Traditional Literature
Bagels from Benny - Aubrey Davis
Reading level - 3.0; Interest level - K-5
from Angela Burgess
It could always be worse - Margot Zemach
Reading level - 4.9; Interest level - 2nd-4th
from Nicole Guifarro
Fantasy
Stellaluna - Janelle Cannon
Reading level - 4.9; Interest level - pre K - 5th
from Kammie Ruth
Runaway Ralph - Beverly Cleary
Reading level - 4.1; Interest level - 3rd-5th
from Jessica Williams
Oh my, Baby Bear! - Audrey Wood
Reading level - 4.5; Interest level - K-2nd
from Roxi Harp
Multicultural
My diary from here to there - Amada Irma Perez
Reading level - 4.0; Interest level - K-5th
from Frances Phan
First day in grapes - L. King Perez
Reading level - 3.2; Interest level - 2nd-6th
from Keri Bass
Dona Flor - Pat Mora
Reading level - 3.6; Interest level - K-2nd
from Angie Selig
Realistic fiction
Love, Ruby Lavender - Deborah Wiles
Reading level - 4.2; Interest level - 3rd-5th
from Laura Cochrane
Junie B., First Grader: Aloha-ha-ha! - Barbara Park
Reading level - 1.9; Interest level - K-2nd
from Cindy Brown
Biography
Helen Keller: Her life in pictures - George Sullivan
Reading level - 5.8; Interest level - 2nd-5th
from Melinda McLaughlin
Informational
Rain and shine: A first look at seasons - Sara Lynn and Dianne James
Reading level - 3.8; Interest level - K-6th
from Kristy Hollar
The Bermuda Triangle - Aaron Rudolph
Reading level - 5.0; Interest level - 5th-8th
from Angie Blair
Showing posts with label Traditional Literature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Traditional Literature. Show all posts
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Soap! Soap! Don't Forget the Soap!
Author: Dick Gackenbach
Title: Soap! Soap! Don’t Forget the Soap! An Appalachian Folktale
Book Genre: Traditional
Publishing Info: Holiday House, 29 pp
Summary: Plug Honeycut is the most forgetful young boy in town. One day his mother asked him to go to the store and get some soap. Plug did a great job of remembering what his was on a journey for until he came across a bullfrog in the creek, then he became sad that he could no longer remember. After being pushed in the water, pushed in the sticky bushes, made to chop wood, and many other horrible events, Plug came across the mayor’s wife and said the only thing that he could remember: “You look nice with hair on your face.” The mayor’s wife then said the one thing that Plug needed to jar his memory of what he was getting at the store. She said, “I ought to wash your mouth out with soap for saying such a thing to me.” Plug got the soap and returned home to his very impressed and grateful mother – who then gave him a bath!
Personal rating: ****
Rationale: Great book for children. It teaches culture, excitement, and raises certain questions about stereotyping.
Reading level: 6.0
Interest level: K-6th
Thematic Areas: adventure; memory; family; friendship
Content Areas: language; history; psychology; science
Potential Problems or Difficulties: Some of the dialect in this book would be hard for younger readers to understand while reading. Listening may be okay.
Possible use in classroom: Children could discuss things that Plug could have done to remember what he was going to the store for. Children could act out the different characters in the book while attempting to use the dialect used in the book. Children could discuss things that their parents ask them to do that they sometimes forget.
Title: Soap! Soap! Don’t Forget the Soap! An Appalachian Folktale
Book Genre: Traditional
Publishing Info: Holiday House, 29 pp
Summary: Plug Honeycut is the most forgetful young boy in town. One day his mother asked him to go to the store and get some soap. Plug did a great job of remembering what his was on a journey for until he came across a bullfrog in the creek, then he became sad that he could no longer remember. After being pushed in the water, pushed in the sticky bushes, made to chop wood, and many other horrible events, Plug came across the mayor’s wife and said the only thing that he could remember: “You look nice with hair on your face.” The mayor’s wife then said the one thing that Plug needed to jar his memory of what he was getting at the store. She said, “I ought to wash your mouth out with soap for saying such a thing to me.” Plug got the soap and returned home to his very impressed and grateful mother – who then gave him a bath!
Personal rating: ****
Rationale: Great book for children. It teaches culture, excitement, and raises certain questions about stereotyping.
Reading level: 6.0
Interest level: K-6th
Thematic Areas: adventure; memory; family; friendship
Content Areas: language; history; psychology; science
Potential Problems or Difficulties: Some of the dialect in this book would be hard for younger readers to understand while reading. Listening may be okay.
Possible use in classroom: Children could discuss things that Plug could have done to remember what he was going to the store for. Children could act out the different characters in the book while attempting to use the dialect used in the book. Children could discuss things that their parents ask them to do that they sometimes forget.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
The Ant and the Grasshopper
Author: Retold by Amy Lowry Poole
Title: The Ant and the Grasshopper
Publishing Info: Holiday House
Pages: 29
Summary: This story was based on an Aesop fable, but is set in ancient China. It describes the accounts of a carefree grasshopper and a hardworking group of ants. While the grasshopper chooses to have fun, enjoying the summer, the ants diligently prepare for the approaching winter. As the cold weather arrives, the grasshopper realizes his mistakes. This is a rather quick fable, but has great moral substance. This rendition of the classic also exposes students to elements of Eastern culture.
Personal rating: ****
Rationale: Well-written; great cultural illustrations; retains moral value of the original tale
Reading level: 3.6 Interest level: 2nd-5th
Thematic Areas: Friendship; teamwork; values; reversal of fortune
Content Areas: Philosophy; science; history
Potential Problems or Difficulties: Foreign cultural elements may be unclear for some students
Possible use in classroom: Use in science unit about insects; read aloud to class and discuss its moral values; have students re-write their own version of the story, independently or in small groups; create a “picture illustration page” of the events occurring in the fable
Title: The Ant and the Grasshopper
Publishing Info: Holiday House
Pages: 29
Summary: This story was based on an Aesop fable, but is set in ancient China. It describes the accounts of a carefree grasshopper and a hardworking group of ants. While the grasshopper chooses to have fun, enjoying the summer, the ants diligently prepare for the approaching winter. As the cold weather arrives, the grasshopper realizes his mistakes. This is a rather quick fable, but has great moral substance. This rendition of the classic also exposes students to elements of Eastern culture.
Personal rating: ****
Rationale: Well-written; great cultural illustrations; retains moral value of the original tale
Reading level: 3.6 Interest level: 2nd-5th
Thematic Areas: Friendship; teamwork; values; reversal of fortune
Content Areas: Philosophy; science; history
Potential Problems or Difficulties: Foreign cultural elements may be unclear for some students
Possible use in classroom: Use in science unit about insects; read aloud to class and discuss its moral values; have students re-write their own version of the story, independently or in small groups; create a “picture illustration page” of the events occurring in the fable
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Beowulf
Information for students
Author: told by Morpurgo, Michael Title: Beowulf
Book Genre: traditional Literature Publishing Info: Candlewick Press, 92 pp.
Summary: Beowulf, the prince of the Geats, has the strength of thirty men in one hand! A humble, valiant, and victorious hero! This prince leaves his Geatish home, to aid his ally, Hrothgar, across the seas in Denmark. Beowulf destroys Grendel, the demonic monster, who had nightly gorged himself for twelve years on these Danes; Grendel’s mother, the Sea Hag; and the Death-Dragon of the Deep. The legends are captivating, yet grueling; they are sure to interest any adventurous reader.
Personal rating: ****
Rationale: the text is intriguing; the word play is admirable; the attention to detail is captivating; reads like poetry
Information for teachers
Reading level: 10.4 Interest level: 1st-adult
Thematic Areas: good vs. evil; death; tragedy; heroism
Content Areas: reading; social studies
Potential Problems or Difficulties: gory; need to be a fluent reader to handle this advanced style of text
Possible use in classroom: use in a history series about Denmark; begin with a book talk and a KWL chart; prediction analysis every few pages in journals; have an example of scales and mail armor; project: build (create) a mead-hall; write alternate endings
--Kristy--
Author: told by Morpurgo, Michael Title: Beowulf
Book Genre: traditional Literature Publishing Info: Candlewick Press, 92 pp.
Summary: Beowulf, the prince of the Geats, has the strength of thirty men in one hand! A humble, valiant, and victorious hero! This prince leaves his Geatish home, to aid his ally, Hrothgar, across the seas in Denmark. Beowulf destroys Grendel, the demonic monster, who had nightly gorged himself for twelve years on these Danes; Grendel’s mother, the Sea Hag; and the Death-Dragon of the Deep. The legends are captivating, yet grueling; they are sure to interest any adventurous reader.
Personal rating: ****
Rationale: the text is intriguing; the word play is admirable; the attention to detail is captivating; reads like poetry
Information for teachers
Reading level: 10.4 Interest level: 1st-adult
Thematic Areas: good vs. evil; death; tragedy; heroism
Content Areas: reading; social studies
Potential Problems or Difficulties: gory; need to be a fluent reader to handle this advanced style of text
Possible use in classroom: use in a history series about Denmark; begin with a book talk and a KWL chart; prediction analysis every few pages in journals; have an example of scales and mail armor; project: build (create) a mead-hall; write alternate endings
--Kristy--
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Why Alligator Hates Dog
Why Alligator Hates Dog
Information for students
Author: J.J. Reneaux Title: Why Alligator Hates Dog
Book Genre: Traditional Publishing Info: August House Publishers 1995 (26pgs)
Summary: This is a story about a dog that outwits M’su Cocodrie. The dog calls for the alligator every night, but it is not until alligator does corner dog, that he comes to dog’s house. The dog’s master sees the alligator and scares him off. Alligator says that the dog will not trick him again.
Personal rating: ****
Rationale: This story has an interesting plot and would be good for all elementary ages, whether the teacher reads it to the students or the students read it independently. The illustrations are incorporated well into the plot and help create the setting.
Information for teachers
Reading level: 4 Interest level: K-5
Thematic Areas: Trickery and deception, lessons to be learned (learn from mistakes)
Content Areas: Cajun Culture, Science
Potential Problems or Difficulties: The Cajun culture and lingo integrated into the story.
Possible use in classroom: The students could research the lingo to find out what it means. They could journal on whether or not the dog will trick alligator again and how. They could do a character map on the dog and the alligator (compare and contrast).
Puss in Boots
Author: Perrault, Charles Title: Puss in Boots
Book Genre: Traditional Publishing Info: Farrar, Stratus &
Giroux, 27 pp.
Summary: Puss in Boots is about the events that happen to three young men following the death of their father. The story is centralized around the fate of one of the sons who only receives a cat for his inheritance. It would seem that he is the least fortunate of the three young men, but as the story unfolds the reader learns that this is no ordinary cat. In the end with the cat’s ingenious ideas this young man is more fortunate than his brothers.
Personal rating: *** Good
Rationale: well illustrated, predictability level is good for young children, charming characters
Reading level: 6.7 Interest level: 4th – 6th
Thematic Areas: friendship, survival, adventure
Content Areas: History, Social Studies
Potential Problems or Difficulties: Some of the language may be a little out-dated for students, especially for those at the lower end of the interest level.
Possible use in classroom: This story could be used as an introduction to studying this time frame in history. The students could do some research via the Internet on the differences in the people mentioned in the story (i.e. miller, king, peasant.) After researching the groups of five or six students could make a chart that showed the common characteristics of these individuals and their differences.
Students could also participate in a reader’s theater where students are assigned parts to read and act out the story. This activity would help students build fluency.
Book Genre: Traditional Publishing Info: Farrar, Stratus &
Giroux, 27 pp.
Summary: Puss in Boots is about the events that happen to three young men following the death of their father. The story is centralized around the fate of one of the sons who only receives a cat for his inheritance. It would seem that he is the least fortunate of the three young men, but as the story unfolds the reader learns that this is no ordinary cat. In the end with the cat’s ingenious ideas this young man is more fortunate than his brothers.
Personal rating: *** Good
Rationale: well illustrated, predictability level is good for young children, charming characters
Reading level: 6.7 Interest level: 4th – 6th
Thematic Areas: friendship, survival, adventure
Content Areas: History, Social Studies
Potential Problems or Difficulties: Some of the language may be a little out-dated for students, especially for those at the lower end of the interest level.
Possible use in classroom: This story could be used as an introduction to studying this time frame in history. The students could do some research via the Internet on the differences in the people mentioned in the story (i.e. miller, king, peasant.) After researching the groups of five or six students could make a chart that showed the common characteristics of these individuals and their differences.
Students could also participate in a reader’s theater where students are assigned parts to read and act out the story. This activity would help students build fluency.
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