The River Between Us by Richard Peck

1. Bibliography
Peck, Richard. 2003. The River Between Us. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 9780803727359

2. Plot Summary
This tale begins in 1916 when fifteen-year-old Howard travels by car with his father and twin brothers from Saint Louis to Grand Tower, Illinois, to visit his grandparents and great aunt and uncle for the first time. Grandma Tilly spends several afternoons telling Howard about two events that changed the lives of Tilly and her twin brother Noah - the arrival of two mysterious strangers from New Orleans and the Civil War. “She handed over the past like a parcel, seizing these days to do it,” thought Howard. The tale shifts from Howard’s point of view to Tilly’s when she was a fifteen-year-old in 1861. Howard learns about the two strangers that stay with Tilly’s family and alter their lives. Tilly tells that Noah ran off to join the Union Army and how she and Delphine, one of the mysterious strangers, nursed him back to health with the help of a young doctor so that he could return home as Tilly’s mother wanted. The tale takes a tragic turn and more secrets are revealed. Before Howard and his family return home, he learns from his father a surprise about his ancestry.

3. Critical Analysis
Peck’s captivating mystery is set in two different time periods - 1916 and 1861. He utilizes two different narrators to present the each part. Howard begins and ends the tale and provides the foundation and closure of the family’s trip to Grand Tower. Grandma Tilly explains the historical aspect of the family in 1861. Both narrators give the reader background to the time period and a look at the events that were occurring then. The characters grow and become lifelike through their experiences and the background events. He provides an emotional side to the characters that allows the readers care about them. The way in which the story is set up allows the reader to get to know the characters as teenagers and elders. Peck’s inclusion of a strong female in Delphine causes controversy in Grand Tower but inspires growth in Tilly and her mother. The backdrop of the Civil War and Peck’s descriptions make the events of the story very believable. He includes “A Note on the Story” at the end of the book where he gives information about the research and where his ideas came from. Peck also gives further information on the “gens de couleur.” The themes of war, politics, morality and race are delicately examined throughout this novel. This novel will appeal to middle school age students and up.

4. Review Excerpts and Awards
Starred review in Kirkus Reviews: “Peck writes beautifully, bringing history alive through Tilly’s marvelous voice and deftly handling themes of family, race, war and history. A rich tale ful of magic, mystery, and surprise.”
Review in School Library Journal: “In this thoroughly researched novel, Peck masterfully describes the female Civil War experience, the subtle and not-too-subtle ways the country was changing, and the split in loyalty that separated towns and even families.”
Review in Library Media Connection: “Peck is at this best in this richly layered family drama full of intrigue and mystery that reveals the harsh, complex realities of war.”
Starred eview in Booklist: “Peck’s spare writing has never been more eloquent than in this powerful mystery in which personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history.”
Review in VOYA: “Peck’s expert use of colloquial English again transforms this fascinating story into a rare literary treat...”
Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
ALA Books for Young Adults
ALA Notable Children's Books

5. Connections
· Locate the towns from the novel using a map of the Mississippi River. Include Cairo, Grand Tower, Carbondale, St. Louis, and New Orleans.
· Create a timeline of historical dates from the novel, such as Lincoln’s Inauguration, the Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Belmont and the attack on Fort Sumter.
· Other historical fiction novels about the Civil War:
Hunt, Irene. Across Five Aprils. ISBN 9780425102411
Melman, Charles. Landsman: A Novel. ISBN 9781582433677
Olmstead, Robert. Coal Black Horse. ISBN 9781565125216
Reeder, Carolyn. Shades of Gray. ISBN 9780689826962
Wells, Rosemary. Red Moon at Sharpsburg. ISBN 9780670036387

Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman

1. Bibliography
Cushman, Karen. 1994. Catherine, Called Birdy. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 9780395681862

2. Plot Summary
Fourteen-year-old Catherine strikes a deal with her brother Edward the monk so she can forego the much despised task of spinning in favor of keeping a diary of her daily life. Edward believes that keeping the diary will help her become more learned and less childish. Catherine is known as Birdy because of her love and keeping of various kinds of birds. She records aspects of her daily life and includes her hatred for her household duties (“14th day of September - Tangled my spinning again. Corpus bones, what a torture.”), her wonderings about her future, her dislike for her brothers and frustration with her parents, and her attempts to avoid any possible marriage arranged by her father. Her father is a minor lord of Lincolnshire who is using Catherine’s marriage to suit his financial needs. She finally resigns herself to wed an older, unattractive man that she refers to as Shaggy Beard only to receive word that she will not have to marry him after all. The Author’s Note discusses further discusses life and culture of Medieval England and includes a list of additional resources for further reading.

3. Critical Analysis
Cushman’s medieval tale is a revealing and humorous look into a very difficult period in time. Death is commonplace, Catherine shares a bed with her old nurse, and her mother has miscarriage after miscarriage. Since the story is presented in a diary format, the reader is able to get to know Catherine well. She is a complex young narrator who possesses a wild imagination, a wealth of hope and a bunch of tenacity. In her hopes to escape an arranged marriage, she dreams of becoming a scribe, a Crusader, a minstrel until she finally resigns herself to her destiny realizing “I am who I am wherever I am.” Many other characters are introduced through Catherine’s diary though none are as deeply developed as Catherine. The reader is able to get to know her family and her friends Aelis from Belleford and Perkin the goat boy more so than some of the minor characters since she interacts with them on a more consistent basis. Much of the novel centers on Catherine’s attempts to scare off any possible suitors (she pretends to be mad, sets fire to the privy one is using, disguising herself as an ugly serving girl, etc.) The reader learns about her life, family, trials and joys. The diary begins almost as a dreaded homework assignment (“12th day of September - I am commanded to write an account of my days: I am bit by fleas and plagued by family. That is all there is to say.”) but Catherine’s attitude changes and she begins to describe her adventures and gives confessions. The novel is a coming-of-age of sorts for Catherine as she finally accepts her place in her world and discovers that she can still be true to herself.

4. Review Excerpts and Awards
Starred review in Kirkus Reviews: “The period has rarely been presented for young people with such authenticity; the exotic details will intrigue readers while they relate more closely to Birdy’s yen for independence and her sensibilities toward the downtrodden.”
Review in School Library Journal: “A feminist far ahead of her time, she is both believable and lovable...Superb historical fiction.”
Review in Publisher’s Weekly
Review in Booklist
Review in Horn Book
Newbery Honor Book
ALA Best Books for Young Adults
ALA Notable Books for Children

5. Connections
· Read Cushman’s The Midwife’s Apprentice. Compare and contrast the lead characters and their situations.
· Read in conjunction with social studies Medieval European societies unit.
· Catherine’s mother housed a Jewish family for the night. Research why the Jews were being expelled from England at this time.
· Catherine’s uncle George is part of the Crusades. Research the Crusades and their importance at this time.
· Nonfiction books about Medieval life:
Gies, Joseph and Frances Gies. Life in a Medieval City. ISBN 9780060908805
Gies, Joseph and Frances Gies. Life in a Medieval Village. ISBN 9780060920463
Gies, Joseph and Frances Gies. Life in a Medieval Castle. ISBN 9780060906740
Cosman, Madeleine Pelner. Fabulous Feasts: Medieval Cookery and Ceremony. ISBN 9780807608982
Duggan, Alfred. Growing up in Thirteenth Century England. ISBN 9780394912080

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

1. Bibliography
MacLachlan, Patricia. 1985. Sarah, Plain and Tall. New York: Harper & Row. ISBN 9780066241025

2. Plot Summary
This tale is set in the Midwest during the late 19th century. It is about a widowed farmer, Jacob, who advertises for a wife, and his two children, Anna and Caleb. When Sarah arrives from Maine for a trial period, she is homesick. The children fear she will not stay, and when she goes off to town alone, the family is concerned that she is gone for good. When she returns, she explains that “I will always miss my old home, but the truth of it is I would miss you more.”

3. Critical Analysis
MacLachlan’s short tale of abandonment, loss and love is about a family’s hope for a new beginning. The story is told through the point of view of Anna, the elder child. The characters are developed through dialogue (“Sarah said ‘later,’” Caleb whispered to me as we spread his hair about. “Sarah will stay.”) and the exchange of their letters. The plot is well-developed as well. The reader gets caught up in the “will she stay” or “will she go” excitement created through the characters. MacLachlan provides many details of farm life and of a time before electricity and motorized vehicles, such as “Papa taught Sarah how to plow the fields, guiding the plow behind Jack and Old Bess, the reins around her neck.” Through descriptions in the story the reader is able to determine the setting. MacLachlan is not forthcoming with exact details of the setting although she informs the reader that the family lives in the Midwest and Sarah is from Maine. Anna and Sarah’s descriptions allow the reader to picture the family’s home and farmland. MacLachlan carefully chooses her words so that the reader is not overwhelmed with descriptions and events. This in addition to the rhythmic flow makes this tale easy to read.

4. Review Excerpts and Awards
Starred review in School Library Journal: “A short but moving book that is anything but plain - for those who prefer quality to quantity.”
Review in Book Links: “This Newbery Medal-winning book is a perfect example of a masterfully crafted story for transitional readers.”
Review in Kirkus Reviews: “A warming, delicately tuned story”
Review in Booklist
Newbery Award winner
Scott O’Dell Award Winner for Historical Fiction
ALA Best Books

5. Connections
· Compare the coastal region to the plains region include geographical features, weather and resources in Social Studies.
· In Art, draw Sarah’s home in Maine using Sarah’s descriptions and the Witting’s home on the prairie using Anna’s descriptions.
· Provide information about each of the five types of shells Sarah brought from Maine using print and web resources.
· Create a flower chart about each of the flowers mentioned in the book. Include pictures as well as growing conditions.
· Other books in this Patricia MacLachlan trilogy:
Skylark. ISBN 9780064406222
Caleb’s Story. ISBN 9780060236052

The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss by Katherine Krull

1. Bibliography
Krull, Kathleen. 2004. The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss. Ill. by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780375922985

2. Plot Summary
The childhood and youth of Ted Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss, are told in this picture book biography. The story begins, “Once upon a time, there lived a boy who feasted on books and was wild about animals.” It goes on to tell of his love of drawing and making others laugh as well as the troubles that he faced being a German in the United States during the first World War. The story continues with Ted surprising many by attending Dartmouth College and writing for the college humor magazine and with Ted going to Oxford and meeting his future wife. It ends when he is twenty-two and “his future looked bright.” Additional pages complete Ted’s life “On Beyond Fairfield Street” and provide a bibliography of works written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss.

3. Critical Analysis
Krull’s informative biography about the childhood and youth of Dr. Seuss gives readers a glimpse into the author and illustrator’s formative years where many of his ideas came from. The information is presented in the style of a story. It begins with when and where he was born along with information about his family and community. It continues with his school years and college until he moves to New York to make it on his own. Krull includes his successes (winning first prize in the Springfield Union’s drawing contest) and disappointments (not receiving a medal from ex-President Theodore Roosevelt for selling the Liberty Bonds because the Boy Scouts did not make sure there were enough). The supplementary pages of information about Geisel’s life help complete the story of Dr. Seuss while the addition of “For Further Reading” and the websites encourage readers to learn more.

The full page paintings by Johnson and Fancher further create the setting and a feeling of nostalgia begun by Krull’s well-written text. The soft, muted illustrations complement the visual created by Krull. The inclusion of Geisel’s own drawings adds a little Seuss-flavor to the tale of his life.

4. Review Excerpts and Awards
Starred review in Kirkus Reviews: “The magic of his name will make this a huge hit, but it’s the lively writing that puts the hat on the cat.”

Starred review in School Library Journal: “This picture-book biography is a winner...Krull’s work is a terrific look at the boyhood of one of the most beloved author/illustrators of the 20th century.”
Review in BookList: “A delightful picture-book biography about Geisel that chronicles how he became an innovative writer and illustrator beloved by readers young and old.”
Review in Library Media Connection: “Kathleen Krull presents a touching view of the life of Ted Geisel from early childhood visiting the zoo to his young adult years at Dartmouth College, as well as the poignant events that shaped his life.”
Review in Horn Book
Review in Publisher’s Weekly

5. Connections
· Use this title in connection with Read Across America day in March. Can be used as promotion or to provide history behind the day.
· Collective biographies by Kathleen Krull:
Lives of Writers: Comedies, Tragedies (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152480097
Lives of Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152001032
Lives of Extraordinary Women: Rulers, Rebels (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152008079
Lives of Presidents: Fame, Shame (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152008086
Lives of Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152480103
Lives of Athletes: Thrills, Spills (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152008062
· Other biographies by Kathleen Krull:
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. ISBN 9780152014377
Presenting Paula Danzinger. ISBN 9780805741537
Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolf Became the World’s Fastest Woman. ISBN 9780152012670
Marie Curie. ISBN 9780670058945
Leonardo da Vinci. ISBN 9780670059201

Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon by Catherine Thimmesh

1. Bibliography
Thimmesh, Catherine. 2006. Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 9780618507573

2. Plot Summary
The story of the Apollo 11 mission unfolds from beginning to end in this factual nonfiction work. Quotes and anecdotes from many people in various professions from engineers to seamstresses bring the full story of the mission to light. This text begins with the dream and the challenge set forth by President John F. Kennedy, “landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth” to the Maiden Voyage and its challenges to Homeward Bound.

3. Critical Analysis
Thimmesh’s behind-the-scenes perspective and full-color NASA photos create a documentary feeling in this 16 chapter narrative. Thimmesh used personal and taped interviews, NASA transcripts, books, and newscasts in the construction of this fact-filled, well-written text. She describes the events that happened in sequential order from Kennedy’s challenge in May 1961 to the splashdown on July 24, 1969. The well-known event is told through the eyes of the astronauts and NASA personnel as well as many nonastronauts, “The regular folks whose efforts made an impossible mission possible in the first place.” Quotes and memories from the backroom support guys, the space suit test subject, the men in charge of the satellite that received the images of the lunar walk, Portable Life Support System monitors, the photography department, and a parachute system engineer give a more human and dramatic account to this story. The NASA photos with clever caption boxes provide the background for the white text. Thimmesh includes an author’s note, resources, a bibliography, and a glossary. Older elementary and middle school students will enjoy the story of how 400,000 in a team effort landed “an actual man, on the actual Moon.”

4. Review Excerpts and Awards
Starred review in Kirkus Reviews: “This beautiful and well-documented tribute will introduce a new generation to that triumphant time.”
Review in Library Media Connection: “With exciting you-are-there language and stunning historical photographs, this book captures the excitement of the Apollo mission to the moon.”
Review in VOYA: “Those adults old enough to remember the spell that was cast over America when Apollo 11 landed on the moon will understand the importance of this historic event. Thimmesh provides a colorful and impacting overview.”
Review in Horn Book
Review in Publisher’s Weekly
Review in School Library Journal: “This dramatic account will mesmerize even readers already familiar with the event-and also leave then awed by the level of care and dedication it took to surmount so many daunting technological challenges.”
ALA Best Books for Young Adults
Orbis Pictus Honorable Mention for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award

5. Connections
· Utilize this text in a unit on space exploration in addition to the resources presented in the text “For Further Exploration.”
· Other Apollo 11 titles:
Combs, Lisa M. Rocket to the Moon: The Incredible Story of the First Lunar Landing. ISBN 9780816763313
Crewe, Sabrina and Dale Anderson. The First Moon Landing. ISN 9780836833973
Green, Carl R. Apollo 11 Rockets to First Moon Landing. ISBN 9780766051645
Hehner, Barbara. First on the Moon: What It Was Like When Man Landed on the Moon. ISBN 9780786804894
Mason, Paul. The Moon Landing, July 20, 1969. ISBN9780739852361

Actual Size by Steve Jenkins

1. Bibliography
Steve Jenkins. 2004. Actual Size. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780618375943

2. Plot Summary
This nonfiction picture book utilizes cut and torn paper illustrations to express how small or big or short or long a variety of animals are. “All of the animals in this book are shown at actual size, so you can see how you measure up to creatures both large and small,” Jenkins states on the first page in the book. Each of the eighteen animals and insects is depicted to scale though some of them only partially fit on the page. A line or two of information is given about each animal in addition to their height (or length) and weight. A paragraph of further information is provided about each animal presented including the title page’s pygmy shrew and the final page’s giant Gippsland earthworm.

3. Critical Analysis
Jenkins’ eye-catching work is based on the accuracy of the size of each animal. The customary length or height as well as the weights of most of the animals are provided with each collage illustration. A simple sentence of text accompanies every life-size illustration - “This is too close to a great white shark!” The choice of vocabulary is simple enough for young listeners but not too easy for older elementary readers. More information about each featured animal’s habitat and behaviors is found on the final four pages of the book. These pages include smaller yet complete images of the animals. Jenkins’ style peaks a reader’s curiosity with the effortless text and striking illustrations and provides them with enough information at the finale to satisfy until additional sources can be found. The three-page spread of the saltwater crocodile’s open snout and the leaping Goliath frog are sure grab a readers’ attention.

4. Review Excerpts and Awards
Starred review in BookList: “An unusual, unusually effective tool for connecting children to nature’s astonishing variety.”
Review in Kirkus Reviews: “A new exploration of the biological world, from one of the current masters of collage, features life-size - not scaled - representations of the extremes of the animal kingdom.”
Review in Horn Book
Review in School Library Journal: “Mixing deceptive simplicity with absolute clarity, this beautiful book is an enticing way to introduce children to the glorious diversity of our natural world, or to illustrate to budding scientists the importance of comparison, measurement, observation, and record keeping. A thoroughly engaging read-aloud and a must-have for any collection.”
International Reading Association’s Children’s Choices
Orbis Pictus Honor Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children

5. Connections
· Use to introduce a length measurement unit in mathematics.
· Use in science in conjunction with a study on animals.
· Other titles about size:
Harris, Nicholas. How Long? ISBN 9781410300669
Jenkins, Steve. Prehistoric Actual Size. ISBN 9780618535781
Osborn, Kevin. Actual Size: 250 Actual Size Images of the Real World. ISBN 9780385198851
Walker, Richard. The Children’s Atlas of the Human Body: Actual Size Bones, Muscles, and Organs in Full Color. ISBN 9781562945039