Storyteller by: Patricia Giff (historical fiction)

This novel is just over 150 pages and alternates between chapters headed by eighteenth century or twenty first century, following the stories of Elizabeth and Zee, two girls of different time periods. The book begins with the story of Elizabeth, a girl who has to move in with her Aunt Libby, because her father is working overseas. Elizabeth finds an old drawing of one of her ancestors, Zee and begins to investigate her past, with the help of her Uncle Harry.

The chapters accounting the eighteenth century story are narrated by Zee, a young woman who struggles to survive during the Revolutionary War. The author includes details that help structure a basic schema of the time period.

While the two girls obviously have different life experiences, common themes can be traced through their stories that help connect the two. I would consider using this book as a read-aloud for older elementary grades because of the historical context, as well as the structure of the book. The chapters are only a few pages each and would keep the students engaged in this quick-moving novel. I would also recommend for my students to read this independently. I would hand out a worksheet that had "talk back to the book" phrases so students would actively reflect on the text. This is a great book to draw contrasts and comparisons from, as well as personal connections.