Growing a Reader: Kids Books, Tips and More

Exploring our difficult past: slavery

There are some elements of our history in North America that are difficult to tackle with our children. Our current multicultural reality is so far from the experience of slavery and the fight for freedom that children have difficulty understanding and making sense of the history. During Black History month, we attempt, through programs, songs, plays and discussion to make both the history and current situation understandable at many levels. Throughout the month many programs have been held in schools and the library, but nothing supports a child's understanding as powerfully as the discussions that you as a parent or caregiver can have with them over time. There are many picture books and novels, as well as websites that you can explore with your child(ren) to help you enter into these difficult conversations.

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson is a powerful introduction to slavery as it was leading up to the civil war in the United States. In it Clara is a slave in the Big House, and works as a seamstress, but dreams of freedom. Being in the Big House means that she overhears talk of the surrounding countryside and the escape routes to Canada, enough to create a quilt map of the landscape. Once the quilt is finished, she leaves it behind for others to follow as she makes her way to freedom. This book is based on real events and presents the reality in a way that children can accept and build their questions from. I would recommend this book for children from the ages of 8 to 12.

 

Another book based on true events is Night Boat to Freedom by Margot Raven. This story is drawn from accounts in the Slavery Narrative Collection compiled in the 1930s. In it, a young slave boy on a Kentucky plantation, Christmas John, helps runaway slaves cross the Ohio river under the guidance of Granny Judith, an older slave on the plantation. Christmas John continues to help until it becomes too dangerous for him to stay. Reluctant to leave behind Granny Judith, he needs to be convinced to flee for his own safety. The book is beautifully illustrated and captures the situation, emotions and strength needed for Christmas John to continue his journey without his mentor, Granny Judith, who is too old to flee. Recommended for children 7 years old and up.

 A book to read with older children would be the novel, The Slave Dancer, by Paula Fox. Set in the pre-war Southern United States and Africa, this book chronicles the experience of Jessie, who is pressed into service in New Orleans with the job of playing his fife for the captured slaves so that the slaves will "dance" for exercise, keeping their muscles strong and their profitability high. Jessie is sickened by the horrible practices of the slave catchers and questions the institution of slavery because of his experience.  This is a powerful book that will lead to many questions for the reader. It would be advisable to read along side of your child so that you can discuss both the book and the history of slavery with them as the questions arise. Recommended for ages 9 - 12.

Canada did play a large role in the Underground Railroad, being the end of the long journey for many of the slaves as they sought freedom. The government of Canada has an extensive site available with details, unfortunately written at a very high level. It can be, however, a valuable site to explore for answers and insights to the situation in Canada at the time that many slaves were escaping to our country.

The National Geographic site hosts an interactive exploration of the Underground Railroad that was created with students from grades 3 to 6 in mind. On this site, students are asked to make decisions along the route to freedom. For each decision they make, there are consequences that show what would have actually happened to a runaway slave.

The Magic of Picture Books

We talk a lot about why you should read with your kids around here. From an early literacy standpoint, it's perhaps the most highly effective tool in your belt. Reading together teaches kids how stories work, how to use books, and best of all, to love reading. But all of that good, scholarly, study-based stuff, fantastic as it is, captures the true magic of sharing a picture book with a child, for it is so much more than that.

I was really delighted to find that sense of wonder so perfectly captured by none other than Britain's children's laureate, Julia Donaldson in an article in the Guardian. Picture books were not really a feature of her own childhood, so it was not until she became a mother herself, she says, that she discovered all there is to be found in those broad, slim volumes we love so much.

Not only are there picture books on every theme, from seasons to stars to sing-along songs, but they encompass every emotion, allowing children to find humour and identify with sadness and talk about anger in a way that gets them in touch with thsoe feelings, and is a wonderful opener for talking about them, something we are always telling children to do. Use your words! is a constant refrain.

There are also wonderful characters and entire worlds in picture books that give children access both to other children similar to themselves and to things they wouldn't see in the every day. They become a shared language among the readers of that book, allowing parents and children to refer to it as a sort of shorthand or example, an enrichment of their communication. (It is also exactly why we recommend books about special situations, so that they can be used to give them some familiairty in advance of, say, a dentist visit or trip on an airplane, and that story can be a touchstone during the journey.) 

And of course, there are those stroies that become favourites. The ones you read until the pages are soft and you can recite entire passages while the book remains at home on the shelf. The one whose characters become so familiar, they are tattooed on your mind like true friends. What better magic is there than that, to find a book has become so much a part of yourself that it feels like home to you.

Little Love Stories

Valentine's Day is here! And what better time to share some little love stories with your little loved ones?

These ones are sweet and a little funny, and great fun for sharing.

The Ballad of Valentine, by Alison Jackson

To the tune of My Darling Clementine, this is the funny story of a man trying desperately to get a message to his would-be love and being thwarted at every turn. Think of a mode of older-days communication and it is probably here, from smoke signals to the Pony Express, each with its own problem. Just when he gives up, the apple of his eye appears, having taken matters into her own hands.

The song adaptation works really well, something I always look for if I'm going to sing a book, and the illustrations both clarify what's happening and provide a little extra comic relief, as picture book images should.

It's cute and clever, and great for sharing with slightly older kids. This title is a perennial favourite of mine!

Pierre in Love, by Sara Pennypacker

Pierre is in love... but a little shy. His poetic soul yearns to tell his one true love of his feelings, but he can't quite decide the best way, and is having an awfully hard time coming out with it. He does, of course, in the end, and love takes the day.

This is another story that leans a little older, but is one of the sweetest Valentine's Day books for kids around, and I do adore Sara Pennypacker, of Clementine fame.

 

Slugs in Love, by Susan Pearson

Perhaps the cutest of the lot, this is a tale of two slime-crossed lovers who just can't seem to meet up, though each adores the other from afar. The pair even leave love poems and letters to each scribed in slime in the garden, but somehow, their trails don't seem to cross, until Herbie grows bolder.

It's funny, and with the ick factor keeping it from getting too sweet, it's an all-ages hit. What kid doesn't love some good gross slime?! The balance of cute and squicky is excellently pitched, making the book perfect for sharing.

I love Kevin O'Malley's illustrations, too, which add a brightness and comic deftness that make this a real winner.

 

 

It's Valentine's Day, by Jack Prelutsky

Jack Prelutsky is a master of funny, super-accessible poetry for kids, and this collection is a perfect example of why he's been so well-loved for so long. Prelutsky just gets kids and their world, so his poems speak right to them, but never down to them.

A poem about accidentally eating the valentine that was meant for your mom? Even a kid who has never done such a thing would definitely understand the temptation and see the humour in someone else being so deliciously naughty!

With rhythm and rhyme made for sharing aloud and cute little cartoon-simple illustrations, this is a classic pick for a holiday that is all about sharing.

 

 

 

 

Spotlight on Christopher Paul Curtis

Christopher Paul Curtis is not your ordinary children's author. Born and raised in Flint, Michigan, he joined the workforce on the assembly line of the Fisher Body Plant/Flint Plant No. 1 immediately after high school graduation (1972). While working the assembly line, Christopher made a deal with his co-worker, they would spell each other off, working 30 minute shifts each, allowing him the time to devote to reading (an activity that he loved) and writing (a craft that he was developing). It was here that some of Christopher's most loved characters were born, and the decision to become an author was made. He worked at the plant for 13 years.

In 1996, Christopher earned a university degree and has been writing full time since 1997. His books are witty, insightful, often humourous and always thought provoking. He manages to capture the voice of his protagonists to such a high degree that you feel you are in a personal voyage of discovery with the characters. His books have won prestigious awards (The Newbery Medal being one of them) and all have been critically acclaimed. All of his books capture the black experience in North America, whether from an historical perspective or a contemporary point of view.

His first book, The Watsons go to Birmingham - 1963, follows the Watsons, an African American family from Flint, Michigan as they visit family in Alabama. The book perfectly depicts the context of the times and the preparations the family must make to ensure that they have food and shelter on their trip once they enter into the south. Told from the perspective of 10 year old Kenny, we catch a glimpse of innocence and discovery and the dawning of an understanding that, at that time and in that context, all men are not created equal. September 1963 is the time of the bombing of the Birmingham 16th Avenue Baptist Church, an act that took the life of four young girls. Christopher handles this with clarity and precision, and a sensitivity that allows the reader to understand what is happening and question how it could ever happen in the first place. The Watsons go to Birmingham - 1963 earned Christopher Paul Curtis both a Newbery Honor and a Coretta Scott King Honor, a remarkable achievment for a debut novel.

Christopher's second book, Bud, Not Buddy, is set in the Depression. Bud, the main character, lives in a series of foster homes, none very welcoming. He escapes and goes on a journey of discovery to find "his real father", legendary jazz musician  Herman E. Calloway. Christopher based the character of the musician on his own grandfather, and the stories he told about the Great Depression, which was particularly difficult for African Americans.  Bud is a wonderfully strong character whose tenacity is to be admired. This book won the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award, the first book to be given both of these prestigious awards.

There are several other books by the same author. Some, like Elijah of Buxton chronicle the experience of slaves escaping to Buxton, Ontario on the underground railroad, while others, like Bucking the Sarge, have a more contemporary feel.

Check out the books by Christopher Paul Curtis, they will transport you to other times and places, and I guarantee that the journey is well worth taking.

 

 

Outstanding International Books!

Booklists are great. With the huge number of books that are published every year it’s hard to keep track. Booklists help me find the best books that are being published each year and give me ideas on books to recommend to kids in the library.

One such booklist is the Outstanding International Books, selected by the United States chapter of the International Board on Books for Young People. A committee finds the best books, both fiction and non-fiction, published across the globe, including Canada. This year Constance Vidor and Ragina Shearer have used Google Maps to create a map highlighting all the titles on the list according to where the books are set.

The featured titles that are set in Canada include:

Click on the book covers above to discover more about these outstanding books.

Also on the map are books that are set in Africa, Australia, India, Iran, Afghanistan, England, Germany, France, Portugal and more. Included on this list are books for a wide range of grade levels from kindergarten to grade 12.

Books can be pretty amazing in that you don’t have to go further than your bedroom or your local library to experience the world and its many cultures and landscapes.

Celebrating Martin Luther King

February is Black History Month, and with that comes many opportunities to discuss with your children the often difficult subjects of slavery, the civil rights movement, the black experience in North America and racism that still exists today, despite our best efforts to eradicate it. Over the course of the month, I will be posting on many of these topics, but today I want to explore and celebrate the words of Martin Luther King Junior.

Martin Luther King Jr. was both a man of his time and a man who shaped his time. He was a pastor, an eloquent speaker, a leader and a passionate believer in equality for all people. Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, at the age of 35,  he dedicated his prize to furthering the civil rights movement in the United States.

As parents, we are often searching for ways of introducing complex subjects and ideas to our children in ways that they can appreciate them and understand the issues at their level. Picture books and archival information are a perfect way to explore the life and times of Martin Luther King Jr. with your child(ren).

Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport is a wonderful introduction to Martin Luther King Jr. for the very young. A simple picture book with an immense impact, the book uses collage and the speeches and writings of Martin Luther King Jr. to paint the picture of the times and experiences of his life. It both sets the context of the time and demonstrates Martin Luther King's non-violent response to those times.

Perhaps the most famous speech ever delivered by Martin Luther King Jr. was delivered on August 28th, 1963. I Have a Dream was delivered to thousands as the culmination of the march on Washington. The book celebrating this speech is a glorious rendition of the words spoken that day. It evokes both the hope and despair that was the reality of the times. The 15 pictures are rendered by many of the leading African-American illustrators of the times and exquisitely depict the context and meaning of his words. Corretta Scott King has written the forward of this fantastic book. And once you have had time to read the book and talk with your child(ren), take advantage of the wealth of resources on the internet and watch the actual speech as it was delivered. 

There are many other books to enjoy with your child(ren) that celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. including two books written by his sister, Christine King Farris. My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers and March On!: The Day My Brother Changed the World are worthy of a look.

                           

Isaac Newton wrote, "If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Martin Luther King Jr. is one of those giants. His teachings and example have shaped the world we live in and it is worth taking the time to reflect on all that he has contributed to our lives today. It seems to me that Black History Month is the perfect time for such a reflection.

Update on Dial-a-Story

In October I wrote an entry on Dial-a-Story, a Toronto Public Library service for young children that offers stories on the phone in multiple languages. We are proud to announce that as of last week, Korean stories have been added to the line-up.

The other languages offered are: 

• English
• French
• Cantonese
• Gujarati
• Italian
• Mandarin
• Spanish
• Polish
• Portuguese
• Russian
• Somali
• Tamil
• Urdu

 

Listening to a story being told in any language helps children develop literacy skills, skills such as sequencing, recognizing sounds, inferring, predicting, questioning and transferring ideas to new situations. Choosing a story in your home language is a wonderful way to share your culture while also furthering your child's oral language development, in both English and your mother tongue.

Why not make this a family tradition and call for a story on a regular basis?

Saying goodbye to Russell Hoban

For many of us, the Frances books written by Russell Hoban were a welcome part of our reading experience as children. You may have gone on to read his books for older children (The Mouse and his Child, The Sorely Trying Day or Trouble on Thunder Mountain), or even his adult novels (Riddley Walker, Turtle Diary or Pilgermann).

I know I shared my love of Frances, the young badger who had many lessons to learn about sharing and friendship  and did so with verve, spirit and humour with my own children and those I taught over the years. The Frances books, of which there are seven, are now considered modern classics. And the fact that they are still in print nearly 50 years after they first appeared are a testament to the lasting impression and continuing appeal of the characters, story line  and writing style.

By far, though, the most endearing aspect of the Frances books (in my opinion) are the songs that were interspersed in the text. My children and I all sang along when we read them, and we especially enjoyed the audio books where the songs truly came to life. My favourites are the songs in Bread and Jam for Frances. An excerpt from this title with the first of the songs follows:

  Frances did not eat her egg.
   She sang a little song to it.
   She sang the song very softly:

   I do not like the way you slide,
   I do not like your soft inside,
   I do not like you lots of ways,
   And I could do for many days
   Without eggs.

Russell Hoban died this week at the age of 86. He leaves behind his second wife, seven children, thirteen grandchildren and a wealth of stories for future generations to discover, embrace and enjoy.

Family Literacy Day

While I would encourage you to read with your child(ren) on a daily basis, January 27th is set aside as a special day to encourage Family Literacy. Led by ABC Life Literacy Canada, and supported by public libraries and schools across Canada, Family Literacy Day is a celebration of learning in all of its guises. You can download a passport for learning from the ABC site with suggestions for activites to do with your child(ren) from sorting and counting to cooking and researching. There are many tip sheets available also for how to incorporate learning in a fun way at home every day.

At TPL we have programs running in many of our branches that range from puppet shows to sing-alongs, and of course, storytelling. Please check out the range of activities available and join us in celebrating the journey of learning. 

Great books to read aloud

So often as parents we read aloud with our children when they are very young but tend to stop once they start to read on their own. I can attest from experience that children of all ages even into the tween years enjoy hearing a story read aloud. Choosing to read longer and more complex stories and novels aloud gives you an opportunity to help your child read beyond his/her reading levels as well as opening up areas of discussion based on the book with them. Serializing a book over many evenings also builds anticipation and excitement for reading and books. As well, it is a wonderful opportunity for you to introduce your children to some favourites from your childhood. Classic stories such as The Hobbit, Charlotte's Web, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and The BFG are often overlooked by teachers and students when selecting books to read, and with reason as they are written in a style not familar to today's students. Reading aloud brings life to these books, however, and opens up great reading avenues going forward.

There are also many books published that are novels for students just starting into reading longer books. We have many talented Canadian authors that have published for this age group. I have hightlighted several below that fall into this category and are great read alouds as well.

One of my favourite Canadian authors to hit the scene in recent years is Dan Bar-el. He has written some of the most original takes on standard tales that will have you and your child laughing out loud. Things are Looking Grimm, Jill takes a jaunt through the land of Grimm with gender bending roles for both Jack and Jill. Jack likes to bake, Jill likes to joust, skate and fence. Interesting characters taken from fairy tales and nursery rhymes are found throughout this book, but with roles that are remarkably different from what you would expect. I first read this aloud to my nephew when he was 8. He is 13 now and it is still one of his favourite books. In fact, he counts himself as Dan Bar-el's number one fan. Read this book, you will not be disappointed.

Dear Sylvia by Alan Cumyn is another gem of a book. Written as a series of letters from Owen Skye to his true love, Sylvia, it explores the insecurities that everyone goes through at that time of life. The letters are written complete with spelling errors that you would expect in a young writer. This book is also laugh out loud funny, and if you think that perhaps the subject matter will not appeal to your son or daughter, you should know that it was selected as the Silver Birch Express winner in 2009. Silver Birch is a children's choice award, and there were hundreds of screaming readers cheering Alan on as he accepted his award.

 

The next two books are written by one of my favourite children's author, Hazel Hutchins. She has a large body of work, so if your child enjoys one title, they will have many others to choose from going forward. Hazel's style is very lyrical and her books are built on very imaginative themes. In Sarah and the Magic Science Project, science is pitted against magic, and surprisingly, both win. Sarah and Ben witness their neighbour turn a bully into a frog, and from that moment, Sarah is convinced that her neighbour would make the perfect science project. Whimsical and quirky, this book will appeal to a wide audience.

Prince of Tarn is a book of fantasy and one that will have you believing from the first page. On Fred's eleventh birthday he is woken by the sounds of His Royal and Eminent Highness the Prince of Tarn cursing and calling for the captain of the guard. Fred recognizes the prince from a fantasy book that his mother had written shortly before her death and attempts to help him. The book takes Fred and the prince on an adventure to save Tarn, the prince's kingdom, from destruction.

 

Another author to check out is Ken Roberts. Ken has been a children's librarian and more recently the CEO of Hamilton Public Library. He also has an amazing insight into what will amuse children and has written several books about Thumb. Thumb on a Diamond is the second in the series. It chronicles the adventures of Thumb and his friends from New Auckland, a remote fishing village in British Columbia, as they form a baseball team and win the regional championship, taking them to Vancouver. Nevermind that they are the only baseball team in their region or that the village is not wide enough to have a baseball diamond, they are off on an adventure that will delight and entertain.

These are but a smattering of the titles out there to enjoy with your child. The librarians in your branch would be delighted to offer additional titles for your reading pleasure. Check them out, you will not be disappointed!