Several months ago I shared several quality biographies about Abraham Lincoln for early to middle elementary grade children. This second installment provides a few titles for the middle to upper elementary age group. Comments are welcome! Share your enjoyment of these books or let us know about other good biographies of Lincoln.
Abe Lincoln: Log Cabin to White House by Sterling North
This biography for middle school and junior high students recounts the many obstacles Lincoln faced and portrays how his disposition and wit enabled him to continue on his interesting path from poverty to the presidency. I admit that I singled this book out of the many offerings on this subject because I love the author! Sterling North wrote the story called Rascal, one of the most beautiful stories for children and adults ever written! There is a Sterling North Society in Edgerton, Wisconsin which celebrates his literature and good children's literature in general.
http://www.sterlingnorthsociety.com/
Sterling North was commissioned by Random House to write a biography about Washington and Lincoln for the Landmark Biography Series. This is one of the original books of the series.
Abraham Lincoln by William Jay Jacobs
In the fourth and fifth grades, we have used this biography as a read-aloud in our opening times at school and also for a class book to be read by all students. Jacobs accomplishes both a well-written narrative and a clear portrayal of Lincoln's virtues.
Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman
You cannot go wrong when you pick up any history or biography book written by this author. Freedman incorporates reliable historical research - including photos, letters, and speeches - onto the pages of his books. Every book of his presents an engaging account of a topic, person, or era in history. This stunning book won the Newbery Medal in 1988 for the manner in which he combined nineteenth century art and historical photographs with appropriate historical writing for children. He knows how to handle complex societal and political issues in a way that explains topics such as slavery and elections to children without weighing down the text. He covers Lincoln with depth and in a manner that is well-rounded; while he does not exaggerate Lincoln's virtues, his story portrays the greatness and importance of our 16th president.
Lincoln: The Prairie Years and the War Years by Carl Sandburg
This won the Pulitzer Prize and for an older reader and lover of Lincoln it is a wonderful (though lengthy) biography. It was originally published in six volumes, but it has been since published in one volume. When it was written, it was considered one of the finest biographies of the time. In Sandburg's poetic style he seeks to discover what makes a man great.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin
I like how some authors can weave a pet into their biography and turn out an entertaining story! This book portrays how a child with talent evolved into the great American painter through hard work, respect for his parents, and patience. As a Quaker boy, convincing the community that art was beautiful not shameful required both perseverance and understanding. And Grimalkin? His loyal pet provided fur for his brushes.
Benjamin West is sometimes called "The Father of American Painting". You can find his pictures at the website of the National Gallery of Art.
Here is a link to his picture entitled "Penn's Treaty with the Indians."
http://explorepahistory.com/displayimage.php?imgId=1-2-1E6
Marguerite Henry is the author of many beloved horse books such as the Newbery winner Misty of Chincoteage.
Benjamin West is sometimes called "The Father of American Painting". You can find his pictures at the website of the National Gallery of Art.
Here is a link to his picture entitled "Penn's Treaty with the Indians."
http://explorepahistory.com/displayimage.php?imgId=1-2-1E6
Marguerite Henry is the author of many beloved horse books such as the Newbery winner Misty of Chincoteage.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
The Ugly Duckling
Oh dear, it looks like I took the entire summer off and then some! Literature for building character has been a career-long goal and a life-long experience (begun at birth), so this blog is destined to continue on for the rest of my life - despite any lapses.
I am picking it up on the occasion of my youngest daughter's 30th birthday with the fairy tale about the ugly duckling. In this tale by Hans Christian Anderson, the big egg in mother duck's nest produces a large gray baby duck that does not look like the others. As a result this "duckling" spends the first part of life suffering from taunts and isolation. However, there comes the day when the true swan nature becomes manifest, first to the swan and then to everyone else.
When she was a little girl, my daughter thought of herself in this way. She would notice things about herself such as that she learned to tell time a little later than others (so what! but to her it was a difference...), she loved to write late at night rather than to read like her older sister, and she had the usual ups and downs with friends that all children pass through. While we understood and recognized the beauty of her unique virtues, she had to grow into this realization herself. One evening at the dinner table we were talking about how each child had a metaphor to symbolize their unique process of growth. Beginning with the oldest we settled upon a pearl, an oak, and a lion cub. When we came to the youngest she herself blurted out: "and I am the swan!" We were amazed at the self-awareness. We had known about her struggles to accept herself and we could not believe the wisdom that came flowing forth in her exclamation. She was not even totally aware of how insightful she was being. But it was true - in other areas of her life we could see that she was becoming happy in her own skin. Self worth came not from comparisons but by contentment.
And herein is the lesson from The Ugly Duckling: with patience, ones true nature WILL come out. Like the swan, each child can eventually spread their wings and join their majestic kin who float along the waters, serving as a source of delight for others. Versions of this story abound in anthologies, picture books, and - in those treasures of treasures - classic fairy tale collections. To illustrate the beauty of well-written fairy tales, here are some translated excerpts from Andersen's Danish version in his story published in 1844.
"...The duckling had never seen such beautiful birds, dazzlingly white with long, graceful necks...As the ugly little duckling watched them mount higher and higher up in the air, he felt a strange sensation...When they were out of sight, he dived down to the bottom of the waters, and when he surfaced, he was almost beside himself with excitement. He had no idea who these birds were, nor did he know anything about their destination. Yet they were more precious to him than any birds he had ever known...
...One day, the sun began to shine again, and the larks began to sing. Spring had arrived in all its beauty...Then all at once he decided to try his wings. They whirred much louder then before, and they carried him away swiftly. Almost before he knew it, he found himself in a large garden. The apple trees were in full blossom, and the fragrant lilacs bent their long green branches down on a stream that wound its way across a smooth lawn. It was so lovely here in all the freshness of early spring! From a nearby thicket, three beautiful white swans emerged, ruffling their feathers and floating lightly over the still waters. The duckling recognized the splendid creatures...
...What did he discover in the clear surface beneath him? He saw his own image, and he was no longer a clumsy, gray bird, ugly and unpleasant to look at - no, he was himself a swan!...
...He now felt positively glad to have endured so much hardship and adversity. It helped him appreciate all the happiness and beauty surrounding him...The three great swans swam around the newcomer and stroked his neck with their beaks...
...He felt quite humbled, and he tucked his head under his wing - he himself hardly knew why. He was so very happy, but not a bit proud, for a good heart is never proud."
From the book The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales. Edited by Maria Tatar.
Happy 30th Birthday to my youngest daughter - a beautiful swan!
I am picking it up on the occasion of my youngest daughter's 30th birthday with the fairy tale about the ugly duckling. In this tale by Hans Christian Anderson, the big egg in mother duck's nest produces a large gray baby duck that does not look like the others. As a result this "duckling" spends the first part of life suffering from taunts and isolation. However, there comes the day when the true swan nature becomes manifest, first to the swan and then to everyone else.
When she was a little girl, my daughter thought of herself in this way. She would notice things about herself such as that she learned to tell time a little later than others (so what! but to her it was a difference...), she loved to write late at night rather than to read like her older sister, and she had the usual ups and downs with friends that all children pass through. While we understood and recognized the beauty of her unique virtues, she had to grow into this realization herself. One evening at the dinner table we were talking about how each child had a metaphor to symbolize their unique process of growth. Beginning with the oldest we settled upon a pearl, an oak, and a lion cub. When we came to the youngest she herself blurted out: "and I am the swan!" We were amazed at the self-awareness. We had known about her struggles to accept herself and we could not believe the wisdom that came flowing forth in her exclamation. She was not even totally aware of how insightful she was being. But it was true - in other areas of her life we could see that she was becoming happy in her own skin. Self worth came not from comparisons but by contentment.
And herein is the lesson from The Ugly Duckling: with patience, ones true nature WILL come out. Like the swan, each child can eventually spread their wings and join their majestic kin who float along the waters, serving as a source of delight for others. Versions of this story abound in anthologies, picture books, and - in those treasures of treasures - classic fairy tale collections. To illustrate the beauty of well-written fairy tales, here are some translated excerpts from Andersen's Danish version in his story published in 1844.
"...The duckling had never seen such beautiful birds, dazzlingly white with long, graceful necks...As the ugly little duckling watched them mount higher and higher up in the air, he felt a strange sensation...When they were out of sight, he dived down to the bottom of the waters, and when he surfaced, he was almost beside himself with excitement. He had no idea who these birds were, nor did he know anything about their destination. Yet they were more precious to him than any birds he had ever known...
...One day, the sun began to shine again, and the larks began to sing. Spring had arrived in all its beauty...Then all at once he decided to try his wings. They whirred much louder then before, and they carried him away swiftly. Almost before he knew it, he found himself in a large garden. The apple trees were in full blossom, and the fragrant lilacs bent their long green branches down on a stream that wound its way across a smooth lawn. It was so lovely here in all the freshness of early spring! From a nearby thicket, three beautiful white swans emerged, ruffling their feathers and floating lightly over the still waters. The duckling recognized the splendid creatures...
...What did he discover in the clear surface beneath him? He saw his own image, and he was no longer a clumsy, gray bird, ugly and unpleasant to look at - no, he was himself a swan!...
...He now felt positively glad to have endured so much hardship and adversity. It helped him appreciate all the happiness and beauty surrounding him...The three great swans swam around the newcomer and stroked his neck with their beaks...
...He felt quite humbled, and he tucked his head under his wing - he himself hardly knew why. He was so very happy, but not a bit proud, for a good heart is never proud."
From the book The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales. Edited by Maria Tatar.
Happy 30th Birthday to my youngest daughter - a beautiful swan!
Friday, June 1, 2012
Abraham Lincoln - 1
Abe Lincoln Gets His Chance
Frances Cavanah
It is difficult to decide which of the wonderful books about Lincoln I should write about first. I decided it would be the one that I first read. My mother joined a book club on my behalf when I was in elementary school by which I received a book in the mail once a month. Back in the late '50's and early 60's that was a rather unique and spectacular decision on the part of my mother. But she knew a reader when she saw one. (Or was it that this reader became one because of a mother like this? Take heart parents!)
This particular biography of Lincoln was a terrific introduction to the human story and virtue of Abraham Lincoln. Impressions were etched into my mind that have stayed there forever because I was totally engaged with the text: his poor beginnings, the log cabins nestled in woods - first in Kentucky and then in Illinois, the sadness when his mother died, the warm relationship he had with his new mom, his naughty escapades in the cabin with his sister and cousin (he was so tall that he could lift his cousin and turn him upside down so this his cousin could put footprints across the ceiling), his reading by candlelight in the attic, his ability to stand up to bullies, the tale about walking far to return a book - driven by his honesty and conscience. As I ponder this I realize afresh how one good book at the right time in a child's life can have a life-long effect. I have returned to these anecdotes countless times. The value of books, the virtues of honesty and compassion, and a picture of perseverance are forever connected in my mind with Abraham Lincoln.
In recent years, I read this book aloud to a class of fifth graders. So I know it is still being published and I know children still respond to this biography. If you cannot find this title, the following titles are also excellent Lincoln stories for younger children.
Lincoln's Birthday by Clyde Robert Bulla
Bulla's biographies are not stiff or uninteresting in style. This one can be read aloud or read independently by young readers.
Just a Few Words Mr. Lincoln by Jean Fritz.
This tender biography also can be enjoyed by older children. Fritz's work has a wide appeal and acclaim.
Meet Abraham Lincoln by Barbara Cary.
A Step-Up biography, this book is part of Random House publisher's excellent Landmark Biography series. See also Meet...Franklin, Washington, Columbus, King Jr., Jefferson.
Abraham Lincoln. Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire.
An enduring well-written biography of Lincoln by authors who wrote other quality biographies. This one won the Caldecott Medal in 1940 for its illustrations. The oversized book is worth getting just to see the cover of Lincoln sitting on a split rail fence. Worth owning.
I better stop the list here and continue with another group of books in a Lincoln -2 blog. The second list will pick up where this one left off in level of difficulty and provide samples for those in the middle elementary years.
Frances Cavanah
It is difficult to decide which of the wonderful books about Lincoln I should write about first. I decided it would be the one that I first read. My mother joined a book club on my behalf when I was in elementary school by which I received a book in the mail once a month. Back in the late '50's and early 60's that was a rather unique and spectacular decision on the part of my mother. But she knew a reader when she saw one. (Or was it that this reader became one because of a mother like this? Take heart parents!)
This particular biography of Lincoln was a terrific introduction to the human story and virtue of Abraham Lincoln. Impressions were etched into my mind that have stayed there forever because I was totally engaged with the text: his poor beginnings, the log cabins nestled in woods - first in Kentucky and then in Illinois, the sadness when his mother died, the warm relationship he had with his new mom, his naughty escapades in the cabin with his sister and cousin (he was so tall that he could lift his cousin and turn him upside down so this his cousin could put footprints across the ceiling), his reading by candlelight in the attic, his ability to stand up to bullies, the tale about walking far to return a book - driven by his honesty and conscience. As I ponder this I realize afresh how one good book at the right time in a child's life can have a life-long effect. I have returned to these anecdotes countless times. The value of books, the virtues of honesty and compassion, and a picture of perseverance are forever connected in my mind with Abraham Lincoln.
In recent years, I read this book aloud to a class of fifth graders. So I know it is still being published and I know children still respond to this biography. If you cannot find this title, the following titles are also excellent Lincoln stories for younger children.
Lincoln's Birthday by Clyde Robert Bulla
Bulla's biographies are not stiff or uninteresting in style. This one can be read aloud or read independently by young readers.
Just a Few Words Mr. Lincoln by Jean Fritz.
This tender biography also can be enjoyed by older children. Fritz's work has a wide appeal and acclaim.
Meet Abraham Lincoln by Barbara Cary.
A Step-Up biography, this book is part of Random House publisher's excellent Landmark Biography series. See also Meet...Franklin, Washington, Columbus, King Jr., Jefferson.
Abraham Lincoln. Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire.
An enduring well-written biography of Lincoln by authors who wrote other quality biographies. This one won the Caldecott Medal in 1940 for its illustrations. The oversized book is worth getting just to see the cover of Lincoln sitting on a split rail fence. Worth owning.
I better stop the list here and continue with another group of books in a Lincoln -2 blog. The second list will pick up where this one left off in level of difficulty and provide samples for those in the middle elementary years.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Wilbur and Orville Wright
Wilbur and Orville Wright: the Flight to Adventure
Louis Sabin
Published by Troll Associates
What I want to highlight in this blog post is the publisher. About 20 years ago, my husband and I brought home stack after stack of children's biographies from the library on a very specific quest. We were looking for books about famous people that were told with an engaging narrative style. We found many biographies that were packed with wonderful information and would serve a child well who had to do some research or who enjoyed information books. It was more difficult to find a biography that had both information and an enjoyable narrative. We discovered that the Troll Books had this very aim. We found that book after book in this series recounted the lives of famous people from the standpoint of how they overcame obstacles from the time they were young in order to accomplish something. In the case of the the Wright Brothers, their pursuits reveal the virtues of hard work and of close family relationships. The author, Louis Sabin, wrote several biographies for Troll in the style they were looking for. Some of them are:
Andrew Jackson: Frontier Patriot
Jim Beckwourth: Adventures of a Mountain Man
Roberto Clemente: Young Baseball Hero
Young Mark Twain
The Great Houdini: Daring Escape Artist
Sabin also wrote many informational books for children. The range of topics is impressive: weather, grasslands, reptiles, radio, space exploration, plants and seeds... Here is a link from a website about authors that provides a list of books by Sabin.
http://www.jacketflap.com/louis-sabin/97476
And I cannot end this post without telling you about one more great book about the Wright brothers. (There are so many great books about them!)
The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane by Russell Freedman.
First, any book by Russell Freedman is awesome - and I mean it! He is the gold standard in nonfiction books for children. This book is full of rare photos taken by the Wright Brothers and it describes in good historical detail how they went about accomplishing their big dream. On top of all the good facts, this book won the Newbery Honor - the yearly award for the best book written for children. I rest my case.
Louis Sabin
Published by Troll Associates
What I want to highlight in this blog post is the publisher. About 20 years ago, my husband and I brought home stack after stack of children's biographies from the library on a very specific quest. We were looking for books about famous people that were told with an engaging narrative style. We found many biographies that were packed with wonderful information and would serve a child well who had to do some research or who enjoyed information books. It was more difficult to find a biography that had both information and an enjoyable narrative. We discovered that the Troll Books had this very aim. We found that book after book in this series recounted the lives of famous people from the standpoint of how they overcame obstacles from the time they were young in order to accomplish something. In the case of the the Wright Brothers, their pursuits reveal the virtues of hard work and of close family relationships. The author, Louis Sabin, wrote several biographies for Troll in the style they were looking for. Some of them are:
Andrew Jackson: Frontier Patriot
Jim Beckwourth: Adventures of a Mountain Man
Roberto Clemente: Young Baseball Hero
Young Mark Twain
The Great Houdini: Daring Escape Artist
Sabin also wrote many informational books for children. The range of topics is impressive: weather, grasslands, reptiles, radio, space exploration, plants and seeds... Here is a link from a website about authors that provides a list of books by Sabin.
http://www.jacketflap.com/louis-sabin/97476
And I cannot end this post without telling you about one more great book about the Wright brothers. (There are so many great books about them!)
The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane by Russell Freedman.
First, any book by Russell Freedman is awesome - and I mean it! He is the gold standard in nonfiction books for children. This book is full of rare photos taken by the Wright Brothers and it describes in good historical detail how they went about accomplishing their big dream. On top of all the good facts, this book won the Newbery Honor - the yearly award for the best book written for children. I rest my case.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Sybil Rides for Independence
Sybil Rides for Independence
Drollene Brown
The story of Paul Revere's famous daring ride has been immortalized in the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Listen my children and you shall hear...of the midnight ride of Paul Revere... Who can blame us all if we are captivated by the poetic retelling of that historical night in America's history? Though not etched in our historical memory by means of a famous poem, there were other riders that night who also bravely rode through the countryside to warn the colonists of the coming of the British army: one was William Dawes and the other was a 16 -year old girl named Sybil Ludington. Readers of this story catch the spirit of Sybil and how she pushed through fear to rise up to meet the moment and make a difference. The end of the book provides the historical fact upon which this biography is based.
Several other authors have written biographies for children about Sybil Luddington. I recommend that you go to the library and do a computer subject search. You may get lucky and be able to bring home several versions of this exciting true story. Each one will illustrate the time, place, and action in a unique way. And, while you are there, by all means check out a picture book version of the Longfellow poem on Paul Revere.
Drollene Brown
The story of Paul Revere's famous daring ride has been immortalized in the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Listen my children and you shall hear...of the midnight ride of Paul Revere... Who can blame us all if we are captivated by the poetic retelling of that historical night in America's history? Though not etched in our historical memory by means of a famous poem, there were other riders that night who also bravely rode through the countryside to warn the colonists of the coming of the British army: one was William Dawes and the other was a 16 -year old girl named Sybil Ludington. Readers of this story catch the spirit of Sybil and how she pushed through fear to rise up to meet the moment and make a difference. The end of the book provides the historical fact upon which this biography is based.
Several other authors have written biographies for children about Sybil Luddington. I recommend that you go to the library and do a computer subject search. You may get lucky and be able to bring home several versions of this exciting true story. Each one will illustrate the time, place, and action in a unique way. And, while you are there, by all means check out a picture book version of the Longfellow poem on Paul Revere.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Louis Braille: The Boy Who Invented Books for the Blind
Louis Braille. The Boy Who Invented Books for the Blind
Margaret Davidson
In my experience children are always interested in the life of Louis Braille. As a little boy he was able to see, and then one day he plays with an awl and he hurts his eye. Next, the book describes how he loses his ability to see one object after another. The story goes on to portray how mentors help him go to school and teach him a way to read and write. Even more fascinating is how, as a young boy, he sets out to find a better system to enable the blind to read. Gaining acceptance for the idea took his entire life. By the end of the biography, children are affected on many levels and often feel very close to Louis Braille and to the book itself.
Of course, your reader will want to try reading Braille too. This Scholastic biography shows them the alphabet. Margaret Davidson was a prolific author of biographies for children. Here are some of her other titles:
The Story of Eleanor Roosevelt
Helen Keller
Helen Keller's Teacher
The Story of Jackie Robinson: Bravest Man in Baseball
Frederick Douglass Fights for Freedom
The Story of Golda Meir
Reading level is grades 3-6, but these can be read aloud to younger children and I recommend that you do!
Margaret Davidson
In my experience children are always interested in the life of Louis Braille. As a little boy he was able to see, and then one day he plays with an awl and he hurts his eye. Next, the book describes how he loses his ability to see one object after another. The story goes on to portray how mentors help him go to school and teach him a way to read and write. Even more fascinating is how, as a young boy, he sets out to find a better system to enable the blind to read. Gaining acceptance for the idea took his entire life. By the end of the biography, children are affected on many levels and often feel very close to Louis Braille and to the book itself.
Of course, your reader will want to try reading Braille too. This Scholastic biography shows them the alphabet. Margaret Davidson was a prolific author of biographies for children. Here are some of her other titles:
The Story of Eleanor Roosevelt
Helen Keller
Helen Keller's Teacher
The Story of Jackie Robinson: Bravest Man in Baseball
Frederick Douglass Fights for Freedom
The Story of Golda Meir
Reading level is grades 3-6, but these can be read aloud to younger children and I recommend that you do!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Elizabeth Blackwell: A Doctor's Triumph
Elizabeth Blackwell: A Doctor's Triumph
by Nancy Kline
Blackwell bravely struggled to become a doctor during a time when society shunned women in the medical field. Her persistence throughout the obstacles and ostracism she faced in medical school is truly inspiring. This was one of the first biographies I read almost 30 years ago when I began the search for readable inspiring stories to share with students. The impression has stayed with me until now.
If you can't find this particular story, there have been several others about her published over the years. If you read another good version, publish a comment and let us know!
I hesitate to assign grade or age levels. These levels are general suggestions due to the fact that younger children probably would not have the stamina to listen to the longer books. Also not all content is suitable for younger children. But all ages would enjoy hearing or reading the stories on the list marked for PreK-4.
by Nancy Kline
Blackwell bravely struggled to become a doctor during a time when society shunned women in the medical field. Her persistence throughout the obstacles and ostracism she faced in medical school is truly inspiring. This was one of the first biographies I read almost 30 years ago when I began the search for readable inspiring stories to share with students. The impression has stayed with me until now.
If you can't find this particular story, there have been several others about her published over the years. If you read another good version, publish a comment and let us know!
I hesitate to assign grade or age levels. These levels are general suggestions due to the fact that younger children probably would not have the stamina to listen to the longer books. Also not all content is suitable for younger children. But all ages would enjoy hearing or reading the stories on the list marked for PreK-4.
Monday, April 30, 2012
More Than Anything Else Booker T. Washington
More Than Anything Else Booker T. Washington
Marie Bradby Illus. Chris Soentpiet
What did he want more than anything else? Booker at nine years of age hungered to learn to read. Although he had to work all day long in the salt mines, his desire to read was greater than sleep or rest or food. The author says she wrote this book when her son was five and was learning to read. Bradby writes beautifully and her words combine with Soentpiet's watercolor illustrations with a harmonious effect.
You might like to visit the websites of illustrators. You can view good layouts of their work and discover other books by artists you come to like. On this website I discovered the fact that Soentpiet and Marie Bradby won many awards for More Than Anything Else. The list goes all the way down the page!
http://www.soentpiet.com/more.htm
I hesitate to assign grade or age levels. These levels are general suggestions due to the fact that younger children probably would not have the stamina to listen to the longer books. Also not all content is suitable for younger children. But all ages would enjoy hearing or reading the stories on the list marked for PreK-4.
Marie Bradby Illus. Chris Soentpiet
What did he want more than anything else? Booker at nine years of age hungered to learn to read. Although he had to work all day long in the salt mines, his desire to read was greater than sleep or rest or food. The author says she wrote this book when her son was five and was learning to read. Bradby writes beautifully and her words combine with Soentpiet's watercolor illustrations with a harmonious effect.
You might like to visit the websites of illustrators. You can view good layouts of their work and discover other books by artists you come to like. On this website I discovered the fact that Soentpiet and Marie Bradby won many awards for More Than Anything Else. The list goes all the way down the page!
http://www.soentpiet.com/more.htm
I hesitate to assign grade or age levels. These levels are general suggestions due to the fact that younger children probably would not have the stamina to listen to the longer books. Also not all content is suitable for younger children. But all ages would enjoy hearing or reading the stories on the list marked for PreK-4.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Thomas Alva Edison, Great Inventor
Thomas Alva Edison, Great Inventor
David A. Adler
When Edison was a little boy, he constantly asked questions. That's one huge tip to take from his childhood for our own children. His curiosity and determination led him to invent many useful things. From his experience concerning the usefulness of mistakes came his memorable quote: "genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." He knew that to get the results you want you just have to keep trying over and over and over.
David Adler wrote other biographies for this age too. His books relate facts but he couches them in a pleasant narrative.
I hesitate to assign grade or age levels. These levels are general suggestions due to the fact that younger children probably would not have the stamina to listen to the longer books. Also not all content is suitable for younger children. But all ages would enjoy hearing or reading the stories on the list marked for PreK-4.
David A. Adler
When Edison was a little boy, he constantly asked questions. That's one huge tip to take from his childhood for our own children. His curiosity and determination led him to invent many useful things. From his experience concerning the usefulness of mistakes came his memorable quote: "genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." He knew that to get the results you want you just have to keep trying over and over and over.
David Adler wrote other biographies for this age too. His books relate facts but he couches them in a pleasant narrative.
I hesitate to assign grade or age levels. These levels are general suggestions due to the fact that younger children probably would not have the stamina to listen to the longer books. Also not all content is suitable for younger children. But all ages would enjoy hearing or reading the stories on the list marked for PreK-4.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Buttons for General Washington
Buttons for General Washington
Peter and Connie Roop
This is just one episode from the Revolutionary War retold in story form in which a boy delivers a message to General Washington hidden in his buttons. Exciting! He needs to summon his courage in order to carry out a big responsibility. Technically, reconstructed historical narratives are classified as historical fiction. However, I have tagged them as biographies because they are also true stories of real people. Inspiring anecdotes from the lives of ordinary people can leave the same imprints on a child's mind as those of famous people. A good story narrative engages the listener and dramatizes the virtue in action. Washington is in the background in this one, but children can become intimate with the lives of heroes over time by reading many many stories in which they are present.
You can trust anything written by the Roops! They will show up in this blog a few more times.
I hesitate to assign grade or age levels. These levels are general suggestions due to the fact that younger children probably would not have the stamina to listen to the longer books. Also not all content is suitable for younger children. But all ages would enjoy hearing or reading the stories on the list marked for PreK-4.
Peter and Connie Roop
This is just one episode from the Revolutionary War retold in story form in which a boy delivers a message to General Washington hidden in his buttons. Exciting! He needs to summon his courage in order to carry out a big responsibility. Technically, reconstructed historical narratives are classified as historical fiction. However, I have tagged them as biographies because they are also true stories of real people. Inspiring anecdotes from the lives of ordinary people can leave the same imprints on a child's mind as those of famous people. A good story narrative engages the listener and dramatizes the virtue in action. Washington is in the background in this one, but children can become intimate with the lives of heroes over time by reading many many stories in which they are present.
You can trust anything written by the Roops! They will show up in this blog a few more times.
I hesitate to assign grade or age levels. These levels are general suggestions due to the fact that younger children probably would not have the stamina to listen to the longer books. Also not all content is suitable for younger children. But all ages would enjoy hearing or reading the stories on the list marked for PreK-4.
Monday, March 26, 2012
The Lion and the Mouse
The Lion and the Mouse
Jerry Pinkney
Aesop was on to something when he employed animals to teach virtues in his fables. And not only Aesop, but most world cultures do the same. Picture how it must fire the storyteller's imagination to match human traits with likely characteristics of animals. The brave lion, the sneaky rat, the industrious ant are very logical and, of course, appealing to children. This "retelling" of the old fable is told completely without words! Page by beautiful page, the illustrations tell the story of the mercy of the big guy who in turn was helped by the little guy. The striking bold pictures fill up each entire page and the story quite easily comes to life. No wonder, Pinkney won the Caldecott Medal for this book in 2010. Prior to that, in 2009 he was awarded the Parents Choice Gold Award. Be on the look-out for other titles by Jerry Pinkney.
Jerry Pinkney
Aesop was on to something when he employed animals to teach virtues in his fables. And not only Aesop, but most world cultures do the same. Picture how it must fire the storyteller's imagination to match human traits with likely characteristics of animals. The brave lion, the sneaky rat, the industrious ant are very logical and, of course, appealing to children. This "retelling" of the old fable is told completely without words! Page by beautiful page, the illustrations tell the story of the mercy of the big guy who in turn was helped by the little guy. The striking bold pictures fill up each entire page and the story quite easily comes to life. No wonder, Pinkney won the Caldecott Medal for this book in 2010. Prior to that, in 2009 he was awarded the Parents Choice Gold Award. Be on the look-out for other titles by Jerry Pinkney.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
A Chair for my Mother
A Chair for my Mother
Vera B. Miles
A family loses their possessions in a fire and immediately their neighbors pitch in to share household furnishings with them. Then the little girl, her mama, and her grandma work together to save money in order to buy a special chair. The pictures help to convey the drama and family spirit in this story. As shown by the silver medal on the cover, it won a Caldecott Honor Award for the illustrations. Look for this award given each year by the American Library Association on picture book covers. On the upper left hand corner is the sticker showing it was a selection for the PBS series, Reading Rainbow. These two stickers can help you locate other quality picture books.
A family loses their possessions in a fire and immediately their neighbors pitch in to share household furnishings with them. Then the little girl, her mama, and her grandma work together to save money in order to buy a special chair. The pictures help to convey the drama and family spirit in this story. As shown by the silver medal on the cover, it won a Caldecott Honor Award for the illustrations. Look for this award given each year by the American Library Association on picture book covers. On the upper left hand corner is the sticker showing it was a selection for the PBS series, Reading Rainbow. These two stickers can help you locate other quality picture books.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Best Friends for Frances
Best Friends for Frances
Russell Hoben
Frances has spunk. She wants to play with her friend (Albert, a boy - whoops! a badger) but finds out that friends are not always nice. Then Frances discovers she is not always nice either. The person (whoops! badger, these are badgers) who is usually nice is Gloria. And Gloria is her sister! Who knew you could be best friends with your sister!
Animals have a firm place in the value tale tradition. Consider the ancient fables and the traditional folklore from every culture. The Berenstein Bears and Curious George are two of countless contemporary examples. Russell Hoben has created several delightfully instructive tales about Frances.
What's my criteria for the picture book "classics" label? The book was published at least 25 years ago and continues to be republished. And, of course, for this blog, it must also have enduring value as a book that will build virtue, beauty and truth in children.
Russell Hoben
Frances has spunk. She wants to play with her friend (Albert, a boy - whoops! a badger) but finds out that friends are not always nice. Then Frances discovers she is not always nice either. The person (whoops! badger, these are badgers) who is usually nice is Gloria. And Gloria is her sister! Who knew you could be best friends with your sister!
Animals have a firm place in the value tale tradition. Consider the ancient fables and the traditional folklore from every culture. The Berenstein Bears and Curious George are two of countless contemporary examples. Russell Hoben has created several delightfully instructive tales about Frances.
What's my criteria for the picture book "classics" label? The book was published at least 25 years ago and continues to be republished. And, of course, for this blog, it must also have enduring value as a book that will build virtue, beauty and truth in children.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Stellaluna
Stellaluna
Janell Cannon
A little bat and his bird friends realize that though they are so different they can feel so much alike. This is a currently popular book, but I didn't find that out until later. I was first attracted to it on the shelf by its stunning dark blue - night sky cover. Your little one will also judge books by their covers. Read a book for its beauty alone.
You can see a live video of an actor reading this book http://www.storylineonline.net/
This website is produced by the Screen Actors Guild.
Janell Cannon
A little bat and his bird friends realize that though they are so different they can feel so much alike. This is a currently popular book, but I didn't find that out until later. I was first attracted to it on the shelf by its stunning dark blue - night sky cover. Your little one will also judge books by their covers. Read a book for its beauty alone.
You can see a live video of an actor reading this book http://www.storylineonline.net/
This website is produced by the Screen Actors Guild.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Brave Irene
Brave Irene
William Steig
It takes so much perseverance for Irene to face the bitter cold and one hardship after another. The source of her courage is her love for her mother. Steig is a wonderful story-teller. His Caldecott Medal book, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is delightful, suspenseful and tender - all rolled up into one great story! I found his style so engaging (for myself!) that I began looking for books by this author. Brave Irene lived up to the standard. Books written by William Steig are pure literary pleasure. I have several other favorites, but I just cannot share them all at once. In this blog we'll spread out the joy.
P.S. After I "discovered" him, I learned that he was a cartoonist for The New Yorker. Oh, and he wrote a movie called "Shrek". See this link if you want to read his picture book original. http://us.macmillan.com/author/williamsteig
William Steig
It takes so much perseverance for Irene to face the bitter cold and one hardship after another. The source of her courage is her love for her mother. Steig is a wonderful story-teller. His Caldecott Medal book, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is delightful, suspenseful and tender - all rolled up into one great story! I found his style so engaging (for myself!) that I began looking for books by this author. Brave Irene lived up to the standard. Books written by William Steig are pure literary pleasure. I have several other favorites, but I just cannot share them all at once. In this blog we'll spread out the joy.
P.S. After I "discovered" him, I learned that he was a cartoonist for The New Yorker. Oh, and he wrote a movie called "Shrek". See this link if you want to read his picture book original. http://us.macmillan.com/author/williamsteig
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
Virginia Lee Burton
Mike is loyal to his steam shovel Mary Anne. Through his faith in her, they together prove their ability to get a job done. The odds are against them! You and your child(ren) will root for them to make it. When they do, you will cheer together!
Virginia Lee Burton
Mike is loyal to his steam shovel Mary Anne. Through his faith in her, they together prove their ability to get a job done. The odds are against them! You and your child(ren) will root for them to make it. When they do, you will cheer together!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Sleeping Beauty
Sleeping Beauty
Charles Perrault, retold by Mercer Mayer
Remember the fairy tales! Embedded in tales are the values of the cultures and people who told them. This is true for both the traditional (the folk tales handed down by oral tradition) and literary (the ones written but based upon folklore by such greats as Charles Perrault and Hans Christian Anderson). The one retold here is by an author well known for quality story-telling, but many variations abound in the libraries. It is easy for me to pick out traits such as human vanity, envy, courage, forgiveness, and hope that have occurred to me as I have read this tale as a child, mother, and teacher over the years; however, it is not necessary to overly define what can be reaped in the read aloud experience. The effects are as different as the readers, and they are as different one time as the next for the same reader. As a young girl I was entranced by the courageous love of the prince as he hacked through the overgrown bramble and I felt the wonderful satisfaction in the triumph of goodness over evil. Last week, I read the Disney version of this tale to my granddaughter and what struck me this time was the kindness of the helpers - Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. I'm not sure Perrault had those three in mind, but, hey, the tale took me there. My point is that when you read a fairy tale, don't worry about the lessons.Comments may happen, but they are not necessary either. I did not point anything out to my four-year old granddaughter. I just trust story.
Charles Perrault, retold by Mercer Mayer
Remember the fairy tales! Embedded in tales are the values of the cultures and people who told them. This is true for both the traditional (the folk tales handed down by oral tradition) and literary (the ones written but based upon folklore by such greats as Charles Perrault and Hans Christian Anderson). The one retold here is by an author well known for quality story-telling, but many variations abound in the libraries. It is easy for me to pick out traits such as human vanity, envy, courage, forgiveness, and hope that have occurred to me as I have read this tale as a child, mother, and teacher over the years; however, it is not necessary to overly define what can be reaped in the read aloud experience. The effects are as different as the readers, and they are as different one time as the next for the same reader. As a young girl I was entranced by the courageous love of the prince as he hacked through the overgrown bramble and I felt the wonderful satisfaction in the triumph of goodness over evil. Last week, I read the Disney version of this tale to my granddaughter and what struck me this time was the kindness of the helpers - Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. I'm not sure Perrault had those three in mind, but, hey, the tale took me there. My point is that when you read a fairy tale, don't worry about the lessons.Comments may happen, but they are not necessary either. I did not point anything out to my four-year old granddaughter. I just trust story.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Horton Hatches the Egg -faithfulness
Horton Hatches the Egg
Dr. Seuss
I still remember curling up on my father's lap in his big chair and listening to him read this story in the evening before bed. Horton is an elephant who displays the virtues of patience, faithfulness and caring. The odds are against poor Horton to be able to keep his word to sit on lazy Mazie bird's egg while she takes a break. (She decides to go to Palm Beach.) But he has a motto that he says to himself when the going gets really tough. "I meant what I said, and I said what I meant, an elephant's faithful one hundred per cent!" Since this recurs throughout the story, the listener easily learns it. When I sat with my daddy he would dramatically say the lines and pause right before the last word..."an elephant's faithful one hundred per ..."so I could chime in with him..."CENT!"
Dr. Seuss
I still remember curling up on my father's lap in his big chair and listening to him read this story in the evening before bed. Horton is an elephant who displays the virtues of patience, faithfulness and caring. The odds are against poor Horton to be able to keep his word to sit on lazy Mazie bird's egg while she takes a break. (She decides to go to Palm Beach.) But he has a motto that he says to himself when the going gets really tough. "I meant what I said, and I said what I meant, an elephant's faithful one hundred per cent!" Since this recurs throughout the story, the listener easily learns it. When I sat with my daddy he would dramatically say the lines and pause right before the last word..."an elephant's faithful one hundred per ..."so I could chime in with him..."CENT!"
Monday, March 5, 2012
Knots on a Counting Rope - the power of story
Knots on a Counting Rope
Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
A grandfather recounts for his grandson the story of how the boy overcame his handicap of blindness. The Indian boy has learned to raise and ride a horse and to see with his hands, feelings, and heart. One picture book like this can spur many of your own stories. Recounting a child's own experience helps to recall and to seal the benefits. This includes the simple normal activities that make up children's lives such as reviewing how good it was to be with grandma, how interesting and pretty the hike in the park was, and how brave they were at the doctor's office. In addition, reading stories like this - about other people's stories -have the power to cultivate empathy. The boy's experience coupled with the pictures in the book can live on in your child's heart.
Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
A grandfather recounts for his grandson the story of how the boy overcame his handicap of blindness. The Indian boy has learned to raise and ride a horse and to see with his hands, feelings, and heart. One picture book like this can spur many of your own stories. Recounting a child's own experience helps to recall and to seal the benefits. This includes the simple normal activities that make up children's lives such as reviewing how good it was to be with grandma, how interesting and pretty the hike in the park was, and how brave they were at the doctor's office. In addition, reading stories like this - about other people's stories -have the power to cultivate empathy. The boy's experience coupled with the pictures in the book can live on in your child's heart.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
The Little Engine that Could
The Little Engine That Could
Watty Piper
Of course, anyone who reads picture books to children eventually comes across this classic. The little engine has to chug up the mountain as he pulls his heavy load all the way up to the top in order to fulfill his good deed on the other side. He puffs as he pulls, "I think I can, I think I can" and pretty soon we are saying it with him. And we are believing he can do it. Up, up, up he chugs. "I think I can....I think I can...faster faster...I think I can, I think I can, until..yes! He makes it! As he slows down at the station he puffs, "I thought I could, I...thought...I...could." Part of the delight of reading this book out loud is that the words he speaks in his pep talk to himself, sound very much like the chugging of a train.
Watty Piper
Of course, anyone who reads picture books to children eventually comes across this classic. The little engine has to chug up the mountain as he pulls his heavy load all the way up to the top in order to fulfill his good deed on the other side. He puffs as he pulls, "I think I can, I think I can" and pretty soon we are saying it with him. And we are believing he can do it. Up, up, up he chugs. "I think I can....I think I can...faster faster...I think I can, I think I can, until..yes! He makes it! As he slows down at the station he puffs, "I thought I could, I...thought...I...could." Part of the delight of reading this book out loud is that the words he speaks in his pep talk to himself, sound very much like the chugging of a train.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)