Five Fabulous Inclusion Book Finds

Strictly No Elephants

Lisa Mantchev, author

Taeeun Yoo, illustrator

Publisher Summary:  Today is Pet Club Day. There will be cats and dogs and fish, but strictly no elephants are allowed.  The Pet Club doesn’t understand that pets come in all shapes and sizes, just like friends.  Now it is time for a boy and his tiny pet elephant to show them what it means to be a true friend.

Why It Is Fabulous:  When a boy is left out of the neighborhood group, he forms a inclusive club with a diverse group of pets and children.  Sweet illustrations and the adorable pet elephant help create a memorable storybook experience about friendship and fitting in.

Nerdy Birdy

Aaron Reynolds, author

Matt Davies, illustrator

Publisher Summary:  Dejected and friendless, Nerdy Birdy soon discovers that there are far more nerdy birdies than cool birdies in the sky.  Everything is looking up until a new bird moves into the neighborhood. She looks lonely.  But not exactly nerdy.  What’s a nerdy birdie to do?

Why It Is Fabulous:  Nerdy Birdy wants to fit in with the cool birds, which many children can relate to.  He finds contentment and inclusion with others like him.   Where this book goes a step further is challenging the protagonist’s comfort zone. When his group refuses to accept the new bird, he choses to befriend her, becoming an outsider once more.  Nerdy Bird reminds readers the importance of including everyone. 

Beautiful

Stacy McAnulty, author

Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, illustrator

Publisher Summary:  Every girl is unique, talented, and lovable…Every girl is beautiful.

Why It Is Fabulous: This energetic picture book depicts girls of different races and interests defying expectations and embracing life.  

We Are Family

Patricia Hegarty, author

Ryan Wheatcroft, illustrator

Publisher Summary:  From busy mornings before school to family vacations; through illness and health; in celebration and disappointment, families stick together.  This book celebrates the diversity of families through shared experiences. 

Why It Is Fabulous:  Each two-page spread illustrates different types of families, each following a daily routine.  The poetic text emphasizes the importance of family and each other—in good times and bad. 

Love

Matt de la Pena, author

Loren Long, illustrator

Publisher Summary: Love is the melody that follows us through each and every day of our lives.  Whether it’s the sound of our parents’ voices lulling us to sleep, the joyful laughter of an uncle’s latest tall tale, or the warm embrace of a loved one telling us everything will be okay, it’s a feeling that takes countless forms and ultimately connects us all.

Why It Is Fabulous:  The heart of this lyrical text is that love is everywhere—even in the most unexpected places.  Love can shine through the darkness and difficulties.  Love can be sensed in the most mundane moments.  The stunning illustrations elevate the text by showing people living in various circumstances and reflecting different ethnicities, ages, and abilities.  The book is a celebration of life, people, and diversity.

Freedom Summer (Deborah Wiles)

Title:  Freedom Summer

Author:  Deborah Wiles

Illustrator:  Jerome Lagarrigue

Target Ages:  4-8

First Lines:  “John Henry Waddell is my best friend.  His mama works for my mama.  Her name is Annie Mae.  Every morning at eight o’clock Annie Mae steps off the country bus and walks up the long hill to my house.  If it’s summer, John Henry is step-step-stepping-it right beside her.”

Publisher Summary:  “Joe and John Henry are a lot alike.  They both like shooting marbles, they both want to be firemen, and they both love to swim.  But there’s one important way they’re different:  Joe is white and John Henry is black, and in the South in 1964, that means John Henry isn’t allow to do everything his best friend is. Then a law is passed that forbids segregation and opens the town pool to everyone. Joe and John Henry are so excited they race each other there…only to discover that it takes more than a new law to change people’s hearts.”

Evaluation: 

I was touch immediately by this realistic fiction picture book inspired by the author’s experience growing up in the South during the tumultuous 1960’s. The focus is on a sweet friendship between John Henry (African-American) and Joe (Caucasian-American). The racially tense backdrop lurks and haunts in the understated text and illustrations. This writing technique is significant though.  To the boys, race does not matter. They see each other as people and, more importantly, as friends and equals. As the story moves toward the climax though, the social inequalities and injustices in the outside world become more apparent.

The first hint is when they go to Mr. Mason’s general store. John Henry quietly waits outside while Joe buys ice pops for them.  To a young reader, it may not be noticeable.  Similarly, the boys function this way because it is just expected. They do not put much thought into it. 

During dinner one night Joe’s father announces, “The town pool opens tomorrow to everybody under the sun, no matter what color.”  John Henry’s mother adds, “It’s the way it’s going to be now—Everybody.”  Of course, the boys are thrilled! 

The next morning they run to be the first ones there.  To their (and the reader’s) great disappointment, some men are filling the pool in with asphalt!  In this climatic moment, John Henry voices his heartbreak to his friend. Wiles does an excellent job balancing showing the boys’ frustration at the prejudice of some while not sounding preachy or didactic about it.  It allows the reader to feel and sympathize in a genuine way.

Despite the setback, the boys show their solidarity as they go into Mr. Mason’s store for ice pops, walking “through the front door together.”  Their arms are around each other as the move toward the future.  This final image and sentence is so poignant.  There is a strong sense of hope for the future—both in individual relations between races as well as for society as a whole. 

Freedom Summer is a beautiful story of friendship, the impact prejudice, and the importance racial equality.

Awards:  Coretta Scott King Award; Ezra Jack Keats Book Award

Companion Book:  I also read Jacqueline Woodson’s The Other Side which would be a perfect companion book with Freedom Summer.  Two young girls live side by side (one African-American and the other Caucasion), but with a fence between their properties. They are both instructed not to go to the other side of the fence. One day, they meet each other ON the fence, beginning a sweet friendship between them and a step toward greater community.

Activities and Extension Ideas for Lesson Plans:

Teacher Lesson Plan: Let Freedom Ring

Freedom Summer Lesson Plan 

A Guide to Teaching and Talking About the Civil Rights Movement

Visualization Activity

Freedom Summer and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Unit

Discussion Questions for the Book

For other Perfect Picture Books, visit Susanna Hill's blog.

5 Must Read Books on Ramadan

Ramadan is a month long Muslim celebration. There is a strong emphasis on community, family, and charity. Most importantly, it is about a renewal of their focus and faith in Allah. Learning about Ramadan is a way to emphasize that while we are all different, people need faith, community, family, and charity to be healthy and happy.    

With several informative children’s books on Ramadan, educators and parents can expand awareness about the traditions of the followers of Islam.  I learned a lot about this religious and cultural celebration from the selections I chose. For those who have Muslim children in their classroom or neighborhood and want to learn more about their faith and culture, Dorothy Kavanaugh’s Islamic Festivals and Celebrations provides a more comprehensive explanation of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, hajj, Eid al-Adha, births, weddings, deaths, and other celebrations.  She also includes other books and Internet resources.  The following is a progressive listing of Must Reads for those wanting to expand their students' or children’s multicultural awareness.

Ramadan & Eid Al-Fitr with Praying, Fasting, and Charity (Deborah Heligman)

This non-fiction book is a fantastic introduction for children. There are many vibrant photographs from various countries illustrating Ramadan traditions like praying, reading the Koran, dancing, and sharing food. The large text is broken into small sections that are easy to understand. Heligman proves a wonderful overview for ages 5 and up. 

My First Ramadan (Karen Katz)

Katz writes her story through the perspective of a preschool child who wants to fast like the grown-ups do.  Young readers get the sense of experiencing the festival for the first time through this wide-eyed, enthusiastic narrator.  Adorable pictures and large text make it ideal for ages 2-6. 

Under the Ramadan Moon (Sylvia Whitman)

This lyrical story provides snapshots of the celebration.  Verses each follow a similar format as  “We wait for the moon. We watch for the moon. We watch for the Ramadan moon.” Whitman’s perspective is that of the Muslim people as a whole rather than an individual child telling the story. Ages 4-8 will enjoy it. 

Night of the Moon (Hena Khan)

Seven-year-old Pakistani-American Yasmeen tells the story of her family’s modern day celebration. This selection is probably my favorite because of the lush Islamic art and vivid colors, giving it an authentic feel. The storytelling is well done for the target audience of 6-9.

The White Nights of Ramadan (Maha Addasi)

Noor lives in a Middle Eastern country. She shares her excitement and wonder as she prepares for and celebrates in her native country. Readers see their traditional garb and local traditions (like one similar to our Halloween). The text will appeal to ages 6-11.

I want to mention one more book. It is not specifically about Ramadan, but it covers many aspects of it.

Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns (Hena Khan)
This concept book illuminates aspects of Islam while teaching colors.  Each poetic couplet captures the culture like “Red is the rug Dad kneels on to pray,/facing toward Mecca, five times a day,” and “Brown is a date, plump and sweet./During Ramadan, it’s my favorite treat.” Mehrdokht Amini’s stunning illustrations round out the elegant text.  This book is worth a trip to the bookstore or library for children ages 2-6.

Lesson Plan: Duddle Puck, The Puddle Duck (Karma Wilson)

Title:  Duddle Puck: The Puddle Duck

Author:  Karma Wilson

Illustrator:  Marcellus Hall

Book Cover Summary:  Little Duddle Puck is a funny puddle duck who…CLUCKS, HONKS, OINKS, NEIGHS…and never, ever quacks! Now it's up to the other farm animals to teach Duddle how a proper puddle duck should sound. 

First Lines:  Silly Duddle Puck was a funny puddle duck. All the critters said he was a very odd duck.        

Grade Levels:  Preschool-Kindergarten

What I Like About It:  The story and illustrations are humorous.  Duddle is a quirky and fun character.  The language is rich.  Children are sure to love hearing it over and over again.  




Possible Teaching Opportunities

Animals Sounds

Prediction Skills

Ordinal Numbers

Story Sequence

Character Education:  Tolerance

Note:  The following lesson plan includes several ideas and activities you might use for teaching this book. Modify for your student abilities. Ideas can be used over a period of 1-3 days.

Pre-Reading

• Show the cover of the book. 
• Who do you think will be the main character? How do you know? (The duck is much larger than the rest of the pictures. Guide students, if needed, to figure out it is a duck.)
• What do you know about ducks?
• What sound do they make?
• This book is called Duddle Puck: The Puddle Duck.  Based on the cover, what do you think might happen in this book?  (Allow children to guess.)

Reading

• Read the book out loud.
• To emphasis prediction skills, you could stop after the first animal encounter and allow students to predict what might happen next.  
• Also, identify 1-2 other places ideal for pausing and guessing like when it says, “Instead he wandered to the barn and bellowed out a..."

Post Reading

• Did any of your predictions come true?
• What surprised you in the story?
• Have a visual (toy, picture, puppet) of each animal—duck, hen, goose, pig, horse, farmer, and rooster.  Tip:  Copy pictures on to heavy card stock.  Cut them out and adhere to craft sticks. 
• Who is the main character of the story?  (Duddle Puck—duck)
• Why were the other animals annoyed with him?  (He refused to say quack, quack.)
• You can introduce, teach, or review ordinal numbers by stressing first, second, third, and so forth as you review the order of events.
• What is the first sound that Duddle Puck makes?  (Cluck, Cluck)
• What animal makes that sound?  (Hen)
• Have a student come up to the front and hold the hen picture.
• Continue a review of the book with the previous line of questions for the honk/goose, oink/pig, neigh/horse, hip-hip hooray/farmer, quack/duck, and cock-a-doodle do/rooster.  
• Collect animals and students return to their seats.

Revisiting the Story 

• Re-Read the story. Ask students to look closely at the illustrations for ways that Duddle Puck also acts like the other animals.  As you read, allow the students to participate in saying the animal sounds. 
• On a large piece of paper, write out the order of events in the story emphasizing the ordinal words.  Use a picture of each animal to give a visual prompt as seen here. Example:

                   First, Duddle says, “Cluck, Cluck” like a hen.

                   Second, he says, “Honk, Honk” like a goose.

Reading Comprehension

• What are some of the ways that Duddle Puck acts like other animals?  Go back and show the pictures if the students need prompting. (In the mud with the pig, on top of the hen house like a rooster, hanging out with the hens in the coop)
• Why do you think Duddle Puck acts like animals other than his own kind?  (Answers may vary.)
• How does Duddle Puck trick the other animals?  (They all say “quack,” but they are not ducks.)

Character Education: Tolerance

• What are some ways people act differently?
• Have you ever met someone who did not act like you expected?
• How did it make you feel?
• Do you always act like people expect?
• How should you treat people who act differently that you expect?

Assessment Options

Teacher Created Worksheet.  Find a free printable with farm animals. Cut out the ones that correspond with the story.  Adhere to a blank sheet.  Make one copy for each student. You can use this worksheet for some of the following assessments or one of your own making.

Ordinal Numbers Teaching & Assessment

• Use large individual pictures of each animal with magnets on the back.  Put them in the correct order.  Ask:  Which animal is first?  Third?  And so forth.  Next, mix them up. Allow individual students or the class to help you put them in the correct order on the board, emphasizing first, second, third, and so forth.  You can mix them up and have volunteers try it.
• Using the Teacher Created Worksheet, instruct students to color and cut out the animals. Then, place and paste them in the correct order on a separate sheet with the ordinal words on it.  Write the word on the board to help students find the correct word on their sheet.
• Student volunteers can stand at the front of the room each with one picture in hand.  One or more students can direct volunteers to move to put them in proper order.  Ask questions:  Which student/animal is first?  Fourth?
• For other ordinal number practice ideas, click here and here.

Animal Sounds/Words Teaching & Assessment

• Show a picture of each animal.  Prompt the class to say the animal sound that goes with the corresponding image.
• First, direct students to color and cut out Teacher Created Worksheet animals.  Next, on a separate sheet have the animal sound written out.  Say the sound. Show it on the board.  Students can put the animal picture next to the corresponding sound and paste it.
• Practice animal sounds by singing “Old MacDonald.”  Sing it with the animals from book in the order they appeared. 
• Students can use the animals from the Teacher Created Worksheet to create their own stick puppets with craft sticks.  Make a sound.  Students can put up their stick puppets to show they know which animal makes the sound.  Bonus:  They can practice telling the story in their own words to another student and/or to their parents using these stick puppets. 

Other Activities

• Use the book and activities to prepare for a trip to a local farm.  Discuss other animals the students may find at the farm and the sounds they make. 
• Discuss rhyming words (lots in this book to identify).
• Extend the story by adding one or more scenes with other farm animals.
• Have students reenact the story in groups.  
• Introduce alliteration. Define it. Give examples from the story (Gilly Goose, Henny Hen, Hank the Horse).  Allow students to create their own alliterative animal names and draw/paint/color a picture to go with it.  Alternative: Give students air dry clay to create their animal.  

Visit Susanna Hill's blog for Perfect Picture Books posts and teaching ideas and The Homeschool Link Up for educational ideas around the web.