Well, I finally received my book and now I am playing catch up. I've always loved reading and knew that I would want a library in my classroom filled with books so that the children would have an array to choose from. I also have an...OCD type condition...I can't get rid of books... I have every book I've ever owned as well as my children's books. I have boxes and boxes of books in storage...I just can't part with them. I especially saved my children's books because I thought I would use them in my classroom one day. Now I feel a little sad because I never thought that they would be outdated. I probably should donate them so that they can be appreciated again. I loved the idea of a living literature classroom. I think its great that we can use literature to back other teachings; history, science, math.
That being said, I found this great book while surfing around. A River Ran Wild by Lynn Cherry. I thought it was appropriate considering our global and environmental issues. Its suitable for elementary school aged children second grade and up. It has a strong link to history but also to ecology. It tells a factual story of the Nashua River. How it went from a pristine river when the first Native Americans were using it as a source to its polluted state when European Colonists developed a city around it. It ends with a community driven clean up. I think its a perfect way to intertwine some history with global consciousness! www.lynnecherry.com/work12.htm
But Who Will Bell the Cats? by Cynthia Von Buhler is a new release this month! Von Buhler uses Aesop's fable as a starting point but the story is all her own about a princess who owns eight beautiful cats. The illustrations were completed in a fresh artistic approach. She actually built the scenery herself then photographed them. The character's were oil painted on. So the Scenery is 3D and the character's are 2D. This book is sure to be a favorite and it reminds us all of the simple power of kindness. http://www.butwhowillbellthecats.com
Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Site has a multitude of information from Book Review to curriculum ideas. It contains Theme ideas and topics of interest. This is a great place to start when searching for literature ideas and class projects related to literature. www.carolhurst.com
So in addition to realizing that I need to keep my library updated and current to the times; I also need to be sure to include books with many cultural backgrounds as well as ones about special needs children and acceptance. As I said earlier, I love the idea of a living literature classroom and the ideas that Chapter 3 gave to ensure comprehension were great! I love the idea of story maps and comic strips. It gives the children a chance to peer teach/learn and an opportunity to throw in a little art.
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