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What I'm Reading by Marlys Vaughn, Professor of Education Each November, National Children’s Book Week is celebrated in schools, libraries, and bookstores. Founded in the early 1900s, Book Week is dedicated to teaching children about the joys of reading. Here is my list of a few children’s books that entertain and educate: Where the River Begins by Thomas Locker. This book has fabulous pictures and tells the story of two boys and their grandfather. The characters hike overnight to the beginning of a mountain stream, which is the source of a river that flows by their home. This is a great environmental book that teaches issues about natural resources and pollution in a way that children can understand. Anno’s Counting Book by Mitsumasa Anno. This is one of the best counting books I’ve read. It is a picture book that teaches cardinal numbers and sequencing of the months of the year through its wonderful illustrations. Hop on Pop by Dr. Suess. There is great instructional value in most of the Dr. Suess books. Books such as Hop on Pop contain a repetitive nature coupled with rhyming words, which is a great tool for teaching basic sight words. In addition, books such as The Butter Battle Book have deeper themes that older children and adults can enjoy and appreciate. Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg. A Caldecott-winning artist, Van Allsburg both writes and illustrates his books. He’s an established children’s author, and is probably best known for his book The Polar Express. The Biggest Nose by Kathy Caple. The characters in this story are all animals. The principle character, an elephant who is concerned about the length of her nose, tries several things to make her nose shorter until she realizes that her other classmates (lizards, hippos, and kangaroos) have distinctive features, too. The implied theme is that everyone has unique features and that no one should tease others because no one is perfect. In addition to these books, popular best-sellers such as the Harry Potter series, authored by J. K. Rowling, and The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards have received rave reviews from children and adults alike. PREVIOUS PAGE | PAGE 1 OF 1 | NEXT PAGE |
