I’ve lurked on the #PB 10for10 posts for the past few years
and this year I decided was my year to post.
I’ve taught mostly grades 6-12 and am now a teacher educator, so I
decided to post the books that I have used in my own teaching.
Charlie the Caterpillar
By Dom DeLuise (yes, the comedian/actor/director)
Charlie is a curious caterpillar who eagerly wandered the
world to meet new creatures. However, each time he meets new critters (monkeys,
rabbits etc.) they don’t allow him to play with them because he is “an ugly
caterpillar.” After several experiences
like this, Charlie begins to feel ugly and sad that no one wants to be around
him. However, as will happen with
caterpillars, he spins a cocoon and over the fall and winter he sleeps and dreams
of having a friend. When he emerges in spring, he is a beautiful butterfly.
Then, all the creatures who insulted him want to be his friend. But, he
realizes they would not be “real” friends because they only judged him by his
looks. Instead, he meets Katie the caterpillar and helps her see the beauty in
herself. This is a great beginning of the year read, and I reminder to middle
schoolers to be wary of judging each other by appearance.
Faithful Elephants: A
True Story of Animal, People and War
By Yukio Tsuchiy
This true story will make you cry (and it is dealing with sensitive
issues of death and war), and it highlights the way war and conflict hurt
beyond the typical guns and bombs. It begins with a cheerful zoo in Japan in modern times that
has a memorial dedicated to the animals who died in World War I – specifically the
three performing elephants, John, Tonky, and Wanly. One of the zookeepers tells the story of the memorial.
During WWI, Japan was being bombarded and the
Army was afraid that the dangerous animal could get loose so they ordered the
zoos to kill their animals. But, the
three elephants were smart and avoided all methods to euthanize them. Even
under such horrible circumstances, the elephant continued to try and perform
for their trainers. However, they finally died from starvation and the war
continued. Yet, their legacy of being innocent victims of war continues to be
told. I used this with high school
students along with Night by Elie
Wiesel and our study of World War II.
Westlandia
By Paul Fleischman
Welsey is an odd-looking boy who was bullied at school. But over summer vacation, he decides to grow
his own food and create a new civilization.
With a bit of magic, he garden grows unknown forms of eatable plants, and
he begins to create his own clothes, language, and ways of doing things. His former bullies become interested in his
project, and he invites them into Weslandia. He ends the summer glorying in his
creativeness and difference and helps his classmates overcome their own need to
conform. I used this in middle school to introduce our study of ancient
civilizations and how culture develops.
The Secret Knowledge
of Grown-Ups
By David Wisniewski
Developed as a Top Secret file, this book tells the “real”
reason gown-ups say things like, “Eat your vegetables” and “Don’t bite your
fingernails.” Each vignette begins with the admonition, the official reason
for the admonition, and then the TRUTH – ie. If we don’t eat the vegetables,
they will take over the earth. As
master model of creative fiction, I used this book to prompt middle school
students to write their own “files” of admonitions from their parents.
The World That Jack
Built
By Ruth Brown
Using the traditional “This is the house that Jack built”
format, a cat and butterfly playfully wander through the backyard, forest, and fields.
However, as they move through the landscape, it becomes increasing polluted
until they come to the factory that Jack built that is spewing smoke and
contaminated water. The illustrations are moving, detailed and a great example
of development of mood. The relationship between the cat and butterfly is also
interesting to note through the journey.
Snow Angel
By Debbie Boone
“Rose was a little girl whose eyes were full of dreams. Most
people see things just as they are. Rose saw everything blanketed in dreams of
what could be.” Need some inspiration to
dream? Try this book.
Reading with Dad
By Richard Jorgensen
Reading together is so much more than a literacy practice –
it bonds people across time, ages and spaces.
This story illustrates a little girl growing up reading with her dad
(even in college and long-distance), reading with her own children, and reading
to him at the end of his life. “The best of times that I’ve ever had are all of
those times I’ve spent reading with Dad.”
Santa Cows
By Copper Edens
This is a modern retelling of A “Visit from St. Nick” by Clement
Clark Moore (T'was the Night Before Christmas). Each family member is engaged
in different solitary pursuits, the night before Christmas – watching TV,
playing video games, or listening to their cassette recorder (think IPod). But
when the Santa Cows arrive on the rooftop, the family sets aside their media
and join together for songs and games.
The family re-connects to each other through a snowy game of
baseball.
Wabi Sabi
By Mark Reibstein
The main character is a cat named Wabi Sabi, who wants to
know what her name means. However, no one, not even the cat's master, could
explain the meaning of wabi sabi. So the cat begins to ask all the creatures
around her and each give her a different explanation – Snowball, the cat;
Rascal, the dog; and a bird, who tells Wabi Sabi to seek out Kosho, the wise
monkey. In her travels, Wabi Sabi encounters the bright lights of the city, the
cool beauty of the forest, the warmth of friendship, the pleasure of not
hurrying, and the joy of returning home. This all is wabi sabi. Wabi sabi, according to the end pages, is an
ancient Chinese philosophy that shaped Japanese culture to emphasize simplicity
over extravagance. The format of the book wonderfully illustrates this
philosophy.
If I Never Forever
Endeavor
By Holly Meade
Great beginning or end of the year read. The young bird has to leave the nest, but he
is unsure. He considers both the positives
and negatives of trying something new – it could be wonderful or he could get
lost. He watches others, practices a little, and then takes the leap.
