Finishing Level 4 (Eighth Grade) History: Afghanistan and September 11th

The Mater Amabilis™ lesson plans for History in Level 4 (eighth grade) include Afghanistan (Witness to History) by David Downing for the last two weeks of the six week study of Asia. My library did not have that book, but it did have Afghanistan (Global Hot Spots) by David Downing. That's the one I assigned First Son. You can see the original plans in this post.

As I read through the book in preparation for our week, I decided it was a much quicker read than I had really appreciated. It's succinct more than cursory with plenty of detailed information and background and photographs on each page. It was a good introduction to the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and, most pertinent for us, America's role in that conflict. In the end, I decided to assign it to be read in just two days, in order to make room for some other materials.

First of all, I decided it was time to address 9/11 with First Son. My children know very little of this tragedy because I happened to be living in New York City and working just a block south of the World Trade towers when the attacks occurred. It was a devastating and terrifying time, but eventually they need to know what happened that day and that I was as close to it as I was. (Lest you think more of me than is true; I happened to be on a train to Baltimore that morning, a train I almost missed but didn't. I was stuck in Maryland most of the day and only made it back to New York around midnight, but I was always safe. And everyone from my office was safe.)

After reading the book from the Snapshots in History series on the Korean War, I noticed our library has the one on the terrorist attacks that day: September 11: Attack on America by Andrew Langley. I made myself read it.

Langley clearly explains the events of the day, the movements of the terrorists and the airplanes. He explains the rise of fundamentalism in some Muslims and how the conflict in Afghanistan was directly linked to the rise of terrorism against the Western world and specifically America. Though written before Osama bin Laden was found, he describes the retaliation of America and how some countries viewed them as well as the hunt for the primary terrorist. He also includes a chapter on how America was changed by September 11th.

The book clearly distinguishes between Muslim terrorist and fringe groups and mainstream Muslims. It also admits when America's actions were seen as threatening or otherwise damaged our relationship with other countries.

The missile strikes [in Sudan and northeast Afghanistan in August 1998] were intended to reassure Americans and send a stark warning to the terrorists. However, for many Muslims they had the opposite effect, turning Osama bin Laden into an Islamic fundamentalist hero who had stood up to the United States. Few Muslims had heard of him before, but now many saw him as a major figure. What is more, the strikes convinced many people that the U.S. government really was hostile to Islam.

Langley never condones the terrorists' actions, but he does leave open the possibility that the actions of the U.S. before and after the attacks may not have been right (either morally or perhaps in light of international relations). For example, he mentions the prison camp of Guantanamo.

As the base was not located on U.S. soil, it was unclear whether prisoners there had legal rights under the U.S. Constitution. They could be kept there indefinitely without a trial. The conditions at Guantanamo Bay soon drew protests from humanitarian groups all over the world.

I feel like the book attempts to remain relatively neutral, to allow the reader to draw his or her own conclusions, but it's a difficult balance.

Overall, I thought this an excellent book for extending our Afghanistan study.

The last book First Son read is The Arrival by Shaun Tan. This is a wordless graphic novel showing a husband and father leaving his wife and daughter behind in a dangerous world to seek a new home for them. This new land is nothing like any culture we know and is as startling and disorienting for the reader as for the immigrant. Gradually, he learns to navigate the new world and is able bring his family to safety. The end of the book connects beautifully with another new beginning.

I don't intend to ask for a narration of the book or to explicitly connect it to any of our studies, but I wanted to end with something more hopeful and uplifting than the earlier books in this six-week study. First Son may consider immigrants from war-torn lands more compassionately because of it or he might just appreciate its quality for its own sake.

Our updated plans for the two week study of Afghanistan, at the end of our six-week study of twentieth century history in Asia (original plans here):

Week 5: Afghanistan (week 1 of 2)
Lesson 1
Afghanistan (Global Hot Spots) by David Downing p 4-17 – Narrate.
Notebook – Sketch a copy of the map on p 6.

Lesson 2
Afghanistan p 18-29 – Narrate.

Add an event to your Book of Centuries.

Lesson 3
September 11: Attack on America by Andrew Langley pp 8-51 – Written narration.
Watch President George W. Bush's speech on 9/11.


Week 6: Afghanistan (week 2 of 2)
Lesson 1
September 11: Attack on America pp 52-85 – Written narration.

Read about Osama bin Laden and watch President Barak Obama's speech at the end.

Add an event to your Book of Centuries.

Lesson 2
Read The Arrival by Shaun Tan.

Lesson 3
(nothing assigned)

I checked all of these books out from our library. Links to Amazon above are affiliate links. I received nothing in exchange for this post and all opinions are my own.

Our Level 4 (8th Grade) Six Week Study on Asia

Mater Amabilis™ gives some lesson plans for History in Level 4 (8th grade) in which a student studies national history for twelve weeks followed by four six-week terms chosen from six options.

Here's how that's going to look for First Son:

• Term 1 - Mater Amabilis™ study, modified only a little to add in a few Kansas-related books. I've posted those plans in the Mater Amabilis™ facebook group for those that are interested.
• Term 2
• Six weeks on World War I
• Six weeks on World War II
• Term 3
• Six weeks on Russia and the Collapse of Communism, plans posted in the Mater Amabilis™ facebook group
• Six weeks on Asia - plans below

Everyone's budget hits a limit and I decided not to invest quite as heavily in this six weeks as others. Because the study is spread over a few "units" focused on different ares, I decided to find library substitutes for the Mater Amabilis™ recommended books. I have no reason to believe these are better; they were just available.

As with the other history plans I wrote for the year, there's a good chance I've scheduled more than my rising eighth grader will be comfortable doing in the time suggested for history.

Mater Amabilis™ says history at this level should take about 45 minutes each day three times a week. In addition, a supplemental reading book should be chosen from the recommended books. I'm still deciding on our supplemental reading books.

Our Main Resources

• Kingfisher HistoryEncyclopedia, as recommended in the Mater Amabilis™ plans (I bought this used from a mom in my local homeschool group.)
• Mahatma Gandhi by Michael Nicholson (from our library)
• The Korean War (Snapshots in History) by Brian Fitzgerald (from our library)
• 10,000 Days of Thunder by Philip Caputo (from our library)
• Afghanistan (Global Hot Spots) by David Downing (from our library)
• I printed to PDF the articles linked in the plans and placed them in a binder before the term began.
• Movies or audio files I linked in a Google doc I shared with my son.

Optional Resources

• MapTrek Modern World (previously owned)
• Gandhi, the Ben Kingsley production (good for middle school and up, available at our library)
• A Statement Against the War in Vietnam by Wendell Berry, p 64-75 in The Long-Legged House (from our library)
• The Arrival by Shaun Tan (from our library)

Week 1: India

Lesson 1

Kingfisher History Encyclopedia p 366-367, 421, 424 – Narrate. (Southeast Asia 1800-1913, Indian Independence 1945-1947, British Commonwealth 1914-1949)

Mahatma Gandhi  p 5-17 (stop before The first struggles) - Narrate.

Gandhi DVD – watch a little of these in the evenings each day this week, after the younger children are in bed.

Lesson 2

Mahatma Gandhi p 17-42 - Narrate.

Lesson 3

Mahatma Gandhi p 43-60 – Narrate.

MapTrek Modern World Map 37: Independence for India

Read an eyewitness account of the assassination of Gandhi in1948 at Eyewitness to History

Listen to Jawaharlal Nehru’s extempore broadcast on All India Radio announcing the news of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination on January 30, 1948 and read the text of the speech he gave three days later, found in your Google Doc.

Notebook – Write a brief biography of Gandhi.

Add an event to your Book of Centuries.

Week 2: Korea

Lesson 1

MapTrek Modern World Map 41: The Korean War

Kingfisher History Encyclopedia p 444-445 – Narrate. (Wars in Asia 1950-1988)

The Korean War p 8-37 - Narrate.

Lesson 2

The Korean War p 38-69 - Narrate.

Lesson 3

The Korean War p 70-85

Notebook – Briefly share what you know about the Korean War.

Add an event to your Book of Centuries.

Week 3: Vietnam (week 1 of 2)

Lesson 1

MapTrek Modern World Map 42: The Vietnam War – review this map in your binder from earlier this year

10,000 Days of Thunder p 6-30 - Narrate.

Lesson 2

10,000 Days p 31-59 – Narrate.

Lesson 3

10,000 Days p 60-85 – Narrate.

Add an event to your Book of Centuries.

Week 4: Vietnam (week 2 of 2)

Lesson 1

10,000 Days p 86-87.

A Statement Against the War in Vietnam by Wendell Berry, pp 64-75 in The Long-Legged House

Notebook – Write a position paper on the war in Vietnam.

Lesson 2

10,000 Days p 88-111 – Narrate.

Lesson 3

10,000 Days p 112-119 – Narrate.

Notebook – Briefly share what you know about the Vietnam War.

Add an event to your Book of Centuries.

Week 5: Afghanistan (week 1 of 2)

Lesson 1

Afghanistan (Global Hot Spots) by David Downing p 4-7 – Narrate.

Notebook – Sketch a copy of the map on p 6.

Lesson 2

Afghanistan p 8-13 – Narrate.

Lesson 3

Afghanistan p 14-19 – Narrate.

Add an event to your Book of Centuries.

Week 6: Afghanistan (week 2 of 2)

Lesson 1

Afghanistan p 20-25 – Narrate.

Lesson 2

Afghanistan p 26-29 – Narrate.

Notebook – What have you learned about Afghanistan in the past few weeks?

Lesson 3

Read The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Notebook – Write a prayer for immigrants and refugees.

Add an event to your Book of Centuries.

There's enough flexibility in this schedule due to the shorter books, that readings could be combined to make the unit shorter than six weeks. That would allow days earlier in the year for exams in previous units and in this one as well. Personally, I've tried to make a kind of "final" notebook entry for each unit to serve as our exam.

May and June 2017 Book Reports

Richard Halliburton's Complete Book of Marvels: The Orient by Richard Halliburton - link to my post (purchased used copy)

The Breadwinner: An Afghan Child in a War Torn Land by Deborah Ellis is recommended as a possible fiction supplement to a short study of Afghanistan in the Mater Amabilis™™Level 4 history lesson plans. First Son will be using those plans next year for eighth grade, though I haven't decided whether we'll have time to include Afghanistan. It's the story of a young girl who ends up dressing as a boy in Taliban-controlled Kabul to earn money for her family after her father is arrested. Through the course of the story, the reader learns about the changes in Kabul from the wars and the occupation by the Taliban. There are a few graphic descriptions of things like soldiers cutting off the hands of accused thieves, people shot in the streets, and bodies left to be eaten by dogs, but they are not unnecessarily gory or excessively described. (library copy)

Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan is another Mater Amabilis™™Level 4 history supplement book. A young girl in India is married to a sickly boy who dies, leaving her a widow with a mother-in-law who resents her. With the assistance of others, she gradually learns to support herself and begins a new life. This is a sweet story that reveals much about Indian life and culture. When Koly is abandoned by her mother-in-law, she sees poverty and callousness as people live and starve in the streets, but not in a way I'd refuse to share with my 10 year old (though it's the 8th grader that might be reading the book). I did think it odd that Koly didn't consider supporting herself with her exquisite embroidery earlier in the novel, especially because her mother earned extra money that way herself. (library copy)

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo, another Mater Amabilis™™Level 4 history supplemental novel, shows some of the horrors of World War I from the point of view of a remarkable horse. It begs a little in believability if in no other way than that the horse understands a variety of languages. It's a good way to tell the story, though, because while the injuries, deaths, and sufferings of the soldiers and people of Europe are depicted, most of the bloody action of the war is removed from the action. (requested from PaperBackSwap.com)

Lassie Come Home by Eric Knight is the original Lassie book. I read this aloud to the kids (13, 10, 8, 6) and they all adored it. Highly recommended as a read-aloud of adventure, devotion, and virtue. We also watched a few episodes of the Timmy show and the original movie, Lassie Come Home, which did a surprisingly good job of following the book. (book and movie were library copies)

Blessed Miguel Pro: 20th-Century Mexican Martyr by Ann Ball - link to my post (purchased from the publisher)

The King's Thane by Charles Brady, Beowulf by Michael Morpurgo, and Beowulf the Warrior by Ian Serraillier - link to my post (library copies of The King's Thane and Beowulf, Beowulf the Warrior purchased from the publisher)

Old Sam and the Horse Thieves by Don Alonzo Taylor is the sequel to Old Sam, Dakota Trotter, one of our favorite books. I finally bought a copy and read it as we began our summer. Old Sam continues to astound everyone except Johnny, right up to the end when he helps catch actual horse thieves. There is a shootout at the end of the book. Bodies are lying as if on a battlefield. The actual events are just described to the twelve-year-old narrator, though, so it wasn't too gruesome to read aloud. (purchased from the publisher)

Kingfishers Catch Fire by Rumer Godden - link to my post (purchased used on Amazon)

Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol - link to my post (purchased used on Amazon)

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame - I'd tried to read this book a few times to the children and never made it through it, but I kept seeing it as a book that should be read. So I finally got the audiobook which I've found to be a good option for books I have trouble reading aloud myself. Kansas Dad listened to this with us. We found it a rather odd book. I'm glad Toad learns his lesson, but it seems a shame he had to escape prison to do it. (We have a copy illustrated by Michael Hague from years and years ago and an unknown source, but we listened to this Audible audiobook.)

The Long-Legged House by Wendell Berry - link to my post (library copy)

The Book of Saints and Heroes by Andrew and Lenora Lang - link to my post (copy First Son received as a gift)


Books in Progress (and date started)

• Norton Anthology of English Literature Vol. 2 (sixth edition) (August 2014)
• Prayer and the Will of God by Dom Hubert van Zeller (March 2017)
• Joan of Arc by Mark Twain (April 2017, with my book club)
• A Century of Sonnets edited by Feldman and Robinson (May 2017)
• Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery (June 2017)
• A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf (June 2017)
• The Good Master by Kate Seredy (June 2017)

The italic print: Links to Amazon are affiliate links. As an affiliate with Amazon, I receive a small commission if you follow one of my links, add something to your cart, and complete the purchase (in that order). Try Audible - another affiliate link.

Links to RC History and PaperBackSwap.com are affiliate links. Other links (like those to Bethlehem Books) are not affiliate links.

These reports are my honest opinions.

May 2014 Book Reports

Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson is a book I never read when I was younger. It's a compelling look at sibling rivalry between twin girls, one of which seems to be more favored by everyone, written from the point of view of the other. The resolution seemed inadequate when I first read it, partly perhaps because I read the last two-thirds of the book very quickly. I think it's also the kind of book that benefits from thinking about it for a while after reading it. (library copy)

Conquest: Book 1, The Chronicles of the Invaders by John Connolly and Jennifer Ridyard is the first of a planned trilogy in which a superior (but not vastly superior) race of aliens, one startlingly like humans, conquers Earth and tries to subdue it, so far unsuccessfully. A young Illyri, Syl, becomes embroiled in the politics of her race and the battle for freedom by the humans. Written for young adults, the book contains hints of plenty of classic and cult science fiction like Battlestar Galactica, Dune, and even Stargate. So far, it's pretty enjoyable and I'm looking forward to reading more. (library copy)

Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling is the story of a lazy obnoxious rich boy who topples over the side of his fancy steamship and is picked up by a fishing dory. He spends the season cod fishing until the boat is full and they can head back to land, learning much about how to be a man and the value of work. It's a good book, but even I found the language difficult to follow at times, so I'm not going to assign it to First Son just yet. I think I'll just leave it on the shelf. The copy I have is an old one with lots of illustrations, notes, and definitions on the sides of the pages, so it's a good one, but I couldn't find the edition on Amazon. (purchased discarded library copy)

Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil by Deborah Rodriguez (with Kristin Ohlson) is a memoir of an American woman who volunteers in Afghanistan and then returns later to start a beauty school. Some of the language was a little crass for me, which is more intrusive when listening to the audio version rather than reading it. My main problem with it was that, despite the author's insistence that she loved the Afghani women, she was constantly condescending to them and, in particular, to their beliefs. Obviously, things like stoning are unacceptable, but short of that, I think she could have been more understanding. She also marries a man she barely knows with whom she cannot even talk because they speak different languages. (She apparently does not make an effort to learn any languages herself.) Finally, at the end it seemed like one woman's horrible story after another and was overwhelming rather than uplifting. (playaway from the library)

Anna Hibiscus and Hooray for Anna Hibiscus! by Atinuke are easy reader books about a young girl who lives in Africa (Amazing Africa) with her parents, twin brothers, grandparents, aunties, uncles, and cousins. She is rich and greatly loved and their family is sweet and wonderful. The poverty of the city outside their compound is in the first book a little and the main subject of the last chapter of the latter book. These are great books about Africa because they show some of the contrast in many large African cities today - wealth and poverty, technology like cell phones and texting but inconsistent electricity. Her whole family works to make Africa, and the world, a better place, including little Anna who must do so by going to school. These books are a bit too easy for First Daughter, but I think I'll put them on her list for next year when First Son is also reading books set in Africa. There are a bunch of Anna Hibiscus books, but these are the only two our library has. (library copies)

Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat is the hilarious book of the misadventures of Billy and his two owls, Wol and Weeps. There's a tremendous amount of descriptions of the wildlife and prairies of Saskatchewan as well. I was considering it for First Son to read next year, but think instead I'll offer it as possible summer reading. It's enjoyable enough for summer! (library copy)

Darkness Be My Friend (The Tomorrow Series #4) by John Marsden was reviewed for another website. As I said last month, I'm reviewing the series but it's not really worth your time. (audio CD from the library)

The Giver, Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son by Lois Lowry (library copies)

A Gift from Childhood: Memories of an African Boyhood by Baba Wague Diakite is written by an artist from Mali who now splits his time between Mali and the United States. His book gives a wonderful glimpse into live in a village in Mali with his grandparents and then a large city where he lives with his mother. At the end of the book, he is a grown man who marries a woman from Kansas (including a favorable description of her hometown and family). First Son will be reading this next year for his African studies. This is not a Christian book and the references to African beliefs, but nothing that would preclude me from sharing this with my son. (library copy)

Waiting for the Apocalypse: A Memoir of Faith and Family by Veronica Chater is the fascinating and heart-breaking memoir of a family uprooted by their parents' refusal to accept Vatican II. I have been thinking about it deeply since I read it, trying to discern what (if anything) I should draw from it. I think most of all, it was a reminder to me to love my children unconditionally, even when they make mistakes. I think, too, it speaks to a balance between sacrifices for the sake of our faith and needlessly endangering our families. (library copy)

Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan is the story of a young girl orphaned by influenza in 1918 after living her entire life in Africa with her missionary parents. After a journey to England, she perseveres in following her dream and her heart back to the land she loves. This could be a good book for the fifth grade MA study of Africa, especially for girls. (library copy)

Tankborn (Tankborn Trilogy) by Karen Sandler is the first in a series for young adults set far into the future on another planet. It the context of GENs (genetically modified creatures), it explores what it means to be human, caste systems, racism, and how to do right in the face of great wrongs. The last chapter is the weakest, but it could be an interesting series. I am reviewing this series for another website. (library copy)

Blue Sea Burning (The Chronicles of Egg) by Geoff Rodkey is the third and final book in the Chronicles of Egg series, one of my favorite middle grade series, though I would recommend it for older students in that range due to some romantic interests by the main characters in addition to some pretty violent actions. It was an exciting and satisfying end to the series, though, especially since it leaves room for the characters to continue to grow. (library copy)

Homeschooling with Gentleness by Suzie Andres (inter-library loan)

Clementine's Letter by Sara Pennypacker, pictures by Marla Frazee (library copy)

Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology by Eric Brende (library copy) 

A Little Maid of Old Philadelphia by Alice Turner Curtis is a sweet little book set in the time of the Revolutionary War. I think First Daughter will love reading this with our American history studies next year in second grade. It's part of a series and, if she likes, I'll let her read the rest without pre-reading them myself. (free Kindle book)

The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie by Wendy McClure is a meandering book of the author's fascination with the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I thought it would be interesting as we've been listening to the books again ourselves. While it does give some information about what life was really like for Laura, it's more a book about the people who become obsessed with the stories. I listened to the audio book and quickly tired of the performer's rendition of the people in Kansas and Missouri; I found it quite demeaning. I was also frustrated at the condescending attitude toward those who might want to learn how to make something from scratch or be self-sufficient for their own sakes, while the author could do those things just because she read them in the book. She equates everyone who wants to make their own butter, for example, with those who anticipate the end of civilization as we know it. I'm sure there are some crazy people out there and the author probably met a lot of them, but I was pretty offended by her attitude by the end of the book. (playaway from the library)

Love in a Time of Homeschooling: A Mother and Daughter's Uncommon Year by Laura Brodie (library copy)

Books in Progress (and date started)

• Open Mind, Faithful Heart by Pope Francis (January 2014) 
• The Education Of Catholic Girls by Janet Erskine Stuart (February 2014)
• Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift (February 2014)
• The Idea of a University by John Henry Cardinal Newman (February 2014)
• A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller (April 2014)
• Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton (May 2014)
• Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe (May 2014)

May 2012 Book Reports

Edmund Campion: Hero of God's Underground by Harold Gardiner - This book shows the English Reformation very much in black and white. The bad guys are truly bad and the good guys are wonderfully good. I don't know how historically accurate that is, knowing almost nothing about the English Reformation, but I plan to read a few actual histories to get a feel for that. I think this could be a good book to read aloud to First Son next year as a supplement to our history studies, but I'll certainly read it when the girls are busy with something else because the descriptions of tortures and the martyrs' deaths are rather disturbing. (purchased used copy)

Inferno by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle  - This was the last book for my science fiction and theology class. In it, a science fiction author dies ignominiously and finds himself being lead through Dante's Hell (updated for contemporary sins and full of real and imaginary characters). It's been more than fifteen years since I read Dante's Inferno, but the authors do a good job of presenting it here so you don't have to remember it or know it to enjoy this novel. It's a bit impertinent, but I think is an engaging book to read concerning the problem of sin and eternal damnation. (purchased new by Kansas Dad)

The Gammage Cup: A Novel of the Minnipins by Carol Kendall - In this book, the Minnipins have become complacent, following leaders who have forgotten the dangers of the past. A few brave Minnipins are voluntary outlaws from a village that has become inhospitable to those who dare to wear different clothes or study history. They are the first to discover a great danger to their village and risk their own lives to warn their people and defend them. The more I think about this book, the more I like it. I will definitely encourage First Son to read it. (library copy)

Saint Gianna Beretta Molla: The Gift of Life by Susan Helen Wallace, FSP with Patricia Edward Jablonski, FSP (a review for The Catholic Company)

Into the Unknown: How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air by Stewart Ross and illustrated by Stephen Biesty (library copy)

Zoya's Story: An Afghan Woman's Struggle for Freedom by Zoya with John Follain and Rita Cristofari - I picked up this book at a library sale and decided to read it when the reviews looked good. It was a startling memoir of life in Afghanistan during the Russian occupation through September 11th and the immediate aftermath. Zoya's voice is clear in the novel, young and blunt. I was particularly disturbed because she is nearly my age; I would often compare our lives at different times during the book. I'm not sure how to best help the women of Afghanistan. (RAWA, Zoya's organization supports the use of contraception.) Certainly prayer is a good place to start. (purchased used copy)

The Whisper of Glocken: A Novel of the Minnipins by Carol Kendall is a sequel to The Gammage Cup (above) and I think I liked it even better than the first one. In this book five New Heroes set out to seek the reason for the overflow of the river which flooded two of their villages. They are average Minnipins without even a strong bond between them, but set out nonetheless. (library copy, and shockingly, they had to pull it from the storage shelves which don't even have bar codes; this book deserves to be read more!)

Like the true chime of the golden Whisper which cut through mountains, it came to him--the truth about heroes. You can't see a hero because heroes are born in the heart and mind. A hero stands fast when the urge is to run, and runs when he would rather take root. A hero doesn't give up, even when all is lost.

The Saints Pray for Us edited by Christina Miriam Wegendt, FSP (a review for The Catholic Company)

The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins (first book Kindle edition, from the Kindle Owners' Lending Library, second and third books purchased for the Kindle)

Adulthood Rites and Imago by Octavia E. Butler are the second and third books of the Xenogenesis series. I read the first book as part of the science fiction and theology class. These continued the story of Lilith's children on a changed Earth. I wanted to read the end of the series, but I can't say it was entirely satisfactory. The whole concept is bizarre and disturbing. (desk copy of Lilith's Brood)

The Perilous Road by William O. Steele is a book I was considering for our homeschool lessons next year when we'll be studying the Civil War. Chris is a young boy who struggles with an extreme hatred of the Yankees even when his own brother joins them. In the end, he realizes that Yankees are just men, some of them kind and lonely, and that war is a terrible thing. It includes a violent scene of a Civil War attack and its aftermath. I found Chris's hatred overdone, but I think this could be a fine book for a child to read to themselves. I will not be reading it aloud with my young girls. I think First Son could read it next year in third grade but I haven't decided if I'll ask him to do so. (library copy)