Giving books a voice

Teaching Pre K-8, Aug/Sep 2002 by Drasek, Lisa Von

Kids of every age love to be read to. Here are a few tips for choosing the best books to read aloud.

Towards the end of August the library gets many requests from teachers: "Do you have any suggestions for books to read aloud in my classroom?" Usually this means a chapter book. These educators aren't looking for a book that ties into the curriculum; they want books to read to the class as they wind down the last 15 minutes of the day, for right after recess to get the kids back into listening mode, for switching between subjects.

Getting together Reading aloud is an excellent management tool. When I was reading aloud Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick, 2001, ISBN 0-- 763-61605-2), students policed each other's behavior so as not to miss out on that day's reading. The kids know the rules: First we work, then we choose books, then and only then, if there is time, I read aloud. The promise of being able to spend 10 minutes lying on the library floor, listening to a great story, keeps most of the children on task.

What to read

The criteria for a great read-aloud are rich and varied language, fast-paced action, remarkable characters, humor, obvious breaks or short chapters - not a lot of description. I don't read aloud books that kids are likely to read themselves; therefore, no more Harry Potter, Lemony Snicket or any series books. I try not to let myself get chained,to a book. If it doesn't immediately grab the kids' attention or I begin to feel the reading is a chore, I set it aside and select another book.

But is it age-appropriate?

With regard to age groupings, you know your students best. Suzanne Selby, a seventh grade teacher in New York City, has had great success with Because of Winn-Dixie and Paul Fleischman's Seedfolks (HarperTrophy, 1999, ISBN 0-064-47207-8), two titles that are appropriate for fifth graders.

Students are never too old to be read aloud to. When course evaluations come back from my children's literature class, graduate students note that they always look forward to our read-aloud time.

Sneak preview

For suggestions on read-aloud technique, the Screen Actors Guild Foundation provides an excellent website (www.bookpals.net/cgi-bin/bookfinder/index.pl?page=dosndonts) that includes tips such as "Preview the book by reading it to yourself first... Such advance reading allows you to spot material you may wish to shorten, elaborate on, or eliminate."

This advice may seem self-evident but I was once confronted by a sixth grade teacher who wanted to know "What were you thinking?"

I'd recommended Whirligig, a sensitive book of forgiveness and redemption, by Paul Fleischman (Laurel Leaf, 1999, ISBN 0440-22835-2) for this teacher's personal reading. He had 10 minutes left in a period and decided to begin reading it to his students. Imagine his surprise when he discovered that the first chapter contained underage drinking and an attempted suicide. It's definitely a good idea to preview each book before reading it to your class.

Finding the books For an excellent compendium, try Books to Read Aloud to Children ofAll Ages Selected by the Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College (edited by Ellen Loughran, 1999, ISSN 1526-7385). This 64-page list, arranged by age, contains almost 400 recommended titles with plot summaries. You can order the guide at www.bankstreet.edu/bookcom/index.html

Read-aloud picks Out of the this year's pack of new titles leapt Dillon Dillon, by Kate Banks (Farrar, Straus Giroux, 200, ISBN 0-374 31786-0) which is fillet with lyrical Ian guage and the keen observations of a 10-- year-old boy. I was captured on the first page: "What kind of parents would name their child Dillon Dillon? Parents who were witless or unkind? Parents who could not feel? Parents who had forgotten that a name was the first thing you wore against your raw naked skin? Dillon's parents were not like that. Dillon's parents were smart. They were nice. They would not do a thing like that. Not on purpose."

It's rare to recommend a book for all ages but here we have Because of WinnDixie by Kate DiCamillo. Ten-year-old ndia Opal Buloni is lonely; she misses her mother, whom she never really knew. Along comes a big, smelly dog with a grin and a talent for making friends, who helps the girl find a place - and people - of her own in the community.

Among the diverse characters populating Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman are Kim from Vietnam, who plants the first seeds in the urban community garden, as well as Ana, born in 1915, who is a keen observer of the comings and goings on the street and Curtis, who is wooing back his ex-girlfriend, La Teesha, with homegrown tomatoes. Told in multiple voices which make it a perfect choice for reading aloud, Fleischman's story unfolds in just 80 pages of concise chapters.

For the trials, tribulations and joys of sibling relationships, introduce your students to The Trolls, by Polly Horvath (Sunburst, 2001, ISBN 0-374-47991-7). Mysterious, eccentric Aunt Sally has come to stay with and care for the Anderson children: Melissa, 10 years old, who always knew everything, Amanda, eight years old, who often knew everything and Pee Wee, six years old "who knew nothing and lived the life of a worm."