Laura M. Piazza
Upper Arlington High School
1650 Ridgeview Road
Columbus, Ohio 43221
Workshop Location: March 17 ORCLISH
Title of Companion Pathfinder: Learning With Children: Children’s Literature Overview
Grades 9 – 12
Curriculum/subject area: Parenting and Child Development
Specific Topic: How to choose appropriate books for children ages birth – 5 years
Pathfinder
Learning With Children: Children’s Literature Overview
May, 2004
Watching children learn how to read is a magical experience. Helping them learn this
critical skill is also a magical experience. How do they learn? What should you look
for as you work with them? Where can you go for help – no matter how much experience you have? This pathfinder is designed to help you answer these questions and more.
Print Resources: How to Choose Books for Children
R 028.52 A A to Zoo: Subject Access to Picture Books. New York: Bowker, 2001
028.52 BAR Barstow, Barbara. Beyond picture books: a guide to first readers. New Providence, N.J.: R.R. Bowker, 1995.
Over 1600 titles, and 200 recommended first readers. Includes multiple indices.
027.625 BAU Bauer, Caroline Feller. Caroline Feller Bauer’s Leading Kids to Books Through Crafts. Chicago, IL: American Library Association, 2000.
This book celebrates the extension of the reading experience through the making of crafts.
R 028.5 BES Gillespie, John T. Best Books for Children: Preschool Through Grade 6.
New Providence, NJ: R.R. Bowker, 1998
Over 18,000 annotated titles recommended.
R 011.62 CHI Best Children’s Books of the Year/ selected by the Children’s Book Committee at the Bank Street College of Education. New York, NY: The Committee, 1998.
028.162 BUT Butler, Dorothy. Babies need books: sharing the joy of books with children from birth to six. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1998.
028.5 CHI Children’s Books from Other Countries. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 1998.
Over 700 titles from 29 countries, and all are available in English.
028.52 HEA Hearne, Betsy Gould. Choosing Books for Children: A Commonsense Guide. New York, NY: Delacorte Press, 1990.
028.5 CHI Huck, Charlotte S., Susan Hepler, and Janet Hickman. Children’s Literature in the Elementary School. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1987.
This classic textbook shares the authors’ passion and enthusiasm for children’s literature.
Provides guidance in determining what constitutes good literature for children as well as literature’s role in children’s literacy.
028.5 KEE Keeshan, Robert. Books to Grow by. Minneapolis, MN: Fairview Press, 1996.
TV’s Captain Kangaroo offers a reference work to help parents choose books for children. Highlights the work of 200 authors of classic titles, and offers a journal section for recording additional family favorites.
028.52 LIP Lipson, Eden Ross. The New York Times Parent’s Guide to the Best Books for Children. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2000.
The children’s book editor of the NY Times offers suggestions to adults who love to read on how to share the joy with the children in their lives.
027.625 MAD Maddigan, Beth. The big book of stories, songs, and sing-alongs: programs for babies, toddlers, and families. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2003.
This book offers suggestions for extending the reading experience beyond books.
028.52 OPP Oppenheim, Joanne. Choosing Books for Kids: Choosing the Right Book for the Right Child at the Right Time. New York: Ballantine Books, 1986.
Although somewhat dated, this is my favorite choice for choosing books for young children. Written for the lay reader, it offers hundreds of classic titles and explanations of why each has its special appeal to young readers. Especially helpful are the “10 Best Books For….” sections that end each chapter and age level.
649.55 OPP Oppenheim, Joanne. The Best Toys, Books, and Videos for Kids. New York: HarperPerennial, 1995.
028.52 PIE Pierce, Kathryn Mitchell, editor. Adventuring with books: a booklist for pre-K-grade 6. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English, 2002.
Written primarily for teachers, this book hopes to nurture children’s imaginations by offering titles in areas such as families, mathematics, and others that imitate “a day in the life”.
028.9 POS Post, Arden Ruth. Celebrating Children’s Choices: 25 Years of Children’s Favorite Books. Newark, DE: International Reading Association, 2000.
The Children’s Choices List is an annual event in which children across the United States vote for their favorite titles. A joint project of the Children’s Book Council and the International Reading Association, this list is a unique opportunity for adults to see literature through the eyes of children.
011.52 ROC Rochman, Hazel. Against borders: promoting books for a multicultural world. Chicago: American Library Association, 1993.
This groundbreaking book offers titles of books about children of various ethnicities. It also offers essays on cultural issues. Important for maintaining a global perspective in teaching and learning.
028.5 SIL Silvey, Anita. 100 Best Books for Children. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2004.
With many years in the children’s book publishing industry, this author’s perspective is insightful and reliable.
028.5 SUT Sutherland, Zena and May Hill Arbuthnot. Children and Books. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1991.
A classic children’s literature textbook, these authors are known for their intelligent and accessible approach to the field of early literacy.
028.5 TRA Trachtenberg, Ellen. The best children’s literature: a parent’s guide. Los Angeles, CA: Parent’s Guide Press, 2003
372.6 TRE Trelease, Jim. The Read-Aloud Handbook. NY: Penguin Books, 2001.
Since its original publication in 1979, this acclaimed book has preached the importance of reading aloud to children through all its subsequent editions. A tried and true classic.
028.5 WIL Wilson, Elizabeth Laraway. Books Children Love: a Guide to the Best Children’s Literature. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2002.
A Word About Subject Headings…
To find more information on the subject of children’s literature, try the following subject headings in your library’s online catalog, the internet, or subscription databases:
Best Books
Best books—United States—Bibliography—Periodicals
Children—Books and reading—United States
Children—United States—Books and reading
Children’s libraries— United States—Book lists—Periodicals
Children’s literature – Bibliography
Children’s literature—Bibliography—Periodicals
Children’s literature — Stories, plots, etc.
Children’s literature –Study and Teaching (Elementary)—United
States
Literature – Study and Teaching (Elementary)—United States
School Libraries—United States—Book lists—Periodicals
Websites
The following selection of websites will offer extensive resources to parents, teachers, and others involved in the education of children:
ALSC: Association for Library Service to Children
http://ala.org/ala/alsc/alsc.htm
Excellent annotated collections of Internet resources for children, parents, teachers, children’s librarians, and those interested in becoming children’s librarians.
Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature
http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CLACS/outreach_americas.html
This award “is given in recognition of U.S. works of fiction, poetry, folklore, or selected non-fiction published in the previous year in English or Spanish that authentically and engagingly portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States.” Selections are based on literary quality, cultural context, integration of text and illustrations, and classroom potential. Includes a list of winners and related links. From the Consortium of Latin American Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.
Association of Jewish Libraries: The New Jewish Values Finder
http://www.ajljewishvalues.org/
Offers lists of notable children’s books and children’s book awards which represent the best of Jewish values. This is a project of the Association of Jewish Libraries.
The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
http://alexia.lis.uiuc.edu/puboff/bccb
The website is the companion to one of the nation’s premier review journals of children’s literature.
Caldecott Medal Home Page
http://www.ala.org/alsc/caldecott.html
This is the site of the most prestigious award given annually by the American Library Association for the best picture book published in the United States in the previous year. Includes the 2004 winners, plus links to previous years’ awards and other award-winning books.
Carol Hurst’s Children’s Literature Site
One of the best sites on the web for information on all aspects of children’s literature, from lists and reviews of great books to ideas of ways to use them with children.
Children’s Book Council
The home page of this website sites the mission of this
organization as:
”The Children’s Book Council (CBC) is a non-profit trade organization dedicated to encouraging literacy and the use and enjoyment of children’s books, and is the official sponsor of Young People’s Poetry Week and Children’s Book Week.”
Children’s Picture Book Database at Miami University
http://www.lib.muohio.edu/pictbks
This is an academic website which gives teachers, librarians, parents, and students a place for designing literature-based thematic units for all subjects. It includes information and connections to over 5000 children’s picture books.
Cooperative Children’s Book Center
http://www.soemadison.wisc.edu/ccbc
This site acts as a noncirculating examination, study and research library for adults with an interest in children's and young adult literature. The CCBC was established in 1963 and is funded by the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Database of Award-Winning Children’s Literature
This is an excellent resource for locating award-winning children’s books. This site allows the user to find books that meet specific criteria, such as age, genre, award, ethnicity and gender of protagonist, and historical period. It is maintained by librarian Lisa R. Bartle.
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
http://www.picturebookart.org/
This is the companion website to the “first full-scale museum in this country devoted to national and international picture book art, conceived and built with the aim of celebrating the art that we are first exposed to as children. Through the exploration of images that are familiar and beloved, it is the Museum’s goal to foster connections between visual and verbal literacy and to provide visitors of all ages and backgrounds with the confidence to appreciate and enjoy art of every kind.” Resources include links to other online resources and suggestions for sharing picture books with children.
The Horn Book, Inc.
A companion to the magazine of the same name, this site offers much information on publications about books for children and young adults.
International Children’s Digital Library
The home page of this website sites that the mission of the ICDL is “to select, collect, digitize, and organize children’s materials in their original languages and to create appropriate technologies for access and use by children 3-13 years old”. The site includes access to 324 free children’s books online, and is a project of the University of Maryland.
Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/
This is one of the best known sites for teacher support. In addition to information and help with teaching and learning, the author offers information on, and links to, all aspects of children’s literature
Kay E. Vandergriff’s Special Interest Page
http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~kvander/index.html
This multi-award-winning website offers extensive support for adults interested in all areas of children’s literature. It includes intelligent articles and links to supporting information, including children’s book publishers and cookbooks inspired by children’s stories.
National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
This website is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), effective October 1, 2003. Its purpose is “to serve as a central source of information on education laws and effective educational practices as they relate to children with disabilities”. The site includes lists of children’s books on disability-related subjects and state resources.
New York Public Library: On-Lion for Kids!
This is the website of the children’s services department of the New York Public Library. A special section for parents and teachers offers education and parenting resources.
Parents’ Choice Foundation
http://www.parents-choice.org/
The home page of this website states: “Established in 1978, Parents’ Choice Foundation is the nation’s oldest not-for-profit evaluator of children’s books, videos, toys, audios, computer software, television, and magazines. The Foundation’s mission is to provide parents with information to participate wisely in their children’s learning.”
Reading Rainbow
This site is the companion site to the familiar TV program. In addition to covering its own excellent reading resources, it has links to multiple parent and teacher resources.
This site is a project of
Nebraska Educational Telecommunications and the University of
Nebraska.Reading Rainbow is a
production of WNED-TV, Buffalo NY and GPN/Nebraska Educational
Telecommunications
GPN is a service
Recommended Literature: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/rl/ll/
This website of the California Department of Education includes an updated, searchable collection of outstanding literature for children and adolescents and includes classics as well as new books. The annotated list is searchable by author, title, keyword, grade level, language, culture, genre, type of book, curriculum connections, and literary awards. It is easy to use and a great resource for anyone interested in sharing books with children.
Stone Soup
This is the companion site to the print magazine of the same name. The magazine provides an international selection of stories written exclusively by children ages 8 – 13. This site offers a good opportunity for adults to view the writing capabilities of well-read children, and to find ideas to extend the reading experience into writing.
Videos
Extend the fun of stories by experiencing them in a different format.
All videos listed here are the property of the Upper Arlington School District, and are available to students and faculty. These uncataloged resources can be viewed through the website of the Upper Arlington High School Learning Center by selecting the Video Database link from the Learning Center homepage. The length of the movie has been added to the citation in the interest of choosing videos for different ages and stages.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good Very Bad Day. 1988. Videocassette. AIMS Media. (14 minutes)
Alphabet Roll Call. 1974. Videocassette. AIMS Media (8 minutes)
Brave Irene. 1989. Videocassette. Weston Woods (15 minutes)
Brer Rabbit Stories. 1978. Videocassette. PBS (15 minutes)
The Fisherman and his Wife. 1970. Videocassette. Weston Woods.(20 minutes)
Five Chinese Brothers. 1958. Videocassette. Weston Woods (10 minutes)
Flossie and the Fox. 1991. Videocassette. Weston Woods (14 minutes)
Frederick. 1971. Videocassette. Lucerne (7 minutes)
Froggy went a –Courtin’. 1991. Videocassette. Barr (9 minutes)
The Great White Man-Eating Shark. 1992. Videocassette. Weston Woods (10 minutes)
Harold and the Purple Crayon. 1969. Videocassette. Weston Woods (8 minutes)
Harry and the Lady Next Door. 1989. Videocassette. Barr (20 minutes)
Harry the Dirty Dog. 1987. Videocassette. Barr (18 minutes)
I’ll Fix Anthony. 1991. Videocassette. AIMS Media (14 minutes)
In the Small, Small Pond. 2001. Videocassette. Weston Woods (5 minutes)
Ira Sleeps Over. 1978. Videocassette. BFA (17 minutes)
It’s so Nice to have a Wolf Around the House. 1979. Videocassette. LCA (12 minutes)
The Legend of the Bluebonnet. 1989. Videocassette. Barr (20 minutes)
The Little Red Hen. 1973. Videocassette. Weston Woods (8 minutes)
Madeline. 1989. Videocassette. LCA (7 minutes)
Make Way for Ducklings. 1955. Videocassette. AIMS Media (11 minutes)
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel. 1990. Videocassette. Weston Woods (11 minutes)
Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters. 1989. Videocassette. Weston Woods (14 minutes)
The Nightingale. 1984. Videocassette. Coronet (16 minutes)
Not so fast, Songololo. 1991. Videocassette. Weston Woods (11 minutes)
Owen. 1995. Videocassette. Weston Woods (9 minutes)
Pete’s a Pizza. 2000. Videocassette. Weston Woods (6 minutes)
Peter’s Chair. 1971. Videocassette. Weston Woods (6 minutes)
The Snowy Day. 1964. Videocassette. Weston Woods (6 minutes)
A Story, A Story. 1973. Videocassette. Weston Woods (10 minutes)
Strega Nona. 1978. Videocassette. Weston Woods (9 minutes)
Additional Resources
The following resources are recommended for additional support. Some are community resources serving the Central Ohio area.
Subscription Databases
(available to the Upper Arlington High School community)
BigChalk Library
This online database includes full-text articles from magazines, newspapers, and reference books on a variety of topics and is updated regularly. Funds for this database are provided through Upper Arlington City Schools. Username and password required for home access. See the UAHS school library media specialists.
Student Resource Center – Silver
A fully integrated database containing thousands of curriculum-related primary documents, biographies, topical essays, background information, critical analyses, full-text coverage of over 450 magazines, newspapers, over 20,000 photographs and illustrations, and more than 8 hours of audio and video clips. Funds for this database are provided through Upper Arlington City Schools. Username and password required for home access. See the UAHS school library media specialists.
INFOhio Resources
(available without charge to all K-12 schools in Ohio)
Mission statement: “INFOhio, a statewide cooperative school library and information network, uses technology to ensure curriculum and instruction of information literacy by providing greater access for Ohio’s learniners and educator’s. INFOhio’s components include electronic resources for schools, instructional development for educators, library automation, media booking, and a statewide union catalog.”
InFOhio’s state funded-resources are free to all Ohio’s K-12 students and teachers. Username and password required for home access. See your school library media specialist. The following electronic resources would be useful for gathering information on the subject of children’s literature:
- Ebscohost
Articles from more than 6,000 magazines and newspapers are indexed, most in full text, from children's magazines to professional research from 24 searchable databases. Choose the following for information related to learning about childrens’ literature:
-Academic Search Premier -MasterFILE Premiere
-MAS Ultra – School Edition -Middle Search Plus
-Newspaper Source -Primary Search
-Professional Development Collection
NewsBank Newspapers
A collection of full-text newspapers available online. More than 15 titles are Ohio publications. Search for book reviews, author information, and other information on children’s literature.
Online Resources
ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center)
This is a national information system funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s
Institute of Education Sciences to provide access to education literature and resources.
The database is searchable online, and the user can use the Document Reproduction Service to obtain full-text articles (there is a charge), or use the microfiche at the Ohio State University to personally retrieve full-text articles (cost of printing). This resource provides information on children’s literature in an educational setting, including lesson plans and research.
Community Resources
Cover to Cover Bookstore
3560 N. High Street
Columbus, Ohio
614-263-1624
This is the best children’s book store in the area. In addition to offering an excellent in-stock selection of materials, the owners offer book fairs and author visits among other services. Knowledgeable owners and staff help with any children’s literature queries and make suggestions for parents, students, and teachers interested in children’s literature.
Columbus Metropolitan Library
96 S. Grant Ave.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614-645-2275
With a collection of over 3 million items, this is one of the most-used library systems in the country. CML includes the Main Library, Outreach Services Division, and 20 branches throughout Franklin County. The website offers on-site and remote access to the print and electronic collections for research, reserves, and information for cardholders. Professionally staffed departments provide excellent service.
Upper Arlington Public Library
2800 Tremont Road
Columbus, Ohio 43221
614-486-9621
UAPL includes the Main Library and two branches on Lane Road and Miller Road. The website provides access to the print and electronic collections for research, reserves, and information for cardholders. Professionally staffed departments provide excellent service.
State Library of Ohio
274 East First Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43201
614-644-7061
Since 1895 the State Library of Ohio has provided public access to its specialized collections of research books, periodicals, and journals. It also provides community services, including links to resources on, and services to support, Family Literacy and Emergent Literacy.