I just finished listening to the audio book Countdown (Sixties Trilogy) by Deborah Wiles. It’s a juvenile fiction book that is packed full of historical references from pop culture of the time to political history of the time. It is set in JFK days and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
I checked out Amazon and they said that is recommended for 5th-8th grades. I would agree but honestly I had a fun time reading it. I loved reading the pop culture references. I talks about cars people were driving, what music was popular, what foods people were eating. The story was good but honestly, the history and pop culture references had me hooked. I could so imagine all those things. I was born in 1965 so it was a time period in history that I missed.
Here’s what Amazon had to say, “Franny Chapman just wants some peace. But that’s hard to get when her best friend is feuding with her, her sister has disappeared, and her uncle is fighting an old war in his head. Her saintly younger brother is no help, and the cute boy across the street only complicates things. Worst of all, everyone is walking around just waiting for a bomb to fall.
It’s 1962, and it seems that the whole country is living in fear. When President Kennedy goes on television to say that Russia is sending nuclear missiles to Cuba, it only gets worse. Franny doesn’t know how to deal with what’s going on in the world–no more than she knows with how to deal with what’s going on with her family and friends. But somehow she’s got to make it.”
Our son, Karl, is back to college looking for an elementary education degree. I am going to be telling him about this book. I think it’s perfect for an upper elementary teacher to put on the class reading list. It’s perfect for cross-curricular learning.
Amazon gives it 4.7 stars. I totally agree. It’s so good. I think those of you who grew up in the 60’s would love the book too.
If you noticed, it says it’s a trilogy…..you know what that means? Yep. I am off to find the next book!