Children's books...
The race
by Christobel Mattingley
Suggested age level: 6 - 12 years
I love this book, I think it must be one of my favourites. When I read it for the first time it made me want to cry. 'The Race' would be helpful to teach children to be more understanding of people who have different needs to their own and that everyone is good and clever at something! It also shows how important the invisible tie of understanding that connects an important teacher and child is and how this type of connection on a child's level promotes resilience in the child. Read this book to find out the whole story!
The Doorbell Rang
by Pat Hutchins
Suggested age level: Toddlers 12 - 36 months, 3 - 5 years
Contains the kind of joyous repetition that young children absolutely love! The end of the story is also cute and would be unpredictable for that age group.
" Ma has made a dozen delicious cookies. It should be plenty for her two children. But then the doorbell rings -- and rings and rings.Each ring of the doorbell brings more friends to share the delicious cookies Ma has made."Refreshing, enjoyable and unpredictable."
-- School Library Journal.
http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/books/Doorbell-Rang-Pat-Hutchins/?isbn13=9780688092344&tctid=100
Office of Multicultural Affairs, Short List:
Australian Multicultural Children's Book Award
Mum Goes To Work
By Libby Gleeson
Suggested age level for read aloud: 3-5 years, School Age 6-12 years
Could also be used for children in the Toddlers 12 - 36 months age bracket if the children have good concentration or the book is used on a one to one basis rather than with a large group of children.
Having delightful illustrations, this story especially communicates in a lovely way the most important bond between a child and the child's parent/s and the fact that no other caregiver's role can take that away. May be used to introduce children to the idea of being left at childcare or school for the first time and the fact that children developmentally don't always understand at first that their mother or parent will actually come back (object permanence). It could also be used to show children who stay at home all day with their parent/s that they also do similar activities to their peers who go to a childcare centre.
Dear Zoo
by Rod Campbell
Suggested age level for read aloud: Under 12 months, Toddlers 12 - 36 months, 3-5 years
Could also be used as an early reader
And other stuff...
Yolngu Mali: Aboriginal Spirit
by Binmila Yunupingu and Milkayngu Mununggurr
photographed and recorded by Peter McConchie
I would highly recommend this book!
Suggested age level: School age 6-12 years - adult
This book also has wonderful pictures that all ages could look at. So even if children wouldn't listen to the text this could still be a wonderful multicultural resource and has some lovely pictures that expose children to thinking 'outside the box' of 'western' culture. It could also be used to introduce the cultural idea of the use of oral language in indigenous communities and stories or 'indigenous history' passed down from one generation to the next.
"This book uses simple but powerful visual images to give us a glimpse into the traditional lives of the Yolngu people of North East Arnhem Land.
The text, written in their unique style, takes us through such events as children, growing up, ceremony, family stories, women, hunters and warriors, food souces and bushfire.
It gives us insight into the traditional roles of the men, women and children who live there lives with respect, and in harmony with their environment. We learn about the skills they use to survive and the events which are important in their lives.
The photographs, taken by Peter McConchie, are all black and white, which does not detract from the book at all, but instead gives it a certain clarity and mystique, at the same time.
This book would be ideal for a young person who would like an easy to understand basic exploration of the North East Arnhem Land people."
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http://www.searchsa.com.au/review/book_view.asp?id=40
Everyday learning about fussy eaters
Dr Robyn Leeson
For parents
"Parents and carers can cook up healthy eating habits in babies, toddlers and preschoolers who are fussy about food. Includes background information about why such difficulties arise."
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http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/pdf/voice/voice0604.pdf
Please note that the age levels given on this blog for reading the books are only suggestions and will depend on the concentration or development of each individual child and whether the child likes reading or is used to being read aloud to.
