Pink and Say

Pink and Say 

by Patricia Polacco

Penguin, 1994

Summary:  A true story handed down from the Civil War, a young injured white Union soldier is saved  befriended by a black Union soldier whose home is close to the battlefield.  As they hide out from the Confederate Army, they become fast friends. 

Lesson:  A 4th grade teacher was looking for books to use in her Black History month unit.  I suggested this one.  She held on to it, and referred back to it with her class when they reached the Civil War in Social Studies.  It could also be used to discuss tolerance.

Level:  3rd -5th

You wouldn't want to be a ..... (Series)

 

You wouldn't want to be a ......(series)

various authors, Created by David Salariya

Children's Press

Summary: A fun look at a variety of jobs, lifes, and situations that humans have found themselves in throughout history:  16th Century whaling ships and germs, Egpytian mummies and American pioneers.  There's a book for just about everything, even Apollo 13 astronauts.  The books provide fascinating facts in an entertaining format.  There is a glossary of terms in the back.

Lesson:  One of my reading challenges asked the students to explore their world. To create a book display for this, I used several books that explored places, cultures and science.  I placed these books throughout the sections.  They were popular and often checked out.  The "Viking" book quickly became a classic, even after the challenge.

Level:  3rd - 6th

OFF THE SHELF -- The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games 

by Suzanne Collins

Scholastic, 2008

The Hunger Games is the first book of the dystopian trilogy, The Hunger Games, followed by Catching Fire and Mockingjay. The series combines the political statement of 1984 with the dangerous societal games of The Running Man, using teenagers as main characters.  While the YA target audience is middle and high school, I did suggest this first book to a few 5th graders already reading middle school books.  Before long, most of the 5th and 4th grade faculty had read the trilogy.  

Level:  6th - adult

D is for Dancing Dragon

D is for Dancing Dragon: A China Alphabet 

by Carol Crane , Zong Wang (Illustrator) 

Sleeping Bear Press, 2006

Summary:  By assigning a different aspect of Chinese Culture to each letter of the English Alphabet, the author is able to both entertain and inform the reader.  From legends of evil spirits to foods to Great Walls, there is much to learn about Chinese culture. 

Lesson: I read this book the week of Chinese New Year.  For the younger students, I focused mostly on the alphabet and the words that began with it.  I lingered on some of the more well-known cultural aspects, such as fireworks and kites.  For the older students, I ignored the alphabet and focused on the different aspects of culture, asking how it compared to some of our traditions.  Please note that Gale has a free teacher's guide for this book:  http://www.gale.cengage.com/pdf/TeachersGuides/DancingDragon.pdf

Level:  Kinder-5th 

If I Were President

If I Were President 

by Catherine Stier , DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan (Illustrator)

Whitman, Albert & Company, 1999

Summary:  This book explains all the duties, responsibilities, and privileges of being the President of the United States of America by having children imagine themselves in the role.  From meeting foreign dignitaries and creating laws to commanding the army and using the White House movie theater room, the job of president is painted as one of responsibility, leadership, and fun. 

Lesson: I read this the week of President's Day, which happened to be two weeks after Career Week.  Since we had already discussed careers and their unique responsibilities, this was an extension of that conversation.  Also, since we live an hour from a President's birthplace, we talked about how someone "local" could grow up to be President. 

Level:  1st-3rd

14 Cows for America

14 Cows for America

by Carmen Agra Deedy , Thomas González (Illustrator) , Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah (Afterword)

Peachtree Publishers, 2009

Summary:  In this true story, Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah returns to his home tribe the Maasai in Kenya from New York City after the attacks of 9/11.  Listening to him describe the tragedy, his tribe decides to donate a cow (their most important of possessions) to the United States of America, which later grows to 14 cows.  The pictures are vibrant, providing much cultural information.  The afterword by Naiyomah himself provides information about the fate of the cows. 

Lesson:  I read this story on anniversary of 9/11.  Many of my students had not yet been born, and had lots of questions--turning this into a history lesson.  We also talked about the importance of tolerance between peoples.  Finally, we talked about doing something for someone that is sad, like the tribe did for the sad American people.  We discussed scenarios of how even little people like kids could help a sad parent, sibling, or friend. 

Level:  1st-5th

That's Good! That's Bad! in Washington, DC

That's Good! That's Bad! in Washington, DC

by Margery Cuyler , Michael Garland (Illustrator)

Henry Holt and Co., 2007

Summary:  As a little boy tours Washington, DC, he encounters hilarious incidents that are both good and bad along the way.  From the Smithsonian National Zoo to the Lincoln Memorial, it is a fast and hilarious romp. 

Lesson:  This entire series by Margery Cuyler is good for predicting what will happen next.  I picked the one about Washington, DC, because it was Constitution week, so we could talk about the nation's capital afterwards.  For a science/geography lesson, the book about the Grand Canyon would be an equally good choice. 

Level:  1st-3rd