Thursday, March 05, 2009

recommendation?

So, I meant to mention earlier that I have agreed to join the Literature Review Panel for Hampton-Brown/National Geographic new K-5 Elementary School Literature Program. It's been interesting and fun (though a bit time consuming). One of the sections I am reading is called "Traditions" and I am not super crazy about the selection that has been chosen. I would like to offer a different story, but I am can't seem to think of one that would work. It should be a picture book for older readers that shows how traditions are passed. Preferably not a holiday story. Something like "Mama's Saris" but older. Any suggestions?

5 comments:

Lynn said...

I haven't read the referenced books myself, but your post brought this one to mind: http://planetesme.blogspot.com/2009/02/most-loved-in-all-world-picture-book.html
I am a quilter, afterall.

alvinaling said...

What do you mean by "older readers"--4th and 5th grade?

How about YEAR OF THE DOG and RAT? ;)

Libby Koponen said...

Grace, I'm not sure this book has ENOUGH about traditions in it to qualify; but it does say something about them.

I volunteered at a school for kids who had been expelled from regular public school for various emotional and behavioral problems (almost all boys). None of them liked reading, few of them could even sit still without constant reminders.... and this book they ALL listened to raptly, even though it took more than half an hour to read aloud. And even though it contains TWO poems by Langston Hughes. They even listened to those and later when we were having our one-on-ones two of the boys QUOTED the poem "When Suzannah Jones Wears Red."

The illustrations did not appeal to me at all but the boys liked them, too -- the book is a (longish) picture book biography of Langston Hughes by Alice Walker.

I STRONGLY recommend it. The boys were 9 to 11.

Libby

Libby Koponen said...

PS I spelled Susanna wrong, sorry!

Langston Hughes wrote "When Susanna Jones Wears Red" when he was in high school.

Maybe I will post about this book on Saturday, there is a story that goes with all this that might be fun to tell.

Grace Lin said...

Older readers does mean 4th and 5th grade, but it should still be a picture book--it is for ESL, and a very visual program. So basically a longer length picture book.

Thanks Bibliophile and Libby, will look those up!