BOOK OF THE MONTH — FEBRUARY 2016 (BLACK HISTORY MONTH)

Welcome back, readers! I hope you enjoyed our first Book of the Month post. (In case you missed it, click here!) Without delay, let’s move right on to February!

Each February, we celebrate Black History Month. This is a time to reflect on how we have grown and changed as a nation. We share stories about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and other inspirational moments in the Civil Rights Movement. We have moved into this (our future) by learning from our past.

Our book this month is Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. Published in 2010, this book is part of her Seeds of America Trilogy — along with Forge and Ashes. Isabel and her young epileptic sister were promised their freedom from slavery upon the death of their owner. However, the girls are instead sold to a wealthy couple who is completely unsympathetic to their struggle. In their eyes, the girls are merely property. Isabel is offered the chance to spy on her new owners to help put a stop to the Revolutionary War. With her sister’s life at sake, as well as her own, Isabel must weigh her options carefully.

This book is geared toward junior high students, but I feel like it would make an excellent read aloud with a middle schooler. A story such as this will no doubt spark great discussions. It allows for numerous learning opportunities — including reflective and creative writing. Isabel’s journey to freedom will be a moving experience you won’t soon forget.

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