The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion and the Fall of Imperial Russia

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia

• Genre: Nonfiction; young adult history
• Originally Published: 2014
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 950L; grades 7-10
• Structure/Length: Prologue and 18 chapters; approx. 292 pages; approx. 9 hours, 23 minutes on audio
• Central Concern: In 1894, during great wealth disparity and discontent in Russia, Nicholas II became the last Romanov family member to take the throne. Weaving together primary sources and narrative, the author traces the tragic history of the tsar’s reign as his family retreats from the Russian people and revolution brews.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Political violence and murder; assassination of a family, including children; antisemitism; sexual exploitation; molestation

Candace Fleming, Author

• Bio: Born in 1962 in Indiana; began writing stories in elementary school; earned her BA from Eastern Illinois University, where she discovered her love of history; taught at the college level before becoming a full-time writer; was inspired to start writing children’s books by reading books to her children; has written over 40 books, including picture books, novels, and nonfiction
• Other Works: The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary (2008); Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart (2011); Strongheart: Wonder Dog of the Silver Screen (2018); Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera (2020); The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh (2020)
• Awards: Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature (2014); Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Nonfiction (2015); NCTE Orbis Pictus Award (2015); YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction (finalist; 2015)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• The Gulf Between Rich and Poor in Turn-of-the-Century Russia
• The Damage Caused by Poor Leadership
• Revolution and the Russian People’s Fight for a Voice

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the social and political climate of prerevolutionary Russia that incites conflict for the Russian people.
• Analyze paired texts and other resources to make connections via the text’s themes of The Gulf Between Rich and Poor in Turn-of-the-Century Russia, The Damage Caused by Poor Leadership, and Revolution and the Russian People’s Fight for a Voice.
• Design and construct visual media to develop a plan to preserve the Russian Imperial family based on text details.
• Analyze and evaluate the author’s purpose and character details to draw conclusions regarding wealth inequalities, Empress Alexandra, and other topics in structured essay responses.