This blog is a project for my Children's Literature Class at California State University, Sacramento. This blog will categorize and outline children's books that I have found to be educational and important for the instruction of children. I will add to this list throughout my professional career.
It is my intent that other educational professionals, mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles of children will also be able to use this list as a quick reference for teaching certain topics and presenting new themes in the classroom and for bedtime stories.
As an older sister to six children, an example to children in my church and community as well as the girlfriend of a man with two boys aged 12-15 it has become obvious to me that children do love to read and also love to be read to.
Friday, May 16, 2014
The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company
Publish Date (Reprint): October 14, 2002
Summary: The youngest daughter of the Sea King desires to be a part of the human world. She sees a young boy whom she falls in love with on her 15th birthday. This young prince cannot know she is a mermaid and cannot know she even exists. The Little Mermaid, in an act of desperation, makes a deal with the Sea Witch to grow legs and meet her prince. The catch is, though, that the Sea Witch has cut off The Little Mermaid's tongue.
Source: Tatar Text
Age Range: All ages
Quality: Being a classic and traditional fairy tale, The Little Mermaid is perfect for children of all ages. It illustrates the consequences of jumping head first into tough choices.
Life Connections
- Death
- Making educated choices
- Family
- Can introduce Denmark and Hans Christian Anderson
Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company
Publish Date: October 14, 2002
Summary: The youngest daughter of a merchant sacrifices her life for her fathers. Belle lives a life of luxary at the Beast's palace for a few months but eventually becomes homesick for her family. The Beast allows her to visit her family but she must return within a week. Can she keep her promise? How will the Beast react if she doesn't?
Source: Tatar Text
Age Range: All ages
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Author: John Boyne
Publisher: David Fickling Books
Publish Date (Reprint): October 23, 2007
Summary: Bruno and his family moved to a new home in a new town, far away from his friends. Bruno is very bored in his new home and begins wandering around the home. He stumbles onto a concentration camp where he meets a boy in striped pajamas. A friendship begins to blossom as the two compare lives and realize they are very different from each other.
Age Range: 9th grade and up
Quality: This book is very tragic and might be hard for some students to understand. If used properly the book can introduce the atrocities of WWII and concentration camps.
Life Connections
- Death
- Understanding history - WWII, concentration camps
- Friends in unlikely places
If I Stay by Gayle Foreman
Author: Gayle Foreman
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Publish Date (Reprint): September 17, 2007
Summary: The book is narrated by a 17 year old girl who is involved in a tragic accident involving her mother, father and her younger brother. She sees herself, after the accident, lying in a pool of blood, and then follows her body and her family members around a hospital she was life-flighted to. Throughout a 24 hour period, Mia remembers her first kiss, when her younger brother was born, when her dad returned to grad school and a myriad of other memories leading up to the accident. During this time period, Mia has to make one of the hardest decisions she ever has had to make, whether to return to her body on Earth, or die. Family members come and go throughout the whole book to visit the ICU where her body is struggling to survive, and she hears their deep pleadings with her to stay.
Age Range: 9th grade and up
Quality: Excellent source for understanding death. This book is non-religious with no mention of any higher being, but addresses death as a part of life.
Life Connections
- Death
- Making educated choices
- Family
- Memories vital to remembering loved ones.
Urgency Emergency! Big Bad Wolf by Dosh Archer
Written & Illustrated by: Dosh Archer
Publisher: Albert Whiteman & Company
Publish Date: September 1, 2013
Summary: Oh no! Wolf is choking and is brought to the hospital. While the doctors are trying to help him, a little girl in a red coat comes in looking for her grandma. Is this a coincidence?
Age Range: K-3 and up
Quality: A twist on the beloved fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood. Kids will love the humor in the updated version and will love the pictures as well.
Life Connections
- Fairy Tales
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin
Publisher: Little Simon
Publish Date: September 17, 2007
Summary: Farmer Brown's cows have found a typewriter! And they know how to use it! They start leaving him notes in hopes of having a better living situation but Farmer Brown ignores them at first, until the cows refuse to produce any milk. How does Farmer Brown and the cows reach an agreement? You'll just have to read it to find out!
AR Book Points: .05
Awards: ALA Notable/Best Books, Book Sense Book of the Year, Publishers Weekly Best Book
Source: www.arbookfind.com
Awards: ALA Notable/Best Books, Book Sense Book of the Year, Publishers Weekly Best Book
Source: www.arbookfind.com
Age Range: K-2
Life Connections
- Life is not easy
- Sometimes you have to compromise
- Barnyard Animals
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game
Author: Michael Lewis
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company
Publish Date (Reprint): September 17, 2007
Summary: A depiction of the life of Michael Oher, #74 of the Baltimore Ravens. Oher's childhood was unlike many children's lives. At the age of 13, Michael does not know his real name, his father or how to read or write. Through miracles performed by members of his community and adopted family Michael learns how to read and write and is eventually granted a scholarship to Ol Miss. Through determination, hard work and a little bit of luck, Michael Oher is drafted into the NFL.
Age Range: 9th grade and up
Quality: This book provides a look into an American child whose life is unlike most, but identical to those in his neighborhood and surrounding areas. Michael Oher is essentially homeless and is given many opportunities to help him succeed. His community and family love him and help him succeed. Children will identify with this because Michael is a real character in a real situation and overcomes the things that could potentially hold him back.
Life Connections
- Life is not easy
- Helping others succeed can bring happiness to both you and the recipient.
- Understanding determination
- Understanding different life situations
Thursday, May 15, 2014
How The Stars Fell into the Sky: A Navajo Legend by Jerry Oughton
Author: Jerry Oughton
Illustrator: Lisa Desimini
Publisher: Sandpiper Houghton Mifflin
Publish Date: March 3, 1996
Summary: A retelling of a Navajo legend. The First Woman writes the laws of the land in the sky and is tricked by the Coyote.
Age Range: K-3 and up
Life Connections
- Learning about Native American Myths and Legends
- Learning about Fairy Tales
Cinnamon Girl: Letters Found Inside of a Cereal Box
Publisher: Joanna Cooler Books
Publish Date: August 9, 2005
Summary: Written in free verse, this story describes how young Yolanda deals with the tragedy of September 11. She keeps poems and letters she finds in and around Ground Zero in a cereal box. She collects dust around New York City with the intent of returning it to Ground Zero, hoping to silence the ghosts and bring her uncle back to life.
Age Range: 13 and up
Life Connections
- Understanding Hispanic (Puerto Rican) culture
- Understanding events in history
- How to deal with tragedy and death
Speak English For Us, Marisol! by Karen English
Author: Karen English
Illustrator: Enrique O. Sanchez
Publisher: Albert Whitman Company
Publish Date: December 3, 2005
Summary: Marisol is very excited to get home after a long day at school. She is anxious to see if her chickens have hatched! But all along the way she is asked by her Spanish-speaking family and friends to translate for them. It is very hard and she sometimes has to deal with adult topics, but she does it anyways because she loves her family and friends.
Age Range: K-3 and up
Life Connections
- Learning about the Spanish Culture
- Identifying with other students who might be in the same situation
- English as a Second Language learners
Africa Dream by Eloise Greenfield
Author: Eloise Greenfield
Illustrator: Carole Byard
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publish Date: January 30, 1992
Summary: A young African-American child dreams about meeting her grandfather and discovers his history.
Age Range: K-3 and up
Life Connections
- Learning about the African Culture
- Understanding history and family history
Beat the Story Drum, Pum Pum by Ashley Bryan
Author and Illustrator: Ashley Bryan
Publisher: Aladdin Books
Publish Date: May 31, 1987
Summary: This book features five Nigerian folktales rewritten and illustrated for a younger audience by Ashley Bryan. On the Amazon.com website, it states that the book is meant for school and library use only.
Age Range: K-3 and up
Quality: This book contains historical folktales from a country other than the United States. The artwork is very eye-catching and will keep the attention of children of all ages.
Life Connections
- Introduction to a new country and culture
- Art techniques
- Poetry, rhyme and verse can be introduced
7x9 equals trouble by Claudia Mills
Author: Claudia Mills
Illustrator: G. Brian Kara
Publisher: Square Fish
Publish Date: August 26, 2004
Summary: Times tables tests are the worst! And no one knows that better than Wilson Williams. He doesn't like to practice them, he doesn't want to do them. It seems like everyone around him, even his kindergartner brother, Skipper, knows how to do them. How is he going to pass this test?
Age Range: K-3 and up
Quality: A lot of children do not like multiplication and this book addresses that. It is realistic in the sense that everyone has to learn new things that they may not like or are not good at. I think this would apply to many children, especially in the second and third grades who are learning multiplication tables for the first time.
Life Connections
- Friends come in all shapes and sizes
- Sometimes we have to do things we don't like
- We can find answers to questions in the most unlikely places.
Aani and the Tree Huggers by Jeannine Atkins
Author: Jeannine Atkins
Illustrator: Venantius J. Pinto
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Publish Date: April 1, 2000
Summary: Aani bravely participates in the Chipko Andolan, or "Hug the Tree Movement" in her home town in India. She and the other women in town wrap their arms around the trees in order to keep developers from cutting them down. This is based on a true story from the 1970s in India.
Source: www.arbookfind.com
AR Reading points: .05
Grade Level: K-3
Awards: Children's Book Award, Smithsonian's Notable Book
Life Connections:
- Standing up for something without a voice
- The importance in nature
- History
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
Author: Linda Sue Park
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publish Date: April 23, 2001
Summary: Tree-Ear wants to learn to perform miracles. He sees Min, the master potter, shape clay into beautiful things and he wants to learn the craft. Because Tree-Ear is an orphan, he worries that Min will not take the time to teach him the art of pottery. He offers to work for Min, free of charge, to prove his desire to learn. Taking things one step at a time, Tree-Ear hopes that he can achieve his dream.
Source: My 11 year old sister's bedroom
Recommended grade: 6th-7th grade
AR Reading points: 6
Awards: Newbery Medal, Asian/Pacific American Award Winner, Booklist Editors' Choice, ALA Notable/Best Books, Young Reader's Choice Award
- Perseverance
- Sacrifice in order to achieve your dreams
- Having a dream is important
- Believing in yourself.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Author: Eleanor Estes
Illustrated by: Louis Slobodkin
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Publish Date: September 1, 2004
Summary: Wanda tells the girls in her class that she has one hundred beautiful dresses at home and yet she wears the same faded blue dress every day. The girls don't believe her and tease her daily. Her best friend begins to tease her too, but soon realizes it's not the nicest thing to do. Unfortunately she realizes it too soon when Wanda doesn't show up for school one day.
Source: My 11 year old sister's bedroom
Recommended grade: 5th grade
Awards: Newbery Honor
Quality: This book is well written for a younger crowd. While the main characters are female it could definitely apply to all children.
Life Connections:
- Teasing does not make friends
- Life is short
- Creativity is important
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publish Date: February 28, 2012
Summary: One choice can transform you. Beatrice Prior's society is divided into five factions—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Beatrice must choose between staying with her Abnegation family and transferring factions. Her choice will shock her community and herself. But the newly christened Tris also has a secret, one she's determined to keep hidden, because in this world, what makes you different makes you dangerous.
Award/Source: Georgia Peach Award, Buxtehuder Bulle, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, An ALA Notable Children’s Book for Older Readers, West Australian Young Readers’ Book Award and many, many more.
Age Range: Teenagers
Quality: This book is possibly one of the best books for a teenager to read. Teaching young readers the importance of family, the importance of society and to stand up for something they believe in.
Life Connections:
- Friends are important to succeed in life
- Anyone can be a hero
- Women are just as capable as men
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publish Date: September 1, 2009
Summary: In a dark vision of the near future, a terrifying reality TV show is taking place. Twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live event called the Hunger Games. There is only one rule: kill or be killed. When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister's place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.
Award/Source: Georgia Peach Award, Buxtehuder Bulle, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, An ALA Notable Children’s Book for Older Readers, West Australian Young Readers’ Book Award and many, many more.
Age Range: Teenagers
Quality: This book is possibly one of the best books for a teenager to read. Teaching young readers the importance of family, the importance of society and to stand up for something they believe in.
Life Connections
· Anyone can be a hero
· It is important to stand up to those who are hurting you and your community
· Family is an integral part of life
And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Author: Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Illustrated by: Henry Cole
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publish Date: June 1, 2005
Summary: Roy and Silo, two penguins in the New York City Zoo have developed a bond unlike any of the other penguins. They are given the opportunity to hatch an egg. They raise Tango as their own little bundle of joy.
Source: Spring 2014 116B Syllabus
Recommended grade: K-2
My suggested age range: any age is appropriate, from infant to adult
Awards: Gustavus Myers Outstanding Book Award
Quality: While a very controversial topic for some, I believe that this book should be in every classroom. It teaches that not all families have a mommy and daddy. If taught properly I believe this could prepare children for when they do meet friends who have a family situation different from their own.
Life Connections:
· Families come in all shapes and sizes
· Family is an important part of life
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
