Hitler and the Habsburgs by James Longo*

 A couple years ago my uncle informed me that his granddaugher (my cousin once removed) had researched our family while studying in Europe and discovered that my dad's (maternal-Rittenhouse) family line came from the Habsburg family! This year my son is studying modern history. While reading about Archduke Franz Ferdinand (a Habsburg) and his wife, Sophie, I was intrigued. Their love and marriage was unique for royalty. Their assassination sparked the start of WWI. But what happened to their three children? I searched the library system for a book and found this one!

Mr. Longo simultaneoulsy relays Hitler's childhood and rise to power and Habsburg/Hohenberg family's resilence to death and political upheaval and torture. He writes in an interesting manner. Without bogging the reader down with extraneous historical information, he relates this amazing family's story. Even if one is not a history fan, they will be enthralled with this family's bravery. This family's character in the face of evil inspired me.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

The Peddler and the President by Ann Diament Koffsky illustrated by Pedro Rodriguez*

 Harry Truman and Eddie Jacobson are quite different from each other-seven years apart, Christian vs Jewish. But both of them had stopped attending school to work to support their families. During this time their friendship forms. They part ways but resume their friendship during WW I where they train at the same base in Oklahoma. Over the years their friendship endures challenging times (a failed business, the Great Depression, a wife that doesn't like Jews).  Eventually, Harry becomes president of the United States! Eddie is welcomed to visit President Truman at the White House whenever he wants. He, however, is careful not to take advantage of the friendship and ask for favors. But when President Truman is trying to discern if he should support an independent Jewish state/nation, Eddie knows he must speak up and convince his friend to support his people.

An easy to read biography with a lot of substance and also with a lot of ideas to discuss.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library (I asked my library's director to buy it for my library. She did!)

Rags Hero Dog of WWI A True Story by Margot Theis Raven illustrated by Petra Brown

 Many WW II books exist. WWI ones for kids are challenging to discover. This WWI picture book relates how Rags, a stray dog, becomes an invaluable asset for the First Division U.S. Army. Private James Donovan finds him in an empty doorway in Paris. Donovan brings him back to the base, where Rags quickly learns how to perform a myriad of tasks on behalf of Donovan.

A sweet story about loyalty.

Discuss: Donovan lies to a French policeman. Donovan dies at the end of the story.

-Borrowed from the library.

The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley

 This exciting novella was originally published in 1919. 

Roger Mifflin and his wife Helen (once owners of the moving book wagon, Parnassus) now own a second-hand bookshop in Brooklyn, NYC. To give him time away from the shop, Mifflin agrees to hire his friend's daughter, Titania, as his assistant. Aubrey Gilbert, a young man in the advertising business, stops by to convince Mifflin to advertise. Instead, Mifflin lures him into conversation about books and philosophy. Seeing Titania, Aubrey is enamored with her. Then some sinister, suspicious events occur, convincing Aubrey that he needs to protect Titania. In a week's time a dangerous plot is revealed . . . all within a second-hand bookshop!

Bibliophiles will delight in reading this book. Mifflin fills pages with his philosophies (I don't agree with his view on God/Bible and politics) and his book recommendations (I only knew a handful of the titles . . . . .maybe because the titles are so old?? or maybe I am not well-read.). My mind wandered a bit while I read some of Mifflin's monologues. 

I did not like when Aubrey became angry and wanted to hit Titania because she was so beautiful and captivating. Maybe it did not mean what it means today??  The word d**n is included throughout the book (not often).

-Borrowed from the library.

Cher Ami text set*

 Two books about the carrier pigeon, Cher Ami who saves an American battalion of soldiers.

Fly, Cher Ami, Fly! by Robert Burleigh illustrated by Robert MacKenzie-This book focuses on its flight and the dangers it encountered while delivering the message. Cher Ami is called a boy in this book. Later on it was discovered the pigeon was actually a girl! The next book revealed this fact. Since I read the books back-to-back, I thought one author had made an error. It was interesting to read about the new information discovered.

Cher Ami : Based on the World War I Legend of Fearless Pigeon by Melisande Potter illustrated by Giselle Potter (a mother-daughter team!) This book shares about Cher Ami's training and her life after the war (in addition to her flight to save the men).

*Highly recommend both books.

-Borrowed from the library.

The Skylarks' War by Hilary McKay

 I loved Ms. McKay's The Swallows' Flight so I was thrilled to learn that she had written a previous book about WWI, The Skylarks' War. This novel focuses on the previous generation, Peter, Clarry, Vanessa, Rupert, Violet-how they met, how their relationships deepened and their involvement in WWI. 

Once again Ms. McKay has created interesting, deep characters and has developed an engaging storyline that wove in the time period. She is a superb story-teller. I loved each of the characters. I also liked how the reader learns what the characters pursue as adults. This book takes us right up to The Swallows' Flight.

Unfortuantely, she includes a boy who loves another boy. It is not the center of the story but the character is a big part of the story. It was so subtle in the beginning. I thought I was being hyper-sensitive. I wasn't.

Warning: Simon, Vanessa's endearing brother, develops a crush on Rupert. His love for Rupert causes him to enlist to fight in WWI. Some negative comments were made by other characters about Simon (which reflects the time period and their views on homosexuality). 

-I own this book but won't be keeping it because of the above.

Here, There Be Dragons by James A. Owen*

The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica

 Three men are summoned to one home in London. The man they are to meet has been murdered. Soon strange creatures are chasing them through London's streets. Then a man named Bert leads them on a dragon ship, which carries them into a unknown world.  The dark forces in this fanastical world dominate and affect the known world. The three men join forces to discover ancient stories and to defeat the evil impacting both worlds. Allusions to history and classical writers/stories abound.

Fast-paced with humor.

*Highly recommend.

Warning: a few swear words

Eight books in the series

-Borrowed from the library (but my local used bookstore had copy of it and the fourth one in the series so I bought them!)

War Horse-the movie

 -watched via Netflix

We watched this movie as a family after my eleven-year-old and I read this book.  The movie follows the outline of the story well, but changes some events to add drama, especially when Albert joins the war and discovers Joey again.  

Warning: P-13-war violence, a couple of people die that the viewer grows to like

*Highly recommend.

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo*

 My eleven-year old and I read this book together during our literature time to support our study of World War I. My son loved this book!

Joey, a beautiful, red-bay horse, loves his owner Albert and his farm life in England.  When Albert's father secretly sells Joey to the military to help pay for the farm mortgage, Joey's predictable life is uprooted.  Instead of pulling plows, he is hauling guns.  Instead of trodding over rich soil, he is plodding through deep mud.  Along the way he encounters and befriends a French man and his granddaughter, kind German soldiers and a wonderful horse companion, Topthorn.  Meanwhile, Albert has vowed that he would persist until he was reunited with Joey and could bring him home.

*Highly recommend.

-It is considered a "Young Adult" novel---  Warnings/points to discuss: Albert's father is often drunk and not very nice; swearing; death/war violence; horses are sold to the butcher at the end of the story  (It's reading level is late elementary, but content is more suitable for junior high and high school.)

We will soon watch the movie to compare it.  

-He owns this book.

Winnie's Great War by Lindsay Mattick & Josh Greenhut illustrated by Sophie Blackall

 Ms. Mattick's great-grandfather, Harry Colebourn, bought a bear on his way to WWI.  He named her Winniepeg after his home town.  Soon Winnie, which was her nickname, became the Second Canadian Infantry Brigade's mascot.  To save her from the perils of the war, Lt. Colebourn takes her to the London zoo until the war ends.  Since she was so friendly, visitors could actually enter her enclosure and interact with her.  After the war Lt. Colebourn realizes that Winnie would live a fuller, happier life at the zoo, so he donates her.  It just so happened that one of her regular visitors was a boy named Christopher Robin.  As his father observed Christopher's interactions with her, a story developed . . .Winnie-the-Pooh!

Ms. Mattick divides the book up by Winnie's different settings (the woods, White River, Valcartier, Atlantic Ocean, Salisbury Plain etc).  The story also revolves around Lt. Colebourn's journal entries, which she includes in the book.  Although the book is based on fact and research, a lot of the dialogue, relationships, and events are imaginary.  Additional information and photographs are included after the story finishes.

Very interesting and cute!

-Borrowed from the library.

In Flanders Fields by Linda Granfield illustrated by Janet Wilson*

 The Story of the Poem by John McCrae

After reading and discussing In Flanders Field by John McCrae, my boys and I read through this picture book where we discovered more about John McCrae and also warfare during WW I.  

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

The Wall by Peter Sis*

-Award winner
Mr. Sis grew up behind the "Iron Curtain".  In this amazing book he describes what life is like when socialism and communism rule the Czechoslovakia.
A book that will stimulate interesting conversations about government, socialism and communism.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.

Stubby A True Story of Friendship by Michael Foreman

A dog joins an American group of soldiers while they are training.  He especially likes Corporal Robert Conroy, who adopts him for life.
Stubby performs many heroic deeds and almost dies.   Readers will fall in love with the adorable dog!
Warning: The author describes in detail  how Stubby is blasted through the air from a bomb and how he is covered in mud and blood.  Sensitive readers may be disturbed by this event and the details.   Book sellers have it labeled for preschool-third grade, but with the description of Stubby becoming hurt and the topic of war, I would recommend it for third through sixth grade. 
Pair with Sergeant Billy by Mireille Messier (compare/contrast).
-Borrowed from the library.

Sergeant Billy by Mireille Messier illustrated by Kass Reich

The True Story of THE GOAT Who Went to War
On their way to training, Canadian soldiers stop at a prairie town and end up taking a girl's pet goat with them as a mascot.  They manage to smuggle "Billy" along with them.  Not only does Billy build morale, but he also helps capture an enemy and head-butts soldiers into a trench before a shell explodes.  He is sent home as a hero! 
Are there other children's books about World War I human heroes?  I have not read many, but hope authors are taking time to write about the men and women who sacrificed their lives.
-Borrowed from the library.
Pair with Stubby A True Story of Friendship by Michael Foreman (compare/contrast).

The Lake House by Kate Morton

In 1933 the youngest child of Eleanor and Anthony Edevane, Theo, disappears.  Since he is only eleven months old at the time, the police are sure they can find him.  But there is not a trace of evidence to what happened to him. 
Seventy years later, Detective Sadie is taking a "holiday" at her grandfather Bertie's home in Cornwall when she stumbles upon the abandoned Edevane estate.  Soon she discovers the mystery surrounding the estate and begins to dig into the past.  Her investigations lead her to an isolated famous mystery author, Alice Edevane, sister to Theo.   With tenacity she pursues all clues and uncovers some unlikely connections. 
This story captivated me.  I found myself making time to read this book outside of my "normal" reading time!  Chapter by chapter, layer by layer, Ms. Morton reveals more about the plot and the characters.  Initially I had a difficult time keeping the characters and the plots straight  as Ms. Morton shifts between different character's point of view and switches between 1933-1940's and 2003.
I liked the neat, happy ending, but some readers may argue that it was too perfect. 
Ms. Morton is a superb writer.

What I did not like: a teen pregnancy, adultery (nothing explicit was written about the affair/no bedroom scenes etc.), that Eleanor claimed she loved two men (her husband and the man with whom she had the affair).
The author does not sugar coat the consequences about having an affair or of  a teen pregnancy.

Anne of Green Gables Continuing Story DVD

Anne and her friends find themselves in various predicaments during World War 1.  Anne's spunky, determined personality serves her well as she encounters deceptive men and situations requiring inner strength.
Quite a different story line than the other Anne movies! 
Warning: lots of war violence; an adult male falls in love with Anne; Diana and her husband Fred have marital problems.
-Borrowed from the library.

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool*

*Award Winner- Won the John Newbery Medal
Abilene Tucker has traveled the rails with her father, from job to job, town to town all of her twelve years.  Then she develops an infection from a cut.  For her safety, her father sends her on a train to the town, Manifest.  Her father had lived in this town during his youth and was now entrusting her to a man named Shady whom he trusts and respects.  Abilene feels abandoned but soon pursues investigating what her father was like in the 1917-1918's.  Miss Sadie, the town's "diviner", shares stories with Abilene from that time period about two boys named Ned and Jinx, but never does she mention her father's name.
Lots of rich historical contexts and events.  The author does a superb job of developing a setting (based on her family's home town in southeast Kansas) and creating intriguing characters.
This story really captured me.
Strategies: check for understanding/monitoring (the author switches back and forth between time periods-1917 and the current story time 1936); predicting; inferring
*Highly recommend but read the "points to discuss" below.
Points to discuss: World War I, speakeasies/making illegal alcohol; Jinx thinks he killed a man by accident; one phrase where one infers swearing "Get the "l" out of here."; Miss Sadie claims to be a diviner (but really she is observant and cares for people).
Guided Reading Level: U (5th)
*Highly recommend for junior high students.
-Borrowed from the library.

Finding Winnie by Lindsay Mattick illustrated by Sophie Blackall*

"The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear"
Lindsay Mattick is the great-granddaughter of Captain Harry Colebourn.  Captain Colebourn saw a baby bear with a gentleman at a train station and buys the cub for $20.00.  He names the bear "Winniepeg", "Winnie" for short after his hometown.
Ms. Mattick shares the story of Winnie with her readers via telling the story to her son.  The reader needs to check for understanding throughout the story as the scene flips back and forth between the early 1900's to modern time.
*Highly recommend.
A unique photo album is included in the back with actual photographs and artifacts.
I love Ms. Blackall's illustration style.
Great for building schema about Winnie the Pooh's beginnings.

Knit Your Bit by Deborah Hopkinson illustrated by Steven Guarnaccia*

"A World War I Story"
Mikey's dad has gone to fight overseas and Mikey is determined to do something big and brave to help the cause.  When his teacher suggests that the class participate in the Central Park knitting bee where all knitted items would be sent to clothe the American soldiers during the war, Mikey scoffs at the idea.  Boys do not knit!
Then the knitting bee turns into a competition within the classroom.  What boy can resist a competition?!
This  "knit-in" actually took place in Central Park.  Author's note explains more about this historical event.  The end pages include photographs of the knitting craze during World War I.
This book is an excellent one to use when introducing the genre historical fiction.  It contains a great mixture of fictional story with real events and individuals.
*Highly recommend.

Winnie-The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker illustrated by Jonathan D. Voss*

Ms. Walker shares the story of Winnie in such an interesting manner that my five year old did not protest that it was "nonfiction" (he is not a nonfiction fan!)!
Harry, an veterinarian for the army, is traveling on a train with his group when he spies a cub with a gentleman at a train station.  Discovering that the man had become a reluctant caretaker because he had shot the mother bear without realizing she had a cub, Harry offers to take the cub and raise it.  The reader hears about Winnie's life as military bear and her eventual residency at the London Zoo where Christopher Robin first encounters her.
Readers will fall in love with Winnie as prior generations had.   Very effective writing.
Mr. Voss' playful, expressive illustrations also disguise the fact this book is nonfiction.
End pages contain photographs of Winnie, Harry, A.A Milne and Christopher Robin.
*Highly recommend!
Strategy: connections (T-T -Winnie the Pooh books), schema building