Booklists

From the October 28, 2007 Pigeon Post essay of the same name. From the essay:

We have always taken the position with our children that war is always a disaster for individuals and for nations but that it is sometimes an unavoidable disaster. There is no such thing as a good war, though some wars may be more clearly unavoidable than others. At the same time we have tried to strike a balance with them: the crucible of war that destroys so much also often presents the extreme circumstances that permit acts of unalloyed giving, self-sacrifice, and nobility. So the challenge becomes how to extract the examples and valuable lessons of personal conduct and noble goals from the context of war without glorifying war itself.

What suggestions would you make?

This book list is divided into three sections:
(1) Picture Books
(2) Books for Independent Readers
(3) Books for Young Adults

The list begins below with Picture Books, but you can use one of the following links to skip directly to either of the other two sections.
Go to books for Independent Readers
Go to books for Young Adults


Picture Books

The Story Of The H.L. Hunley And Queenie's Coin by Fran Hawk and illustrated by Dan Nance Recommended

The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln and illustrated by Michael McCurdy Highly Recommended

Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and illustrated by Ted Rand Highly Recommended

There Come a Soldier by Peggy Mercer and illustrated by Ron Mazellan Recommended

The Last Brother by Trinka Hakes Noble and illustrated by Robert Papp Suggested

America's White Table by Margot Theis Raven and illustrated by Mike Benny Recommended

They Called Her Molly Pitcher by Anne F. Rockwell and illustrated by Cynthia von Buhler Suggested

H Is for Honor by Devin Scillian and illustrated by Victor Juhasz Recommended

Independent Reader

Turn Homeward Hannalee by Patricia Beatty Suggested

House of Sixty Fathers by Meindert De Jong Suggested

Annie Between the States by L.M. Elliott Suggested

April Morning by Howard Fast Suggested

Bull Run by Paul Fleischman and illustrated by David Frampton Suggested

Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes and illustrated by Lynd Ward Recommended

Thunder at Gettysburg by Patricia Lee Gauch and illustrated by Stephen Gammell Suggested

Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt Suggested

Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith Suggested

Best Little Stories from World War II by C. Brian Kelley Suggested

Best Little Stories of the Blue and Gray by C. Brian Kelley Suggested

Magic Treehouse Civil War on Sunday by Mary Pope Osborne and illustrated by Sal Murdocca Suggested

Magic Treehouse Revolutionary War on Wednesday by Mary Pope Osborne and illustrated by Sal Murdocca Suggested

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson and illustrated by Donna Diamond Recommended

The Perilous Road by William O. Steele and Jean Fritz Suggested

Clara Barton Founder of the American Red Cross by Augusta Stevenson Suggested

Molly Pitcher Young Patriot by Augusta Stevenson Suggested

Mr. Lincoln's Drummer by G. Clifton Wisler Suggested

Young Adult

Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose Recommended

Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley and Ron Powers Recommended

Flyboys by James Bradley Suggested

The Great Escape by Paul Brickhill Recommended

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane Recommended

Into the Valley by John Hersey and Donald Dickson Recommended

Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors by James D. Hornfischer Highly Recommended

Goodbye Darkness by William Manchester Recommended

We Were Soldiers Once...and Young by Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway Highly Recommened

With the Old Breed by E.B. Sledge Highly Recommended