The Librarian's Complete Guide to Involving Parents Through Children's Literature: Grades K-6 [Paperback]

Anthony D. Fredericks (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1563085380 | ISBN-13: 978-1563085383 | Publication Date: June 15, 1997

Getting parents to participate in their child's education is easy with these take-home reproducibles! This book provides a single-source guide to selected reading and extension activities for grade levels K-6. Each activity sheet includes a summary of a book, discussion questions, and a list of engaging learning projects for adults and children. The activities are designed to increase discussion, build reading skills, and develop comprehension. More than 100 titles of quality children's literature are featured. Teachers will love this unique way to promote reading, and it's great PR for the library. A must for school and public libraries!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

This book's stated purpose is to help librarians encourage parents to take an active role in their children's literacy growth, but it seems to miss the mark as far as its intended use. The author provides 101 photocopy-ready activity sheets that relate to children's literature favorites. While avoiding the use of prizes or rewards, Fredericks offers suggestions to public and school librarians on how to encourage families to use these sheets, each of which includes a story summary, discussion questions, activities, and related books. Suggested activities vary from recipes to writing to the author. Unfortunately, the activities are not always age appropriate. For instance, one suggestion after reading Katherine Paterson's mature chapter book, Jacob Have I Loved (HarperCollins, 1980) is to create a clay model of Rass Island and place plastic figures on it. Conversely, for Judith Viorst's much less sophisticated picture book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (S&S, 1972), the activities suggested all involve much higher-order skills: creating a descriptive brochure about Australia, writing an alternative version of the story, acting as an advice columnist and suggesting strategies to Alexander, or interviewing an adult about a bad day and sharing the findings. This problem could frustrate parents and children. For that reason, and because I think these well-intentioned activity sheets might smack too much of dreaded worksheets, I question Frederick's premise. Still, the book has some good ideas, especially the section called "Promoting the Literature Bond," which offers librarians ideas for promoting parent involvement throughout the year. Despite the shortcomings of the activity sheets for parents, some of the suggested activities might be useful for teachers and librarians to extend and enhance stories read in class.

Patricia N. McClune, Conestoga Valley School District, Lancaster, PA

Copyright 1997 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

?The one-page format is convenient for teachers and librarians who wish to send material home...Discussion questions and activities are thought-provoking, pertinent and age-appropriate?-Colorado Libraries

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 137 pages
• Publisher: Libraries Unlimited (June 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563085380
• ISBN-13: 978-1563085383
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,005,506 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tony ([e-mail])is an award-winning children's author well known for his energetic, humorous, and highly informative school visits throughout North America. His dynamic presentations have captivated thousands of students in Canada, Mexico, and across the United States ' all with rave reviews!
Tony is a former elementary teacher and reading specialist. He is the author of more than 100 books, including more than three-dozen children's books. His children's titles include Under One Rock (2002 Nature and Ecology Award); Slugs (2000 Outstanding Science Trade Book), Bloodsucking Creatures, Around One Cactus (2004 Teacher's Choice Award), Near One Cattail (2006 Green Earth Book Award), and The Tsunami Quilt: Grandfather's Story among others. Forthcoming titles include A is for Anaconda: A Rainforest Alphabet and Dinosaur Droppings.
Fredericks is also the author of several teacher resource books including the perennial favorite Frantic Frogs and Other Frankly Fractured Folktales for Readers Theatre.