Which Side Are You On?: The Story of a Song
Which Side Are You On?: The Story of a Song
3.9/5
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Which Side Are You On?: The Story of a Song

Written by George Ella Lyon
Hardcover
$17.95
$16.69
9 - 11
Reading age
40
Page count
560L
Lexile measure
Oct 4, 2011
Publication date

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What's This Book About

Publisher Summary

Come all you good workersGood news to you I’ll tellof how the good ol’ unionhas come in here to dwell.Which Side Are You On? tells the story of the classic union song that was written in 1931 by Florence Reece in a rain of bullets. It has been sung by people fighting for their rights all over the world. Florence’s husband Sam was a coal miner in Kentucky. Many of the coal mines were owned by big companies, who kept wages low and spent as little money on safety as possible. Miners lived in company houses on company land and were paid in scrip, good only at the company store. The company owned the miners sure as sunrise. That’s why they had to have a union. Miners went on strike until they could get better pay, safer working conditions, and health care. The company hired thugs to attack union organizers like Sam Reece. George Ella Lyon tells this hair-raising story through the eyes of one of Florence’s daughters, a dry-witted, pig-tailed gal whose vantage point is from under the bed with her six brothers and sisters. The thugs’ bullets hit the thin doors and windows of the company house and the kids lying low wonder whether they’re going to make it out of this alive; wonder exactly if this strike will make their lives better or end them, but their mother keeps scribbling and singing. We need a song, she tells her kids. That’s not at all what they think they need. Graphic novelist Christopher Cardinale brings Florence’s triumphant story to life in true rip-roaring union style.

What Kind of Book is Which Side Are You On?: The Story of a Song

Topics

historymusicfamilysongs20th centurysocial themes1930's

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    Book Details

    ISBN
    9781933693965
    Publication Date
    October 4, 2011
    Publisher
    Cinco Puntos Press
    Page Count
    40
    Reading Age
    9 - 11 years
    Lib. of Congress (LCCN)
    2010037398
    Lexile® Level
    560L
    Est. Fountas & Pinnell Level
    ~N
    ATOS® Book Level
    2.9
    Accelerated Reader® Points
    0.5
    Accelerated Reader Quiz
    147314
    Accelerated Reader Interest Level
    LG

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