Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Book Review and Giveaway - Finding Family Treasure Written by K. I. Knight and Jane R. Wood Hosted by Children's Book Review

 


Finding Family Treasure




Written by K. I. Knight and Jane R. Wood

Ages 7 and Up | 142 Pages

Publisher: Melting Pot Press LLC | ISBN-13: 9781737337102

Publisher’s Synopsis: “Who are we?” Ms. Johansson asks her class of fifth graders. Her perplexed students soon discover the lesson she wants them to learn. While studying the founding of their country, the class is challenged to understand the melting pot that makes up the American people-both past and present.

With the help of a genealogist, students learn to navigate websites that introduce them to written records that have documented their families’ histories. Because the class is comprised of students with roots to many nationalities and ethnic groups, including African American, Native American, Mexican, Cuban, Irish, Italian, Polish, Scandinavian, Lebanese, and Japanese immigrants, the diversity in their own class becomes apparent.

To assist in their research, the teacher gives the students an assignment of interviewing their parents and grandparents, to learn more about the members of their families. One by one, the young people hear family stories connecting them to America’s earliest immigrants and settlers. The students also learn about historical events their ancestors witnessed or experienced, including the early settlement of Virginia, the American Revolution, the Underground Railroad, the Trail of Tears, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, early immigration processing at Ellis Island, the Tuskegee Airmen, and the Holocaust.

As the story unfolds, some personal conflicts occur among the students, long-standing family tensions surface, and intergenerational relationships evolve. Complex issues such as privacy, adoption, diversity, immigration, slavery, and antisemitism are addressed in an age-appropriate manner.

Excited by what they have discovered, the students plan a program to share their findings with their families. Working together in small groups, they create a slide presentation of vintage photographs, a fashion show demonstrating various ethnic attire, music and food from different cultures, and visual displays showcasing military medals, artifacts, musical instruments, and family heirlooms.

Their family history project further inspires the students to want to do something more to honor past generations. With the help of a cemetery preservationist, they plan a clean-up day at a local graveyard in need of attention. Parents, grandparents, brothers, and sisters join the class on a Saturday to help restore the final resting place of those who came before them.

As a result of their research project, the students not only discover personal connections to the past but also, in some cases, to each other.


PURCHASE LINKS


Amazon: https://amzn.to/33plpxw

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/2078/9781737337102



OFFICIAL LINKS


https://findingfamilytreasure.com/

https://www.facebook.com/findingfamilytreasure

https://www.instagram.com/finding_family_treasure/



ABOUT THE AUTHORS





Kathryn Knight, who uses the pen name K I Knight, is an international award-winning Author, Genetic Genealogist, American Historian, Keynote Speaker, and Cemetery Preservationist. Over the last thirteen years, Knight has documented more than 20,000 hours researching the first recorded Africans to arrive in the English settlement of Virginia in 1619. Her passion is unrivaled and strongly evident in her published writings.

Her literary work includes Fate & Freedom, a five star – Gold medal historical trilogy detailing the lives of the 1619 Africans, as well as her nonfiction work, Unveiled – The Twenty and Odd, for which she was awarded the Phillis Wheatley Literary Award by the Sons and Daughters of the US Middle Passage.

Knight is a board member for several National Non-profit organizations and the member of numerous Genealogy, Historical and Literary Societies including the Afro American Historical and Genealogical Society, Florida State Genealogy Society, Virginia Genealogy Society, Virginia Historical Society, Florida Historical Society, American Historical Association, Genealogy Speakers Guild, Association of Professional Genealogists, the Alliance of Independent Authors, the National Association of Professional Women, and the Director of 1619 Genealogy. The mother of three adult children, Knight, lives in North Florida with her husband, Tom.

For more information, visit firstfreedompublishing.com.




Jane R. Wood is the author of five award-winning juvenile fiction books where she weaves history and science into stories filled with mystery, adventure, and humor for young readers ages 8-14. Students like her books because they’re fun. Teachers like them for their educational value. Wood is a former teacher, newspaper reporter, and television producer. She has a BA from the University of Florida and an MEd from the University of North Florida. Wood lives in Jacksonville, Florida, and is the mother of two grown sons and five grandchildren.

To learn more about her and her books, go to her website at janewoodbooks.com.

 MY THOUGHTS

Finding Family Treasure was a great book to read with my 8 and 10 year old sons. This book is recommended for children ages 7 and up. It is 142 pages. It is a chapter book. We enjoyed reading this together. It prompted some great conversation between us about what we know about our relatives.

I love that the authors included so many different heritages into this book. It really captured the many different cultures of our nation. I remember being in 5th grade and being told that the United States is the "melting pot" of the world. I felt this book really summed that up. The 5th grade teacher gives her students a project. To find out who they are. They are taught to navigate ancestry and genealogical websites. They are also told to interview their relatives. My grandmother lived to be 99. She lived through the Great Depression and the Holocaust. She was a wealth of information. I used to love going to her house after school or on weekends and talking to her about history.

The authors have also incorporated some sensitive issues. We see some tension with our characters when they uncover their family history. The authors also deal with some sensitive issues such as: immigration, slavery and antisemitism to name a few. The way the authors deal with these is with great care and tact. Both of my boys understood the subject matter that was being presented.

The book is well written and should be included in any K-12 library. It is also a reminder to be tolerant of cultures that are different from you.

This is a paid partnership with the publisher and Children's Book Review. I was sent a copy courtesy of the publisher for my honest thoughts. All thoughts are my own.




TOUR SCHEDULE



Tuesday, January 25, 2022

The Children’s Book Review

Virtual Book Tour Kick-Off

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Shooting Stars Mag

A book review of

Finding Family Treasure

Thursday, January 27, 2022

Writer with Wanderlust

A guest article by K.I. Knight and Jane Wood

The Importance of Learning About Family History For Kids

Friday, January 28, 2022

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

A guest article by K.I. Knight and Jane Wood

Discussing Diversity and Family in the Classroom

Monday, January 31, 2022

The Fairview Review

A book review of

Finding Family Treasure

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

The Momma Spot

A book review of

Finding Family Treasure

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Heart to Heart

An author interview with

K.I. Knight and Jane Wood

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Lisa’s Reading

A book review of

Finding Family Treasure

Friday, February 4, 2022

Crafty Moms Share

A book review of

Finding Family Treasure

Monday, February 7, 2022

A Dream Within A Dream

A book review of

Finding Family Treasure

Tuesday, February 8, 2022

icefairy’s Treasure Chest

A guest article by K.I. Knight and Jane Wood

How Family Stories Connect Us

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Me Two Books

A book review of

Finding Family Treasure

Thursday, February 10, 2022

Because I Said So

A book review of

Finding Family Treasure


GIVEAWAY


Enter for a chance to win a copy of Finding Family Treasure, along with a 1-hour genealogy consultation!

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

An autographed copy of Finding Family Treasure

A 1-hour genealogy consultation with Kathryn Knight, a genetic genealogist, and co-author of this book. Knight will provide guidance to establish a genealogy line for the recipient’s family, tailoring it to their needs.

Four (4) winners receive:

An autographed copy of Finding Family Treasure


ENTER: HERE

No comments:

Post a Comment