You can read my post from Wednesday to see the 6 books I read over the last week and a half. In case you haven't heard, I am switching from grades 4-5 to grades 7-8. So I am trying to get through a lot of books this summer as I choose my novel studies for next year. I also want to be able to recommend books to my students. I absolutely love young adult and teen fiction, so I am excited about the switch. I ordered a ton of books on Amazon over the last week.
A couple of books I just started that are in my queue to read this week both happen to take place during World War II. I didn't necessarily plan it that way, but both books sounded so interesting. So many of the books read around 8th and 9th grade surrounding WWII are specifically from a Jewish point of view (such as Diary of a Young Girl and Night) that I was interested in finding some additional books that look at some other aspects of the war. (Although, I have not yet read The Book Thief or Sarah's Key yet. They both look really good, and I hoping to read those this summer as well.)
Code Talker is the story of the Native American marines who fought against Japan in WWII.
They used the Navajo language as a way of coding messages. The book is written by Joseph Bruchac. Bruchac is a wonderful writer and he has written almost every juvenile book on the Native Americans worth reading. There was the movie "Wind-talkers" several years ago about the same group of marines, which I believe is also an adult book. I was excited to see there is a young adult book about the topic as well. I think this book would open itself to such interesting discussions about points of view on historical events.
Code Name Verity is a book that showed up on my Amazon recommended list.
It just sounded too interesting to pass up on. Historical fiction always has and probably always will be my favorite genre. A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Two girls are caught and only can survive. The surviver is given the choice between revealing her mission or facing execution. I haven't started this book just yet, but it sounds like a page-turner. I hope it lives up to its description. I will let you know.
What are you reading this week?
Hi April! Congratulations on the move to 7/8. There is so really amazing Young Adult Literature now. Have you already read The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas? I know it's been around awhile, but it was a fantastic read too. I can't wait to hear more about Code Name Verity. It sounds fascinating. Keep us posted. Thanks for linking up and sharing great books!! -Amanda
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ReplyDeleteTeaching Science With Lynda
Hi! Visiting from the Teaching Thief link up! I read Code Talker with a group of my fifth graders. They loved it! After reading, they were really interested about the real code talkers of WWII. The book kept them hooked the whole way through :-)
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Whimsicle
Read a compelling murder mystery and love story set in Occupied Paris during the Werhmacht's first, well-mannered year. Read "Fall Irmgard" by Rand Charles. A conflicted German investigator falls in love with a conniving American murder witness. A story that avoids cliche' and stereotype, weaving romance and intrigue through a seamy, corrupt world of black marketeers and underworld gangsters, SS interlopers and Abwehr profiteers, as well as the highbrow and heedless Cafe' set.
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