EDSITEMENT: we the people bookshelf synopses
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Sweet Music in Harlem—Debbie
Taylor
C.J., who aspires to be as great a jazz musician as his uncle, searches
for Uncle Click's hat in preparation for an important photograph and inadvertently
gathers some of the greatest musicians of 1950s Harlem to join in on the
picture. Inspired by Art Kane's famous 1958 photograph of nearly 60
celebrated jazz musicians gathered in front of a brownstone in Harlem,
first-time author Taylor relates the story of young C.J., who is trying
to find his musician uncle's hat in time for a photo shoot for a jazz
magazine.
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American Tall Tales—Mary
Pope Osborne
Upstarts like Davy Crockett, giants like Paul Bunyan, and gentle souls
like Johnny Appleseed are among the nine "tall" heroes featured
in this exuberant, wildly exaggerated, and witty collection of traditional
American folk tales. Full-color illustrations.
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On Wings of Heroes—Richard
Peck
Davy Bowman's brother and their dad hung the moon. Dad looks forward
to Halloween more than a kid, and Davy's brother, Bill, flies B-17s. Davy
adores these two heroes and tries his best to follow their lead, especially
now.
World War II has invaded Davy's homefront boyhood. There's an air raid
drill in the classroom, and being a kid is an endless scrap drive. Bill
has joined up, breaking their dad's heart. It's an intense, confusing
time, and one that will invite Davy to grow up in a hurry.
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Forty Acres and Maybe a Mule—Harriette
Gillem Robinet
Like other ex-slaves after the American Civil War, Pascal and his older
brother Gideon have been promised forty acres and maybe a mule. With the
family of friends they have built along the way, they claim a place of
their own. Green Gloryland is the most wonderful place on earth, their
own family farm with a healthy cotton crop and plenty to eat. But the
notorious night riders have plans to take it away, threatening to tear
the beautiful freedom that the two boys are enjoying for the first time
in their young lives. Coming alive in plain, vibrant language is this
story of the Reconstruction, after the Civil War.
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The Captain’s Dog: My Journey with the
Lewis and Clark Tribe—Ronald Smith
Born the runt of his litter and gambled away to a rusty old riverman,
the Newfoundland pup Seaman doesn’t imagine his life will be marked
by any kind of glory--beyond chasing down rats. But when he meets Captain
Meriwether Lewis, Seaman finds himself on a path that will make history.
Lewis is just setting off on his landmark search for the Northwest Passage,
and he takes Seaman along. Sharing the curiosity and strength of spirit
of his new master, Seaman proves himself a valuable companion at every
turn. Part history, part science--and adventure through and through--The
Captain’s Dog is the carefully researched, thrilling tale of America’s
greatest journey of discovery, as seen through the keen, compassionate
eyes of a remarkable dog.
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The Life and Death of Crazy Horse—Russell
Freedman
An account of the Oglala Sioux leader's life, written with the attention
to detail of a historian and the language of a storyteller. Freedman paints
the famous warrior's story on a broad canvas, describing the forces (desire
for farmland, gold, railroads) that brought increasing numbers of white
settlers to the Indian lands. The divisions among and within the tribes
in the face of the ever-growing problem are explained, as is Crazy Horse's
adamant refusal to give in to either the threats or the treaty offers
of the U.S. Army and the government. The climactic battle of the Little
Big Horn is described and shown to be the last triumph of the Sioux before
they were herded onto reservations, and the last great victory of Crazy
Horse before he was pushed to surrender and face his own violent death.
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Across America on an Emigrant Train—Jim
Murphy
In 1879, Robert Louis Stevenson journeyed from Scotland across the Atlantic
and then by train across the United States to join the woman he loved
in Monterey, California. Murphy has drawn from the writer's journal to
provide a fresh, primary-source account of transcontinental train travel
at that time. Choosing by necessity the cheapest passage, Stevenson traveled
with other newcomers to the U.S. who had not yet reached their final destination.
He describes his companions, the passing countryside, the interior of
the railroad cars, and daily life aboard a train. Into these journal entries,
Murphy has woven meticulously researched, absorbing accounts of the building
of the railroad and its effect on the territory it crossed.
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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer—Mark
Twain
Sparkling with mischief, jumping with youthful adventure, Mark Twain's
"Tom Sawyer" is one of the most splendid re-creations of childhood
in all of literature. It is a lighthearted romp, full of humor and warmth.
It shares with its sequel, "Huckleberry Finn," not only a set
of unforgettable characters--Tom, Huck, Aunt Polly and others--but a profound
understanding of humanity as well.
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The Legend of Sleepy Hollow—Washington
Irving
The 1820 Washington Irving classic. A chilling tale of romantic rivalry
and supernatural terror. The story begins with Ichabod Crane becoming
the new schoolmaster of Sleepy Hollow. Ichabod comes to the idea of marrying
the wealthy Katrina Van Tassel.
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