Gavilan

How much do you need to sacrifice to speak against what you believe is wrong? Ben is still a young boy when he discovers the answer to this question. The year is 1954 and Ben's family has been torn apart by the Hollywood blacklist. When neighborhood bullies call his father a communist, Ben realizes the importance of standing up for what he believes in. Through Ben's eyes, readers learn about the McCarthy era, its effects on Hollywood, and the true meaning of freedom. Each volume in this innovative historical-fiction series is designed to look like a scrapbook created by the story's main character. Each historical period comes vividly to life in events chosen for their curricular relevance. Elementary students will love the activity section, which encourages readers to write their own historical fiction, offers instructions for personal scrapbooking, and provides lessons in compiling oral histories from family and friends. Additional features to aid comprehension include a historical essay on the actual event, a table of contents, a glossary, informative sidebars, sources for further research, and an introduction to the author.