Children’s
Literature Reading and Reflection
EDUC 3223 – Methods of Teaching
Language Arts
I had books that were Newbery Award Winners (page
613) and were written between 1956 to 1966.
1.
Carlson, N.S.
(1958). The Family Under the Bridge. USA: Harper
& Row Publishers.
Set in
Paris, France, the story of The Family
Under the Bridge is about an old tramp, named Armand, who discovers that a
mother (Madame Calcet), her three children (Suzy, Paul, and Evelyne), and their
stray dog (Jojo) are living under the bridge he usually visits. Armand becomes
attached to the family and takes the children (while the mother is at work) on
a tour around Paris
to see all of the Christmas sights, and to beg people for money. As Christmas
approaches, what the kids long for the most is for a warm, stable home to live
in with no worries of being separated from their mother and their newly
inducted grandfather (Armand). Therefore, it is up to Armand to make sure that
the kids will not be disappointed by their wish.
The Family Under the Bridge is a
heartwarming story that has likeable characters and sends a message of love and
honor. The story even has Christian undertones that even a secular reader would
not mind being present. I would definitely have this book in my classroom
library, and while I think it could be appropriate for all levels, I will tag
this book as a great 3rd grade novel.
2.
Enright, E.
(1957). Gone-Away Lake. USA:
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers.
Gone-Away Lake is about a young girl
(Portia Blake) and her brother (Foster) traveling to her cousin (Julian
Jarman)’s house for the summer and embarking on a strange discovery. Portia and
Julian go exploring in the woods one day when they come across a swamp
surrounded by crumbled houses. It turns out that an elderly brother and sister
of old time still live in two of the run-down houses and informs the kids that
the swamp use to be a beautiful lake inhabited by several families. Intrigued
by the swamp’s unique characteristics and the discovery of two very unique
acquaintances, Portia and Julian agree to keep their new discovery a fun little
secret until Foster becomes suspicious and chooses to follow them one day.
Gone-Away Lake
is a fascinating story that is very well written and has characters whom any
reader will immediately want to become invested into. I definitely would
consider having this novel in my classroom library. I tag this book appropriate
for children between grades 4th and 5th.
3.
Gipson, F.
(1956). Old Yeller. New York: Harper Trophy.
Old Yeller is a frontier story about a
boy who learns to love a dog at a terrible price. While Papa is away, young
Travis has to become the man of the house and watch after his baby brother and
mother while doing the chores. One morning he discovers that a thief has stolen
his family’s pig meat, only to discover that a yellow-looking dog was the
culprit. Unimpressed by the dog (and originally against his inclusion into the
family), Travis eventually learns to accept the dog and value him as a loyal
friend and protector. However, the dog’s loyalty and bravery leads to Travis
having to make a hard decision when a rabid wolf endangers the family and Old
Yeller is left injured from his battle wounds.
You.
Will. Cry. This age-old classic is notably famous for its final chapters, which
will tear the reader’s heart to pieces after spending the entire story seeing
the relationship between Travis and Old Yeller form and grow. The novel is a
great source to use when teaching a social studies lesson of the frontier life,
and it is a great source to admire the simplicity of the language used in the
story (for that reason, I recommend teachers read in a southern accent). I
definitely will try to have this in my classroom library, and I think it is
most appropriate (because of the themes and content) for 5th through
7th grade students.
4.
L’Engle, M.
(1962). A Wrinkle in Time. USA: Farrar,
Straus, and Giroux.
A Wrinkle in Time is a science fiction novel about a girl (Meg
Murray), her younger brother (Charles Wallace), and a friend (Calvin O’Keefe)
joining three strange beings (disguised as Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs.
Which) on a cosmic search for her father. While traveling through time and
space, and venturing onto strange planets and worlds, the three children
discover that Meg’s father is being held captive by a dark, evil force that
plans to engulf their own planet (earth). Though Meg has insecurities, she must
face them in order to save her father, but more importantly, also save Charles
Wallace from the evil entity known as IT.
A Wrinkle in Time has interesting characters that invites the reader
to become invested in them, and the story has a nice flow in structure.
However, I personally will not go out of my way to include this novel into my
classroom library. I personally did not like the mystic and science fiction
elements of the story (which got weird in the middle and through the end). I
did not like the reference in the story that seemed to include all of the other
religions on the same scale as Jesus and Christianity – it seemed to mold them
all together in an accepting manner. With that said, I tag this book
appropriate for the 5th to 8th grade level.
5.
Wojciechowska,
M. (1964). Shadow of a Bull. New
York: Atheneum Macmillan Publishing Company.
Shadow of a Bull is about a young boy
(Manolo Olivar) who lives under his late father’s shadow. The whole town of
Arcangel expects Manolo to become a great bullfighter like his father was, and
he instantly becomes the town hero, though all he wants to be is a normal boy
who has no fears. Though he agrees to enter a bullfighting contest, he soon
discovers that his destiny probably lies outside of the bullfighting ring, and
worries that he will end up disappointing his mother and townspeople by failing
at what his father was best known for – being the best bullfighter around.
Shadow of a Bull is a great novel to have in a classroom library,
and I hope to have it in mine. The story was great, and the characters were all
top-notch. From the very beginning, the reader cares for Manolo and hopes he
succeeds in whatever he wants to do. I tag this novel as being appropriate for
children in grades 4th and 5th.