The Snow Walker

The Snow Walker 

Author: Margaret K. Wetterer and Charles M. Wetterer 

Illustrator: Mary O'Keefe Young

Genre: Historical Fiction

Awards: None 

Grade Level: 3-5

This book is set in March of 1888 when a huge blizzard hits New York. Twelve year old, Milton wakes up to find out that his hometown is covered in snow and that school is canceled. He decides to make snowshoes so that he can go to the store to get his family milk. When he reaches the store, he buys some milk but kindly decides to sell it to all to the neighbors that he passes on the way home. He keeps returning to the store for more milk and then decides to go out again after lunch and continue to help his neighbors by giving them milk. His snowshoes begin to break but he decides to go to the drugstore to help an older couple. Even though Milton puts his life in danger to help others, he safely arrives at home. After the storm was over nobody could stop talking about the boy who helped save their lives by delivering supplies to them during the storm. 

This book can be used to teach about blizzards and how serious they are. One could also use this book to teach about helping others. 

Henry's Freedom Box

Henry's Freedom Box 

Author: Ellen Levine

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Awards: Caldecott Medal 

Grade Level: 3-5 

Henry's Freedom Box is about a little boy named Henry. Henry does not know how old he is because he is a slave. When he is still a young boy he is separated from his family and is forced to work under a different master. Henry ends up growing up and marrying another slave. One day at an auction Henry's wife and children get sold to a master who lives far away. Henry loses contact with his family. Henry then formulates a plan to escape to the north in order to obtain his freedom. He is placed in a shipping container and is placed on a boat. When he makes it to the north he has found his freedom, and this day becomes his birthday. 

This book can be used to teach students about slavery and how different the United States used to be. This book will open students eyes to how hard their lives were and how they were treated so unfairly. I would use this book as a component of a social studies unit. 

The Copper Lady

The Copper Lady 

Author: Alice Ross and Kent Ross

Illustrator: Leslie Bowman 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Awards: None 

Grade Level: 1st-4th 

This book follows the sculptors and a little orphan boy through the creation of the Statue of Liberty. The little boy, Andre, frequently visits the sculptors during their work in order to get away from his neighbor who treats him poorly. Frederic Auguste Bartholdi allows Andre to do small things to help with the sculpting of the massive 151 foot tall statue. Once the statue is finished, it is put on a ship to America. Andre decides to stow away on the ship. He makes his presence known after a large storm when is forced to report lost cargo. Andre tells the captain that his goal is to work as a coppersmith when they get to the United States. The captain allows him to stay on the ship and work as a cabin boy.

I would use this book to give students an opportunity to learn about the Statue of Liberty. One could also use this book as a tool for a lesson about copper. This book could help show students that the statue used to be brown before the copper oxidized. 

A Paradise Called Texas

A Paradise Called Texas

Author: Janice Jordan Shefelman  
Illustrator: Tom Shefelman, Karl Shefelman, and Dan Shefelman 
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: None
Grade Level: 4th-7th 

A Paradise Called Texas is about a German family as they leave their home in Germany to head to Texas in hopes of creating a better life for themselves.The embark on this difficult journey when Mina is just a young girl. Mina and her parents are joined by the Kaufmann family. When the two families leave their hometown of Wehrstedt, they have no idea of the obstacles that they will soon be face to face with. When their ship reaches Texas, Mina desperately wants to go back to Germany. Soon after the families land in Texas, Mama gets sick and unexpectedly passes away. Mina and Papa must keep going. When the two families reach the Texas hill country, Papa gets sick and Mina is forced to make friends with Amaya, who ends up saving her father’s life. Papa begins to build a house for the two of them. Papa meets a woman named Lisette and the two decide to get married. Mina is overjoyed at his news and cannot wait for their family to be whole again. 

This is a story based on the author’s family immigrating from Germany. This book could be used to teach students about the hardships that their ancestors could have had to face in order for them to have the life they have now. This book could also be used as a tool to give students insight on the foundation of Texas. 

Eat My Dust! Henry Ford's First Race

Eat My Dust! Henry Ford's First Race

Author: Monica Kulling
Illustrator: Richard Walz
Genre: Historical Fiction 
Awards: None
Grade Level: 1-3 

This book is about Henry Ford creating his own car. He builds his own car which everyone believes to be unnecessary. Everyone wishes that he would go back to using his horse and buggy but Henry Ford loves cars and he wanted to build a car that everyone could own. When Henry realized that he did not have enough money he decided to enter a race. People tell Henry that he will never win the race but he is so determined. Henry’s wife only wants one thing, she wants him to drive safely. When it comes time for the race, Henry’s opponent begins to have trouble with his car. Henry ends up winning the race and the cash prize. Henry builds his first car, the Model T. Everyone loved this car because it was cheaper and easy to repair. 

This is a true story about Henry Ford winning the money needed for his first car. This book can be used to teach students about inventions and how everyone should work for what they get. I would also use this book to teach my students about Henry Ford and the first economical car.