Think Things Are Tough? Try Being in Gettysburg During the Civil War.

UndergroundLibrarian@evpl — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:26:00 GMT

LIzzie is very excited when her cousin Rosanna, a year older than her, moves to Gettysburg to live with Rosanna's sister. Lizzie's father and her twin brother have enlisted in the Union army, even though her twin, Luke, is only old enough to be a drummer. The two girls become best friends, and then Virginia-born Rosanna goes back to Richmond and her parents. It's almost impossible for the girls to keep in touch, since only smuggled messages can travel between the two sides during the Civil War. But news of Rosanna 's marriage to a man who joined the Confederate army does reach Gettysburg. When Rosanna learns that her husband has been injured in battle, she travels to the Confederate army to nurse him. Both girls get swept up in the affairs of the times, as Lizzie must quit school to manage her father's butcher shop, and Rosanna learns to treat all sorts of battle - related ailments of the men of the Confederate army.

In Two Girls of Gettysburg, Lisa Klein has included much that is historically accurate, including details of the Battle of Gettysburg and Lincoln's trip to deliver his now-famous speech. But what she also does very well is make the reader feel right there in the thick of things, experiencing the hopes and fears of any kid growing up at that time, along with the life-and-death situation of being in the midle of a battleground where people know and love participants on both sides.

Time to Vote!

kiya@evpl — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:29:00 GMT

Several fiction books about Elections and the Presidency:

Vote for Larry by Janet Tashjian

Josh Swensen made national news as Larry, an anti-consumerist blogger, in The Gospel According to Larry. He's back, and running for President in Vote for Larry. He knows he's too young to serve, but wants to use his near-celebrity status to raise issues important to young people that aren't being addressed by the major party candidates. Very thought-provoking, and a good follow up to the first book. Rumors are that a third book, Larry and the Meaning of Life, has just been published. Maybe you'll see it on our shelves soon!

First Boy by Gary Schmidt

Cooper Jewett lives with his grandfather on their dairy farm in New Hampshire. He's a pretty ordinary high school freshman, but one day notices that men in suits driving black sedans start showing up around his hometown, and they seem to be watching him. What he doesn't know is why, and how much trouble he might be in, and how on earth he might get out of it. This was pretty interesting - even when I thought I had things figured out, there was a twist or two at the end waiting to surprise me.

Ellen Emerson White's series about The President's Daughter

I've only read the last book in the series, which was published recently. The first three books have been ordered, though, and will be here soon. Meg, who is sixteen in the first book, has just moved to Washington DC after her mother was elected President. Suddenly, Meg and her family have many adjustments to make. Meg has a wicked sense of humor, a complicated life, and a love for the Boston Red Sox. The other titles in the series are: White House Autumn, Long Live the Queen, and Long May She Reign.

Wide Awake by David Levithan

Set in the future, the candidate running for President in this book will be the first gay, Jewish president if he is elected. It's fun to figure out what must have happened between NOW and the time this book takes place by putting together all the clues and bits of information dropped as Levithan tells his story.

What books and novels about politics and elections have you read and enjoyed?

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Think Things Are Tough? Try Being in Gettysburg During the Civil War.

Time to Vote!