The Secret Trial of Robert E. Lee

The Secret Trial of Robert E. Lee

Written by: Thomas Fleming

"The year was 1865. The Civil War is over and the South lies in ruins. But for some, the former slaveholders have not been punished enough. A cabal of powerful men, led by Charles A. Dana, the Assistant Secretary of War, plot to break the spirit of the South once and for all—by convicting General Robert E. Lee of treason and hanging him like a common criminal."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.uta.edu/english/tim/civilwar/2006flesec.html
http://thomasflemingwriter.com/

On My Journey Now: Looking at African-American History Through the Spirituals

On My Journey Now: Looking at African-American History Through the Spirituals

Written by: Nikki Giovanni

"The songs written and first sung by African-American slaves were inspired by a host of human needs: to express emotion, to call God, to remain heartened under oppression, and, perhaps most importantly, to communicate covertly, often about the Underground Railroad. Giovanni brings these motives home in this short, impressionistic look at the lives of the slaves, beginning with their holding in places such as Cape Coast Castle and Goree Island, through the end of the Civil War, when members of divided families desperately attempted to track one another down. Giovanni is a poet, and the book has cadence; in tone, it almost reads like the transcript of a speech or sermon, as the author is generous with her own opinions and often refers to herself within the text."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://nikki-giovanni.com/
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/nikki-giovanni

The Brothers' War: Civil War Voices in Verse

The Brothers' War: Civil War Voices in Verse

Written by: J. Patrick Lewis

"The wonderful wordplay of J. Patrick Lewis breathes new life into the speeches of Lincoln, the letters of Grant and Lee, and the moving human drama of our country's Civil War. Lewis' poignant poetry gives young readers a vivid insight into the brutal conflict that tore America apart. The author draws on primary-source books and articles to inspire each poem, bringing the ordinary and extraordinary voices of the Civil War to light. The book also includes a note from the Photo Editor on the authentic period images used throughout. Readers experience history directly as it was lived by Americans in the 1860s."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.googlelittrips.com/GoogleLit/6-8/Entries/2009/3/13_The_Brothers_War__Civil_War_Voices_in_Verse_by_Patrick_J._Lewis.html
http://www.jpatricklewis.com/

Fields of Fury: The American Civil War

Fields of Fury: The American Civil War

Written by: James McPherson

"Pulitzer Prize award-winning historian James M. McPherson has written for young readers a stirring account of the greatest conflict to happen on our nation's soil, the Civil War, bringing to life the tragic struggle that divided not only a nation, but also friends and family. From the initial Confederate attack on Fort Sumter, to the devastating loss of life at Shiloh as Ulysses S. Grant led the Union to unexpected victory, to the brilliance of Stonewall Jackson's campaign at Shenandoah, to General Pickett's famous charge at Gettysburg, to the Union's triumph at Appomattox Court House, Fields of Fury details the war that helped shape us as a nation.

Also included are personal anecdotes from the soldiers at the battlefront and the civilians at home, as well as profiles of historical luminaries such as Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and Ulysses S. Grant. McPherson also explores the varied roles that women played during the war, healthcare on the battlefield, and the demise of slavery."

Product Description

Online Resources:
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/civwar.html

Scholastic Encyclopedia of the Civil War

Scholastic Encyclopedia of the Civil War

Written by: Catherine Clinton

"This year-by-year account of the nations bloodiest conflict makes history come alive through eyewitness accounts, profiles of people famous and ordinary, period art, and point-of-view sidebars that highlight the differences between North and South."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.civilwar.com/

http://www.teacheroz.com/Civil_War_Causes.htm

No Man's Land: A Young Soldier's Story

No Man's Land: A Young Soldier's Story

Written by: Susan Campbell Bartoletti

"Fourteen-year-old Thrasher Magee is too young to enlist in the Confederate army, but he has his own reasons for wanting to fight in the war. All his life, Thrasher's father has made him feel weak and cowardly. Now Thrasher has a chance to become a hero-and to prove he has what it takes to be a man. But when Thrasher leaves Georgia for Virginia and embarks on his journey, his courage and strength are tested in ways he never intended."

Product Description

Online Resources:
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=1032_type=Book_typeId=3948

Gabriel's Horses

Gabriel's Horses

Written by: Alison Hart

Easy Readability

"On a Kentucky plantation during the Civil War, slave Gabriel Alexander, 12, cares for his master's thoroughbred racehorses and dreams of being a great jockey, just like his dad. After Pa enlists with the Yankees, the boy also yearns to be a soldier and fight for freedom. At the core of this stirring historical novel is the question of what freedom means. Runaway slaves and freemen join the Yankee army only to dig ditches and collect firewood for white soldiers. The boy's first-person, present-tense narrative brings close the thrilling horse racing––on the plantation, at the race course, and in the war––and the African American history in all its complexity."

Booklist Review

Awards:
Texas Bluebonnet Nominee, 2008-2009

Web Resources:
http://suzyred.com/2008gabrielshorses.html

5,000 Miles to Freedom: Ellen and William Craft's Flight from Slavery

5,000 Miles to Freedom: Ellen and William Craft's Flight from Slavery

Written by: Dennis and Judith Fradin

"Both exciting escape adventure and gripping history, this account of a husband and wife on the run from slavery traces their journey to freedom in the U.S and across the world. Ellen is a light-skinned African American, daughter of the master who raped her mother. Disguised as a wealthy Southern gentleman, she escapes with her husband, William, disguised as her slave, and they travel by train and steamboat to freedom in Boston. When their astonishing story makes the fugitive couple famous, slave catchers come after them, so the Crafts leave for England, where they continue their abolitionist work, until their return home after the Civil War. The Fradins, whose many fine histories include Ida B. Wells (2000), draw heavily on the Crafts' personal accounts to add depth and drama to the carefully documented narrative. The handsome design includes lots of photos, archival artwork, letters, and newspaper accounts."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/wpa/wpahome.html

The River Between Us

The River Between Us

Written by: Richard Peck

"Richard Peck is a master of stories about people in transition, but perhaps never before has he told a tale of such dramatic change as this one, set during the first year of the Civil War. The whole country is changing in 1861-even the folks from a muddy little Illinois settlement on the banks of the Mississippi. Here, fifteen-year-old Tilly Pruitt frets over the fact that her brother is dreaming of being a soldier and that her sister is prone to supernatural visions. A boy named Curry could possibly become a distraction.

Then a steamboat whistle splits the air. The Rob Roy from New Orleans docks at the landing, and off the boat step two remarkable figures: a vibrant, commanding young lady in a rustling hoop skirt and a darker, silent woman in a plain cloak, with a bandanna wrapped around her head. Who are these two fascinating strangers? And is the darker woman a slave, standing now on the free soil of Illinois? When Tilly's mother invites the women to board at her house, the whole world shifts for the Pruitts and for their visitors as well.

Within a page-turning tale of mystery, adventure, and the civilian Civil War experience, Richard Peck has spun a breathtaking portrait of the lifelong impact that one person can have on another. This is a novel of countless riches."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=10911_type=Book_typeId=4695
http://www.learningthroughlistening.org/Classroom-Teaching-Tools/Lesson-Plans/View-Lesson-Plans/463/lessonId__250/

Civil War Texas: A History and a Guide

Civil War Texas: A History and a Guide

Written by: Ralph A. Wooster

Advanced Readers

"Written by one of the deans of Texas history, Civil War Texas provides an authoritative, comprehensive description of Texas during the Civil War as well as a guide for those who wish to visit sites in Texas associated with the war. In one compact volume, the reader or tourist is led on an exciting historical journey through Civil War Texas."

TSHA Online

Online Resources:
http://www.teacheroz.com/Texas_History.htm
http://www.civilwar.com/

The American Civil War in Texas

The American Civil War in Texas

Written by: Johanna Burke

Easy Readability

"With concise and accurate information, these books are good for beginning Texana researchers. Civil War discusses the state's involvement in the war, the Battle of Galveston and the Battle of Sabine Pass, as well as influential leaders. The Alamo follows the chronological events leading up to the battle, but the book's main focus is the leaders. Biographical information on Houston, Bowie, Crockett, and Travis is provided. Missions tells why the Franciscans built missions in Texas from the first one in 1632 to their demise in the early 1800s. The failure to convert the Native Americans led Spain to abandon the concept.

Native Americans covers tribes by area. A few noteworthy leaders such as Geronimo and Quanah Parker are given tribute. Appearance, clothing, food, and shelter are briefly outlined. Large historical and modern photos, illustrations, and maps, most in full color, appear on every page. Captions are detailed and include additional tidbits. Attractive and useful for Texas libraries."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/exhibits/civilwar/index.html

Texas Civil War Artifacts: A Photographic Guide to the Physical Culture of Texas Civil War Soldiers

Texas Civil War Artifacts: A Photographic Guide to the Physical Culture of Texas Civil War Soldiers

Written by: Richard Mather Ahlstrom

Advanced Readers

"In this groundbreaking volume, Richard Mather Ahlstrom has photographed and described more than five hundred Texas-related artifacts. He shows the diverse use of the Lone Star on hat pins, waist-belt plates, buckles, horse equipment, side knives, buttons, and canteens. In addition, the weapons that Texans used in the Civil War are featured in chapters on the Tucker Sherrard and Colt pistols; shotguns, rifles, and muskets; and swords. Rounding out the volume are chapters on leather accouterments, uniforms and headgear, and a gallery of Texas soldiers in photographs.

This book will prove to be a valuable reference guide for Civil War collectors, historians, museum curators, re-enactors, and federal and state agencies."

Product Description

Online Resources:
http://www.texascivilwarmuseum.com/
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/CC/qdc2.html

Muddy Banks

Muddy Banks

Written by: Rudy Tolliveer
Illustrated by: Walle Conoly

"The legendary Battle of Sabine Pass, Texas, in September 1863 is the basis for this novel. A 12-year-old slave named Boy jumps off a passing ship, determined to be free. Injured, he is taken in by a transplanted Yankee widow, Bethel Banks, who purchases him and renames him Muddy Boy Banks. Unknown to Muddy, she intends to free him; for his part, Muddy is resentful of his captivity, and yearns to be free like his new Cajun friend, Jo Bear. When the Yankees attack Sabine City, Muddy is confused; he wants the Yanks to win so his people will be free; yet he has grown fond of Mrs. Banks and his new white friends. Tolliver has written a terrific tale, from the humor of Muddy and Jo Bear baking bread to the pathos of Muddy's situation. Her characters spring to life: Muddy's resentment of his slavery and his confused loyalties are well portrayed, yet in terms easy enough for young readers to understand and sympathize with."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/SS/qes2.html
http://www.civilwaralbum.com/misc2/sabinepass04_1.htm