Arlington: The Story of Our Nation's Cemetery

Title: Arlington: The Story of Our Nation's Cemetery

Author/Illustrator: Chris Demarest

Genre: Non-Fiction

Awards: None

Age Group: 5th-8th grade

Arlington: The Story of Our Nation's Cemetery presents the fascinating history of "the nation's most hallowed grounds". Arlington's story begins with George Washington Parke Custis, who built Arlington House as a way to remember his step-grandfather, George Washington, which sits on a hill looking out to the Potomac River. His daughter and her husband, Robert E. Lee, moved into Arlington House. The story takes a sad turn when federal troops took over the house due to Lee commanding the Confederate Army, which was perceived as a betrayal. Arlington House went on to become a national cemetery of the highest honors, where thousands upon thousands of those who served their country are buried, from the Revolutionary and Civil War, to the Spanish-American War and World Wars. President Woodrow Wilson established the Tomb of the Unknowns, honoring the dead whose remains were not able to be identified. To this day, guards patrol the grounds with precision, and small American flags are placed by each headstone for Memorial Day. Arlington National Cemetery is a reverent and powerful source of patriotism, pride, and honor as it respectfully remembers all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to preserve America's freedoms.

I would absolutely use this book in my classroom if I taught 5th or 6th grade (or higher, but I am not planning on being certified for secondary students). Don't let the fact that this was set up as a picture book fool you; each page is packed with rich history, dates, and facts that combine to tell the whole story of Arlington. I learned so much while reading it, and I truly think that this is an important book for students to read. We should be well-informed of the history of our nation, and it is hard not to feel a sense of American pride after reading this book.

Arlington was a challenging read, and for that reason, I would recommend it for 5th through 8th graders. It is quite long and wordy, and students will probably need some background knowledge on basic American history to get the full picture. The illustrations are very nice and are definitely an asset to the book. 

To go along with this book, I would definitely do a lesson on the Arlington National Cemetery. It would be so cool to do a virtual field trip to the grounds. I found a resource (for free!) on TPT (click here) that does just that. It goes through learning background information about the cemetery and recommends the National Geographic documentary called Arlington: Field of Honor. There are also photos, interactive maps, and museum resources to make students feel like they are really there.