Magic Treehouse #21 Civil War on Sunday

Genre: Fantasy (Audiobook)

Title: Civil War On Sunday

Author: Mary Pope Osborne

Illustrator: Sal Murdocca

Awards: N/A

Age Range: 6-9 years old

Summary: The story begins with Jack and Annie heading into the forest to see if the Magic Treehouse was back. Fortunately, for them it was! Inside the Treehouse they found a note from Morgan, and a book titled The Civil War, which is where they went. They ended up in the field that was on the cover of the book, and it was not long until they saw injured soldiers. Annie desperately wanted to help the soldiers, but Jack did not think kids could help. However, they met a nice nurse who told them they would love their help. She even gave them a list of things to do. Jack was very hesitant to help because he was uncomfortable and they already found what Morgan asked them to find. Annie convinced Jack to stay a little longer that way they could feed the soldiers. Jack meets one soldier and learns about slavery from him. Then, Jack and Annie meet Clara Barton as she brought back wounded soldiers from the battlefield. Both children went with Clara to search the field again for wounded soldiers. There were two soldiers that needed to be taken back to the hospital. Clara thanked Jack and Annie for all their help, and the children headed home. When they got home they were thrilled to see their parents and learn that the drummer boy they helped was their great great great grandfather.

Evaluation: I really enjoyed this book because I think it sheds light on the Civil War in a way that is appropriate for younger students. This book would be great for grades 2nd through the 4th grade. I would use this book in my classroom as a way to introduce the Civil War. It would be a great way to get the conversation about the war started and ask students what they know about the war. Also, I could use the book to teach about Clara Barton and the major impact she had not just in the war, but in America. Then, I would have the students research a historical figure like Clara Barton and give a short presentation on what they learned.

Comments

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