Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as our beloved Dr. Seuss, was born in 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Due to his mother’s , Henrietta Seuss Geisel, rhyming Lullabies,Dr. Suess often credits her for his ability to create imaginative rhymes. The influence of Ted’s memories of Springfield is shown throughout his work. Drawings of Horton the Elephant meandering along streams in the Jungle of Nool, for example, mirror the watercourses in Springfield’s Forest Park. Ted’s first children’s book, And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street, was inspired by incredible things in Springfield, including a look-alike of Mayor Fordis Parker, and police officers riding red motorcycles down a busy street. The Cat in the Hat, perhaps the defining book of Ted’s career, was ultimately a challenge for Dr. Seuss set by  Houghton Mifflin. The challenge was, Dr. Seuss needed to write a children’s written and illustrated book with 225 “new-reader” vocabulary words. Best to say, Dr. Seuss took on the challenge and created one of his most influential children’s book that has ever been produced.  At the time of his death on September 24, 1991, Ted had written and illustrated 44 children’s books, including  all-time favorites as: Green Eggs and Ham, Oh, the Places You’ll Go, Fox in Socks, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. His books have been translated into more than 15 languages. Over 200 million copies have found their way into tiny hands of future generations and the books continues to be a stronghold in children’s literature for a long time.

Happy Birthday To You!                                              

Dr. Seuss, in his classic book Happy Birthday to You reminds us that birthdays are meant to be celebrated!  At least they are in Katroo!   The Birthday Honk Honker gives the “hi-sign-and shake just for you”. Let the birthday adventure begin! This includes eating whatever you like, such as hotdogs with lots of mustard.  It’s also a day of entertainment, like being pulled through the air by “funicular goats”and have special  parties to celebrate with friends and family!

 

http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=1529&recCount=50&recPointer=40&bibId=572546

Suggested classroom activity: Counting Cakes

http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1650055

 

     The Seuss The Whole Seuss and Nothing But The Seuss   

Author Charles Cohen,a avid Dr. Seuss collector, was a well qualified expert to write the visual biography of Ted Geisel. Through  illustrations, Cohen shows the many sides of Geisel’s art and creativity. In the very beginning Geisel’s earliest works, which includes examples of his college newspaper cartoons and several of his successful advertising campaigns. These creations are a springboard to his later children’s books and helps the reader gain a  deeper understanding of how culture and history shaped the thought process of his ideas and many, many works.

http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=1531&recCount=50&recPointer=4&bibId=1921798

 

Check out these free printables pinned on McLure’s Pinterest page! These can be printed in our library.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/69172544255328717/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/69172544255328668/

 

Fox in Socks

With this amazing  illustrated book, Fox in Socks , join Knox and the fox as they have a play with  tongue teasers and twisters! It’s one of Dr. Seuss most enjoyable books, but not just fun for the kids but also a great read for adults as well

 

 

 

http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=1544&recCount=50&recPointer=1&bibId=101438

 

Suggested classroom activity: Know Your Colors Sorting Baskets with Socks

http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=3551739.

 

 

 

 

 

By: Dagan Bond and Kristy Justice

 

 

Suggested Books

African-American History is a subject that can be taught all throughout the year, not just during the month of February. Whether you are introducing African-American History to your students for the first time or if it is referred to frequently in your classroom the items listed below will be useful to you. They contain a wide variety of topics and activities that can easily be incorporated. All books that are represented are found at the Mclure Education Library and the location of said books will be linked underneath each description.

Henry’s Freedom Box

In 1849 a Virginia slave, Henry “Box” Brown, escapes to freedom by shipping himself in a wooden crate. This is an remarkable true story of a man who put his life on the line for his ultimate freedom. The author, Ellen Levine, and the illustrator,  Kadir Nelson, both do a incredible job with the story line and illustrations. Perfect for introducing the subject of slavery at a young age. This book is recommended for ages 4-8 year-olds.

http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2272953

Stella by Starlight

Equal rights, segregation, and racism are all issues that eleven- year- old Stella faces. Sharon Draper dives deep into the south during the rise of the KKK and strong prejudice against the African American population. Draper paints Stella as an aspiring writer, and a girl would love to change things with not just her voice but also with the words she writes. This book is recommended for ages 9-13 with a caution to sensitive readers.

http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=4358485

 

What Color Is My World?: The Lost History of African American Inventors

Children of all ages will enjoy learning historical facts about African-American inventors and the roles they have played in inventing many things.

http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=3527388

 

A Kid’s Guide to African American History

This book includes more than 70 hands-on activities, songs, and games that teach kids about history and cultural awareness.

http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1554564

 

Suggested Classroom Activities

 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/69172544255255634/

Have students create their own inventions or feature an African-American inventor!  This can be printed in our library.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/69172544255250775/

Use this activity to encourage students to explore more facts about Henry “Box” Brown.  This can be printed in our library.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/69172544255255846/

McLure Education Library suggests using this idea to teach the importance of equal rights in voting.

 

Content created by : Kristy Justice & Dagan Bond

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s a wonderful day where we can all look back on the former presidents and appreciate what they did for our country! For example, our founding father, George Washington, who lead young America to freedom, or Abraham Lincoln who helped mend the ties of a broken country.  These are only a couple of the 44 presidents the United States of America has gained over 229 years.

The Mclure Education Library Staff have hand-picked a couple of books from our school library to offer to you and your future classroom!

What Does the President Do?  is a great book to educate the young curious mind! What does the future American President have to look forward too?  The author, David Jakubiak, simplifies the hard work of Mr. President for young readers, but also makes it interesting enough to inspire.

Location in our Library: http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=36&recCount=20&recPointer=6&bibId=4031178

A Picture Book of George Washington is a book with wonderful illustrations as it briefly tells of one of the United State’s founding father’s life.

Location in our Library: http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=51&recCount=20&recPointer=9&bibId=643204

Abe Lincoln The Younger Years  gives readers a glimpse into Abe’s early life and how the trials he faced built him into the future president of the United States.  The illustrations are wonderfully fun and are sure to make any child smile.

Location in our Library: http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=357&recCount=20&recPointer=6&bibId=855144

Below you will find a few classroom activities pinned from Pinterest.  These are free printables picked by McLure Education Library staff.  Visit McLure Education Library on Pinterest for more classroom ideas. Don’t forget that you can print these in our library using your ACTion card!

 

Barack Obama free printable-https://www.pinterest.com/pin/69172544255238939/

George Washington dot to dot free printable-https://www.pinterest.com/pin/69172544255238880/

Abraham Lincoln free printable- https://www.pinterest.com/pin/69172544255238848/

 

 

 

 

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

We were saddened to learn of the death of Walter Dean Myers last July. Last month friends, family, colleagues, and others gathered for an event in his honor featuring readings, speeches, and performances. You can more about the event in the Publisher’s Weekly article “Celebrating the Legacy of Walter Dean Myers.” Myers was a prolific author, writing over one hundred books, including picture books, young adult novels, and nonfiction. He received several awards for his writing, including the Margaret Edwards Award, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Coretta Scott King Award. For those interested in reading or rereading his work, we have several of his titles available at our library:

• 145^th Street: Short Stories (PZ7.M992 Aae 2000)
• Amistad: A Long Road to Freedom (E447 .M94 1998)
• Angel to Angel: A Mother’s Gift of Love (PS3563.Y48 A84 1998)
• Antarctica: Journeys to the South Pole (G863 .M94 2004)
• At Her Majesty’s Request: An African Princess in Victorian England (DA565.F67 M94 1999)
• Bad Boy: A Memoir (PS3563.Y48 Z47 2001)
• Beast (PZ7.M992 Be 2003)
• Black Pearl and the Ghost (PZ7.M992 Bl 1980)
• Blues Journey (PZ7.M94 B58 2003)
• Brown Angels: An Album of Pictures and Verse (PS3563.Y48 B76 1993)
• Darius & Twig (PZ7.M992 Dap 2013)
• Dragon Takes a Wife (PZ8.M987 Dr)
• Dream Bearer (PZ7.M992 Dr 2003)
• Fallen Angels (PZ7.M992 Fal 1988)
• Fast Sam, Cool Clyde, and Stuff (PZ7.M992 Fas)
• Fly, Jimmy, Fly! (PZ7.M992 Fl)
• Glory Field (PZ7.M992 Gl 1994)
• Greatest: Muhammad Ali (GV1132.A44 M94 2001)
• Harlem: A Poem (PS3563.Y48 H37 1997)
• Here in Harlem: Poems in Many Voices (PS3563.Y48 H47 2004)
• Hoops (PZ7.M992 Ho)
• How Mr. Monkey Saw the Whole World (PZ7.M992 Hr 1996)
• Ida B. Wells: Let the Truth Be Told (E185.97.W55 M94 2008)
• Invasion (PZ7.M992 Inv 2013)
• It Ain’t All for Nothin’ (PZ7.M992 It 1978)
• I’ve Seen the Promised Land: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (E185.97.K5 M936 2004)
• Jazz (PZ8.3.M9954 Jaz 2006)
• Journal of Joshua Loper: A Black Cowboy (PZ7.M992 Jo 1999)
• Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins: A World War II Soldier (PZ7.M992 Jp 1999)
• Legend of Tarik (PZ7.M992 Le 1981)
• Lockdown (PZ7.M992 Lo 2010)
• Looking Like Me (PZ7.M992 Loo 2009)
• Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary (BP223.Z8 L5764 1993)
• Me, Mop, and the Moondance Kid (PZ7.M992 Me 1988)
• Monster (PZ7.M992 Mon 1999)
• Motown and Didi: A Love Story (PZ7.M992 Mot 1984)
• Now Is Your Time!: The African-American Struggle for Freedom (E185 .M96 1991)
• Outside Shot (PZ7.M992 Ou 1984)
• Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam (PZ7.M992 Pat 2002)
• Righteous Revenge of Artemis Bonner (PZ7.M992 Ri 1992)
• Scorpions (PZ7.M992 Sc 1988)
• Slam! (PZ7.M992 Sl 1996)
• Somewhere in the Darkness (PZ7.M992 So 1992)
• Sunrise Over Fallujah (PZ7.M992 Su 2008)
• Toussaint L’Ouverture: The Fight for Haiti’s Freedom (F1923.T69 M94 1996)
• What They Found: Love on 145^th Street (PZ7.M992 Wgr 2007)
• Won’t Know Till I Get There (PZ7.M992 Wo 1982)

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

In the January 2015 edition, School Library Journal published the article “What’s Trending? Hot themes in kidlit and what we want to see” by Elizabeth Bird. In it, Bird summarizes her observations about trends in books for youth during the previous year, as well as adding her own expectations for the coming year. You can read the entire article on their website, but here’s a quick summary of some literary trends:

2014

Kid’s Fantasy Getting Darker

Examples: The Riverman by Aaron Starmer, The Thickety by J.A. White, The Glass Sentence by S.E. Grove

Relationship between Lies and Storytelling

Examples: Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier, West of the Moon by Margi Preus, Greenglass House by Kate Milford, The Riverman by Aaron Starmer

2015

Pranking

Examples: Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John, The Tapper Twins Go to War (With Each Other) by Geoff Rodkey

Post-apocalyptic Dogs

Examples: Apocalypse Bow Wow by James Proimos, Vacancy by Jen Lee

Liars and Unreliable Narrators

Examples: Lies I Told by Michelle Zink, Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes, Twisted Fate by Norah Olson, Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

Beyond

Bird ends with trends she’d like to see in the future. The biggest of these is a continued increase in diversity. She lists several categories of particular interest and includes recent books within each one.

Disability as Incidental to Story

Examples: El Deafo by Cece Bell, Dragons Beware by Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado

Realistic Depictions of Poverty

Examples: Maddi’s Fridge by Lois Brandt and Vin Vogel, Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña

African American Male Characters

Examples: The Crossover by Kwame Alexander, Kinda Like Brothers by Coe Booth, The Madman of Piney Woods by Christopher Paul Curtis, The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson, Eddie Red, Undercover: Mystery in Mayan Mexico by Marcia Wells, Public School Superhero by James Patterson

Latino Characters

Examples: Ambassador by William Alexander, Saving Baby Doe by Danette Vigilante, Sophia Martinez: My Family Adventure by Jacqueline Jules, Gum Luck by Rhode Montijo