Books!
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Winners
I’m thrilled that there is now a special award honoring the best in easy-to-read books for children. The award, The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, is new this year. It’s named for Dr. Seuss because he was one of the first to write excellent books of this sort, beginning with The Cat in the Hat published in 1957. The Geisel Award is given out by the Association for Library Service to Children of the American Library Association. These are the first year winners.
Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas by Cynthia Rylant is four joyful chapters telling of Henry and his dog Mudge’s visit to Great-Grandpa Bill’s and his buddies at the “grandpa house.”
Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold is about a fly trained to be a pet. The publishers are hopeful this book will be the first in a successful series.
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Ericva Silverman is for cowfolk and horse lovers. Cowgirl Kate and her stubborn, but devoted cow horse, Cocoa, count the herd, ride the range, and argue till the cows come home.
Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day by Jean Van Leeuwen will make you giggle. Amanda is hot, very hot, and determined that the heat is not going to get her down.
A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom shows the friendship between a polar bear and a persistent goose.
These books are perfect for newly independent readers. The language in all of these books is kid friendly. The books are written with lots of compound words, sight words, large size font, and short sentences. Emergent readers can decode text with the support of corresponding images.
Look for these books in the Fall Creek Library. Please let me know if you found any other new titles you like in this category. ¶ 1:03 PM 0 Comments
Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas by Cynthia Rylant is four joyful chapters telling of Henry and his dog Mudge’s visit to Great-Grandpa Bill’s and his buddies at the “grandpa house.”
Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold is about a fly trained to be a pet. The publishers are hopeful this book will be the first in a successful series.
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Ericva Silverman is for cowfolk and horse lovers. Cowgirl Kate and her stubborn, but devoted cow horse, Cocoa, count the herd, ride the range, and argue till the cows come home.
Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day by Jean Van Leeuwen will make you giggle. Amanda is hot, very hot, and determined that the heat is not going to get her down.
A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom shows the friendship between a polar bear and a persistent goose.
These books are perfect for newly independent readers. The language in all of these books is kid friendly. The books are written with lots of compound words, sight words, large size font, and short sentences. Emergent readers can decode text with the support of corresponding images.
Look for these books in the Fall Creek Library. Please let me know if you found any other new titles you like in this category. ¶ 1:03 PM 0 Comments
Historical Fiction - Civil Rights Movement
Historical Fiction – Civil Rights Movement
The characters in these new books faced the injustice of the Civil Rights era courageously and nonviolently. Reading books of such inspiring people encourages children to approach life with self-confidence and strength and compassion for their fellow man.
In A Sweet Smell of Roses by Angela Johnson
The Civil Rights Movement included children like the ones telling this description of the summer thousands joined the Freedom March from Selma to Montgomery. F Joh
Freedom on the Menu The Greensboro Sit-Ins by Carole Boston Weatherford Historically explains how four black college students sat for 4 hours at a Woolworth’s lunch counter to bring attention to segregation. This protest encouraged other sit-ins unifying against the injustices. F Wea
Mississippi Morning by Ruth Vander Zee tells the story of the shame a father feels when his son discovers he wears a hood and robe and belongs to the clan. This picture book historically set in the Jim Crow era in the south is also the story of the son’s awakening and commitment not to do as his father. E Van
Rosa by Nikki Giovanni
A biography that portrays the woman who became the center of the Civil Rights battle as a proud politically active member of the Montgomery, Alabama Woman’s Political Council. The series of events that led to the 1956 Supreme Court decision that segregation was wrong are explained. B Par
The School Is Not White! A True Story of the Civil Rights Movement by Doreen Rappaport
In August of 1965 a new federal law allowed parents “freedom of choice” when choosing their children’s school. This is the true story of the Carter family who signed their children up to attend an all-white school. 379.2 Rap
Other historical titles of era include –
Childtimes by Eloise Greenfield 920 Gre
The Friendship by Mildred D. Taylor F Tay
Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles E Wil ¶ 12:59 PM 0 Comments
The characters in these new books faced the injustice of the Civil Rights era courageously and nonviolently. Reading books of such inspiring people encourages children to approach life with self-confidence and strength and compassion for their fellow man.
In A Sweet Smell of Roses by Angela Johnson
The Civil Rights Movement included children like the ones telling this description of the summer thousands joined the Freedom March from Selma to Montgomery. F Joh
Freedom on the Menu The Greensboro Sit-Ins by Carole Boston Weatherford Historically explains how four black college students sat for 4 hours at a Woolworth’s lunch counter to bring attention to segregation. This protest encouraged other sit-ins unifying against the injustices. F Wea
Mississippi Morning by Ruth Vander Zee tells the story of the shame a father feels when his son discovers he wears a hood and robe and belongs to the clan. This picture book historically set in the Jim Crow era in the south is also the story of the son’s awakening and commitment not to do as his father. E Van
Rosa by Nikki Giovanni
A biography that portrays the woman who became the center of the Civil Rights battle as a proud politically active member of the Montgomery, Alabama Woman’s Political Council. The series of events that led to the 1956 Supreme Court decision that segregation was wrong are explained. B Par
The School Is Not White! A True Story of the Civil Rights Movement by Doreen Rappaport
In August of 1965 a new federal law allowed parents “freedom of choice” when choosing their children’s school. This is the true story of the Carter family who signed their children up to attend an all-white school. 379.2 Rap
Other historical titles of era include –
Childtimes by Eloise Greenfield 920 Gre
The Friendship by Mildred D. Taylor F Tay
Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles E Wil ¶ 12:59 PM 0 Comments
Teachers' Choice Award Winners for 2005
Two books we have at Fall Creek that are International Reading Association Teachers’ Choice Award Winners for 2005 are … the biography The Goat Lady by Jane Bregoli and Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog by Pamela S. Turner.
The Goat Lady is Noelie Houle, the nearly century old widow, who cares for her goats, provides milk to those in need, and donates kids to Heifer International. The author’s mother paints this woman and it’s through her portraits that people learn the selfless humble nature of this mysteriously reclusive woman.
Hachiko was a dog that became a Japanese folk hero. In this true story, Hachiko faithfully greeted his master, Dr. Ueno, each day at the Shibuya train station in Tokyo. For 10 years after Dr. Ueno’s death, Hachiko continued to visit the station daily, awaiting his master’s return. This book is a wonderful dog story that will stimulate discussion of loyalty.
Each year the International Reading Association awards honors to exceptionally well written books that teachers find to be ideal for curriculum work. The entire list can be found in the November 2005 issue of The Reading Teacher or online at www.reading.org. ¶ 12:57 PM 0 Comments
The Goat Lady is Noelie Houle, the nearly century old widow, who cares for her goats, provides milk to those in need, and donates kids to Heifer International. The author’s mother paints this woman and it’s through her portraits that people learn the selfless humble nature of this mysteriously reclusive woman.
Hachiko was a dog that became a Japanese folk hero. In this true story, Hachiko faithfully greeted his master, Dr. Ueno, each day at the Shibuya train station in Tokyo. For 10 years after Dr. Ueno’s death, Hachiko continued to visit the station daily, awaiting his master’s return. This book is a wonderful dog story that will stimulate discussion of loyalty.
Each year the International Reading Association awards honors to exceptionally well written books that teachers find to be ideal for curriculum work. The entire list can be found in the November 2005 issue of The Reading Teacher or online at www.reading.org. ¶ 12:57 PM 0 Comments
Books for Responsive Classroom
Many Fall Creek teachers have had Responsive Classroom professional development training. Managing hurt feelings is an interpersonal skill teachers address in classrooms using Responsive Classroom practices. Students learn to self-manage themselves and their relationships with their classmates. Instead of making children feel bad about their actions and themselves, apology of action helps children learn to solve problems while giving them a dignified way to rejoin the community.
Literature can be used to introduce and practice apology of action.
First graders can identify apology of action after listening to The Honest-To-Goodness Truth by Patricia C. McKissack.
Fourth graders can learn about apology of action and list many ways feelings can be broken and ways to “fix” broken feelings. The next day have them listen to A Day’s Work by Eve Bunting. Stop the story after Francisco’s and grandfather’s gardening mistake and ask students “What could Francisco do to show he is sorry? What could be his apology of action?” Share students’ ideas and then read the rest of the story to discover how Francisco and his grandfather fixed the problem. Discuss how people’s actions reflect and communicate to others the type of person they are and want to be known as.
Other titles to use are Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes, Molly’s Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen, The Summer My Father Was Ten by Pat Brisson, Angel Child, Dragon Child by Michele Maria Surat, and Oliver Button Is a Sissy by Tomie De Paola.
Children feel safer and more respected in classrooms where they learn to take responsibility for harm they have caused, and learn to assert themselves when they’ve been hurt. The skills they’ve learned through this process can be reinforced outside their classrooms, too. ¶ 12:55 PM 0 Comments
Literature can be used to introduce and practice apology of action.
First graders can identify apology of action after listening to The Honest-To-Goodness Truth by Patricia C. McKissack.
Fourth graders can learn about apology of action and list many ways feelings can be broken and ways to “fix” broken feelings. The next day have them listen to A Day’s Work by Eve Bunting. Stop the story after Francisco’s and grandfather’s gardening mistake and ask students “What could Francisco do to show he is sorry? What could be his apology of action?” Share students’ ideas and then read the rest of the story to discover how Francisco and his grandfather fixed the problem. Discuss how people’s actions reflect and communicate to others the type of person they are and want to be known as.
Other titles to use are Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes, Molly’s Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen, The Summer My Father Was Ten by Pat Brisson, Angel Child, Dragon Child by Michele Maria Surat, and Oliver Button Is a Sissy by Tomie De Paola.
Children feel safer and more respected in classrooms where they learn to take responsibility for harm they have caused, and learn to assert themselves when they’ve been hurt. The skills they’ve learned through this process can be reinforced outside their classrooms, too. ¶ 12:55 PM 0 Comments
