Great Read Alouds

Hello.

In last week’s email I gave a source for finding the Dewey number of a book if you can’t find it elsewhere. I got a response from a librarian that mentioned their library uses a book called “Library Flipper: A Guide to the Dewey Decimal System”. I looked for this book and found that it is out of print, but you might find it in a used bookstore or online. The price is only $6.95.

This week I have some homework for you. What books do you read aloud to your students? I want to compile a list of great read-alouds to put on a website. So send me titles, authors, of books that you and your kids love. Also, let me know what grade level you use it for. We’ll have a lot of books for others to choose from.

Here are some of mine.

Toliver’s Secret by Esther Wood Brady All grades, but I read it to 3rd and 4th
A timid young girl must carry a secret message for General Washington across enemy lines.

Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat All grades. You may cry at the end.
Hilarious story of a young boy who adopts two young owls as pets. You will laugh out loud and possibly cry while reading this book. I know that I do.

Frindle by Andrew Clements Middle grades are best for his books.
Andrew Clements’ school stories are all good. They are very popular in my library and with me as well. Watch out for his chapter books. One titled ‘Things Not Seen’ is not appropriate for an SDA school library.

Safe Return by Catherine Dexter Middle grades
Story of Ursula who lives on Gotland, an island known for its wonderful knitted sweaters and other items. She can’t seem to get the hang of it, but when her aunt goes to the mainland to sell the knitted sweaters and does not return when expected, Ursula is insistent that Aunt will return.

Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan Middle grades
Adventure and excitement through children taking gold on their sleds to be hidden from the Germans. An abridged version of this story is in the Life Reading Series as the book portion for a 5th or 6th grade text. Don’t use that version if you can help it.

Deborah by Margit Strom Heppenstall All grades
The story of ‘The Little Captive Maid’. My teacher read it to us when I was in elementary school. This may be one way to get your students to read the old Adventist books. Great stories in many of them.

The Facts and Fictions of Minna Pratt by Patricia MacLachlan (This is one of the literature sets in the new reading program. Try to find recordings of the music mentioned in the book. This will help bring it to life.)

The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill All grades
The story of a teacher in a one room school in the north and the effect she had on the students. Told from the perspective of one of the students.

A Certain Small Shepherd By Rebecca Caudill All grades, but I read it to 3rd and 4th
A heartwarming Christmas story. I believe it is in one of Joe Wheeler’s Christmas in My Heart books.

Did You Carry the Flag Today, Charlie? By Rebecca Caudill
Charlie is a lovable child that cannot seem to follow directions at the kindergarten. At the end of the day the teacher chooses a child to carry the flag and lead the group to the bus. Will Charlie ever get to carry the flag?
Even though it is about a kindergartener, I use this with the 3rd and 4th grades.

Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink All grades, but I use it for 5th and 6th
Also try Magical Melons which is a sequel to Caddie. The funniest story in Caddie is called “Pee Wee”. Read it to yourself before you read it to the kids to decide if you want to read it aloud. It is a little violent, but it is a story that Tom made up to tell to the other children.

Twenty and Ten by Claire Hutchet Bishop All grades, but I read it to 3rd and 4th
Twenty French children help hide ten Jewish children at their school in the mountains during the war. Short, but powerful story.