Building geographic literacy - book by book

Social Studies Review, Spring 2003 by Schell, Emily

Following are lists of recommended literature, organized by geographic theme, to use for the purposes of teaching, learning and applying geographic literacy. Grade levels are identified according to the book's content as it connects to the California History-Social Science Content Standards. These books might be used across grade levels, however, in a reading or geography program. Hopefully, you have some of these titles and will now use them for the purposes of teaching and evaluating geographic literacy.

Location

A Mission for the People: The Story of La Purisma, Mary Ann Fraser, Henry Holt & Co., 1997; Grades 3 & 4

America the Beautiful, Katharine Lee Bates & Neil Waldman, Aladdin, 1993; Grades K-5

Ancient Rome (Eyewitness Series), Simon James, Alfred Knopf, 1990; Grade 6

Greetings From America: Postcards from Donovan and Daisy, Ray Nelson Jr. & Douglas Kelly, Beyond Words, 1995; Grades 3-5

Legends of Landforms: Native American Lore and the Geology of the Land, Carole G. Vogel, Millbrook Press, 1999; Grades 3-5

My New York, Kathy Jakobsen, Little, Brown & Co., 1993; Grades 1-3

Our National Treasures, Kate Torpie, Mondo, 2002; Grades K-5

The Scrambled States of America, Laurie Keller, Henry Holt & Co., 1998; Grades 2-5

Song of the Swallows, Leo Politi, Aladdin Books, 1948; Grades 3-4

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt, Deborah Hopkinson, Alfred Knopf, 1993; Grades 2-5

Talking Walls, Margy Burns Knight, Tilbury House, 1992; Grades 2-6

Where's Al?, Byron Barton, Clarion, 1972; Grades K-3

Williamsburg, Zachary Kent, Children's Press, 1992; Grade 5

Zoom, Istvan Banyan, Viking, 1995; Grades K-8

Place

A is for America: An American Alphabet, Devin Scillian, Sleeping Bear Press, 2001; Grades 2-5

A New Big Book of America, Todd Davis & Marc Frey, Courage Books, 2002; Grades 3-8

America is..., Louise Borden, Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2002; Grades K-5

The Blue and the Gray, Eve Bunting, Scholastic, 1996; Grades 1-3

The Children of Topaz: The Story of a Japanese-American Internment Camp, Michael O. Tunnell & George W. Chilcoat, Holiday House, 1996; Grades 4-5

Citybook, Shelley Rotner & Ken Kreisler, Orchard, 1994; Grades K-3

Colonial Places, Sarah Howarth, Millbrook Press, 1994; Grade 5

Faithful Elephants: A True Story of Animals, People and War, Yukio Tsuchiya, Houghton Mifflin, 1951; Grades 4-6

Fly Away Home, Eve Bunting, Clarion, 1991; Grades K-3

Harlem, Walter Dean Myers, Scholastic, 1997; Grades 1-3

Heartland, Diane Siebert; Grades 2-5

Hiroshima No Pika, Toshi Maruki, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1980; Grades 4-6

Madlenka, Peter Sis, Frances Foster Books, 2000; Grades K-3

Mojave, Diane Siebert, Harper Trophy, 1988; Grades 3-5

Mouse Views: What the Class Pet Saw, Bruce McMillan, Holiday House, 1993; Grades K-3

My Chinatown: One Year in Poems, Kam Mak, HarperCollins, 2002; Grades K-4

My Place, Nadia Wheatley, Kane/Miller, 1992; Grades 3-5

My Street, Andrew Griffin, Usborne Books, 1998; Grades K-3

My Town, Andrew Griffin, Usborne Books, 1998; Grades K-3

The Other Side: How Kids Live in a California Latino Neighborhood, Kathleen Krull, Lodestar, 1994; Grades 2-4

Places in Time: A New Atlas of American History, Susan Buckley, Houghton Mifflin, 2001; Grades 3-5

Postcards from China, Zoe Dawson, Raintree-Steck Vaughn, 1996; Grades 1-4

Roman Places, Sarah Howarth, The Millbrook Press, 1993; Grade 6

Sierra, Diane Siebert; Grades 3-5

Stories from Where We Live: The California Coast, Sara St. Antoine, Milkweed, 2001; Grades 3-4

The Story of the White House, Kate Waters, Scholastic, 1991; Grades 1-3

Tar Beach, Faith Ringgold, Crown Publishers, 1991 A Traveler's Guide to Ancient Rome, John Malam, Scholastic, 1998; Grade 6

Where I Live, Frances Wolfe, Tundra, 2001; Grades 1-4

Region

The Algonquians, Patricia Ryon Quiri, Franklin Watts, 1992; Grade 5

Birthdays Around the World, Mary D. Lankford, HarperCollins, 2002; Grades K-3

Bred Bread Bread, Ann Morris, Mulberry, 1989; Grades K-3

Hawaiian Tales of Heroes and Champions, Vivian L. Thompson, University of Hawaii Press, 1971; Grades 3-5

Hello World! Greetings in 42 Languages Around the Globe!, Manya Stojic, Scholastic, 2002; Grades K-6

Missions of the Central Coast, June Behrens, Lerner, 1996; Grades 3-4

Missions of the Inland Valleys, Pauline Brower, Lerner, 1996, Grades 3-4

Missions of the Los Angeles Area, Diane MacMillan, Lerner, 1996; Grades 3-4

Missions of the Southern Coast, Nancy Lemke, Lerner, 1997, Grades 3-4

Moja Means One: Swahili Counting Book, Muriel Feelings, Puffin Pied Piper, 1977; Grades 1-3

On the Same Day in March: A Tour of the World's Weather, Marilyn Singer, HarperCollins, 2000; Grades K-4

Purple Mountain Majesties: The Story of Katharine Lee Bates and "America the Beautiful", Barbara Younger, Puffin, 1998; Grades 1-5

The Rainbow Bridge, Audrey Woods, Harcourt Brace, 1995; Grades 3-5

The Stories of Juana Briones: Alta California Pioneer, Glenda Richter, Bookhandler Press, 2002; Grades 3-4

Stranded at Plimoth Plantation 1626, Gary Bowen, HarperCollins, 1994; Grade 5

Tales from Gold Mountain: Stories of the Chinese in the New World, Paul Yee, Macmillan, 1989; Grades 3-5