Each of these books contains several solid moral lessons. A young man, Carl Schmidt, imagines he'll get a break from the bullying when he gains the opportunity to go help out on a farm in the country. Since so many young men were off at war, farmers needed help getting chores done to ensure there would be a good harvest and steady supply of food. Carl discovers that life on the farm isn't a vacation and that discrimination isn't limited to urban areas. As he proves his work-ethic and value as a helper to the owner of a farm, he also finds himself in a couple of situations where he must think and act quickly despite potential danger to himself. This book has great examples of how doing the right thing is not always fun, yet doing small things with great courage and integrity can have a vast effect on the outcome of situations and the lives involved.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone interested in the topic or looking to spark an interest in history in their children/students. I always try to mention if there is any content which may need to be handled carefully or omitted for sensitive/younger listeners or readers. In chapter 10, some farm boys are trying to scare Carl and they tell him that a bull gored a man and that the man's guts fell out. Pretty gross if you are one of those people who pictures EVERYTHING in your head instantly (like myself.) So, heads-up, you may want to paraphrase that as you go along and just mention that the bull "killed a man." Sometimes it's okay to skip the details. There are mentions of many men dying in war, but none of the descriptions are graphic.