FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY | Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson
What was it REALLY like to be an ordinary kid living through the American Revolution?
Today's First Chapter Friday read aloud is Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson, a middle grade historical fiction novel that takes readers into Boston during the American Revolution—not through the eyes of famous Founding Fathers, but through the experiences of ordinary people trying to survive an extraordinary moment in history.
If your students love American history, historical fiction, the Revolutionary War, or stories that make the past feel real, add this one to your TBR!
ABOUT THE BOOK: It's 1776, and thirteen-year-old Elsbeth Culpepper's world is changing fast. War is brewing. Boston is under siege. Smallpox is spreading. And the political arguments dividing Patriots and Loyalists are becoming impossible to ignore.
Elsbeth and her father arrive in Boston hoping to build a new life, but instead find themselves caught in the middle of revolution. As Elsbeth meets people whose experiences and beliefs are very different from her own, she begins to understand that history isn't as simple as choosing a side.
Rebellion 1776 brings the American Revolution to life from the ground level, exploring what war and rebellion might have looked and felt like to the everyday people whose names never made it into our history textbooks.
TEACHERS & LIBRARIANS: This is an especially strong choice for combining middle school ELA and social studies. Pair the novel with nonfiction texts, primary sources, maps, or Revolutionary War lessons and invite students to compare historical facts with the way Laurie Halse Anderson brings them to life through fiction.
The book also opens the door to conversations about perspective, freedom, loyalty, courage, inequality, survival, and whose stories get remembered by history.
HISTORY FANS: If you love learning about Colonial America, Boston in 1776, Patriots and Loyalists, or what daily life was really like during the Revolutionary War, this story offers a fascinating way to step into the past.
MORE FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY!
First Chapter Friday Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpVe6VlpCwJZCLWm7CR4yX93l3xN2conB
FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY CLASSROOM RESOURCES
FULL First Chapter Friday Worksheet Bundle: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/First-Chapter-Friday-Read-Aloud-Videos-Engaging-Middle-School-Reading-Resource-8469855
⭐ Find even more middle school ELA resources, book recommendations, and student engagement ideas inside Word Nerd Collaborative: www.wordnerdcollaborative.com
Get your copy of Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson here: https://amzn.to/4gVw44v
Music Credit: Amanda Zieba and Suno Pro (2026)
#Rebellion1776 #LaurieHalseAnderson #FirstChapterFriday #AmericanRevolution #RevolutionaryWar #HistoricalFiction #MiddleGradeHistoricalFiction #HistoryBooksForKids #AmericanHistory #BostonHistory #MiddleGradeBooks #MiddleSchoolELA #SocialStudiesTeachers #SchoolLibrarians #ReadingEngagement
What was it REALLY like to be an ordinary kid living through the American Revolution?
Today's First Chapter Friday read aloud is Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson, a middle grade historical fiction novel that takes readers into Boston during the American Revolution—not through the eyes of famous Founding Fathers, but through the experiences of ordinary people trying to survive an extraordinary moment in history.
If your students love American history, historical fiction, the Revolutionary War, or stories that make the past feel real, add this one to your TBR!
ABOUT THE BOOK: It's 1776, and thirteen-year-old Elsbeth Culpepper's world is changing fast. War is brewing. Boston is under siege. Smallpox is spreading. And the political arguments dividing Patriots and Loyalists are becoming impossible to ignore.
Elsbeth and her father arrive in Boston hoping to build a new life, but instead find themselves caught in the middle of revolution. As Elsbeth meets people whose experiences and beliefs are very different from her own, she begins to understand that history isn't as simple as choosing a side.
Rebellion 1776 brings the American Revolution to life from the ground level, exploring what war and rebellion might have looked and felt like to the everyday people whose names never made it into our history textbooks.
TEACHERS & LIBRARIANS: This is an especially strong choice for combining middle school ELA and social studies. Pair the novel with nonfiction texts, primary sources, maps, or Revolutionary War lessons and invite students to compare historical facts with the way Laurie Halse Anderson brings them to life through fiction.
The book also opens the door to conversations about perspective, freedom, loyalty, courage, inequality, survival, and whose stories get remembered by history.
HISTORY FANS: If you love learning about Colonial America, Boston in 1776, Patriots and Loyalists, or what daily life was really like during the Revolutionary War, this story offers a fascinating way to step into the past.
MORE FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY!
First Chapter Friday Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpVe6VlpCwJZCLWm7CR4yX93l3xN2conB
FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY CLASSROOM RESOURCES
FULL First Chapter Friday Worksheet Bundle: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/First-Chapter-Friday-Read-Aloud-Videos-Engaging-Middle-School-Reading-Resource-8469855
⭐ Find even more middle school ELA resources, book recommendations, and student engagement ideas inside Word Nerd Collaborative: www.wordnerdcollaborative.com
Get your copy of Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson here: https://amzn.to/4gVw44v
Music Credit: Amanda Zieba and Suno Pro (2026)
#Rebellion1776 #LaurieHalseAnderson #FirstChapterFriday #AmericanRevolution #RevolutionaryWar #HistoricalFiction #MiddleGradeHistoricalFiction #HistoryBooksForKids #AmericanHistory #BostonHistory #MiddleGradeBooks #MiddleSchoolELA #SocialStudiesTeachers #SchoolLibrarians #ReadingEngagement