Tonia Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I'm working on geography plans for next year - we're doing a "Countries and Cultures" theme and I need some help finding some good read-alouds. I've found lots of 'fact' books about the countries we are studying, but could use some advice on picture books, fairy tales, etc. from different countries on a kindergarten level. These are the countries we will be studying - Canada USA Mexico Brazil Argentina South Africa Nigeria Egypt Australia Indonesia China India North and South Korea Japan Russia Saudi Arabia Israel Turkey Denmark Sweden Norway Finland Austria France Germany Greece Ireland Italy the Netherlands Poland Spain Switzerland England Scotland Wales So, if you know of any good books about these countries, please post! Thanks so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Do you know the book How to Get Your Child to Love Reading? by Esme Codell? It's a great resource. It has books listed by subject matter, including a section on books from/about different countries around the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Is an anthology okay? There are several excellent ones. We've been enjoying the Oxford quite a bit this year, and the Usborne is a good complement to it. My kids love this book, for Korea, and there are similar ones for Tibet and China. It was hardest to find books of African folktales, but I did dig up a couple and ended up having to order them from the UK. The best of these by far is The Clever Rat by Suzi Lewis-Barned. The author's grandfather collected the stories in East Africa (and in Swahili) when he was working on developing good native texts for teaching Swahili to English speakers. They are exciting and fully illustrated in bold and beautiful watercolors. I could actually probably list a book or two for each country in this list, but it's easy to find ones which will suit you if you go here and download their lists. These lists are specifically limited to individuals within the cultures writing from their own authentic experience, and heavy on the picture books. Another great way to locate books by level and subject is to use Zuckerman's search engine. Have fun with those sites, and let me know if you get stumped on a particular country. I'll dig into our six foot long folktale collection to find what you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in MD Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Our library has a great reference book called "A to Zoo - Subject Access to Children's Picture Books" by Carolyn and John Lima. This reference book lists thousands of books according to the subject - there are over 30 for Australia alone! You might want to see if your library has it, or can get it for you. Ours lets you check out older versions of the books, the newer ones they keep at the reference desk. I also have the "How to Get Your Child to Love Reading" that another poster mentioned - that's where I found out about the A to Zoo book! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kara in FL Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 You might try: The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book by Hartman. It has stories from Greece, England, Scotland, North America, Puerto Rico, Finland, Africa, Java, India, Wales, Germany, Australia, Japan, Ireland, Spain, Norway, Brazil, Russia, and Egypt. Usborne Stories from Around the World. This one has stories from Australia, Persia, Greece, France, South America, New Zealand, Germany, Mexico, India, Scandanavia, Italy, Holland, Morocco, China, Czech Republic, Spain, Africa, Russian, Britain, North America, Japan and Cambodia. The Empty Pot by Demi (China) The Egyptian Cinderella by Climo Rechenka's Eggs (Ukraine) My daughter (4) has LOVED the above books. As a resource, try Books to Build On: A Grade-By-Grade Resource Guide for Parents and Teachers by Hirsch. You may be able to find this at your library. We have this and have used for book ideas. The books below I have not read - but might give you some ideas.... The Golden Slipper by Lum (Vietnam) Five Chinese Brothers Fisherman and His Wife Favorite Fairy Tales from ..... by Haviland Count Your Way Through ..... by Haskins (although several of these got bad reviews on Amazon) Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile by DePaola Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by Steptoe Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana in Canada Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 We love Anansi the Spider Tales for Africa. For Australia we just finished a lovely book called Are we there yet? : a journey around Australia by Alison Lester Canadian Folktales (as such) aren't easy to find, but there's a lovely recording at Librivox of a book by W.T. Larned called "North American Indian Folk Tales." They are tales collected from the Natives in and arounfd the Great Lakes region before they were all wiped out and the stories lost. I've also seen them published as a Dover book. A Heads-up: The Hiawatha of the poem--is NOT the Hiawatha who helped form the Iroquois Confederacy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 nt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdie Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Not sure what age you are looking for but We found a lot in the Sonlight catalog, I think it was Core 5. Also the My Father's World Exploring Countries and Cultures Instructor's Guide has a lot of wonderful suggestions too. If you could borrow the IG from a friend it would be worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonia Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 You guys are fabulous! These are exactly the suggestions I needed! And my library has most of them, so I will be checking them out! Thank you so much for your help! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in VA Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Thanks for those sites; I had never seen Zuckerman's before. I will certainly use those! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myra Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Try the USborne books - we have one about stories around the world - great art - good stories Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in OH Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 There is a section in there of literature by Geographical Location. I am planning on supplementing BJU Geography with that list. All Through The Ages: http://www.nothingnewpress.com/atta.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I have a list of U.S. picture books I used during first grade, by state (also books for territories). It's too long to attach here, but I'm happy to send it to you if you're interested. Canada - nothing I can think of right now. Broken Paddle is a chapter book about voyageurs that we LOVED last year! Mexico: Mexico ABC’s, Hieman Hummingbird’s Gift, Czernecki Manuela’s Gift, Estes Nine Days to Christmas, Ets Under the Lemon Moon, Fine How Nanita Learned to Make Flan, Geeslin In Rosa’s Mexico, Geeslin On Ramon’s Farm, Geeslin Moon was at a Fiesta, Gollub Twenty-five Mixtec Cats, Gollub Lorenzo, the Naughty Parrot, Johnston Day of the Dead, Johnston Magic Maguey, Johnston Ghost Wings, Joosse Piggy Bank Gonzales, Kent Butterfly Boy, Kroll Hill of Fire, Lewis (audio) Blanca’s Feather, Madrigal Trandi’s Braids, Madrigal Blue Bug Visits Mexico, Poulet Today is the Day, Riecken Mice and Beans, Ryan Brazil: Count your way through Brazil, Haskins How Night Came From the Sea, Gerson Amazon Boy, Lewin In a Bottle with a Cork on Top, Skurzynski Argentina - I don't know right now..... South Africa- Journey to Jo'burg is a good chapter book..... Nigeria: Take a Trip to Nigeria, Lye Bikes for Rent Olaleye Grandfather’s Work, Onyefulu Mysterious Gold and Purple Box, Watson Saying Goodbye, Onyefulu Egypt - I don't know, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile? perhaps.... something on the Suez Canal...... Australia: Pumpkin Runner, Arnold Where the Forest Meets the Sea, Baker Bossy Boots, Cox Bright Star, Crew Dial-a-Croc, Dumbleton Flood Fish, Eversole Possum Magic, Fox (home?) Big Rain Coming, Germein Don’t Dig so Deep, Nicholas Harrison Counting by Kangaroos, Hulme Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo, Lester Wombat Goes Walkabout, Morpurgo Rainforest Children, Pittawpy Farmer Schulz’s Ducks, Thiele Snap Vaughan Wombat Stew, Vaughan Biggest Frog in Australia (home) Rescuers Down Under – video A Waltz Through the Hills – video Old Shell, New Shell, Ward Old Woman Who Loved to Read, Winch Indonesia: Take a Trip to the Philippines, Oleksy Vietnam? Lotus Seed, Garland Grandfather’s Dream, Keller Walking Stick, Trottier China: Ruby’s Wish, Bridges Story of Kites, Compestine Visit to China, Packard Moon Festival, Russell Chinese New Year, Schaefer Chinatown, Low My Chinatown: One Year in Poems, Mak India: Heart of a Tiger, Arnold Story of Little Babaji, Bannerman Story of Little Black Sambo, Bannerman Lakshui, the Water Buffalo Who Wouldn’t, Gobhai Cow for Jaya, Grant Poombah of Badoombah, Lillegard Baya, Baya, Lulla-by-a, McDonald Gay-Neck: Story of a Pidgeon, Mukerji (audio) Golden Serpent, Myers Rikki-Tikki – video Nine Animals and the Well, Rumford North and South Korea - I don't know...... Japan: Old Man who Made the Trees Bloom, Jijii Magic Fan, Baker Crane Girl, Charles Painter and the Wild Swans, Clement How My Parents Learned to Eat, Friedman (audio) Ten Oni Drummers, Gollub Girl from the Snow Country, Hidaka Kenji and the Magic Geese, Johnson Yoshi’s Feast, Kajikawa Carp for Kimiko, Kroll Seven Gods of Luck, Kudler Yoshiko and the Foreigner, Little Moshi, Moshi, London Dragon Kite, Luenn Pair of Red Clogs, Matsuno Cherry Tree, MacCaughrean Emperor’s Plum Tree, Nikly Tea with Milk, Say Long Silk Strand, Williams Russia: A Look at Russia, Frost Babushka Babayaga, Polacco Philipok, Tolstoy Little Kim’s Doll, Yaroshevskaya Three Cheers for Catherine the Great, Best (audio) Apple Pie and Onions, Caseley A Piece of Home, Levitin Trees of the Dancing Goats, Polacco Uncle Vova’s Tree, Polacco Dream Jar, Pryor Twenty-two Russian Tales for Young Children, Tolstoy Saudi Arabia - anything about the Islamic faith, perhaps? I think Demi has out something..... Israel - Behold the Trees...... Turkey: Take a Trip to Turkey, Lye Denmark - Fat Cat, a Danish Folktale..... Sweden - I don't know, perhaps Viking tales for both this and Denmark, Norway and Finland? Norway Finland Austria - Grimm's Fairy Tales? France: King’s Day: Louis XIV of France, Aliki Giraffe that Walked to Paris, Milton Joan of Arc: Heroine of France, Tompert King Tree, French Boneparte, Chall Happy Lion, Fatio Happy Lion in Africa, Fatio Happy Lion’s Quest Happy Lion’s Rabbits Happy Lion’s Treasure Happy Lion’s Vacation Three Happy Lions (do all these really have to do with France?) Jean-Marie at the Fair, Francoise (and other Jean-Marie books) Inspector Peckit, Freeman Dinner at Mabritte’s, Garland Truffle Hunter, Moore Harry and Lulu, Yorinks Germany Greece Italy the Netherlands Poland Spain Switzerland - I can't think of any specific titles right now for any of this particular block.... Ireland England Scotland Wales: The Queen’s Progress: An Elizabethan Alphabet, Davidson Anno’s Britain, Anno Country Mouse Cottage: How we Lived 100 Years Ago, Brooks Town Mouse House: How we Lived 100 Years Ago, Brooks Regena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonia Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 I hadn't thought of using All Through the Ages. I was planning on buying it for history when we start first grade, but I will just have to add it to my list a little sooner ;) And thank you SOOOO much for that list of books, Regena - that is very helpful. I am sending you a pm about the other books. Thanks a bunch everyone! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I don't have a website, LOL, not smart enough to be able to make one. But I think they are on several other people's websites as well as on some of the yahoo groups for WTM. Regena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 If you want some folk and fairy tales from other countries the 398.2 section of most children's libraries is a great place to look through. We've found some wonderful stories there with beautiful pictures.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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