We’ve just finished a terrific biography, Heart and Soul: The Story of Florence Nightingale by Gena K. Gorrell (Tundra Books, 2000; still in paperback in Canada). Very well written, thorough, and also a good overview of medicine and hygiene through the mid-19th century, and the Crimean War. As a bonus, author and publisher are Canadian; Ms. Gorrell is also an editor, a first aid instructor, and an auxiliary officer with Toronto’s Police Marine Unit, and she wrote the excellent North Star to Freedom about the Underground Railroad.
I picked up the book at the library as a supplemental title for Chapter 2 of Story of the World, Volume 4, “The Modern Age”. If you’re reading the book, too, and Aunt Suzy happens to ask what’s the use of knowing about that musty old Crimean War, you might want to remind her about current events.
Other resources we’ve used for the chapter:
The Crimean War by Deborah Bachrach (Lucent Books, 1998); one of those typical library titles, checked out only when kids need to write reports (do they do it without Wikipedia nowadays?), but atypically clearly and engagingly written and good explanations of the battles, with useful maps and charts, especially the Battle of the Heavy Brigade and the ill-fated Battle of the Light Brigade. Ignore the ugly pastel pink cover. This title is one of the recommendations for the chapter in the accompanying SOTW activity guide.
Tennyson’s poem, The Battle of the Light Brigade; especially thrilling to hear the man himself recite the poem, though the level of thrill depends on the patience your children have with less modern technology. Mine now have a much better appreciation for both modern medical and sound recording practices.
Laura remembered that Florence Nightingale is included in the Naxos audiobook, “Famous People in History,” Volume I
If you too are working through Volume 4 and your neighbors or Aunt Suzy are wondering why the kids bother with all that musty old history, you might want to remind them that everything old is new again…
Filed under: Audiobooks, Books, Children's Books, Current Events, History, Poetry, World history
I’d like to read this book. I recently started reading your blog, and I am loving it.
Thanks, mom : )