HIT-> Read Aloud Discoveries

[Julia Hedden Denton <denton@HAWAII.EDU>]

Dear LM_NET Members,

Recently I posted a request for school librarians to send me their
personal favorites for reading aloud.  The purpose was to compile a list
of "librarian-tested" but less known titles.  I received over twenty
responses and there are some great ideas here.

While there was some duplication of suggestions, I decided to simply
compile all the answers.  I wanted to include the helpful comments that
went along with the titles.

Thanks to all who responded!  Hope this list is as helpful to some of you
as it will be to me.

Mahalo,

Julia Denton
LIS student, University of Hawaii


********************
_Shoebag_ is one my school loves in grades 3 & 4. I believe the author is
Johnson, but I could be wrong.

It's the story of a young cockroach that is turned into a boy, & the
adventures following. Kind of like Kafka in reverse.

Sorry I can't remember the author--I know just where on the shelf it is!
But this is my Spring Break so I won't be able to look it up until next
week. If you still want the info then--e-mail me back & I'll send it to you.


*   Debbie Collier          Orange Grove Elementary  *
*   Librarian &             Houston, Texas           *
*   "Resourceress"          COLLIE@TENET.EDU         *

********************
Julia,  I forget the author, but Shoebag is a great read aloud for
1st-3rd grade.  Shoebag is a cockroch (sp?) who is called  Shoebag
because that is where he was born.  His  mother is Toaster, I think.
WRitten from the perspective of a coakroach and very funny.

Mary Buitendorp
Grand Haven Christian School
Grand Haven MI
mbuitend@remc7.k12.mi.us

**********************
One of my favorites to read to 3rd and 4th is Rafe Martin's *Rough Face
Girl.*

My 5th graders really enjoy Robert D. San Souci's *Sukey and the
Mermaid,*
which has marvelous illustrations to use with a group. I am hoping his
*Faithful Friend,* also illustrated by Brian Pinkney, will have the same
reception when I read it to 6th grade in a few weeks.

*Rude Giants* is great for 1st, and *The Tickleoctopus* for 2nd: both are
by Audrey Wood.

Thank you for compiling this list!

Marcia Garman Zorn            Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD
Librarian                     1400 Cavender Drive
Shady Oaks Elementary School  Hurst, Texas     76053
marciaz@tenet.edu             817-285-3240


********************
I've recently read The True Adventure of Daniel Hall by Diane Stanley to six
classes of fifth graders.  This is a true story (I've seen it catalogued both
as a biography and in the 900s) of a fourteen year old boy who sought the
adventure of a whaling ship.  He encounters many hardships along the way; the
kids find it particularly fascinating since the character is just a few
years older than they are.  I highly recommend it.
Please post a hit of other ideas.  TIA.

Judy Shaughnessy
Stratford Avenue School
Garden City, NY
Bry195@aol.com

********************
I'm not sure if the following titles are considered "lesser known", but they
are some of the most successful read-alouds I have discovered for 4th and
5th grade students.  I will be interested in your final list.

Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back (Silverstein)
Flight: The Journey of Charles Lindbergh (Burleigh)
The Magic Finger (Dahl)
Stories by Richard Kennedy, particularly "The Porcelain Man" and "The
Dark Princess"

Massalama!
Carolyn Hackworth
American Community School
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
American Community School of Abu Dhabi
Email: amcomsch@emirates.net.ae
P.O. Box 4005                                  Tel: 971-2-661-461
Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.                              Fax: 971-2-653-234


********************
The Perfectly Orderly House (I can't remember the author) is a fun read aloud
and a great lead in to Dewey.  I have used it for grades 3-5.

Hope this helps.
Marjorie Schor
mjschor@aol.com

********************
Please excuse the lack of details about the following titles. I'm at home
and the books aren't. Also, some I have lost over the years, but still
remember the audience response.

_Dragon in a clock box_ by Craig
_Rum pum pum_ (folktale from India)
_Grumpet under the rug_ by Jackson
_Mr. Willoughby's Christmas tree_

Sue Sheil
Franklin Elementary School
Manitowoc, WI 54220
smsheil@netnet.net

********************
Run out right now and find copies of *Books Kids will sit Still for* and
*More Books Kids Will sit Still for*, both by Judy Freeman and both published
by Bowker, for over 2000 titles that have already been kid0-tested, and
proven successful.  Judy includes curriculum suggestions, all kinds of
response activities, etc., etc., etc.  If you Library School doesn't own
these basic resources, why not?
BTW: Judy will be the keynote presenter for the AASL President's program
at ALA in NYC this summer.  She also does program through BERES.  If you
can ever get to one of her programs, it is worth every penny.
Alice H. Yucht
YUCHT@zodiac.rutgers.edu>

********************
The Library by Sarah Stewart and The Library Dragon by Carmen Agra Deedy
are great.  Even middle schoolers like them.

From:   chms@southwind.net (Chisholm Middle School)

********************
Julie---try "Rosie, A Visiting Dog" by Stephanie Calmenson.  It's a 94 or 95
copyright, I think; nonfiction picturebook about a dog who is trained to
visit hospitals and old folks' homes to provide comfort and cheer to
patients.  It's a SUPER readaloud.  I had to buy extra copies for my
students grades 1-3 to whom I read the book.  Great discussion starter. It
brought out the best in these children---compassion, sensitivity, and humor.

--
Kathy O'Neal
koneal@llohio.wviz.org
K-4 Librarian, Shaker Heights, Ohio City Schools
(216) 751-0749

**********************
Dear Julia,
        I read a book (or part of a book) by Roald Dahl to each grade
level K-5 and they LOVE him.  I cannot keep those books on the shelves.
The titles I read were:
        K - The Enormous Crocodile
        1 - The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me
        2 - The Twits
                I finished the above and read part of the following:
        3 - The BFG
        4 - Matilda
        5 - The Witches

        I hope you will post a hit on this as I am always looking for
great read alouds.  Good luck.

Anne LeBoy
aleboy@tenet.edu

********************

My kids like "THE NAPPINGHOUSE by Audrey and Don Wood.  They also adore
one called SOAP, SOAP DON'T FORGET THE SOAP.  Don't have the author on
that one, it's at work , I'm at home and it's Spring Break!
Do post a hit please, if you can.

                           Guusje Moore
                 Librarian, Housman Elementary School
                           Houston, Texas
                          guusje@tenet.edu

********************

5th grade:  Weasel by Cynthia DeFelice-  great drama/pioneer-type story
of a
young boy who has to outwit a man they call Weasel because he's so evil and
will kill at night for no reason.

6th grade:  They Cage the Animals at Night by Burch-  autobiography of young
boy shunted through foster system- in many cases mistreated-  NYC

4th grade:  Harry's Mad by King-Smith    - fun story to read with parrot
voice- set in England- parrot can speak and understand everything-lives with
family- gets kidnapped in London-

I've read the above out loud over period of several months and students and
I don't  lose interest.  I've read Weasel at least 3 years and am planning
on it again this year.

Tamara Hervey
Todd School
Briarcliff Manor, NY
thervey@computer.net

********************

The Half-Moon Inn by Sid Fleishman

Casma Huie (chuie@umd5.umd.edu)
Media Specialist Jackson Road Elementary
Maryland

********************
I've had a great time with Richard Kennedy's Inside My Feet. I wanted to
quote the first line to you so you could guess how it grabs the kids and
keeps them, but I've loaned my copy out.

I was delighted to find that the kids begged for more when I read Sandburg's
Rootabaga Stories to them -- I just told them to relax, feel the flow of the
words, and realize that this was poetry like music. I read them to 3-5th
grade classes in the late winter when everything gets tense and we all need
some wonderful release. (I rarely read anything to students which I havn't
practiced reading aloud first -- after all, 25-30 captive bodies deserve that
degree of respect, but give this one a couple of extra trial runs befor
performance.)

The Talking Eggs is always received well -- and is a great vehicle for
expanding into talk about the motifs of folk stories, or for building
from a
discussion of the nature of folklore.

Don't bother with the biography of E.B. White -- it's title is the best
written part of it, but read selections from E.B. White's letters. Such good
writing, and the idea of letters which really communicate is becoming
such a forgotten one.

Will be looking forward to your list!

Helen Seagraves  Hcgraves@aol.  Hood River, OR

********************
Me and Caleb  by Meyer (Very funny story about 2 brothers in the 50's)
not exactly unknown by Bunnicula by James Howe is surefire.
On My Honor  Marian Bauer
All about Sam Lois Lowry
Shadow on the Snow  and Snot Stew by Bill Wallace
The Not Just Anybody Family by Betsy Byars

Paula Neale                             ||  Ingels Elementary School
Library Media Specialist                ||  11600 Food Lane
hickman3@TV19.KCPT.ORG  ||  Kansas City, MO  64134
(816) 761-4343

********************
From:   Lesterfrog@aol.com

Iceberg Hermit by Roth!  Excellent survival story.

********************
Julia:  Don't know how popular this one is, but The Stories Julian
Tells and More Stories Julian Tells are two of my favorites from my
public library days.  I think they're by Ann Cameron.  She has
continued the series with other books about Julian for Stepping Stone
series (I think) and I'm not familiar with the newer ones; don't know
if they're as wonderful as these first two.  The language is magical,
the imagery is marvelous, and the characters are loving and lovable.
They read aloud really well.  I'm remembering how joyful I felt
reading them to a group of kiddos--the words felt so good on my
tongue!

Oh--I'd say they're good for kids up to grade 3 or 4.

Melissa A.  Malcolm
Mt.  Abraham Union High School
7 Airport Drive                      "I have no special gift.  I
Bristol, Vermont  05443                am only passionately curious."
802-453-2333                                      --Albert Einstein

********************
Dear Julia--I had to wait a couple of days to answer because I had
to climb up into the attic to look at my child lit collection as I
couldn't remember a title! (I left elem 10 yrs ago for hi school and
one does forget...)Anyway...I really like the church mice series
from England, wonderful illustrations and literate humor, *The
Church Mouse goes to the Moon*, etc.  The one I couldn't remember
was *Do Not Open* by Turlock and was on the nominated group of Ca
Young Reader some years ago.  I found that those were always popular
because they are voted on by the age group for which they're
written--a sure bet in interest.  I found several awards listed on
the net including CYRA but not for the K-3 level which this was...Of
course, the Stephen Kellog ones are always a hit, especially the one
about the tadpole.  good reading and thanks for dredging up
memories!  :)

Lois Roberts Bishop O'Dowd HS Library, Oakland, Ca
lrobert@odowd.pvt.k12.ca.us

********************
What a tough question! There are so many! But here are a few of my favorites:

The Twenty and Ten (Bishop) for upper elem.
Russell Rides Again (Hurwitz)  and other "Russell" books
Every Living Thing  (Rylant) for upper elem
Teammates (??)
Tales Julian Tells (Cameron)
Nate the Great (Sharmat)

Well, I'll stop there. I think most of these will qualify as "lesser
known", but they are all still in print. Good luck.

Jeanne Clark
Library Media Specialist
Houston, TX
jeannel@tenet.edu

********************
One of my favorites is The Houdini Box by Brian Selznick. It won the
Bluebonnet Award (Texas' children's choice) a few years ago. It is
short enough to read in one session and CHARMING. Lots of magic words
throughout. good luck!

Anne Swan     Johns Elementary, Arlington, TX     aswan@tenet.edu

*********************

My favorite read aloud book is "A Dog Called Kitty" by Bill Wallace.  I would
appreciate you sharing  the responses you get.  Thanks.

crife416@aol.com

Cheryl Rife
Inman Elementary
Inman, KS  67546

**********************
Good short stories for upper elementary ....

"Slower than the rest" by Cynthia Rylant in _Every Living Thing_
        (About a young boy who has trouble learning and a turtle he finds)
"Bad road for cats" by Cynthia Rylant in _Every Living Thing_
        (About a woman searching for her lost cat on a road busy with trucks)
"The girl who got a fairy in her eye" by Barbara Sleigh in _Stirabout
Stories_
        (Perfect for St. Patrick's Day, complete with the brogue and a
belligent leprechuan)
""Nothing to worry about" by Jim Bishop in Jim Trelease's _Read All About it_
"The groundhog war" and "The cherry tree buck" by Robin Moore in _The
Cherry Tree Buck and other stories_
        (Both are farfetched, but fun stories about a boy and his
grandfather)

Sue Sheil
Franklin Elementary School
Manitowoc, WI 54220
smsheil@netnet.net

********************