This is a little academic, but could be useful/helpful all the same. Here is a list of readings that we used in my Children's Literature Class in the spring of 2011.
Cover to Cover: Evaluating and Reviewing Children's Books by Kathleen Horning (1997).
Children's Books: A Practical Guide to Selection by Phyllis J. Van Orden and Sunny Strong (2007).
The Pleasures of Children's Literature by Perry Nodleman and Mavis Reimer (2002).
Checking out Non-fiction K-8: Good Choices for Best Learning by Rosemary A. Bamford and Janice V. Kristo (2000)
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
7th/8th Grade Book Club
This is an alphabetical list by title of librarian recommended books for a 7th/8th grade book club. If the title is followed by a date in parenthesis that book was actually selected and read for the book club that I participated in.
After Ever After by Sonnenblick
American Born Chinese (Graphic Novel)
Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories by Chris Crutcher
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
The Boneshaker by Milford (Steampunk)
Brain Camp by Susan Kim (graphic novel)
Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (1/12)
Dark Lord of Dirkholm by Dianne Winn Jones
Death Benefits by Sarah Harvey (5/12)
Down the Rabbit Hole (An Echo Falls Mystery) by Peter Abrahams
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Hawksong by A. Atwater-Rhodes
If I Stay by Gayle Foreman (2/12)
Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey (11/12)
Marcello in the Real World by Francisco Stork(10/11)
Many Stones by C. Coman
Notes from the Midnight Driver by Sonnenblick
Pirates! by Celia Rees (1/13)
Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo (11/11)
Seventeen Against the Dealer by Cynthia Voigt
Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher
Shipbreaker by by Paola Bacigalupi
Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements (9/11)
Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima (12/12)
What I saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell (3/12)
Yummy the Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri
Z is for Zacariah by R. C. O'Brien (2/12)
After Ever After by Sonnenblick
American Born Chinese (Graphic Novel)
Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories by Chris Crutcher
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
The Boneshaker by Milford (Steampunk)
Brain Camp by Susan Kim (graphic novel)
Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (1/12)
Dark Lord of Dirkholm by Dianne Winn Jones
Death Benefits by Sarah Harvey (5/12)
Down the Rabbit Hole (An Echo Falls Mystery) by Peter Abrahams
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Hawksong by A. Atwater-Rhodes
If I Stay by Gayle Foreman (2/12)
Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey (11/12)
Marcello in the Real World by Francisco Stork(10/11)
Many Stones by C. Coman
Notes from the Midnight Driver by Sonnenblick
Pirates! by Celia Rees (1/13)
Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo (11/11)
Seventeen Against the Dealer by Cynthia Voigt
Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher
Shipbreaker by by Paola Bacigalupi
Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements (9/11)
Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima (12/12)
What I saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell (3/12)
Yummy the Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri
Z is for Zacariah by R. C. O'Brien (2/12)
Simmons Professor's Independent Reader Author List
Amy Pattee's list of...
Recommended Authors of Children’s Books for Independent Reading
Avi
Bellairs, John
Blume, Judy
Cleary, Beverly (Ramona Quimby books)
Cooper, Susan
Estes, Eleanor
Fritz, Jean
Hamilton, Virginia
Hoff, Syd (easy reading books)
Howe, James (“Bunnicula” books)
Gantos, Jack (Joey Pigza and “Jack” books)
Jacques, Brian
Konigsburg, E.L.
L’Engle, Madeleine
Levine, Gail Carson
Lewis, C.S.
Lobel, Arnold (“Frog and Toad” books)
Look, Lenore (Alvin Ho and Ruby Lu books)
Lowry, Lois (“Anastasia” books and “The Giver” books)
Myers, Walter Dean
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds (“Shiloh” books and the Alice McKinley books)
Parish, Peggy (Amelia Bedelia books)
Patterson, Katherine
Paulsen, Gary (“Hatchet” books)
Peck, Richard
Perkins, Mitali
Pilkey, Dav (“Captain Underpants” books)
Pinkwater, Daniel
Raskin, Ellen
Sachar, Louis (“Wayside School” books and Holes)
Schusterman, Neal
Spinelli, Jerry
Taylor, Mildred D. (“Roll of Thunder” books)
Voigt, Cynthia (Dicey Tillerman books)
Warner, Gertrude Chandler (“Boxcar Children” books)
White, E.B.
Wilder, Laura Ingalls (“Little House” books)
Recommended Authors of Children’s Books for Independent Reading
Avi
Bellairs, John
Blume, Judy
Cleary, Beverly (Ramona Quimby books)
Cooper, Susan
Estes, Eleanor
Fritz, Jean
Hamilton, Virginia
Hoff, Syd (easy reading books)
Howe, James (“Bunnicula” books)
Gantos, Jack (Joey Pigza and “Jack” books)
Jacques, Brian
Konigsburg, E.L.
L’Engle, Madeleine
Levine, Gail Carson
Lewis, C.S.
Lobel, Arnold (“Frog and Toad” books)
Look, Lenore (Alvin Ho and Ruby Lu books)
Lowry, Lois (“Anastasia” books and “The Giver” books)
Myers, Walter Dean
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds (“Shiloh” books and the Alice McKinley books)
Parish, Peggy (Amelia Bedelia books)
Patterson, Katherine
Paulsen, Gary (“Hatchet” books)
Peck, Richard
Perkins, Mitali
Pilkey, Dav (“Captain Underpants” books)
Pinkwater, Daniel
Raskin, Ellen
Sachar, Louis (“Wayside School” books and Holes)
Schusterman, Neal
Spinelli, Jerry
Taylor, Mildred D. (“Roll of Thunder” books)
Voigt, Cynthia (Dicey Tillerman books)
Warner, Gertrude Chandler (“Boxcar Children” books)
White, E.B.
Wilder, Laura Ingalls (“Little House” books)
Simmons Professor's Children's Picture Book List
This is a list that Amy Pattee, my Children's Literature professor at Simmons GSLIS put together. It isn't a "perfect" list, but it is a helpful point of reference.
Recommended Picture Book Reading
Bang, M. (1999). When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry. NY: Blue Sky Press.
Bemelmans, L. (1967). Madeline. NY: Viking Press.
Burton, V.L. (1939). Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Burton, V.L. (1942). The Little House. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Brown, M.W. and Hurd, C. (1942). The Runaway Bunny. NY: Harper.
Brown, M.W. and Hurd, C. (1947). Good-Night Moon. NY: Harper and Brothers.
Brown, M.W. and Charlip, R. (1958). The Dead Bird. NY: W.R. Scott.
Browne, A. (1981). Hansel and Gretel. NY: Julia McRae Books.
Browne, A. (1998). Voices in the Park. NY: DK Publishing.
Clifton, L. and Grifalconi, A. (1983). Everett Anderson’s Goodbye. NY: Holt, Rinehart and Wilson.
Clifton, L. and Grifalconi, A. (1992). Everett Anderson’s Year. NY: Henry Holt.
Cooney, B. (1982). Miss Rumphius. NY: Viking Press.
Crews, D. (1992). Shortcut. NY: Greenwillow.
Crews, D. (1978). Freight Train. NY: Greenwillow.
Falconer, I. (2000). Olivia. NY: Atheneum.
Feelings, T. (1995). The Middle Passage. NY: Dial.
Gag, W. (1928). Millions of Cats. NY: Coward-McCann.
Gravett, E. (2006). Wolves. NY: Simon and Schuster.
Grimm, J. and Hyman, T.S. (1974). Snow White. Boston: Little Brown.
Henkes, K. (2004). Kitten’s First Full Moon. NY: Greenwillow.
Henkes, K. (2000). Wemberly Worried. NY: Greenwillow.
Hoban, L. and Hoban, R. (1964). Bread and Jam for Frances. NY: Scholastic.
Hutchins, P. (1968). Rosie’s Walk. NY: Macmillan.
Keats, E. J. (1962). The Snowy Day. NY: Viking Press.
Keats, E. J. (1969). Goggles. NY: Macmillan.
Macaulay, D. (1990). Black and White. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
McClosky, R. (1948). Blueberries for Sal. NY: Viking.
McCully, E. A. (1992). Mirette on the High Wire. NY: G.P. Putnum’s Sons.
Merriem, E. and Smith, L. (1987). Halloween A B C. NY: Macmillan.
Pinkney, A. D. and Pinkney, J. B. (1998). Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra. NY: Hyperion.
Raschka, C. (1998). Arlene Sardine. NY: Orchard Books.
Rathmann, P. (1995). Officer Buckle and Gloria. NY: Putnum.
Rey, H.A. (1941). Curious George. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Ringgold, F. (1991). Tar Beach. NY: Crown Publishers.
Ringgold, F. (1995). My Dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. NY: Crown Publishers.
Say, A. (1993). Grandfather’s Journey. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Say, A. (2000). The Sign Painter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Sciezka, J. and Smith, L. (1992). The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. NY: Viking.
Sendak, M. (1963). Where the Wild Things Are. NY: Harper and Row.
Steptoe, J. (1969). Stevie. NY: Harper and Row.
Steptoe, J. (1987). Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters. NY: Lothrup, Lee and Shepard.
Tabak, S. (1999). Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. NY: Viking.
Tan, S. (2007). The Arrival. NY: Arthur A. Levine Books.
Van Allsburg, C. (1984). The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Zion. G. and Graham, M.B. (1956). Harry the Dirty Dog. NY: Harper.
Recommended Picture Book Reading
Bang, M. (1999). When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry. NY: Blue Sky Press.
Bemelmans, L. (1967). Madeline. NY: Viking Press.
Burton, V.L. (1939). Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Burton, V.L. (1942). The Little House. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Brown, M.W. and Hurd, C. (1942). The Runaway Bunny. NY: Harper.
Brown, M.W. and Hurd, C. (1947). Good-Night Moon. NY: Harper and Brothers.
Brown, M.W. and Charlip, R. (1958). The Dead Bird. NY: W.R. Scott.
Browne, A. (1981). Hansel and Gretel. NY: Julia McRae Books.
Browne, A. (1998). Voices in the Park. NY: DK Publishing.
Clifton, L. and Grifalconi, A. (1983). Everett Anderson’s Goodbye. NY: Holt, Rinehart and Wilson.
Clifton, L. and Grifalconi, A. (1992). Everett Anderson’s Year. NY: Henry Holt.
Cooney, B. (1982). Miss Rumphius. NY: Viking Press.
Crews, D. (1992). Shortcut. NY: Greenwillow.
Crews, D. (1978). Freight Train. NY: Greenwillow.
Falconer, I. (2000). Olivia. NY: Atheneum.
Feelings, T. (1995). The Middle Passage. NY: Dial.
Gag, W. (1928). Millions of Cats. NY: Coward-McCann.
Gravett, E. (2006). Wolves. NY: Simon and Schuster.
Grimm, J. and Hyman, T.S. (1974). Snow White. Boston: Little Brown.
Henkes, K. (2004). Kitten’s First Full Moon. NY: Greenwillow.
Henkes, K. (2000). Wemberly Worried. NY: Greenwillow.
Hoban, L. and Hoban, R. (1964). Bread and Jam for Frances. NY: Scholastic.
Hutchins, P. (1968). Rosie’s Walk. NY: Macmillan.
Keats, E. J. (1962). The Snowy Day. NY: Viking Press.
Keats, E. J. (1969). Goggles. NY: Macmillan.
Macaulay, D. (1990). Black and White. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
McClosky, R. (1948). Blueberries for Sal. NY: Viking.
McCully, E. A. (1992). Mirette on the High Wire. NY: G.P. Putnum’s Sons.
Merriem, E. and Smith, L. (1987). Halloween A B C. NY: Macmillan.
Pinkney, A. D. and Pinkney, J. B. (1998). Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra. NY: Hyperion.
Raschka, C. (1998). Arlene Sardine. NY: Orchard Books.
Rathmann, P. (1995). Officer Buckle and Gloria. NY: Putnum.
Rey, H.A. (1941). Curious George. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Ringgold, F. (1991). Tar Beach. NY: Crown Publishers.
Ringgold, F. (1995). My Dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. NY: Crown Publishers.
Say, A. (1993). Grandfather’s Journey. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Say, A. (2000). The Sign Painter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Sciezka, J. and Smith, L. (1992). The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. NY: Viking.
Sendak, M. (1963). Where the Wild Things Are. NY: Harper and Row.
Steptoe, J. (1969). Stevie. NY: Harper and Row.
Steptoe, J. (1987). Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters. NY: Lothrup, Lee and Shepard.
Tabak, S. (1999). Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. NY: Viking.
Tan, S. (2007). The Arrival. NY: Arthur A. Levine Books.
Van Allsburg, C. (1984). The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Zion. G. and Graham, M.B. (1956). Harry the Dirty Dog. NY: Harper.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Books about the loss of a pet
This can be a tough topic for children, but here are a few books that could help start a discussion about how it feels to lose a pet... and how grateful we are that they were part of our life for a time.
Desser the best ever cat by Maggie Smith
The tenth good thing about barney by Judith Viorst
Desser the best ever cat by Maggie Smith
The tenth good thing about barney by Judith Viorst
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Great Read-Aloud Books
Not all pictures books work well for a read-aloud in a group. These books have the golden trifecta of great pictures that can be enjoyed from a distance, great language that is rollicking and rolls right off the tongue and finally a great story that is full of fun and surprises.
All the books I've listed here have been fully tested and approved by audiences of attentive children (if the children aren't attentive the books don't make the list!).
K-2nd Grade
----------------
Lousy, Rotten Stinkin' Grapes by Margie Palatini
The Three Silly Billies
Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman
Pigs to the Rescue
A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon
The Runaway Dinner by Alan Ahlberg
The Pencil
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
The Princess and the Pizza by Mary Jane Auch
Axle Annie by Robin Pulver
Axle Annie and the Speed Grump
All the books I've listed here have been fully tested and approved by audiences of attentive children (if the children aren't attentive the books don't make the list!).
K-2nd Grade
----------------
Lousy, Rotten Stinkin' Grapes by Margie Palatini
The Three Silly Billies
Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman
Pigs to the Rescue
A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon
The Runaway Dinner by Alan Ahlberg
The Pencil
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
The Princess and the Pizza by Mary Jane Auch
Axle Annie by Robin Pulver
Axle Annie and the Speed Grump
Saturday, October 9, 2010
"Scared to try new things" books
Put together by MSLA members.
Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears Emily Gravett
Not Afraid of Dogs Susanna Pitzer
Pouch David Ezra Stein
Ruby the Copycat Peggy Ratham
Stephanie’s Ponytail Munsch
The Monster Who ate my Peas” Schnitzlein
Green Eggs and Ham Dr. Seuss
But Excuse Me That Is My Book Lauren Child
I am Too Absolutely Small for School Lauren Child
Never will I ever Eat a Tomato Lauren Child
The Yellow Leaf Carin Berger
This is more like “friends can help you try new things.”
Scaredy Squirrel series by Melanie Watt
Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears Emily Gravett
Not Afraid of Dogs Susanna Pitzer
Pouch David Ezra Stein
Ruby the Copycat Peggy Ratham
Stephanie’s Ponytail Munsch
The Monster Who ate my Peas” Schnitzlein
Green Eggs and Ham Dr. Seuss
But Excuse Me That Is My Book Lauren Child
I am Too Absolutely Small for School Lauren Child
Never will I ever Eat a Tomato Lauren Child
The Yellow Leaf Carin Berger
This is more like “friends can help you try new things.”
Scaredy Squirrel series by Melanie Watt
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