Books about... America the beautiful.CONSIDER SPENDING segments of September 11 commemorating our nation with books that celebrate American heritage, culture, and people. PICTURE BOOKS FOR ALL AGES American Too By Elisa Bartone; illustrated by Ted Lewin. Harper Collins, 1996 (K-4). Humiliated when other girls taunt her for not being American enough, Rosina decides both to change her name to Rosie and to stop speaking Italian in this turn-of-the-century New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of story. The American Wei By Marion Hess Pomeranc; illustrated by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan. Albert Whitman, 1998 (K-3). On the day he is to become an American citizen, young Wei Fong loses his first tooth, dropping it outside the federal courthouse right before the solemn naturalization naturalization, official act by which a person is made a national of a country other than his or her native one. In some countries naturalized persons do not necessarily become citizens but may merely acquire a new nationality. ceremony is about to begin. Davy Crockett Saves the World By Rosalyn Schanzer. HarperCollins, 2001 (K-3). In this literary tall tale, Tennessee frontiersman Davy Crockett is enlisted by the president of the United States The head of the Executive Branch, one of the three branches of the federal government. The U.S. Constitution sets relatively strict requirements about who may serve as president and for how long. to pull the tail off Halley's Comet in order to prevent it from crashing into the Earth. Liberty By Allan Drummond. Farrar, 2002 (PreK-3). A young boy colorfully describes how he helped give the signal that unveiled the face of the Statue of Liberty Statue of Liberty great symbolic structure in New York harbor. [Am. Hist.: Jameson, 284] See : America Statue of Liberty perhaps the most famous monument to independence. [Am. Hist.: Jameson, 284] See : Freedom to all the people of New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. on the day of its dedication back in 1886. Miss Rumphius By Barbara Cooney. Viking, 1982 (K-6). Miss Rumphius casts lupine lupine or lupin (l  `pĭn), any species of the genus Lupinus, annual or perennial herbs or shrubs of the family Leguminosae (pulse family). seeds up and down the Maine coast to honor her grandfather's request that she do something to make the world--or at least her corner of it--more beautiful. NONFICTION AND FOLKLORE America Is... By Louise Borden; illustrated by Stacey Schuett. McElderry, 2002 (K-4). This handsome, oversized o·ver·size n. 1. A size that is larger than usual. 2. An oversize article or object. adj. o·ver·size also o·ver·sized Larger in size than usual or necessary. picture book takes a look at what America means to people throughout the country. It also offers a message: "We are the nation whose name means freedom to people all over the world." America the Beautiful America the Beautiful patriotic song by Katherine Bates glorifying national ideals (1893). [Am. Music: Scholes, 30] See : Song, Patriotic By Katharine Lee Bates Katharine Lee Bates, (August 12 1859 – March 28, 1929), is remembered as the author of the words to the anthem "America the Beautiful". Bates was born in Falmouth, Massachusetts. ; illustrated by Neil Waldman. Aladdin, 2002 (PreK-6). Take a dazzling tour of 14 U.S. monuments and natural wonders, painted in gorgeous pastel acrylics. America: A Patriotic Primer By Lynne Cheney; illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster U.S. publishing company. It was founded in 1924 by Richard L. Simon (1899–1960) and M. Lincoln Schuster (1897–1970), whose initial project, the original crossword-puzzle book, was a best-seller. , 2002 (K-4). Glasser's ornate, oversized watercolors and pen-and-ink drawings provide a memorable backdrop to an alphabetical description of the heroes, history, and ideals that unite the states of America as one nation. American Tall Tales By Mary Pope Osborne; illustrated by Michael McCurdy. Knopf, 1991 (Gr. 3-6). The exploits of nine American folklore characters are accompanied by historical explanations of how each became part of our national heritage. ACTIVITIES TO ENJOY * Discuss what it means to be an American. Do you have to be born here? Why is it a privilege to live in America? Have students write and illustrate an ending to the sentence, "America is..." * Invite students to ask parents or grandparents to tell them a story from their own childhood or country of origin. Compile a book of the folklore your students collect. * After sharing America: A Patriotic Primer, have your students compose and illustrate their own class Alphabet of America, with a new word for each letter. * In Barbara Cooney's Miss Rumphius, the title character knows she must do something to make the world beautiful. Ask your children to reflect upon what they'd like to achieve in their lives, and how they might reach their goals. * What qualities make up a tall-tale hero? What kinds of acts do they perform? Discuss their exploits, and then have children write new tall tales, either featuring traditional characters like Davy Crockett, or new ones who resolve modern-day problems and disasters. |
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