Posted in Reading

(List updated 5-11-07)

 

I love books.  I think that's already been revealed, so there are no secrets here. 

 

But, there are books and there are living books. 

 

In history and literature, living books are original works that explore the age-old conditions, problems, and joys of humanity.  They inspire or chastise us, make or break us, illuminate and sometimes confound us.  They stir up righteous anger and bring us to tears.  Living books are those that define us as human beings. 

 

The term "living books" has taken on some new connotations lately, especially as it becomes applied to books in the fields of science or math.  In these areas, living books are books that explain the concepts of these fields within a literary framework. 

 

There are many, many lists of "great works" online.  Ambleside, A Book in Time, and Classical Christian Online all have lists that provide a good classical foundation in literature and history.  Most of these lists have overlap; some more than others, of course.

 

But, sometimes there are books out there that are just a bit outside the pale, or that are a bit more obscure, yet deserve mention.  Sometimes, folks just like to have others provide some feedback on books they've actually read, as opposed to just going by the title.  Sometimes, the classics are unfamiliar and the "hidden surprises" are unpleasant - it can help to know this if your child is sensitive to certain things. 

 

So, here are my lists.  I intend to update this as time, and serendipity, afford the opportunity.  Everthing herein may not be a "true" classic in the cannonical sense, but in our experience these books were worthwhile.  Enjoy!

 

Geography - Admittedly, geography is often studied alongside history.  But some books align themselves more with place, or mapping skills, than time.  Here are a few:

 Abbie Against the Storm, by Marcia Vaughan.  A young woman keeps the light at Matinicus Rock, Maine, going through the worst storm in 200 years.  Based upon a true story.  This book would also work well with a unit on weather. 

And the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon, by Janet Stevens.  What happens in the nursery rhyme when Dish and Spoon get lost and don't come back!  Cat, Cow, and Dog use a map - drawn by Fork - to find their way around fairytale land.  There are so many levels to this story.  It's a great introduction to the notion of puns, the use of a map, and the application of cultural literacy to a story.

 

Boxes for Katje, by Candace Fleming.  Based on a true story from WWII about an exchange of "care packages" between two post-war children.  Katje's generosity is exemplary.  (This one brings tears to my eyes each time we read it.)

 

Clever Ali by Nancy Farmer.  Told in the "Persian style" with wonderful aliteration and repetition, plus beautiful Arabian inspired illustrations, Ali has just turned seven and joins his father at work as a "keeper of the pigeons" for the cruel sultan.  The sultan is known for his "oubliette" - a hole into which he throws people he doesn't like.  Guess who ends up in the oubliette?  But all is not lost, because Ali is indeed quite clever.  [Parental warning - at the bottom of the oubliette may be a demon and the anticipation of the existence of this demon builds through the story.  We learn the demon is real and is ugly, but not unkind, and he proves very helpful.]

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Chin Yu Min and the Ginger Cat, by Jennifer Armstrong.  Set in China, the illustrations are engaging and depict interesting details about Chinese culture.  The story is wonderful, teaching that kindness and friendship can change the heart of a proud, rich, and vain individual. 

 

The Flame of Peace, by Deborah Nourse Lattimore.  A folktale from the ancient Aztecs.  The clever hero must return the "flame of peace" to his city after the death of his father.  The illustrations are heiroglyphic in nature and invite closer examination.

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The Legend of the Kite: A Story of China, by Chen Jiang Hong.  A Chinese Romeo and Juliet story, except no one dies!  Gives one cultural tale of the origin of the Chinese kite festival.  An unusual focus and one that children seem to enjoy.

 

My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken, and Me, by Maya Angelou.  This book was a visual delight - the painted houses of the Ndebele women of South Africa are amazing.  Told from the perspective of an eight year old Ndebele girl, it captures both the interesting differences of these people, as well as the similarities of children the world over.  A very "good" book.

 

Travelling to Tondo, by Verne Aardema.  Sometimes consideration for friends can go a bit too far...espeically when a civet-cat bride is waiting for her intended to return.   Aardema's tales, primarily set in Africa, are full of wonderful "sounds" that go with the characters.  For instance, in Travelling, the bird as he travels goes "Bwa-wha, bwa-wha" - it's a read-aloud for sure!  Aardema is better known for her Anansi tales - also great reads.  But this was our personal favorite! 

 

History - These are titles that we've discovered while doing our classical rotation in history.  I'm organizing them by major topics, in order to help others doing a similar history format.

 

Ancient Egypt

Tutankhamen's Gift, by Sabuda.  Sabuda is best known for his amazing "pop-up" books.  This book, however, is a typical picture book, focusing on one possible interpretation of the King Tut story.  The young Tutankhamen is small and often overlooked as his father and brother work to change the religious traditions of the Egyptians.  When Tut suddenly comes to power, it's with a gift that is all his own.  Looking for the cats throughout the tale is an added bonus to enjoying the rich illustrations of this text.

 

Egyptian Diary: the Journal of Nakht, by Richard Platt.  A contextual view of life in Ancient Egypt.  Surprisingly, it also contains a bit of a mystery...something we really enjoyed and kept us reading beyond the explanation of Ancient Egyptian culture.

 

Ancient Greece - The stories from this time period are priceless and endlessly referenced in Western Culture.  However, all too often libraries rely on anthologies of the stories, or older volumes that lack engaging illustrations.  Here are some newer versions.

 

Atalanta's Race, Shirley Climo.  This was a great find for two reasons.  I'd not really heard the story of Atalanta before this.  And, she was singled out in another book as being the only woman warrior who went to the Battle of Troy! 

 

Black Ships Before Troy, Rosemary Sutcliff.  An excellent re-telling of Homer's epic poem, The Illiad.  Not heavily illustrated, but very true to the original.  A reasonable, long, read-aloud for younger students.  Sutcliff handles the battles very well, even for younger children, and doesn't gloss over details that make this story so very rich.

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D'Aulaire's Greek Myths by Ingrid and Edgar D'Aulaire.  This was a real treat and a real surprise.  Just about any Greek story (not just myth) that you have ever heard, and maybe a few you haven't, are found in this compendium.  It includes the basics of the Odyssey and the Illiad as well as the stories of the Greek pantheon of gods, the sub-dieties, and primary mortals.  For those concerned about presenting the Greek gods "favorably" - the D'Aulaires do a spendid job of making these mythic beings more "human" than humans.  Occasionally, you laugh out loud at their foolishness, though it's not unduly silly.  Really, a great re-telling and very thorough.

 

King Midas, by John Warren Stewig.  The illustrations in this one are fabulous and offers a visual treasure-hunt for the reader.

 

Pegasus, by Jane Yolen.  Aside from beautiful illustrations, this is an excellent cautionary re-telling of the story of the winged horse and his mortal rider, Bellerophon. 

 

Wanderings of Odysseus, Rosemary Sutcliff.  The companion volume to the Black Ships listed above, this, too, holds true to the original epic poem on which it is based.  Sutcliff handles some of the quirks of Odysseus quite well, using parenthetical asides to explain his actions when his trickster nature might otherwise be confusing. 

 

 

Mathematics - There are lots of new math books geared for primary-age children.  Some are better than others; some do a better job explaining concepts than others.  A fairly complete list can be found on the Living Math site.  Here are our finds:

 

The Man Who Counted,  by Malba Tahan.  A wonderful collection of "math adventures" set in ancient Persia.  The topics range in difficulty and math genres.  The one about more vs. less is actually a lovely virtue story.  The chapters are short, but the tale is delightfully told with just enough detail, in a storytelling style.  A great read-aloud with early primary students; an excellent reader for older students.  In the realm of books in general, this one hedges on a true living book. 

 

Sir Cumference series, by Cindy Neuschwander.  There are currently four "adventures" in this series, each covering an aspect of geometry.  What we enjoy about these is that they are not "stilted" at all.  The adventure aspects are realistic and engaging, the use of geometric terms seems natural, and overall they clearly explain concepts using images that are memorable.  If your child loves the age of knights and ladies, he or she should enjoy these.

 

The Warlord's Alarm, by Virginia Pilegard and Nicolas Debon.  Part of a series of math adventures set in Ancient China, this one focuses on the needs that must be met in order to accurately measure time.  A very do-able project is found at the conclusion.

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Zookeeper for a Day, by Wendy Clemson.  Part of the "Math Adventures" series.  There are activities relating to caring for zoo animals, comparing them, measuring them, etc.  Predominantly addition, subtraction, graphing, and measuring, some time, and a bit of money math.  Some very simple multiplication and maybe a couple of concepts that are on the "high" end of these.  Probably intended for 2nd-3rd grade math concepts.

 

 

Picture Books - Most "great book" lists that include early elementary level books include picture books.  But, these are often very limited to things most of us have already covered by the time our children are of a schoolable age.  Occasionally, more material is needed.  Here are some choices:

 

Animal Friends by Dick King-Smith (author of Babe).  A collection of stories about a variety of unusual animals that the author has lived with, ranging from chameleons and golden pheasants to beloved dogs.  Fans of illustrator Anita Jeram (of Guess How Much I Love You? fame), will enjoy her delightful drawings.

 

The Bake Shop Ghost by Jacqueline K. Ogburn.  When pucker-faced spinster Cora Lee Merriweather dies, the town loses its best baker.  Others try to take over the shop, but all of them give up within days until Annie Washington comes along and meets Cora Lee and her challenge - bake her a cake that will "fill her up and make her cry."  But, which cake will do the trick and allow Annie to "keep" her kitchen?  Non-threatening ghost and a poignant story make this a delightful read.  The cake recipe at the end is wonderfully fudgy (we made it after reading the story, though we didn't care for the icing).  Oh, and watch for the cat in the illustrations.

 

The Moon Quilt, by Sunny Warner.  This was a wonderful find for us.  The illustrations, chock full of meaning and quilt patterns and calicos, are wonderful.  The story, a loving old lady and her cat both nearing the end of their lives, is beautiful and heartwarming.  We pored over this book, looking for illustrative details that enhance the story.  (Note: both the lady and the cat die at the end, peacefully.  There is no overtly Christian message to the tale.  But it is a gentle way to introduce the concept of death to a very young child.)

 

Toads and Diamonds, by Charlotte Huck.  This is a lavishly illustrated retelling of a lesser-known, but extremely likable, fairytale.  Kind behaviour and selfishness are both rewarded in kind when two sisters are sent to a well for water.