Petunia, by Roger Duvoisin, was published in 1950, but it’s still in print and children still love it. Petunia is a goose who picks up a book. “He who owns books and loves them,” Petunia has recently overheard, “is wise.” Petunia takes this literally, deciding that ownership of the… Continue reading
The Little Red Hen is a familiar story, and one that all kids ought to know. In the story, the Little Red Hen plants wheat, harvests it, and bakes bread to feed her family. At every stage, she asks for help, saying “Who will help me plant the wheat?” and so on.… Continue reading
Your students may look on space exploration as an ordinary part of life, but it wasn’t always like that. Traveling into space was a dream for centuries before anyone accomplished it, and it was an amazing accomplishment. Look at the history of space exploration with some of these lessons: Space… Continue reading
Science fiction and fantasy is one of the most popular genres for young readers now. Take advantage of the popularity of this style to introduce your students to some new books. Create a display of science fiction and fantasy books on your library table. Here are some of our favorites:… Continue reading
“East of the Sun and West of the Moon” is a Norwegian tale, though some say it has Celtic roots. The two cultures are not so far apart geographically and not without trade, so both claims may be correct. This is a less familiar fairy tale, which makes it a… Continue reading
For Halloween, for a new way to get reluctant readers to enjoy the classics, or just for fun, try some vampire lessons. English Start with vampire literature: Vunce Upon a Time is a heartwarming story from the illustrator of Olive, the Other Reindeer. Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots is part… Continue reading
Is Peggy Rathmann’s Good Night, Gorilla really a classic? I think so. For little children, this nearly wordless book provides just the right amount of plot and character. There’s wit and suspense. If you’re three, it’s absolutely gripping. The story is simple. The gorilla steals the zookeeper’s keys as the… Continue reading
Monsters make a good metaphor for fear. Small children are sometimes sincerely scared of monsters, but older students can relate to the idea of vanquishing the monsters in their lives. Approaching monsters, feeling the fear, deciding whether it’s wise to continue, and showing courage or prudence — these are… Continue reading
Let’s read Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The title links you to a simple, traditional telling of the story, with pictures. In the story, a little girl named Goldilocks goes into the house of a bear family and tastes their porridge (which they have left cooling while they went for… Continue reading
