From the Scituate Elementary Schools

Prepared by
Elizabeth Danis, Wampatuck Reading Specialist
Elaine Murphy, Hatherly Reading Specialist
Mary Penny, Cushing Reading Specialist
Joey VonIderstein, Scituate Town Library Children's Librarian

READ ALOUDS
The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children. It is believed that if parents would spend as little as fifteen minutes a day reading to children, schools could be revolutionized. If reading aloud is not a daily habit in your home, give it a try.

Anderson, Hans Christian
Atwater, Richard & Florence
Biano
Bond, Michael
Brown. Marcia
Burgess, Thornton
Burnett, Frances Hodges
Christelow, Eileen
Cleary, Beverly
Dahl, Roald
Daughery, James
Freeman, Donald
Grahame, Kenneth
Grimm, Jacob & Wilhelm
Henkes, Kevin
Henry, Marguerite
Hughes, Shirley
Kipling, Rudyard
Leaf, Manro
Mead, Katherine
Milne, A.A.
Seldon, George
VanAllsburg, Chris
Wilder, Laura Ingalls
White, E.B.

Aesops Fables
Mr. Popper's Penguins
The Velveteen Rabbit
A Bear Called Paddington
Stone Soup
Old Mother West Wind
The Secret Garden
Five Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed
The Romona Books
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Andy & the Lion
Corduroy
The Wind & the Willows
Grimm's Fairy Tales
Owen, Chrysanthemum
Misty of Chincoteaque
All About Alfie
Just So Stories
The Story of Ferdin& the Bull
Ten Silly Bears
Winnie the Pooh
Cricket in Times Square
The Polar Express
Little House in the Big Woods
Charlotte's Web


ABC & COUNTING BOOKS
Bayer, Jane
Dragonwagon, Crescent
Hague, Kathleen
Lobel, Arnold
Pallotta, Jerry
Shannon, George
My Name is Alice
Alligator Arrived With Apples
Alphabears
Away From Home
Various Titles
Tomorrow's Alphabet


PHONEMIC AWARENESS
Those who study the subject in depth are getting closer to a full underst&ing of how a child acquires the ability to read. These things are highly correlated with learning the complex skill of reading: knowledge of the alphabet, the ability to hear rhymes in words, & being able to separate the distinct sounds of words. The separating of sounds is referred to as phonemic awareness.

These three preparations for reading have been going on in most families & in early education since the dawn of history.

The books listed here will help young children experience the critical components of literacy & learning to read. They are irresistible to children & adults. Every family has its own favorites. Here are ours:

WORD PATTERNING/RHYMING
Ahlberg, Janet
Buller, John
Carle, Eric
Carlstrom, Nancy
Langstaff, John
Langstaff, John
Lear, Edward
Lewiston, Wendy
Martin, Bill
Martin, Bill
Rosen, Michael
Sendak, Maurice
Seuss, Dr.
Shaw, Nancy
Wood, Audrey
Yolen, Jane
Each Peach Pear Plum
I Love You, Goodnight
Animals, Animals
Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear
Oh, A-Hunting We Will Go
Over in the Meadow
The Owl & the Pussycat
Buzz Said The Bee
Brown Bear, Brown Bear
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom We're Going on a Bear Hunt
Chicken Soup with Rice
The Cat in the Hat
Sheep in a Jeep
Napping House
Old Dame Counterpane


NURSERY RHYME COLLECTIONS
DaPaola, Tomie
Jones, Douglas
Opie, Iona
Opie, Iona
Mother Goose
Hickory Dickory Dock
My Very First Mother Goose
The Real Mother Goose


SERIES BOOKS FOR BEGINNING READERS
Series books are good for the younger readers who grow attached to a character they love & situations they fin amusing. Once your child finds a character he or she can identify with , your family will have hours of reading pleasure.

Adler, David
Bridwell, Norman
Brown, Marc
Cleary, Beverly
deBrunoff, Jean
Giff, Patricia
Hoban, Lillian
Hoban, Russell
Lobel, Arnold
Minarik, Else
Osborne, Mary P.
Parrish, Peggy
Rylant, Cynthia
Seuss, Dr.
Sharmat, Marjorie
Slate, Joseph
Warner, Gertrude
Cam Jansen Series
Clifford Books
Arthur Books
Ramona Books
Babar Books
Kids of Polk Street
Arthur's Pen Pal
Frances
Frog & Toad
Little Bear
Magic Tree House
Amelia Bedelia
Henry & Mudge
All Titles
Nate the Great
Miss Bindergarten
Boxcar Children

Also try:
American Girl Books
Bob Readers
Puffin Easy-to-Read
Step Into Reading


FAVORITE AUTHORS FROM THE SCITUATE ELEMENTARY LITERATURE CURRICULUM
These "favorite authors" are found in the Literature Series used in the Scituate Public Elementary Schools. You will recognize many of them as today's best writers of children's literature. Adults will find pleasure reading these authors along with their children.

Ardizzone, Edward*
Bemelmans, Ludwig*
Brett, Jan
Brown, Marc*
Brown, Margaret Wise*
Bunting, Eve*
Burningham, John
Burton, Virginia*
Carle, Eric
Carrick, Donald
Cooney,Barbara
dePaola, Tomie*
Flournoy, Valerie
Fox, Mem
Gag, W&a*
Greenfield, Eloise*
Huchins, Pat
Isodora, Rachael
Keats, Ezra Jack*
Kellogg, Steven
Lionni, Leo*
Marshall, James
McCloskey, Robert*
McKissak, Patricia
McPhail, David
Numeroff, Laura
Peet, Bill
Pilkey, Dave
Pinkwater, Daniel*
CarlPolacco, Patricia
Potter, Beatrix*
CooRey, Margaret&H.A.*
Rylant, Cynthia*
Sendak, Maurice
Steig, William*
Steptoe, John*
Stevenson, James
VanAllsburg, Chris*
Waber, Bernard
Williams, Vera*
Yolen, Jane*
Yoshida, Toshi
* Massachusetts Language Arts Frameworks recommended author

POETRY
All of these poets are found in the Massachusetts Frameworks Curriculum Guide of recommended authors. More than ever, teachers & test-makers are aware of the importance of poetry for young learners. For the very youngest, its rhythms & patterns assist in learning to read &, the white spaces on a page are a relief for beginning readers.
For our older learners, not only do the sounds & rhythms captivate, but the medium of poetry forces them to reread, probe, think, assess, compare & wonder about meaning...all skills essential to higher level reading & thinking.

Ciardi, John
Field, Rachel
Frost, Robert
Hughes, Langstron
Lear, Edward
Longfellow, Henry W.
McCord, David
Milne, A.A.
Prelutsky, Jack
Richards, Laura
Silverstein, Shel
Stevenson, Robert L.

4+
Alcott, Louisa May
Alex&er, Lloyd
Asimov, Isaac
Avi
Babbit, Natalie
Byars, Betsy
Blos, Joan
Blume, Judy
Brink, Carol Ryrie
Christopher, John
Christopher, Matt
Cleary, Beverly
Clements, Andrew
Climo, Shirley
Cooper, Susan
Cushman, Karen
Dahl, Roald
DeJong, Meindert
Eager, Edward
Estes, Eleanor
Fitzhugh, Louise
Franklin, Kristine
George, Jean Craighead
Giff, Patricia Reilly
Griffin, Judith Berry
Haddin, Margaret
Haley, Gail
Hamilton, Virginia
Janes, Stephen
Harshman, March
Hautzig, Esther
Henry, Marquerite
Hildick, EW
Hooks, William
Howe, Deborah & James
Hunt, Irene
Hunter, Sara
Jacques, Brian
Kidd, Diana
King-Smith, Richard
Konigsburg, EL
L'Engle, Madeline
Langton, Jane
Lasker, Joe
Levine, Gail
Lewis, CS
Lowry, Lois
McKissak, Patricia
Meddagh, Susan
Montgomery, Lucy
Moss, Marissa
Naylor, Phyllis
North, Sterling
O'Dell, Scott
Park, Barbara
Paterson, Katherine
Paulsen, Gary
Peck, Robert
Pullman, Philip
Quackenbush, Robert
Rockwell,
Rowling, JK
Sachar, Louis
Scieszka, Jon
Scioscia, Mary
Selden, George
Snyder, Zilpha Keatley
Sobol, Donald
Soto, Gary
Spinelli, Jerry
Steckler, Arthur
Taylor, Mildred
Tolkien, JR
Uchida, Yoshiko
White, EB
Wilder, Laura Ingalls
Williams, Barbara
Wright, Betty R.
Yep, Lawrence
Yolen, Jane
Little Women
The Arkadians
Caught in the Organ Draft
Poppy
Tuck Everlasting
The Dark Stairs: A Herculeah Jones Mystery
A Gathering of Days
Are You There God, It's Me Margaret
Caddie Woodlawn
When the Tripods Came
sports stories
Ramona stories
Frindle
The Egyptian Cinderella
The Dark is Rising, The Boggart
Ballad Lucy Whipple; Cath'ne Called Birdy
The BFG
The Wheel on the School
Half Magic
The Hundred Dresses
Harriet The Spy
Iguana Beach
Julie of the Wolves & others
Lily's Crossing & others
Phoebe the Spy
Running Out of Time
A Story, A Story
The People Could Fly; The House of Dies Drear
Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days
The Storm
Riches
King of the Wind (series)
The Case of the Purloined Parrot
Circle of Fire
Bunnicula
Across Five Aprils
The Unbreakable Code
The Redwall Series; Mossflower
Onion Tears
Babe the Gallant Pig & others
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
A Wrinkle In Time
The Fragile Flag; Fledgling & others
A Tournament of Knights
Ella Enchanted
Chronicles of Narnia
Anastasia stories; Number the Stars; All About Sam
Ma Dear's Aprons
Martha stories; Cinderella's Rat
Ann of Green Gables
Amelia's Notebook
Shiloh stories; Alice stories
Rascal & others
The Black Pearl & others
Skinnybones & others
Bridge to Terabithia; Jip & others
Dog Song & others
Soup
The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife
Mark Twain? What Kind of Name is That?
How to Eat Fried Worms
Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone & others
Sideways Stories from Wayside School
Summer Reading is Killing Me!
The Bicycle Rider
The Cricket in Times Square
Cat Running
Encyclopedia Brown stories
Taking Sides
Maniac Magee & others
One Hundred & One Words & How They Began
Mississippi Bridge; Trouble with Tuck
Rover&um & others
Journey Home
Trumpet of the Swan; Charlotte's Web; Stuart Little
Little House stories
Titanic Crossing
Out of the Dark
Child of the Owl, Dragon of the Lost Sea
Merlin; Hobby; Passager


NONFICTION BIOGRAPHY
Allman, Barbara
Bray, Rosemary L.
Cooney, Barbara
Freedman, Russell
Fritz, Jean
Hearne, Betsy
Ryan, Pam Munoz
Siebert, Jerry
Sis, Peter
Stanley, Diane
Her Piano Sang, Story of Clara Schumann
Martin Luther King, Jr
Eleanor
Lincoln, a Photobiography
And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?
Seven Brave Women
Riding Freedom
Sacagawea
Starry Messenger
Leonardo Da Vinci


SOPHISTICATED PICTURE BOOKS
Bedard, Michael
Bunting,Eve
Carrick, Carol
Cherry, Lynne
Coerr, Eleanor
George, Jean
Harners, Cheryl
Hest, Amy
Leighton, Maxine Rhea
McCully, Emily Arnold
Polacco, Patricia
Ringgold, Faith
Ryl&, Cynthia
Seuss, Dr.
Shakespeare, William
Stewart, Sarah
Yolen, Jane
Emily
So Far From the Sea
Whaling Days
A River Ran Wild
Sadako
Dear Rebecca, Winter is Coming
The Amazing Impossible Erie Canal
When Jessie Came Across the Sea
An Ellis Isl& Christmas
The Bobbin Girl
Pink & Say
Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad
Appalachia, The Voice of Sleeping Birds
The Butter Battle Book
Midsummer Night's Dream
The Gardener
Piggins


NEW NONFICTION TO TRY
Br&enburg, J.
George, LC
Locker, Thomas
McPherson, SS
Miller, Br&on
Adventures on the American Prairie
Everglades
Water Dance
Ordinary Genius: The Story of Albert Einstein
Women of the Old West


NONFICTION INFORMATION BOOKS
Arnold, Caroline
Ballard, Robert D
Charlip, Remy
Cole, Joanna
Facklam, Margery
French, Vivian
Gans, Roma
George, William & Barrett
Gibbons, Gail
Jacobsen, Karen
Knight, Margy Burns
Leedy, Loreen
Simon, Seymour
Fox
Exploring the Titanic
H&talk
The Magic Schoolbus stories
The Big Bug Book
Caterpillar, Caterpillar
When Birds Change Their Feathers
Beaver at Long Pond, Box Turtle
Pirates
Greece
Talking Walls: Stories Continue
Postcards from Pluto
The Heart


SPORTS FICTION
Breitenbucher, Cathy
Brooks, Bruce
Christopher, Matt
Iguchi, Bryan
Jackman, Joan
Krull, Kathleen
Littlefield, Bill
Mathis, Sharon Bell
Donohue, Shiobhan
Goldstein, Margaret
Goldenbock, Peter
Honig, Donald
Ritter, Lawrence
Thornley, Stew
Bonnie Blair: Golden Streak
Woodsie #1 of Wolfbay Wings series
Double Play at Shortstop
The Young Snowboarder
The Young Gymnast
Lives of the Athletes
Champions
Running Girl: The Diary of Ebonee Rose
Kristi Yamaguchi
Brett Hull
Teammates
The Boston Red Sox
Leagues Apart
Cal Ripkin, Jr


REFERENCES FOR PARENTS
Bauermeister, Erica
Cuyahoga County Public Library
Donavin, Denise
Odean, Kathleen
Trelease, Jim
Let's Hear It for the Girls
Preschoolers Leap into Books
For Reading Out Loud
Great Books for Girls & Great Books for Boys
The Read Aloud H&book & Hey! Listen to This stories