The Civil War

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The Civil War

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• Sandy
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Suggested Readings on the Civil War
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Abe Lincolns Hat By Martha
Brenner Abe Lincoln didnt have much money, but
wanted to look his best when he became a lawyer.
He bought a long black coat and a tall black hat.
The tall black hat later became a place to keep
all of his important papers. This book follows
Abes life as a young lawyer to his presidential
years. He never changed his ways. He always
kept important papers in his hat.
Recommended for grades K 1 Picture
Book/Historical Fiction
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A Picture Book of Abraham
Lincoln By David A.
Adler People called him Honest Abe, Father
Abraham, and Savior of the Union. This book
begins with Abraham Lincolns birth in Kentucky
and ends with his assassination.
Recommended for grades K 1 Picture Book
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A. Lincoln and Me By
Louise Borden and Ted Lewin
A young, skinny boy learns that Abraham Lincoln
was very much the same as he during his young
years. He also learns, as he studies Lincoln,
that Lincoln had a great ability to keep a nation
together. The book is wonderful for introducing
young children to this great president.
Recommended for grades K 1 Contemporary
Realistic Fiction
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Follow the Drinking Gourd By
Jeanette Winter This story is about the
legendary one-legged railroad conductor, Peg Leg
Joe. He befriended the slaves and taught them a
folk song named, Follow the Drinking Gourd.
Within the lyrics were hidden directions to the
Underground Railroad. The Drinking Gourd
referred to the Big Dipper constellation. The
slaves were led to safe places in the north by
following the hidden directions and the stars.
Recommended for grades 2 3 Poetry
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Mr. Lincolns Whiskers By Karen
B. Winnick An amusing true story about how
Abraham Lincoln decided to grow his beard. An
eleven year old girl named Grace Bedell had seen
a photograph of Lincoln and felt that his face
looked thin. She wrote a letter to him
suggesting that if he grew a beard he might
receive more votes, especially from the women.
During a whistle stop visit to Graces hometown,
Abraham Lincoln stopped to see what Grace thought
about the beard he decided to grow.
Recommended for grades 2 3 Informational
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When Abraham Talked to the
Trees By Elizabeth
Van Steenwyk A wonderfully illustrated book
about how Abraham Lincoln would practice giving
speeches. Lincoln would speak to anyone who
would take the time to listen to him. If no one
was available to listen, he would practice his
speeches on the trees in the woods. This was how
Abraham Lincoln became one of our greatest
speakers in history.
Recommended for grades 2 3 Biography
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Abraham Lincoln Lawyer, Leader,
Legend By Justine and Ron Fontes This book
takes the reader from Abraham Lincolns humble
beginning in a log cabin in Kentucky to his
death. Lincoln held many important positions
throughout his life and always worked for the
good of all people.  
Recommended for grades 2 3 Informational
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The Gettysburg Address By Abraham
Lincoln (Foreword by Garry Wills) Michael
McCurdy excellently illustrates Abraham Lincolns
riveting Gettysburg Address.
Recommended for grades 4 5 Picture Book
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In Their Own Words Abraham Lincoln
By George Sullivan George Sullivan travels
through the life of Abraham Lincoln as he
develops from a young man to the greatest United
States president. Sullivan writes about the
hardships and experiences President Abraham
Lincoln endured.
Recommended for grades 4 5 Biography
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Happy Birthday, Addy! By Connie
Porter It is the first Spring that Addy and her
parents have spent in Philadelphia since moving
into the boarding house. Like many people who
grew up in slavery, Addy does not know when she
was born. Addy meets a new friend, Mdear, who
encourages her to claim a day for her birthday.
Mdear also helps Addy overcome anger and fear
as she faces prejudice and danger.
Recommended for grades 4 5 Historical Fiction
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Thunder at Gettysburg By Patrica Lee
Gauch In the summer of 1863, Tillie Pierce was
sent from her hometown of Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania to live on a neighbors farm for
safety. The Civil War was just beginning and
Tillie wanted the Union soldiers of the north to
win. But even the farm did not offer her the
protection she needed and she found herself right
in the middle of the battle.
Recommended for grades 4 5 Historical Fiction
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Ghost Soldier By Elaine Marie
Alphin The ghost of a young soldier from the
Civil War haunts a troubled teen in this story.
As an unusual friendship develops between the
two, Alexander is drawn into a new reality where
he comes face to face with the haunting past of
his soldier friend.
Recommended for grades 6 7 Modern Fantasy
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The Long Road to Gettysburg By Jim
Murphy This book recounts the hardships and
anxieties of the battle. The book conveys first
hand accounts of the battle by Confederate
soldier Lt. John Dooley and Union soldier Thomas
Galway, to recount the trials of preparing for
battle, the rigorous days of fighting, and the
heartache of treating the injured and burying the
dead.
Recommended for grades 6 7 Informational
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Stealing Freedom By Elisa
Carbone So many slaves were stripped of their
families and their freedom. This true story
explains the life of Ann Marie Weems. Stripped
of her family when she was twelve years old,
Weems, if willing to give up the life she has,
has the chance to meet her family again by
traveling the Underground Railroad.
Recommended for grades 6 7 Biography
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Bright Freedoms Song By Gloria
Housten This is a very passionate and compelling
book that discusses the true heroism of a girl
and her family and how they provide a safe house
for slaves and the Underground Railroad.
Recommended for grades 6 7 Biography
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Unconditional Surrender U.S. Grant and
the Civil War By Albert
Marrin As we all know, U.S. Grant was one of the
most influential generals during the Civil War
for the Union. Marrin recounts Grants life and
his race in the Civil War.
Recommended for grades 6 7 Informational
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Over Jordan By Norma
Johnston During the times leading to the Civil
War, so many slaves helped one another to safety.
Over Jordan is a gripping story about a
fourteen-year old who helps her servant and his
fiancé escape to freedom. They were aided by
Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Recommended for grades 6 7 Historical Fiction
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North Star to Freedom By Gena K.
Gorrell A history of the Underground Railroad,
from the origins of slavery to the period beyond
the Civil War. The book takes the reader on a
journey from the over-crowded slave ships from
Africa, to the risky railroad routes to freedom,
and finally to freedom in the north. Each step
the slaves took presented challenges and fears to
overcome if freedom was to be theirs.
Recommended for grades 7 8 Historical Fiction
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The Boys War By Jim
Murphy Young children, some of them only twelve
years old, were fighting against grown men in the
Civil War. They did it for many different
reasons. Some were protecting their families,
some just wanted to escape their homes, and
others were fighting against slavery. This book
is based on the true stories and diaries of how
the boys lived and survived the Civil War.
Recommended for grades 7 8 Informational
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Behind the Blue and Gray The Soldiers Life in
the Civil War By Delia Ray This
book explores the lives of the Union and
Confederate soldiers. Comparisons are made
between their uniforms, strategies, drafts, and
survival techniques.
Recommended for grades 7 8 Informational
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Undying Glory By Clinton Cox The
54th regiment of Massachusetts, better known as
the Glory regiment, was composed of all black
soldiers as young as sixteen years to forty
years. The courageous men fought for the Union,
risking their lives to free their families from
slavery.
Recommended for grades 7 8 Multicultural
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Gentle Annie By Mary Francis
Shura This is a true story about
sixteen-year-old Annie Etheridge. Annie was a
fearless nurse who faced battle to help the
troops. She was the only nurse out of seventeen
to remain when the troops went to battle.
Recommended for grades 7 8 Biography
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Dear America A Light in the Storm The
Civil War Diary of Amelia Martin By
Karen Hesse A realistic account of the Civil War
is presented by Amelia Martin. Stories of family
hardships and struggles are talked about in the
diary entries dated throughout the Civil War.
Recommended for grades 7 8 Historical Fiction
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Dear America A Picture of Freedom
The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl By Patricia
C. McKissack This is a fictional story about a
young slave girl who, even though it is against
the law, learns to read and write. The diary
takes the reader on a day-by-day journey through
the life of this brave young girl as she tries to
understand and survive the life she is forced to
live.
Recommended for grades 7 8 Informational
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Get on Board The Story of
the Underground Railroad By Jim
Haskins Few records of the Underground Railroad
were kept, but many of the stories survive today.
Slaves came up with ingenious plans to escape to
freedom, some even included long dangerous
journeys to safety.
Recommended for grades 7 8 Informational
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Civil War
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