From School Library Journal
Picture books are often overlooked for use with older students because some teachers feel they will not interest or benefit them. Many picture books, however, provide interesting, accurate, and creatively presented information that can supplement or inspire research activities for levels reaching into high school. This comprehensive source provides not only an annotated guide to 645 picture books but extensive ideas for further utilizing the books in areas such as writing, drama, and math. Clearly organized and well researched, it lists titles alphabetically by author, with symbols providing usage information, such as "further reading" or "read aloud." Most of the books listed are not story books, but nonfiction books that rely heavily on illustration. A few older titles are included, but the majority were published in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Although some of the ideas are nothing new?"Write what happens after the story ends," for instance?there are enough truly innovative ideas, coupled with extensive information, to make this an indispensable resource for
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
On the premise that TV-generation students learn better from pictures or pictures married to text, children's librarians Ammon and Sherman have put together a collection of 645 picture books that can be used with students grade four and above. All were published pre-1995 and were selected for their artistic and literary quality because they deal with issues and themes that affect older students, and because they are accessible to many learning styles. Some are out of print but readily available in libraries. The book brings to the attention of both librarians and teachers books that may be overlooked because they are shelved in the picture book collection.
The entries are arranged alphabetically by author or editor, or by title if the author is unknown. A brief annotation describing the book is followed by specific suggestions for using it in the curriculum. Fourteen icons are used to indicate whether the book is useful for math, history, art, research, read-aloud, etc. These icons and their meanings are repeated across the bottom of each spread. Books on the same theme are frequently suggested, and many titles are assigned several icons. For example, Goble's Star Boy is suggested for students studying the stars, legends about the stars, or the art of the Cheyenne and Lakota tribes. Subject headings are provided for each book in the left margin, and there are subject, author-illustrator, and title indexes.
While the argument can be made that assigning a broad grade level to each title would have been helpful to those totally unfamiliar with the books, the overall usefulness of this large, wide-ranging collection to student teachers, to new teachers without a strong background in children's literature, and to librarians serving those clienteles is undeniable.
