Good Luck, Anna Hibiscus! and Have Fun, Anna Hibiscus!

Good Luck, Anna Hibiscus! (Anna Hibiscus Book 3)
Have Fun, Anna Hibiscus! (Anna Hibiscus Book 4)
Written by Atinuke, Illustrated by Lauren Tobia
Published by Kane Miller, 2011
Grades 2 and up


Book Review

Master storyteller Atinuke is back with two new early chapter books in the Horn Book Award-honored series about the delightful African girl who has captured the spirit, adventure, innocence, and questions of childhood. In Good Luck, Anna Hibiscus!, Anna prepares for her first visit to her maternal grandmother in Canada, while in Have Fun, Anna Hibiscus!, Anna finally travels to Canada for the Christmas holiday season. As in the first two books of the series, each chapter can work as a single read-aloud, beginning with the memorable lines, “Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa. Amazing Africa,” offering a separate episode in Anna’s life, and highlighting the importance of family support. The chapters provide both mirrors and windows into a childhood that is simultaneously familiar and foreign: in one, she must find clothes warm enough for her first snowy winter; in another, she suffers false accusation that she ate a whole jar of sweets when in actuality she was trying to stop her infant twin brothers from doing so; and in still another chapter, she grapples with the notion that Granny Canada treats a dog as a friend and family member ("Dogs live outside and eat rubbish"). With the help of Lauren Tobia’s appealing pen-and-ink illustrations, Atinuke presents the portrait of Anna and her extended family as devoted and determined; middle-class, multicultural, and modern; good-natured and generous; strong and sensitive. Furthermore, Anna continues to explore issues of privilege, prejudice, and social class, learning a new life lesson at the end of each chapter. However, the set up is entirely buoyant and engrossing—and Atinuke’s voice so nuanced and captivating—that the books deftly avoid sounding didactic. If you or your students haven’t yet made friends with Anna Hibiscus, get ready to be instantly charmed.

NOTE: For specific commentary about Book 1, see our children’s literature reviews co-authored with Julie Roach in Language Arts, Vol. 88, Iss. 3.


Teaching Invitations

Grades 2 and up

• Character Comparisons. Early chapter book series about young girls have been gaining popularity over the decades. Share a few of the series listed below in the Further Explorations section (e.g., Clementine, Ruby and the Booker Boys, Ivy and Bean, etc.) and have students compare and contrast the female protagonists in each. What is similar and different about their personalities? Interests? Family life? Experiences?
• Experiencing Seasons Differently. Different communities experience various seasons depending on their geographic location. Some cycle through four seasons (i.e., fall, winter, spring, and summer), while many only experience two important ones—rainy seasons and dry seasons. Additionally, people in different countries can experience the same season differently. Anna Hibiscus experiences harmattan each year in Africa, which covers their gardens with dry, blown sand and signals the upcoming Christmas holiday. When Anna visits Granny Canada for the holiday, she must adjust to foods, clothing, customs, and recreational activities in a cold climate. Invite students to investigate the seasons in various countries and to pay special attention to how those seasons affect vegetation, food production, clothing, traditions, and people’s daily lives.
• Family Names and Nicknames. Many of Anna’s relatives have unique and telling names, based on their character attributes and personalities. Have students interview their family members about the meaning of their names and nicknames. Invite them to share the stories and information they gather. Ask them whether they think the names match the characteristics and personalities of those family members. Finally, have them also investigate their own names—how they got them and what they mean—and write short stories about what they discover. 
• The Art of Bartering and Haggling. Many cultures continue to use a bartering system to purchase and sell goods; others also embrace the practice of haggling over the price of an item. Set up a mock market in your classroom and have students barter and haggle for items as a way to practice their oral language, negotiating, and reasoning skills. Invite them to also use the mock market activity as a way to explore the value people place on objects (e.g., sentimental, monetary, professional, etc.) and to discuss such concepts. 
• Analyzing African Proverbs. Characters throughout the books utter proverbs from time to time. For example, Grandmother says, “The chicken that mistakes itself for a peacock forgets to run from the cooking pot!” when she learns that a local boy pretends to be someone else. Have students identify and list the proverbs in each book. Then, have them work in small groups to determine the meaning of each proverb, including the cultural context from which the proverb came. Do they believe any of the proverbs to ring true, and if so, why? 

Critical Literacy

• What Makes a Family? Anna Hibiscus lives with a large extended family. Other family members make appearances throughout the books as well, such as Auntie Jumoke, her father’s second cousin, and Granny Canada, her maternal grandmother. How does Anna’s family life differ from or resemble those of your students? How does the definition of family look in different communities? How has it changed over time? You might want to visit the non-profit, non-partisan Council on Contemporary Families website listed in Further Explorations for research and statistics about the changes, needs, and challenges that modern day families face. Invite your students to inquire into the essential components that make up a family. 
• Issues of Privilege, Poverty, and Perspective. The themes of privilege and poverty that appeared earlier in the series continue in these latest books. Have students review the chapters in which Anna and her family deal with such issues. Why is it that Anna and her family sometimes learn hard lessons about them? Are they wrong in their initial intentions to water their plants during harmattan while their city neighbors deal without water? Going back to Book 1, was Anna wrong to sell oranges on the street alongside the other girls? Were the actions of Anna and her family short- or long-term solutions? Discuss with students more possibilities about what Anna and her family could do to address these issues, and perhaps invite your class to take some real action steps to help. 

Further Explorations

Online Resources

Atinuke’s author website – Walker Books (original publisher)
http://www.walker.co.uk/contributors/Atinuke-5024.aspx

Atinuke’s author website – Kane Miller (US publisher)
http://www.kanemiller.com/biography.asp?sku=289

Atinuke storytelling videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwvi9MqjaLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbjAGp5-m-8&feature=related

African Proverbs, Sayings, and Stories

http://www.afriprov.org

How to Haggle Like a Pro - Reader's Digest

http://www.rd.com/money/how-to-haggle-like-a-pro

Council on Contemporary Families

http://www.contemporaryfamilies.org

Books

Barnes, D. (2008-2009). Ruby and the Booker Boys series. New York: Scholastic. 

• A delightful series about a young African American girl’s life with three older brothers.

Barrows, A. (2006-present). Ivy and Bean series. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. 

• An award winning series about the daily escapades of two second grade girls. 

Cameron, A. (2001). Gloria’s way. New York: Puffin. 

• An early reader book with episodic chapters describing a young African American girl’s fun and frustrations with family, friends, and school. 

Cleary, B. (1968-1999) Ramona series. New York: HarperTrophy. 

• The treasured series about an enthusiastic young girl with an active imagination. 

English, K. (2009-2011). Nikki and Deja series. New York: Clarion. 

• An early reader book series about two African American girls experiencing the daily complexities of being 8-years old. 

Hoffman, M. (1991-2011). Grace series. New York: Dial. 

• Starting with the beloved picture book Amazing Grace, this series follows the experiences, explorations, and sometimes global adventures of a young girl with an active imagination and fierce sense of determination. 

Pennypacker, S. (2008-present). Clementine series. New York: Hyperion. 

• Another charming series about a spunky young girl with a talent for trouble. 

Wayans, K. (2008-present). Amy Hodgepodge series. New York: Grosset & Dunlap. 

• A warm and entertaining series about a young girl who is part Asian, part Caucasian, and part African American. 

Swirl by Swirl

Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature

Written by Joyce Sidman and Illustrated by Beth Krommes

Published in 2011 by Houghton Mifflin, ISBN 978-0-547-31583-6

Grades PreK – 8

Review

“A spiral is a snuggling shape.” So begins and ends the latest work of nonfiction poetry from acclaimed author Joyce Sidman. While the text is bookended by this comforting sentiment, on the pages between, Sidman takes us on a far reaching journey, noting the prevalence of the shape of the spiral in the natural world around our globe and out across the galaxies beyond. In a meticulously paced free verse poem, the reader explores the utility and elegance of the spiral shape - it grows, moves, defends, explores, serves, and beautifies. Back matter defines the spiral and expands the text of the poem, further explaining the roles played by the shape. Sidman also briefly introduces readers to the Fibonacci sequence. Followers of Sidman’s work will not be disappointed in this elegant offering. Sidman has once again partnered with Caldecott award winning artist Beth Krommes whose scratchboard illustrations here are nothing short of breathtaking. The dark lines of the medium accented by bold color draw the reader into the textures and patterns of the underground, forest and meadow, undersea, and the far reaches of space. Readers will want to hold close and pore over this beautiful book and there is no doubt that the text will invite people of all ages to look more closely at the wonders of the world around them.

Teaching Invitations

Grades PreK – 8

• Patterns and Shapes in Nature. Take a field trip with digital cameras, smart phones, or iPad2s in hand. Ask students to collect photos of interesting patterns or common shapes in the natural world. You may want to explore the National Geographic photo gallery, Patterns in Nature, prior to your outing to give students ideas about what to look for. Use enlarged prints of the photos to create a class big book (or Voice Thread or PowerPoint presentation). Accompanying text for the photos could be class composed poetry or nonfiction text about the objects depicted. For a mentor text, consider Frank Serafini’s Looking Closely series or Jane Yolen’s Shape Me a Rhyme: Nature’s Forms in Poetry.
• Composing Poetry. Invite your students to try their hand at poetry. The author’s website includes many suggestions for getting started with poetry writing. Students can be inspired to compose when given the opportunity to handle a wonder of nature, such as a shell, a pinecone, a vivid fall leaf, or a maple seed pod. Encourage students to draw upon their senses as they write.

Grades 2 - 8

• Author Study. The depth, breadth, and quality of Joyce Sidman’s work make her an excellent subject for an author study. Gather a collection of her work and biographical information, including interviews. Read through her books as a class, noting similarities and differences across the books’ formats and styles. Take a close look at her writing techniques, noting her word choices and use of figurative language. Compile a list of ‘writing lessons’ gained from this author study and invite your students to try out some of the writing techniques you have discussed in their own writing.
• Nonfiction Poetry Study. A study of Joyce Sidman’s books will mentor your students in a variety of techniques for expressing nonfiction information in poetic form. You may choose to further this conversation by conducting a genre study of nonfiction poetry. Gather works by poets know for their works of nonfiction, such as Douglas Florian, April Pulley Sayre, J. Patrick Lewis, Valerie Worth, and anthologist and poet Lee Bennett Hopkins (see selected titles listed below) and compare the techniques used by these authors to convey nonfiction information through poetry. Notice how the authors use a combination of prose and poetry and how back matter and glossaries are used to convey additional information. Be sure to discuss the role that illustrations and different media for illustration play in conveying the content.
• Poetic Forms: Nature in Many Forms. Across her poetry books, Joyce Sidman employs many different kinds of poetic forms, ranging from free verse, to concrete poetry, to rhyming couplets, to diamante, and others. Gather a collection of poetry books that celebrate the natural world and engage your students in an examination of the different poetry forms found in the texts. Encourage your students to discuss any patterns that they may note in the relationships between the poems’ forms and their content. Invite students to choose a form that appeals to them and to compose nature poems of their own. Publish the results.
• Scratchboard Illustrations. Caldecott award winning artist Beth Krommes uses scratchboard as the medium for her illustrations. Consult or collaborate with your art teachers to provide students with an opportunity to try out this artistic technique. The article from the journal Arts & Activities linked below may offer some inspiration.

Grades 3 – 8

• Exploring the Fibonacci Sequence. Read Spiral by Spiral along with the photo essay Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature and the picture book biography, Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci to introduce your students to the Golden Ratio. Students may be interested in reading an essay by a seventh grader who received the Young Naturalist award from the American Museum of Natural History for his investigation of the Fibonacci sequence in tree branch structures accessible at http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/youngnaturalistawards/2011/aidan.html

Further Explorations

Online Resources

Joyce Sidman’s Website & Swirl by Swirl Book Trailer

http://www.joycesidman.com/

Beth Krommes: Illustrator Website

http://www.bethkrommes.com/

National Geographic’s Photo Galleries: Patterns in Nature

http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/article/patterns-nature-galleries.html

YouTube: Joyce Sidman Accepts the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGUWDTXxsVw

National Geographic’s Photo Galleries: Patterns in Nature

http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/article/patterns-nature-galleries.html

Scratchboard Etching Video

http://thevirtualinstructor.com/scratchboard-etching.html

Arts & Activities: Showstopping Scratchboards

http://www.artsandactivities.com/AAOnline/1207AAOline/A110220.pdf

Books

Cambell, S.C. (2010). Growing patterns: Fibonacci numbers in nature. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.

• Illustrated with photographs, this nonfiction text introduces readers to the Fibonacci sequence and its universality in natural forms.

D’Agnese, J. (2010). Blockhead: The life of Fibonacci. Ill. by J. O’Brien. New York: Henry Holt.

• This picture book biography highlights the childhood and accomplishments of mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci, who is characterized here as a daydreamer fascinated by numbers and the natural world.

Serafini, F. (2010). Looking closely in the rain forest. Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can Press.

• Patterns, Shapes, and textures are featured in this photo essay (part of a series) that invites readers to guess what they are seeing.

Yolen, J. (2007). Shape me a rhyme: Nature’s forms in poetry. Photos by J. Stemple. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong.

• Mother and son team offer a collection of poems and photographs highlighting twelve shapes found in nature.

Selected Nonfiction Poetry Collections:

Florian. D. (2010). Poetrees. New York: Beach Lane Books.

• Poems in various poetic forms celebrate the diversity of the tree species. Find our blog entry on this title at http://classroombookshelf.blogspot.com/2010/10/poetrees.html

Florian, D. (2007). Comets, stars, the moon, and Mars. New York: Harcourt.

• Intriguing paintings accompany a collection of twenty poems incorporating information about our solar system. Includes back matter with additional details.

Hopkins, L.B. (1999). Spectacular science: A book of poems. Ill. by V. Halstead. New York: Simon & Schuster.

• The curiosity of scientists is honored in this collection of science poems edited by master anthologist Lee Bennett Hopkins.

Lewis, J.P. (2005). Monumental verses. Washington, DC: National Geographic.

• Man-made structures around the world are the subject of this collection of fourteen poems.

Sayre, A.P. (2008). Trout are made of trees. Ill. by K. Endle. Cambridge, MA: Charlesbridge.

• Building from its intriguing title, this book explores the life cycle of the trout and the interrelationships of an ecosystem through free verse poetry.

Worth, V. (2007). Animal poems. Ill. by S. Jenkins. New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux.

• Jenkins amazing collage illustrations depict the twenty three animals described by Worth’s clever free verse poems.

Joyce Sidman’s Books:

Sidman, J. (2010). Dark emperor & other poems of the night. Ill. by R. Allen Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

• This Newbery Honor winning title features things that creep, crawl and fly in the night.

Sidman, J. (2010). Ubiquitous: Celebrating nature’s survivors. Ill. by B. Prange. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

• The flora and fauna featured in this collection of poems are long-lived and far-ranging. Factual prose accompanies each poem.

Sidman, J. (2009). Red sings from rooftops: A year in colors. Ill. by P. Zagarenski. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

• A celebration of the seasons, featuring poems that describe the various colors associated with seasonal change. A Caldecott honor book.

Sidman, J. (2007). This is just to say: Poems of apology and forgiveness. Ill. by P. Zagarenski Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

• A fictional group of sixth grade students completes an assignment to write poems expressing an “I’m sorry…” sentiment.

Sidman, J. (2006). Butterfly eyes and other secrets of the meadow. Ill. by B. Krommes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

• A collection of poetry riddles that explore the animals and plants of the ecosystem of a meadow.

Sidman, J. (2006). Meow ruff: A story in concrete poetry. Ill. by M. Berg. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

• A collection of concrete poems that together narrate the story of a cat and a dog and their adventures around the neighborhood.

Sidman, J. (2005). Song of the water boatman & other pond poems. Ill. by B. Prange. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

• This Caldecott honor winning title is comprised of poems that explore the dynamic of the pond ecosystem.

Sidman, J. (2003). The world according to dog: Poems and teen voices. Photos. by D. Mindell. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

• Sidman’s poems about man’s best friend are complemented by essays written by teenagers about their canine pets.

Sidman, J. (2002). Eureka!: Poems about inventors. Ill. by K. Bennett Chavez. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook Press.

• This collection of free verse poems features the accomplishments of sixteen inventors, both famous and little known.

Sidman, J. (2000). Just us two: Poems about animal dads. Ill. by S.Swan. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook Press.

• Poetry and cut paper illustrations present the roles of care-taking animals dads including the Emperor Penguin and giant water bugs.

The Honeybee Man

The Honeybee Man
Written by Lela Nargi, Illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker

Schwartz & Wade Books, New York

ISBN: 978-0-375-84980-0

Book Review

Many may not consider Brooklyn, where Fred the Honeybee Man lives, or their own metropolitan area, as a hub for urban agriculture. But Fred’s Brooklyn neighborhood is teaming with food: maple trees, peas, sage, squash, blueberries, and, thanks to Fred, honey. Queen Mab, Queen Nefertiti, and Queen Boadicea, and all of their worker bees, comprise Fred’s rooftop “tiny city,” and, along with his dog Copper and cat Cat, Fred’s “enormous family” as well. Nargi’s abundant sensory details, rich imagery, and deftly layered information about honey bees alongside Brooker’s mixed-media collage illustrations allow the reader to fly with Fred’s bees through July and August on their quest for flower nectar; watch Fred’s late summer harvest of honeycombs, as he captures the honey and labels his jars; and sit on Fred’s stoop as he shares his honey with the neighbors whose nectar supplies the bee. Readers will want to dip their fingers in Fred’s honey, to taste the linden flowers, the rosemary, and the often-elusive urban blueberry. Backmatter includes additional information about beekeeping, and the end pages provide diagrams and cross-sections of bees, flowers, and frames. Our summer is fading into fall, and, like the bees, will be gone by October; this book can help us bridge the seasons and celebrate the urban harvest. 

Teaching Invitations

K-2

• Where’s Your Honey From? Bring honey from a variety of sources into the classroom. Students may be able to share unopened jars from home, or local retailers (grocery store, farm stand, farmer’s market, local bodega) may be willing to donate. Have students compare and contrast where the honey was harvested using the information provided on the jars. On a map, pinpoint the sources of honey, and then calculate how the honey had to travel to get to your town or city.  Using current gas prices, determine how much it might have cost to transport the honey to you.

• Taste and Sensory Details. Once you’ve done the above activity, have your students do a blind taste test. After sampling each type of honey, the students must write down words to describe what they tasted. Encourage students to come up with descriptive synonyms. Students can then vote for their favorite honey.

• Meet the Bees. Invite a local beekeeper to visit your classroom and discuss the process of collecting honeycombs and creating honey. Make sure your students are ready with questions, and capture the visit with a digital camera, so that you can create a class book.

3-5

• Queen Bees and World History. How did Fred’s queen bees acquire such unique names? Have students research the origin of Queen Mab, Queen Nefertiti, and Queen Boadicea, and share their stories in small groups. Why would the author choose these names? How do the names enhance the story?

• Sensory Details. Nargi’s text is filled with rich images and sensory details. Take your students on a walk over your school grounds and/or through local streets. As you walk, pause occasionally to let your students record the sights, sounds, smells, and textures that they experience. If you have a local farm nearby, or if you’re visiting a local orchard, you can always throw in tastes, too. When you return to the classroom, students should write short vignettes filled with rich images and sensory details, using their memory of the walk and their written notes.  

3-8

• Local Food Production. What foods or food products are grown or manufactured in your town or city? Do you have farms? Canning factories? Fisheries? Maple trees? Take your students to a local farm, factory, community garden, or have the students visit a local farmer’s market after school or on the weekend. Make sure that students document their visit with disposable digital cameras. Interview the farmers, fishermen, or factory workers to learn more about how food produced locally is shared regionally and/or nationally. Have students create their own nonfiction picture books about the process, using the digital photographs as illustrations or for use in a mixed-media collage illustration modeled on Brookman’s work in The Honey Bee Man.

Critical Literacy

6-8

• Colony Collapse Disorder. Using The Honeybee Man as an introduction, have your students read The Hive Detectives, a Scientists in the Field volume written by Loree Griffin Burns. While students are reading the book, and when they are done, have them also explore some of the short multimodal digital texts listed below in Further Explorations. If possible, have students interview local bee keepers about their own experiences, or colleague’s experiences, with colony collapse disorder. Have students share their research, and the latest forecast for bee populations, by creating audio or video podcasts that can be shared with the school and local community. Students might want to take their own short videos or still digital photographs of local bees as part of their work. Those with allergies will want to avoid participating in the photographic documentation.

Further Explorations 

Online Resources

Lela Nargi’s Website

http://www.lelanargi.com/

New York City Bee Keepers

http://www.nycbeekeeping.com/

National Geographic for Kids on Colony Collapse Disorder

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/stories/animalsnature/honey-bee-mystery/

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Colony Collapse Disorder

http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=15572

The Environmental Protection Agency on Colony Collapse Disorder & Pesticide Use

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/about/intheworks/honeybee.htm

National Public Radio (NPR) and Possible Causes of Colony Collapse Disorder

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130405226

PBS Nature Episode on Colony Collapse Disorder

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/introduction/38/

Books

Buchmann, S. (2010). Honey bees: Letters from the hive. New York: Delacorte. 

• This young adult survey book chronicles the history of honeybees, the various roles they have played in different cultures around the world, the life cycle of the honeybee, and honey production.

Burns, L. G. (2010). The hive detectives: Chronicle of a honey bee disaster. Scientists in the field. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

• This Scientists in the Field photo essay chronicles colony collapse disorder from the perspective of several scientists and bee keepers in different parts of the United States.

Heiligman, D. (2002). Honeybees. Jump into science. Ill. by C. Golembe. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic. 

• This Jump into Science illustrated nonfiction picture book details the life cycle of the honeybee.

Krebs, L. (2008). The Beeman. Ill. by V. Cis. Cambridge, MA: Barefoot Books.

• In this cumulative tale, a grandfather shares the secrets of bee keeping with his young grandson.

Micucci, C. (1995). The life and times of the honeybee. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

• This survey book provides information on the habitat and life cycle of the honeybee as well as the process of making honey.

Rockwell, A. (2005). Honey in a hive. Let’s read and find out. Ill. by  S. D. Schindler. New York: Harper Collins.

• This Let’s Read and Find Out nonfiction picture book details the process by which bees make honey.

Stewart, M. (2009). How do bees make honey? Tell me why, tell me how. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark.

• This Tell Me Why, Tell Me How nonfiction picture book also details the process by which bees make honey.

Ten Years Ago: Remembering September 11, 2001

This week, The Classroom Bookshelf is offering a different format to provide you with resources to commemorate the 10^th anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001 in a way that is appropriate for your students, school, and community.

It is early in the school year, and, just like teachers that very day ten years ago, you are just getting to know your students. Some of you were school children on that day, some veteran teachers. As the 10^th anniversary approaches, each of you must decide what’s right for your students and your school community. There is no one best way, and communities across the nation will be honoring the victims differently. Hopefully, you and your teaching colleagues have had opportunities to plan for these difficult conversations together.

We hope that the following children’s and young adult titles may help you design a lesson, an activity, or a portion of a school assembly to honor those lost and commemorate the heroic actions of so many.

Book List

Picture Books 

Deedy, C.A. (2009). 14 cows for America. Ill. by T. Gonzalez. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree.

• The story of how a small village in Kenya gives 14 sacred cows to America, to help the nation heal after the events of September 11^th.

Gerstein, M. (2003). The man who walked between the towers. CT. Roaring Brook Press.

• The 2003 Caldecott winner describes the daring actions of acrobat Philippe Petit, who walked a high wire strung between the towers in 1974.

Kalman, M. (2002). Fireboat: The heroic adventures of the John J. Harvey. New York: Putnam Juvenile.

• The story of how the John J. Harvey fireboat came out of retirement to help contain the fires at Ground Zero after the attack on September 11^th. 

Winter, J. (2004). September roses. New York: Farrar Straus & Giroux.

• Winter’s fictionalized account of the events of September 11th and the days that followed are shaped by her experiences that week, as a resident of New York.

Nonfiction Chapter Books

Cart, M. (2002). 911 The book of help. Peterborough, NH: Cricket/Marcato Books.

• Over 20 children’s and young adult writers contributed to this collection of essays and reflections, poetry and short stories.

Hampton, W. September 11, 2001: Attack on New York City. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick.

• A chronology of the events on September 11^th, told from the perspective of four different individuals in Manhattan.

Thoms, A. (2002). With their eyes: September 11^th – The view from a high school at Ground Zero. New York: Harper Collins.

• This collection of memoirs was compiled from the oral histories conducted by students at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, who witnessed the events unfold just steps from Ground Zero.

Online Resources

School Library Journal’s “Never Ending Search” Blog: September 11^th Online Resources

http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/neverendingsearch/2011/08/25/911-resources/

Teaching 9/11 – Why? How? – The New York Times

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/29/teaching-911-why-how/

9/11 Memorial website

http://www.911memorial.org/teach-learn

September 11 10^th Anniversary Discussion Guides - National Association of School Psychologists

http://nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/9-11/index.aspx

September 11: Teaching Contemporary History

http://smithsonianconference.org/september11/

Teaching Invitations

K-2

• Mordicai Gerstein’s Caldecott-winning picture book The Man Who Walked Between the Towers offers a unique and profoundly inspiring presentation of the “Twin Towers” and their role in American history. Share Philippe Petit’s daring actions with your students to offer a view of the towers as an awesome human accomplishment in a city that symbolizes humanity’s desire to dream about reaching greater heights. Older students may be able to begin to understand that the city of New York has symbolized freedom and new opportunity to people around the world for centuries.

• 14 Cows for America describes the gift of 14 cows made by a Maasai tribe in Kenya as an expression of sympathy to the people of America. Read this picture book aloud and invite your students to think about the various ways that people seek to provide empathy and comfort to people who have experienced grief or difficulties. Ask students to draw and/or write about ways that they have or could provide comfort to someone in need.

3 and up

• Oral Histories. Your intermediate students weren't born, and your middle school students weren’t walking ten years ago, and most likely none of them have memories of that day. Have students interview their parents, guardians, grandparents, or neighbors about what they remember from that day. Have students compare and contrast the different memories, and create a class book.

• Writing about Heroism. As tragic as the events were that day, they brought out the best in people. Who were the heroes of that day? What makes someone a hero? We often applaud the courageous efforts of the firefighers, police, and paramedics, but many of them refuse to view themselves as heroes because they feel they were just doing their job. And what about the ordinary citizens who performed heroic acts on that day? Use several of the books listed above to discuss these questions, but then go a step further and have students also use the books as mentor texts for writing narrative accounts, poems, or essays about heroism.

6-8

• The Rising. Play your students one or several of the songs from Bruce Springsteen’s album The Rising, which came out just before the first anniversary of the attacks. You might want to compare and contrast the lyrics of two songs, to consider the ways in which Springsteen’s music and lyrics merge to create images of grief and hope. You might want to play “Empty Sky,” “The Rising,” “You’re Missing,” or “Into the Fire.” You can find the songs on iTunes at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-rising/id192901525 .

• “The Names.” Read the Billy Collins poem “The Names,” a poem first published in The New York Times on the first anniversary of the attacks. What do those names evoke? How do images work in concert with the names? You can find the full text at: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/poems/july-dec02/collins_9-6.html.

• 911 The Book of Help. Have students, in pairs or small groups, read excerpts from 911 The Book of Help. Have students compare and contrast the different experiences represented, and discuss how the genre each author selected helped shape mood and theme. Students may then want to capture their own thoughts about this tenth anniversary, using a variety of modalities and genres, and assemble a class book either digitally or in print.