Children's Books discussion

Any good ones out there that you really like? I am thinking of issues like: explaining 9/11, explaining slavery in the U.S., the Holochaust and so on. Whatever you consider to be the sort of issue that is difficult to explain to a child.

I think a really good one is "Grandfather's Journey" explaining immigration.

As ds gets older, I want to delve into these sorts of books more.

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli for the Jewish ghetto of WWII.

Macmillan Library has a series of "big issue" non fiction books for senior primary school students. The series is called "What's the issue?", and individual titles are about topics such as the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia's Immigration policy and Endangered Species. I am writing a title for series two on the Great Barrier Reef.

Julie, do you have a link?

Hi Cheryl,

Yes, here's the link...http://www.macmillan.com.au/primary/o...

And I noticed Macmillan also has 3 "Global Issues" series too. Here is the link to set three...http://www.macmillan.com.au/primary/o...

Sorry, I don't know how to hyperlink the text.

Best regards, Julie.

Thanks, Abigail!

Thanks for the MacMillan links, both of you as a team!

Do you want just historical issues, like The Red Badge of Courage or Ruffles and Drums, or do you want personal & social issues, like Holes and Cold Skin?

I'll be thinking on this, but for now let me warn you that the four mentioned here are not for younger children and are even 'iffy' for teens, just so you know.

Oh, I did recently read Dave at Night that deals with immigration and orphan issues between the world wars, during Harlem's hey-day.

Cheryl~~I was thinking of "Issues" in the sense that there is a topic you want to explain, but can't really explain it well. So a book helps you along. For example, I've heard "The Man Who Walked Between the Towers" is good for 9/11, but we have not read it yet.

I agree with the person who said that a big issue would require several books....

Yes, Kirei, I understand what you mean by "big issue." What I'm wondering is if you want

A) History, like the Holocaust or 9/11
B) Personal, like anorexia or mental illness
or
C) All of the above.

I personally like to learn, and share, all of the above. :)

I meant all of the above. Some issues I can't see tackling with my ds yet (like anorexia), but maybe somebody else would find them useful.

And to tell the truth, I was thinking of picture books....... but we shouldn't have to limit it.

ah - ok - thanks for the clarification - I'll keep thinking -

Karen Hesse comes to mind. The Cats in Krasinski Square is a picture book.

Kirei, oh now I get what you meant by "big issue". In terms of "big issue" picture books, I really like stories that help children cope with being a little bit different. For example Some Dogs Do is great, with a brilliant twist at the end. There's also Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley, which is a celebration of friendship between two children who are very different characters (from each other). There are lots more, but why do they not spring to mind when you want them? I'm sure they'll come to me in time...

We just finished reading, "Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave." I used it to try to get across to my children how wrong slavery was. That here was this brilliant fellow, and how he was kept from practicing his skills as he might have, had he been free.

For older kids there's To Be A Slave by Julius Lester.
I haven't read that one, but my cohort in reviewing raved about it.