Young World 4, Unit 3: Yesterday & Today
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This unit discusses the differences in life between long ago and today, including job differences, changes in means communication and transportation. There is brief information on important events including the Great Fire of London, the discovery of New Zealand, the sinking of Titanic, and the landing on the Moon. This theme has limitless suggestions for supplemental reading. Here is just the tip of the iceberg…
The Great Brain, by John D. Fitzgerald
The author chronicles his life in Utah (USA) in 1896 as the younger brother of ten year old Tom Fitzgerald, the Great Brain. Each chapter tells a story of how Tom manages to swindle someone in the town and get a little richer. These stories are great fun and reminiscent of Tom Sawyer. (Lexile 840L) what is this?
Adam of the Road, by Elizabeth Janet Gray
Winner of the Newbery Medal. Adam is the son of a minstrel in 13th century England who goes on a journey to find his father, which is filled with robbers, narrow escapes, and daring deeds. A wonderful story of a resilient and brave boy during Mediaeval times. (Lexile 1030L) what is this?
Gold Rush Fever, a Story of the Klondike, by Barbara Greenwood
A story of the Canadian gold rush told by 13 year old Tim, who heads out with his older brother to try to make their fortune. He tells of the difficulty of Chilkoot Pass, the lawlessness along the way, and the backbreaking work once they arrived. Historical fiction account with some black and white photos included. (Lexile 840L) what is this?
Mary Poppins, by Pamela L. Travers
The chimney sweep is a job from times gone by. For those who prefer fiction to non-fiction, this is a fun book to read and compare to the more well known movie. (Lexile 830L ) what is this?
The Door in the Wall, by Marguerite de Angeli
Newbery Award Winner, this story about a boy named Robin is set in the 14th Century. Due to plague and warfare, he is separated from his parents and then develops an illness where he loses the use of his legs. A kind monk teaches him determination and compassion. (Lexile 920L) what is this?
Sarah Plain and Tall, by Patricia MacLachlan
It’s one of the shortest books to win the Newbery Medal, so it won’t take long to read this beautiful tale of a family in rural America in the 1800s. Written from the perspective of the boy, it describes what happens after his mother dies and his father advertises for a mail order bride. A wonderful story of starting a new life while still remembering the old one. (Lexile 660L) what is this?.
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Terrible Tudors, by Terry Deary and Neil Tonge
Honestly, any of the books in the Horrible Histories series serve as a funny and sometimes gory non-fiction introduction to an interesting period in history. If you like this one, get the whole series. ( Lexile 840L) what is this?
Dangerous Days in Elizabethan England, by Terry Deary
Elizabethans did all they could to survive in an age of sin and beheadings, galleons and guns. Explorers set sail for new worlds, risking everything to bring back slaves, gold and the priceless potato. Elizabeth lined her coffers while her subjects lived in squalor with hunger, violence and misery as bedfellows. Shakespeare shone and yet the beggars, doxies and thieves scraped and cheated to survive in the shadows. These were dangerous days. If you survived the villains, and the diseases didn’t get you, then the lawmen might. The toothless, red-wigged queen sparkled in her jewelled dresses, but the Golden Age was only the surface of the coin.
Soup, by Robert Newton Peck
Hilarious stories of a couple of mischievous boys in 1920s Vermont who somehow find themselves in all kinds of trouble. (Lexile 740L) what is this?