Saturday, November 28, 2015

Text Set: Rethinking Explorers

Last week I presented at NCTE in a session called "Reading Another Culture: Teaching Diversity without Reinforcing Stereotypes.

As part of that session, I am putting together various text sets of picture books that teachers and parents can use to help introduce children to diverse characters and children around the world. The complete handouts from the talk are available here.

This is the third in a series of posts that provides more details about each of the example text sets. The first post featured books that celebrate the diversity of families and family structures, while the second highlighted books from a variety of people and countries in Africa.

Rethinking Explorers: alternate perspectives and point of view


When I taught fourth grade, once of our units of study was on The Age of Exploration and the discovery and subsequent colonization of the Americas. Most nonfiction books and picture books available on these topics still focus on the explorers and their "great deeds." These two picture books provide different views than the standard explorer narratives.


Encounter (1996) by Jane Yolen and illustrated by David Shannon. This Columbus story is told instead from the point-of-view of a young Taino boy. He has a dream that warns his about arriving strangers, but the chief and other adults ignore his pleas. This story provides a powerful way for kids to think about this historical event from a non-traditional viewpoint.


Lost City: the discovery of Machu Picchu (2003) by Ted Lewin. This book is more subtle but has provided a way to have some very interesting conversations about the concept of discovery.

Lost City tells the true story of Hiram Bingham's efforts to find the lost Inca city of Vilcapampa in 1911 but instead being introduced to Machu Picchu. What I appreciate about this "discovery" story is that the credit is given to local people and local knowledge, and it's a great book for helping kids discuss the idea of "discovering" something some one already knows about.


Notes from a student's reflection
What does Bigham [mean]? I've seen a [terrace] before. I was really really high. Why would he ask people where is the lost city and they knew where the city was? So then it isn't really a lost city. The end was a good ending. Did people live there after?

Do you have a favorite picture book that presents a different viewpoint on explorers or exploration? Please share in the comments below! For more text sets on diverse topics, please click here.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

#3rdfor3rd: Ms. Rapscott's Girls

Welcome to #3rdfor3rd where I share books that my third graders recommend for other third graders. (Please note that my third graders read a wide variety of books across a wide variety of genres, levels, and topics. Do not think that these books are "only" for third graders.) Read more about this book recommendation series and format here.

Ms. Rapcott's Girls


Book recommendation by Evelyn.

Ms. Rapscott's Girls is a great book. It is by Elise Primavera. In it 5 girls are shipped to a lighthouse to Ms. Rapscott's School for Girls of Busy Parents. One's missing! The 4 girls go to find her. Miss Rapscott has some very unusual ways to find her.

Will she be found or will the teacher's unusual ways be bad?

I'd give this 10/10 stars. My favorite line is"Not outside-it's going to storm inside."

If you like adventure, magic, and weirdness you will love this book.

Click here or the #3rdfor3rd tag for more great book recommendations!

Monday, November 23, 2015

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 11/23/15


It's Monday! What are you reading? was started by Sheila at Book Journey and was adapted for children's books from picture books through YA by Jen of Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee of Unleashing Readers. You can visit either site for a round up of blogs sharing their weekly readings and thoughts or search Twitter for #IMWAYR.



Last Week's Posts

  • Kid Lit Blog Hop. The Kid Lit Blog Hop has moved to a monthly format. Come join in, share a link, and check out a great collection of kid lit-related posts.

TBR




I got back Sunday afternoon from this year's NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) Conference. So many wonderful ideas and inspiration to take it - I hope to get a post up shortly with some initial thoughts.

The photos above are the newest editions to my TBR pile, courtesy of the conference. I hope to get several read and blogged about in time for next week. Until then, happy reading!

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Text Set: Africa is Not a Country

Today (!) I am presenting at a roundtable session at NCTE (G.40 Equity, Social Justice, and Advocacy for Literacy, 211AB). My session is called "Reading Another Culture: Teaching Diversity without Reinforcing Stereotypes," and there are 10 other great presenters as part of the session.

As part of that session, I am putting together various text sets of picture books that teachers and parents can use to help introduce children to diverse characters and children around the world. The complete handouts from the talk will be available here.

This is the second in a series of posts that provides more details about each of the example text sets. The first post featured books that celebrate the diversity of families and family structures.

Africa is Not a Country


Africa is a diverse continent of more than fifty countries, hundreds of millions of people, and thousands of languages, cultures, and people groups. In order for children to understand some of the immensity of variation, it is important to share books and resources from a wide range of countries, environments, and cultural groups. These books are some of my favorites to share and read aloud in my classroom.

Northern Africa


EgyptThe Day of Ahmed's Secret (1990) by Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliland, illustrated by Ted Lewin. This powerful story follows a day in the life of Ahmed as he works his rounds delivering butane gas by donkey cart in modern Cairo, Egypt. He is a thoughtful, interesting narrator and makes unique observations about the world around him and his place in it, even connecting back to Egypt's ancient history.


MauritaniaDeep in the Sahara (2013) by Kelly Cunnane and illustrated by Hoda Hadadi. Deep in the Sahara is an immersive picture book told in second person, placing you, the reader, as young Lalla, a Muslim girl living in Mauritania in west Africa. During the course of the book, Lalla explores why she wants to wear the malafa like her mother and relatives.

Second-person, present tense narration is tough to pull off and generally rare in literature, but I think that it works well in this book because most of us readers know as little about the malafa and its importance in African Muslim communities than does Lalla. Through her eyes and through the patterning of the text, we all learn an important lesson. (Read a more detailed analysis here.)


MoroccoAli, Child of the Desert (1997) by Jonathan London and illustrated by Ted Lewin. This coming-of-age story features young Ali who is thrilled to accompany his father across the Sahara Desert for the first time. When a sandstorm strikes, however, he learns just how dangerous the desert can be - if not for the help of strangers. (I was saddened to learn that this book is now out-of-print, but it is well worth searching for at your library.)


ChadRain School (2010) by James Rumford. Rain School highlights some of the struggles that children face in getting an education, as well as the great lengths that people will go through to go to school - even if involves building the school itself! Rain School is a bit of a circular story and opens with the first day of school. As the end-is-the-beginning concludes, it helps students to see the impact and importance of this yearly process and how hard these children work for their education. Powerful stuff. (For a more detailed analysis, click here.)


Western, Central, and Eastern Africa


Burkina FasoThe Red Bicycle: the extraordinary story of one ordinary bicycle (2015) by Jude Isabella and illustrated by Simone Shin. The Red Bicycle is a powerful story of the life of one red bicycle and its multiple reincarnations through donation. The story traces the bicycle from its initial purchase by a young boy in North America (Canada) to a young girl in Africa (Burkina Faso) to a young hospital employee (also in Burkina Faso) and beyond. This is a great story for sharing with kids the power of one person (or one bike) to make a difference.


GhanaEmmanuel's Dream: the true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah (2015) by Laurie Ann Thompson and illustrated by Sean Qualls. Emmanuel's Dream is the powerful true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, a boy who does not let his disability define himself or his character. The book highlights his constant perseverance and determination. In order to learn, he hops to school, two miles each way, and must earns the respect and friendship of his classmates. Emmanuel even learns to ride a bike with only one good leg.

This book is a great story and a great tribute to a young man who is still working to change laws and the minds of people.This book will inspire children to make a difference in their own lives and the lives of those around them too. (Read a more detailed analysis here.)


Kenya: Seeds of Change (2013) by Jen Cullerton Johnson and illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler. This is now the fourth picture book biography of Wangari Maathai that I have read, and I think it might be my new favorite. (You can read more about the other biographies in the post Biographies about People and Trees.) These biographies focus on the incredible work on Noble Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai who encouraged others in Kenya to plant trees. I love the bright colors of the illustrations here and the emphasis on telling her life's story.

Southern Africa


South Africa: Happy Birthday, Jamela! (2006) by Niki Daly. I always check out a large collection of books by Niki Daly during our Africa unit, including both his wonderful folktales and his series of Jamela books. This is one I have shared as a read aloud. Jamela is a spunky character who makes creative but impulsive decisions, sometimes with disastrous consequences, but they always work out in the end. She is a very relate-able character for my third graders. (Jamela lives in a big city in South Africa like Niki Daly.)


Zimbabwe: Where Are You Going, Manyoni? (1993) by Catherine Stock. This story follows a young girl on her long walk to school and does a great job of highlighting the many different animals and environments in her part of Zimbabwe.

Do you have a favorite picture book that highlights the diversity of people, languages, and cultures in Africa? Please share in the comments below! For more text sets on diverse topics, please click here.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

#3rdfor3rd: Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies

Welcome to #3rdfor3rd where I share books that my third graders recommend for other third graders. (Please note that my third graders read a wide variety of books across a wide variety of genres, levels, and topics. Do not think that these books are "only" for third graders.) Read more about this book recommendation series and format here.

Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies


Book recommendation by Aydin.

My book is by Andrea Beatty and illustrated by Dan Santat. It is called Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies.

The evil fluffy bunnies from outer space came to Earth and want to take over the Earth! Will the Rockmen twins save the Earth or will they have to say their last words?

I recommend this book because there is a lot of adventure and it's can sometimes be a little funny, things can also be surprising.

Some of the main characters are Nelson, Joules, and Kevin.

I would rate this book 4.5 out of 5.

Click here or the #3rdfor3rd tag for more great book recommendations!

The Updated (Now-Monthly) Kid Lit Blog Hop - #69


Hello! Welcome to the Kid Lit Blog Hop. This exciting, now monthly hop,  is where we develop an engaged group of people who love everything that has to do with children's literature. Everyone is welcome to join us: bloggers, authors, publicist, and publishers!

Simply make a post and add it to the linky. (Please make sure to add your direct post only.)

Once you are done, then hop around to visit others. Please visit at least the two people above your link. Please leave a comment when you do visit, we all like those.

Also, it would be appreciated if you grab the Kid Lit Blog Hop Badge and display it on your blog and/or your post.

The hostess will be around to see you. It would be nice if you followed all of them.

Happy Hopping!

Reading Authors, Hostess
Julie Grasso, Author/Blogger
Cheryl Carpinello, Author/Blogger
BeachBoundBooks
Pragmatic Mom
The Logonauts
A Book Long Enough
Spark and Pook


BLOG HOP:




Monday, November 16, 2015

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 11/16/15


It's Monday! What are you reading? was started by Sheila at Book Journey and was adapted for children's books from picture books through YA by Jen of Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee of Unleashing Readers. You can visit either site for a round up of blogs sharing their weekly readings and thoughts or search Twitter for #IMWAYR.


Last Week's Posts

  • Looking Forward to NCTE ... ! I am feverishly preparing for my NCTE roundtable presentation this Saturday. This post has some of the initial details, and I will also be updating it later with the handouts and resources from my presentation on "the diversity of diversity." 

Picture Books



Friendshape (2015) by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. To conclude the Global Read Aloud, we shared three books by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. (I have previously shared about both I Wish You More and Little Miss, Big Sis, which I adore and both of which I have already given as gifts.) My students just ate up every single page of Friendshape. The combination of puns, incredibly-creative illustrations, and important messages really hit home with them. This is one that has been constantly re-read during independent reading time.


Stick and Stone (2015) by Beth Ferry and also illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. Another pun-filled books about friendship, my students and I enjoyed this story also. The plot is a bit predictable and moves quickly (little to no character development, motivation, etc.) but enjoyable. We had a great conversations as a class when I asked students to defend their favorite choice between these two books. (For the curious, Friendshape emerged victorious, but Stick and Stone had many defenders as well.)


When Sophie's Feelings are Really, Really Hurt (2015) by Molly Bang. A long-arrived sequel to the 1999 Caldecott Honor book, When Sophie Gets Angry ... Really, Really Angry, Sophie and her tree are back for another feelings-driven plot. This book has some great things to say about art and expression, but I was a little disappointed in the resolution. Apparently the solution for when your feelings are really, really hurt is for the teacher to step in and explain everything. For a preschool audience, that might be enough, but for my third graders, I was hoping for a little more.

Happy Reading! (Hope to see many of you at NCTE!)

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Text Set: Books that Celebrate Diversity of/within Families

I will be presenting at a roundtable session at next week's NCTE on Saturday morning (G.40 Equity, Social Justice, and Advocacy for Literacy, 211AB). My session is called "Reading Another Culture: Teaching Diversity without Reinforcing Stereotypes," and there are 10 other great presenters as part of the session.

As part of that session, I am putting together various text sets of picture books that teachers and parents can use to help introduce children to diverse characters and children around the world. The complete handouts from the talk will be available here.

This is the first in a series of posts that provides more details about each of the featured text sets. These are books that celebrate diversity of families and family structures, as well as books that feature diverse and/or multicultural families. Upcoming text sets include books to reinforce the idea that Africa is not a country and books that explore alternative points of view on exploration and colonization.




Books that Celebrate Diversity of/within Families



One Family (2015) by George Shannon and Blanca Gómez. This charming counting book is so much more. One is not just one, when it is a pair of shoes or a hand of cards. And one can be any number when it comes to "one family." This picture book is a celebration of families, in all their quirky uniqueness. The illustrated families include grandparents, mixed race couples, twins, single parents, young boys in Sikh turbans, gay couples, and so much more. This would be a great mentor text for a getting-to-know you activity, where each child could illustrate a page representing whatever number describes their "one family."


Stella Brings the Family (2015) by Miriam B. Schiffer and illustrated by Holly Clifton-Brown. Stella faces a dilemma: who can she invite to her school's Mother's Day outing when she doesn't have a mother? Papa, Daddy, and her classmates help her realize what really matters in a family and how to celebrate all the types of families there are.

 

My Family Tree and Me (2015) by Dušan Petričić. This is a great concept book on genealogy and the family tree. The book reads from both sides, with one side, front-to-middle, telling the story of the boy's father's family, while the other side, back-to-middle, telling the story of the boy's mother's family. There is also a clever conceit of each pair of parents having a picture hanging up of the previous generation. The text itself is completely generic (with the exception of the fact that the boy has aunts and uncles on both sides) and could be used with kids to put together their own versions. I also appreciate how this book celebrates multiracial and diverse families.


The Case for Loving: the fight for interracial marriage (2015) by Selina Alko and illustrated by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko. This book represents a collaboration between the husband-and-wife team of Selina Alko and Sean Qualls. The story of Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter and their fight for interracial marriage is presented very much from today's point-of-view but also offers children background about how this fight came to be. The author's note draws the natural connection between the history of this fight and the current battle for recognition of same sex marriages and also shares some of the authors' backstory as an interracial couple.


Heather Has Two Mommies (2015 ed.) by Lesléa Newman and illustrated by Laura Cornell. Heather's favorite number is two, and the book uses her love of 2s to structure a story about her life and first day of school. This book is a great one for helping all students understand and embrace the broad range of what the term "family" truly means, and this new updated illustrations make the story more accessible to today's readers.


Children Just Like Me series (1995) by Barnabas and Anabel Kindersley. Children Just Like Me
 is the first book in a growing series of books by husband-and-wife photographers-and-writers Barnabas and Anabel Kindersley. In cooperation with UNICEF, they have traveled around the world interviewing and photographing children and their families. This book features one or two page spreads about individual children from different countries, including information about their hobbies, families, favorite foods, schools, hopes for the future, and much more. My students love learning about the kids and seeing a glimpse of their lives.

The Kindersleys have since branched out and created a whole series of books. Children Just Like Me: Celebrations! features holidays and celebrations around the world, organized seasonally. Again, information about each holiday is shared through the eyes of an individual child. Children Just Like Me: Our Favorite Stories is a collection of folktales from around the world. There are also continent specific versions of the books available, including Children of EuropeChildren of Africa and Neighboring Countries, and Children of the Americas.


Everybody Cooks Rice (1991) by Norah Dooley. My favorite first day of school read focuses on the people and cultures in one small neighborhood, highlighting the commonalities in the rice-based meals being prepared. There is also some socio-economic diversity highlighted, as the parents work a variety of jobs including long hours. This is part of a series of similarly-themed books by the author.

Do you have a favorite book that features a diversity of families? Please share in the comments below! For more text sets on diverse topics, please click here.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

NCTE Presentation: Reading Another Culture: teaching diversity without reinforcing stereotypes


This page is the centralized location for handouts and resources related to my NCTE session, "Reading Another Culture: Teaching Diversity without Reinforcing Stereotypes," (G.40 Equity, Social Justice, and Advocacy for Literacy, 211AB).


Reading Another Culture: book list categories


Scroll on for the book lists or click on any of the category titles to link to another post with more detailed information about the books, including book covers and descriptions.


Books about Modern Immigrants and Refugees


The recent refugee crisis has brought the issues of immigration to the forefront. These picture books help introduce children to modern-day immigrant and refugee children in age-appropriate ways. (Books with a * deal directly with refugees and/or refugee camps.)


Click here to read the full post for Books about Modern Immigrants and Immigration (includes cover images and descriptions).

Books that Celebrate Diversity of/within Families



Click here to read the full post for Books that Celebrate Diversity of/within Families (includes cover images and descriptions).

Africa is Not a Country


A selection of some of my favorite picture books that feature children from a variety of African countries and cultures.


Click here to read the full post for Text Set: Africa is Not a Country (includes cover images and descriptions).

Books Featuring Diverse Grandparents


US Grandchildren Visiting Grandparents in Different Countries

  • Sitti's Secrets (1997) by Naomi Shihab Nye and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. 
  • Time to Pray (2010) by Maha Addasi, translated by Nuha Albitar, and illustrated by Ned Gannon. 


US Grandchild Whose Grandparents Immigrated from a Different Country



African-American Grandparent-Grandchildren Books


Click here to read the full post for Books Featuring Diverse US Grandparents and Grandchildren and Books Featuring International Grandparents and Grandchildren (includes cover images and descriptions).

International Grandparent-Grandchildren Books

  • Argentina: Abuelo (2014) by Arthur Dorros and illustrated by Raúl Colón. 
  • China: Noodle Magic (2014) by Roseanne Greenfield Thong and illustrated by Meilo So. 
  • Dominica: Look Back (2014) by Trish Cooke and illustrated by Caroline Binch.
  • India: Monsoon Afternoon (2008) by Kashmira Sheth and illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi. 
  • India: My Dadima Wears a Sari (2007) by Kashmira Sheth and illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi. 

Coming Soon: click here to read the full post for Books Featuring International Grandparents and Grandchildren (includes cover images and descriptions).

Rethinking Explorers: alternate perspectives and points of view



Click here to read the full post for Text Set: Rethinking Explorers (includes cover images and descriptions).

Picture Book Biographies about People who Cared for Trees


Celebrate the international power of caring for the environment through these books.


Click here to read the full post for Picture Book Biographies of People and Trees (includes cover images and descriptions).

The Power of Girls and Schools: a look through time and place



Click here to read the full post for The Power of Girls and Schools (includes cover images and descriptions).

Around the World in a Single Book

These are books that do a good job of highlighting a variety of people, languages, cultures, etc from around the world.

Children Around the World


Click here to read the full post for Around the World in a Single Book, part 1: children (includes cover images and descriptions).

Cultures in General Around the World


Click here to read the full post for Around the World in a Single Book, part 2: cultures (includes cover images and descriptions).

Languages and Schools around the World



Click here to read the full post for Around the World in a Single Book, part 3: languages and schools (includes cover images and descriptions).

Cinderella Stories from around the World


Cinderella Stories from Asia


Cinderella Stories from Africa and the Middle East

Cinderella Stories from Europe


Click here to read the full post for Cinderella Stories from the Old World (includes cover images and descriptions).

Cinderella Stories from the Americas


Click here to read the full post for Cinderella Stories from the Old World (includes cover images and descriptions) as well as Fractured Cinderella Stories and Teaching with Cinderella Stories.

For even more great book recommendations, check out the Multicultural Book List, which includes additional topics like folktales, holidays and religion, world issues, and more.

Happy (diverse) reading!