This year's book for Susquehanna County Reads is the Civil War story The Red Badge of Courage. To complement this choice we will learn about the H. L. Hunley, the first submarine to sink an enemy ship during war time.

Jacques Cousteau, an undersea explorer, would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year. In recognition of that milestone we read the picture book biography Manfish.

A local diver came and shared his expertise with participants. The students got to ask lots of questions, watch a DVD of one of his recent dives and try on some scuba gear.

If you'd like to learn more about scuba diving, visit the PADI (Proffessional Association of Diving Instructors) website by clicking here.

The Red Badge of Courage: An Episode of the American Civil War takes place during the Civil War at an unnamed time and place (it's believed to be a fictionalization of the Battle of Chancellorsville in Virginia.

• Because The Red Badge of Courage is in the public domain, you can read it online at Project Gutenberg
• Listen to or download an audiobook version read by Librivox volunteers from the Internet Archive
• The Stephen Crane Society is full of useful sources
• Some additional information is available at the Red Badge of Courage website (ad-supported)
• Read an excerpt of Shelby Foote's introduction to the novel at Random House
• Many teaching resources, helpful for all readers, are available online:
  • NEH lesson plan 1
  • NEH lesson plan 2
  • End of chapter questions
  • Yale Teacher Institute lesson plan
  • Classroom issues
• Essays available online:
  • Early reviews
  • Battle of Chancellorsville
  • "Imaging the Civil War: Authenticity in Painting, Photography, and The Red Badge of Courage"