Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters
Author: John Steptol
Summary: Two sisters are summoned to an African city so the King can choose a wife. One sister is so greedy she goes ahead & as she travels meets a boy & an old woman along the way & is mean to both. The other sister goes the next day to the city & meets the same boy & woman, but is kind to them. The King reveals to her that it was him as the boy & the woman & asks her to marry him.
Date of Publication: 1987
The level (what grade level): 3rd grade
Why you liked it: I enjoyed this book because it taught a valuable lesson about being nice to others & in essence karma.
What you might be able to do with it in a class: I would use this book in a social studies/history lesson because of the location of the story, which is Africa. We would discuss the importance of their traditions & rituals, like getting married.
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Angkat: The Cambodian Princess
Author & Illustrator: Jewell Reinhart Coburn & Eddie Flate
Summary: A Cambodian girl deals with many struggles after her father remarries. Some of these struggles include falling in love with a young King and trying to become Queen.
Date of Publication: 1998
The level (what grade level): 3rd grade
Why you liked it: I enjoyed this book because it had different elements than the traditional Cinderella story, such as Angkat dying and befriending a fish, and included things that are traditional to the Cambodian culture.
What you might be able to do with it in a class: I would use this book in a lesson on different cultures around the world and how sometimes the same story can have a different twist in other places in the world.
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Charlotte’s Web
Author & Illustrator: E.B. White & Garth Williams
Summary: Charlotte is a spider on a farm who befriends a pig named Wilbur who is about to be slaughtered. As the story & their friendship progresses, Charlotte eventually saves his life.
Date of Publication: 1952
The level (what grade level): 4th Grade
Why you liked it: I liked this book because of the theme of friendship present throughout the story.
What you might be able to do with it in a class: During a study of life on a farm (science), i would have children study and report on different animals that could be present on a farm.
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Anansi and the Magic Stick
Author & Illustrator: Eric A. Kimmel & Janet Stevens
Summary: As everyone else is working away tidying their houses, Anansi sleeps. After much criticism, he finds a magic stick and decides to steal it to make it work for him, cleaning, fixing and gardening.
Date of Publication: 2001
The level (what grade level): 2nd grade
Why you liked it: I enjoyed this book because of the large, wide pictures and because of the enthusiasm that the author conveys through the repetition of words.
What you might be able to do with it in a class: I think this book would be effective in teaching children about why it’s wrong to steal and about what things could happen if you do.
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Joey Pigza Swallowed The Key
Author: Jack Gantos
Summary: Joey has trouble paying attention and controlling his mood swings when his prescription medications wear off to help control his ADHD.
Date of Publication: 1998
The level (what grade level): 5th grade
Why you liked it: I like this book because there is a large chance that I will have student’s in my class who have ADHD, and they may be able to relate to some of Joey’s situations.
What you might be able to do with it in a class: Possibly in a study of classroom differences, have students think of someone they know who has ADD or ADHD and try to understand how they would feel in school.
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The Emperor’s New Clothes
Author: Hans Christian Anderson & illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton
Summary: A book about an emperor who spends all of his time and money on new clothes. Two robbers come and convince him that only smart people could see the beautiful clothes that they make and in an effort to appear smart, the emperor wears their “clothes” and parades around town naked.
Date of Publication: 1949
The level (what grade level): 3rd grade
Why you liked it: I enjoyed this book because it teaches that you don’t have to pretend to be someone you are not, you just have to be yourself.
What you might be able to do with it in a class: I would use this book to have students re-write the story stating what they would do if they were in the emperor’s shoes.
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Quilt Alphabet
Author: Lesa Cline-Ransome & illustrated by James E. Ransome
Summary: A book about the alphabet where “every letter has a poem, every poem is a clue, and the answers are in the back”.
Date of Publication: 2001
The level (what grade level): 1st or 2nd Grade
Why you liked it: I loved this book because of the interaction it contains. I know that children will be eager to find out what the answers are from the clues they are given.
What you might be able to do with it in a class: In a study of alphabet/poetry/riddles, I would have students create their own alphabet poems containing clues as to what the answer is.
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Puddles
Author: Jonathan London & pictures by G. Brian Karas
Summary: This is a book about what happens after it rains: puddles appear everywhere, alongside mushrooms, flowers, worms & mud.
Date of Publication: 1997
The level (what grade level): K-1st Grade
Why you liked it: The pictures would appeal to children the most because they look as if they were created with colored pencils. There are also some sounds included in this book such as “drip”, “slup”, & “flop”.
What you might be able to do with it in a class: In a study of Weather, learn about what happens before, during, & after a rainy storm by having students go outside and see if any of the same occurrences take place after it rains.
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Bad Kitty
Author: Nick Bruel
Summary: An alphabet book about a kitty that turns bad when she has nothing “good” to eat.
Date of Publication: 2005
The level (what grade level): 1st & 2nd Grade
Why you liked it: This book goes through the alphabet 4 times. A good way to interest children in learning their ABC’s as they read.
What you might be able to do with it in a class: In a study of the alphabet for younger children, I would have students write their own alphabet with a common theme, such as foods, toys, etc.
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Fireflies, Fireflies Light My Way
Author: Jonathan London & illustrated by Linda Messier
Summary: A book about nature and animals inspired by a line from a Native American lullaby.
Date of Publication: 1996
Why you liked it: This book would draw children because of the beautiful, vivid illustrations included.
The level (what grade level): K-1st Grade
What you might be able to do with it in a class: In a study of nature and animals in different locations around the world I would have students talk about what kinds of nature and animals could be in their own backyards.
Good suggestions for classroom use. I also liked your clear language.
We have had four weeks of school so far. Where are your other two reports?
~Omer Ari
Comment by re3030 — February 7, 2010 @ 12:14 am |
I particularly liked you suggestion for classroom use of the book Joey Pigza swallowed the key. I feel that with all the kids diagnosed these days with ADD or ADHD it would do the kids some good use to stop and think how people affected with these conditions feel on a day to day basis.
Comment by Dave Hochreiter — February 22, 2010 @ 5:18 am |