Reading Corner: Paddle-To-The-Sea

 Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling Clancy Holling is one of the classics I grew up on.

A young Indian boy dreams of traveling to the ocean. but doesn’t have that opportunity. So he carves little wooden figure which he names “Paddle-to-the-Sea” to travel for him. The story, in pictures and text, follows Paddle’s journey through the Great Lakes all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.

This book enriches studies in geography, natural history, and social studies. This book could also be used in the classroom to highlight the character qualities of creativity or patience.

Reading Corner: Paul Revere's Ride

Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, illustrated by Ted Rand is a classic.

"Listen, my children, and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere . . .

"So begins one of the most stirring poems in American literature, brought vividly to life. . . Ted Rand's moonlit vision captures the swift, rhythmic gait of Longfellow's words and the drama of Revere's brave ride as he gallops from town to farm, sounding the call to rise and arm against the British. . . . The mixture of history, art, and poetry results in a book as gorgeous to behold as its message is inspiring to all who love freedom" (from the inside jacket).

Reading Corner: My Shadow

My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson illustrated by Ted Rand is one of my favorite picture books from my elementary school days. With its playful rhymes and vivid word pictures, Stevenson’s poetry is enchanting to young listeners and readers. Accompanied by Ted Rand’s vibrant water-color illustrations depicting children in various settings all over the world, this picture book is a delightful experience. This book could be used in science as an introduction to a lesson on light and shadow. It could also be used in a social studies unit celebrating differences and similarities between children from different cultures.

Reading Corner: Our Enduring Spirit

Our Enduring Spirit: President Barack Obama's First Words to America, illustrated by Greg Ruth. This book is simply stunning. The text, adapted from President Obama's January 20, 2009 Inaugural Address, is brought to life by stirring illustrations.


I could see this book being used in a variety of content areas. It could be used as an example in a speech class of how to craft a speech for a specific occasion and audience, as well as how to choose vivid word pictures. Of course this could be an excellent book as part of a history study in American Presidents. The illustrator's note at the back of the book also makes an outstanding resource for an art class; as demonstrated in his illustrations and explained in his comments, artist Greg Ruth shows how art simultaneously records history, promotes ideas, and expresses feelings. I could even see this book being used in an undergraduate marketing class. As illustrator Greg Ruth explains in his illustrator's note, this book was created out of his and his publisher's mutual enthusiasm for Obama's presidential election. Their political agenda packaged in a beautiful picture book is a prime sample of marketing—winsome, disarming, persuasive, memorable.

Reading Corner: The Legend of the Petoskey Stone

This past weekend my family took a little getaway up to Petoskey and Mackinac Island. If you've never been to the shores of Lake Michigan, you don't know what you're missing—Northern Michigan is absolutely beautiful, especially in the summer and fall.

Reading some of the Native American folklore from the region only deepens our appreciation. Sleeping Bear Press has several lovely picture books about Northern Michigan in the Legends series. (Click here to view the entire series on Amazon.)

Reading Corner: Count Your Way Across the USA

Sleeping Bear Press  has a wonderful series of picture books called Count Your Way Across the USA.  These delightful books take a number tour of the United States, integrating nonfiction reading with math and social studies. Counting the landmarks, the traditions, the history, and the people that make each state unique and special, these books would be excellent to use in thematic unit studies. Click here on Amazon to view the entire series.

Reading Corner: Hittite Warrior

I was introduced to the novel Hittite Warrior by Joanne Williamson, while I was babysitting for some friends. One of the children had it out on the kitchen table for a school assignment. Meticulously-researched and well-written, this engaging historical fiction story tells the tale of a fugitive Hittite boy living during the time of the Israelite Judges. The adventure deftly weaves Biblical facts amidst a wide background of ancient civilizations, showing readers the interrelatedness of ancient cultures. It's a great read for ages 10-up.

Reading Corner: Abigail Adams

While I was working at day camp last week, I noticed on the classroom bookshelf this biography of Abigail Adams: First Lady of Faith and Courage by Evelyn Witter. Abigail Adams is one of my heroines, so I eagerly picked up the book to read silently during the kids’ rest time and reading time. The book is one of the Sower Series biographies, which I loved when I was elementary school. Reading Abigail Adams this week reminded me why these books are outstanding—they make the lives of Godly history-makers accessible to elementary children. Quite a few of the books in the series, including Abigail Adams, are written in first-person, which cause the inspiring true stories to become all that more personal and engaging. 

Other famous men and women highlighted in the series include Abraham Lincoln, George Washington Carver, Mother Teresa, Isaac Newton, Johnny Appleseed, the Wright brothers, and more.