Civil War History in Virginia Month

WHEREAS, the month of April is most closely associated with Virginia’s pivotal role in the American Civil War; it was in April 1861 that Virginia seceded from the Union following a lengthy, contentious and protracted debate within the Commonwealth, and it was in April 1865 that the War was essentially concluded with the South’s surrender at Appomattox. In the four years that fell between those momentous months, Richmond served as the capital of the Confederacy, and it was on Virginia soil that the vast majority of the Civil War’s battles were fought, in places like Manassas, Malvern Hill, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, New Market, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg, locations now forever linked with the indelible history of this perilous period; and

WHEREAS, the largest wartime population of African-American slaves was in Virginia, yet through their own acts of courage and resilience, as well as the actions of the United States army and federal government, they bequeathed to themselves and posterity a legacy of freedom; and

WHEREAS, slavery was an inhumane practice that deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights, and the Emancipation Proclamation and the Civil War ended its evil stain on American democracy and set Virginia and America on a still-traveled road to bring to fruition the great promises of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, and ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to enjoy equally the blessings of liberty and prosperity; and

WHEREAS, the military leadership and tactics of Virginians like Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson and Union General George Henry Thomas are still studied, analyzed and discussed today; the heroism of brave individuals like William Harvey Carney, who was born a slave in Norfolk, gained his freedom through the Underground Railroad, and received the Medal of Honor for his valor as a Union soldier at the battle of Fort Wagner, inspires us through the ages; and the Commonwealth is the final resting place of thousands of Union and Confederate soldiers; the many cemeteries in which they lie reminding us of the cost and pain of the War and telling the stories of those who fought; and

WHEREAS, following the War, Virginia began the difficult process of returning to a nation that was, in many ways, born within her borders; that transition was aided by the actions of leaders like General Robert E. Lee who set the strong personal example of reconciliation and grace crucial in helping the people of Virginia return peacefully to the Union, instructing Virginians to “….abandon all these local animosities and make your sons Americans.”; and former Dinwiddie County slave Elizabeth Keckley who returned to Virginia as a guest of President Lincoln and expressed forgiveness and conciliation stating: “Dear old Virginia! A birthplace is always dear, no matter under what circumstances you were born”; and

WHEREAS, the General Assembly of Virginia created the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission in 2006 “to prepare for and commemorate” the Commonwealth’s participation in the war; and

WHEREAS, from 2011-2015 a diverse and growing Commonwealth will host innumerable public events, lectures, re-enactments, seminars, and remembrances covering every aspect of the war, and no state is more closely connected to this pivotal period of American history, and therefore no state is better suited to host visitors seeking to learn about the Civil War, the Confederacy, slavery, emancipation and the full history of our United States, and for that reason Virginia encourages visitors from across the country and the world to visit the Commonwealth during this period,

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert F. McDonnell, Governor of Virginia, do hereby recognize April 2011 as CIVIL WAR HISTORY IN VIRGINIA MONTH, and urge all Virginians to participate in commemorations of the war’s 150th anniversary and reflect upon the lives of the courageous men and women of those difficult times by attending seminars and conferences, and by visiting battlefields, cemeteries, exhibitions, historical markers, libraries, museums and historical sites throughout the Commonwealth, and by taking part in a diversity of events and activities that highlight our shared history and heritage, as we strive to enact the vision laid out in the preamble to the United States Constitution of “a more perfect union.”

Waiting On Wednesday...Unearthly

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Publication Date: April 2011

Synopsis:

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny? Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

I really am interested in this book, which is unusual because I typically don't go for this kind of stuff...and I do judge books by their covers, and this one is awesome!

Top Ten Tuesday - Passages

Top Ten Tuesday...Novel Passages

I am always encouraging my students to think about passages as they read...and as a reader, I am always looking for things that stick out at me as I am reading a novel. I also always try to include my favorite passages when I review a book. Here is a top ten list of the kinds of passages to notice as you're reading.

1. Passages that you find beautiful

2. Passages that you find interesting

3. Passages that exhibit great writing

4. Passages that anger you

5. Passages that trouble you

6. Passages that perplex you

7. Passages that raise your curiosity

8. Passages that you find humorous

9. Passages that challenge you to think differently

10. PASSAGES THAT KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF!

Here is a passage from the book Deadly by Julie Chibbaro that I am reading right now...it really knocks my socks off.

I know that one day I won't be on this earth anymore. A world without the physical me - what will that look like? I'll seep down into the soil, become a plant, a tree; I'll be falling leaves, yellow, crunching under a child's feet until I am dust. Nothing. Gone.

How awesome is that?

The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had Book Review

This book was a quick read, and being that it is historical fiction I thoroughly believed I would love it. This is a Virginia Readers' Choice title for this year so we are using it as one of our book club reads. It seems that every student who has read it has raved about it in person and on the blog so my expectations were high.

Dit lives in Moundville, Alabama where he is one of ten children. He is ecstatic when rumors spread that a new Postmaster is coming to town and that he has a boy Dit's age. Everyone gathers at the train station and off comes a black family, with a GIRL Dit's age. He is bummed but quickly realizes that in Emma he will find the best friend he has ever had.

Throughout that long, hot summer Dit and Emma's friendship endures racism, violence, and many other hardships prevalent in the South in the 1940s pertaining to the divisions between whites and blacks. Town secrets are revealed, and people are on edge. It all comes to a head when Doc Haley, the black town barber is put on trial for killing Big Foot, the town's white sheriff. Dit and Emma devise a plan to help him evade his execution and their friendship is tested to the limits.

While this novel is a nice example of a story that crosses racial lines, despite the culture of the South in the 1940s, the story just misses the mark. While Dit and Emma are good characters, as a reader I never became fully invested in them or their fate - especially Emma. Being that the story was from Dit's perspective, it makes sense that he would be the main character but Emma plays a central role and the depth that her character could have had was lacking. Additionally, the sweet romantic side story between Dit and Emma was not believable at all.

The storyline flows well, but it is a little unbelievable. The plot to free Doc Haley just isn't realistic and even a little far-fetched. A novel like this is a great opportunity to address life in the South during this time period but I feel like this novel scratched the surface.

Despite this, there were a few memorable passages that I earmarked to include in this review:

"It had been my idea last year to spell Isabelle i-d-i-o-t. I remember laughing as she cried. But this year it didn't seem funny. And I finally realized that the idiot had been me." (p. 83)

"Cept sometimes it was like she was there, 'cause I could hear her asking me all sorts of questions. Why hadn't I ever noticed that Chip's teasing comments sometimes made little kids cry? Why did I sometimes join in the teasing? Why did Chip suddenly want to spend more time with Buster? Why did Buster say yes to everything Chip wanted to do? Why did Chip and Buster play with Elbert on the ball field, but wouldn't speak to him if they ran into him on Mrs. Pooley's front porch? Why did Chip cheat at marbles? Why'd I cheat at marbles? Why was it okay to like girls when you were a little kid, bad when you were a big kid and then okay to marry them once you were all grown up? And why, if Chip was my real good friend, was I scared to mention Emma to him?" (p. 87-88)

TGIF (Late, of course)

This Friday's Question:

Characters We Love:

Which male and/or female character

have you found yourself connected to most?

There are so many characters that I adore, but I read a book two years ago that I adored and I attribute that mainly to the main character. The novel is Hattie Big Sky and the main character Hattie was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

The novel was set in the early 1900s when she is tired of being shuffled from family member to family member. She decides to head out to Vida, Montana and lay claim to her uncles homestead. She faces many trials and tribulations along the way, and eventually is not able to meet the requirements to keep the homestead, but her strength and perseverance make her a memorable character.

Many women/girls during this time would never have taken on this kind of challenge or responsibility but she does. Add to that the fact that her character is based on a REAL person, and wow...

Definitely check out this book if you haven't already - it is a great read.

Calling All Readers

Calling All Readers


by Laura Purdie Salas

I'll tell you a story.

I'll spin you a rhyme.

I'll spill some ideas - 

and we'll travel through time.



Put down the controller.

Switch off the TV.

Abandon the mouse and

just hang out with me.



I promise adventure.

Come on, take a look!

On a day like today,

there's no friend like a book.



Book Blogger Hop

Welcome to the book blogger hop. If you are into books and blogging, it can be really neat to look around out there in cyberspace and check out what new books are out there. I follow many different book blogs for this very reason. Crazy-for-Books.com has a great comprehensive list of all of the great book blogs out there...check them out.

Networking through other blogs is also a great way to keep up on the latest authors and get a real inside look at the publishing and print world.

As a teacher, I like being able to recommend books to my students and following different blogs allows me to know what's out there without having to necessarily READ every book. Happy reading and blogging...

This week’s question is: “Since today is April Fool’s Day in the USA, what is the best prank you have ever played on someone OR that someone has played on you?”

I am not a prankster nor am I creative enough to come up with a great joke in the first place. However, I like to laugh REALLY hard when others play a great prank.