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[CCBC-Net] Immigrants and Immigration
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From: Monica Edinger <monicaedinger>
Date: Mon, 7 May 2007 13:55:42 -0400
As Deborah mentioned (thanks, Deborah!) I have been teaching and writing about teaching this topic for many years. The book she mentioned is a picture book, Who Belongs Here? written by Margy Burns Knight and illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien, that I use to begin a conversation that my students and I keep up all year long.
I love introducing my students to Charlie Chaplin after visiting Ellis Island. Chaplin's short "The Immigrant" is such a great parody of the same old movies we have just seen of people coming through Ellis Island. And Avi's Silent Movie beautifully illustrated by C. B. Mordan is a great follow-up to that.
Since we focus first on picture books (as models for the ones my students do themselves with oral histories they've done) and then on historical fiction (in preparation for writing their own), I haven't used contemporary works of fiction on this topic with my students. But if I did I'd very likely use Candace Fleming's charming Lowji Discovers America.
And then there is one of the most extraordinary graphic novels I've seen in some time --- Shaun Tan's The Arrival. it isn't out till the fall, but keep an eye for it! An absolutely original and wonderful take on the classic immigrant experience seen in a totally fresh way.
Monica
Date: Mon, 7 May 2007 13:55:42 -0400
As Deborah mentioned (thanks, Deborah!) I have been teaching and writing about teaching this topic for many years. The book she mentioned is a picture book, Who Belongs Here? written by Margy Burns Knight and illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien, that I use to begin a conversation that my students and I keep up all year long.
I love introducing my students to Charlie Chaplin after visiting Ellis Island. Chaplin's short "The Immigrant" is such a great parody of the same old movies we have just seen of people coming through Ellis Island. And Avi's Silent Movie beautifully illustrated by C. B. Mordan is a great follow-up to that.
Since we focus first on picture books (as models for the ones my students do themselves with oral histories they've done) and then on historical fiction (in preparation for writing their own), I haven't used contemporary works of fiction on this topic with my students. But if I did I'd very likely use Candace Fleming's charming Lowji Discovers America.
And then there is one of the most extraordinary graphic novels I've seen in some time --- Shaun Tan's The Arrival. it isn't out till the fall, but keep an eye for it! An absolutely original and wonderful take on the classic immigrant experience seen in a totally fresh way.
Monica
-- Monica Edinger The Dalton School New York NY monicaedinger at gmail.com my blog educating alice is at http://medinger.wordpress.comReceived on Mon 07 May 2007 12:55:42 PM CDT
