Picking THE Book to Read Aloud

Once a month I get to read aloud for Mrs. Brown’s fourth graders at Cridersville Elementary. I started the year with my favorite book, Neil Armstrong’s Wind Tunnel Dream. It was an easy pick!

For November and December, I looked first for a Thanksgiving picture book, then a Christmas one that her kids would love. Thank goodness I found both!

In January Mrs. Brown’s class was reading about survival, and she asked for a picture book about it. I said sure, and this is where the search began…
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​Part 1: The Search for Books: 
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​My search started on the Ohio Digital Library website. When I read to classes on Zoom, I want the book to be the star, and the digital library always delivers a great read!   

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Step 1: Click on the search bar. Then type ‘survival,’ and hit enter. 
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​This came up on the left…Showing 1-24 of 1,888 results for survival. 
There’s no way I’m looking at all of them…
So, I narrowed my search.


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​ Step 2: I scrolled down the left side, looking for Picture Books. 
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​I checked Nonfiction first. It had1 title, but I didn’t pick it.
So, I scrolled back up to Picture Book Fiction. I highlighted it for you.
Do you see 15 titles? Bingo, I hit paydirt!
I clicked. Look below and see what I found! 


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Step 3: I click on every title that’s available and read the descriptions.
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If I’m interested, I check out the book and flip through the pages.
If I like it, I keep it. If I don’t, I return it.
I wound up with 4 survival titles, but I can only read 1.
Can you pick out THE Final 4?

Tomorrow: Meet them, description by description
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​​                                                                                                                                     Part 2: Meeting the Books
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What the library said: It's time to go, but no one can find Hannah! That's because she's in the park with much to do. She needs to collect caterpillars and sticks, make a bow and arrow, and build a bed out of leaves. Deep in the shrubs, she sets up a secret hideout for herself and her companion, an Odd Furry Creature. Together, they hunker down over the campfire, lost in their own little world. But then a voice cuts through the branches and clearly says, "Where are you?" Hannah brushes off her paper, and the reader learns that Hannah was lost—not in the woods—but in her drawing. This dreamlike, lyrical picture book with shades of Where the Wild Things Are illustrates the power of imagination to transport us to new worlds.
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What I liked: Hannah and her park. Kids can easily imagine themselves stepping into Hannah’s shoes and sharing her adventure. My concern: Is the story big enough for kids to learn something new about survival? 
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What the library said: Rama and her family, are forced to flee their once-peaceful village to escape the ravages of the civil war raging ever closer to their home.
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With only what they can carry on their backs, Rama and her mother, father, grandfather and brother, Sami, set out to walk to freedom in Europe. This unique picture book was inspired by the stone artwork of Syrian artist Nizar Ali Badr, discovered by chance by Canadian children's writer Margriet Ruurs. The author was immediately impressed by the strong narrative quality of Mr. Badr's work, and, using many of Mr. Badr's already-created pieces, she set out to create a story about the Syrian refugee crisis.

What I liked: The illustrations! They’re created with stones, and they’re incredible. The story is written in both English and Arabic, and it’s about a family escaping civil war in Syria to start a new life in Europe. My concern: Will kids understand the depth of this story?


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What the library said: A 2018 Caldecott Honor Book that Kirkus Reviews calls "a must-read for our times," A Different Pond is an unforgettable story about a simple event - a long-ago fishing trip. Graphic novelist Thi Bui and acclaimed poet Bao Phi deliver a powerful, honest glimpse into a relationship between father and son - and between cultures, old and new. As a young boy, Bao and his father awoke early, hours before his father's long workday began, to fish on the shores of a small pond in Minneapolis. Unlike many other anglers, Bao and his father fished for food, not recreation. A successful catch meant a fed family. Between hope-filled casts, Bao's father told him about a different pond in their homeland of Vietnam. Thi Bui's striking, evocative art paired with Phi's expertly crafted prose has earned this powerful picture books six starred reviews and numerous awards.

What I liked: The father and son going fishing together. How they work together to stay warm, to catch enough food to feed the family, and to stay connected to their home in Vietnam. My concern: This story is really quiet. Will it engage my audience? Can they imagine themselves in this story and take something away from it?


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What the library said: When two scientists find themselves stranded on Iceland's newest volcanic island, Surtsey, they have to navigate fiery lava, fogged-up glasses, and dwindling supplies to survive until rescue arrives. Based on real life events, this action-packed book keeps readers guessing about the one surprising twist in the tale that's not entirely true.    
Endnotes include information about volcanoes, Icelandic culture, and Norse mythology. Perfect for young adventurers
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What I liked: A volcano erupting on an island. A man stuck, trying to survive, then escape. Exciting! My concern: This story is so unlike anything my audience has experienced. 
 
 
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                                                                                                                             Part 3: Picking THE Book, x Two:  
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​ Did you pick this one? I didn’t when I pulled the other three titles. They had bigger themes to explore.  From civil war to emigration to volcanic eruption, they all seemed more important.

But the biggest thing to consider—the audience. Fourth graders are 9-10 years old. When I remembered that, The Hideout won. The illustrations are bright and colorful. They appeal to this age group. Fourth graders live in the here and now. They have bedrooms, and they’ve played in parks. It was easy for them to figure out what they’d need to survive in the illustrations.
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As for the other three, I read that kids don’t have the context adults have. If you mention Vietnam or 9/11, kids don’t know about them so reading and understanding books about them is harder. Who knew? I was on the right track after all!


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​​       This week I had to pick another book for Mrs. Brown’s class. Can you guess which one I chose?

If you picked Mr. Goat’s Valentine, you’re right! The cover is bright and colorful, like The Hideout. And the story, it’s about a goat getting something for his first love. The class loved it!
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And the other title, it came from my Saturday read aloud. It’s not as colorful, but it’s full of heart. Fran K. Stein (think Frankenstein) can only think of his Valentine, but that means his ghostly, monstrous, and witchy friends feel left out. The result, a plot that’s a Halloween-Valentine delight!