging, Tim knows he'll have to make a choice between his brother and his father.Audience Level: 3-6Readability: 5-6

•What does Tim admire about his brother? What does he dislike?

•What's the big dispute, or issue, between Sam and his father?

•Do you think Tim would really have shot his brother if Sam hadn't managed to get the gun back? Explain.

Grade 5-6• WHAT ROLE DID HITLER PLAY

IN THE PERSECUTION OF JEWS?

• WHAT IS THE HOLOCAUST?

• WOULD YOU HAVE HIDE JACOB AND THE OTHERS? WHY/WHY NOT?

Drucker, M., & Halperin, M. (1993). Jacob's rescue: a Holocaust story. New York, N.Y.: Bantam Skylark.

Once Jacob Gutgeld lived with his family in a beautiful house in Warsaw, Poland. He went to school and played with his friends. Then everything changed the day the Nazi soldiers invaded in 1939. Suddenly it wasn't safe to be Jewish anymore. WWII has been raging for two years when Jacob's aunt takes him to meet Alex, a man who will pretend to be his father and hides Jacob and many other Jewish children from danger.Audience Level: 3-6Readability: 5-6

Keith, H. (1957). Rifles for Watie. New York: Crowell.

Just sixteen, Jefferson Davis Bussey can't wait to leave his Kansas farm and defend the Union against Colonel Watie, leader of the dreaded Cherokee Indian rebels. Exhausted, starving, and scared Jefferson soon learns that there's more to war than honor and glory. And when he is sent to infiltrate the enemy camp as a spy, Jeff makes his most important discovery of all. The rebels are just men, and boys just like him.

Audience Level: 5-6

Readability: 6-8

How does Jeff grow from a boy to a young man in this story?

Compare and contrast Jeff's character at the beginning of his journey with his character at the end of his journey.

Describe the three most important lessons Jeff learns while at war and talk about how he came to learn them.

Grade 5-6

Curtis, C. P. (1995). The Watsons go to Birmingham--1963. New York: Delacorte Press

Life in Flint, Michigan is easy and filled with humor for ten year old Kenny and his family. But when Kenny’s Momma and Dad decide it's time for a visit to Grandma in Birmingham, Alabama things will immediately change. The time they go to the south for their visit, is one of the darkest moments in America's history.

Audience Level: 3-6Readability: 5-6

What kind of relationship does Kenny have with his brother, Byron?

How was Kenny’s life in Alabama different than it was in Flint?

Have you ever had a problem with a bully at your school? How did you work it out?

Troy, A., Speare, E. G., & Green, P. (1988). Witch of Black Bird Pond [by] E. Speare. Palatine, IL: Novel Units

Kit Tyler is marked by suspicion and disapproval from the moment she arrives in colonial Connecticut in 1867. Torn between her quest for belonging and her desire to be truthful to herself, Kit struggles to survive in this hostile place. Just when it seems she must give up, she finds a friend in Hannah Tupper. Unfortunately Hannah is believed by the colonists to be a witch. If they discover Kit and Hannah are fiends the villagers are sure to think Kit is a witch too. Kit must choose between her heart and her duty.Audience Level: 6-8Readability: 5-6

When and where does this story take place?

How would you feel if you were Kit and had to move?

Would you have made the same choice as Kit, about being friends with Hannah? Why/ Why Not?

Grade 5-6

Sawyer, R., & Angelo, V. (1936). Roller skates. New York: Viking Press

Growing up in a well-to-do family with strict rules and routines can be tough especially if you’re a ten-year-old girl who only wants to roller skate. Then Lucinda Wyman's parents go overseas on a trip to Italy and leave her behind in the care of Miss Peters and Miss Nettie in New York City. Suddenly, Lucinda gets all the freedom she wants! Lucinda zips around New York on her roller skates, meeting tons of new people and has many adventures. Some of these adventures will change her life forever.

Audience Level: 3-6

Readability: 5-6

Who does Lucinda befriend during her year in New York City. How does her behavior differ from the way many ten year olds today

interact with strangers? Why? Do you think it was smart of Lucinda to travel around the city so freely

like she did?

Grade 3-4

Burnett, F. H. (1963). A little princess. Charlottesville, Va.: University of Virginia Library.

Young Sara Crewe comes to stay at Miss Minchin's school for girls, where she is treated like a little princess. She has a room of her own, a maid to wait on her, and beautiful clothes to wear, but when Sara gets dreadful news about her father things change. Now she has no money and no place to go. The cruel Miss Minchin takes away all of Sara's lovely things and makes her work in the kitchenAudience Level: 3-4Readability: 3-4

What are some themes in the story? How do they relate to the plot and characters?

How does Sara relate to other characters in the book?

Compare this story with the fairy tale about Cinderella. What similarities or differences do you notice?

MacLachlan, P. (1985). Sarah, plain and tall. New York: Harper & Row.

After their mother died Papa puts an ad in the paper, asking for a wife. He receives a letter from Sarah Wheaton, of Maine. Sarah decides to come for a month. She writes Papa and tells him she will come by train. Anna and Caleb do all they can to try and make Sarah stay, but Sarah misses the sea. Will she stay, or will she go?Audience Level: 3-4Readability: 3-4

How does papa identify Sarah at the train station?

Sarah asks the children about winter even though it is still spring. Why do you think she wonders about winter?

When Caleb tells Sarah, “Women don’t wear overalls,” how does Sarah respond? What do you think this says about her?

Grade 3-4

Dalgliesh, A., & Weisgard, L. (1954). The courage of Sarah Noble. New York: Scribner.

When Sarah Noble was eight years old she had her great adventure. She goes to live with her father in the wilds of Connecticut. She does the cooking while he builds the house. There are many dangers in the Connecticut wilderness and Sarah has to keeping telling herself, “Keep up your courage, Sarah Noble.”Audience Level: 3-5Readability: 3-4

• Why would Sarah ask her dad to talk to her at night?

• How is your life in Connecticut similar or different than Sarah’s?

• Why are the Indians called “heathen savages?” What does this mean?

Yep, L. (1995). Hiroshima. New York: Scholastic Press.

Twelve year old Sachi’s life changes forever when the U.S drops the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan in 1945. Hiroshima is destroyed, so where will Sachi move to now? As the story unfolds, Sachi moves from devastated Hiroshima to the U.S to be treated for her horrific injuries.

Audience Level: 3-6Readability: 3-4

What was the name of the aircraft that dropped the bomb?

Why did the U.S drop the atomic bomb?

Do you think it was right or wrong dropping the bomb?

Grade 3-4

Bartone, E., & Lewin, T. (1993). Peppe the lamplighter. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Sd Books

Peppe is a young boy from a poor family in New York. Peppe wants to do his part and help support his family while his father is sick. Peppe finally obtains a job after a long search. His job is lighting the lampposts ever night in his neighborhood. Unfortunately, Peppe’s father is upset when he learns that Peppe has taken a job lighting the street lamps. Peppe’s father feels this job is for the uneducated and lower classes. What should Peppe do?Audience Level: 3-4Readability: 3-4

Where was Peppe’s family from?

Why was Peppe trying to find a job?

Why didn’t Peppe’s father want him being a lamplighter?

Coleman, E., & Geter, T. (1996). White socks only. Morton Grove, Ill.: A. Whitman.

In this book a young girl listens as her Grandma tells the story about her first trip into town alone. During the days when segregation still existed in Mississippi this young girl slips off her shoes and take a drink from a white’s only fountain. Before an angry mob can do anything about it many other minorities come to the girls rescue and stand up to the angry mob.Audience Level: 3-4Readability: 3-4

Why did the girl’s grandmother tell her the story?

Do you think the story encouraged or discouraged the girl on wanting to go alone?

How do you think the grandmother felt when the other blacks came to her defense?

Grade 3-4

Coles, R., & Ford, G. (1995). The story of Ruby Bridges. New York: Scholastic.

In 1960, Ruby, a young African-American girl, entered a whites-only school in New Orleans. Even though she had to pass through crowds of angry protesters, Ruby bravely walked into the school. Every day for months, Ruby persevered. White parents pulled their children out of the school, and Ruby and her teacher were alone in the classroom. Still, Ruby and her family would not give in.Audience Level: 3-4Readability: 3-4

How would you have felt if you were Ruby?

Have you ever felt out of place when you entered a new place? Why did you feel that way?

Why was Ruby attending Frantz Elementary such a momentous occasion?

Mochizuki, K., & Lee, D. (1993). Baseball saved us. New York: Lee & Low.

A Japanese American boy learns to play baseball when his family is forced to live in an internment camp during WWII. With the help of his father, they build a baseball diamond together to help unite the people. Even after the war baseball plays a major young in many Japanese-Americans lives.

Audience Level: 3-4Readability: 3-4

What is an internment camp? Why were the Japanese-Americans

sent to internment camps? Do you agree with the

governmental thinking of imprisoning Japanese during WWII?

Grade K-2

Winter, J. (1988). Follow the drinking gourd. New York: Knopf.

Hidden in the lyrics of "Follow the Drinking Gourd" were directions for following the Underground Railroad. Through the song the author tells the story of a family escaping the plantation and follow the drinking gourd to freedom.

Audience Level: K-2Readability: K-2

What is the drinking gourd? Why were songs so

important to slaves? Would you have worked on

the Underground Railroad? Why/Why Not?

Provensen, A., & Provensen, M. (1983). The glorious flight: across the Channel with Louis Bleriot, July 25, 1909. New York: Viking Press.

This book recounts the persistence of Louis Bleriot, to build an airplane to cross the English Channel. This book depicts Louis Bleriot's struggle and excitement of his historic flight across The English Channel.

Audience Level: K-2Readability: K-2

Why do you think it took Papa so many tries to build a flying machine that worked?

What do you think kept Papa from getting discouraged?

What is something you have worked hard at?

Grade K-2

Say, A. (1993). Grandfather's Journey. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company

A Japanese-American man recounts his grandfather's journey to America, which he later undertakes himself, and the feelings of being torn by a love for two different countries.

Audience Level: K-2Readability: K-2

Have you ever really felt homesick before?

Why does the author end the story by saying that he thinks he knows his grandfather now?

Have you ever been on a boat on the ocean or taken a long journey?

Ettlinger, D., & Wilder, L. I. (1997). A Little house birthday: adapted from the Little house books by

Laura Ingalls Wilder. New York: HarperCollins.

After a long and somber Sunday, a little pioneer girl celebrates her fifth birthdays in the Big Woods of Wisconsin. My First Little House Book, adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder’ s beloved storybooks.

Audience Level: K-2Readability: K-2

Where does Laura live? And who does she live with?

How are your Sundays different from Laura’s?

What was Laura’s favorite present, and why?