The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Hardcover, 316 pages

Published January 8th 2015 by Dial Books

A Wall Street Journal's Best Children's Book of 2015 

An exceptionally moving story of triumph against all odds set during World War 2, from the acclaimed author of Jefferson’s Sons and for fans of Number the Stars. Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him. So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother? This masterful work of historical fiction is equal parts adventure and a moving tale of family and identity—a classic in the making.

Sometimes being placed into a new setting can be the worst thing in the world- or so it seems. Especially when you are young, there is a war surrounding you, you are different from everyone else because of something you have no control over, and your mother seems to not care about you. For Ada, the best thing that ever happened was when she and her brother were sent to live with Susan Smith. 

There are parts of war that we either don't think of or don't even have a knowledge of, and I have to say that this novel opened my eyes to yet another side of a war that I constantly find myself drawn to in reading and research- World War 2. I loved this story from start to finish. Ada is one of those characters that you fall in love with and root for throughout the entire book. I found myself gasping in parts, getting angry with her mother in other parts, laughing at the antics and lessons Ada had to learn (and her stubbornness- because I can completely relate) and in tears during other parts. It is well deserving of its Newbery Honor. 

History teachers this is definitely one that you should have in your library and would make a great Read Aloud while you are teaching this time period in history. This book deserves a place on every book shelf from elementary school to high school! 

Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz

Hardcover, 272 pages

Published March 1st 2013 by Scholastic Inc.

Survive. At any cost.

10 concentration camps.

10 different places where you are starved, tortured, and worked mercilessly.

It's something no one could imagine surviving.

But it is what Yanek Gruener has to face.

As a Jewish boy in 1930s Poland, Yanek is at the mercy of the Nazis who have taken over. Everything he has, and everyone he loves, have been snatched brutally from him. And then Yanek himself is taken prisoner -- his arm tattooed with the words PRISONER B-3087. 

He is forced from one nightmarish concentration camp to another, as World War II rages all around him. He encounters evil he could have never imagined, but also sees surprising glimpses of hope amid the horror. He just barely escapes death, only to confront it again seconds later. 

Can Yanek make it through the terror without losing his hope, his will -- and, most of all, his sense of who he really is inside?

Based on an astonishing true story.

I would have majored in History Education if I hadn't needed so many foreign language classes. Seriously, I offered to wash my professors dog for a C in the class... it was bad. Due to my love of history,  I love historical fiction. When it is based on true stories- count me in!

This beautifully written novel is stunning. By telling Jack (Yanek) and Ruth's story through his eyes, readers are able to get a birds eye view of what living durning the Holocaust. Especially what it was like living through 10 different concentration camps. Alan Grantz's writing captures readers attention and sucks you right in. You find yourself rooting for Yanek, crouching because you dread what is coming next, and cheering when the American troops finally come in to liberate the prisoners.

This book is a must read for my middle schoolers and is a great addition to any Social Studies curriculum. The first person point of view as well as the details of this deplorable time in history lend a hand to those teachers who are looking for a way to make history more personal. I was able to listen to the audiobook version of this and highly recommend it! It would be great to play some snippets from the novel during lessons!

Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir by Margarita Engle

Hardcover, 208 pages

Published August 4th 2015 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

In this poetic memoir, Margarita Engle, the first Latina woman to receive a Newbery Honor, tells of growing up as a child of two cultures during the Cold War.

Margarita is a girl from two worlds. Her heart lies in Cuba, her mother's tropical island country, a place so lush with vibrant life that it seems like a fairy tale kingdom. But most of the time she lives in Los Angeles, lonely in the noisy city and dreaming of the summers when she can take a plane through the enchanted air to her beloved island. Words and images are her constant companions, friendly and comforting when the children at school are not.

Then a revolution breaks out in Cuba. Margarita fears for her far-away family. When the hostility between Cuba and the United States erupts at the Bay of Pigs Invasion, Margarita's worlds collide in the worst way possible. How can the two countries she loves hate each other so much? And will she ever get to visit her beautiful island again?

This beautiful memoir gives us a glance into the life of a child living in two worlds and trying to find herself in the midst of a world that is in chaos. Hearing from the first person narrative gives the reader a new perspective on a crisis that is sometimes overlooked. I loved this book from cover to cover and will definitely be using it in my classroom as not only a mentor text for poetry, but also in conjunction with my Social Studies teachers lessons when it comes time. I love the idea of taking pieces of her life as we are working through the historical context. Having a first person perspective through the events will definitely bring a new piece to our classrooms! Absolutely stunning piece!

The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

Hardcover, 298 pages

Published January 5th 2012 by Putnam Juvenile 

Two girls separated by race form an unbreakable bond during the tumultuous integration of Little Rock schools in 1958

Twelve-year-old Marlee doesn't have many friends until she meets Liz, the new girl at school. Liz is bold and brave, and always knows the right thing to say, especially to Sally, the resident mean girl. Liz even helps Marlee overcome her greatest fear - speaking, which Marlee never does outside her family.

But then Liz is gone, replaced by the rumor that she was a Negro girl passing as white. But Marlee decides that doesn't matter. Liz is her best friend. And to stay friends, Marlee and Liz are willing to take on integration and the dangers their friendship could bring to both their families.

This is one of the best books that I have read... in a long time. Marlee finds a friend in the most unlikely of place with someone who she is not supposed to have anything to do with. The way Kristin Levine tells the story of these girls brings to light what life was life for the children who experienced racism in the 1950's and 60's. Sadly, we live in a world where that still exists. I loved both Marlee and Liz and their ability to see past what others can't. Their friendship means enough that they take the risks to keep their friendship alive and deal with the ignorance of those who don't want them to be friends. I can't wait to share this book with my students and history teachers. This book will definitely be well loved by all who read it. 


Teaching Ideas:
This book is a great read aloud for history teachers as you are teaching the 50's and 60's and the racism and segregation that our country dealt with. There are many questions that are raised from this novel that would make incredible character building lessons during your read aloud as well. 


Happy reading!!