Monthly Archives: March 2019

March 31, 2019 · 1:53 pm

I Pledge Allegiance by Chris Lynch

The first in a series about the Vietnam War, I Pledge Allegiance sees four best friends join four branches of the military and head off to war. This book is so engaging that I could barely put it down. The main character, Morris, struggles with what the point of the war is until he finds himself being shot at by Vietcong. He goes from a completely innocent kid to a war-hardened sailor. The book is raw and sometimes painful and doesn’t shy away from describing the horrors of war, but it is still appropriate for younger audiences. I highly recommend it to teens interested in the Vietnam War.

5 (out of 5) Stars

Books Read in 2019: 39
Pages Read in 2019: 10,232
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March 31, 2019 · 10:04 am

Surviving Hitler by Andrea Warren

Jack had a wonderful, carefree childhood, but when he was a pre-teen, Hitler invaded his home country of Poland. Eventually Jack was sent to a concentration camp. Over the course of the war, he was shuffled around to several camps, always being forced to do hard labor and always struggling to survive. As with most Holocaust survivor stories, there were very occasional kind Nazis who helped him and there were always friends, other prisoners, helping him. Surviving Hitler is a quick read. Jack’s story is told in a very factual way and with great impact. His hope was that knowing his and other survivor stories would help us to never again allow a Holocaust to happen. I very highly recommend this book to anyone early teens and up learning about or interested in World War II.

5 (out of 5) Stars

Books Read in 2019: 38
Pages Read in 2019: 10,035
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March 29, 2019 · 8:32 pm

Sacajawea by Joseph Bruchac

Told in alternating voices of Clark and Sacajawea, Sacajawea tells the story of the Corps of Discovery as if the two were answering young Pomp’s (Jean Baptiste Charbonneau) questions. It is extremely well researched, often paraphrasing from the actual journals written by Lewis and Clark. The two voices are very distinct making it easy to identify the current speaker. At times it dragged, however, making it easy to put down for a while. I recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

4 (out of 5) Stars

Books Read in 2019: 37
Pages Read in 2019: 9875
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March 26, 2019 · 11:08 am

A Stone in My Hand by Cathryn Clinton

Years before the beginning of A Stone in My Hand, a Palestinian family is forced to leave their home in the newly created Israel. They settle in Gaza. Fast forward a few decades and the story begins around the time of the intifada. The book is narrated by a young Palestinian girl, the youngest in the family. She almost completely stops talking after her father disappears on his way to try to get work in Israel. Her sister basically puts her life on hold hoping the occupation and fighting will end soon. Her brother becomes so frustrated by the Israeli soldiers everywhere that he flirts with becoming a jihadist. It is very well-written historical fiction and shows how one person’s actions affect someone else in ways you might not expect. I recommend it to middle school age and up learning about the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians (I would recommend adding a pro-Israel book to be read as well to balance the pro-Palestine slant of this one).

5 (out of 5) Stars

Books Read in 2019: 36
Pages Read in 2019: 9665
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March 25, 2019 · 11:06 am

Mother Teresa by Wyatt North

Mother Teresa was an amazing woman. This book gives an excellent overview of her life and the things she accomplished. It is biased toward her ever doing little to nothing wrong and pretty much being a saint (though it was written before she was actually canonized). It is a quick read. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to know more about the good Mother Teresa did in the world.

5 (out of 5) Stars

Books Read in 2019: 35
Pages Read in 2019: 9457
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March 24, 2019 · 9:10 am

Gandhi the Man by Eknath Easwaran

Gandhi the Man is an excellent overview of Gandhi’s life and his push for nonviolent resistance. There are lots of pictures and quotes throughout. I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn a little bit about Gandhi.

4 (out of 5) Stars

Books Read in 2019: 34
Pages Read in 2019: 9316
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March 20, 2019 · 12:51 pm

Remembrance by Theresa Breslin

Set during World War I, Remembrance is a fantastic historical fiction book. It portrays the excitement, horror, and heartbreak of war in an honest way through narration as well as letters between the characters. It is so incredibly well-written. The writing evokes many emotions and transports the reader to the 19-teens. I very highly recommend this book to young teens and up who are learning about World War I.

5 (out of 5) Stars

Books Read in 2019: 33
Pages Read in 2019: 9100
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March 16, 2019 · 1:04 pm

My Sixty Years on the Plains by William Thomas Hamilton

Written in 1905 when he was 82, My Sixty Years on the Plains is mostly about the skirmishes with Indians that the author was involved in. It’s pretty rambly, much as you might expect from a grandpa reminiscing. Whoever transferred it from print to digital did a pretty bad job (for example, Santa Fe was rendered multiple times as Santa F6). I recommend this book if you want to read a firsthand account of one of the earliest white men to head out west.

3 (out of 5) Stars

Books Read in 2019: 32
Pages Read in 2019: 8794
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March 14, 2019 · 6:23 pm

Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry

Harriet Tubman was a remarkable woman. Tiny, strong, and extraordinarily brave. She could’ve stayed in Pennsylvania, never returning to Maryland after her escape, but instead she regularly risked her life in order to help other slaves reach freedom. Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad is an excellent and very interesting biography. It’s filled with stories of her experiences while conducting her passengers on the Underground Railroad as well as talking about her life growing up in slavery and what she did after slavery was abolished. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in or learning about the life of Harriet Tubman!

5 (out of 5) Stars

Books Read in 2019: 31
Pages Read in 2019: 8534
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March 12, 2019 · 6:07 pm

General Houston’s Little Spy by Cara Skinner

Samantha sees firsthand the path to Texas independence. When her husband is killed at the Alamo she decides to become a spy to be sure the Texians beat Santa Anna. General Houston’s Little Spy is historical fiction aimed at middle grade kids. It’s well written and engaging. Reading it made me proud to be a Texan. There were a few too many curse words for the targeted age, in my opinion, however. I recommend it to kids learning about the battles leading to Texas independence.

4 (out of 5) Stars

Books Read in 2019: 30
Pages Read in 2019: 8274
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