This year I plan to read all the GA Book Award Nominees and provide a “one stop” resource for teachers who would like to use these books in their classrooms.  I will be posting links to author Web sites, teacher’s guides, and related Web links.  I hope to make this an unbiased resource, so I will not be providing my own review of the books–other than recommending it as a read aloud (or not).

Someone Named Eva by Joan M. Wolf

Summary: From her home in Lidice, Czechoslovakia, in 1942, eleven-year-old Milada is taken with other blond, blue-eyed children to a school in Poland to be trained as “proper Germans” for adoption by German families, but all the while she remembers her true name and history.

Author Web Site:  http://www.jmwolf.com

Teacher’s Guide:  Kids’ Wing Activities

Related Links:  Czechoslovakia (The Czech Republic and Slovakia)

The Czech Republic:  The CIA Factbook

Slovakia:  The CIA Factbook

Related Links:  Holocaust

AP Story of Lebensborn Children

Children of the Holocaust (US Holocaust Memorial Museum)

Deadly Medicine:  Creating the Master Race @ the Jewish Museum Berlin

Lebensborn Program:  Jewish Virtual Library

Lidice Memorial:  Children’s Victims Memorial

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Photo of War Crimes Trial:  Maria Dolezalova, One of The Children Kidnapped by German Forces After Destruction of Lidice (US Holocaust Memorial Museum)

Ravensbruck:  Concentration Camp for Women @ The Jewish Virtual Library

Related Links:  WWII

Interactive Map of World War II in Europe

The Third Reich in Ruins (Photos of Historical Sites:  Then and Now)

WWII:  The World Almanac

Read Aloud Recommendation: This book, based on a true story, will allow students a glimpse into the lives of children in Nazi occupied countries during World War II. This is a compelling story of one girl’s struggle to maintain her identity despite being torn away from her family and country.  I believe students will be immersed in this story from the first chapter.  I recommend it for students in grades 5 and up.  It is an essential piece of literature for World War II study.

This year I plan to read all the GA Book Award Nominees and provide a “one stop” resource for teachers who would like to use these books in their classrooms.  I will be posting links to author Web sites, teacher’s guides, and related Web links.  I hope to make this an unbiased resource, so I will not be providing my own review of the books–other than recommending it as a read aloud (or not).

Elijah Of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

Summary: Eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman, the first free-born child in Buxton, Canada, which is a haven for slaves fleeing the American South in 1859, uses his wits and skills to try to bring to justice the lying preacher who has stolen money that was to be used to buy a family’s freedom.

Author Web Site: http://www.nobodybutcurtis.com

Author Resources:

Biography and Teacher’s Guides for Bud, Not Buddy and The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 @ Random House Web Site

Biography and Interview (Text) @ Kidsread.com

Video Interview by Scholastic (Part I and II)
Description:  YouTube Videos of Interview with Christopher Paul Curtis
Please view this version of the videos, as it is from the original source, if possible.

Part I URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5HkR1o2LiI
Part II URL:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaky2QAapVw

Description:  YouTube Videos of Interview with Christopher Paul Curtis
This posting of the same videos is for schools who cannot access YouTube due to content filtering.  Please view the video from the original source if possible.

Teacher Resources:

Booktalk @ Scholastic Web Site Including Link to Video Version of Booktalk

Discussion Guide @ Scholastic Web Site

Extension Activities @ Scholastic Web Site Including Web Links

Related Links:  Elgin Settlement at Buxton

History of the Elgin Settlement @ the Buxton National Historic Site and Museum

Photos of the Buxton National Historic Site (Including a School Built in 1861 and a Log Cabin Built in 1852)

Related Links:  Frederick Douglass

A Short Biography of Frederick Douglass (Links to Additional Information)

Frederick Douglass @ Africans in America by PBS (Links to Teacher’s Guide)

Frederick Douglass @ America’s Stories from America’s Library (Library of Congress/Primary Resources)

Frederick Douglass National Historic Site

Related Links:  John Brown

John Brown @ Africans in American by PBS (Links to Teacher’s Guide)

John Brown’s Holy War @ American Experience Site (PBS-Includes Maps, Timeline, Primary Resources, and Teacher’s Guide)

The Kennedy Farmhouse @ johnbrown.org (Staging Site for Raid on Harpers Ferry)

Related Links: Liberty Bell of Buxton

News Article on Symbolism of Buxton Liberty Bell

News Release with Photos @ the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Web Site

Related Links: Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad:  Presented by National Geographic Online

Read Aloud Recommendation: I am ambivalent about my recommendation on this book.   I do not want to turn anyone off to the story.  I think it is a “must read” for students in grades 5 and up, but I have to be straightforward with teachers who may be looking for a page turning, “keep ‘em on the edge of their seats” read aloud. I found the first half of the book difficult to read because I found it hard to relate to the main character, Elijah.  In fact, it took me longer to read this book than any of the other Georgia Book Award nominees.   I think that the dialect and the author’s use of stories within the story distant the reader at first.  However, the last six chapters of the book redeemed it for me.  The last part of the book is very powerful, particularly the scene in the barn where Elijah finds five captured slaves.  It will make students think about slavery in terms that a dry textbook will never be able to do.  Because this book explores the topic of slavery from a different perspective, that of a child born into freedom in the Canadian settlement of Buxton, and because of the humor in the story, I believe students will find the first part of the book enlightening and enjoyable, but slow paced.  However, they will find the last part of the book exciting, moving, and memorable.  I highly recommend this title for students (grades 5 and up) who are learning about the history of slavery in the United States.

This year I plan to read all the GA Book Award Nominees and provide a “one stop” resource for teachers who would like to use these books in their classrooms.  I will be posting links to author Web sites, teacher’s guides, and related Web links.  I hope to make this an unbiased resource, so I will not be providing my own review of the books–other than recommending it as a read aloud (or not).

Greetings from Nowhere by Barbara O’Connor

Summary: In North Carolina’s Great Smoky Mountains, a troubled boy and his mother, a happy family seeking adventure, a man and his lonely daughter, and the widow who must sell the run-down motel that has been her home for decades, meet and are transformed by their shared experiences.

Author Web Site:  http://www.barboconnor.com

Greetings from Nowhere, Author Blog

Teacher Guide:  From Teacher Section of Author Web Site (pdf)

Related Links:  Great Smoky Mountains

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Photos and Multimedia:  National Park Service Web Site

North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains

Related Links:  North Carolina Attractions Referenced in Story

Dollywood

Ghost Town in the Sky, Maggie Valley (Cowboytown)

Maggie Valley Attractions

Ruby Falls

Tuckaleechee Caverns

Read Aloud Recommendation: Because of the alternating perspectives of the story (Aggie, Willow, Loretta, and Kirby), students may need a graphic organizer in order to keep their perspective as the story is read aloud.  This book would be most appropriate for students in grades 5 and up.  Personally, I think this book would be best read on an individual basis, so that the reader can take his or her time understanding how the stories and lives of the characters intertwine.  This story, about wounded people who help each other heal, is not the best choice for reading aloud.

This year I plan to read all the GA Book Award Nominees and provide a “one stop” resource for teachers who would like to use these books in their classrooms.  I will be posting links to author Web sites, teacher’s guides, and related Web links.  I hope to make this an unbiased resource, so I will not be providing my own review of the books–other than recommending it as a read aloud (or not).

Billy Creekmore: A Novel:  by Tracey Porter

Summary: One day a stranger comes to claim Billy Creekmore from the Guardian Angels Home for Boys; and he embarks on a cross-country journey in search of his past, his future, and his own true self.

Author Web Site:  Brief Biography on Harper Collins Web Site

Other Author Resources: Author Essay on Billy Creekmore

Teaching Resources:  Link to Reading Guide from Harper Collins (pdf)

Related Resources:  Circuses

Circus Historical Society Photos

Circus History in Sarasota (includes slideshows)

Circus Web:  Circuses Past and Present

Explore Circus World:  From the Wisconsin Historical Society (Click on Circus Museum to See a Slide Show of Photos including Circus Posters)

History of the Circus from Jugglenow.com

Related Resources:  Coal Mining

A Coal Miner’s Collection:  Photos of Coal Miner’s Basic Necessities

Coal Miner’s in the Past:  United Mine Workers of America Web Site (Includes Photos)

Kentucky Coal Museum Web Site (Includes Short Video about Mining Towns)

Little Miners:  Child Labor in the Coal Mining Industry (Includes Photos)

Related Resources:  Orphanages

History of Orphanages

West Virginia Department of Commerce, Travel, and Recreation

Read Aloud Recommendation:  Older students (grades 4 and up) will enjoy exploring the twists and turns of Billy Creekmore’s life from an Appalachian orphanage to the West Virginia coal mines, and finally, to traveling circuses.  Told in Billy’s voice, this historical tale about a boy who has to make his way in the world, relying on his own resources, will appeal to students’ sense of adventure in the same way that Huck Finn and Oliver Twist appeal to young readers. 

This year I plan to read all the GA Book Award Nominees and provide a “one stop” resource for teachers who would like to use these books in their classrooms.  I will be posting links to author Web sites, teacher’s guides, and related Web links.  I hope to make this an unbiased resource, so I will not be providing my own review of the books–other than recommending it as a read aloud (or not).

Deep and Dark and Dangerous:  A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn

Summary: When thirteen-year-old Ali spends the summer with her aunt and cousin at the family’s vacation home, she stumbles upon a secret that her mother and aunt have been hiding for over thirty years.

Author Web Site:  http://www.hmhbooks.com/features/mdh/index.html

Teacher’s Guide: Not Currently Available

Teacher Resources: Classroom Connections, Great Resources Posted by Elizabeth Borne, a Student at LSU School of Library and Information Science

Multimedia:  Digital Booktalk

Related Links:  Ghost Stories

American Folklore (Stories to Read and Audio Podcasts)

August House:  Tips for Scary Storytelling (Link provided to 20 page pdf document, “The August House Scary Story Startup Kit”)

Related Links:  Maine

Interactive Map with Photo and Video Links a the Maine Office of Tourism Web Site

Videos of Maine at the Maine Office of Tourism Web Site

Read-Aloud Recommendation: Oh, yeah!! This novel is a spine chiller, sure to keep students’ interest.  If you need a good ghost story, this book is for you.

This year I plan to read all the GA Book Award Nominees and provide a “one stop” resource for teachers who would like to use these books in their classrooms.  I will be posting links to author Web sites, teacher’s guides, and related Web links.  I hope to make this an unbiased resource, so I will not be providing my own review of the books–other than recommending it as a read aloud (or not).

Trading Places by Claudia Mills

Summary: When fifth-grade twins, Amy and Todd, tackle a school project, they also have to cope with issues of friendship at school and problems at home, including their father’s unemployment.

Author Web Site:  http://www.claudiamillsauthor.com

Author Interview: http://www.childrenslit.com/childrenslit/mai_mills_claudia.html

Teacher’s Guide:  Not Currently Available

Related Links:  Entrepreneurship

EconEdLink (Lesson Plan from The Council for Economic Education):  I Can Be an Entrepreneur

EconEdLink (Lesson Plan from The Council for Economic Education):  Not Your Grandma’s Lemonade Stand

Virtual Lemonade Stand

Related Links:  Mini-Society Curriculum

http://www.mini-society.com

Related Links:  Poetry for Kids

Gigglepoetry.com
This poetry Web site of Meadowbrook Press includes funny poems, poetry contests, and lots of ideas for teachers.  One neat feature of the site is Ask the Poet Interviews, which include interviews of Darren Sardelli, Bruce Lansky, Eileen Spinelli, Kenn Nesbitt, and many more authors.

Haiku:  How to Write a Haiku Poem by Giggle Poetry
This section of gigglepoetry.com offers a brief explanation, examples, and a short lesson.

Haiku Teaching Unit
This fourteen (14) day unit on haiku poetry was developed by a fifth grade teacher.

Poetryarchive.org
Wow!! Need poetry readings by children’s poets?  Some are audio clips (Roald Dahl reading “Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf”) and some are video clips including interviews (Valerie Bloom).  There are currently 28 poets featured with photos, biographies, poetry readings, and in some cases, video clips of interviews and readings.  There are also links to the poet’s Web sites and publisher sites.  Very well done!

Poetry4kids.com
This poetry Web site of Kenn Nesbitt includes funny poems, lessons, games, contests, a rhyming dictionary, and much more!

Poetry for Kids:  Types of Poetry
This site offers a explanation and example of different types of poetry including acrostic, alphabet, autobiographical, ballad, cinquain, color, diamante, epitaph, explorer, haiku, and more with Web links to further resources about each.

Storyit.com:  Poems for Children
This site contains a wealth of resources including classic poems for children to read online (with a selection of these poems illustrated for printing/display), as well as seasonal themes (poems, story starters, picture prompts, and more about seasons and holidays), and write on shapes (clip art designed to print as lined shapes for use in writing projects.

Read-Aloud Recommendation: Recommended.  While this book does not have a fast paced storyline, the story deals with the realities of school and family relationships.  It also delves into economic realities, both through the characters struggle to create and market a product and through the unemployment woes of the former family breadwinner.  Students will be able to identify with this story.