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This week’s blog was about character development in young children and through their teenage years. Our book recommendations address various character traits and are excellent reading for the various age groups.
If You Had to Choose, What Would You Do?
It’s never too early for us to begin talking to our children about values and helping them define and clarify their code of moral conduct. This is a great way for them to build self-confidence in their ability to work through everyday problems! The 25 situations presented here and the thought-provoking questions at the end of each scenario have been developed to help you talk to your child about social and moral issues in a natural and nonthreatening way. What an entertaining way to learn vital life skills!” Review from Amazon.
What Do You Stand For? For Teens: A Guide to Building Character
Quotations and background information set the stage. Dilemmas challenge readers to think about, discuss, and debate positive traits. Activities invite them to explore what they stand for at school, at home, and in their communities. True stories profile real kids who exemplify positive traits; resources point the way toward character-building books, organizations, programs, and Web sites.” Review from Amazon.
The Sneetches and Other Stories
In summary Tough says that “simply teaching reading and math – the so called cognitive skills – isn’t nearly enough, especially for children who have grown up enduring the stresses of poverty. In fact, it might not even be the most important thing.”
by Debra Frasier is for kids in grades 3-6. “This inventive picture book is a spelling book, a vocabulary book, a game book, and a costume book all rolled into one. Sage, a fifth grader who is home sick, phones a classmate to get her homework assignment. In a big hurry, Starr spells each word out except for the last one. Mistakenly, Sage writes what she hears, Miss Alaineus. When she returns to school, Mrs. Page holds a Vocabulary Bee and gives her the word miscellaneous. Her creative spelling and definition sends the class into gales of laughter, much to Sage’s dismay. Resolution occurs 10 days later when she arrives at the Annual Vocabulary Parade dressed as “Miss Alaineus, Queen of all Miscellaneous Things.” The student’s ability to take her mistake and remake it into a positive experience is a valuable lesson. The text and marker illustrations are detailed and appealing, crammed full of fun ways to promote the study of the English language. There is a hidden-word game on the endpapers, an extra credit assignment using alphabetical sentences on every page, and pictures of Sage’s Vocabulary Parade Scrapbook on the last three pages.
by Roni Schotter is for kids in grades 2-4. “Some people collect shells or stones; young Selig collects words. Whenever he hears a new one he likes, he jots it down on a slip of paper and stuffs it into a convenient pocket, a sock, a sleeve, or a hat. When you’re a kid, such eccentric behavior doesn’t go unnoticed, and soon his classmates have given him a new name, “Wordsworth,” and a new word to add to his collection, oddball. Ouch! But with the help of a friendly genie, who calls him “Voidsvoith, a lover of voids,” Selig finds his life’s purpose and romance, to boot. Potter’s signature naive-style art is light and comical, while Schotter’s words are a lovely celebration of the power and the music of language. A glossary of Selig’s favorite words–from aflutter to windmill–adorns the book’s endpapers. Michael Cart
by Kate Banks is for kids in grades PreK – 2. “Max’s two older brothers are serious collectors: Benjamin saves stamps and Karl keeps coins. The youngest boy decides to accumulate words. He carefully selects them from newspapers and magazines, cutting out and sorting them by category: colors, foods, small ones, big ones. He copies entries from the dictionary onto pieces of paper and adds them to his mounting collection. It doesn’t matter if coins or stamps are moved around, but words can be arranged and rearranged to create stories. Even though his siblings won’t share pieces of their collections, Max gives away words and the three boys devise a short story together. Imaginative, softly colored illustrations reveal the gathered words scattered all over the pages. They are fine examples of concrete poetry: HUNGRY has a chunk bitten out of it; ALLIGATOR has teeth and an eye peering from the R; BASEBALL is printed in the shape of a bat. The text is set in a variety of styles and sometimes curves around the piles of Max’s collection. This tale pays homage to the written word and may get children thinking about cutting and pasting their own stories or creating concrete poetry.–Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI
by Anabel Kindersley is for kids in grades 3-6. “A delightful, attractive look at children from around the world. The authors spent two years meeting and photographing youngsters from every continent and more than 140 countries. The volume is divided by continent, which is introduced with photos of children, their names, and nationalities. Then a double-page spread features pictures of each child’s food, eating utensils, housing, school, friends, and family. The text gives the young people a chance to comment on their favorite games, friends, and hopes for the future. The final section includes excerpts from the Kindersleys’ travel diary. This book is factual, respectful, and insightful. It provides just the right balance of information and visual interest for the intended audience. Joan Soulliere, Wenham Public Library, MA Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.” Review from Amazon.
“It’s a long way from Taiwan to San Francisco, but Hannah’s family has made the journey because they want to make America their home. In America, Baba tells his daughter, people are free to say what they think, and children can grow up to be whatever they choose. As Hannah takes a new name, starts a new school, learns a new language, and adjusts to a new way of life, they all wait — and hope — for the arrival of the green cards that will assure they are finally home to stay.
by Sherry Garland is for kids in grades 3-6. “Once upon a time in old Vietnam,” begins “The Raven and the Star Fruit,” exemplifying the spell of enchantment cast over these half dozen stories. If the setting is exotic with its banyan trees and lotus blossoms, water buffalo and tigers the classic themes are universal. They include talking animals and beautiful princesses, requited and unrequited love as well as familiar human flaws. For instance, in the above-mentioned tale a raven rewards the generosity of a poor couple by leading them to an island of treasures, while the same opportunity has disastrous results for the husband’s foolish elder brother and his greedy wife. Garland (Shadow of the Dragon) places each story within its historical, geographical and cultural context, enriching readers’ understanding of Vietnam and its people. “The Legend of the Monsoon Rains” recounts the ongoing dispute between the Lord of the Mountains and the Lord of the Seas for the hand of the emperor’s daughter followed by a discussion of Vietnam’s crops and weather; the tale of ”The Boatman’s Flute” highlights the country’s transportation and governmental systems. Hyman (A Child’s Calendar) complements the richly embroidered retellings with jewel-like India ink and acrylic illustrations. From the fluid pattern of stripes on a tiger’s back (for a pourquoi tale) to the dark sweep of a maiden’s hair and lissome bend of a willow branch, the artist applies her signature flowing lines and graceful artistry; she captures all the romance and beauty of the stories and their setting. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.” Review from Amazon.
by Diane Stanley is for kids 5 and up. “0nce upon a time a miller’s daughter was given an impossible task by a cruel and greedy king. She had to spin straw into gold. And who should show up to help her but an odd little man named Rumpelstiltskin. According to tradition, the gold-bedazzled king and the miller’s daughter are wed. But wait just a minute! This king is definitely not husband material, and there’s someone else who is — a hardworking guy who’s supportive and nice looking, and who really comes through in a pinch.
by Joseph and James Bruchac is for kids age 5 and up. “This delightful folktale closely resembles Aesop’s “The Tortoise and the Hare.” A sweet-looking turtle lives contentedly in a beautiful pond until one spring she emerges from hibernation and discovers that another creature has overrun her domain. Beaver’s dam and lodge have changed the pond’s ambience very much indeed, but Turtle benevolently offers to share her home with the newcomer. However, impudent Beaver scoffs at the invitation and challenges her to a race. Word spreads throughout the forest and all the animals gather to witness the improbable spectacle. At the outset of the competition, Turtle sinks her teeth into Beaver’s broad tail, and the pain eventually causes him to flip it in such a way that she is hurled across the finish line in first place. Humiliated, he leaves for another pond, and when his new home’s terrapin resident agrees to share, he gratefully acquiesces. This appealing variant of the time-honored, cross-cultural tale conveys the need for cooperation, perseverance, and humility within group settings. Children will be so involved in the storytelling that they’ll absorb these lessons effortlessly. Done in pen and ink, gouache, and pastel, the cheerful artwork is a wonderful match for this well-told tale.
by Phillip M. Hoose is for kids from preschool-grade 2. Based on a song, this occasionally stilted narrative has a message: respect all creatures and their right to live. A bespectacled ant, loaded down with two shopping bags, is confronted by a human youngster intent on stepping on him. Before the boy can carry out his threat, the ant begs him to reconsider. Each double-page spread is devoted to one character expressing his opinion in the life vs. death debate. The brightly colored, full-page cartoon illustrations, rendered in pen, ink, and watercolor, capably convey the obvious differences and the surprising similarities of the two main characters. The boy is urged to look at things from the ant’s point of view before deciding on his course of action. The tale’s conclusion is open-ended as readers are asked, “What do you think that kid should do?” The accompanying picture shows a huge sneaker posed above the tiny ant. The music and verses appear on the last page of this tepid tale that could lead to discussions concerning bullies and/or the protection of other species.
by Jenny Hendy is a long title but the book lives up to the expectations. “This exciting new book contains more than 150 projects suitable for every child from 5 to 12. An introduction covers all the basics, and eight hands-on project chapters then follow, covering everyday techniques, edible treats, flower power, craft projects, wildlife gardening and indoor gardening.” Review from Amazon.
by Laurence Anholt is for kids age 4 – 9 and takes a slightly different look at gardening. Rather, it looks at the garden through the eyes of an artist. This is a great way to introduce your child to the beauty of the garden through art. “Julie lives in Paris, but she longs to walk in a beautiful country garden. When her mother takes her on a visit to rural Giverny, Julie discovers a beautiful garden and befriends the man she believes is the gardener. In fact, he is the garden’s owner, the immortal artist Claude Monet. This is a title in Barron’s Anholt’s Artists Books for Children series, in which author and illustrator Laurence Anholt recalls memorable and sometimes amusing moments when the lives of the artists were touched by children. Anholt’s fine illustrations appear on every page and include reproductions of works by the artists.” Review from Amazon.
by Whitney Cohen and John Fisher is for the kids and the whole family. Many gardeners find that once they have children gardening goes the way of late-night dinner parties and Sunday morning sleep-ins. Raising kids and maintaining a garden can be a juggling act, leaving the family garden forgotten and neglected. But kids can make great gardening companions, and the benefits of including them are impossible to ignore. Gardening gets kids outdoors and away from television and video games, increases their connection to plants and animals, and helps build enthusiasm for fresh fruits and vegetables. Their involvement becomes the real harvest of a family garden.
