So I did a book talk yesterday for some semi-disinterested 4th graders. Eyes rolled and mouths yawned UNTIL I got to my final selection: Secrets of a Civil War Submarine by Sally Walker, which tells the story of the Hunley, a submarine created by Confederate forces during the Civil War. The Hunley was the first "secret weapon" sub to actually sink an enemy ship (in this case a Northern one.) Shortly after its success, the Hunley itself was sunk, and remained in Charleston Harbor for 100 years. Eventually the Hunley was raised, the bodies within it were exhumed and---this is the part that the kids loved---the restoration crew made molds of what the sailors' faces might have looked like. This book would be great fun for fans of forensic TV shows like CSI and Bones.
Other books I promoted were:
The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
If You Please, President Lincoln by Harriette Robinet
Escape from War (My Side of the Story series) by James Riordan
Jackie and Me (Baseball Card Adventure series) by Dan Gutman
The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving (Grace and Bruchac)
Some of this somewhat jaded group of 10 year olds seemed excited about at least a few of these titles!
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Wow, Kim. you make historical fiction sound interesting. Thanks for opening my eyes to other genres besides fiction.
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