Dear Blue Sky / Shooting the Moon

 

I recently started reading Dear Blue Sky and I realized the parallels to Shooting the Moon are incredible. I read Shooting the Moon several years ago and a student of mine is currently reading it.  In both books, the main character is a girl whose brother has gone off to war, supported by the father. Both books also have a character with a disability, in Shooting the Moon, a neighbor, and in Dear Blue Sky, her brother. Another key similarity is that both main characters perspectives on the war evolves throughout the book. In Shooting the Moon, Jamie’s brother is in Vietnam and he sends her rolls of film instead of letters. Through developing them, she is able to see into the reality of the Vietnam War. In Cassie’s story, she read an Iraqi girls blog and sees how the war affect the Iraqi population.  Both are using technology of the day to see the true story of the war. Both books could be used together, or separately to highlight the effect war has on families back home.

Dear Blue Sky:
(Sullivan, M. (2012). Dear Blue Sky. New York: Nancy Paulsen Books. )

 Reading Level: Ages 10 and up

Suggesting Reading Style: Small Group or Partners

Technology Resources:  A Prezi created about Dear Blue Sky, sharing highlights about the author, reviews, and the book itself.

Shooting the Moon:

(Dowell, F. O. (2008). Shooting the moon. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.)

 Reading Level: Lexile 890L/ Ages 10 and up

Suggesting Reading Style: Small Group or Partners

Technology Resources:The official website of Frances O'Roarke Dowell offers readers information about her books, a bio, and a journal written by the author.