At the beginning of every school year, one of my student survey questions is:
“If you could talk to any person from history, who would it be? What three questions would you ask?”
Out of 64 students in my 2013 class, 13 chose Abe Lincoln—more than any other historic figure, including good old George Washington (tied for runner-up, with eight votes).
Why is Lincoln such a history rock star for tweens?
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READALICIOUS! Books for Tweens
The "Rock Star" President
July 30, 2013
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Rascal, A Memoir by Sterling North
June 21, 2013
Have you ever spotted a book that you read as a kid and glowed uncontrollably? That warm, fuzzy feeling is what I hope to capture in a time-release bottle every time I recommend a title to my sixth graders. I know I shouldn’t be, but I’m always surprised when it happens to me.
The most recent wave of tender nostalgia struck me at the sight of the 1963 memoir Rascal, by Sterling North. I was a little wary of rereading it, worried that the story and the characters hadn’t aged well and I’d be crushed. I wasn’t.
Rascal is refreshingly wholesome. It’s the perfect antidote to today’s relentless fervor for dystopian worlds, zombies, and vampires. Read More