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Nonfiction read alouds?
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From: Elliott BatTzedek <ebattzedek>
Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2004 14:12:01 -0400
Do any of you have favorite nonfiction read alouds? I've been working on developing trainings for teachers on how to read nonfiction aloud, after finding that the early childhood teachers we work with didn't know how to read these books and so weren't using them.
My recent favorite narrative nonfiction book is "Panther: Shadow of the Swamp" by Jonathan London. Without humanizing the panther, he has created a story full of suspense. It begins, "The blinding heat of summer quivers above the swamp. A long, thick tail twitches in the saw grass. A shadow flows. It is panther."
Elliott batTzedek Content Supervisor Children's Literacy Initiative 215V1F76 ext. 114
Message----From: Kathleen Horning [mailto:horning at education.wisc.edu] Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2004 12:41 PM To: Subscribers of ccbc-net Subject: [ccbc-net] Great Read-Alouds for Preschoolers
There are a couple of authors who always come to mind when I think of reading aloud to young children:
Pat Hutchins -- Titch; Titch and Daisy; Little Pink Pig; My Best Friend; The Doorbell Rang, etc. -- Very simple story lines that are usually built around a concept that three year olds can easily grasp. Her books are also good for kids with short attention spans because of her skillful use of predictable patterns. They are also very true to a young child's experiences.
Keiko Kasza -- Wolf's Chicken Stew; The Elephant Walks; Don't Laugh Joe; My Lucky Day, etc. -- Funny, appealing stories with animal characters. Very clever plot devices and clear illustrations that can easily be seen from a distance. I would say Wolf's Chicken Stew is my all-time favorite read-aloud for ages 3-5. I have probably read it to 100 or more groups of children over the years and it has never failed, no matter the mood or experience of the audience. If you've never read this book aloud to children, try it. It's a delight for the reader and listener alike. Adults in the audience always get a kick out of it, too.
I think both Pat Hutchins and Keiko Kasza consistently write excellent picture books for reading aloud to 3-5 year olds. Neither of them is flashy -- but they don't need to be. Their texts speak for themselves.
What are some other reliable authors for this age level that you've come to depend on as a mainstay?
KTH
Kathleen T. Horning, Director Cooperative Children's Book Center University of Wisconsin-School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706
horning at education.wisc.edu Voice: 608&3721 Fax: 608&2I33 www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
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Received on Thu 05 Aug 2004 01:12:01 PM CDT
Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2004 14:12:01 -0400
Do any of you have favorite nonfiction read alouds? I've been working on developing trainings for teachers on how to read nonfiction aloud, after finding that the early childhood teachers we work with didn't know how to read these books and so weren't using them.
My recent favorite narrative nonfiction book is "Panther: Shadow of the Swamp" by Jonathan London. Without humanizing the panther, he has created a story full of suspense. It begins, "The blinding heat of summer quivers above the swamp. A long, thick tail twitches in the saw grass. A shadow flows. It is panther."
Elliott batTzedek Content Supervisor Children's Literacy Initiative 215V1F76 ext. 114
Message----From: Kathleen Horning [mailto:horning at education.wisc.edu] Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2004 12:41 PM To: Subscribers of ccbc-net Subject: [ccbc-net] Great Read-Alouds for Preschoolers
There are a couple of authors who always come to mind when I think of reading aloud to young children:
Pat Hutchins -- Titch; Titch and Daisy; Little Pink Pig; My Best Friend; The Doorbell Rang, etc. -- Very simple story lines that are usually built around a concept that three year olds can easily grasp. Her books are also good for kids with short attention spans because of her skillful use of predictable patterns. They are also very true to a young child's experiences.
Keiko Kasza -- Wolf's Chicken Stew; The Elephant Walks; Don't Laugh Joe; My Lucky Day, etc. -- Funny, appealing stories with animal characters. Very clever plot devices and clear illustrations that can easily be seen from a distance. I would say Wolf's Chicken Stew is my all-time favorite read-aloud for ages 3-5. I have probably read it to 100 or more groups of children over the years and it has never failed, no matter the mood or experience of the audience. If you've never read this book aloud to children, try it. It's a delight for the reader and listener alike. Adults in the audience always get a kick out of it, too.
I think both Pat Hutchins and Keiko Kasza consistently write excellent picture books for reading aloud to 3-5 year olds. Neither of them is flashy -- but they don't need to be. Their texts speak for themselves.
What are some other reliable authors for this age level that you've come to depend on as a mainstay?
KTH
Kathleen T. Horning, Director Cooperative Children's Book Center University of Wisconsin-School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706
horning at education.wisc.edu Voice: 608&3721 Fax: 608&2I33 www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
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Received on Thu 05 Aug 2004 01:12:01 PM CDT
