Fourth grade students reading Number the Stars, Lily's Crossing and Riding Freedom had their last book club discussions this past week. Fourth graders have been immersed in studying the structure of historical fiction, deepening their understanding of how a specific time in history can enable individuals to grow as they face challenges. As students walk in the shoes of characters from a different time in history, they are able to build empathy and gain insight into the personality and actions of the characters from their book.
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry and Lily's Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff take place during World War II. Number the Stars takes place in Denmark during the Nazi occupation. We see ten-year-old Anne Marie and her family help her Jewish friend Ellen and her family escape Denmark to Sweden. Readers learn how the population of Denmark joined together in a Resistance movement to enable their Jewish residents to escape harm during this time period.
Lily's Crossing takes place in New York. In this book Lily's father is sent to Europe during World War II to help as an engineer, and Lily is alone with her grandmother at their seaside summer home in Far Rockaway. Lily's best summer friend Margaret and her family need to move in order for her father to help the war effort. Lily is lonely until she meets Albert, a ten year old refugee from Hungary. As their friendship develops we find out why Albert is so determined to find a way to go to France and rescue his sister. Lily knows his plan is dangerous but doesn't want to tell him the truth. Both Albert and Lily discover the true meaning of friendship and the bonds of family as this story unfolds.
Riding Freedom by Pam Munoz Ryan is the fictionalized biography of Charlotte Parkhurst. Charlotte, known as Charley, is the only girl raised in an orphanage after the death of her parents. The woman who runs the kitchen wants Charlotte to stay at the orphanage in order to work for her and prevents her from being adopted. Vern, a former slave in charge of the stable at the orphanage, befriends Charlotte and teaches her to take care of and ride horses. After her only friend is adopted, she ends up running from the orphanage disguised as a boy with the help of Vern, and pursues her dream of being a stage coach driver, owner of a ranch and the first woman to vote- even though living in the 1800's in the West, she has continued to live her life as a man. The theme of friendship, loyalty, facing challenges and bravery is found in all three of these books.
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