EDU364480 2013 discussion
Reviews of Books for Emerging Bilinguals
Bernier-Grand, Carmen T. (2004). Cesar Si, Se Puede! Yes We Can! New York: Marshall Cavendish.This collection of poems tell the story of Cesar Chavez. His happy childhood was stolen from him by poverty and injustice as he lost his house, then grandfather’s ranch during the great depression. He worked in fields and was in and out of schools throughout his childhood. After making a better life for himself, he gave it up in order to help other farmers organize peacefully to fight for their rights. His legacy still lives on today through the United Farm Workers Union.
I would recommend this poem collection to 3rd or 4th grade ELL students. Cesar Chavez is a positive Mexican-American role model for young people. Students may relate to many of his experiences depicted in the poems, such as teachers changing his name due to mispronunciations or having to support his family at a young wage due to unfair wages. His family experience is one typical of a Mexican-American family. The poetry is accompanied by beautiful illustrations and Spanish words are used throughout some of the poems.
Ketteman, Helen. (2012). Senorita Gordita. Chicago: Albert Whitman & Co. This picture book is a spin-off of the little ginger bread man, Senorita Gordita is a corn cake who jumps off her skillet before she can be eaten by Arana the spider. As Gordita escapes Lagarto the lizard, Crotolo the snake, Escorpion the scorpion, Javalina the hog, and Coyote the coyote join in the chase to catch Senorita Gordita through the desert. Eventually Senorita Gordita is outsmarted by Buho the wise owl, who eats the gordita.
I would recommend this book to kindergarten ELL students. The book makes the common ginger bread boy story more relatable to the experiences and knowledge of Mexican-American students. The story has one line that repeats throughout the book which is good for young English language learners. The book uses some common Spanish words such as amigo or adios and the names of the animals are also Spanish words.
Iijima, Geneva Cobb. (2002). The Way We Do It In Japan. Morton Grove, Illinois: Albert Whitman & Co.This picture book is about a boy named Gregory who has an American mother and Japanese father. He grew up in San Francisco and is now moving to Japan where his father’s job got transferred to. Gregory is excited about moving to Japan but learns that things are done very differently there than in America. The story shows Gregory’s struggles and triumphs as he transitions to a new culture, new school, and new language.
I would recommend this book for kindergarten or 1st grade ELL students as the sentences are simple and clear, yet not overly simplified. The few words that are in Japanese are defined within the text and have pronunciations. ELL students will be able to relate to the main character as he struggles with adapting to a new culture. Students in the class who are not ELL students may be able to sympathize and understand what their ELL peers are experiencing, because in this book it is the American customs that don’t fit into the Japanese culture allowing them to put themselves in an ELL student’s shoes.
Leighton, Maninne Rhea. (1992). An Ellis Island Christmas. New York: Viking.In this picture book Krysia immigrates with her mother and two brothers from Poland to America where her dad has already moved. She misses her dad and is worried about what it will be like in America. She can only bring a few items with her and has to leave much behind. The trip to the boat and long ship ride is not a pleasant trip. Once at Ellis Island she experiences new foods, lots of crowds, ad a Christmas tree. Finally her dad arrives to take her and her family to their new home in New York.
I would recommend this book for ELL 2nd grade students as a supplement to a history lesson. The book has pictures and the sentences are not overly complex. Students may be able to relate to history through this little girls story. Though immigration is different now, refugee students and immigrant students will find some similarities to this story. Krysia experiences hunger and soldiers occupying her town in Poland. She must say good-bye to her friends, her home, and her toys. The trip to America is not an easy one and she wonders if America is like the boat she travels on to get their or if she will be accepted into America. She also must learn to adapt to new foods and traditions as Christmas is celebrated differently in Poland.
Khan, Rukhsana. (2010). Big Red Lollipop. New York: Viking.In this picture book Rubina, a Pakistani girl is invited to a birthday party. Ami, her mother, has never been to a birthday party. Rubina’s younger sister, Sana, makes a fuss and Ami says that Rubina can only go to the party if she brings her little sister along. Rubina doesn’t get invited to anymore birthday parties after that and on top of that Sana ate the big red lollipop from Rubina’s goody bag. Time passes and now Sana gets invited to her own birthday party and Ami says she must take her younger sister Maryam who makes a fuss. Rubina convinces Ami not to make Sana take their sister along, so Sana brings back a big green lollipop from the party and gives it to Rubina.
I would recommend this book to kindergarten ELL students. Many ELL students may be able to relate to the parents not understanding the American culture and social customs. The story also has a lesson about forgiveness and could be a great way to introduce feeling vocabulary to students as Rubina experiences many feeling throughout the book. The sentences are not too complex and the pictures aid in understanding of the text.
Cosby, Bill. (1997). The Best Way To Play. New York: Scholastic.In this chapter book Little Bill and his friends play space explorers outside while they wait for their favorite space explorers episode to come on TV. After the show they see a commercial about a space explorer’s video game. Little Bill asks his parents for the game, but they said it was too expensive maybe for his birthday. Little Bill doesn’t want to wait that long. He meets up with his friends again and some of theie parents said no too, but then Andrew comes with the video game. They play the video game for a while, but then get bored and decide to go play pretend space explorers outside again. Little Bill learns that playing pretend is more fun than the video game.
I had a very hard time finding a beginning reader chapter book appropriate for ELL students. Of the books I came across at the library, this book was most appropriate for 1st or 2nd grade ELL students. The characters in the book represent a variety of ethnicities; however the only culture represented is the American culture (and Black American culture if you view it as a separate from American culture). The food and experiences in the story may not be what ELL students are used to at home and while sentences were not too complex, some uncommon vocabulary words are thrown in. The moral of the story is a god for all students, though probably more relevant for American students. I also noticed that it was the white character whose parents bought him the video game.
Snyder, B. (2012). I haiku you. New York: Random House, inc. Poetry.On every page of this book is a different haiku poem for Valentine’s Day. The poems are centered around different activities children do for fun, including riding bicycles, making snow angels, and playing on the playground. Most of the poems also have a juvenile romantic theme to them, exposing children to various innocent relationships they can form with one another, their pets, or even their favorite stuffed animals. The illustrations are simple and bright, and there is a different illustration with every poem to help increase understanding.
I think this book is great for both young learners and young ELL’s. As each poem touches upon a fun activity, or hobby of children, I think there is something for every child to connect to while reading. What is also great about this book is the simplicity of the poems. The content and language are easy for children to understand, and as haiku poems are traditionally short, students do not need to feel stressed by the complexity of longer poems.
Cousins, L. (2005). Maisy goes to the library. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. Realistic Fiction.
Maisy the mouse wants to go to the library today and read about fish. The story begins with Maisy’s entry to the library, and her search to find a book about fish. She finds several books in her search, but does not stop until she finds the book she is looking for. As Maisy sits down to read her book, her friends bring their books over to her quiet space, and they decide to all read aloud together “There was an old woman who swallowed a fly.” After they all check their books out, Maisy and her friends go to the park where Maisy finally finds a quiet place to read her book. The illustrations in this book are super simple with vibrant color choices. They illustrate Maisy’s library adventures in a way that learners of all ages could understand, even if they may not understand all of the text.
What I loved about this book was the way in which it could be connected to a real life experience for students. I find it important to take what students learn in school and apply it to real world situations they may encounter as often as possible. This gives them concrete experiences in what they are learning. I also love that this could be an easy field trip for teachers to take their students on, and they can connect this book to what they experience as they explore the library. The sentences in this book are also short with simple word choices. As they connect well with the illustrations, I think it makes it easy for young readers and ELL’s to understand the story even if they do not understand all of the text.
Seuss, D. (1968). The foot book . New York: Random House, inc. Traditional.
The Foot Book exposes students to the many different kinds of feet they may meet in their lives. Some of the various feet included are left, right, wet, dry, black, yellow, and many more. While the book may seem silly, what is great about it is repetition. In every statement in the book, and multiple times on every page, the words foot or feet are repeated. While all different sorts of feet are introduced, there is always that one word that remains constant throughout reading.
Because of the repetition, I think this book is great for young readers and ELL’s. This is because students will feel more confident when, as they read, they are familiar with several words on the page. It may give them the courage to try new words because they are already familiar with many of the ones found on each page. I think this book is also great because it shows students that although everyone is different, there are things that make everyone the same as well. Even though all of the characters in the book have different types of feet, the main character is excited about all of the different feet he can meet, making students more comfortable and accepting of differences.
McNamara, M. (2010). Presidents' day. New York: Aladdin. Historical Fiction.
In this book, a group of students explores the lives of different presidents for the upcoming Presidents’ Day. A fact is given for each of about seven different presidents, the main one discussed being Abraham Lincoln. The illustrations depict the students doing research on the president, including where he lives and what he does. They then share this information with one another in class. Illustrations also depict children dressing up like the various presidents they are discussing as the fun facts are introduced. The language and sentence structure in this book is very simple and easy to understand, while at the same time being very informative.
This book is great for both young readers and ELL’s alike. It has simple sentence structure and word choice that is easy to understand. It also uses fun illustrations to connect the various historical fun facts about the presidents to the research children are conducting in the classroom. “He thought all people were equal,” was a quote that I felt really stood out in this book. I feel this quote helps ELL students of other cultures to connect with both the book and other classmates. I think it helps serves as a reminder that everyone is equal, and can help spark further discussion about different presidents and their views on this matter.
McClure, N. (2012). Apple. New York: Abrams Appleseed. Picture Book.
This is a story of the life cycle of an apple told mostly through picture. On each left page is one word to describe what is happening to the apple such as, fall, find, share, or plant. On each right page is a great black and white picture that connects with the word. Each illustration was cut out of black paper with an X-acto knife and all of the images are very eye-grabbing. The story begins with an apple falling from a tree and being found. A little girl then takes the apple from the man who found it and shares it with her friends. It is forgotten in the grass, and covered by dirt by a gardener. The apple then sits underground throughout the seasons until it blossoms into an apple tree.
What I think is great about this books is its simplicity. Because it has only one word to describe each picture, students must make their own connections between that word and what they think is happening. It also gives students a great opportunity to practice foreshadowing as there are no written hints as to what comes next. This book is great for ELL’s because it gives them a large amount of space to practice language. As there is only one word per page, ELL students must use their own knowledge of language to express their thoughts about the story. This gives them an opportunity to learn new language when they are unsure of how to express their thoughts, and a place to shine when they possess the language to express what they think of the story. Students also get a great science lesson out of this book, and learn about the lifecycle of a food they may eat every day!
Carson, J. (2005). Stop teasing taylor!. San Anselmo: Treasure Bay Inc. Realistic Fiction.
This book tells a story of a boy named Taylor and his friend Otis. Taylor comes from a lower-income background, and therefore does not always have new shoes, clothes, and school supplies. On their first day of school, Taylor is repeatedly made fun of for his lack of new items to bring to school, and his friend Taylor tries to defend him. Their teacher hears about what is going on, and teaches her students about the negative effects of teasing and bullying their fellow classmates, or anyone else.
I think this book provides insight into a great life lesson for children. It opens their eyes to the negative effects of teasing and bullying others, not only of those being teased but of those who are teasing others as well. A few different races are represented in the book as well, and I think this is important to really connect with the different cultures of all students. This book is especially great for ELL’s because the pages switch off between parent and child. The very first page is read by the child, the next a parent or another adult, the next the child, and so on and so forth. The language on the adult side is richer, and the sentence structures a bit more complex. The side for children has a more simple vocabulary and sentence structure. I feel this switching off helps ELL’s to hear a new language being used, and then they are given the opportunity to try and advance that language themselves. On both sets of pages, there are bolded words for students to investigate and look up definitions for.
Book review # 3Mayer, C.(2008). Harriet Tubmam.Illinois,Heinemann Library.Biogrophy
This book is about the life of Harriet Tubman, it says that she was a leader who helped abolished slavery. She was born around 1820, ans she was born into slavery. One day in 1849 she escaped slavery. The underground railroad helped her escape. The book then explained a little about the underground railroad.She then became a leader of the underground railroad and helped slaves go north. Then in 1861 Nothern and southern states went to war known as the civil war. In 1865 the north won and slavery was abolished.
This was a good book, small picture book, but it had a lot of good information on Harriet Tubman. This allows ELLS to learn about various important individuals that impacted the United States in a positive way.
Book Review #4
San Souci, D.R. Cendrillon "A Caribbean Cinderella". Traditional
This book is just like The American Princess Cinderella story except that this is the Caribbean version. The poor stepsister lives in Mer-Des Atilles an island in the Caribbean. She wants to go to the ball so her godmother gives her a wonderful dress, a carriage and she gets to go to the ball. The Prince fall in love with her, but she must leave by midnight before everything disappears, so she runs and leaves her slipper. The prince then goes house by house in search of his princess until he finds her and they live happily ever after.
This is a great book, it allows ELLS to make a connection between their homeland for example if its somebody from the Caribbean, this book allows students to make a connection with the Caribbean and America. I fell it will make students appreciate other cultures and realize that even though they are in a foreign place, there are books and activities that brings them back to their homeland.
Book review # 5Holland. G.(2004).I Live In The City. Weekly Reader Early Learning Library. Non Fiction
This book is about the author explaining what it is like to live in the city. The book explains what he sees, hears and the places he goes to in the city. He hears cars and traffic, he goes shopping at big stores and there is bright lights everywhere in the city.
I recommend this book for ELLS because for someone who is new to the city this book will give them a better image and understanding of what the city is like. Also it is a good way to teach ELLS basic words that describe the city or that have to do with the city so that he/she is more familiar with the things he sees and places he visits.
Book Review #6
Grande M.N. Celebrations "Holidays In The United States and Mexico"
This book is about the different holidays that are celebrated in mexico and in the united states. It explains how some celebrations are the same and some are different. For example that we both celebrate presidents birthdays such as Abraham Lincoln in the U.S. and Benito Juarez in Mexico. Also how we celebrate Halloween here and in mexico they celebrate the day of the dead. It gives various example of different celebrations, but the main idea is that we may celebrate in different ways but our beliefs and values bring us together across time,space, customs, and place.
I strongly recommend this book for ELLS, it is a perfect way for them to be able to link their new life in the United States with their old life back in Mexico. I am sure this will make them feel more at home knowing that we celebrate some holidays the same way they do in Mexico. Also for other ELLS who are not from mexico this book will help them compare and also see if there are any similarities in these celebrations with the ones that they are used to. More importantly it allows students to learn about and appreciate other cultures.
Ryan, P.M. (1994). One hundred is a family. New York, N.Y: Hyperion Books for ChildrenOne Hundred is a a Family is a beautiful picture book about families. Pam Munoz Ryan showcases how families are different by culture, traditions, and activities done as a family. The beginning of the book counts 1 through ten and then moves on to counting by 10s.
This book is suitable for students in Pre-K to first grade. I think all students can relate to the book because the theme of family. A teacher can easily come up with extended lessons on counting and families.The book is nice for ELL students to help teach counting in numerical order and how to skip count by tens to 100. For older students, it can give an opportunity to share about their families.
Martin Jr., Bill. (1992). Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? New York, New York: Henry Holt and Co.This is a great book for preschool age children. It has a lot of repetition and rhyming and it has wonderful illustrations. The sing songy way that it is written can be beneficial to ELLs. It introduces new vocabulary such as colors and animals as well as rhyming words. Also, the pictures help the children to make predictions about what is coming next. It is easy for children to memorize so that they can say to words along with the reader.
Coerr, Eleanor. (1999). Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. London: Puffin.
This book would be good for fifth graders. This book is about an 11 year old girl named Sadako who learns she has leukemia. The leukemia has been caused by the atomic bomb that the USA dropped on Japan when she was two years old. In Japan it is said that if you make 1000 paper cranes you will be healed. Sadako made 645 cranes before she passed away. I believe that this is a good book for ELLs because it teaches about different cultures and backgrounds. It is also short and easy to read. Hands on, meaningful activities can be liked to this book such as making paper cranes. It also teaches children about the importance of world peace.
Abdel-Fattah, Randa. (2005) Does My Head Look Big In This? Australia: Pan MacMillan Australia.
This book would be good for 9th and 10th graders. This book is about a 16 year old Muslim girl named Amal who decides that she wants to wear the hijab full time. The hijab is the head piece that Muslims often wear. Amal is proud of her faith and wants to show that. Because of her decision she runs into a lot of people who judge her and are prejudice. This book is good for ELLs because it shows that it is okay to embrace your faith and your culture. It shows that you should be proud of who you are and where you come from.
Fleischman, Paul. (2007) Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella. New York, New York: Henry Holt and Co.
I would recommend this book 3rd and 4th grade. This is a great book that tells the tale of Cinderella in the different versions it is told in other countries. This is good for students to see how a story that is very familiar to them, is told in various countries and cultures. The book includes maps so that the readers can see where the stories come from. This is a good way to show children that there are similarities between cultures. It can help children from all different backgrounds to connect with something that they have in common.
Book Review #7Woods, A.(1996). Young Squanto "The First Thanksgiving". Troll Communications. Historical Book
This book is about how thanksgiving started. Most importantly it educates readers about the life of Squanto. He was a young native american who helped the sailors trade with other tribes. He lived in europe for several years until Captain John Smith asked him to sail with him, one day the captain surprised Squanto and captured him and many Indians and took them to Spain and sold them into Slavery. Squanto managed to escape but when he went back home he discovered that his people had died to sicknesses. He lived in the woods alone until one day a friend of his informed him that new people lived in his old village. Pilgrim s who came looking for freedom lived in his old village. Squanto taught them how to fish, hunt, plant, and how to survive on that land. When fall came they harvested their crops and they all shared food, played games, danced, and this is how the first Thanksgiving came to be.
I recommend this book for ELLS because it is a good story for children to understand how Thanksgiving Started and at the same time learn about the history of the Indians. This book will help ELLS have a better understanding of Native American history. The book had fun pictures that i am sure young students will enjoy while reading. Making it easy and fun for students to learn history while reading a short book.
Hidier, T. (2002). Born confused. New York, N.Y: Scholastic PressDimple Lala is a confused sixteen year old who's turning seventeen. In addition to having to deal with a so call best friend, dating, and just being a teen Dimple has to deal with her traditional Indian parents. Her parents want to arrange for her to be with a suitable boy, but she's not sure that's what she wants. The book explores finding yourself, love, and culture.
Born Confused is a book for high school students. The book is relatable in that it deals with typical teen experiences: friendship, parties, and dating. Importantly, it explores finding yourself in your culture. ELL students and other minorities may relate to having to connect to cultures--America and their native land. The book is wordy with small print, but for content and themes the book offers, I definitely recommend it.
The House on Mango Street is a book of vignettes about a girl name Esperanza. Throughout the vignettes, Esperanza speaks about her Latino neighborhood, that encompasses many personalities such as the woman who has too many children. Mostly though, the book is Esperanza's search for herself. Right from the start, she questions herself when admitting that she was named after her grandmother. She says that she inherited her name, but she doesn't want inherit her place by the window. She also doesn't want to be a woman dependent on a man. Esperanza is on a search for something more.
As a minority, I appreciated this book, because similar to Esperanza, I don't want to fit into the mold that society has of me, or my family for that matter. Nonetheless, because it does deal with self identity, I think anyone can relate to this book. I think students would like being on Esperanza's journey. This book is suited for middle school students. The chapters or vignettes are not long with lots of words, but in its own way has a rhythm to it which is why I think it's good for ELL students.
Book Review # 8Palacio.N.(1994). Grandmothers Nursery Rhymes. Henry Holt & Company. Poetry Anthologies.
This book had several different rhymes, riddles, tongue twisters, and lullabies from south America. Some i have heard or before since my parents are from Mexico. For example R with R is carry R with R is barrow Rapid run the railroad cars carrying sugar. Also A,E,I,O,U, the donkey know more than you. The rest of the riddles, poems, and lullabies did not know of.
I recommend this book for ELLS because it is a great book, this book might also help some students feel more comfortable reading because they have heard these riddles or poems before. Also its not your average book with a setting, plot, etc, so students will feel more comfortable since its not formal reading.
Review #9
Wells,R.(2008). Yoko Writes Her Name. Hyperion. Fantasy
In this book, Yoko is excited for her first day of school. She just learned to write her name, but when she has to write her name at school, she is teased because she can only write her name in Japanese. When the book she takes to show in tell is also in Japanese, this just makes the teasing worse. Until a classmate wants to learn Japanese as well, Yoko begins to teach everyone how to read and write Japanese and now this turned into a learning experience. Yoko is then accepted and she is very happy.
I recommend this book for ELLS because it teaches the importance of accepting others even though they may be different. Some ELLS may be teased just like Yoko, and by reading this book, they can see that being different makes them unique and that there are ways to make the best out of it.
Book Review #10Spiegelma.A.(1991).Maus.Raw.Graphic novel
This is a graphic novel about the author interviewing his father about his experiences as a holocaust survivor. His interview is meant for the maus project that he is making.It uses animals to describe the different types of human races.
I recommend this book for ELLS because it teaches about the holocaust through the eyes of a survivor himself. Graphic novels always make reading more interesting for ELLS. I think this is a great way to teach ELLS about historic events, and more graphic novels should be made to benefit ELLS.
Madeline Says Merci: The Always-Be-Polite BookThis book teaches children the importance of being polite to others. It is a good text for teaching the importance of kindness to others. ESL teachers can use this text to help students be more accepting and kind to eachother.
The Empty PotThis book introduces children to the Chinese culture and provides great visuals. The emperor announces his heir will be a child who grows the most stunning flowers which causes a stir throughout the kingdom.
Sadako and the Thousand Paper CranesThis is the story of a little girl in Japan who is diagnosed with Leukemia following the bombing of Hiroshima. She is hospitalized and decides to create 1000 paper cranes in order to receive a wish and be healed. Unfortunately, Sakado dies. A statue of Sadako is found in Japan and people from around the world send paper cranes to the statue of Sadako. During my student teaching, I read this story to my students and the class made 1000 paper cranes which we sent to Japan.
The Diary of a Young GirlThis is a classic piece of history. I recommend this for Junior High, 8th grade. It is the personal diary of a young jewish girl in the midst of WWII who is forced into hiding with her family. I recommend this for ESL students because it teaches history in a way which students in this age group can relate.
The Legend of the BluebonnetThis book introduces children to the American Indian culture. I read this to my 5 year daughter and enjoyed it greatly. It teaches about selfless acts in order to benefit the community or tribe. Recommended for K-2 grades.
The OutsidersAnother classic recommended for Junior High or freshman year in high school. The Greasers vs. Socs conflict. Two different groups of teenagers who are always fighting eachother but realize they are the same in the end. ESL instructors can also show the movie The Outsiders and compare/contrast it to West Side Story with the Jets vs. Sharks.
No, David!The David Shannon books are great for ESL learners because they provide wonderful visual and sentences which are easy to decipher. The story line is also relatable. Grades k-2.
Skippyjon JonesSkippyjon Jones is a chihuahua who goes on many different adventures. This series of books is great for emergent readers and ESLs. It again provides strong imagery, and incorporates the Spanish culture as well.
Kates, B. J. (1992). We'redifferent, we're the same. New York: Random House Children's Books.“We’re Different, We’re the Same” by Bobbi Jane Kates is a picture book that uses the characters from Sesame Street to introduce children to the concept of diversity. The book’s rhyming patterns and use of repetition make it a great choice for children just learning how to read or for children learning to speak English. The book tells us that everyone is unique and special and that is what makes the world such a great place. The book points out that we all have different characteristics and attributes such as eye color, skin color, and we all feel different emotions. Yet, the same things that make us different can also make us the same. Although we all have different eye colors, we all use our eyes for seeing. We can all blink with our eyes and we can all cry with our eyes. Even though we all have different skin colors, we all have skin for keeping us warm and we all have skin that holds in our bones and blood. The book’s illustrations, done by Joe Mathieu, depict children and animals of all different shapes, sizes and ethnicities having fun together.
“We’re Different, We’re the Same” can help children from diverse cultures feel that it is ok for them to be a little different. This book is a great tool for teaching children that even though someone is not exactly like them, it is ok because our differences are what make us all so wonderful and interesting. The book concludes by saying that what makes a rainbow so beautiful is that it is made up of many different colors. Similarly, the fact that we are all different makes the world a beautiful place.
Wargin, K. (2000). L is for lincoln: An illinois alphabet. Ann Arbor, MI: Sleeping Bear Press
What is Big Bluestem Grass? Who is Harold Wasington? What does mrs. O'Leary cow have to do with the Chicago Fire? All of these questions can be answered in this non-fiction alphabet book by Kathy-Jo Wargin. However, this book is more than about learning the alphabet, rather getting to know the state in a fun filled way with big vibrant illustrations and ryhmes that flow easily.
For read aloud puporses, the book is great for primary grades. Due to the infomation learned and the history, I say it's good for all elementary grades. The main pages are in rhymes, but on the sides there are more detailed information. ELL students will be able to learn about the state without so much text as in encyclopedias.
Rylant, C. (1998). Henry and mudge and annie's good move. New York, N.Y: Aladdin Paperbacks
Henry and Mudge are characters that most 7-11 children know. In this book, Henry's cousin Annie moves nect door. Henry and Mudge are exicted because they love hanging out with her despite her frilly ways. Although they are exicted, Annie is nervous, which makes her face break out. Henry and Mudge comes to the rescue with how to get rid of them.
Henry and Mudge are part of the Ready to Read series. This book is level two and best for second and/or third graders. I think it's good for ELL students because it has high interest vocabulary words and simple chapters. It's a great start to introducing chapter books.
The St. Brigid’s Head Start Children. (1992) Together We Are Together, Children’s dictations as Poetry. Syracuse: NewYork.This book is great for Kindergarten and preschool age children. It is a collection of poems that have been dictated by children at the St. Brigid Head Start. This book is written by children from many different cultures. There is poetry about themselves, their families and friends, food, feelings, and their body.
I think that this book is great for ELLs because it is written by children. The poetry is about things that all children have in common. It talks about emotions which can feel young children express how they feel. It also has a poem about skin color. It is interesting to see how young children see skin color. I think this book could start a good lesson where students dictate their own poetry.
Aardema, Verna. (1992) Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears. London: Puffin.
This is a story pre-k through 1st grade. The story takes place in West Africa. It is about a pesky mosquito that starts a rumor and it spreads through the jungle. It is a good story that teaches how words can hurt.
This would be a good story to read in a classroom with English speaking students and ELLs. It teaches that we should be careful of what we say because our words can get twisted and end up hurting someone.
Jules, Jacqueline. (2009) Duck for Turkey Day. Albert Whitman and Company: Park Ridge, Illinois.
I would recommend this book for pre-k and kindergarten. This story is about a young girl named Tuyet. In her family the tradition on Thanksgiving is to eat duck. She tries to convince her family that they are supposed to eat turkey and not duck but they do not agree. When she goes back to school the teacher asks what everyone had for dinner and Tuyet begins to cry. She is so embarrassed to say she had duck for dinner. After she tells everyone what she had she finds out that there are several children in her class who also do not eat turkey on Thanksgiving.
This story would be good for ELLs because it talks about differences between cultures. It helps to explain that everyone has different traditions and we should not be embarrassed of our culture.
McNelly McCormack, Caren. (2009) The Fiesta Dress: A Quinceanera Tale. Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books: Terrytown, New York.
This book is for kindergarten to 3rd grade. It is about a young girl whose sister is turning fifteen and having her Quinceanera. The little girl is jealous that everyone is paying attention to her sister and not to her.
This book is good for ELLs because it is multicultural. It is about a Quinceanera which is a Hispanic tradition. It also relates to children of all cultures because of the issue at hand. Almost all children experience jealousy and sibling rivalry no matter where they come from.
Wilkins, Verna, (2004). Children Around the World: Laguna Hills, CA: QEB Publishing.
This book is great for ages 4 to 10; grades prek to 4th grade. This nonfiction book introduces its reader to nine different children from around the world. Kamal lives in India and speaks Hindi and English, while Lola, who lives in St. Lucia, enjoys playing hopscotch. Beautiful, brilliant photographs give the reader a glimpse into each child’s world.
I recommend this book for ESL students because it profiles children from all over the globe, which is exactly the demographic of ELLs. This book is an easy read that provides wonderful pictures that cover the pages to support the written words. The author is linguistically and culturally responsive in the way that he introduces us to children from multiple cultures and uses language specific to their region. For difficult words there is a glossary at the end of the book. A good read.
O'Connor, J. (2004). If walls could talk: family life at the white house. New York: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers.This book goes through the history of the White House in a simple form. The pictures featured are all caricatures, making them super intriguing and amusing for students. The White House history begins with George Washington, and continues through the rest of the Presidents. The Presidents have word bubbles, and tell amusing facts about themselves. The White House also has funny fact blurbs about what occurred while different Presidents lived in the house, and the First Ladies are often included as well.
I think this book would be great for 3rd or 4th grade ELL’s. While the book offers a great deal of history, it is done so in an engaging yet simple way. The caricatures are definitely eye catching, and can help students make better relations with and become more interested in the Presidents. The word bubbles and text about the White House is simple enough for children at this age to understand, while still providing them with a challenging vocabulary. I also think that the way the information is really engaging for students, both ELL’s and regular students alike. Most history books offer basic information about the White House or the Presidents. This book provides students with a history of both presented through the eyes of the White House Walls.
Swortzell, L. (1997). Around the world in 21 plays: theater for young audiences. New York: Applause.
This is a large book of plays that would be great for older ELL students. Some plays I feel would work great for high school, others for junior high. The plays are from countries all around the world. Some of the plays of the past include: Jack Fuggler (England), The Flying Doctor (France), The Love of Three Oranges, and other plays from Sweden and Poland. Plays are also included by contemporary playwrights. Some of these include: The Pinballs (USA) which is about life in a foster home, a play about a group of Hispanic women living in a tiny apartment (set in New York), and a play about the superstitions of Inuit Shamans (set in Canada).
I think these plays would be really great for ELL’s, not only because they provide experience with reading and performing plays, but because these experiences are relatable as well. These plays are from all parts of the world, and incorporate a variety of cultures. These plays also connect with many experiences students can have outside of school, such as living with many people in a small living space, or growing up in a foster home. The language of both past and contemporary plays is challenging, but I feel this more so with the past plays as students must not only learn new vocabulary but decipher old language as well. As we have learned in this class to challenge ELL’s, however, I think these plays are a great way to incorporate culture and L1 learning at the same time.
Eastman, P.D., (1961). Go, Dog. Go!: New York, NY: Random House, Inc.
Go, Dog. Go! Is great for young children and early readers, ages preschool to 2nd grade. It is a wonderfully silly story about dogs; big dogs, little dogs, dogs in a boat, at night and lots more. The book tells of the adventures of these dogs accompanied by colorful illustrations.
This books works well for ELLs because it has lots of repetition and easy words for a beginning reader. There is plenty of rhyming and fun silly things that the dogs are doing through out the story. With every sentence there is a picture to provide picture clues for the reader. The repetition of words helps the early reader build confidence when reading, since they only need to have mastered a small amount of sight words to read this book. Go, Dog, Go! Is a whimsical book that any young child would enjoy reading.
Bang, M. (2004). My light. New York: The Blue Sky Press.This book simplifies the way we get our energy. It begins with the sun, and continues onto dams, wind turbines, plants, coal, and solar panels. The book explains how we use the sun in order to get energy through all of these different forms. The book also has great painted illustrations explaining all of the different steps that go into getting energy from all of these different sources. The book is also written from the perspective of the sun. The sun describes to readers how we use its light for energy to light our homes and for many other purposes.
What is great about this book is the way that it breaks down the complicated processes involved in getting energy for students to understand. While language and sentence structure is simple, there are still words to challenge ELL students. There is also a glossary at the end of the story, as well as more facts about the different energy forms. I think this is great for ELL’s and all students because while the literature is challenging, there are resources within the book itself to use in order to aid in comprehension.
The Pumpkin that Kim CarvedThe Pumpkkin that Kim Carved is children's book that explores the process of a pumpkin going from a seed, to growing on the vine, to a truck to a farm to a person's home. The book adds words on each page which I feel would make it a good book for young ELL's who are just starting to read and have maybe entered a program of all English with Spanish support.
Hairs/PelitosHairs/Pelitos is a story from The House on Mango Street. The book is a children's book that is written in both English and Spanish. The English words are at the top and the Spanish translation is at the bottom of the page. The book describes the different hair of each member of a family. The text is repetitive and builds off the previous pages.
I think this is a good book for young ELL;s as it shows family, and physical characteristics. It also uses adjectives to describe the members of the family's hair which I think would be valuable for young ELL's to have this practice for usage. The illustrations are beautiful and would really engage the young readers.
Wing, N. (2001). The night before kindergarten. New York: Grosset & Dunlap.This book is to the tune of “Twas’ the Night Before Christmas.” It talks about the various steps and feelings a kindergartner may feel when first beginning school. The book contains colorful watercolor paintings that go along with the various steps the kindergarten character takes to prepare for school. The book even discusses the parents emotions as they let their children go to school for the first time.
What I really like about this book is the way that it connects to other pieces of literature. Not only does it connect to the Night Before Christmas, but many other books have been written by this author in the same pattern. If these books were used together, the familiar pattern may help young ELL’s to form connections between different pieces of literature. What I also like is that it can help to ease the tension and nervousness felt by young students. I find this especially true with ELL’s, who may enter the year at a different point than other students as they arrive from other countries or locations. This book can be a great way to help introduce them to the classroom, as the language and sentence structure is easy to understand.
Jeepers Creepers: A Monstrous ABCJeepers Creepers is a children's book that goes through all of the letters of the alphabet with a different monster. Each monster has a specific characteristic that is identified. There is rhyming and wonderful illustrations that would really keep a young child's attention.
I think this would be a fun way for young ELL's to learn their abc's. The rhyming and descriptive adjectives will help them to learn their vocabulary and as well as parts of the body. This might be a fun option for Halloween time too.
Little WomenLittle Women is a classic about a family in Massachusetts during the 1800's. The story follows four sisters and their trials and tribulations of growing up and keeping their home in order while their father is away at war. The common themes of strength and independence make this a must read.
I believe this is a good choice for ELL's in middle school as an introduction to American history and as a precursor to reading more American literature in high school. I also like how young ELL's could be introduced to the themes of feminism and could therefore spark more of an interest in feminist literature.
The Night CrossingThe Night Crossing chronicles a Jewish family in Austria and their escape from the Nazi territory. The family must leave their home in Innsbruck for Switzerland by traveling at night with only the clothes on their back and a satchel of valuable items to barter with farmers for safe haven. Clara, the young girl, has two dolls, Gittel and Lotte, which her grandmother gave to her. These dolls had made a "night crossing" when Clara's grandmother came to Austria from Russia. They would be the ones to save the day for Clara's family on the last leg of their own "night crossing".
This book is a great introduction to the history of the Holocaust. This would be ideal for second or third grade readers. The content is appropriate for young readers so as not to frighten them but to raise awareness of the past and to encourage questions and an interest in world history. This would be a good choice for young ELL's learning about the theme of freedom.
The Three R'S: Reuse, Reduce, RecycleThe Three R's is a children's book that introduces recycling. It goes over the three R's of recycling and gives great examples of each. There is a little story about Paul and his town that has so much garbage that the landfills are full.
This is a great book for young ELL's because the vocabulary is highlighted and examples of recyclable items are found throughout. The book is clearly illustrated so students can identify the items. This makes learning the new vocabulary easier. This book is a great introduction to classroom activities that involve recycling. There are even some activities in the back of the book that you could incorporate into the classroom.
Soto, G. (2007). a simple plan. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.“a simple plan” is a collection of poems written by Gary Soto. Soto is a Mexican-American author of both adult and children’s books. He commonly writes about overcoming the struggles of daily life, his experiences as a Chicano, and his relationship with the Mexican-American community. These reoccurring themes make all of his books great choices for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of human nature, especially those of Hispanic backgrounds. “a simple plan” could probably be read by anyone in 6th grade or up but, in my opinion, the book’s figurative language and symbolism would best be understood by high school students.
Research tells us that it is important for ELL students to be exposed to complex texts because as long as they have the right support they can get through them. Even though some of the concepts in this anthology may seem advanced, even for English-proficient students, I feel that this is the kind of literature that ELL students should have the opportunity to experience. This collection is a great way to encourage ELL students to think critically and expand their understanding of the English language in a different way than would be possible with other kinds of literature.
Na, An. (2001). A Step from Heaven. Boyds Mills Press, Inc.This story would be good book for junior high or high school students. It is about a girl named Young Ju from Korea that moves to America. The story begins from the point of view of the girl when she is five years old and it progresses as the girl ages. This is why I think it would be a good read for ELLs. It starts out with simple writing and gets more complex as the story continues. The struggles Young Ju and her family go through can also be relatable to children who have immigrated to America.
Wood, Audrey. () The Deep Blue Sea: A Book of Colors. Blue Sky Press.This is a great book for preschool and kindergarten students. The book uses rhymes and repetition. It builds on each page and repeats what was on the last page. By the end of the story the students are saying it along with you. Also, the text of each color word is written in its designated color. This is a great book for ELLs because of the rhyming and repetition. The color coded words are also a benefit to Ells. The illustrations are clear, bright and colorful.
Lunch Money: And Other Poems About SchoolThis is a collection of twenty-four school themed poems. They are funny, engaging and fully relate to the day in the life of a young student. The illustrations are colorful and fun and representative of each poem.
This is a great book for ELL's because not only does it teach rhyming but helps to identify daily routines for school. The poems also show examples of social life at school for example, playground rules, school crushes in "Amanda" and learning math.
ELL's would benefit from this in many ways.
Chicken LittleChicken Little is a classic tale of the chicken who claimed the sky was falling. Each page tells the tale of who the chicken meets as he is exclaiming about the sky falling. The illustrations in this edition are bright and colorful and very abstract. What makes this especially good for ELL's is that every page feeds into the next. There is repetition to help with comprehension and a story line to help the students understand plot. There is rhyming as well such as Foxy Loxy for the fox, Loosey Goosey for the goose, Henny Penny for the Hen. Rhyming and repetition are especially useful ways to help young ELL's transition to English.
Mama Panya's Pancakes: A Village Tale from KenyaThis is a wonderful story about a mother and her son in a Kenyan village. Mama Panya and her son Adika walk to the market to get flour and a chile pepper to make pancakes for dinner. On their way Adika invites all of their friends to come for pancakes. Mama Panya is nervous that she will not have enough to feed everyone that her son has invited. Adika reassures her that they will have "a little bit and a little bit more". While Mama Panya is making the pancakes, the guests have begun to arrive and to her surprise, they are bearing extra food! The mother and son and all of their friends will have a feast after all! At the end of the book there are details about Kenya and what life is typically lke there.
I found this to be a great example for ELL's because it is an example of community. There is a bit of repetition, and each page describes the environment around them. The illustrations are colorful and engaging and are culturally relevant to the text. I think this would be a useful resource for a lesson on community and to teach children about African culture.
Barakat, Ibtisam, (2007). Tasting the Sky: New York: Melanie Kroupa Books.
Ibtisam’s memoir describes what it was like to be a child living in war torn Palestine when the Six Day War breaks out and the years that follow. She takes the reader back to when her family had to flee their home, how they were displaced from your home for months and the difficulties of trying to go back to your home in an occupied territory. This powerful story is written from the eyes of a very young girl who talks about her fears, the love for her brothers, her curiosity of the world and her confusion about the events going on around her. The story chronicles her love of letters and passion for writing that was her refuge.
This is a great book for ELLs, grades 5-12 (ages 10 and up), because it provides a story that some ELL have experienced themselves and/or can relate, as some of our ELL are coming from war torn areas and have been refuges. If not their own story it may be that of their parents or grandparents. It is written very well and is an easy read. The author is culturally responsive in the way that she is honest and true to the Palestinian culture and takes the reader into her experiences; sharing not only cultural but religious traditions defining their importance to a Palestinians life. Barakat is linguistically responsive when she uses the Arabic language in the book and takes the reader into her world as though you were speaking with her personally. I really enjoy this book and would use it in my classroom.
Smith, Jada Pinkett, (2005). Girls Hold Up This World: New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.
This photographic book is a story empowering girls to be proud of who they are and to look within. It is full of positive messages and images that reflect the words on the page. The short picture book uses beautiful pictures of girls of all ages and races to show that they are all the same and yet unique in their own way.
I picked this book because ELL girls do not always get the message that they are special and unique, and should embrace her talents. Sometimes the outside world is sending them different messages. While this book is an easy read, K – 3rd, I would read it to younger students. This book uses photos to show girls working together, doing karate, playing basketball and being loved by the generations of women in their family. The one line, “We are sisters of the Earth – members of one powerful tribe,” shows that authors being culturally responsive. This is sentence goes along with a photo of 8 women of different ages and colors. Overall a good feeling book for girls.
Gage, Nicholas, (1983). Eleni: New York, NY: Random House, Inc.
The author who came to the US as a young boy takes us back to his village in Greece during WWII and chronicles his journey to uncover his mother’s killers. Eleni is the story of what he uncovered. He tells the story of what he and his mother and sisters endured during the occupation of their village. His father was in America, so his mother, Eleni, was left alone to deal with her fate. The book talks about how soldiers lived in their house, how they murdered people in front of them to ensure compliance, how they burned his sisters feet so they couldn't take her to train her as a soldier but they took one of the younger sister instead. Gage gives great detail about how Eleni planned the escape from her village and risked everything to save her children.
I chose this book for more advanced ELLs, ages 15 and up (11th & 12th grades). It is a difficult read, and not for everyone because of the content. Like so many survivors, the author writes about the traumatic events that children and parents experience during war. If you use this book you need to know the background of your students and make sure they can handle the content. At times it is a bit confusing because he uses a lot of names of the people he interviews and his trail of research. Gage is culturally responsive because he does talk about what happened and describes the life of villagers in that time period, the way of life before and during the war. He provides the reader with a very good visual of what life must have been like.
FelitaFelita is the story of a young Puerto Rican girl and her family living in the Bronx. The story follows her family as they move to a different neighborhood for better schools but experience prejudice and violence in it's wake. The feelings of Felita are described in a way that is comprehensible to young readers but is still able to grab the heartstrings of adults. Felita is a fine example of community and family.
Felita is appropriate for ELL's because of the link to family and community. The language is easily comprehended and paints a clear picture of the environment in the Bronx in the mid-1900's. This would make a great addition to any culturally related unit in the classroom.
Ferris , J. (1991). Native american doctor: The story of susan laflesche picotte. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.Native American Doctor:The story of Susan LaFlesche Picotte, is a biography chronicling the life and achievements of Susan LaFlesche Picotte. Picotte was a Native American woman from the Omaha Tribe who overcame seemingly impossible odds to become one of the only women doctors of her time (the late 1800s). I think this book is perfect for students around fourth, fifth, or sixth grade.
This inspirational book is a great choice for ELLs. Considering her groundbreaking accomplishments, I was amazed that I had never heard of Susan LaFlesche Picotte. The fact that she is a relatively unknown historical figure reiterates the fact that our modern educational system unfairly glorifies the accomplishments of white European descendants more so than those of minorities. Picotte was truly a revolutionary of her time and her story is empowering to women as well as to members of minority groups. Even today there are not as many women in the medical field as men, yet Picotte entered the field at a time when women were viewed as caretakers who partook mainly in domestic affairs. I feel that Picotte’s story should be told to young students everywhere and used as an example of how no matter where you come from you can beat the odds and accomplish anything you put your mind to.
EDU364480 2013
Books mentioned in this topic
Felita (other topics)Eleni (other topics)
Girls Hold Up This World (other topics)
Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood (other topics)
Mama Panya's Pancakes (other topics)
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This book is a collection of poems about fathers and their children. Both pieces on daughter and sons are included. Some poems are funny, about dad’s prickly face when he hasn’t shaved, piggy back rides, or dancing in the kitchen. Some include bonding time over baseball or road trips. Others express confusion as how to introduce a stepfather to his friends or longing for a fathers affection. One includes being grateful for each other despite the little else they have.
I would recommend this collection of poems for kindergarten, 1st, or 2nd grade ELL students because to poems aren’t too complex. They are all on the same topic (father figures) so it shows diversity in experiences with fathers. The poems do include different multicultural experiences however a majority of the poems are about middle class American experiences. None of the poems include homosexual fathers, absent fathers, angel fathers, or immigrant fathers who are absent for periods of time to find work to support the family. Despite these missing experiences, I would still recommend this book because it does show that every child’s experience is different and would be a good introduction to get students thinking about writing their own “daddy” poems.