Favourite Authors

Shel Silverstein

One of favourite contemporary children's literature authors would have to be Shel Silverstein

His amazing creativity and self drawn pictures bring such life and vitality to his books. after discovering his talent I am intersted in getting to know more about Shel and his oftenquirky sense of humour.

Below are a series of drawings from his picture books.

Listen along to this video named, "Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too" from Where the Sidewalk Ends © 1974, renewed 2002 Evil Eye, LLC. Performed by Shel Silverstein courtesy of Sony BMG Music Entertainment. He has a great website which reflects his true nature as a talented writer and illustrator.

Look out for other short stories of his which you can be find on Youtube, they are an interactive delight for children and teachres allike. You may even be able to incorporate the video into your classroom.

Graeme Base

Graeme Base is another one of my favourite authors for his unique interpretation of his world and how he allows us to view it through the eyes of magical animals. Another very creative and talent author of children's books, more famously known for such books as 'Animalia' published in 1986.

Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl would also have to feature as one of my favourite authors and talents in the field of children's literature. He has been childhood favourite of mine for a long time now and I'll never forget his whimsical books!

Paul Jennings

Paul Jennings is a best-selling Australian children's book writer. His books mainly feature short stories that lead the reader through an unusual series of events that end with a twist. I loved his books growing up and they still have an effect on me today, I hope all young readers get the opportunity to experience the qwirks of Paul Jennings. His still producing today and I am looking forward to reader his latest book 'The Nest' which can view at penguin books

The Brighton Fringe Festival

The Brighton Fringe Fesitval is a great resource for young emerging writers, artists, illustrators, producers and audiences alike.

For direct information related to literature present at the fesitval follow the link for a listing of books and authors. If you are after more information about the events that the festival holds then just follow the link. It can be really helpful to check out the events as you might notice some writers or illustrators which you fancy. Just happened to come across this event unexpectedly so please check it out.


This is Hilary Cooke who is the designer of the Twenty-Six Letters which the Children's Literature section of the program for the 2009 Brighton Fringe Festival. She takes us through you is being presented i.e like Chris Fisher , events for individuals and all ages that are being held, interactive schedules and a run down of what to expect from the program. A very exciting program for children, parents, teachers and authors.



The next video is Pippa Smith who is in charge of the Children and Family section of the program. Her main contribution is the marketing and promotion of the program to families and children which could really help anyone out there who is in a similar position and may need a fresh look at how to attract attention in Children's Literature.



It really is a great event where a lot of schools and administation could learn a few things from. These ideas are here to promote reading to our children therefore we should share whatever resources we can find to better enhance their future and exposure them to the assortment of talented people making them.

Audio Readings

These are a collection of readings from children's books I have been able to access. They are my interpreation of the books and in no way represent the authors, I thought it would be a great way to attract students and teachers to the wonders of children's literature and open up the possibilities of what could be achieved.

**NOTE: Please allow sometime for files to load

Introduction to Audio Readings




This is my first attempt at reading a short book. I will be reading others over time but for now I would appreciate any feedback regarding the current reading. Thanks for your help and hopefully I will improve over time.

'Weather' By Pamela Chanko & Daniel Moreton











Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do you hear? By Bill Martin Jr and Illustrations by Eric Carle.













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Recommended Reading

Soon to updated with a list of recommendations from various sources.

Children's Activities

Literature is such a useful resource in the classroom therefore including activities is an essential ingredient especially in regard to Children's Literature.

Poetry - Children's Poetry

A list of useful activities to use with poetry for children. Being creative and innovative in the use of poetry in the classroom can introduce the student to a different perspective. One has to be willing and motivated to use poetry in the classroom as it is much the teacher's responsibility as well as the students.

This section lends itself more to collection of links to alternative resources as we have limited time on our hands. We are still in the process of working out how to better present these activities but for now we will have to deal with what we know.

I will try my best to find as many materials and activities as I can related to using children's poetry in class as I believe children should learn how diverse poetry can be and the wonders it can bring to their expressions in life.

A fantastic resource to use would have to be 'Poetry for Kids' it is full or wonderful resources for the classroom that both helpful to students and teachers. Remember to make it fun and not like that boring teacher you had in high school that took out all the fun of reading and writing poetry.

http://www.poetry4kids.com/

This website also has a great library of fantastic resources as it is a collection of the poems from various authors, from well known in the field to amateurs who have contributed to for the benefit of children all over the world. Many themes to choose from and podcasts for in class readings or assignments.

www.poetryarchive.org/childrensarchive/home.do

Check out world famous Spike Milligans podcasts and pages on the above website, a pure delight and a resource that can be moulded into an activity for children of all ages.

http://www.poetryarchive.org/childrensarchive/singlePoet.do?poetId=7513

For Spike Milligans official website follow the link and you will find biographical information, his poems to download and print out for a class activity or vidoes clips about Spike and his famous quotes.

This is a pretty reliable source that I have found whilst looking over the internet that links to a wide variety of alternative websites with many activities for childrens poetry.

www.fwointl.com/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=22&num=559

Activities

How to Write an I Am Poem

Suggested Grades 3+

Objective:

An I Am poem is a good way to teach children to focus on their own characteristics. It also is a good ice breaker for the beginning of the year.

Method: I Am

I am (two special characteristics)

I wonder (something you are actually curious about)

I hear (an imaginary sound)

I see (an imaginary sight)

I want (an actual desire)

I am (the first line of the poem restated)

I pretend (something you actually pretend to do)

I feel (a feeling about something imaginary)

I touch (an imaginary touch)

I worry (something that really bothers you)

I cry (something that makes you very sad)

I am (the first line of the poem repeated)
I understand (something you know is true)

I say (something you believe in)

I dream (something you actually dream about)

I try (something you really make an effort about)

I hope (something you actually hope for)

I am (the first line of the poem repeated)

Poetry ideas By Tiffany Regan.

I found this the other day whilst surfing for some ideas related to how I could engage children in the art of poetry.We start off each lesson with a shared reading of a poem. I let the kids enjoy it and make comments. I will also quickly point out any tool used in the poem, alliteration, etc. Then the kids can go to centers.

Poetry Table

One is a table with lots of poetry books. They get with a partner and read through the book, marking poems that they like. On the front of the book they will put a sticky note with the title of a poem. They can share these at the end of class, and I use some to make into transparencies for shared reading

Poetry Window

I put tape around a window and the kids go over and write down things they see outside. This is to collect "seeds" for future writing.

Doors to Poetry

I have the five doors to poetry center. See Georgia Heard's book Awakening the Heart  Once you read over the poem you will understand how to incorporate it into your lessons. Remember it is up to the teacher to be well informed on these topics so they can better direct students on how to use them.

Poetry free
They compose poems 'Poetry Copying' by copying down a favorite poem, or even favorite phrases in a poem and illustrate them. Have a look at "Sunflakes" by Frank Asch  as an example poem and the kids choose the words or phrases that make a good mental picture. They copy them down and illustrate it in a manner that they like, encouragement is key and paramount to the children remaining engaged in poetry.

I hope some of these ideas are useful to you. Here are some good titles: 'Animalia' is great for alliteration 'Hailstones and Halibut Bones' is wonderful. There are many good example lesson plans online as part of Scholastic publishing the book.  Attempt to  pair it up with 'My Many Colored Days' by Dr. Seuss and 'Color Dance' by Ann Jonas, then the kids can write their own color poems.

Story Books

Arnold, Tedd. More Parts America, Penguin Group, a division of Puffin Books 2003.

A very cool, playful, cute book to educate children about body parts and the common expressions one might hear adults saying out of context. Its use of text was very playful as it was twisted like the child’s imagination of the expressions that might come true. In a similar fashion, the illustrations used squiggly blue, red lines to indicate to the reader that things are not as they seem. A great fun book for children, which would most definitely lead into a lesson on body parts with endless possibilities.

Blume, Judy. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. America, New York, Dell Pub. Co, 1970.

Faced with the difficulties of growing up and choosing a religion, a twelve-year-old girl talks over her problems with her own private God, this has several really positive points but could also lead students into area of uncertainty. Teachers should be extra careful with such topics as students contain a lot of curiosity. The topics are great for opening up the discussions/problems girls might encounter and even boys when they are going through tough times in adolescence. You could easily have boys Vs girls in this situation looking at the pros and cons of both and the different difficulties they are presented with. A very social/cultural aspect which requires sensitivity on the both the teachers delivery and students understanding.

Breathed, Berkeley. Goodnight Opus Penguins, Little Brown and Company 1996.

A great book for both younger readers and adults to lose yourself and get carried away! This book has the potential to open up a lot of areas of thought, adventure, imagination,and creativity to students. From the simple/basic objects within a room or a classroom one can start to imagine other possibilities of creation and a unique world where anything can happen and anything can look the way you imagine it. I love the slightly lengthy rhyming text as it is always coupled with a big and beautiful illustration this would engage the young reader on many levels. A great book with a lot of potential with a simple means.

Brennan, Herbie. Frankenstella and the Video Store Monster. America, New York, Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2002.

Stella turns into Frankenstella and chases down the video store monster that has eaten her mother, an awesome pictorial and illustration of how the imagination of a child can run wild with so many possibilities. An awesome book for getting children to think outside the box, I would have children think of words and images and draw spontaneously what came into their mind on a large scale. Expression is a method that should not be understated.



Brett, Jan. Berlioz - The Bear New York: Penguin Putnam Books/Scholastic Inc, 1992.

Amazing illustrations sets this book apart with almost two stories taking place, one as the main story and another in the top band where all of the animals are preparing for the musicians. The drawings are extremely detailed, colorful, and imaginative creations of what kind of clothes animals might wear. The setting is a little old worldly giving a sense of history, the text is fairly straight forward and reads well, it is paced accordingly and includes a very different take on animals as compared to 'Barnyard Boogie', the animals work together to help each other out of an unfortunate situation. This could lead into an activity about a nice collection of animals or music of some sort or even relating different personality traits to different animals i.e. the 'stubborn' donkey, the 'angry' bumblebee etc.



Carlstrom, Nancy. It’s About Time, Jesse Bear America, Scholastic, New York. Collins, 1998.

A realy good book for children aged between 5-8 for teaching lesson and for displaying a look into the life of another family. It is a rhythming book which is a playful way to read through the book. The day is broken down into different sections from early in the morning/waking up to getting sick and going to bed. Everything in the book is Bear related so looking for bear beds, bear lamps and other things with bear symbols on them can be a fun way to keep children engaged whilst reading it.



Carrick, Carol, Pictures by Carrick, Donald Patrick's Dinosaurs Clarion Books, New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1985.

The book follows two brothers; the older brother educates the younger one by telling him about dinosaurs. When the older brother speaks about the dinosaurs the younger brother imagines them in the modern world. This is probably one of the most common traits in young boys; they love to create imaginary objects within their world to a point where they are so curious they become scared by what they can imagine. It was a great book showcasing brotherly affection, authority, respect, and trust within family members. This would be perfect for explaining the history of Dinosaurs.



Chanko, Pamela & Moreton, Daniel. Weather America, New York, Scholastic, 1998.

Photographs and simple text describe some of the activities associated with various types of weather, from ice skating to going to the beach. Awesome little book where students could act out the different situations or make object to accompany each type of weather situation. Students could make a list of objects or write about their experience in such weather conditions.



Donaldson, Julia, Illustrated by Scheffler, Axel.The Smartest Giant in Town America, Macmillan Children's Books, 2002.

A slow paced book with repetitive wording to explain how kind, gentle and thoughtful the giant was to the smaller less fortunate animals in the village despite his size. The illustrations are kept simple but with detailed little clues and fun little additions, especially other fairy tale characters which unexpectedly show up were possibly thrown in to keep children amused. It was a very happy and loving story with a great ending. It would definitely lead to a class on clothing and/or alternative types of housing, paths, scarf's for animals or humans.



Di Terlizzi, Tony. Jimmy Zangwow's out of this World Moon Pie Adventure. America, New York:Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2003.

Overall the books use of imaginative illustrations was well suited to the text and the use of wording throughout the book. The illustrations had an old worldly feel reminiscent of the Tom Sawyer era around the 1870's especially with the repetitive use of an umbrella and the style of his homemade jalopy not to mention of the old style milk bottles. It was a joy to read especially the lead up to the climax and the happy ending when Jimmy receives his Moon Pie. The main strength was the boy's out-of-this-world experience which could lead into an ongoing series if the author indented and opens the reader's imagination to the possibility of adventure even within the boundaries of the home.



Eastman, P.D. Are you My Mother? America, New York: Random House, 1960.

This beginner book has a great lesson and educational content for readers, following the journey of a new born bird trying to find its mother. The use of simple sentences that over time become longer is a great tool for readers learning to form sentence structure. The illustrations have great character and are kept simple with a monochromatic color scheme so as to not distract from the main message within the book which is the child's journey to discover its mother. A great one for all mothers and children alike!



Fudwapper, Edward, Fudwapper, Fannie. Fibbed Big New York: Little Brown and Company, 2000.

A cleverly written rhythmic book in verses with an imaginative setting for the children's lies although I thought it was a little long for a typical moral/message and the style of drawing was one I probably would not promote in class as I believe it would be a little hard understand exactly what was going on. Linking the text, rhyme, and visuals in this book seemed a little disorientated which would be hard to transfer to a classroom activity. The vocabulary is a little hard to explain and not that practical for young learners.



Lobel, Arnold. The Rose in My Garden America, New York, Scholastic, 1985.

A variety of flowers grow near the hollyhocks that give shade to the bee that sleeps on the only rose in a garden, all whilst the illustrations of the plants grow taller and taller as the story adds more and more plants. Then a mouse and cat chase each other to wake up the rose in her garden. A joyful book which can teach children about gardens, plants, and educate about the importance of the environment, many great activities can accompany this book.



Lowry, Lois. The Giver America, New York, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1993.

Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives. This is a great story and one which links to a lot of great issues dealing directly with morals, ethics and philosophy of lifestyles and the importance of sharing your opinions. This book requires me to look deeper into the activities section where I will be able to link to certain topics The Giver deals with. An awesome book, well worth the time to read this one as students will gain a great deal from it!!



Maestro, Betsy. Take a Look at Snakes America, New York, Scholastic Paperbacks, 1997.

The detailed text discusses anatomy, habitat, and how snakes move, feed, and raise their young. A very informative book to help children understand the importance of snakes in the ecosystem and prehaps the dangers of coming in contact with one. Reading though it I actually remembered and learned things I wasn’t completely sure about so children would find it fasinating to discover new things about reptiles. This would be prefect to tie inside with an excersion to the Zoo or for students to do a reseach project about their favourite animals.



Martin,Billy & Carle, Eric. Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? America, H. Holt, New York.1997.

Zoo animals from polar bears to walrus make their distinctive sounds for each other, while children imitate the sounds for the zookeeper. A very simple book for young children as I have reviewed Eric Carle’s books before in detail I find them very limited and without much depth which the same can be said here. The book in a whole is a little limited but great for educating children about Zoo animals.



McMillan, Bruce. Eating Fractions America, New York, New York. Collins, 1991.

Food is cut into halves, quarters, and thirds to illustrate how parts make a whole. Simple recipes are actually included so children could make their food as part of reading the book or as an activity after the book. They could also choose their favorite foods and do activities relating to food, presenting it to the class. Many activities could follow this book.
Check out the activities section.



Meddaugh, Susan. Harry on the Rocks. America, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, New York. 2003.

Harry and his boat become stranded on an island, he discovers and egg and comes to realise that it is a dragon. When he discovers that it is a dragon he becomes scared and hides. The dragon helps Harry get home and they become friends. This has a good messge and is a little bit of a longer story which could be a great for slightly older students. This one teaches children about friendship, judging a book by its cover & misadventures. Could lead into some great activities which we will look at in the activities section.



Numeroff, Laura, Illustrations by Joe Mathieu. Dogs don't wear sneakers America, New York:Simon & Schuster Books, 1996.

A fanciful child's book with a lot of potential for exercises in the classroom especially the concluding open-ended question, "But tell me what you see? It's your dream-not mine!" this could lead into an activity where students close their eyes and draw what they imagine when the teacher calls out words or reads the book a second time. This book would be ideal to highlight how animals live, what do they do? What do they eat? How do they act? Where do they live? Or another collaborative activity could be with the use of other animals (African, marine) and thinking a rhyme to match what they would do.



Often, Hilda. There might be Giants. Hodder Children's Books, 1997.

A very imaginative approach to a children's world where anything is possible and adults cannot understand or refuse to understand or believe in such things. A colorful/illustrative approach to display the story with some visual clues as to what giants, dragons, monsters and wizards might look like. This one is for the children alone and for them to lose themselves in a creative world full of possibility; one could have students make certain items that a monster, wizard or dragon etc might use or even a school dress up day in which they could come as their favorite characters. Overall the book was simply yet very effective.



Peet, Bill. Cowardly Clyde America, New York, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1984.

For a war horse, Clyde is an abysmal coward, but he finally decides that even if he isn't brave, he can at least act bravely. This book contains a kind of helpful story with it but it could be misinterpreted by children who read it. One has to watch the way it is read and explain the story in detail with a good activity to reinforce the points they would like children to go away with. The illustrations and story are quite detailed and have a nice appeal to them although as I said one needs to watch the social issues being discussed.



Post, Jim & Janet, Illustrated by Dan Vasconcellos. Barnyard Boogie Accord, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2003.

A different approach to barn yard animals with the unique die cut and puppet inserted into the book. It would be an ideal book to sit down with the whole class and read through it with everyone joining in to make the sounds of the animals. Drawings are kept basic with a very free hand illustrative style with the focus on the sounds of the animals. Could lead into other activities with different barn yard animals or it could tie in nicely with 'Old Mack Donald's' stories. A little bit limited as it only focuses on the sounds but has potential.



Peet, Bill. Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent America, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company,1975.

The moral of the story is to 'not judge a book by its cover' and to 'help those who are less fortunate than you', which occur between a unique setting and characters. In my opinion the books pace was nicely choreographed although the use of wording was disappointing for example "in three shakes and a jiffy", "And in half a Shake", "A bloomin miracle", and "As limp as an old shoestring", even these expressions used during the seventies would have been hard to explain to readers. Apart from the text the crayon drawn illustrations provide an interesting visual experience for young readers.



Teague, Mark. Pigsty America, New York: Scholastic, 1994.

The use of pigs to send a message of responsibility to young readers is a clever ploy and works well with the humorous conundrum of the title and the characters. The illustrations seem to pop out of the book, always emerging out from the edges, to almost come alive creating a very lively narrative. A fun and playful book for juveniles with a very comical twist throughout the entire story, this could be easily used to engage students understanding of farm animals, mess/tidy contrasts with an activity that could end up being a recreation of Wendell's room.



Young, Ed. Seven Blind Mice New York: Puffin Books/Scholastic Inc, 1993.

An age old classic story of 'The Three Blind Mice' is a classic moral that one should see everything as a whole. An important lesson for children of all ages although the illustrations in this case tend to be for a younger audience as they are kept simple and direct using different colors to help explain the story in the more simplified way. A clever technique which could lead to an activity where all students make an individual section of an animal or creature by coloring, cutting, pasting different elements to then join them together to make a whole. A simple book with a lot of potential.



Seuss, Dr. Daisy-Head Mayzie America, Random House, Inc, 1994.

A really interesting book as all of Dr. Seuss's books are, this one was no exception and was such a delight! One could almost instantly see the difference in the characters role, especially the parent's role. The mother a kind of construction worker and the father a shoes salesman which for the time was a quirky mix of professions, stereotyped names for the brightest child in the class "Einstein Van Tass" and the teacher "Miss Sneetcher" stereotyped as an intelligent, single, middle aged women, an interesting a fun play on words within the story. The cat in the hat appears in the book when the moral/message of the story should be realized bringing importance to that particular scene for full effect. Overall a fantastic book with a lot going on and so much the children can pick up on individually or with teachers and parents. It would be a great idea to maintain this book overtime as it a little long for most young readers, the text is well written and versed for each page leading to a lengthy story. By reading a different part of the story each day over 4-5 days would allow for multiple classes about jobs, animals, relationships, language, rhymes, ages, etc and any other topics throughout the book.



Marshall, James. Miss Neslon is missing! America, New York, New York. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1977.

A substitute story where the kids in Room 207 are fooled by their teacher into believing that they had another teacher who taught them how to behave well which could be used for a moral story or activity as well, a really good story which could lead into a costume dress up activity - Taking on different roles/Role playing/Acting & Drama for all kids to participate in. Nice basic drawings which could be used as well in class to demonstrate to the children that they don't need to be perfect.



Lee Burton, Virginia. Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel America, New York, New York.
Houghton, 1967.

A great story about friendships and the community so students could write about their home areas, friends, stories about the past compared to the future, jobs and occupations, business, and many other topics about partners, journeys, etc. The book is open to many different activities especially with the style of writing, a little bit repetitive but great vocabulary lead more towards slight older students.



Raskin, Ellen. The Westing Game America, New York, Puffin Books, 1997.

The mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings together an unlikely assortment of heirs who must uncover the circumstances of his death before they can claim their inheritance, in a special twenty-fifth edition that features a brand new cover. It is an interesting read and one which could translate well to a law centered content based class – instruction could be centered on wealthy individuals and who should be entitled to receive the remaining money. A series of activities could lead this book down some interesting paths and discussions or role plays with students acting out a drama or such. The book also leads onto many other topics dealing with ethics and morals of the characters which could be a great area to explore.



Seuss’s, Dr. Sleep Book America, New York, New York. Random House, 1990.

A wierd and wonderful book which could lead into an number of activites- Cleaning teeth, teeth exercises or vocuabulary, castles i.e. kings and queens, stilts and skiiing, jazz band or muisc connected to the horn palyers, creatures and imagination, dreams and daydreaming and what wonderful things children can come up with. Also countries and counting could be incorporated, laws and santa claus i.e. christmas. Need to review the book for actual activites.



Seuss’s, Dr. I Had Trouble in getting to Solla Sollew America, New York, New York. Collins, 1967.

I am a huge fan of Dr. Seuss and his wonderful worlds he creates!! This story could be well read to an audience especially with the descriptive sound words like bump, rocky, wubble, wubbled, and some other rather fantastic expressions to explain to students like ‘Don’t you stew’, ‘You furnish the muscules, the aches and the pains.’ This really so many uses for the classroom from travel and time to animals and weather!! Awesome book!!



Sue Park, Linda. The Single Shard America, New York, Yearling, 2003.

Tree-ear is an orphan boy in a 12th-century Korean potters' village. For a long time he is content living with Crane-man under a bridge barely surviving on scraps of food. All that changes when he sees master potter Min making his beautiful pottery. Tree-ear sneaks back to Min's workplace and dreams of creating his own pots someday. When he accidentally breaks a pot, he must work for the master to pay for the damage.
This book has an awesome story line and an important message contained within as it relates to children in tough times being able to come through all the hard work satisfied that you know you are great at doing something when you put your head to it. Dedication and hard work!! Another awesome read which I recommend to everyone out there in the teaching field!!!



Wellington, Monica. The Sheep Follow. America, New York, Scholastic, 1992.

After following various other animals they see going by, a herd of frolicking sheep is too tired to follow its shepherd. A fun book and an easy read for younger children which could be combined with animal sounds and other animals for developing the story in class. The illustrations are fun, colorful and fun so children could make their own in a similar fashion as another activity. Great book overall!!