• Learning about others: Introduce other cultures and lifestyles through books. Remember that farm life is "how others live" if you reside in the city and a middle class family with two parents is different from what many children experience. A story about circus performers introduces still another lifestyle.

  Chicken Sunday, Patricia Polacco, Philomel 1992

  The Story About Ping, Marjorie Flack, Viking 1933

  The Little Painter of Sabana Grande, Patricia Maloney Markun, Bradbury 1993

  Cannonball Simp, John Burningham, Bobbs-Merril 1966

  Hi, Cat!, Ezra Jack Keats, Alladin 1970

  Jamal's Busy Day, Wade Hudson, Just Us Books 1991

  Imagination: Children love to read, write, and act out stories about imaginary creatures. What sorts of stories are inspired by books like these?

  Tuesday, David Weisner, Clarion 1991

  Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak, Harper & Row 1963

  There's A Nightmare In My Closet, Mercer Mayer, Dial Press 1968

  The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher, Molly Bang, Four Winds Press 1980

  Behavior: Young children often feel their behavior doesn't measure up. They sympathize with characters who act just like them, who are afraid of losing their mothers, who enjoy visits with grandparents, who make messes, and who long for a best friend.

  Are You My Mother? P. D. Eastman, Random House 1960

  Little Bear's Visit, Else Holmelund Minarik, Harper 1961

  The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter, Warne 1902

  If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, Laura Numeroff, Harper 1985

  Corduroy, Don Freeman, Viking 1968

  Research: Whatever topics you are studying, you'll find factual information for children and yourself in non-fiction books. The librarian will be happy to guide you to the right shelves. Choose several books on the topic so children learn that there are many approaches to a subject. Place the books in your classroom library for students to use.

  Diggers and Dump Trucks, Angela Royston, Alladin 1991 shows pictures of huge machines.

  Bikes, Graham Thompson, Gareth Stevens, Inc. 1986 introduces unicycles, racing bikes, motorcycles and more.

  Bright, clear illustrations and an inviting size attract children to Flowers; Gallimard Jeunesse, Calude Delafosse, and Ren‚ Mettler; Cartwheel 1991.

  Remember to include information about real bears when you introduce your Teddy bear unit! Try Bears, Kate Petty, Gloucester Press 1990.

  Children are fascinated by the tale of Red Riding Hood. Learn about real wolves with Wolves, Gail Gibbons, Holiday House 1994.

  Art: Some of the world's best artists illustrate books for kids, so looking at picture books is like a stroll through an art gallery. Choose books with a variety of artistic styles to help children develop an appreciation of art's beauty.

  King Bidgood's In the Bathtub, Audrey Wood; Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich 1985

  Red Fox, Karen Wallace, Candlewick 1994

  Any book by Ezra Jack Keats

  The Red Thread, Tord Nygren, R&S Books 1987

  Snow On Snow On Snow, Cheryl Chapman, Dial 1994

  Include books with outstanding photographic illustrations like Big Cats, Seymour Simon, HarperCollins 1991

  To bring attention to different artistic styles, select several tellings of the same story, each with a different illustrator.

  The Three Bears, Paul Galdone, Houghton Mifflin/Clarion Books 1972

  Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Lorinda Bryan Cauley, G.P. Putnam's Sons 1981

  Reading Success: Books that repeat a theme and are predictable provide children with the feeling that they can "read" on their own. After hearing you read the story a time or two, children pick up the book and experience the pleasure of reading success.

  Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, Bill Martin, Holt 1983

  Good Night, Owl; Pat Hutchins, Macmillan 1972

  The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle, Collins 1979

  Rosie's Walk, Pat Hutchins, Macmillan 1968

  Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown, Harper & Row 1947

  Yesterday: Introduce children to "history" by reading books that show the way things were in the past. Remember that for the preschool child, ten years was a long, long time ago.

  Make Way for Ducklings, Robert McCloskey, Viking 1941

  Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Virginia Lee Burton, Houghton 1939

  The General Store; Rachel Field; Little, Brown and Company 1988

      Get to know your librarians. They are dedicated to bringing readers and books together, and they'll be happy to help you find the books you need at the LIBRARY.

Read Making Choices or go back to the article list.