Kathleen's Book and Resource Share

“Unputdownable” Books for Kids

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown


One day last spring I was in a chain bookstore in a mid-sized, eastern Indiana town looking for a gift for a special young friend of mine. I went straight to the children’s section intent on finding a book that would inspire and empower my friend in her fifth year of life. This little girl already had all of my favorite classics, so it was time for something new. I must have read or glanced through 100 not-good-enough books that day before finding this gem. The back cover of The Curious Garden reads “One boy’s quest for a greener world…one garden at a time.” Liam lives in a dreary, gray city without any green spaces. One day, he discovers the remains of what he imagines was once a beautiful garden. Liam tries to revitalize the plot and, through many ups and downs, eventually manages to turn it into a beautiful garden. I love how empowering this book is for children, showing them the differences that they are capable of making. I especially appreciate that Liam faces many obstacles, but doesn’t let himself get discouraged. I find the environmental narrative refreshing and inspiring. An added bonus: the illustrations are breathtaking.

Love that Dog by Sharon Creech

Love that Dog (and its companion Hate that Cat) follow Jack as he begins to explore the world of poetry. Written entirely in verse, Jack is initially skeptical of the poetry that his teacher, Miss Strechberry, is sharing with him. In the first entry in his journal, Jack writes “I don’t want to/because boys/don’t write poetry./ Girls do.” Other sentiments Jack echos include “It’s not a poem./Is it?” (p. 17) and “I think Mr. Robert Frost/has a little/ too/ much/time/on his/hands” (p. 21). At his teacher’s prodding however, Jack begins to find his voice and appreciate poetry. I love this book because it feels so real to me. Poetry can be a really intimidating form for children to explore and Jack’s hesitations are ones that I can really relate to. Another thing I really appreciate about this book is that Jack responds to real poems, by poets including William Carlos Williams, Robert Frost, and William Blake. When a child (or an adult) sits down to read this book, they are exposed to these classics alongside a narrator who wrestles with them as well.

The Colors of Us by Karen Katz


While the term “Celebrate Diversity” gets thrown around frequently in educational settings, this book truly does. The narrator, Lena is seven years old and, with the help of her mother, is learning to see the subtleties and nuances in race. Lena is the color of cinnamon, her mom is the color of French toast. As they walk through town, Lena uses her own knowledge of different shades of brown, frequently foods, to describe the people she sees. Lena is so excited to realize the diversity around her, and runs home to paint pictures of everyone she has seen. I think that this book is a great way to help young children realize that race is much, much more than black and white. Not only does Lena explore and describe these differences, but she soaks them up, revels in them, enjoys them, and has fun with them.

Resources for Teachers

The Coretta Scott King Award

From the website: "The Coretta Scott King Awards are presented annually by the American Library Association to honor African-American authors and illustrators who create outstanding books for children and young adults." I have never read a book that has received this award that I didn't find wonderful. The list of recipients is a great resource for finding children's books written by, and frequently about, African American history and culture. Some of my favorite winners and honorable mentions include The Land by Mildred Taylor, Let It Shine! Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters by Andrea Davis Pinkney, and Monster by Walter Dean Myers. One component of this award that I really appreciate is that there are categories for both author and illustrator.

The New York Times Parent's Guide to the Best Books for Children: 3rd Edition Revised and Updated

While this guide is written for parents, I find it to be a great resource for choosing classroom books. The guide includes many classics, but also plenty of books I was unfamiliar with. The books are described warmly and lovingly in a way that makes the reader want to dive in. The book is filled with beautiful drawings and is sensibly categorized and indexed. Of all of the books about books out there, this is one of my favorites.

Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Site

My favorite aspect of this website is the section entitled "Subjects in Children's Books." This section is broken down into two lists, Curriculum Areas and Themes and Other Subjects. The "Curriculum Areas" list provides links to descriptions of books and activities for different areas in Social Studies, Math, Science, Language Arts, and Art. The "Themes and Other Subjects" provides book and activity ideas thematically. I think this site is a great resource for when you are trying to find a book to go with a particular subject or lesson, but are unsure where to begin. The included ideas for activities are an added bonus.