Children Literature
Below, you will find a list of different genres of books I would use in my future classroom.You will also notice that each book has an activity or project that can be done following the lecture of these books. However, in my classroom I intend to give a lot of freedom as to the choice of books my students are going to want to read. Students must be deeply interested and engaged towards what they read, therefore giving them no restrictions of choice is beneficial.
1. Northern lights: the soccer trail by Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak. Illustrated by Vladyana Krykorka. 1993. Annick Press. Grade 1. Multicultural Literature.
In this book, we discover what Kataujaq, a young Inuit girl, does to keep herself busy throughout the seasons in the North. We can also see how she reacts and is affected when a close member of her family dies. To recover from her sadness and be able to smile once again, her grandmother tells her a story. This book would be a great way to demonstrate the importance of the connection that the Inuit people grant to nature and how people are affected when they lose a loved one.
2. Rapunzel and other magic fairy tales: Hansel and Gretel by Ludwig Bechstein. Illustrated by Henriette Sauvant. 2006. Egmont. Grade 4. Traditional books.
This tale illustrates the story of Hansel and Gretel, who are left in the woods by their poor parents who can’t afford to feed them. They then have to face an evil witch who built a house made out of bread to attract children. She wants to eat Hansel, but Gretel finds a way to save them from this miserable situation. The brother and sister find a way home and bring with them enough precious stones to end their family’s poverty. I would incorporate this book in a lesson to demonstrate that it is important to never give up.
3. The tiny kite of Eddie Wing by Maxine Trottier. Illustrated by Al Van Mil. 1995. Toronto: Stoddart. Grade 4.
This story is about Eddie Wing, whose family is too poor to buy him a real kite so he simply decides to fly an imaginary kite. During the kite festival Eddie flies his imaginary kite and Old Chan, the man in charge of the festival, notices him. Old Chan then decides to give Eddie material to build his own kite. This book is related to the chapter because it won the Canadian library association book of the year. In my class I would have children write about their own dreams.
4. Goldilocks and the three bears by Jan Brett. Illustrated by Jan Brett. 1987. Dodd, Mead & Company. Kindergarten. Illustrated book.
Goldilocks is walking in the forest but then she sees the three bear’s house. She enters it and makes herself at home; she eats their food, sits in their chairs and sleeps in their beds. The three bears come home and notice someone’s been in their house and find her sleeping in baby bear’s bed. This book is a water painting illustrated book. In my class I would first have the student identify the bears’ problem, make them solve it then have them draw the solution they came up with.
5. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. York: A.A. Levine Books. Grade 6. Modern Fantasy.
On Harry Potter’s 11th birthday, Hagrid a half-giant comes to get him to bring Harry to Hogwarts, a school of witchcraft. He then finds out that he is a wizard and that because he survived the attack of Lord Voldemort when he was a baby, the reign of the black mage stopped. The book is related to the chapter because was written in 1998 so it is modern. It also makes use of magic, supernatural phenomena and takes place in an imaginary world. In my classroom, I would have the students set-up their own magic school.
6. Julie of the wolves by Jean Craighead George. Illustrated by John Schoenherr. 1972. New-York: Harper & Row. Grade 5. Animal Fantasy.
This book tells the life story of Miyax Kapugen a young Yupik girl having to deal with changes forced upon her culture by the modern society. She first runs away from an unwanted marriage and ends up in Alaska seeking for help from a wolf pack. By imitating them, she adjusts to their way of life.and becomes very close to the wolves. When she returns home she is shocked to realize that the modern world had a huge impact on the traditional way of living of her people. This would be a good book to read in class and discuss the impact that the modern lifestyle had and has on the First people’s way of living.
7. A chair for my mother by Vera B. Williams. Illustrated by Very B. Williams. 1982. New York: Greenwillow Books. Grade 2. Comtemporary Realistic Fiction.
Following a fire that devastated their apartment, Rosa, a young girl, her mom and her grandmother save up some money to buy a comfortable chair. This book relates to the chapter because it is an event that could happen in real life. I would have the students write about what they would miss the most and why if a fire destroyed their home.
8. The door in the wall by Marguerite De Angeli. Illustrated by Marguerite De Angeli. 1949. Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday. Grade 6. Historical Fiction.
The door in the wall is the story of a young crippled boy during the medieval time in England. Due to his courage, Robin saves the townspeople from a great danger and realizes if you keep trying in life and never give up you will find a way to success. The book relates to the chapter because it represents the medieval time in England by inserting details about this period. In my classroom I would have the students research about the life in a medieval castle to see what involved the daily activities were at that time.
9. Homesick: my own story by Jean Fritz. Illustrated by Margot Tomes. 1982. New York: Putnam. Grade 6. Biography.
This book is the childhood autobiography of Jean Fritz in China, It is told to us through fictional stories even though the events are true. Home and family plays an important role in this book. The book relates to the chapter because it is an autobiography, we learn about a part of the author’s life. In my class, I would have the children write about what makes them homesick when they leave their home and why they feel that way. Some children might even say they do not feel homesick when they leave their home so I would have them write about why that is the case.
10. I face the wind by Vicki Cobb. Illustrated by Julia Gorton. 2003. New-York: HarperCollins. Grade 2. Informational Book.
This book awakens the reader to a scientific principle: the wind. We come to realize that the wind and the air surround us and as a great impact on things around us. This book is relevant to the chapter because it informs the reader about what the wind really is and what it does. In my class I would do one of the activities proposed by the book to help children understand the concept of air and more specifically, that air has weight. I would attach a coat hanger to a balloon with no air on one side and a blown up balloon on the other. The children would then realize that the coat hanger tilts down on the side of the blown up balloon, which means that the air in the balloon does weight something.
11. Hummingbird nest: a journal of poems by Kristine O’Connell George. Illustrated by Barry Moser. 2004. Orlando: Harcourt. Grade 3. Poetry Book.
In this book, a family gets to watch the lifestyle of a mother hummingbird and her babies for a short period of time. Through the poems you can learn about the different things the family gets to see and learn about those wonderful creatures. The book is relevant to the chapter because it is written completely in short poems. In my class I would have the students do a research on a particular bird they like and then I would have them write a short poem on what they have discovered about that animal.
12. Ludwig, T. (2006). Just Kidding. Berkeley, California: Tricycle Press.
D.J. is a young boy who hangs around with some of his classmates; however one of them attracts the attention of others by saying hurtful things to them. In order to find out how to deal with the situation properly, D.J. gets help from his father, older brother and teacher.
Unfortunately, bullying is a present issue that teachers have to face and it should be dealt with at a young age with children. The students must understand that unlike their initial reaction, they should not respond to bullying with violence or hurtful words. Reading this book to a class can show that bullying no matter in what form it comes from cannot be tolerated in a school environment or anywhere else. It can also be a useful tool to demonstrate that you can get help from the people around you, if you are a victim of bullying, in order to help you solve a problem that is bothering you.
13. Gravett, E. (2008). Little mouse’s big book of fears. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Little Mouse is a mouse who is afraid of a great numbers of things. In this book he draws pictures of the various fears he has, going from insects, to animal, to objects, and many others. Little Mouse also provides the correct scientific name for all of his fears which makes it a language book: children get to learn to right terms for fears some of them might also have too. This book can also be used to demonstrate that it is normal to have fears, that everybody is scared of something. It can also lead to a discussion regarding the importance of respecting other people’s fears, not to laugh at them. The drawings and fold outs present in the book are amazing, they catch the eye and there are tons of things to look at while reading. I also really like that the author provides space in the book for children to record their own fear, this makes it engaging for them.
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1. Northern lights: the soccer trail by Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak. Illustrated by Vladyana Krykorka. 1993. Annick Press. Grade 1. Multicultural Literature.
In this book, we discover what Kataujaq, a young Inuit girl, does to keep herself busy throughout the seasons in the North. We can also see how she reacts and is affected when a close member of her family dies. To recover from her sadness and be able to smile once again, her grandmother tells her a story. This book would be a great way to demonstrate the importance of the connection that the Inuit people grant to nature and how people are affected when they lose a loved one.
2. Rapunzel and other magic fairy tales: Hansel and Gretel by Ludwig Bechstein. Illustrated by Henriette Sauvant. 2006. Egmont. Grade 4. Traditional books.
This tale illustrates the story of Hansel and Gretel, who are left in the woods by their poor parents who can’t afford to feed them. They then have to face an evil witch who built a house made out of bread to attract children. She wants to eat Hansel, but Gretel finds a way to save them from this miserable situation. The brother and sister find a way home and bring with them enough precious stones to end their family’s poverty. I would incorporate this book in a lesson to demonstrate that it is important to never give up.
3. The tiny kite of Eddie Wing by Maxine Trottier. Illustrated by Al Van Mil. 1995. Toronto: Stoddart. Grade 4.
This story is about Eddie Wing, whose family is too poor to buy him a real kite so he simply decides to fly an imaginary kite. During the kite festival Eddie flies his imaginary kite and Old Chan, the man in charge of the festival, notices him. Old Chan then decides to give Eddie material to build his own kite. This book is related to the chapter because it won the Canadian library association book of the year. In my class I would have children write about their own dreams.
4. Goldilocks and the three bears by Jan Brett. Illustrated by Jan Brett. 1987. Dodd, Mead & Company. Kindergarten. Illustrated book.
Goldilocks is walking in the forest but then she sees the three bear’s house. She enters it and makes herself at home; she eats their food, sits in their chairs and sleeps in their beds. The three bears come home and notice someone’s been in their house and find her sleeping in baby bear’s bed. This book is a water painting illustrated book. In my class I would first have the student identify the bears’ problem, make them solve it then have them draw the solution they came up with.
5. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. York: A.A. Levine Books. Grade 6. Modern Fantasy.
On Harry Potter’s 11th birthday, Hagrid a half-giant comes to get him to bring Harry to Hogwarts, a school of witchcraft. He then finds out that he is a wizard and that because he survived the attack of Lord Voldemort when he was a baby, the reign of the black mage stopped. The book is related to the chapter because was written in 1998 so it is modern. It also makes use of magic, supernatural phenomena and takes place in an imaginary world. In my classroom, I would have the students set-up their own magic school.
6. Julie of the wolves by Jean Craighead George. Illustrated by John Schoenherr. 1972. New-York: Harper & Row. Grade 5. Animal Fantasy.
This book tells the life story of Miyax Kapugen a young Yupik girl having to deal with changes forced upon her culture by the modern society. She first runs away from an unwanted marriage and ends up in Alaska seeking for help from a wolf pack. By imitating them, she adjusts to their way of life.and becomes very close to the wolves. When she returns home she is shocked to realize that the modern world had a huge impact on the traditional way of living of her people. This would be a good book to read in class and discuss the impact that the modern lifestyle had and has on the First people’s way of living.
7. A chair for my mother by Vera B. Williams. Illustrated by Very B. Williams. 1982. New York: Greenwillow Books. Grade 2. Comtemporary Realistic Fiction.
Following a fire that devastated their apartment, Rosa, a young girl, her mom and her grandmother save up some money to buy a comfortable chair. This book relates to the chapter because it is an event that could happen in real life. I would have the students write about what they would miss the most and why if a fire destroyed their home.
8. The door in the wall by Marguerite De Angeli. Illustrated by Marguerite De Angeli. 1949. Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday. Grade 6. Historical Fiction.
The door in the wall is the story of a young crippled boy during the medieval time in England. Due to his courage, Robin saves the townspeople from a great danger and realizes if you keep trying in life and never give up you will find a way to success. The book relates to the chapter because it represents the medieval time in England by inserting details about this period. In my classroom I would have the students research about the life in a medieval castle to see what involved the daily activities were at that time.
9. Homesick: my own story by Jean Fritz. Illustrated by Margot Tomes. 1982. New York: Putnam. Grade 6. Biography.
This book is the childhood autobiography of Jean Fritz in China, It is told to us through fictional stories even though the events are true. Home and family plays an important role in this book. The book relates to the chapter because it is an autobiography, we learn about a part of the author’s life. In my class, I would have the children write about what makes them homesick when they leave their home and why they feel that way. Some children might even say they do not feel homesick when they leave their home so I would have them write about why that is the case.
10. I face the wind by Vicki Cobb. Illustrated by Julia Gorton. 2003. New-York: HarperCollins. Grade 2. Informational Book.
This book awakens the reader to a scientific principle: the wind. We come to realize that the wind and the air surround us and as a great impact on things around us. This book is relevant to the chapter because it informs the reader about what the wind really is and what it does. In my class I would do one of the activities proposed by the book to help children understand the concept of air and more specifically, that air has weight. I would attach a coat hanger to a balloon with no air on one side and a blown up balloon on the other. The children would then realize that the coat hanger tilts down on the side of the blown up balloon, which means that the air in the balloon does weight something.
11. Hummingbird nest: a journal of poems by Kristine O’Connell George. Illustrated by Barry Moser. 2004. Orlando: Harcourt. Grade 3. Poetry Book.
In this book, a family gets to watch the lifestyle of a mother hummingbird and her babies for a short period of time. Through the poems you can learn about the different things the family gets to see and learn about those wonderful creatures. The book is relevant to the chapter because it is written completely in short poems. In my class I would have the students do a research on a particular bird they like and then I would have them write a short poem on what they have discovered about that animal.
12. Ludwig, T. (2006). Just Kidding. Berkeley, California: Tricycle Press.
D.J. is a young boy who hangs around with some of his classmates; however one of them attracts the attention of others by saying hurtful things to them. In order to find out how to deal with the situation properly, D.J. gets help from his father, older brother and teacher.
Unfortunately, bullying is a present issue that teachers have to face and it should be dealt with at a young age with children. The students must understand that unlike their initial reaction, they should not respond to bullying with violence or hurtful words. Reading this book to a class can show that bullying no matter in what form it comes from cannot be tolerated in a school environment or anywhere else. It can also be a useful tool to demonstrate that you can get help from the people around you, if you are a victim of bullying, in order to help you solve a problem that is bothering you.
13. Gravett, E. (2008). Little mouse’s big book of fears. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Little Mouse is a mouse who is afraid of a great numbers of things. In this book he draws pictures of the various fears he has, going from insects, to animal, to objects, and many others. Little Mouse also provides the correct scientific name for all of his fears which makes it a language book: children get to learn to right terms for fears some of them might also have too. This book can also be used to demonstrate that it is normal to have fears, that everybody is scared of something. It can also lead to a discussion regarding the importance of respecting other people’s fears, not to laugh at them. The drawings and fold outs present in the book are amazing, they catch the eye and there are tons of things to look at while reading. I also really like that the author provides space in the book for children to record their own fear, this makes it engaging for them.
.