Spy in the Sky by Kathleen Karr

This book is a great example of historical fiction. A young boy named Ridley is an orphan who is not treated very well by the adults around him. One day a hot air balloon comes down with the famous balloonist, Thaddeus Lowe, inside it. Lowe makes Ridley his assistant and teaches him morse code so that they may spy on the Confederates for the president, Abraham Lincoln. Because of Ridley's help, the Union Army is able to win the Civil War.

I like this book because it would tie in great with a lesson on the Civil War. The book does not explain anything about the Civil War (such as why they are fighting and who the blues and the grays are) so a lesson on the Civil War would have to proceed this book. This book also provides a great opportunity to talk about genres (such as historical fiction). Even though the Civil War really happened and Thaddeus Lowe really was a balloonist, this story and the character Ridley are fictional.

This is a good chapter book for grades 2-4. However, there are some phrases that children may not understand such as "I've been getting hot air from grown-ups for ten years" and "You're eating on my mercy." They can read the words but they may not comprehend what it is trying to say so an explanation may be required. Another good thing about this book is that the plot starts right away on the first page. There isn't any "beginning reading" that sets up the plot. It starts right away which I think is important for beginner readers to keep them interested.