Anthologies (3) Primary, Elementary

Anthologies (3) Primary, Elementary

This is the last in a series of three posts in the anthology category of literature that builds character. I will return to this category in the future since there are so many good anthologies. I invite your comments and suggestions for those future reviews in this blog. In the next month I will review anthologies for the upper grade levels.

Ordinary Splendors: Tales of Virtue and Wisdom. Toni Knapp.
Animals from 15 legends and folktales around the world display characteristics of courage, responsibility, honor, and love.

Oxford Book of Children's Stories, The. Jan Mark.
An historical anthology of many of the best children's short stories from the past 250 years, this book offers an array of suitable character building choices.

People Could Fly, The. Virginia Hamilton.
The awards and reviews as presented by the Scholastic website.

"The well-known author retells 24 black American folk tales in sure storytelling voice: animal tales, supernatural tales, fanciful and cautionary tales, and slave tales of freedom. All are beautifully readable. With the added attraction of 40 wonderfully expressive paintings by the Dillons, this collection should be snapped up."—School Library Journal 

A Coretta Scott King Award
A Booklist Children's Editors' Choice
A School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
A Horn Book Fanfare
An ALA Notable Book
An NCTE Teachers' Choice
A The New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year

Scholastic has much to offer on their website for teachers and parents. Here is the link. You can browse their reading lists, teacher resources, and tips for parents. I follow them on twitter and find the tweets useful. I find myself clicking the links to view helpful book lists on current topics such as Thanksgiving or M.L.King Day.    http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/people-could-fly#cart/cleanup

Tomie de Paola's Favorite Nursery Tales. Aesop, retold by Tomie de Paola.
This book includes fables such as "The Tortoise and the Hare," a story in which the reader learns that "slow and steady wins the race."

True Valor. Mildred. A. Martin.
Ordinary people perform extraordinary feats of courage during wartime. This book has nine such stories.

Witch of Fourth Street and Other Stories, The. Myron Levoy.
This book contains eight touching stories about various immigrant groups that live on New York's Lower East Side in the 1920's.

Refer back to blog posts for October 4 and October 23 for longer descriptions of two wonderful anthologies not listed in the three "series" posts. The Book of Home and Family and The Book of Virtue.