I want to teach my students that any text; print or non-print, can be read with a critical eye. The following books lend themselves particularly to this goal. For example, The Great Kapok Tree clearly presents Lynne Cherry's perspective on saving the Rainforests, so this may be a good option to use in lessons or small group work with students who are struggling in grasping the concept of reading with an eye for perspective and social issues. The following list covers a range of perspectives regarding race, class, gender, family, friendship, homelessness, nationalism, animal rights, and environmental issues, among others.
- My Name is Maria Isabel.....Alma Flor Ada
- Home of the Brave................Katherine Applegate
- Blubber...................................Judy Blume
- Freckle Juice.........................Judy Blume
- The Wall............................... .Eve Bunting
- Your Move.............................Eve Bunting
- The Great Kapok Tree.........Lynne Cherry
- The Story of Ruby Bridges..Robert Coles
- Heartbeat..............................Sharon Creech
- Love That Dog......................Sharon Creech
- Because of Winn-Dixie........Kate DiCamillo
- The Tiger Rising...................Kate DiCamillo
- Coraline..................................Neil Gaiman
- Just Juice...............................Karen Hesse
- Hoot........................................Carl Hiassen
- The Giver................................Lois Lowry
- Edward's Eyes........................Patricia MacLachlan
- Sarah, Plain and Tall.............Patricia MacLachlan
- Chicken Sunday.....................Patricia Polacco
- Becoming Naomi Leon.........Pam Munoz Ryan
- Every Living Thing................Cynthia Rylant
- Maniac Magee.................... ....Jerry Spinelli
- The Wretched Stone..............Chris Van Allsburg
- Little House on the Prairie...Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Freedom Summer.................Deborah Wiles
1 comment:
These are such great texts to work with, and I bet so many critical literacy ideas could evolve from working with specific groups. The idea of "the other mother" in Gaiman's Coraline--who would respond strongly to this representation? Do students with step-mothers respond differently to that character? I loved that book and so did my students, but I know we did not analyze it in terms of author's craft--why is it so compelling? Does it have anything to do with those haunting illustrations?
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