Lauren Bell & Caitlin McFalls

Literature List

Asim, J. (2000). The road to freedom. Lincolnwood, IL: Jamestown.

Type of book: historical fiction

Age group/grade level: ages 10 and up (4th grade)

This text is set in the year 1865 and tells a story of a ten-year-old named Ezra Taplin. He

lived on a North Carolina plantation where he and his father were freed by Union soldiers. They

then had to figure out how to live with their new freedom.

This text could be used in the unit for several different purposes. Teachers could have

students read the book and complete a journal entry on how they would feel if they were in the

main characters position. This would allow students to make connections between their lives

and the ones of children during Reconstruction. Teachers could also use this book to have

students create a graphic organizer comparing lives of Americans before and after the Civil War.

Students will be able to see differences in how Americans lived back then versus how they live

now.

Cimbala, P. A. (1999). The Freedmens Bureau and Reconstruction. New York: Fordham

University Press.

Type of book: informational, nonfiction

Age group/grade level: 4th and 5th grade

The book analyzes the Freedmens Bureau at state and local laws. The author discusses

the diversity of conditions and the personalities of the Bureau's agents state by state. The book

also offers insight on the Southern planters and the former slaves and how these groups dealt

with the changes going on during the Reconstruction Era.

 Lauren Bell & Caitlin McFalls

Teachers can use this book as a tool to introduce Freedmens Bureau laws. This book

talks about both Freedmens Bureau laws at state and local levels. This provides a great

opportunity for students to compare the two. They will gain a better understanding on how the

laws affected American lives. Students can use a t-chart to write information about these laws.

Cutler, J. (2014). Susan Marcus bends the rules. New York: Holiday House.

Type of book: historical nonfiction

Age group/grade level: ages 8 to 12 (3rd through 7th grade)

In this book, it tells a story of a girl named Susan Marcus who lives in Clayton, Missouri.

She notices prejudice against blacks is still happening due to Jim Crow laws. She decides to fight

for these people and tries to bend the rules a bit but not break them.

This text could be used to show students what life was like for Americans living under

Jim Crow laws. Students could each choose a character in the book. Then, they could do a

readers theater and read the book aloud to the class. This would be a great opportunity for

students to practice reading aloud to the class. It would also help students to connect with the

characters of the story as well as put themselves in this time.

Foner, E. (2008). Reconstruction: Americas unfinished Revolution; 1863-1877. New York, NY:

Perennial Classics.

Type of book: informational, nonfiction

Age group/grade level: 4th through 6th grade

This text informs readers about how both blacks and whites alike responded to the end of

the Civil Wars and the changes that came after. The book also addresses how the former slaves
 Lauren Bell & Caitlin McFalls

quest for equality affected Reconstruction along with how the society in the South changed.

Many former slaves went to sharecropping, because some did not have any other options. The

book also mentions how race played a large role in this era, and how national state possessing

greatly expanded authority.

This text could be used to introduce students to the unit on Reconstruction and how it

affected the lives of Americans. The book would give students a basic overview of this period of

time. This will allow them to gain background knowledge on the subject. It is important for

students to gain background knowledge before going in depth on specific material. Introducing

students to this book first, will help them comprehend what they will learn later.

Grant, C. S. (2006). Janies freedom: African Americans in the aftermath of the Civil War.

Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour.

Type of book: historical fiction

Age group/grade level: 4th through 6th

The text is set in 1867 where the main character, eleven-year-old Janie finds herself in a

predicament. She must decide whether to stay on the plantation or go up North where it is

unfamiliar. Janie was separated from her parents and was raised by Aunty Mil who told her to go

up North. She heads this advice and heads up to Chicago in hopes of reconnecting with her

parents someday.

This text can be used to gain perspective of the lives of former slaves who decided to go

up North after the Civil War. Students can create a Venn diagram that goes along with this book.

They will be able to compare the lives of former slaves who decided to stay in the South and
 Lauren Bell & Caitlin McFalls

continue to work on plantation with the ones who decided to move up North for a better life and

more opportunities.

LaMotte, D., & Hales, J. (2012). White flour. Montreat, NC: Lower Dryad Music.

Type of book: historical fiction

Age group/grade level: 4th grade

This book can be used for any, so it is perfect for a fourth-grade class. It tells a story of

the Ku Klux Klan meeting their match with the Coup Clutz Clowns. The Coup Clutz Clowns

replace hatred with humor and take a lighter approach to nonviolent aggression. This book

teaches students the background and history of the Ku Klux Klan, but in a nonviolent and more

light-hearted way.

This book is a wonderful resource to use in the classroom because it teaches the hard-

hitting information without being violent and scary. Students could do an assignment where they

read the book first. Then, they could do a writing assignment on how they would have taken a

nonviolent or aggressive approach to the KKK. This not only help students to think about what

has happened in our history, but what they want to happen in our future history. Students can

also differentiate how protests are handled today versus how they were back then.

Maloof, T. (2017). Reconstruction: Freedom delayed. Huntington Beach, CA: Teacher Created

Materials.

Type of book: nonfiction

Age group/grade level: 4th through 6th grade

 Lauren Bell & Caitlin McFalls

This book informs readers of the process for equality following the Civil War. It also

talks about how many tried to fight injustices such as the Freedmens Bureau and Black Codes.

The book includes primary sources, pictures of authentic artifacts, and maps.

This text is a great source for students because they will build content knowledge across

subjects such as geography and history. Students can use the maps in the book as a resource to

connect the regions to where major events happened. It can also be used for different learning

styles as well as English language learners. The primary sources also allow students more insight

into life during this time in history.

Marsico, K. (2014). The Reconstruction Era. Vero Beach, FL: Rourke Educational Media.

Type of book: informational, nonfiction

Age group/grade level: 4th grade

This book is a basic overview of important vocabulary and major events that occurred

during the Reconstruction Era. It also contains photographs and maps from this time that help the

reader visualize what it was like to live in the years after the Civil War. There are also quotes

from famous people such as Reverend Alexander Crummell.

This book is a great resource for students to use to create a timeline of the Reconstruction

Era. Timelines help students understand the chronology of historic events. They can also connect

what they learned previously using timelines. If student are only offered bits and pieces of

history, then they dont develop a sense what happened in this era, and they dont connect

individual events to larger movements and themes.

McKissack, P., McKissack, F., & Ostendorf, E. (1991). Frederick Douglass: Leader against
 Lauren Bell & Caitlin McFalls

slavery. Hillside, NJ: Enslow , Inc.

Type of book: nonfiction

Age group/grade level: 2nd through 4th grade

This text informs the audience on the life of Fredrick Douglass and his impact on African

American community. The book begins by explaining his childhood and how he grew up on a

plantation. Later on in his life, he joined the abolitionists to fight for freedom. After Douglass

was freed in 1846, he continued to fight for equality for all.

This book is a great resource for students, because they can gain more insight on an

important historical figure during the Reconstruction Era. Using this text, students can bring the

words to life in many ways. They can act out the scene, illustrate or choreograph it, and write a

poem or song. Students will be more likely to retain information on Douglass through active

participation. This book can also be used as part of a research project on famous Reconstruction

figures.

Rhodes, J. P. (2014). Sugar. New York: Little, Brown.

Type of book: historical fiction

Age group/grade level: 4th and 5th grade

This is a book tells the tale of ten-year-old Sugar who lives on the River Road sugar

plantation along the banks of the Mississippi. Although slavery is over, she still works on a

plantation. She has a secret, forbidden friendship with the plantation owners son, Billy. When

Chinese workers are brought to help harvest cane, many other River Road folks feel threatened

by their arrival. Sugar then realizes she must be the one to bring the two cultures together.

This book is a great resource for students because it gives them a better understanding of

the lives of slaves during the Reconstruction Era. This book would be a great tool to use in the
 Lauren Bell & Caitlin McFalls

classroom when learning about freed slaves. It also gives students more insight on the forbidden

relationships between children who were former slaves and white children. An activity that could

go along with this book could be that students could get into groups and be assigned a certain

section or chapter of the book. Each group will read their section and then discuss what

happened. Then, they will present to the class what happened and their thoughts. This is a great

way to encourage group collaboration and discussion.