Introduction
This is a guide to selected sources of information related to ED375: Teaching Elementary Reading. This guide contains resources that will help you research children's literature and select grade and content level appropriate fiction and non-fiction materials. It will also point you towards resources that will inspire you to be good storytellers. For further assistance, please contact the Education Liaison Librarian.
Reference Books
Use the following reference resources to research literacy, reading, and children's literature.
Single Titles (Print and Electronic)
The Children's Literature Dictionary
Curriculum Collection PN1008.5 .L38
The Continuum Encyclopedia of Children's Literature
The Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales
Ref PN3437 .O94
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature
Ref PN1008.5 .O94 2006 (4 volumes)
Curriculum Library
Located on the lower level of Geisel Library, the Curriculum Library is a separate collection designed to support students in their student teaching experience.
The Curriculum Library consists of two collections: one containing professional teacher resources and the other containing juvenile literature and manipulatives. Curriculum Library materials are cataloged in the library catalog and may be checked out of the library.
To search for books in the Curriculum Library search the Geisel Library Catalog and limit to the "Curriculum Materials" location.
Books are arranged by Library of Congress call number according to subject; consult the list below to locate books according to subject area:
- Philosophy/Psychology/Religion: B
- C-K: Social Studies
- Education: L-LT
- Foreign Languages: P-PC
- English Literature: PN-PZ
- Math and Science: Q-QR
Databases
You can use our databases to locate scholarly research in the area of children's literature as well as reviews of books at various grade levels and content areas. To locate book reviews use the "book review" or "review" limiter in the databases listed below.
Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts
Journals/Magazines
Scholarship
The following journals and magazines discuss children's literature from a scholarly prespective. Depending on the publication, they may also contain book reviews or lesson plan ideas.
Children's Literature Association Quarterly
Children's Literature in Education
Papers: Explorations into Children's Literature
Book Reviews
The following titles can be used to help you select grade, reading level, and subject matter appropriate materials. These titles have been used for book selection by teachers and librarians for decades.
Horn Book Guide to Children's and Young Adult Books
Websites
Use the following websites to help with book selection and to brainstorm ways that you can incorporate reading in your classroom. You may also want to visit author, illustrator, and children's book publisher websites. Many of them create book talk guides or lesson plans and post them on their websites.
Children's Literature Assembly
Cooperative Children's Book Center
Book Awards
Book awards and book lists are great resources to help you find high quality books to use in your classroom. Each award focuses on a specific quality, element, genre, or subject matter.
American Library Association Awards
The American Library Association hands out some of the most prestigious awards in children's and young adult literature. Awards are granted in a number of genres and subject areas.
Caldecott Medal - children's picture book award
Coretta Scott King Book Awards - African American Literature
John Newberry Medal - literature for children
Printz Award - young adult literature
Pura Belpré Medal - Latino literature
Schneider Family Book Award - disability experience for children/young adults
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award - illustration for beginning readers
Robert F. Sibert Medal - informational books
YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award - non-fiction for young adults
Mildred L. Batchelder Award - translated works for children
New Hampshire Children's Literature Awards
The awards listed below are unique in that they are voted on by children and not review boards consisting of teachers and librarians. If you want to know what books children want to read then these are the awards for you.
Great Stone Face Children's Book Award Winners Awarded by 4-6 graders
Cocheco Readers' Award Winners Awarded by 3-4 graders
Ladybug Picture Book Award Winners Awarded by PreK-3 graders
Professional Associations
The lists below are compiled by professional teachers. Some of the lists also contain lesson plans that correspond to the recommended books.
Choice Reading Lists - International Reading Association
National Council for the Social Studies - Notable Trade Books
The Notable Trade Book List is published in the May issue of Social Education. Older issues are available for free on the NCSS website. To read recent trade book lists find the May issue of Social Education through ProQuest, locate the trade book list, and then request through interlibrary loan.
Outstanding Science Trade Books K-12 (NSTA)
Storytelling
Use the following links to inspire you to become great storytellers.
The Art of Reading a Storybook
ELSIE: Early Literacy Storytime Ideas Exchange
Minnesota Storytime Reading Guides
Lesson Plans
The websites listed below contain lesson plans on English language arts. In addition to the online resources make sure to consult print resources shelved in the Curriculum Library.
EDSITEment: National Endowment for the Humanities
