Announcements
HCOS Library Newsletter - February 2010
by Shandra Wiebe
Well, as promised, we have new resources in the library for you!
We know how much you love books and how many of you are giving your children a literary education. Having the right books that tie into a subject can really bring it to life!
Books Children Love: a Guide to the Best Children’s Literature by Elizabeth Laraway Wilson is a helpful tool for finding such books. In her introduction, Wilson explains that her philosophy grows out of Charlotte Mason's concept of "living books," and states that to be included in her list titles must be: (1) interesting to children, (2) of excellent literary quality, and (3) reflective of a view of human life that does not conflict with Judeo-Christian moral and ethical values.
Unlike many other book lists, this one includes not only fiction and biography sections, but also a number of nonfiction topics such as music, geography, science, mathematics, performing arts, and the natural world.
When it comes to history, G.A. Henty is well known for writing excellent books that have good, historical background.
G.A. Henty (1832–1902), English author and journalist wrote a prolific amount of children's stories during his lifetime, including A Knight of the White Cross (1896).
As a war correspondent Henty gained the knowledge and acumen to quickly produce works to capture an audience, to bring them right to the frontlines. This style translated well to his fictional adventures when he wrote for his children Out on the Pampas (1871). His almost eighty works in total would soon be read across Britain and North America, and many translated for schools across Europe.
Read more here: http://www.online-literature.com/ga-henty/ We now have 17 of his titles, including 3 on CD.
We have also added titles by Jane Austen and George Eliot.
For younger readers we have the historical fictions series “Dear Canada”, 23 titles plus a manual “Teaching with Dear Canada” which covers four of the books. These books are great supplements to your socials studies curriculum!
We also have a new series: The Canadian Flyer
- Transported back through time on the magic Canadian Flyer, an antique red sled, Emily Bing and Matt Martinez experience the past firsthand. Each thrilling
adventure takes them to a different part of the country at a fascinating point in history. The resourceful and inquisitive kids find themselves face-to-face with dinosaurs, pirates, gold miners, Vikings, and more. Share in the excitement of each fast-paced adventure, and pick up fascinating historical tidbits woven into every story. http://friedawishinsky.com/chapterbooks.html
And there are FREE Teacher Resource Guides available on their website for several of the books:
- Activities are grouped according to grade level—some activities are meant for grade 2/3 students, others for grade 4/5 students.
- Learning Outcomes, Curriculum Connections, and Groupings are identified for each activity. Some activities can be used with individual students. Others are ideal for small and/or large groups. Many will work in all three settings.
- The easy-to-read format of the books makes them attractive and accessible to reluctant readers and ESL learners of any age. Adapt and modify the suggested activities to suit your students' needs and interests.
http://www.mapletreepress.com/canadianflyeradventures/content.aspx?page=4
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To find any of these, just log in to the library website and go to the Catalog tab.
Search by author or by series, ie. Dear Canada. All new books are added to Resource Lists (found under the library search tab on the left hand side), under the Public Lists tab.
Enjoy Reading!