Sarah Emma Edmonds Was a Great Pretender: The True Story of a Civil War Spy

Sarah Emma Edmonds Was a Great Pretender: The True Story of a Civil War Spy

Written by: Carrie Jones
Illustrated by: Mark Oldroid

"Sarah Emma Edmonds started pretending at a very early age. Her father only wanted sons, so Sarah pretended to be one. Unlike most kids, though, Sarah never really stopped pretending. In 1861, during the U.S. Civil War, Sarah pretended her way into the Union Army, becoming a male nurse named Frank Thompson. Being a nurse didn't quite satisfy "Frank," though. She wanted to keep her fellow soldiers from getting hurt. So when the Union Army needed a spy, she leapt at the chance. While still pretending to be Frank, Sarah also pretended to be a male African American slave, a female Irish peddler, and a female African American laundress. She slipped behind enemy lines time after time, spied on the Confederate Army, and brought back valuable intelligence to the Union. Sarah was not only good at pretending; she was also very brave. Later in life, Sarah Emma Edmonds wrote a book to tell her story. She explained, "I am naturally fond of adventure, a little ambitious, and a good deal romantic." She was also truly a great pretender."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.carriejonesbooks.com/my-books/sarah-emma-edmonds/

Dadblamed Union Army Cow

Dadblamed Union Army Cow

Written by: Susan Fletcher
Illustrated by: Kimberly Bulcken

"Based on stories and newspaper reports from the Civil War and full of lively illustrations, this is a heartwarming tale of one wonderfully persistent cow. "That dadblamed cow!" She follows her owner into the Union army and then straight onto the train to fight in the war. She gets spooked too easily, she gets stuck in the mud, and she's just plain dangerous in battle. But this peculiar cow also gives the weary soldiers some surprising comforts and ends up a "dadblamed hero."

Product Description

Online Resources:
http://www.susanfletcher.com/index.php?pr=Dadblamed,_Union_Army_Cow

The Brothers' War: Civil War Voices in Verse

The Brothers' War: Civil War Voices in Verse

Written by: J. Patrick Lewis

"The wonderful wordplay of J. Patrick Lewis breathes new life into the speeches of Lincoln, the letters of Grant and Lee, and the moving human drama of our country's Civil War. Lewis' poignant poetry gives young readers a vivid insight into the brutal conflict that tore America apart. The author draws on primary-source books and articles to inspire each poem, bringing the ordinary and extraordinary voices of the Civil War to light. The book also includes a note from the Photo Editor on the authentic period images used throughout. Readers experience history directly as it was lived by Americans in the 1860s."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.googlelittrips.com/GoogleLit/6-8/Entries/2009/3/13_The_Brothers_War__Civil_War_Voices_in_Verse_by_Patrick_J._Lewis.html
http://www.jpatricklewis.com/

The Buffalo Soldier

The Buffalo Soldier

Written by: Sherry Garland
Illustrated by: Ronald Himler

"This heartwarming story of a buffalo soldier’s service to his country during the Indian Wars and Spanish-American War reveals the many hardships these regiments faced. The African-American buffalo soldiers, nicknamed by the Cheyenne Indians because of their curly hair and bravery, joined the six black regiments commissioned by an act of Congress in 1866.

These men, many of whom were former slaves, enlisted in the army to earn a steady income, acquire an education, and gain respect. They protected settlers from hostile Indians, rustlers, outlaws, and bandits and were known for their courage and dedication.

Told through the soldier-narrator’s voice, the details of one buffalo soldier’s life, including what he ate, where he slept, the education he gained on and off the battlefield, and how he spent his hard-earned money, help create a personal and understandable slice of history."

Product Description

Online Resources:
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/rediscoveringamerica-buffalosoldiers/
http://blackhistory.50webs.com/buffalosoldiers.html

5,000 Miles to Freedom: Ellen and William Craft's Flight from Slavery

5,000 Miles to Freedom: Ellen and William Craft's Flight from Slavery

Written by: Dennis and Judith Fradin

"Both exciting escape adventure and gripping history, this account of a husband and wife on the run from slavery traces their journey to freedom in the U.S and across the world. Ellen is a light-skinned African American, daughter of the master who raped her mother. Disguised as a wealthy Southern gentleman, she escapes with her husband, William, disguised as her slave, and they travel by train and steamboat to freedom in Boston. When their astonishing story makes the fugitive couple famous, slave catchers come after them, so the Crafts leave for England, where they continue their abolitionist work, until their return home after the Civil War. The Fradins, whose many fine histories include Ida B. Wells (2000), draw heavily on the Crafts' personal accounts to add depth and drama to the carefully documented narrative. The handsome design includes lots of photos, archival artwork, letters, and newspaper accounts."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/wpa/wpahome.html

Shades of Gray

Shades of Gray

Written by: Carolyn Reeder

"The Civil War may be over, but for twelve-year-old Will Page, the pain and bitterness haven't ended. How could they have, when the Yankees were responsible for the deaths of everyone in his entire immediate family?

And now Will has to leave his comfortable home in the Shenandoah Valley and live with relatives he has never met, people struggling to eke out a living on their farm in the war-torn Virginia Piedmont. But the worst of it is that Will's uncle Jed had refused to fight for the Confederacy.

At first, Will regards his uncle as a traitor -- or at least a coward. But as they work side by side, Will begins to respect the man. And when he sees his uncle stand up for what he believes in, Will realizes that he must rethink his definition of honor and courage."

Product Description

Online Resources:
http://cms.westport.k12.ct.us/cmslmc/resources/authorstudy/shadesofgray.htm
*PDF Novel Study Guide at bottom of page

Bull Run

Bull Run

Written by: Paul Fleischman

"A Civil War drama told in sixteen voices, this ‘is a heartbreaking and remarkably vivid portrait of a war that remains our nation’s bloodiest conflict. Fleischman’s artistry is nothing short of astounding."

Publishers Weekly Review

Online Resources:
http://www.carolhurst.com/titles/bullrun.html
http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/history/us_history/civilwar/

Fields of Fury: The American Civil War

Fields of Fury: The American Civil War

Written by: James McPherson

"Pulitzer Prize award-winning historian James M. McPherson has written for young readers a stirring account of the greatest conflict to happen on our nation's soil, the Civil War, bringing to life the tragic struggle that divided not only a nation, but also friends and family. From the initial Confederate attack on Fort Sumter, to the devastating loss of life at Shiloh as Ulysses S. Grant led the Union to unexpected victory, to the brilliance of Stonewall Jackson's campaign at Shenandoah, to General Pickett's famous charge at Gettysburg, to the Union's triumph at Appomattox Court House, Fields of Fury details the war that helped shape us as a nation.

Also included are personal anecdotes from the soldiers at the battlefront and the civilians at home, as well as profiles of historical luminaries such as Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and Ulysses S. Grant. McPherson also explores the varied roles that women played during the war, healthcare on the battlefield, and the demise of slavery.

McPherson's narrative is highlighted with black-and-white photographs taken by Civil War photographers Mathew Brady and Timothy O'Sullivan, period oil paintings, and key campaign and battlefield maps, that make Fields of Fury the consummate book on the American Civil War for young readers."

Product Description

Online Resources:
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/civwar.html

Civil War

Civil War

Written by: Martin Sandler

"During the years 1861-1865, America was a nation torn apart by war. From terrible land combat to fierce battles at sea; from mothers losing sons to brothers fighting brothers--this was a conflict that profoundly affected all that it touched...and changed our nation forever. From the archives of the Library of Congress, often called "the Storehouse of the national memory," here are over one hundred vintage posters, paintings, and photographs that bring the events of the Civil War vividly to life. Witness the scenes and encounters the words of those caught up in a nations at war with itself."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.carolhurst.com/subjects/ushistory/civilwar.html

Pink and Say

Pink and Say

Written and Illustrated by: Patricia Polacco

"This a story of interracial friendship during the Civil War between two 15-year-old Union soldiers. Say, who is white and poor, tells how he is rescued by Pinkus (Pink), who carries the wounded Say back to the Georgia home where Pink's black family were slaves. In a kind of idyllic interlude, Pink and his mother nurse Say back to health, and Pink teaches his friend to read; but before they can leave, marauders kill Pink's mother and drag the boys to Andersonville prison. Pink is hanged, but Say survives to tell the story and pass it on across generations."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/lessonplan.jsp?id=975
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/acquiring-vocabulary-through-book-170.html

Abe Lincoln Goes to Washington 1837-1863

Abe Lincoln Goes to Washington 1837-1863

Written and Illustrated by: Cheryl Harness

"Abe Lincoln Goes to Washington paints a vivid picture of the Springfield, IL years, when Abe met and married a pretty Kentucky woman, and made his name as a lawyer and politician. Cheryl Harness gives readers a moving account of Lincoln’s rise and the tensions that dragged the nation into conflict; brilliantly detailed maps and battle scenes deepen our understanding of the Civil War; and the book’s richly imagined illustrations recreate the life of the man who will always be regarded as one of our greatest presidents."

Scholastic Review

Online Resources:
http://www.historyplace.com/lincoln/index.html

True Stories about Abraham Lincoln

True Stories about Abraham Lincoln

Written by: Ruth Belov Gross
Illustrated by: Charles Turzak

"This book includes a series of short stories that emphasize aspects of Lincoln’s life, especially his early years."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://lincoln.georgetowncollege.edu/fifth/lesson1.htm
http://lincoln.georgetowncollege.edu/fifth/lesson2.htm

When This Cruel War Is Over: The Civil War Home Front

When This Cruel War Is Over: The Civil War Home Front

Written by: Duane Damon

"The civilians in the North and South were sorely tested during the Civil War. This book tells how they endured and how they assisted during four years of war. There were women who tended the wounded, artists who captured events with their pencils and sketchbooks, and slaves who fought in the Union army. The horrors of this war-the ravage of cities and waste of human lives is soulfully captured. A Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies and part of the "People's History" series."

Children's Literature Review

Online Resources:
http://www.theteachersguide.com/Civilwarlessons.html

Rifles for Waite

Rifles for Waite

Written by: Keith Harold

"Sixteen-year-old Jeff is eager to join the Union Army and fight in Civil War battles in the West against Stand Watie, leader of the Cherokee Indian rebels. The book stresses cultural as well as sectional conflict."

Online Resources:
http://www.civilwar.org/education/teachers/lesson-plans/civil-war-lit-circle-lesson/civil-war-literature-circle.html

Gabriel's Horses

Gabriel's Horses

Written by: Alison Hart

"On a Kentucky plantation during the Civil War, slave Gabriel Alexander, 12, cares for his master's thoroughbred racehorses and dreams of being a great jockey, just like his dad. After Pa enlists with the Yankees, the boy also yearns to be a soldier and fight for freedom. At the core of this stirring historical novel is the question of what freedom means. Runaway slaves and freemen join the Yankee army only to dig ditches and collect firewood for white soldiers. The boy's first-person, present-tense narrative brings close the thrilling horse racing––on the plantation, at the race course, and in the war––and the African American history in all its complexity."

Booklist Review

Awards:
Texas Bluebonnet Nominee, 2008-2009

Web Resources:
http://suzyred.com/2008gabrielshorses.html

Nettie's Trip South

Nettie's Trip South

Written by: Ann Turner

"As Nettie writes to her friend Addie about her trip from Albany, New York, to Richmond, Virginia, she remembers all the things she saw and heard in that pre-Civil War South. She remembers the sweet cedar smell in the air -- but she also remembers Tabitha, the black slave in her hotel who has no last name. She remembers seeing the slave quarters at a nearby plantation, with the heaps of rags in the corners for beds. But most of all she remembers the slave auction, where a woman is sold "like a sack of flour"; and she thinks about what their lives would be like, if she and Addie were slaves...

Based on the real diary of the author's great-grandmother, this is a powerful and deeply moving account of one girl's reaction to slavery in the South. Once read and seen through the eyes of master illustrator Ronald Himler, it is not soon forgotten."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=814