Bookverdict.com

Gr 7-Up These four books are a mixed bag. They follow a similar pattern, e.g., "Mockingbird" opens by interweaving a biography of Harper Lee with the plot of the novel. The middle sections introduce a specific theme. "I Am David" discusses the idea of governmental control of thought and concentration camps. "The Bluest Eye" discusses racial identity and physical beauty. "Mockingbird" covers the history of the Civil Rights Movement and its effect on small-town Southern life, as well as the changing role of childhood. "My Á ntonia" addresses life on the prairie. At first glance, these volumes would seem geared toward mid...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

This series effectively places literary classics in context without simply regurgitating plot and theme. The authors' biographical details are combined with historical and cultural background, some of which is vague (a too-broad overview of the 1930s in <...Log In or Sign Up to Read More