HIT.Series: My Name is America

["J. Kimball" <jkim@BORG.COM>]

On Sun, 14 Feb 1999, I asked about the new series, My Name Is America:

>Has anyone tried this series yet?  How do you like it?
>(This is the new series published by Scholastic where each book is the
>diary of a fictional boy during a high moment in American history.  It is a
>parallel to the Dear America series of girl diarists.)

I want to thank the twelve people who replied.
Eleven were positive, one was negative.
Most use the series with grades 4-5.
One librarian is stocking the books for grades 8-9.
My conclusion from the messages: this historical fiction series by recognized
authors will probably be enthusiastically read across grades 3-9.

In case people don't know much about the books, they are fictional diaries
by boys at crucial moments in American history published by Scholastic.
Each book is by a different well known author who has obviously researched
the era depicted. So far there are two titles in the series, published in
1998:
The Journal of James Edmond Pease : A Civil War Union Soldier by Jim Murphy,
and The Journal of William Thomas Emerson : A Revolutionary War Patriot by
             Barry Denenberg.

According to amazon.com another title is coming out this April:
Black Cowboy : The Journal of Joshua Loper by Walter Dean Myers (the story of
the teenage son of a former slave.  You can see the Kirkus review at
amazon.com.)

Amazon also lists two coming September 1999, one of a Japanese-American in
California in 1942, and one of an Irish? boy, working on the
transcontinental railroad in 1867.

(References to the Dear America series concern the earlier series launched
by Scholastic in which fictional girls write diaries at turning points in
American history.)

The individual messages follow with thanks again to the writers!

Joan Kimball    jkim@borg.com

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Yes, very similar to the Dear America series.  I like the authors
Scholastic is getting for these books, good solid people.  These series
have really caught on at my K-5 school.  The kids are lining up to take
them out and a few years ago I couldn't pay them to read historical
fiction.  Ah well.  I have two copies of the Dear America Titanic book
which is going like hot cakes as you might well imagine.

-------------------------------------------------------------
My students REALLY like the series.  I've only gotten 2 of the books so
far, but they've been checked out all the time (literally)since I bought
them.  Boys work out a deal before class on who gets the book next!  I
highly recommend!

-----------------------------------------------------------
My fourth and fifth graders love this series!!!!!  Many teachers also
like it.

-----------------------------------------------------------
I think it is equally as effective as Dear America and gives boys some
ownership in history. Enjoy.

----------------------------------------------------------
joan, I've read 2 of them.  I don't know how many are out now.  I was
disappointed.  I found the books much harder to read than the Dear America
series and slow moving to the point of boring.  I felt the urge to edit.
Some of my girls picked them for their historical fiction assignment but
they were returned within a few days so I don't think they really read
them. I am willing to try others however I won't buy multiple copies as I
did with the Dear America series.

----------------------------------------------------------
Our 8-9th grade Language Arts teacher has previewed these books and asked
to have them ALL put in the Media Center.  I am doing it on his
enthusiastic recommendation!

-----------------------------------------------------------
Joan -
We have the My Name is America series - just began to purchase them, so only
have a couple.  They are being read by both boys and girls and the writing
is of the same quality as the Dear America books.  We have very few boys who
read Dear America, so I welcome this new series.   We're K - 5, and most
are being read by 4th and 5th grade.  A good addition to our collection, I
think!

-----------------------------------------------------------
It is popular with both boys and girls -  mostly Grades 3 - 4.

-------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, I read the one about the boy in the civil war and it was pretty good. It
held my attention (and I have ADD) and it had the feel of a boy writing it.
Not bad at all.

--------------------------------------------------------
I have purchased and read the first two books.  They are good for the boys,
but not as clearly written as the girl ones.  I read them to my son (grade
4 with a STAR reading comprehension level of grade 9), and I had to explain
a lot to him.

----------------------------------------------------------
I am a media specialist (K-8).  My 4th and 5th grade boys (and girls) who like
history cannot get enough of these.  I have only 2 in the media center.  I
think that is all that is available thus far, but you can be sure I will
purchase new titles as they become available!

---------------------------------------------------------
We've found it to be as eagerly read as the Dear America series.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Joan Kimball   Librarian, Writer, Storyteller.
Clinton NY.     jkim@borg.com

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