Literature+Unit+Books!

Class Read Aloud
**//Drita My Homegirl//** When Maxie, a popular fourth grade girl at a public school in Brooklyn, New York meets the new girl, Drita, a refugee from Kosava who speaks very little English, she immediately decides not to like her. As Maxie and Drita begin to learn more about each other, a lasting friendship ensues. I am going to use this book for my read aloud because it encompasses multiple aspects of the unit theme. Maxie and Drita both have to be brave and compassionate to reach out and work together to overcome obstacles. I also chose this book because it is accessible, heartwarming, humorous and features fourth graders! Lombard, J. (2006). Drita My Homegirl. New York, NY: The Penguin Group Inc.

Books for Literacy Circles
**//Freedom Summer//** This story, set in the summer of 1964, illustrates a friendship between an African American and a White child in the segregated South. The two boys spend their summer, laughing, swimming and fishing. They are at an age when they are just beginning to become aware of racial tensions in the town. This is a simple story deals eloquently with complex issues of racism, segregation and courage. The steadfast friendship between the two boys illustrates the power of reaching out to others despite differences. Wiles, D. and Lagarrigue, J. (2001). Freedom Summer. New York, NY: Aladdin Paperbacks.

**//The Other Side//** Like //Freedom Summer//, this story deals with a friendship between an African American girl and a White girl. Set sometime in the past, these two girls become friends when one of them notices how lonely the other girl seems. This is another simple but poignant story. It lends itself to the theme because the two girls find a way to overcome the “obstacle” that would keep them from being friends. Woodson, J. and Lewis, E.B. (2001). The Other Side. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

**//A Chair for my Mother//** A small girl saves up money to buy her mother a chair. This book tells the story of an entire community coming together to help a family has lost everything. I chose this book because the language is fairly simple but the story is thought provoking. It also presents an example of how we can work together to overcome obstacles. Williams, V.B. (1982). A Chair for my Mother. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.

**//The Butterfly//** Set in Paris during WWII when the Nazi’s were occupying the city, this is a story about the French Underground Resistance and the harsh realities of war. This story is told through the eyes of a young girl but it features the work of French families who were hiding Jews underneath their houses during the war. Although the book has sorrowful undertones, the image of the butterfly presents a symbol of hope during dark times. I chose this book in order to incorporate elements of historical fiction into the theme. This book also fit with the generalization of reaching out to others and working together to overcome obstacles. <span style="color: #532222; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Polacco, P. (2000). The But terfly. New York, NY: Penguin Books

<span style="color: #532222; font-family: Georgia,serif;">**//Coolies//** <span style="color: #532222; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Set in the United States in the 1900s, this book tells the story of two Chinese brothers who come to the U.S. and get jobs working on the railroad in California. Surviving avalanches, racism and horrible working conditions these two brothers manage to support each other and find ways to be part of a community despite their hardships. This book illustrates how two brothers can work together to overcome obstacles. I also chose this book because it features an important part of American History that is not often discussed in popular children's literature. Yin and Soentpiet, C. (2001). Coolies. New York, NY: Philomel Books.

<span style="color: #532222; font-family: Georgia,serif;">**//Freedom on the Menu//** <span style="color: #532222; font-family: Georgia,serif;">This book tells the story of the Greensboro Sit-ins. In 1960, four African American students broke color lines by sitting at a “Whites Only” lunch counter in Greensboro North Carolina. The story is narrated through the eyes of a young African American girl who is beginning to understand the power of the Civil Rights Movement. The illustrations in this book speak as loud as the words. Jerome Lagarrigue, who also illustrated //Freedom Summer//, captures the spirit of the time using vivid colors and muted forms. I chose this book because it is a reminder of how working together and reaching across boundaries can lead to monumental change. <span style="color: #532222; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Weatherford, C.B. and Lagarrigue, J. (2005). Freedom on the Menu. New York, NY: Puffin Books.

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