Children's literature is an excellent way to introduce the facts of the Holocaust to young readers. Fictionalized accounts can "personalize" the experience in ways that non-fiction can not by focusing on the emotional experiences of the protagonists. Readers can emphasize and identify with the children in these stories. The following books can be used to convey the horror of the Holocaust and the importance of remembering.
Picture Books:
Adler, David
One Yellow Daffodil. 1995.
During Hanukkah two children help a Holocaust survivor to once again embrace his religious traditions.
[Education Storage: SE. AD59O]
Feder, Paula Kurzband
The Feather-Bed Journey. 1995.
As she tries to repair a torn feather pillow, Grandma tells about her childhood in Poland, about the Nazi persecution of Jews during World War II, and about the origin of this special pillow.
[Education Storage: SE. F3171F]
Oppenheim, Shulamith Levy
The Lily Cupboard. 1992.
Miriam, a young Jewish girl, is forced to leave her parents and hide with strangers in the country during the German occupation of Holland.
[Education Storage: SE. OP5L]
For Middle Grades:
Hesse, Karen
The Cats in Krasinski Square. 2004.
Two Jewish sisters, escapees of the infamous Warsaw ghetto, devise a plan to thwart an attempt by the Gestapo to intercept food bound for starving people behind the dark Wall.
[Education S Collection: Q. S. H463c]
Johnston, Tony
The Harmonica. 2004.
Separated from his parents in Poland during World War II, a young Jewish boy enslaved in a concentration camp, keeps hope alive while playing Schubert on his harmonica whenever the camp's commandant orders him to play.
[Education Storage: Q. S.J648h]
Matas, Carol
Daniel's Story. 1993.
Daniel, whose family suffers as the Nazis rise to power in Germany, describes his imprisonment in a concentration camp and his eventual liberation.
[Education Storage: S. M413D]
McDonough, Yona Zeldis
The Doll With the Yellow Star. 2005.
When France falls to Germany at the start of World War II, nine-year-old Claudine must leave her beloved parents and friends to stay with relatives in America, accompanied by her doll, Violette.
[Education S Collection: S. M147d]
Vos, Ida
The Key is Lost. 2000.
When the Germans occupy Holland in 1940 and begin to persecute the Jews there, twelve-year-old Eva and her family assume false names and move from one hiding place to another.
[Education Storage: S. V92k:E]
Williams, Laura E.
Behind the Bedroom Wall. 1996.
Thirteen-year-old Korinna must decide whether to report her parents to her Hitler youth group when she discovers that they are hiding Jews in a secret space behind Korinna's bedroom wall.
[Education S Collection: S. W6734B]
Wolf, Joan M.
Someone Named Eva. 2007.
From her home in Lidice, Czechoslovakia, in 1942, eleven-year-old Milada is taken with other blond, blue-eyed children to a school in Poland to be trained as "proper Germans" for adoption by German families, but all the while she remembers her true name and history.
[Education S Collection: S. W831s]
Yolen, Jane
The Devil's Arithmetic. 1988.
Hannah resents the traditions of her Jewish heritage until time travel places her in the middle of a small Jewish village in Nazi-occupied Poland.
[Center For Children's Books: S. Y78de]
For Young Adults:
Croci, Pascal
Auschwitz. 2003.
The horrors and brutality of the Holocaust are captured in this gripping graphic novel, which follows the story of a couple, Kazik and Cessia, who lose a daughter at Auschwitz and barely survive the concentration camp themselves, in a historical saga based on the reminiscences of actual concentration-camp survivors (Description from NoveList).
[Undergrad: Q.741.5944 C872a]
Napoli, Donna Jo
Stones in the Water. 1997.
After being taken by German soldiers from a local movie theater along with other Italian boys including his Jewish friend, Roberto is forced to work in Germany, escapes into the Ukrainian winter, before desperately trying to make his way back home to Venice.
[Education Storage: S. N162st]
Spinelli, Jerry
Milkweed. 2003
This book captures the hardships and cruelty of life in the ghettos of Warsaw during the Nazi occupation of World War II, through the eyes of a Jewish orphan who must use all his wits and courage to survive unimaginable events and circumstances. (Description from NoveList)
[Education S Collection: S. Sp465m]
Zusak, Markus
The Book Thief. 2006.
Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel--a young German girl whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her family and the Jewish man they are hiding, as well as their neighbors.
[Education S Collection: S. Z89b]
Reference Books:
Sullivan, Edward T.
The Holocaust in Literature For Youth: a Guide and Resource Book. 1999.
[Education Juvenile Reference: S. 016.9405318 Su53h]
Web Resources:
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
The museum has developed a comprehensive guide of topics of study for students.
Anne Frank House Amsterdam
This site includes a timeline of Anne Frank's life and digitized photographs from the Anne Frank House Museum.
Jewish Virtual Library's Holocaust Wing
The Holocaust Wing of the Jewish Virtual Library contains articles, original documents, a holocaust glossary, and a bibliography all written at level that can be understood by older students.
* Baird, Z. M., & Jackson, T. (2007). Got Graphic Novels? More Than Just Superheroes In Tights! Children & Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, 5(1), 4-7.
Debon, Nicholas
The Strongest Man in the World: Louis Cyr. 2007.
Louis Cyr astounded audiences throughout North America and Europe with his amazing feats and mammoth proportions. Discover the life and times of this extraordinary hero in this biography in the graphic novel format.
[Education S Collection: SB. C997d]
Eisner, Will
Fagin the Jew. 2003.
A retelling of the classic novel Oliver Twist from the perspective of the villain, Fagin.
[Undergrad: 741.5973 Ei87f]
Holm, Jennifer
Babymouse: Queen of the World. 2005.
An imaginative mouse dreams of being queen of the world, but will settle for an invitation to the most popular girl's slumber party. Appropriate for younger children.
[Center for Children's Books: S. H73b]
Masters, Anthony
Horror of the Heights. 2006.
Dean Lambert suffers from a fear of heights--a big deal if your brother is a diving champion and your father runs the Wave Crest Health Club. Someone is out to sabotage the diving board that Dean fears. He needs to expose the saboteur for everyone's sake.
[Education S Collection: S. M393h]
Medley, Linda
Castle Waiting. 2006.
A collection of tales tell the story of an abandoned castle and the humorous fairy tale characters living there.
[Undergrad: 741.59 M469c]
McLeod, Bob
SuperHero ABC. 2006.
Humorous SuperHeroes such as Goo Girl and The Volcano represent the letters of the alphabet from A to Z. For younger children.
[Education S Collection: Q. SE. M225s]
O'Brien, Anne Sibley.
Legend of Hong Kil Dong. 2006.
Graphic novel treatment of the life and career Hong Kil Dong, the Korean equivalent of Robin Hood.
[Education S Collection: Q.S.741.5 Ob62l]
Pilkey, Dave
The Adventures of Captain Underpants: an Epic Novel. 1997.
When George and Harold hypnotize their principal into thinking that he is the superhero Captain Underpants, he leads them to the lair of the nefarious Dr. Diaper, where they must defeat his evil robot henchmen. Appropriate for younger children.
[Education S Collection: S.P644a]
Schwarz, Viviane
Shark and Lobster's Amazing Undersea Adventure. 2006.
Follows the humorous attempts of Shark and Lobster to conquer their fear of tigers. Appropriate for younger children.
[Education S Collection: S.741.5 Sch966s]
Sfar, Joann
Little Vampire Goes to School. 2003.
A lonely little vampire, yearning for a friend, gets permission from the other monsters to go to school and makes the acquaintance of a boy who does not believe that vampires are real. Appropriate for younger children.
[Education S Collection: Q. S. Sf16l]
Shanower, Eric
Age of Bronze: a Thousand Ships. 2001.
The first part in a projected series about the Trojan War.
[Undergrad: 741.5973Sh198a]
Siegel, Siena Cherson (artwork by Mark Siegel)
To Dance: a Memoir. 2006.
The author describes how she first decided she wanted to be a ballerina at the age of six, and how that dream carried her from her home in Puerto Rico to dance class in Boston to performing with the New York City Ballet. Appropriate for younger children.
[Education S Collection: SB. S571s]
Smith, Jeff.
Bone. 2005.
The adventure starts when cousins Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone are run out of Boneville and later get separated and lost in the wilderness, meeting monsters and making friends as they attempt to return home. (Description from NoveList.)
[Education S Collection: S.741.5973 Sm613bo]
Spiegelman, Art and Mouly, Francoise (editors)
Little Lit: Strange Stories for Strange Kids. 2001.
A collection of bizarre stories, comics, and features depicting a fantastical world where nothing is what it seems offers contributions from such authors as Maurice Sendak, David Sedaris, Posy Simmonds, Ian Falconer, and Kim Deitch. (Description from NoveList.)
[Education Storage: Q.S.741.5973 L721]
Stamaty, Mark Alan
Too Many Time Machines: Or, the Incredible Story of How I Went Back In Time, Met Babe Ruth, and Discovered the Secret of Home Run Hitting. 1999.
Roger uses his time machine to visit Babe Ruth and learn some of the secrets of The Babe's success, enabling Roger's team to win the championship.
[Education Storage: S.St21t]
Stuck in the Middle: Seventeen Comics From an Unpleasant Age. 2007.
The hardships, dramas, and joys of seventh and eighth grade are presented in a collection of tales, illustrated by an array of graphic novelists, including Daniel Clowes and Ariel Schrag.(Description from NoveList.)
[Education S Collection: Q. S.741.5St937s]
Tan, Shaun.
The Arrival. 2007.
In this wordless graphic novel, a man leaves his homeland and sets off for a new country, where he must build a new life for himself and his family.
[Education S Collection: Q. S.741.595 T153a]
Varon, Sara
Robot Dreams. 2007.
The enduring friendship between a dog and a robot is portrayed in this wordless graphic novel.
[Center for Children's Books: S.741.59 V434r]
Further resources for choosing and using graphic novels:
Weiner, Stephen
The 101 Best Graphic Novels. 2005.
[Undergrad: 016.74159 W431o2005]
Miller, Steve
Developing and Promoting Graphic Novel Collections. 2005.
[Library and Information Science Library: 025.289 M618d]
Lyga, Allyson A.W.
Graphic Novels in Your Media Center. 2004.
[Education Curriculum Collection: CURR.025.56LIBUN2004]
Note: Books with an * before them are part of a series.
Easy Readers and Picture Books
Adler, David
*Young Cam Jansen and the Lions' Lunch Mystery. 2007.
On a field trip to the zoo, Cam Jansen uses her photographic memory to help solve what happened to Danny's lunch.
[Education S-Collection: S. Ad593yl]
Cushman, Doug
*The Mystery of King Karfu. 1996.
The great detective Seymour Sleuth and his assistant Muggs journey to Egypt to search for a missing stone chicken, an important clue to the location of the Lost Treasure of King Karfu.
[Education Storage: Q.SE. C959MY]
Gosling, Gabby
The Top Secret Files of Mother Goose. 2004.
When "Mother Goose" tracks down the thief who stole the queen's tarts, she runs into several nursery rhyme characters.
[Education S-Collection: Q. SE. G693t]
Sharmat, Marjorie Weinman
*Nate the Great, San Francisco Detective. 2000.
Nate the Great goes to San Francisco to solve a mystery with his cousin, Olivia Sharp, who is also a detective.
[Education S-Collection: S.Sh23na]
Wisniewski, David
Tough Cookie. 1999.
When his friend Chips is snatched and chewed, Tough Cookie sets out to stop Fingers. A parody of hard-boiled detective stories.
[Education Storage: Q. SE. W762t]
Yolen, Jane
Piggins. 1987.
During a dinner party, the lights go out and Mrs. Reynard's beautiful diamond necklace is stolen, but Piggins the butler quickly discovers the real thief.
[Education Storage: SE. Y78P]
Middle Grade Level
Balliett, Blue
*Chasing Vermeer. 2004.
When strange and seemingly unrelated events start to happen and a precious Vermeer painting disappears, eleven-year-olds Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve an international art scandal.
[Center for Children's Books: S. B213c]
Broach, Elise
Shakespeare's Secret. 2005.
Named after a character in a Shakespeare play, misfit sixth-grader Hero becomes interested in exploring this unusual connection because of a valuable diamond supposedly hidden in her new house, an intriguing neighbor, and the unexpected attention of the most popular boy in school.
[Education S-Collection: S. B781s]
Sobol, Donald J.
*Encyclopedia Brown and the case of the jumping frogs. 2003.
Encyclopedia Brown, boy detective extraordinaire, solves ten new cases, including "The Case of the Miracle Pill," "The Case of Nemo's Tuba," "The Case of the Lawn Mower Races," and "The Case of the Air Guitar." Solutions provided at the end of each chapter.
[Education S-Collection: S. So12ej]
Springer, Nancy.
*The Case of the Missing Marquess : an Enola Holmes mystery. 2006.
Enola Holmes, much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, must travel to London in disguise to unravel the disappearance of her missing mother.
[Education S-Collection: S. Sp83ca]
Van Draanen, Wendelin
*Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief. 1998.
Thirteen-year-old Sammy's penchant for speaking her mind gets her in trouble when she involves herself in the investigation of a robbery at the "seedy" hotel across the street from the seniors' building where she is living with her grandmother.
[Center for Children's Books: S.D78sam]
Young Adult
Brooks, Kevin
The Road of the Dead. 2006.
Two brothers, sons of an incarcerated gypsy, leave London traveling to an isolated and desolate village, in search of the brutal killer of their sister.
[Center for Children's Books: S. B791r]
Ferguson, Alane
*The Christopher killer: a forensic mystery. 2006.
On the payroll as an assistant to her coroner father, seventeen-year-old Cameryn Mahoney uses her knowledge of forensic medicine to catch the killer of a friend while putting herself in terrible danger.
[Education S-Collection: S. F381c]
Hoobler, Dorothy.
*The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn. 1999.
While attempting to solve the mystery of a stolen jewel, Seikei, a merchant's son who longs to be a samurai, joins a group of kabuki actors in eighteenth-century Japan.
[Education Storage: S. H762g]
Nixon, Joan Lowery
Nightmare. 2003.
Emily is sent to a camp for underachievers where she discovers a murderer on the staff who might provide an explanation for her recurring nightmares.
[Education Storage: S.N654ni]
Plum-Ucci, Carol
The Body of Christopher Creed. 2000.
Torey Adams, a high school junior with a seemingly perfect life, struggles with doubts and questions surrounding the mysterious disappearance of the class outcast.
[Education Storage: S.P739b]
Sorrells, Walter
Fake ID. 2005.
After a lifetime of moving and assuming new identities, sixteen-year-old Chass begins to piece together the disturbing past that haunts her and her mother and which involves a mysterious tape, a deceased popular singer, and the secrets of several people in a small Alabama town.
[Education S-Collection: S. So695f]
Looking for more mysteries? Use the subject headings "mystery and detective stories" and "juvenile fiction" together in the online catalog.
*Woodson, J. (1998). Who Can Tell My Story [white authors writing about people of color]. The Horn Book Magazine, 74, 34-38.
African American Authors and Selected Works
Curtis, Christopher Paul
Bud, Not Buddy. 1999.
Ten-year-old Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father--the renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway of Grand Rapids. A Newberry Medal Winner.
[Education S Collection: S.C941b]
The Watsons Go to Birmingham. 1995.
The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the Watsons, an African American family living in Flint, Michigan, are drastically changed after they go to visit Grandma in Alabama in the summer of 1963.
[Education S Collection: S. C941W]
Visit the publisher's website for Christopher Paul Curtis.
Hamilton, Virginia (1936-2002)
Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush. 1982.
Fourteen-year-old Tree, resentful of her working mother who leaves her in charge of a retarded younger brother, encounters the ghost of her dead uncle and comes to a deeper understanding of her family's problems. This book won numerous awards including a Newbery Honor Medal.
[Education S Collection: S. H18S]
Zeely. 1967.
Geeder's summer at her uncle's farm is made special because of her friendship with a very tall, composed woman who raises hogs and who closely resembles the magazine photograph of a Watutsi queen.
[Education Storage: S. H18Z1986]
Visit Virginia Hamilton's Website (This site is not actively updated).
Lester, Julius
Ackamarackus: Julius Lester's Sumptuously Silly Fantastically Funny Fables. 2001.
A collection of six original fables with morals both silly and serious.
[Education S Collection: Q.S.398.2 L567a]
Black Cowboy, Wild Horses: a True Story. 1998.
A black cowboy is so in tune with wild mustangs that they accept him into the herd, thus enabling him singlehandedly to take them to the corral.
[Education Storage: Q. SE. L5674b]
Sam and the Tigers: a New Telling of Little Black Sambo. 1996.
Follows the adventures of a little boy named Sam when he matches wits with several tigers that want to eat him.
[Education Storage: SE. L5674S]
Visit Julius Lester's Website
McKissack, Patricia
Black Hands, White Sails: the Story of African-American Whalers.1999.
A history of African-American whalers between 1730 and 1880, describing their contributions to the whaling industry and their role in the abolitionist movement.
[Education Storage: S.639.28 M217b]
The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural. 1992.
A collection of ghost stories with African American themes, designed to be told during the Dark Thirty--the half hour before sunset--when ghosts seem all too believable.
[Education S Collection: S. M217D]
Mirandy and Brother Wind. 1988.
To win first prize in the Junior Cakewalk, Mirandy tries to capture the wind for her partner. Caldecott honor book.
[Education Storage: Q.SE. M217M]
Learn more about Patricia McKissack
Myers, Walter Dean
Shooter. 2004.
Written in the form of interviews, reports, and journal entries, the story of three troubled teenagers ends in a tragic school shooting.
[Education S Collection: S.M992s]
145th Street : Short Stories. 2000.
Ten stories portray life on a block in Harlem.
[Education S Collection: S.M992o]
Visit Walter Dean Myers's Website
Ringgold, Faith
Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad In The Sky. 1992.
With Harriet Tubman as her guide, Cassie retraces the steps escaping slaves took on the Underground Railroad in order to reunite with her younger brother.
[Education S Collection: Q.SE. R473A]
Dinner at Aunt Connies's House. 1993.
Dinner at Aunt Connie's is even more special than usual when Melody meets not only her new adopted cousin but twelve inspiring African-American women, who step out of their portraits and join the family for dinner.
[Education S Collection: SE. R473D]
Tar Beach. 1991.
A young girl dreams of flying above her Harlem home, claiming all she sees for herself and her family. Based on the author's quilt painting of the same name, this is a Caldecott Honor Book.
[Education S Collection: Q.SE. R473T)
Visit Faith Ringgold's Website
Taylor, Mildred D.
The Road to Memphis. 1990.
Sadistically teased by two white boys in 1940s rural Mississippi, a black youth severely injures one of the boys with a tire iron and enlists Cassie's help in trying to flee the state. This is part 3 of the Logan Family series.
[Education Storage: S. T216RO]
The Well: David's Story. 1995.
In Mississippi in the early 1900s ten-year-old David Logan's family generously shares their well water with both white and black neighbors in an atmosphere of potential racial violence.
[Education S Collection: S.T216w 1998]
Visit Penguin Publisher's website on Mildred Taylor.
Looking for more information on African-American authors and their books? Try these sources:
Many Peoples, One Land: a Guide to New Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults. 2001.
[Education Juvenile Reference [non-circulating]: S.016.8108H366m]
Black Authors and Illustrators of Books for Children and Young Adults. (4th ed.), 2007.
[Education Juvenile Reference [non-circulating]: S.011.62R658b2007]
The All-White World of Children's Books and African American Children's Literature. 1995.
[Main Stacks: 810.9 AL58]
The Coretta Scott King Awards, 1970-2004. (3rd ed.), 2004.
[Education Juvenile Reference [non-circulating]: S.016.8108 C812]
These familiar opening words of Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat highlight the winter woes that descend this time of year. Tempers and daylight hours are short, temperatures and moods are low, and everyone seems to be catching a case of cabin fever. While the relief of a madcap talking cat bursting through the front door is unlikely, a wealth of adventure and survival tales are available to whisk young readers into far-off places, daring quests, and heart-pounding escapes. The books on this selected list of survival and adventure titles can be found in the Education and Social Science Library S-Collection. Additional titles in this genre can be located by entering "adventure and adventurers - - juvenile fiction" or "survival - - juvenile fiction" into a subject search in the UIUC online catalog.
Stewart, Paul
Beyond the Deepwoods (Edge Chronicles Book 1). 2004.
Young Twig lives in the Deepwoods, among the Woodtrolls, but he isn't one of them. In a brave attempt to find out where he belongs, Twig wanders into the mysterious, dangerous world beyond the deepwoods.
[Education S Collection: S.St497b]
Lisle, Janet Taylor
Black Duck. 2006.
Years afterwards, Ruben Hart tells the story of how, in 1929 Newport, Rhode Island, his family and his best friend's family were caught up in the violent competition among groups trying to control the local rum-smuggling trade.
[Education S-Collection: S.L689b]
Mason, Prue
Camel Rider. 2007.
Two expatriates living in a Middle Eastern country, twelve-year-old Adam from Australia and Walid from Bangladesh, must rely on one another when war breaks out and they find themselves in the desert, both trying to reach the same city with no water, little food, and no common language.
[Education S-Collection: S.M381ca]
Hausman, Gerald
Escape from Botany Bay: The True Story of Mary Bryant. 2003.
In 1791, after being transported to Australia in the first shipment of convicts, Mary Bryant, her husband, two children, and seven other convicts, unable to endure the terrible conditions of the penal colony, organize a daring escape in an open boat.
[Education S-Collection: S.H295es]
Stewart, Paul
Fergus Crane (Far-Flung Adventures Book 1). 2004.
Nine-year-old Fergus Crane's life is filled with classes on the school ship Betty Jeanne, interesting neighbors, and helping with his mother's work until a mysterious box flies into his window and leads him toward adventure.
[Education S Collection: S.St497fe]
Williams, Suzanne.
Flight of the Silver Turtle. 2006.
Ben, Zara, Sam, and Marcia begin their summer vacation by helping Professor Ampersand and a new friend build the Silver Turtle, a futuristic airplane, but on the day the first test flight is planned, a strange woman steals the airplane with the children inside.
[Education S-Collection: S.F222f]
Hopkinson, Deborah.
Into the Firestorm: A Novel of San Francisco. 2006.
Days after arriving in San Francisco from Texas, eleven-year-old orphan Nicholas Dray tries to help his new neighbors survive the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the subsequent fires.
[Education S-Collection: S.H77f]
Morpurgo, Michael
Kensuke's Kingdom. 2003.
When Michael is swept off his family's yacht, he washes up on a desert island, where he struggles to survive--until he finds he is not alone.
[Education Storage: S.M829k]
Fleischman, Sid
Midnight Horse. 1990.
Touch enlists the help of The Great Chaffalo, a ghostly magician, to thwart his great-uncle's plans to put Touch into the orphan house and swindle The Red Raven Inn away from Miss Sally.
[Education Storage: S.F62MI]
Collison, Linda
Star-Crossed. 2006.
Having been discovered as a stowaway as she tries to reach Barbados in 1760 to claim her father's estate, teenaged English orphan Patricia Kelley struggles to survive by learning to be a ship's doctor and by disguising herself as a man when necessary.
[Education S-Collection: S.C697s]
Turner, Megan Whalen
The Thief. 1996.
Gen flaunts his ingenuity as a thief and relishes the adventure which takes him to a remote temple of the gods where he will attempt to steal a precious stone.
[Education S Collection: S.T855T]
Avi
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. 1990.
As the lone "young lady" on a transatlantic voyage in 1832, Charlotte learns that the captain is murderous and the crew rebellious.
[Education S Collection: S.AV51T]
McCaughrean, Geraldine
The White Darkness. 2007.
Taken to Antarctica by the man she thinks of as her uncle for what she believes to be a vacation, Symone--a troubled fourteen year old--discovers that he is dangerously obsessed with seeking Symme's Hole, an opening that supposedly leads into the center of a hollow Earth.
[Education S-Collection: S.M459w]
Cabin Fever Cures on the Web
More fun ideas are waiting on the web! Check out the following sites for games, crafts, snow sports and more:
Coping With Cabin Fever
Lists suggestions for fun activities broken down by age group.
Beating the Bug: Defeat Cabin Fever With Creative Play
This article by Brenda Nixon offers a variety of imaginative ways to combat boredom.
Winter-Break Fun
Offers printable games and coloring pages, craft ideas, movie suggestions and many other ideas and activities.
So before you head to the theater, grab a blanket and a bowl of popcorn and curl up with a copy of the original story. The Education and Social Science Library's School Collection includes copies of most of the juvenile and young adult books being made into films next year, and all of the titles can be found within the University of Illinois library system.
Now Playing (2007 film adaptations)
Blood and Chocolate
Klause, Annette Curtis
Having fallen for a human boy, a beautiful teenage werewolf must battle both her packmates and the fear of the townspeople to decide where she belongs and with whom.
[Education S-Collection: S.K668B]
Bridge to Terabithia
Paterson, Katherine.
Ten-year-old Jesse Aarons, who has lived all his life on a farm in Virginia, becomes friends with Leslie Burke, a "city girl" who has moved into a farmhouse down the road and opens doors to culture and imaginative play. But then tragedy strikes (Novelist).
[Education S-Collection: S.P273B]
Nancy Drew
Keene, Carolyn
Follow the adventures of the popular young sleuth as she cracks case after case. The first four books of the original series are listed here, and others may be found by conducting an author search in the UIUC online catalog.
The Secret of the Old Clock [Center for Children's Books: S.K251so1987]
The Hidden Staircase [Education Storage: S.K251hi1930]
The Bungalow Mystery [Education Storage: S.K251B]
The Mystery at Lilac Inn [Education Storage: S.K251ml]
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Rowling, J.K.
Harry Potter's fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is complicated by persecution from a nefarious witch from the Ministry of Magic, Hagrid's unexplained absence, and an inexplicable and frightening link to Voldemort.
[Education S-Collection: S.R797ho]
Stardust
Gaiman, Neil
In the tranquil fields and meadows of long-ago England, there is a small hamlet that has stood on a jut of granite for 600 years. Just to the east stands a high stone wall, for which the village is named. Here, in the hamlet of Wall, young Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the hauntingly beautiful Victoria Forester. And here, one crisp October eve, Tristran makes his love a promise -- an impetuous vow that will send him through the only breach in the wall, across the pasture...and into the most exhilarating adventure of his life.
[University High School: Fiction G141st2000]
The Dark is Rising
Cooper, Susan
On his eleventh birthday Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical Signs that will enable the Old Ones to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark.
[Education S-Collection: S.C787DA]
Coming Soon (Late 2007-2008 film adaptations)
The Golden Compass
Pullman, Philip
Accompanied by her daemon, Lyra Belacqua sets out to prevent her best friend and other kidnapped children from becoming the subject of gruesome experiments in the Far North.
[Education S-Collection: S.P967n2006]
Persepolis
Satrapi, Marjane
The great-granddaughter of Iran's last emperor and the daughter of ardent Marxists describes growing up in Tehran in a country plagued by political upheaval and vast contradictions between public and private life (Novelist).
[University High School: GN Sa83p]
The Spiderwick Chronicles
DiTerlizzi, Tony and Holly Black
When the Grace children go to stay at their Great Aunt Lucinda's worn Victorian house, they discover a field guide to fairies and other creatures and begin to have some unusual experiences.
The Field Guide (Bk. 1) [Center for Children's Books: S.D634f]
The Seeing Stone (Bk. 2) [Center for Children's Books: S.D634s]
Lucinda's Secret (Bk. 3) [Education S-Collection: S.D634l]
The Ironwood Tree (Bk. 4) [Education S-Collection: S.D634i]
Horton Hears a Who
Seuss, Dr.
A city of Whos on a speck of dust are threatened with destruction until the smallest Who of all helps convince Horton's friends that Whos really exist.
[Education Storage: Q.SE.G27ho]
Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
Lewis, C.S.
Four children help Prince Caspian and his army of Talking Beasts to free Narnia from evil.
[Education Storage: S.L584PR]
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2)
Brashares, Ann
With a bit of last summer's sand in the pockets, the Traveling Pants and the Sisterhood that wears them embark on their 16th summer. Bridget: Impulsively sets off for Alabama, wanting to both confront her demons about her family and avoid them all at once. Lena: Spends a blissful week with Kostos, making the unexplainable silence that follows his visit even more painful. Carmen: Is concerned that her mother is making a fool of herself over a man. When she discovers that her mother borrowed the Pants to wear on a date, she's certain of it. Tibby: Not about to spend another summer working at Wallman's, she takes a film course only to find it's what happens off-camera that teaches her the most.
[Education S-Collection: S.B736se]
Inkheart
Funke, Cornelia
Twelve-year-old Meggie learns that her father Mo, a bookbinder, can "read" fictional characters to life when an evil ruler named Capricorn, freed from the novel "Inkheart" years earlier, tries to force Mo to release an immortal monster from the story.
[Education S-Collection: S.F964i]
City of Ember
DuPrau, Jeanne
In the year 241, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions.
[Education S-Collection: S.D928c]
Where the Wild Things Are
Sendak, Maurice
A naughty little boy, sent to bed without his supper, sails to the land of the wild things where he becomes their king.
[Education S-Collection: SE.SE5W]
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Rowling, J.K.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince brings us Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as Lord Voldemort becomes ever more powerful with his followers increasing day by day in this continuing battle between good and evil. Harry searches for the full and complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort, and thereby finds what may be his only vulnerability.
[Education S-Collection: S.R797hh]
Tale of Despereaux
DiCamillo, Kate
The adventures of Desperaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.
[Education S-Collection: S.D547t]
A Note to Eager Fans:
More information about the film versions of these stories, including release dates, cast, trivia, trailers, photos, and more can be found by searching the Internet Movie Database
The list below contains a sample of the many Thanksgiving-themed books found in the Education and Social Science Library's School Collection. Items were selected based on recommendations from the 8th edition of Best Books for Children, and were checked against the 'Books to Avoid' About Thanksgiving list on the Oyate website. The non-fiction titles provide information on the Thanksgiving holiday, as well as background information about the peoples involved and the environment in which the first Thanksgiving was held. Fiction titles can be found towards the bottom of the list.
Additional books about Thanksgiving can be found by entering "Thanksgiving Day" into a subject search in the UIUC Online Catalog. Additional resources for locating books about Native American peoples can be found on the S-Collection's "Native American Young Adult and Children's Literature" page.
References:
Barr, Catherine, and John T. Gillespie. Best Books for Children: Preschool Through Grade 6.
(8th ed.) Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited, 2006.
[Education Juvenile Reference: S.011.62 B271b2006]
"'Books to Avoid' About Thanksgiving." Oyate Website. Accessed 10/28/2007.
Non-Fiction Titles
Discovery and Settlement: Europe Meets the New World, 1490-1700. (1993).
Brown, Gene.
Presents primary source materials related to the discovery and settlement of America and daily life in the colonies, including the experiences of Native Americans, African Americans, and women.
Call No.: S.973.2 B813
The Mayflower Compact. (2003).
Carter, E.J.
Discusses the history of the Pilgrims in Massachusetts, the early government of the Plymouth Colony, and the document known as the Mayflower Compact.
Call No.: S.974.4 C245m
Daily Life in the Pilgrim Colony, 1636. (2001).
Erickson, Paul.
Text, drawings, photographs, and maps describe how the Pilgrims lived at the Plymouth colony in 1636.*
Call No.: Q.S.974.48202 Er44da
1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving. (2001).
Grace, Catherine O'Neill.
This appealing and informative photoessay presents the historically correct story of the first Thanksgiving as reenacted at the Plimoth Plantation.*
Call No.: S.394.2649 G753s
A Pioneer Thanksgiving: A Story of Harvest Celebrations in 1841.
Greenwood, Barbara.
This book about a family's Thanksgiving celebration in 1841 includes recipes, craft projects, and games.*
Call No.: S.394.2649 G856p
Four Seasons of Corn: A Winnebago Tradition. (1997).
Hunter, Sally M.
Twelve-year-old Russell learns how to grow and dry corn from his Winnebago grandfather.
Call No.: S.394.1089975 H919f
Thanksgiving Day. (1997)
MacMillan, Dianne M.
Describes the history of Thanksgiving Day, how it came to be celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, and the traditions associated with this holiday.
Call No.: S.394.1649 M228T
Thanksgiving. (1998).
Miller, Marilyn.
Examines the traditions and celebrations associated with the holiday of Thanksgiving.
Call No.: S.394.2649 M616t
Clambake: A Wampanoag Tradition. (1992).
Peters, Russell M.
Steven Peters, a twelve-year-old Wampanoag Indian in Massachusetts, learns from his grandfather how to prepare a clambake in the tradition of his people.
Call No.: S.974.482 P442C
Pilgrim Voices: Our First Year in the New World. (1995).
Using first-person sources, the experiences of the Pilgrims from their sea journey to the first Thanksgiving are re-created.*
Call No.: S.974.48202 P643
Mayflower 1620: A New Look at a Pilgrim Voyage. (2003).
Plimoth Plantation Inc.
Contains a photographed reenactment of the voyage and landing of the Mayflower with text covering the perspectives of both the Native Americans and the English.
Call No.: Q.S.974.4 M453
The Wigwam and the Longhouse. (2000).
Yue, Charlotte.
Describes the history, customs, religion, government, homes, and present-day status of the various native peoples that inhabited the eastern woodlands since before the coming of the Europeans.
Call No.: S.973.04973 Y9w
Fiction Titles
A Turkey For Thanksgiving. (1991)
Bunting, Eve.
Mr. and Mrs. Moose try to invite a turkey to their Thanksgiving feast.
Call No.: SE.B886TU
Minnie and Moo and the Thanksgiving Tree. (2000).
Cazet, Denys.
All the animals in the barnyard ask the cows Minnie and Moo to hide them so that they will not become Thanksgiving dinner.
Call No.: SE. C319m
We Gather Together - Now Please Get Lost! (2001).
De Groat, Diane
Gilbert the opossum gets stuck with a tattletale "buddy" on a class trip to Pilgrim Town.
Call No.: S.D365w
Thanksgiving at the Tappleton's. (1992).
Spinelli, Eileen.
When calamity stalks every step of the preparations for the Tappleton's Thanksgiving dinner, they realize that there is more to Thanksgiving than turkey and trimmings.
Call No.: Q.SE.Sp46t
The Know-Nothings Talk Turkey. (2000).
Spirn, Michele.
Four friends celebrate Thanksgiving in their own silly way.
Call No.: SE.Sp48knt
Thanksgiving With Me. (1998).
Willey, Margaret.
As a young girl waits for her six uncles to arrive for Thanksgiving, she asks her mother to describe life with these brothers on past Thanksgivings.
Call No.: Q.SE.W669t
An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving. (1993).
Alcott, Louisa May.
Follows the activities of seven children in nineteenth-century New England as they prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday while Mother is away caring for Grandmother.
Call No.: Q.S. AL19OL1995
The Perfect Thanksgiving. (2003).
Spinelli, Eileen.
Two families - one that is perfect and one that is far from it - celebrate Thanksgiving in their own loving ways.
Call No.: Q.SE.Sp46p
*annotation from Best Books for Children.
Finding YA Books in the S-Collection
A subject search in the online catalog using the terms "young adult literature" and "young adult fiction" will provide some titles, but these results are only a handful of the many young adult materials in the UIUC library system, which are often indexed under the same subject headings as adult fiction and literature.
If you do not have a particular author or title in mind, Novelist or the Children's Literature Comprehensive Database will allow you to search for topics and narrow the results by recommended reading age. Titles can then be entered into the online catalog to see if they are part of the UIUC collection. Please note that these resources are available to UIUC affiliates only, but your local library may have access as well. UIUC affiliates will need to authenticate through the proxy server if trying to obtain access from off campus.
In addition to the S-Collection, young adult materials can be found in the collections at the Undergraduate Library, the Residence Hall libraries, the Center for Children's Books, and the University Laboratory High School Library. The UIUC online catalog will provide information about the location of specific titles.
Teen Read Week 2007 (October 14-20)
Every year during the third week in October, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) sponsors Teen Read Week to encourage teens to read for pleasure. The theme for this year's celebration is "LOL @ Your Library," featuring recommended lists of humorous books. [LOL = Laugh Out Loud]
More information can be found at the Teen Read Week website. Some highlights include:
What Makes Authors LOL and Books To Make You LOL @ Your Library.
More recommended reads and award winners from YALSA can be found at the Website.
S-Collection Books to Make You LOL
Here are just a few of the titles from Teen Read Week suggested reading list that can be found in the S-Collection:
Yee, Lisa.
Millicent Min, Girl Genius. 2003.
In a series of journal entries, eleven-year-old child prodigy Millicent Min records her struggles to learn to play volleyball, tutor her enemy, deal with her grandmother's departure, and make friends over the course of a tumultuous summer.
[S.Y352m]
Bagdasarian, Adam.
First French Kiss and Other Traumas. 2002.
The author recounts humorous, sad, traumatic, romantic, and confusing episodes from his childhood.
[S.B1463fi]
Cabot, Meg.
All-American Girl. 2003.
A sophomore girl stops a presidential assassination attempt, is appointed Teen Ambassador to the United Nations, and catches the eye of the very cute First Son.
[S.C1125a]
Howe, Norma.
Adventures of Blue Avenger. 2000.
On his sixteenth birthday, David Schumacher changes his name to Blue Avenger. . . And things start to happen. To find out more about life and death, romance, gun control, lemon meringue pie, and world peace, you'll have to read this book. The decision is yours. Or is it?
[S.H8382a]
Rennison, Louise.
Angus, Thongs, & Full-Frontal Snogging. 2000.
Presents the humorous journal of a year in the life of a fourteen-year-old British girl who tries to reduce the size of her nose, stop her mad cat from terrorizing the neighborhood animals, and win the love of handsome hunk Robbie.
[S.R2952a 2000]
Goldschmidt, Judy.
The Secret Blog of Raisin Rodriguez. 2006.
In a weblog she sends to her best friends back in Berkeley, seventh-grader Raisin Rodriguez chronicles her successes and her more frequent humiliating failures as she attempts to make friends at her new Philadelphia school.
[S.G572s]
Limb, Sue.
Girl, 15, Charming but Insane. 2005.
Fifteen-year-old Jess, living with her mum, separated from her father in Cornwall, and with a best friend who seems to do everything perfectly, finds her own assets through humor.
[S.L629g]
Shusterman, Neil.
The Schwa Was Here. 2006.
A Brooklyn eighth-grader, Anthony, nicknamed Antsy, befriends the Schwa, an "invisible-ish" boy who is tired of blending into his surroundings and going unnoticed by nearly everyone. Antsy is fascinated by "The Schwa Effect" - the fact that no one ever sees Calvin Schwa. Even when acting weird and dressed like a total freak, The Schwa is only barely noticed. The two boys form a partnership and get away with all kinds of mischief, from conducting experiments at school to confounding opponents on the basketball court.
[S.Sh93sc]
Vizzini, Ned.
Be More Chill. 2005.
Badly in need of self-confidence and a change of image, high school nerd Jeremy Heere swallows a pill-sized super computer that is supposed to help him get whatever he wants.
[S.V839b]
Want to know more?
Visit the author's website for poems, photos, and answers to frequently asked questions
View a 15 minute interview with Jack at the Reading Rockets website
Jack Prelutsky in the Education S-Collection.
The following list is a selection of Prelutsky's award winning works, and some of his most recent offerings. For a complete list of the UIUC library's holdings, enter the terms "Prelutsky, Jack" into an author search in the online catalog.
Awful Ogre's Awful Day. 2001.
In a series of poems, Awful Ogre rises, grooms himself, dances, pens a letter, and goes through other activities as the day passes.
[Education Storage: Q.S.811 P915a]
Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant: And Other Poems. 2006
An illustrated collection of humorous poems on a variety of topics.
[Education S-Collection: Q.S.811 P915b]
Beneath a Blue Umbrella: Rhymes. 1987.
A collection of short humorous poems in which a hungry hippo raids a melon stand, a butterfly tickles a girl's nose, and children frolic in a Mardi Gras parade.
[Education Storage: S.811 P915b]
The Dragons are Singing Tonight. 1993.
A collection of poems about dragons, including "I'm an Amiable Dragon," "If You Don't Believe in Dragons," and "A Dragon is My Computer."
[Education Storage: Q.S. 811 P915D]
The Frogs Wore Red Suspenders: Rhymes. 2002.
Here are poems about people and animals, set in such far-flung places as Minot, Minneapolis, Tuscaloosa, Tucumcari, and the Grand Canyon.
[Education S-Collection: Q.S.811 P915f]
The Headless Horseman Rides Tonight: More Poems to Trouble Your Sleep. 1980.
Presents 12 scary poems.
[Education Storage: S.811 P915h]
If Not For the Cat: Haiku. 2004.
Haiku-like poems describe a variety of animals.
[Education S-Collection: S.811 P915i]
It's Raining Pigs & Noodles: Poems. 2000.
A collection of humorous poems such as "The Dancing Hippopotami," "You Can't Make Me Eat That," "My Father's Name is Sasquatch," and "Dear Wumbledeedumble."
[Education S-Collection: S.811 P915itr2000]
The New Kid on the Block: Poems. 1984.
Humorous poems about such strange creatures and people as Baloney Belly Billy and the Gloopy Gloopers.
[Education Storage: S.811 P915ne]
Nightmares: Poems to Trouble Your Sleep. 1976.
Twelve poems featuring a vampire, werewolf, ghoul, and other monsters.
[Education Storage: S.811 P915N]
The Snopp on the Sidewalk, and Other Poems. 1977.
Twelve poems about snopps, grobbles, flonsters, and other fantastic creatures.
[Education Storage: S.811 P915S]
Something Big Has Been Here. 1990.
An illustrated collection of humorous poems on a variety of topics.
[Education Storage: S.811 P915so]
Wild Witches' Ball. 2004.
A tall witch, a round witch, a silly witch too. Some are spooky, some are cute, and one wears go-go boots! They have gathered for their ball. Why not try to count them all?
[Education S-Collection: SE.P91w]
Alexander, Lloyd The Prydian Chronicles
Follow the adventures of Assistant Pig-Keeper Taran and his quest to save the kingdom of Prydain from the forces of evil.
The Book of Three [Center for Children's Books: S.AL27B]
The Black Cauldron [Education Remote Storage: S.AL27BL]
The Castle of Llyr [Education S-Collection: S.AL27CA]
Taran Wanderer [Education Storage: S.AL27T]
The High King [Main Stacks: 813 Al273h]
The Foundling, and Other Tales of Prydian [Education Storage: S.AL27F]
Cooper, Susan The Dark Is Rising Sequence
Four children, one of whom has a powerful destiny, must seek magical artifacts to aid the forces of The Light in defeating the forces of The Dark.
Over Sea, Under Stone [Education S-Collection: S.C787O]
The Dark is Rising [Education S-Collection: S.C787DA]
Greenwitch [Education S-Collection: S.C787G]
The Grey King [Education Storage: S.C787GR]
Silver on the Tree [Education Storage: S.C787S]
Colfer, Eoin Artemis Fowl
Teenage genius and criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl infiltrates the modern, hidden world of fairies in his quest to restore his family fortunes.
Artemis Fowl [Education S-Collection: S.C68a]
The Arctic Incident [Education S-Collection: S.C68ai]
The Eternity Code [Education S-Collection: S.C68ar]
The Opal Deception [Education S-Collection: S.C68ao]
The Lost Colony [Education S-Collection: S.C68al]
Artemis Fowl Files [Education S-Collection: S.C68af]
Pullman, Philip His Dark Materials
In an alternate universe, young Lyra Belacqua is drawn into a struggle between the forces of the Authority and those who hope to end its power.
The Golden Compass [Education Storage: S.P967N1996]
The Subtle Knife [Education S-Collection: S.P967th]
The Amber Spyglass [Education S-Collection: S.P967a]
Riordan, Rick Percy Jackson & the Olympians
Perseus "Percy" Jackson learns that he is the son of the sea god Poseidon and is whisked away from his home in Manhattan to spend the summer at Camp Half-Blood along with other demigods.
The Lightning Thief [Education S-Collection: S.R479p]
The Sea of Monsters [Education S-Collection: S.R479s]
The Titan's Curse [Education S-Collection: S.R479t]
Sage, Angie Septimus Heap
Aided by the Extraordinary Wizard and a young soldier known only as Boy 412, the "magykal" Heap family must find a way to protect their foundling daughter from an evil necromancer.
Magyk [Education S-Collection: S.Sa18s]
Flyte [available through I-Share]
Physik [available through I-Share]
Stroud, Jonathan Bartimaeus Trilogy
Set in modern London, this trilogy follows the adventures of Nathaniel, a magician's apprentice and Bartimaeus, the djinn whom he summons to help him.
The Amulet of Samarkand [Education S-Collection: S.St892b]
The Golem's Eye [Education S-Collection: S.St892g]
Ptolemy's Gate [Education S-Collection: S.St892p2005]
Other Authors to check out:
Roald Dahl
Brian Jacques
C.S. Lewis
D.J. McHale
Robin McKinley
Tamora Pierce
Patricia Wrede
Jane Yolen
Still can't get enough fantasy? The Education and Social Science Library has a number of guides to children's fantasy literature available on our website.
The Education and Social Science Library has many fiction and non-fiction resources for further exploration of immigration history, or the experiences of a particular ethnic group.
Young Adult Fiction
Gallo, Donald R.
First Crossing: Stories About Teen Immigrants. 2004.
Stories of recent Mexican, Venezuelan, Kazakh, Chinese, Romanian, Palestinian, Swedish, Korean, Haitian, and Cambodian immigrants reveal what it is like to face prejudice, language barriers, and homesickness along with common teenage feelings and needs.
[Education S-Collection: S.F519]
Carlson, Lori M.
American Eyes: New Asian-American Short Stories for Young Adults. 1994.
These ten stories reflect the conflict Asian Americans face in balancing an ancient heritage and an unknown future.
[Education S-Collection: S. AM353]
Giff, Patricia Reilly.
Maggie's Door. 2003.
In the mid-1800s, Nory and her neighbor and friend, Sean, set out separately on a dangerous journey from famine-plagued Ireland, hoping to reach a better life in America.
[Education Storage: S.G366m]
Juvenile Fiction
Lombard, Jenny.
Drita, My Homegirl. 2006.
When ten-year-old Drita and her family, refugees from Kosovo, move to New York, Drita is teased about not speaking English well, but after a popular student named Maxie is forced to learn about Kosovo as a punishment for teasing Drita, the two girls soon bond.
[Education S Collection: S. L838d]
Glaser, Linda.
Bridge to America: Based on a True Story. 2005.
Eight-year-old Fivel narrates the story of his family's Atlantic Ocean crossing to reunite with their father in the United States, from its desperate beginning in a shtetl in Poland in 1920 to his stirrings of identity as an American boy.
[Education S Collection: S. G462b]
Perez, Amada Irma.
My Diary From Here to There = Mi diario de aqui hasta. 2002.
A young girl describes her feelings when her father decides to leave their home in Mexico to look for work in the United States.
[Education S Collection: S.P4152my]
Giff, Patricia Reilly.
A House of Tailors. 2004.
When thirteen-year-old Dina emigrates from Germany to America in 1871, her only wish is to return home as soon as she can, but as the months pass and she survives a multitude of hardships living with her uncle and his young wife and baby, she finds herself thinking of Brooklyn as her home.
[Education S Collection: S. G366h]
Aliki.
Marianthe's Story One: Painted Words; Marianthe's Story Two: Spoken Memories. 1998.
Two separate stories in one book, the first telling of Mari's starting school in a new land, and the second describing village life in her country before she and her family left in search of a better life.
[Education Storage: Q. S.Al44m]
Picture Books
Recorvits, Helen.
My Name is Yoon. 2003.
Disliking her name as written in English, Korean-born Yoon, or "shining wisdom," refers to herself as "cat," "bird," and "cupcake," as a way to feel more comfortable in her new school and new country.
[Education S Collection: SE. R2453m]
Patridge, Elizabeth.
Oranges on Golden Mountain. 2001.
When hard times fall on his family, Jo Lee is sent from China to San Francisco, where he helps his uncle fish and dreams of being reunited with his mother and sister.
[Education Storage: Q. SE. P2581o]
Bunting, Eve.
A Picnic in October. 1999.
A boy finally comes to understand why his grandmother insists that the family come to Ellis Island each year to celebrate Lady Liberty's birthday.
[Education Storage: Q. SE. B886pi]
Mak, Kam.
My Chinatown: One Year in Poems. 2002.
A boy adjusts to life away from his home in Hong Kong, in the Chinatown of his new American city.
[Education S Collection: SE. M2891m]
Non-Fiction
Schaefer, Adam.
Modern Immigration and Expansion. 2007.
A history of U.S. immigration from the 19th century through September 11th.
[Education S Collection: S.304.873 Sch131m]
Sandler, Martin W.
Island of Hope: The Story of Ellis Island and the Journey to America. 2004.
Relates the story of immigration to America through the voices and stories of those who passed through Ellis Island, from its opening in 1892 to the release of the last detainee in 1954.
[Education S Collection: S.304.8 Sa569i]
Teichmann, Iris.
Immigration & Asylum. 2003.
Examines the history, causes and current state of immigration and immigrants.
[Education S Collection: S.304.8 T233i]
Hoobler, Dorothy.
We Are Americans: Voices of the Immigrant Experience. 2003.
A history of immigration to America, from speculation about the earliest immigrants to the present day.
[Education S Collection: S.304.8 H76w]
Whitman, Sylvia.
Immigrant Children. 2000.
Describes the flood of immigration into the United States in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, focusing on the experiences of the youngest immigrants, both on their journeys and in their new country.
[Education S Collection: S.305.230973 W595i]
We Are America Series focuses on the experiences of a dozen different ethnic groups, from Irish to Cuban to Pakistani. Enter "We Are America" into a Series search in the UIUC Online Catalog. Or, browse the call number S.973 in the Education S-Collection.
]]>The Education and Social Science Library's School Collection of children's books has a number of resources for parents looking to help kids gear up for their summer trip, or combat boredom on the road.
* Source: www.tia.org
Books About Travel
Wilson, Karma.
Dinos On The Go! 2004.
Dinosaurs ride everything from bicycles to airplanes as they travel around the world.
[Education S-Collection: Q.SE.W694d]
Neitzel, Shirley.
The Bag I'm Taking to Grandma's. 1998.
In cumulative verses and rebuses a young boy and his mother have different views on how to pack a bag for a trip to Grandma's.
[Education Storage: SE.N319b1998]
Rey, H.A.
How Do You Get There? 1997.
The author of Curious George invites the reader to guess the best mode of transportation for different places and destinations.
[Education Storage: SE.R328h1997]
Stephas, Kristi.
Flying Solo. 2005.
Six-year-old Ellie is flying alone for the first time, taking an airplane from Chicago to see her aunt in San Diego.
[Education S-Collection: Q.SE.St435f]
Moss, Marissa.
Amelia's Are-We-There-Yet, Longest Ever Car Trip. 2006.
Ten-year-old Amelia keeps a journal of the summer car trip she takes with her mother and sister to Grand Canyon, Death Valley, and their California home town to visit Amelia's best friend.
[Education S-Collection: S.M855ama]
**NOTE: an earlier edition, published under the title Amelia Hits the Road (1999) is also available in Education Storage (Call Numer S.M855ah1999)
Manzano, Sonia.
No Dogs Allowed! 2004.
When Iris, her family, and the neighbors take a trip to Enchanted Lake, everyone brings what they think is needed, but the family dog turns out to present a problem.
[Education S-Collection: SE.M319n]
Balan, Bruce.
Cows Going Past. 2005.
A family sees many different kinds of cows from the window of their car while on a trip.
[Education S-Collection: SE.B182c]
Walters, Virginia.
Are We There Yet Daddy? 1999.
A young boy describes the trip he and his father make to Grandma's house, measuring how many miles are left at various points on the trip.
[Education S-Collection: Q.SE.w1715a]
Kotzwinkle, William.
Walter the Farting Dog Goes on a Cruise. 2006.
Because his farts create unpleasantness for everyone on a cruise ship, Walter the dog continues the journey in a lifeboat, but when the ship's computer crashes, causing the liner to drift, Walter again proves himself a hero.
[Education S-Collection: Q.SE.K849wa]
Ricciuti, Edward R.
America's Top 10 Natural Wonders. 1998.
Introduces ten unique natural formations in the United States, including the Grand Canyon, Devil's Tower, and Niagara Falls.
[Education Storage: Q.S. 557.3 R359A]
Boredom Busters
Boatness, Marie.
Travel Games for the Family. 1993.
100 ideas for games and entertaining kids while on the road.
[Education Storage: S.794 B63T]
Treat, Lawrence.
Get a Clue 1: 25 Picture Mysteries. 1997.
Readers must solve a short mystery by looking for clues in the accompanying illustration. Answers are included.
[Education S-Collection: S.793.73 T71G]
Treat, Lawrence.
Get a Clue 2: 25 More Picture Mysteries. 1997.
More mysteries with clues in the illustrations. Answers are included.
[Education Storage: S.793.73 T71GE]
Gardner, Martin.
Classic Brainteasers. 1994.
A collection of over 70 classic brainteasers including problematic puns, word games, and optical tricks.
[Education S-Collection: S.793.73 G175C]
The Kid's Book of the 50 Great States: A State-By-State Scrapbook Filled with Facts, Maps, Puzzles, Poems, Photos and More! 1998.
[Education Storage: S.917.3 K541 1998]
Pilkey, Dav.
The All New Captain Underpants Extra-Crunch Book o' Fun 2. 2002.
Learn how to draw your favorite characters, tell cheesy jokes, and even make your own silly Captain Underpants story. Also includes a comic-book adventure starring Captain Underpants, Super Diaper Baby, and the amazing Diaper Dog.
[Education S-Collection: S.790.1 P639a]
Wise, Lenny.
The Way Cool License Plate Book. 2002
Offers license plate facts and trivia, vanity plate puzzles, and a wide range of license plate games.
[Education S-Collection: Q.S.793.7 W754w]
Wick, Walter.
Can You See What I See? Cool Collections: Picture Puzzles to Search and Solve. 2004.
Readers search for objects hidden in photographs of buttons, dinosaurs, robots, shells, cars, animals, leaves, beads, game pieces, and the contents of a junk drawer.
[Education S-Collection: S.793.73 W632ca]
Boredom Busters on the Web
The following sites offer printable activities and games including road trip bingo, connect the dots, scavenger hunts, songs, string games, and more!
Puzzles & Games: Travel Games & Games for the Car
101 Car Travel Games & Ideas for Kids
Family Travel Games for the Road
Advocates of high interest/low vocabulary books argue that getting reluctant or struggling readers to practice reading is essential for the continued development of reading skill, and that the best way to do so is to provide them with materials that match their interests as well as their current reading level. In creating such materials careful attention must be paid to constructing a work that will not only keep the readers interests (and not appear too babyish) but also present the material in a format that will not further frustrate or confuse a struggling reader. Kenneth Schatmeyer has compiled the following list of essential characteristics of a good high interest/low vocabulary book (Schatmeyer, 2007):
- Compelling storyline and credible characters
- Topics and issues with which readers can make personal or emotional connections
- Supportive formatting that includes illustrations and appropriate text placement on the page
- Careful introduction and reinforcement of difficult vocabulary and concepts
- Straightforward plot development
- Simple sentence structures
References:
Graves, Michael F. and Raymond Philippot. (2002) "High Interest Easy Reading: An Important Resource for Struggling Readers." Preventing School Failure, 46(2), pp179-182.
Mason, George E. (1980) "High Interest-Low Vocabulary Books: Their Past and Future." Journal of Reading, 24(7), pp603-607.
Schatmeyer, Kenneth. (2007) "Hooking Struggling Readers: Using Books They Can and Want to Read." Illinois Reading Council Journal, 35(1), pp7-13.
Locating High Interest Low Vocabulary Books
Series
You can find series of books from a single publisher that focus on hi/lo reading. Below are just two examples that may be found in the UIUC Library's collections.
Orca Soundings (Orca Publishers) Reading level Gr 2-4, Interest level age 10-14
Keystone Books (Capstone Press) Reading level Gr 2-3, Interest level age 10-14
Bibliographies
The sources below will assist you in locating additional books and Web sites related to hi/lo reading materials.
LiBretto, Ellen V.
High/Low Handbook: Best Books and Web Sites for Reluctant Teen Readers. (2002)
[Education S-Collection S.016.027 L616h]
Committee to Revise High Interest Easy Reading (National Council of Teachers of English)
High Interest Easy Reading: An Annotated Booklist for Middle and Senior High School. (1996)
[Education Juvenile Reference: S.026.81 E53h1996]
Ammon, Bette DeBruyne
More Rip-Roaring Reads for Reluctant Teen Readers. (1999)
[Education: 016.8108092 Am64m]
UIUC Online Catalog
In a subject heading search, enter the following phrase:
High interest low vocabulary books
]]>"Though poetry and math may seem to be unrelated, there are parallels such as rhythmic language and language skills. Reading and writing poetry about math involves students with listening, speaking, reading, and writing in order to develop and demonstrate an understanding of mathematical concepts and relationships." (LaBonty & Danielson, 2004)
April has the challenge of playing host to both National Poetry Month and Math Awareness Month. While these two subjects may seem worlds apart, many researchers and educators have advocated for the benefits of using poems in math instruction. The following articles offer further insight into how poetry and math can be combined to help children increase their language skills and understanding of mathematical concepts:
Altieri, J. L. (2005). Creating poetry: Reinforcing mathematical concepts. Teaching Children Mathematics, 12(1), 18-23.
Bay-Williams, J. M. (2005). Poetry in motion: Using Shel Silverstein's works to engage students in mathematics. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 10(8), 386-393.
Curcio, F. R., Zarnowski, M., & Vigliarolo, S. (1995). Mathematics and poetry: Problem solving in context. Teaching Children Mathematics, 1, 370-374.
Keller, R., & Davidson, D. (2001). The math poem: Incorporating mathematical terms in poetry. Mathematics Teacher, 94(5), 342-347.
LaBonty, J., & Danielson, K. (2004). Reading and writing poetry in math. Reading Horizons, 45(1), 39-54.
Tang, G. (2006). Poems in math class? yeah, write! Retrieved March 31, 2007.
Math Poems in the Library
Aside from the educational benefits, math poems can be lots of fun! The following books of Math poems, riddles, and counting rhymes can be found in the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library:
Tang, Greg.
Math Appeal. 2003.
Rhyming anecdotes present opportunities for simple math activities and hints for solving.
[Education S-Collection: S.510 T156ma]
Tang, Greg.
The Grapes of Math: Mind Stretching Math Riddles. 2001.
lllustrated riddles introduce strategies for solving a variety of math problems in using visual clues.
[Education S-Collection: S.793.74 T156g]
Tang, Greg.
Math Fables: Lessons that Count. 2004.
A series of rhymes about animals introduces counting and grouping numbers, as well as examples of such behaviors as cooperation, friendship, and appreciation.
[Education S-Collection: S.513.2 T156m]
Tang, Greg.
Math Potatoes: More Mind Stretching Math Riddles. 2005.
Math combines with pictures, riddles, and poems.
[Education S-Collection: S.793.74 T156m]
Tang, Greg.
Math-terpieces: The Art of Problem-Solving. 2003.
A series of rhymes about artists and their works introduces counting and grouping numbers, as well as such artistic styles as cubism, pointillism, and surrealism.
[Education S-Collection: S.510 T156m]
Tang, Greg.
Math for All Seasons. 2002.
[Center for Children's Books: S.513 T156m]
Franco, Betsy.
Mathematickles! 2003.
A collection of poems written in the form of mathematical problems and grouped according to seasonal themes.
[Education S-Collection: Q.S.811 F8483m]
Ziefert, Harriet.
Mother Goose Math. 1997.
A collection of nursery rhymes, each with a numerical theme.
[Education Storage: Q.S.398.8 Z62m]
Sandburg, Carl.
Arithmetic. 1993.
A poem about numbers and their characteristics. Features anamorphic, or distorted, drawings which can be restored to normal by viewing from a particular angle or by viewing the image's reflection in the provided Mylar cone.
[Rare Book & Manuscript Library: SNDBBRG 811 Sa49ar]
McKellar, Shona.
Counting Rhymes. 1993.
A collection of poems, including "One Little Finger," "I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing By," and "This Old Man," each featuring different numbers.
[Education Storage: Q.S. 398.84 C832]
Jacobs, Allan D.
Arithmetic in Verse and Rhyme. 1971.
Rhymes about the concept of numbers, rhymes in which one must subtract and add, and rhymes that pose mathematical riddles and problems.
[Education Storage: S.398.84 J151a]
Atherlay, Sara.
Math in the Bath (And Other Fun Places Too!) 1995.
These poems features math throughout the school day (in music, art, social studies, recess) and math at home as well (dividing a pizza, bubbles in the bath). The book ends with a list of mathematical concepts found each day, a perfect invitation for further reading about math. (LaBonty & Danielson, 2004).
[Education Storage: S.649.68 AT42M]
Lewis, J Patrick.
Arithme-tickle: An Even Number of Odd Riddle-Rhymes. 2002.
Rhyming text and illustrations present a variety of math problems.
[Center for Children's Books: S.513 L5873a]
Hopkins, Lee Bennett.
Marvelous Math: A Book of Poems. 1997.
Presents such poems as "Math Makes Me Feel Safe," "Fractions," "Pythagoras," and "Time Passes," by such writers as Janet S. Wong, Lee Bennett Hopkins, and Ilo Orleans.
[Center for Children's Books: Q.S.811 M368]
Right in Your Own Backyard: Nature Math. 1992.
Stories, poems, activities, and games introduce readers to the rich array of math to be found in our own backyards.
[Education Storage: Q.S. 510 R449]
Math Poems on the Web
Check out these web sites for more fun with math and poetry!
The Cat in the Hat was written in response to publications such as "Why Do Students Bog Down on the First R?" by John Hersey and "Why Johnny Can't Read and What You Can Do About It" by Rudolph Flesch which blamed children's poor literacy skills on dull and uninspiring books such as Dick and Jane. Theodor Geisel (a.k.a. Dr. Seuss), who was already well known for his illustrations, took up the challenge to create a book that would capture the imagination as well as introduce basic vocabulary. He succeeded, using only 236 words. The Cat in the Hat was an instant success, drawing acclaim from critics and readers alike. Today the book is still a favorite with children and adults, and the mischievous Cat can be found in several other Seuss books, and most recently as the star of the Cat in the Hat movie.
*Information from http://www.seussville.com/CITH_50th/
This month, take some time to celebrate the 50th birthday of the Cat by participating in one of these events:
Read Across America Day (March 2, 2007) Sponsored by the National Education Association, this year The Cat in the Hat will be read aloud in schools, libraries, and bookstores across the nation. Visit http://www.seussville.com/CITH_50th/events/index.html to learn about events that will be taking place in your home state, and visit the NEA's Read Across America webpage for more information and ideas.
Project 236. (Jan 9- May 1, 2007) Sponsored by Random House, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, and First Book, Project 236 is a national literacy initiative launched in honor of The Cat in the Hat. There are two ways to participate:
- Purchase a Dr. Seuss book. For every Random House Dr. Seuss book purchased, Random House will donate one brand new children's book (up to one million books!) to First Book.
- Send a birthday card to the Cat in the Hat. For every birthday card received Random House will donate one brand new children's book to First Book.
Rules and directions can be found at http://www.seussville.com/CITH_50th/rules.html.
For more information on First Book and Project 236, visit The Cat in the Hat Party.
Visit Seussville.com to find more information, create birthday cards, download printable activities for home or the classroom, and much more!
Read Dr. Seuss! The following titles featuring the Cat in the Hat are available at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign library:
Seuss, Dr.
The Cat in the Hat. 1957.
Two children sitting at home on a rainy day are visited by the Cat in the Hat, who shows them some tricks and games.
[Education S-Collection: SE.G27C]
Seuss, Dr.
The Cat in the Hat Comes Back! 1958.
The trick-playing cat of "The Cat in the Hat" makes a return visit to Sally and her brother, wreaking havoc and then restoring order in a most ingenious manner.
[Education Storage: SE.G27CA]
Seuss, Dr.
The Cat in the Hat's Great Big Flap Book. 1999.
Over 70 flaps inspired by Dr. Seuss's best known works.
[Rare Book & Manuscript Library: Q.SE. G27cat]
Poddany, Eugene.
The Cat in the Hat Song Book. 1967.
Featuring Let us all sing, Super-supper, My uncle Terwilliger waltzes with bears, In my bureau drawer, The no laugh race, Plinker plunker, Strummer zummer, Beeper booper, Hurry hurry hurry, Cry a pint, Ah-a-a- a-a-a-h, I can figure figures, Somebody stole my hoo-to foo-to boo-to bah!, Rainy day in Utica, N.Y., Lullaby for Mr. Benjamin B. Bicklebaum, Happy birthday to little Sally Spingel Spungel Sporn, My uncle Terwilliger likes to pat, Yawn song, The left-sock thievers, Drummers drumming, Party parting.
[Education Storage: Q.S. 782.42 G277c]
Seuss, Dr.
The Cat's Quizzer: Are You Smarter Than the Cat in the Hat? 1993.
The Cat in the Hat plays quiz master by challenging the reader with both entertaining and educational questions such as "Are freckles catching?" and "How old do you have to be to drive a car?"
[Education Storage: S. 031.02 G27C]
Seuss, Dr.
I Can Read With My Eyes Shut. 1978.
The Cat in the Hat takes Young Cat in tow to show him the fun he can get out of reading.
[Education S-Collection: SE. G27ic]
Seuss, Dr.
Cattus Pettasatus. 2000.
A Latin translation of The Cat in the Hat. Includes a Latin-English glossary and a note on the verse form and rhythm.
[Uni High Fiction: Fiction Se81c:L]
Seuss, Dr.
El Gato Ensombrerado. 1995.
The Cat in the Hat in English and Spanish.
[Education S-Collection: SE. G27i:SP]
For more books by Dr. Seuss, enter "Seuss, Dr." into an author search in the UIUC online catalog.