I love history and find that reading about it can be be (almost) as exciting as a trip in a time machine would be. Each week, learners will come to class having read the book for that weeks discussion. (Thats 46 books in a year!) We will take a look at the author, the time period it was written (if different from the setting), and learn about what the characters and setting tell us about that moment in history. Learners will be given the opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions about the story and historical context. The first part of class will consist of a short lecture about the historical context, author, and any relevant information about the book. The second half of the class will be open discussion. Class is kept at a small size to ensure every learner will have an opportunity to share. (If your learner does not like public speaking, they are always able to share through the chat box.) 

Please see the Parental Guidance statement below. This is an Ongoing - weekly class, so learners are able to jump in any time or skip any books that they (or parents) do not wish to read. This class will be from an historical context, not a literary one. 


Come and join us as we take the challenge to read a different book each week! 



Week of
2024

July 1 NO CLASS
July 8 The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind - Wiliam Kamkwamba
July 15 A Night Divided Jennifer Nielson  (CSM REVIEW) 
July 22 Kira-Kira - Cynthia Kadohata
July 29 One Crazy Summer - Rita Williams Garcia
August 5 Sounder - William H Armstrong
August 12 The Mighty Miss Malone - Christopher Paul Curtis
August 19 The War That Saved My Life - Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
August 26 The Boy in The Striped Pajamas - John Boyne (NO Friday class) 
September 2 Chains - Laurie Halse Anderson (Friday class will also discuss The Boy in the Striped Pajamas)
September 9 Weedflower - Cynthia Kadohata
September 16 A Single Shard - Linda Sue Park 
September 23 NO CLASS
September 30 Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna - Michael Berry
October 7 Troublemaker - John Cho
October 14 Illegal - Andrew Donkin, Eoin Colfer 
October 21 Brothers Keeper - Julie Lee
October 28 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
November 4 The War That I Won - Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
November 11 The Secret of Nightingale Wood - Lucy Strange
November 18 Escape From Aleppo - N.H. Senzai
November 25 NO CLASS
December 2 Nazi Saboteurs: Hitler's Secret Attack on America - Samantha Seiple
December 9 Sophia's War: A Tale of the Revolution - Avi
December 16 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck (CSM 13+)
December 23 Monday only
December 30 NO CLASS 



2025 Dates

Week of: 

January 6 Iceberg - Jennifer A. Nielsen
January 13 Refugee - Alan Gratz - CSM Age 11+
January 20 Bud not Buddy - Christopher Paul Curtis
January 27 Like the Willow Tree - Lois Lowry
February 3 Bridge to Terabithia - Katherine Paterson
February 10 Once - Morris Gleitzman
February 17
February 24 Waiting for Anya by Michael Morpugo
March 3
March 10 I, Robot - Isaac Asimov
March 17 NO CLASS
March 24 Maybe - Morris Gleitzman
March 31
April 7 Old Yeller Fred Gipson
April 14
April 21 Fever 1793 Laurie Halse Anderson
April 28 Soon - Morris Gleitman
May 5 Number the Stars - Lois Lowry
May 12
May 19
May 26 Daniel's Story - Carol Matas
June 2
June 9
June 16
June 23 NO CLASS 
June 30 NO CLASS
July 7
July 14
July 21
July 28
August 4
August 11
August 18
August 25
September 1
September 8
September 15
September 22
September 29 NO CLASS 
October 6
October 13
October 20
October 27
November 3
November 10
November 17
November 24 NO CLASS 
December 1
December 8
December 15
December 22 NO CLASS
December 29 NO CLASS