Angel Coming

Title: Angel Coming

Author: Heather Henson

Illustrator: Susan Gaber

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

http://kids.simonandschuster.com/

Publication Date: 2005

Genre: Historical Fiction/Picture Book

Audience: Gr. PreK-2

Overview: Angel Coming is a story about a young girl living in Kentucky who anxiously awaits the arrival of what she has been told is an "angel." She is told that the angel is a special visitor who will eventually come to her home on horseback and bring in a saddlebag a baby brother or sister. The special visitor arrives when the young girl least expects it. When she arrives, she is not exactly who the young girl thought she would be, nor is she carrying with her exactly what the young narrator thought she would be carrying. Instead of a baby sister, the young girl is introduced to her new baby brother. What is interesting about this story is that it introduces a piece of American history known as the Frontier Nursing Service also known as the "Angels on Horseback."

Activity: The first activity that came to mind after reading this book was an activity where students could primarily learn about who the "Angels on Horseback" were and what these women did. After reading aloud this story to a class the teacher could briefly introduce the history behind this story. Next, as a class the students could draw a picture and/or write a sentence about what they have just learned depending on the age group. For an older age group, they could draw a picture that represents what they have just learned, and they could write a few sentences that describe their picture and relate it back to what they have learned from the picture book and brief history lesson.

Reviewer's Name: Amanda Scocco