In October I reviewed William Bennett"s Book of Virtue and promised a list of other good anthologies. Once you have a few good anthologies you have a cache of literature for building character to last for many class times, bedtimes, dinner times or anytime sessions. The annotated titles listed here are well-suited for primary and elementary aged children.
American Biographies. Eva Know White.
This biographical anthology provides historical information about Americans who made contributions in various categories of endeavor.
Belling the Cat and Other Aesops's Fables. Aesop, retold by Tom Paxton.
These fables are told in verse form. The timeless lessons learned through animal tales are simply conveyed for young children. For example, the selection "The Crow and the Pitcher" demonstrates the idea that goals can be reached little by little. A good prose retelling of the fables for children is called Fables from Aesop by James Reeves.
Champions all the Way. Barlow Meyers.
This book contains the real life stories of outstanding men and women in the world of sports.
Children's Book of Heroes. William Bennett.
Well-written collection of stories about heroes are compiled and edited by Bennett and enhanced by illustrations.
Classics to Read Aloud to Your Children. William F. Russell.
This is a collection of excerpts from classic stories and poems. Each one is accompanied by an introduction to the work and the author. A nice feature is an approximate time for reading aloud.
Doctor Coyote: A Native American Aesop's Fables. Aesop, retold by John Bierhorst.
Coyote wisely instructs his sons in the virtues of hard work.
More anthologies will be featured in the next several blog posts.
