The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

Interest level: 3-6

Reading Level: 5.6

Lexile: 950
Genre: Historical Fiction 

Currently on pg. 114, chapter 20

Harold, Homer's brother, has been sold into the Union army and is on his way to get sworn in. Homer is in pursuit of his brother. Can he get to him before he joins the army? Will they believe that he is too young. An entertaining read. 

A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Finished the book

This book is amazing. At the start of each chapter is an inspirational quote. My favorite was by Albert Camus a French author, "The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion." The novel unfolds the history of the wall, detailing how it was built and the people's reactions. The setting of this book is so powerful. Having seen the wall myself, I found the story even more engaging. The tense climax kept me reading into the wee hours of the night until I reached the very last page. I highly recommend this book to students 3rd grade through 8th.

A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Interest level: 3-6

Reading Level: 4.7

Lexile:810
Genre: Historical Fiction 

Currently on Chapter 4, pg.17

In 1981, I visited the Berlin Wall and walked through the Death Strip (the space between the wall on the East Berlin and East Germany sides and the wall on the West Berlin side). It was a very sobering experience, the East German soldiers following you with their guns. In addition to the Wall, the Death Strip, and East Berlin, my visit to the Dauchau Concentration Camp Memorial Site was life changing. Standing in the gas chambers, looking up at the shower heads, I realized that these innocent human beings had no idea that they were about to be exterminated.

Due to my personal experiences, I wanted to read this book. I hope that Nielsen will do right by the time period and those whose lives were forever changed.