We’ve put together some resources that may be helpful to you as you read A Place to Hang the Moon and complete the Read-Aloud Poster.

Please note: we have visited all the linked pages, but we have NOT visited all pages linked within each page. Please use your discretion and supervise appropriately (as you always do!). Links are provided as a resource, particularly with the intent to provide external validation without requiring a trip to the library.

Character Markers

We suggest using character markers as a fun way to track the movement of the characters within the setting of the story as shown on your Read-Aloud Poster. Choose a character marker that makes sense for the time and effort you have to give, as well as one that will be motivating for your listeners. In a hurry? Stick name labels on game pieces. Reading to a bunch of Lego® fans? Put that mini-figure collection to good use! Feeling super-crafty? Try your hand at painting peg dolls!

Here’s a video we made about character markers. The example characters are specific to our Read-Aloud Poster for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but the suggestions apply here just as well (or to any book you’d like to use character markers with!).

Story Retelling

So, what’s the point of character markers? They’re a great way to invite your kids into retelling the story and spending time talking about the story even after you’ve finished your reading for the day. Story retelling (or narration) gets a bad rap from folks who use it more like a test than an invitation to revisit the story. Retelling a story (with or without character markers or other props) is a great way to invite kids to rehearse the story out loud, and it has lots of benefits for kids’ language development and understanding of story structure. For more information, visit our blog post, here.

World War II in Britain: Web Resources

The more we looked around British websites relating to World War II, the more we realized just how much research the author must have done to include so many realistic historical details in A Place to Hang the Moon! Enjoy doing a little research of your own to find out more about what daily life in England was like during the war.

https://www.theschoolrun.com/homework-help/life-during-world-war-ii

This page has lots of information on daily life in Britain during World War II. It might be a great help to you if you are wondering which parts of A Place to Hang the Moon are based on history and which are fictional. 

There is also a timeline which outlines the events of WWII specific to Britain. You might want to include some of these events on your story timeline. Are any of them referenced in the book?

Be sure to take a look at the gallery of images provided. You’ll see ration cards, a picture of an air raid shelter, and more. 

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20220202022554/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/homefront/evacuation/britain/default.htm

The National Archives (UK) has many resources dedicated to life on the Home Front. The pages were originally interactive but have been archived and are not all fully functional. However, they do provide several several photographs of primary documents related to the evacuation of children within Britain. You may find other topics of interest, as well.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/learning/resources/second-world-war-posters

Take a look at actual posters displayed in England during WWII. Which of these do you think the Pearce children might have seen?