Love a Book!
RSSStories about Reading for Elementary Students
Joy Fleishhacker, Curriculum Connections -- School Library Journal, 09/01/2009
 |
|
Amadi’s Snowman (Saint Lot) © 2008 by Dimitrea Tokunbo |
Related TeachingBooks.net resources »»»
It’s time to get reading! As children diligently work to develop and improve the literacy skills that are so essential to their academic success, they might appreciate a bit of comfort and encouragement. Written with a child’s viewpoint firmly in mind, these books blend engaging visual images with spirited storytelling to introduce the wonders—and woes—of learning to read.
Some of the tales relate the frustrations and triumphs of youngsters who are just beginning to read or struggling to progress. Others illustrate how a persistent mentor can make a difference in a young person’s life by giving the gift of literacy. Also included are books that pull out all the stops to celebrate the joy of reading. Use these titles to hearten, inspire, and entertain your blossoming readers, whatever their skill level.
Working Hard to Get There
First grade is a year of big transitions and many children feel overwhelmed by new challenges and expectations. Jessica, who worries about everything from under-the-bed monsters to getting a haircut, is particularly anxious about learning to read. When her teacher announces that there will be a Reading Theater performance for parents on Friday, the very idea has Jessica’s stomach doing somersaults. However, with her family’s support—and lots of practice reading aloud to her dog Wiggles—she pulls off her part without a hitch, a triumph that builds both confidence and commitment. Imbued with kid-like candor, Margery Cuyler’s Hooray for Reading Day! (S & S, 2008) is enhanced by Arthur Howard’s sunny and funny cartoon artwork. (K-Gr 1)
Henry, the likable mouse featured in Nancy Carlson’s First Grade, Here I Come! (2006), happily hurdles most of the challenges of his new classroom but keeps tripping over one stumbling block: arms folded across his chest, he adamantly proclaims, I Don’t Like to Read! (2007, both Viking). When questioned gently by his teacher, Henry confesses that “all of the words and letters just don’t make any sense!” With some extra help at school and at home, the youngster’s skills and self-assurance begin to solidify, as little steps add up to big results. Carlson treats her young protagonist’s concerns with empathy and her endearing animal characters, painted in scintillating primary hues, keep the tone upbeat. (K-Gr 1)
It’s not just beginners who struggle with reading. Though his school is involved in a year-long challenge—if the students read 1,000 books Principal Wiggins will dye his hair purple and sleep on the roof—one boy prefers playing video games to perusing pages. Still, his enthusiastic teacher is determined to find the perfect book for each student, and though it takes until spring, the young narrator finally gets hooked, staying up late into the night to read book 1,001. Judy Finchler and Kevin O’Malley’s wittily illustrated Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind (Walker, 2006) blends realism with touches of silliness to create a lively tale that will engage and amuse readers both reluctant and devoted. (K-Gr 4)
Hamish, who has an amazing ability to spin stories, has somehow made it to third grade without anyone realizing that he cannot read. Sent to Mr. Robinson along with the other “dummies” for extra help, the humiliated and frustrated youngster declares, I Hate Books! (Cricket, 2007). Hamish’s first-person narrative depicts his trials and tribulations, his parents’ zany attempts to encourage him, his older brother’s helpful intervention, and his eventual success. Written in brief chapters and illustrated with David Cox’s vivacious black-and-white sketches, Kate Walker’s heartfelt and humorous tale makes an appealing classroom read-aloud. (Gr 2-5)
As Hamish learns, you’re never too old to master a skill. Every morning a young boy waits for the bus with his neighbor, Mr. George Baker (Candlewick, 2004), a hundred-year-old African American musician (“a drummer man, and some people say he’s famous”) who is going to school—just like Harry—to learn to read. Filled with lyrical rhythms and vivid details, Amy Hest’s captivating tale of intergenerational friendship is gracefully illustrated by Jon J. Muth’s fluid watercolors. (K-Gr 3)
Giving the Gift of Literacy
Douglas hates that he must remain after school for extra help deciphering meaningless “squiggles and lines and dots.” He would much rather be outdoors throwing a football and his desk feels “like a jail.” It takes the persistent efforts of his patient second grade teacher—who motivates him with just the right book (Golden Macdonald and Leonard Weisgard’s 1946 classic, The Little Island)—for the boy to discover the wonders and “fun” of reading. In this autobiographical picture book, children’s author Douglas Wood eloquently expresses his appreciation of Miss Little’s Gift (Candlewick, 2009), candidly detailing his difficulties learning to read and his struggles with his (then undiagnosed) ADHD. Jim Burke’s evocative paintings realistically depict the settings while capturing the magic and emotion of each moment. (Gr 1-3)
Pat Mora’s uplifting Tomás and the Library Lady (Knopf, 1997) is another offering inspired by true events. Tomás, the son of migrant workers who have traveled from Texas to Iowa for the harvest, goes in search of new stories to share with his family after their day is done. Though the library seems intimidating, with tall windows “like eyes glaring at him,” the boy is quickly made welcome by a kindhearted librarian who encourages his efforts, fuels his interests, and keeps him reading all summer long. Based on the childhood of education leader Tomás Rivera, this moving tale is illustrated with Raul Colon’s expressive earth-toned paintings. (Gr 2-4)
Cal, who lives in an isolated cabin in the Appalachian Mountains, sees no value in sitting “stoney-still/a-staring at some chicken scratch” written on a page, that is until That Book Woman (S & S, 2008) “starts a-coming ’round,” bravely journeying through arduous conditions and all sorts of weather to deliver the precious contents of her saddlebag. Heather Henson’s lyrical narrative is superbly illustrated in harvest hues by David Small. Based on fact, the book reveals the remarkable work done by Pack Horse Librarians in 1930s Kentucky, while underscoring the value of reading. (Gr 2-5)
 |
|
Amadi’s Snowman (Saint Lot) |
Hardly anyone in Triple Creek has read a book since the TV tower went up 50 years ago, though the townspeople have found other uses for the volumes: “to hold up roofs, to sit on, to eat off…and even to shore up the dam.” That’s also when Eli’s Aunt Chip, the librarian, took to her bed, warning, “There will be consequences.” When Aunt Chip teaches Eli to read, the passion quickly spreads among the other children, who go in search of good books, grabbing them wherever they can find them. Then Eli pries out a particularly tantalizing copy of Moby Dick from the center of the dam wall, unintentionally releasing a flood of water…and of positive change. Told with tongue-twanging élan and illustrated with a cozy patchwork of colors and patterns, Patricia Polacco’s Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair (Philomel, 1996) is a thought-provoking and entertaining cautionary tale. (K-Gr 5)
Celebration Time
Two buoyant offerings penned by Judy Sierra and cheerfully illustrated by Marc Brown will entertain youngsters while celebrating the joys of reading. Sam, a charismatic carrot-topped baby, is confident that he was Born to Read (2008), and his skills improve as he grows older. Never missing a beat, the rollicking rhymes describe how Sam’s useful ability allows him to excel in all of his endeavors and even aids him in outsmarting a terrible, toy-snatching baby giant. Written with tall-tale flair, this irresistible read-aloud is illustrated with effervescent cotton-candy-colored paintings. In Wild about Books (2004, both Knopf), Molly McGrew and her bookmobile mistakenly end up at the zoo, where the intrepid librarian sets up shop, reads aloud “from the good Dr. Seuss,” and soon wins over a whole new audience (“every beast…was stampeding/To learn about this new something called reading”). The rhyming text proffers puns aplenty and the jaunty artwork brims with color, texture, and humorous detail. Kids will smile and snicker while listening to the antics of these literary-minded critters and will enthusiastically return to the book to take a closer look. (K-Gr 4)
Hamlet’s porcine family is more interested in wallowing in the mud and slurping down supper than in reading books or listening to poetry, so the aspiring writer walks over to the pond to contemplate his latest work, where he unexpectedly finds an appreciative audience. Illustrated with dreamy moonlit artwork, Denys Cazet’s playfully enchanting Will You Read to Me? (S & S, 2007) pays tribute to the power of words and the value of self-expression. Children will be drawn to this lovable protagonist who stands apart as an individual and is unafraid to follow his dreams. (K-Gr 3)
Just what is Charlie Cook’s Favorite Book (Dial, 2006)? As the boy settles into a cozy chair with a volume about swashbucklers, readers embark on a whirlwind journey that takes them through different types of literature (the pirate reads about Goldilocks who is browsing through a volume about a knight who is sharing a book of jokes with a dragon, and so on, all the way back to Charlie). Julia Donaldson’s text is crisp and clever and Axel Scheffler’s amusing illustrations keep the action moving at a page-flipping pace. This circular tale is a fun way to introduce various genres and get kids enthusing about their own favorites. (K-Gr 3)
A special teacher can make books come to life—literally. Zack already suspects his new teacher will be different (she sports spiky red hair and a kid-pleasing attitude), but it takes being read aloud to from Miss Smith’s Incredible Storybook (2003) to guarantee that this will be an exceptional year. Michael Garland’s lively text and slick animation-style artwork depict the incredible happenings as easy-to-recognize literary characters spring off the pages to cause all manner of mayhem. The adventure continues in Miss Smith Reads Again! (2006) when the students are transported into Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World for a prehistoric escapade. Finally, in Miss Smith and the Haunted Library (2009, all Dutton), the class takes a field trip to meet the local librarian, the eerie-looking Virginia Creeper, as well as an assortment of frightening figures from spooky stories. Share these fantastical forays into literature to generate excitement and encourage readers to explore the treasures hidden within the covers of a book. (Gr 1-4)
Finally, in Robie H. Harris’s irresistible offering, a catlike critter loses a favorite volume (readers will clearly see that it has fallen under the bed), frantically searches everywhere for it, and postulates all sorts of imaginative fates for the beloved book. With chuckle-inducing artwork by Michael Emberly and a wonderful-to-share-aloud text, Maybe a Bear Ate It! (Scholastic, 2008) combines exaggerated silliness with a true bibliophile’s passion to celebrate a love of books. (K-Gr 4)
