Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry

Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry

Written and Illustrated by: Ashley Bryan

Ages: 4-8

Coretta Scott King Honor Award 1998

Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry  is a collection of African poetry.  Each poem starts with a different letter going from A to Z.  This is a great book to expose children to different cultures and types of poetry.  Along with the poetry comes amazing artwork that both children and adults will enjoy.

Theme: Poetry is an essential part of education and this book exposes children to a different culture's poetry.

About the Author:
Ashley Bryan's inspiration for most of his books sprouted from his travels to Africa.  He decided he wanted to retell and illustrate African folktales which he is known for.  Currently, he travels the word telling stories and reading poetry to his audiences.  Along with receiving the Wilder Metal (2009), many of his books have received Coretta Scott King Honor Awards.

Pre-Reading Activities:
Students will discuss a variety of poetry that they have been learning about.  Students will pick apart the similarities and differences that they see in poetry.

Post-Reading Activities: 
The class will make a venn diagram comparing the poems in this book to another type of poetry.  
Students can also pick a different letter from the alphabet and to use to write a poem.  The class can put their poems together to make their own ABC African American Poetry book.  

Big Anthony: His Story

Big Anthony: His Story

Written and Illustrated by: Tomie dePaola

Ages: 4-8

What was Big Anthony's life like before he met Strega Nona?  This is a great book to read with students before or after reading Strega Nona.  Big Anthony did not pay attention, starting as a young boy.  By the time he was a teenager his father sent him away to find work because he no longer wanted Big Anthony working on the farm.  Every job that Big Anthony found he managed to mess up which caused him to be fired and ultimately led him to Strega Nona's door.

Theme:Paying attention is an important part of life because you never know what will happen if you do not know what is going on.

About the Author:

Tomie dePaola developed a love for books starting at a very young age because his mother read to him everyday and at age four he told everyone that he wanted to write and draw stories for books.  Tomie dePaola has written and/or illustrated over 200 books within 40 years.  

"Tomie dePaola and his work have been recognized with the Caldecott Honor Award, the Newbery Honor Award and the New Hampshire Governor's Arts Award of Living Treasure." Tomie dePaola is also the 2011 winner of the Wilder Award.

Pre-Reading Activities:
Like with Strega Nona, it will be important for the teacher to point out Italy and the particular cities that Big Anthony travels through on a map.  This could start before the book and then as the book is being read, point out these cities again.

Post-Reading Activities: 
Students can write a story about a time that they did not pay attention.  How did it turn out?  Were they confused?  Did they get in trouble?  What happened?

Strega Nona

Strega Nona

Retold and Illustrated by: Tomie dePaola

Ages: 4-8
Caldecott Honor Book

Strega Noma  is an old Italian women who had a magical pot and could use magic to cure headaches, get rid or warts, and help young women find a husband.  Since Strega Nona was getting old, she needed someone to help care for her garden.  Big Anthony was the helper.  He was given strict instructions by Strega Nona not to touch her pot.  One day, Big Anthony saw Strega Nona do magic to make pasta.  When Strega Nona was away he repeated the words that he had heard Strega Nona say to make pasta for everyone in the Village.  Big Anthony did not hear and see everything that Strega Nona said and did and because of this the pasta overflowed the village.

Theme: Listening to rules is important because like Big Anthony learns, bad things can happen if you do not listen.

About the Author:

Tomie dePaola developed a love for books starting at a very young age because his mother read to him everyday and at age four he told everyone that he wanted to write and draw stories for books.  Tomie dePaola has written and/or illustrated over 200 books within 40 years.  

"Tomie dePaola and his work have been recognized with the Caldecott Honor Award, the Newbery Honor Award and the New Hampshire Governor's Arts Award of Living Treasure." Tomie dePaola is also the 2011 winner of the Wilder Award.

Pre-Reading Activities:

The teacher should point out that "Strega Nona" means Grandma Witch.  The teacher can then go on to discuss how this is an Italian name and show students where Italy is and more specifically where Calabria is (the setting).

Post-Reading Activities: 
Students will talk about how Big Anthony felt a different points of the book.
Students can also go on to write the story through the perspective of Big Anthony.


*Before or after this book,  students can  read Big Anthony: His Story. Which would ultimatly lead to a different understanding of Strega Nona.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Retold and Illustrated by: James Marshall
Ages: 4-7
Caldecott Honor in 1989

Goldilocks is sent to buy muffins for her mother in the village.  Even though Goldilocks was told to not take the shortcut through the forest, Goldilocks did as she pleased and did go through the forest.  On her way she stopped at the bears house, who were out on a bike ride.   She went in without knocking and ate their porridge, broke a chair, and took a nap.  The bears returned to see the mess that Goldilocks made. 

Theme: Readers learn that it is important to listen to their parents so that they can stay safe.

About the Author:

James Marshall received a Caldecott Honor in 1989 for Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  He then went on to receive the Wilder Award for his collection in 2007.

In 1971 Marshall was laying on a hammock drawing pictures.  He heard the TV coming from inside and he was inspired for his first book.  His first book was called George and Martha.  These books went on to be a series and James Marshall went on to write and/or illustrate a variety of books throughout his life until he passed away in 1992. 

Pre-Reading Activities:

Have you heard a version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears?  What happened in that one?

Post-Reading Activities:
Read a different version of the book and compare and contrast the two. 
What do you think Goldilocks learned?
 

Miss Nelson is Missing!

Miss Nelson is Missing

By: Harry Allard  
Illustrator: James Marshall

Ages: 5-8

Miss Nelson is Missing was named one of the most memorable books of the 20th Century.  It is a book about a class who is very disrespectful of their teacher, Miss Nelson.  One day Miss Nelson does not come into school and a substitute comes in, Miss Viola Swamp.  Miss Viola Swamp was the meanest teacher the children could have imagined.  When Miss Nelson did return, the students had a new found respect for her and were now respectful, listening students. 

Theme: This book teaches students about respectful behavior.  It goes along with the idea that you should treat someone like you want to be treated.

About the Author:
Harry Allard met James Marshall in Boston.  The two became friends and Marshall's artwork inspired Allard to write his first book The Stupids Step Out.  The two continued to work together to complete the Stupids series as well as the Miss Nelson series. 

About the Illustrator:

James Marshall received a Caldecott Honor in 1989 for Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  He then went on to receive the Wilder Award for his collection in 2007.

In 1971 Marshall was laying on a hammock drawing pictures.  He heard the TV coming from inside and he was inspired for his first book.  His first book was called George and Martha.  These books went on to be a series and James Marshall went on to write and/or illustrate a variety of books throughout his life until he passed away in 1992.

 

Pre-Reading Activities:
Have students look at the cover of the book and come up with predictions of what they believe happened to Miss Nelson.  Students can write these ideas down and then discuss them with the class. 

Post-Reading Activities:  
Students can work together to compile a list of classroom rules that they believe Room207 should have followed and that they can follow themselves. 
Why do you think the students were so disrespectful of Miss Nelson?
What lesson did the students learn?

In the Small, Small Pond

In the Small, Small Pond

Written and Illustrated by: Denise Flemming

Ages: 2 - 6

Awards: Caldecott Honor 

In the Small, Small Pond is a great book to teach young children about pond life.  There are great illustrations and descriptions to go with each animal that lives in and around a pond. 

Theme: This book teachers students about different aspects of nature in relation to ponds

About the Author:
Denise Fleming is and artist and writer.  To complete her artwork in her books she uses pulp painting; this involves pouring colored paper pulp through hand cut stencils.  She also writes the words to her books which are very few.  Since Fleming enjoys strong words, she starts with hundreds of words and continues until she believes she has reached the best of the best.

 

Pre-Reading Activities:
What do you think this book is about?
What animals do you think live in ponds?
Have you been to pond? If so, what animals did you see?

Post-Reading Activities:  
Create a pond mural.  Students will work together to create a pond habitat including pictures of animals and plants that live in and around the pond.  Students can use this book as well as related books to complete the mural.

The M&M's Counting Book

The M&M's Counting Book

By: Barbara Barbieri McGrath

Ages: 3-7
Awards: The Teacher's Choice Award from Learning Magazine

The M&M's Counting Book is a great book to help students learn about counting, adding, subtracting, and shapes.  Students love candy and teachers already use food for math so an exciting book is the best addition.  Older students can use the book and complete the given activities on their own.  The book helps students by giving them instruction and then praise for after they completed a task.  For younger students, this is a great book for teachers to use as a visual as they teach their math lesson. 

Theme: Shapes, addition, subtraction, and counting are important part of the book in the sense that the students have to use these aspects of math while they read the book.

About the Author:
Barbara McGrath obtaining her degree in Early Childhood Education from Lasell College.  With this degree she opened a preschool where she taught four and five year olds for sixteen years.  While working she did freelance writing and then went on to write over twenty children's books.  McGrath travels to talk about writing and math to students so that they will be inspired to complete writing pieces of their own.

 

Pre-Reading Activities:

This book is an activity within it self.  Supply each student with an appropriate amount of M&M's then select a few pages from the book and complete these activities with the students. 

Post-Reading Activities:  
Have a discussion with the students about what they liked and disliked about the activities.  Tell the students that this activity will be available for them.  Have a center with either M&M's or colored circles at a table so that students can sit down and try to complete different pages of the book (a teacher will need to be present for the younger students).

The Colors of Us

The Colors of Us

By: Karen Katz

Age: 4-8

The Color of Us  is a book multicultural book about a girl named Lena.  Lena talks about the people in her life and the color skin that they have.  She does not assign colors like black or white but rather cinnamon, honey, leaves in fall, and more.  Lena discusses how each person is different and special.  

Theme: Multiculturalism is an important aspect of this book in the sense that it teaches children that there is no such thing as just black and white.

About the Author:
Karen Katz is a true artist at heart.  She has worked designing costumes, doing graphic design, been a fabric artist, and has been a quilt maker.  She believes that these careers have helped her in becoming a children's book author and illustrator.  Ultimately, her inspiration for writing children's book was her daughter, who she adopted from Guatemala.  
 

Pre-Reading Activities:

Have children look at their skin color then tell them to look at their friends.  Do you and your friends have the same color skin?  Have a discussion with them that nobody is the same color and we are not simply back or white.  To deeper explain this to the students, show them a piece of white paper and a piece of black paper.  Do you know anybody that has this color skin?

Post-Reading Activities:  
Have students decide what color they are and what some things are that may match their skin color.  Then, gather paint or multicultural markers/paper and have students  create a self-portrait to display within the classroom.

Counting Kisses

Counting Kisses

By: Karen Katz

Ages: Infant - Preschool

This is a book that uses the story of a mother and her baby to encourage counting.  Starting at ten, the mother counts down to one.  In doing this, each number is associated with different types of kisses. 


Theme: This book teaches students about counting in a loving way.

About the Author:
Karen Katz is a true artist at heart.  She has worked designing costumes, doing graphic design, been a fabric artist, and has been a quilt maker.  She believes that these careers have helped her in becoming a children's book author and illustrator.  Ultimately, her inspiration for writing children's book was her daughter, who she adopted from Guatemala.

Pre-Reading Activities:
Have students discuss who they say goodnight too and how they do this.  Students will have the opportunity to share their bedtime rituals as well as hear others. 

Post-Reading Activities:
Students can look around the classroom to find different things they want to count.  Students can use one object or assign different objects to different numbers.  After, students should count their objects and can draw pictures to go along with it.

Mouse Paint

Mouse Paint

By: Ellen Stoll Walsh

Ages: Infant - Preschool

Mouse Paint is a great book to help children learn about colors.  Mice play in paint and in doing so, they mix the colors.  This leads to the creation of new colors.  Students are excited to see what colors blue and red make, yellow and blue, and yellow and red. 

Theme: This story focus on colors and how to make new colors.

About the Author: 
Ellen Stoll Walsh both writes and illustrates her books.  She first started writing books for her son and then decided to share her books with other children.  Growing up Walsh was exposed to literature by her mother.  They would cuddle in bed together and her mother would read books; she would change her voice to imitate different characters.

Pre-Reading Activity:

Have students make predictions about what they think will happen in the book.  Then, as the teacher is reading, have student predict what colors will be made.  Students should also be encouraged to name each color they see.

Post-Reading Activity:
Have students do their own painting.  Students can use paint, or colors transparencies, to try to mix different colors.  Students can experiment to see what colors make new colors. 

Chryanthemum

Chrysanthemum 

By: Kevin Henkes

Ages: 4-8

Chrysanthemum is a book about a girl who loved her name until she went to school and her classmates made fun of her name.  Chrysanthemum ends up learning her name is as great as her parents have told her when a teacher all the students adore says she likes the name. 

Theme: Social-emotional is a theme of this book when it teaches students to be proud of who they are.

About the Author:
Kevin Henkes became a writer and illustrator when he was nineteen years old, his first book was published in 1981.  He now lives with his wife, son, and daughter.  He has his drawing table in his own studio where he does his where he continues to work.

Pre-Reading Activity:
Have students talk about their names.  Students should be encouraged to talk about what they like about their name, if they are named after anyone in their family, ect. 

Post-Reading Activity:
Help students look up the meaning of their name.  Also, have students count how many letters are in their name and compile a graph with the class.

Hands Are Not For Hitting

Hands Are Not for Hitting

By: Martine Agassi

Illustrated by: Marieka Heinlen

Ages: 3-6

Hands Are Not for Hitting is a great book for young students who have problems learning not to hit.  This book shows students a variety of things they can do with their hands, besides hit.  Students love this book because they can try each activity as it is being read to them.

Theme: Social-emotional skills are taught within this book when children are learning different things they can do with their hands.

About the Author:
Martine Agassi is a clinical therapist and an experience behavior consultant.  She writes this book and a variety of books like it to help children learn positive things that they can do with their hands, teeth, ect.

Pre-Reading Activity:
Have students brainstorm a variety of things that they can with their hands.  Students will be excited when they see the things they listed repeated in the book.

Post-Reading Activity:
Provide situations for the students and ask them what they would do (ex. If a friend takes the toy you were playing with, what would you do?).  Students will show that they know what to do in a situation that makes them angry. 

Stranger in the Woods

 

Stranger in the Woods

By: Carl R. Sams II & Jean Stoick

Grade K-4

Awards:  

2002 Early Childhood News Director's Choice Award 

2001 International Reading Association Award in the Younger Reader Category 

Benjamin Franklin Award for Best Children's Picture Book.

There is a big snowstorm in the woods.  After the snow has fallen, the animals spot a creature they do not recognize. They warn each other before they decide who will go and check it out.  When they do, they realize that there is food waiting for them.  This is a great book to help teach students about the variety of animals that live in the forest during the winter.  Students can look at real photographs of animals opposed to the drawings they see in most books.

Theme: Winter and wildlife are the main themes of this book.  Students learn about what animals live in a winter wonderland.


About the Authors: 
Carl R. Sams II & Jean Stoick are award winning photographers.  They used their pictures as inspiration for this book.   The couple has explored Northern America and have taken a variety of pictures in these places to share with the world. 


Pre-Activity: 
Teach students about different types of animals that live in the forests even when it is cold and snowy out.  What season is this?  Who do you think the stranger is?

Post-Activity: 
If there is snow, have the students get into groups and make their own snowman.  Provide materials for the students to use for their snowman.  If there is no snow, have the students use materials in the classroom to make their own snowman.  Have them draw different things that they could use to feed the animals in the woods.

One Mitten

 

One Mitten
By: Kristine O'Connell George

Illustrated By: Maggie Smith

Preschool-Grade 1

One Mitten is one of my students favorite books.  The book is about a girl who uses her imagination to use one mitten in a variety of ways.  When she finds the matching mitten, she goes on to discover more things she can do with her mittens.  Students enjoy this book because they can relate to the girl and it encourages them to use their imagination. 

Theme: Imagination is an important part of this book by teaching children that they can pretend that different objects are anything.

About the Author: 
Kristine O'Connell George fell in love with children's poetry when she took a class at UCLA.  The class was taught by Myra Cohn Livingston who became her mentor.  Along with writing children's poetry and books, George "served as poetry consultant for PBS's Storytime, is a board member for the Children's Literature Council of Southern California, and received an International Reading Association "Celebrate Literacy" award from the Foothill Reading Council." Finally, she is "member of educational and writers' organizations including PEN and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators." George is now a teacher at UCLA and loves to share her passion for children's literature.

Pre-Reading Activity:

Gather students around to discuss how they pretend.  The teacher can ask students what they like to pretend to be and what they like to pretend to do.  Also, the teacher can point out objects around the classroom that they know the students pretend play with.

Post-Reading Activity:

After reading the book, gather a variety of different objects.  Students should be encouraged to use their imaginations to come up with things they can do with each specific object. (This can also be used as assessment to see that students are using their imagination).