Emmie Stuart

As the daughter of a nurse, I understood from a young age that twice a month my Mama stayed at the hospital all night taking care of sick patients. One Saturday afternoon, a friend came over for a playdate and my dad reminded us to, “Play quietly, Mama’s sleeping.” I clearly remember attempting to explain why my mom was sleeping during the day. Unless a child has a parent who works the night shift, working all night is often a foreign concept for them. Using gentle nighttime narratives, the following three picture books illustrate the various aspects of working the night shift and help children understand the necessity and role of night-shift workers in the workforce and community.

Night Job by Karen Hesse and G. Brian Karas

“On Friday nights, when the sun goes down, I snap the clips shut on Dad’s lunch box and climb onto the back of his bike.” Lyrical prose and muted evocative illustrations tell the story of a young boy helping his dad during his job as a school’s night custodian in Karen Hesse’s Night Job. Though the work is hard (“We scrub the cafeteria, then sweep the stage”), it’s clear the boy cherishes this special time with his father. They shoot hoops in the gym, listen to baseball games on the portable radio and eat egg salad sandwiches in the courtyard. Eventually, the boy falls asleep on the library couch until 4 in the morning when his dad wakes him up. They ride home, and as the sky lightens, they fall asleep together in the big recliner. In addition to offering insight into a night-shift routine, Night Job reminds students of the dedication and daily duties of those who work to keep their schools clean.

• City Daily Photo—Hesse was inspired to write Night Job after seeing a photograph on City Daily Photo. Each day, photographers from around the world post photographs of the city in which they live. As a class, look at some of the daily photographs and choose one to discuss. Using that photograph, model a creative writing task with prompts about the scene it depicts.

• Figurative Language—Alliteration, similes, metaphors, personification, onomatopoeia and imagery: Though not long in length, Night Job is filled with figurative language. If students are familiar with figurative language, reread the book and take time to identify and name the figurative language devices that are used and discuss how they enhance the story. Type out basic sentences on strips of paper. Invite students to take one of the sentences and make it richer through the use of figurative language. Afterward, students can copy their new “rich” sentences to cardstock and choose a way to illustrate it (collage, watercolor, colored pencils, digital illustration, etc).

• Inferencing—Inferencing is an essential skill and one that students will use throughout their entire lives. Before even mentioning the word, ask students the following questions: Do you think the dad and boy in this story are wealthy? What makes you say that? How does the boy feel about his dad? How do you know this? Tell me about the last sentence of the book. Be sure to remind students to refer to the text and illustrations to support and further explain their answers. After the discussion, introduce the word inference. During the next few days, read aloud other books that require inferencing. Boats For Papa (Jessixa Bagley) and Little Fox in the Forest (Stephanie Graegin) are my favorite books to use when teaching inferencing skills.

Kitten and the Night Watchman by John Sullivan and Taeeun Yoo

As the sun is setting, a man hugs his family and heads a construction site where he works as the night watchman. Under the light of a full moon, he checks the doors and workshops and walks past the abandoned vehicles. Then out from under a garbage truck wanders a small gray kitten. The night watchman shares his sandwich with the kitten and a friendship is formed. But after another inspection around the site, the kitten “is nowhere to be seen,” and the man “is too worried to read.” A tender reunion occurs on the following spread, and when his shift is over, the night watchman takes the kitten home to his family. Author John Sullivan’s spare text and illustrator Taeeun Yoo’s rich and textured artwork keep the story from being saccharine. As a class read-aloud, Kitten and the Night Watchman is a pure delight.

• Nonfiction Research—The first time I read this book aloud to students it became clear that my knowledge of construction sites was about at my students’ level. My first-graders had a myriad of questions about the different machines, vehicles and the construction site itself, and I could not answer any of them with confidence. After we finished the story, I jotted down the questions. The next day, the same group of students and I read some nonfiction books about construction vehicles and sites and found answers to most of our questions. This was the perfect opportunity to show students the need and purpose for both fiction and nonfiction books.

• Shadows—The text and illustrations explain that, “An excavator bows like a strange giraffe,” and “A backhoe rises like a giant insect.” It’s the shadows cast by the vehicles that make these similes ring true. Read a nonfiction book about shadows. (I used What Makes a Shadow? by Clyde Robert Bulla.) Provide a variety of oddly shaped objects. In pairs, students will use these objects to make piles. Then, using flashlights, students will look at the shadow cast by their combination of objects. After experimenting with different object combination and placement, students will trace one of them onto oversize white paper and decide what their shadow drawing looks like. Encourage them to write similes for their art similar to the ones found in Kitten and the Night Watchman.

• Onomatopoeia—The “ki-DEE, ki-DEE, ki-DEE” of a killdeer, the “Shhhheeeeerrrrroooooommmm,” of an overhead jet, the “peent, peent, peent” of a nighthawk, the “rumble-clack-clack, rumble-clack-clack” of a freight train—onomatopoeia is used to help readers understand the different night sounds at a construction site. Write down all of the examples used in the book (there are six) and then create some onomatopoeias that can be heard at a neighborhood park. Afterward, let students choose a setting (beach, ice cream parlor, amusement park, etc.) and write their own onomatopoeias. Encourage them to read them aloud to the class so that everyone can hear how words reflect sound.

• Night Workers—As a class, discuss why we need night workers. Give students time to brainstorm other jobs that require a night shift. Encourage critical thinking by asking students to explain why these jobs require a night shift. Write down the children’s thoughts on chart paper. If one of their parents works a night shift, invite them into the classroom as a guest speaker.

Good Morning, Harry—Good Night, Daddy by Katy Beebe and Valeri Gorbachev

I absolutely love this understated read-aloud gem. The front endpapers show Harry and Gran headed toward their seaside cottage as a big red sun sets over the ocean. While Gran and Harry’s mother help their sons begin their nighttime routines, Daddy is just beginning his workday. He is a conductor on the London-Penzance sleeper train. With simple rhythmic prose and warm watercolor illustrations, this story goes back and forth between Daddy’s duties on the train and the cozy nighttime activities of Harry and his family. When morning arrives, “Harry hears the front door open . . .” and Daddy is home! Together they enjoy their breakfast/supper of porridge, and as Daddy heads to bed, Gran and Harry begin their day with a walk along the sunny seashore.

• City Comparison—Show students a map of England and locate both London and Penzance. Ask students to share where they think Harry’s family lives (hopefully, they use illustration clues and know that it’s along the coast). Explore the cities of London and Penzance on Google Earth or watch short videos about the cities. Make a chart with descriptive details about each city. (London is a bustling big city and Penzance is a quiet seaside town.) Harry’s family lives in the small coastal town of Sennen Cove. Look up the area on Google Earth. My students loved “walking” along the beach just like Harry and Gran.

• Train Math—My students were unfamiliar with trains and the concept of sleeper trains. Use the U.K.’s Trainline website to look up the timetable of the London to Penzance train. Ask them if they notice anything different about the times (24-hour time instead of 12-hour time) and then convert standard to 24-hour time. For example, 6:00 pm is 18:00. Encourage critical thinking by inquiring, “Why are some of the trips are eight hours while others are only five hours?” Trainline’s Journey Information from London to Penzance has detailed information that lends itself to mathematical word problems. Convert times and mileage to figure out how fast trains travel or discuss why the journey takes longer on weekends and holidays.

• Train Travel—Watch a short video showing the inside of the London to Penzance sleeper train. Many of my students were very unfamiliar with trains and train travel. Make a list of the jobs that Harry’s dad does during his shift as night conductor. (He yells, “All Aboard,” helps passengers find their cabins, collects tickets, serves meals, welcomes them to Cornwall and reminds them to “Mind the gap.”) Pose the question, “Why are there sleeper trains?”

Lapland, crackers, Christmas pudding, Crimble, mince pies, Father Christmas—if these words and expressions are familiar to you, then you’re likely from England, or you’ve celebrated Christmas across the pond. British holiday traditions look similar to those found in the United States, but there are some key differences: Presents are delivered by Father Christmas (who hails from Lapland), pantomimes pop up on every street corner, and a Christmas dinner is not complete without Christmas pudding and the pulling of Christmas crackers. The following three festive picture books are brimming with British traditions, magic and cheer.

The Queen and the First Christmas Tree by Nancy Churnin and Luisa Uribe

When she is 17 years old, Princess Charlotte leaves her home in Germany and moves to England so she can marry King George III. She brings a yew branch with her and it brings her immense comfort during her first Christmas away from home. Forty years later, Charlotte throws a Christmas party in Windsor Castle and invites 100 local children. At the party, she delights the children by decorating a giant fir with nuts, fruits, string, toys and candles. The tradition soon spreads beyond the walls of the castle to the people of England. Appealing to history- and princess-lovers alike, this nonfiction narrative tells the interesting and little-known backstory behind a familiar holiday tradition.

• History of the Christmas tree—After reading The Queen and the First Christmas Tree, ask students what questions they still have about Charlotte or the Christmas tree tradition. Write the questions on the board or a piece of chart paper. Read aloud the History Today article, “The First Christmas Tree,” by Allison Barnes. For younger children, discuss the article and if it answers any of their questions. Write the answers under the questions. For older children, provide each child with a copy of the article and a highlighter. Give them time to read the article, highlighting the parts which provide answers to the class questions. This activity gives children the opportunity to read for knowledge and helps equip them with research and information-gathering skills. For a short video on the topic, watch the History Channel’s History of Christmas Trees. Be sure to watch a time lapse of this year’s Windsor Castle’s Christmas Tree.

• Diary entry—Queen Charlotte invited 100 children to her first Christmas party. Read the pages that discuss the party aloud as well as the back matter. Discuss how these children (who had never seen a Christmas tree) might have felt at the party. As a class, brainstorm and list some adjectives and phrases that might describe the feelings of the children at Charlotte’s party. Give students time to write a first-person diary entry from the perspective of one of the children. Afterward, let the children copy their entries onto old-fashioned looking paper and provide materials for them to illustrate their entry.

• Make a yew branch—Visit a local Christmas tree stand and ask them if you can gather the branches and remnants of tree trimmings. Ask the tree trimmers to help you cut the branches so that they about 12”-18” each. Discuss Charlotte’s yew branch with your students. Queen Charlotte decorated her yew branch with colored paper, nuts, fruits and candles. Brainstorm other items that can be used to decorate yew branches. If the weather is nice, take a walk outside and let children collect acorns, leaves and other natural elements. Invite them to bring items from home as well. Provide ribbon or string and let children decorate their yew branches with their collected items. My students’ creativity amazed me. Each yew branch reflected the decorator’s personality and creative sensibilities.

The Village of Lights by Mitchell Stevens and Emily Pritchett

“A long time ago, on top of a hill overlooking a village in far-off England there lived a lonely old farmer,” writes author Mitchell Stevens. The farmer’s wife has died and his children have grown and moved away. To ease his loneliness, the old man would watch the lights of the village come on in the evening and then watch them as they were extinguished one by one. When World War II brings aerial bombers to England, the villagers take all of the lights out of their street lights, businesses and homes. The village is blanketed in darkness. As Christmas approaches, the old farmer figures out a way to bring light and hope to the people in the village. A simple yet powerful story, The Village of Lights shows how a single person’s small act can renew the spirit of an entire community.

• Life on the English home front—Briefly discuss life on the home front during World War II. For older students, read the opening few pages or watch the opening scene of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In The Village of Lights, the farmer hears that England is at war with Germany over the radio. Listen to recordings of Winston Churchill addressing his country over the radio.

• Letters for the lonely—Discuss why the farmer is lonely and looking at the village lights makes him remember his family and their happy holidays together. Ask students why the holiday season can make deepen feelings of loneliness for those who have lost their families. Ask students to think about people in the community who might be lonely. Write their ideas on the board and then let them brainstorm ideas for helping these people feel less alone. Provide time for children to write letters or make cards for the elderly, soldiers serving overseas or other people who might suffer from loneliness during the holiday season.

• FDR and Winston Churchill—Franklin and Winston: A Christmas That Changed the World (Douglas Wood) and In the Dark Streets Shineth: A 1941 Christmas Eve Story (David McCullough) are excellent read-alouds to pair with Village of Lights. Both books tell the story of Churchill’s visit to the White House just days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. In the Dark Streets Shineth addresses an aspect of the British blackout that brings tears to my eyes each time I read it. Watch this accompanying video to hear the story and song. The video also has excellent photographs of Roosevelt, Churchill and the British blackouts.

• Blackout posters—Discuss blackouts and ask children why it was important for all of the villages in England to be dark at night. Show students examples of the blackout posters from World War II. Invite them to design their own blackout poster.

One Christmas Wish by Katherine Rundell and Emily Sutton

Feeling annoyed at being left at home alone on Christmas Eve, Theo unwraps a cardboard box and discovers four old ornaments: a tin soldier, an angel, a rocking horse and a robin. Looking out the window, he sees a shooting star and wishes, “to be un-alone.” Instantly, the four ornaments come to life. The rocking horse eats everything in sight, the robins longs to sing, the angel desires real feathers and the solider wants to find true love. Theo and the ornaments venture out into the night and have experiences that can only happen on Christmas Eve. Katherine Rundell’s prose is delightfully British (“That might be rather difficult. I don’t know many tin people that I can introduce you to. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have a furry hat?”), and Emily Sutton’s 1950s retro and atmospheric illustrations add more British goodness. Though it is a new story, One Christmas Wish feels magical and timeless—just the type of story one longs to read during the holiday season. At 60 pages, it’s an ideal holiday class read-aloud.

• Christmas in England—Before reading it aloud, tell your students that One Christmas Wish takes place in England. Ask them to keep their ears and eyes open for phrases, words, traditions and illustration details that are distinctly British. As a class, compile a list of included details like Christmas pudding, fruitcake, baubles, tinsel, old cathedrals and trains. Take some time to read other Christmas books that have distinctly British settings like The Snowman (Raymond Briggs), The Story of Holly and Ivy (Rumer Godden), Alfie’s Christmas (Shirley Hughes) and an adaption of Charles Dickens’ The Christmas Carol.

• Shooting stars—Theo makes his wish on a shooting star. What are shooting stars? Falling stars or meteor showers are other names for shooting stars. Take some time to research them with your students.

• Story of ornaments—After reading One Christmas Wish, invite children to choose a favorite ornament from home (or provide a few in the classroom). Model a creative writing exercise with the class. What if our ornaments came to life? The ornaments in One Christmas Wish have distinct personalities and desires. Remind students to include these elements in their ornament story. This exercise works well in pairs or groups of three. My students enjoyed imagining and writing ornament stories together.

• Compare and contrast—Read aloud a version of The Nutcracker. My favorite versions are illustrated by Susan Jeffers and Lisbeth Zwerger. The traditional Nutcracker story shares many of the magical elements present in One Christmas Wish. As a class, make a Venn diagram comparing the two stories. What are the similarities and differences between the two?

It’s been there for five years, on the corner of my circulation desk computer: a post-it note with Kate DiCamillo’s wise words, “Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark. Begin at the beginning. Tell a story. Make some light.” For this librarian, these sentences are equal parts frightening and invigorating. They remind me that it’s my responsibility to love my students by delivering light through the sharing of stories, which is a truth that humbles me daily. The following three books tell the stories of dedicated librarians and the ways in which they change individual lives and entire communities through the power of reading.

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Aldamuy Denise and Paola Escobar

In 1921, Pura Belpré leaves her home in Puerto Rico and travels to New York City for her sister’s wedding. Intrigued by the hustle of the city, she decides to stay and accepts a job as a bilingual assistant at a neighborhood library branch. It’s not long before Belpré sees a need in the diverse community and begins to act. She starts bilingual storytime events complete with puppets derived from Puerto Rican folklore and then proceeds to turn these shows into the first mainstream American-Latinx storybooks. Traveling “from branch to branch, classroom to classroom, to churches and community centers,” Belpré’s dedication, energy, storytelling and love for the Spanish-speaking community transform the New York libraries, making them a joyful haven for children and families. My students—who were already familiar with the Pura Belpré Award—loved learning about its eponym.

• Read Global Folktales and Stories—When she begins working at the NYPL, Belpré is disappointed to discover that, “Not one folktale from Puerto Rico is on the shelves.” Ask students to interview a family member to find out which countries and cultures that are part of their family heritage. Then let students research folktales from their family’s origin country. The International Children’s Book Database has over 4,000 books from 59 countries available to read online. If possible, borrow books published in other countries from the public library and let children spend time reading or looking at them.

• Folktale Writing—After a week or so of reading folktales from around the world, let students emulate Belpré by writing their own folktales. Discuss the components of a folktale and provide a rubric with clear expectations for the final product. Belpré’s folktales have animal characters and settings that reflect her Puerto Rican heritage. Encourage children to create character and settings reflecting their chosen country or culture. A few of my students used folktale books published in a different language and wrote own story to go along with the illustrations. After their folktales are complete, give children time to illustrate them.

• Plan and Perform a Puppet Show—Belpré learns to make puppets and soon her stories are dancing across the stage. Give students the opportunity to turn familiar stories into puppet shows. Model the process of turning a narrative into a drama and then provide your class with fairy/folk tale collections or familiar picture books that have a simple plot and limited characters. Divide children into pairs or small groups. Offer guidance as they work together to turn story into a short script. After they have completed writing the drama let students create puppets out of various materials (encourage them to bring materials from home). After the puppets and practice are complete, throw a class puppet show party allowing time for the groups to perform for their classmates.

Library on Wheels: Mary Lemist Titcomb and America’s First Bookmobile by Sharlee Glenn

Mary Lemist Titcomb grew up poor in rural New Hampshire. Through hard work and determination, she completed seminary school and then fell into her life’s calling after she read a newspaper article about librarianship. When she became head of a large library system in Maryland, she remembered her childhood and decided to act. The library was for everyone—not just the wealthy families who lived in town. Ignoring obstacles (there were many), she worked tirelessly in her mission to bring the library to all people. Her rural book deposits were successful, but in 1905, she had her most revolutionary idea—a horse-drawn “book wagon.” Thus, the very first library bookmobile. Filled with photographs, postcards, old book covers, archival letters and other ephemera, Library on Wheels has the feel of an old-fashioned scrapbook and is excellent for older students.

• Curate a School Bookmobile or Little Library—Discuss how room on a bookmobile is limited and how the bookmobile librarian must choose books carefully. Help your students make a list of the things that must be considered with deciding which titles to put on the bookmobile (age, education level, interests). Give students this challenge: “You are the school bookmobile librarian. It is your job to choose 50 titles (3 copies of each title, for a total of 150 books) that will be purchased for the bookmobile. Which books are you going to buy and why? Be sure to consider the needs of the entire school when you are choosing your titles.” My students loved this simple project and became very invested in researching and selecting their titles.

• A World of Libraries Project—Titcomb worked tirelessly to ensure that everyone in her county had access to books. Read aloud more picture books (here’s a list of my 10 favorites) about individuals who created innovative ways to make books available for everyone. Compare and contrast these stories with Titcomb’s story or let students choose one of the books and complete the printable A World of Reading response organizer.

• Create a Class Book—Provide students with a piece of blank letter paper. Invite students to create/sketch/plan an artistic representation of the library/bookmobile they researched or to design one that meets another need. Provide many different types of mediums (pastels, collage paper, watercolor, colored pencils, etc.) and encourage children to push their creative boundaries. After they are satisfied with their creation or design, give them cardstock for their final creation. Require older students to write a paragraph about their creation and its origin. Bind the students’ art together to create a class book.

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

When author and illustrator Yuyi Morales and her infant son migrate to the United States “thirsty, in awe,” they are met with “words unlike those of our ancestors.” Unable to read signs or understand the English language, they are afraid to speak and make “lots of mistakes” as they navigate the challenges that accompany life in a new country and culture. And then they find the local library. At first “suspicious” and “improbable,” they soon discover that it holds the most unimaginable treasure. The library becomes their second home, “a place we didn’t need to speak, we only needed to trust,” as librarians and fellow patrons give them the tools they need to speak, write and make their voices heard. Dreamers is a book with words and illustrations so rich that it demands to be savored, shared and then read again and again.

• “Books that Inspired Me” List/Timeline—My students loved identifying the familiar picture books that Morales includes in her illustrations. In the back of the book, she includes a list of “Books That Inspired Me (and Still Do).” Prior to the lesson, gather the books that have influenced your life. Hold each one up and explain why and how it influenced/es your life. Challenge students to make a similar list. Give them a few days to think about their books. My students and I created life timelines, drawing and labeling our books at the specific points when they first influenced us.

• Guest Speaker—If you have students who were born in other countries in your class, privately ask them if they (or their parents) are interested in sharing the challenges and victories they experienced upon first arriving in the U.S. Reach out to the school and local community as well. Before the guest(s) visits your classroom, guide students in creating a list of questions and teach them formal interview etiquette.

• Personal Art Challenge—In the back matter, Morales lists the variety of items (a brick from her home, her childhood drawings, an old woven blouse) that she scanned or photographed and then incorporated into her illustrations. After sharing this list with your students, reread the book and look for the ways Morales incorporates the items into her illustrations. Ask students to think about items or surfaces that are a part of their life story. Invite them to bring them to school for sharing. If possible, collaborate with your school’s technology teacher and let students photograph or scan the items and then incorporate them into a piece of personal art.

• Public Library Extra Credit—The majority of public libraries offer resources for immigrants who are learning how to navigate the U.S. Encourage students to visit their local branch and to inquire about what resources are offered. Offer extra credit for students who follow through and can share the services offered. Opportunities to initiate conversations with adults in the community helps nurture students’ communication skills.

Author Richard Louv’s 2005 book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder shifted my entire teaching paradigm. As classrooms continue to move toward technology-based learning, Louv’s nature-deficit disorder continues to explain why children no longer enjoy spending time outside. “If we are going to save environmentalism and the environment, we must also save an endangered indicator species: the child in nature,” he writes. For 80 percent of children living in urban areas, exposure to nature is often overlooked or limited. In these three picture books, distinct urban settings and unique storylines remind city-dwelling children that there is beauty and purpose to be found in interacting with the natural world. 

When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree by Jamie L.B. Deenihan and Lorraine Rocha 

What do you do when your birthday wish-list reads, “robot dog, drone, computer, phone, remote control car, and headphones,” but Grandma shows up with a lemon tree? In Jamie L.B. Deenihan’s picture book, the little girl’s initial disappointment is palpable. After reading a few care instructions for the tree, the girl begins to take an interest. Bright illustrations from Lorraine Rocha show the young girl nurturing the tree throughout the course of a year. Finally, the “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade” adage is made literal as the girl finds great joy in setting up a lemonade stand outside of her urban apartment building. In a twist ending, her lemonade stand profits are used to purchase more plants which add color and beauty around her apartment building. The celebration of community and nature, spunky set of characters and colorful illustrations make for a cheery read-aloud that shows students the gratification that follows patience and hard work. 

• Classroom Lemon Tree—As a class, research lemon trees. Show students how to use climate and growing zone maps to determine if a lemon tree can survive in your area. (The answer is yes, lemon trees can be grown anywhere in the country.) Hold a discussion about the things the class needs in order to get a classroom lemon tree. Make a list of the students’ questions and then allow time for individual research. Knowing how to research for the purpose of answering questions is a valuable skill. These two lemon tree sites were informative and perfect for my second and third graders. Invite students to use their lemon tree research to write a letter explaining why the class needs a lemon tree and their plans for taking care of it.
• Entrepreneurship—An old-fashioned lemonade stand is a crash course in economics and marketing. With your students, discuss the concepts of advertising, supply and demand, capital resources and profit margins. Lemonade in Winter by Emily Jenkins and G. Brian Karas is an excellent read-aloud for budding entrepreneurs. Have students decide on a good or service to “sell” to their classmates. Spend a few weeks guiding students as they make a marketing plan (including a brand name and logo) and create a budget. After the planning is complete, celebrate their work with a Class Market Day. 
• Further Reading—Create an entire unit by reading more books that celebrate children bringing beauty to an urban community. Write the question, “How Can We Bring Beauty to Our Neighborhood?” on the board. Tell students that over the next three weeks, they will be hearing stories of children who improve their community. Read The Gardener by Sarah Stewart and David Small, Maybe Something Beautiful by F. Isobel, Teresa Howell and Rafael López, The Curious Garden by Peter Brown, A Bus Called Heaven by Bob Graham and City Green by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan. These stories have young protagonists who see a need in their urban neighborhood community, create a plan and take action. After reading each book, record students’ own community improvement ideas. 

The Chickens Are Coming! by Barbara Samuels 

Siblings Winston and Sophie live in a big city apartment building with a small backyard. Walking home one day, they spot a lamppost sign advertising five hens. “You don’t need to live in the country to raise chickens,” their Mommy declares. Just a few days later, “THE CHICKENS ARE HERE!” Initially, the chickens and children are unsure of each other. Sophie and Winston are worried when the chickens don’t immediately lay eggs, and their various attempts to persuade them into laying eggs (performing a skit about Easter eggs, playing music, reading them a bedtime story) are unsuccessful. However, the children soon learn the habits and personalities of their unconventional family pets. Based on real families who raise chickens in Brooklyn, Samuels’ lively story and expressive illustrations celebrate the possibility of bringing a small piece of the country to the city. 

• Hatch a Plan—In her author’s note, Samuels, a New York City resident, shares that chickens are the “cheapest and easiest farm animals to raise in a backyard.” Tell students to pretend that grocery stores have decided to stop selling eggs and so their family (or your classroom) will need to start raising chickens. They will need to decide which breed is best for their needs and neighborhood. Ask them questions: How many chickens? What type of cage is best? What will they feed their chickens? What type of eggs will their chickens lay? How much of a starting budget will be needed? Students are extra motivated when presented with projects that connect to the real-world. Create guidelines for final presentations and invite students to create visuals with photographs and their gathered information. Backyard Chicken Project and Backyard Chickens have a wealth of information for budding urban farmers. 
• Animal Breed Chart—On the back endpapers is “Sophie’s Chicken Chart,” a five-column chart with information about each chicken’s breed, weight, country of origin and egg size/color. Let children choose an animal (dogs, horses, cats, lizards, etc.) and create a similar breed comparison chart.  

Noah Builds an Ark by Kate Banks and John Rocco 

In this nonreligious retelling of the story of Noah’s Ark, a young boy named Noah peeks over his backyard fence toward the city and sees a storm on the horizon. “It’s going to be a beauty,” his dad says as he boards up the windows on the house. But Noah looks at the creatures in their garden and devises his own plan. Using his tool caddy and planks of wood, Noah repurposes his old red wagon and makes it into a makeshift ark. While his mother and sister fill water jugs and gather candles for the family, Noah furnishes the ark with food and furniture. The storm arrives, and it rains for four days. Noah and his family stay safe in the house while the animals ride out the storm in the lovingly prepared ark. When the storm passes, the animals exit the ark into the backyard which is framed by a rainbow. With attention to “the least of these” at its heart, Noah Builds an Ark gently reminds children that they, too, have the responsibility and privilege to care for the natural world. 

• Natural Disaster Preparation—Ask students what type of storm they think is coming to Noah’s city. Create a list of other natural disasters that can occur (hurricane, tornado, floods, forest fires, etc.), and then select three that are most relevant for your geographic area. Spend time reading books and learning about these natural disasters. After studying each one, help students create “I’m Ready” books. Give students fact sheets with the information the class learned in your research. Visit “Be Prepared” websites that explain how to prepare for these natural disasters. Invite a member of the local Red Cross chapter to come speak to your class. Students will record ways to prepare for natural disasters as well as family emergency plans and information. Providing information and guidance can help ease children’s fears as well as give them a strong emergency preparedness foundation. 
• Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt—Noah Builds an Ark is filled with vivid vocabulary. As a class, go on a vocabulary scavenger hunt. Identify the words that help readers visualize and understand the mood of the story. “Dreary,” “drizzling,” and “popped” are all words that create pictures in our minds. Discuss the meaning of the words. Then, encourage students to look through their independent reading books to find more vocabulary words. After the scavenger hunt is complete, students can share one of their favorite found words with the class. Chart these words and challenge students to use one of the words in their own writing.

Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers. 

The U.S. National Park Service has been on the forefront of my mind lately. On National Trails Day, celebrated nationwide on the first Saturday in June, I’m spending a couple of hours volunteering at a national park an hour away from my home. Next fall, my second graders and I are going to spend six weeks immersed in a unit that investigates the NPS’s rich history, beauty and scientific wonders. Planning the unit has been a joy but has also doubled the size of my travel bucket list. And signaling the beginning of summer, in the past 48 hours alone, four of my rising fourth-grade students have sent me pictures proudly showing off their “Every Kid in a Park” pass.

Highlighting public parks, family adventures and the joy that accompanies spending time in the great outdoors, these three books will ignite a contagious classroom curiosity and sense of adventure.

You Are Home by Evan Turk

Truly an ode, Evan Turk’s words and artwork showcase the beauty—grandiose and minute—that is found in the country’s national parks. From full-page spreads highlighting the majesty of well-known parks (Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde) to spreads zooming in on animals or plants found in lesser-known parks (Biscayne Bay, Great Sand Dunes), it immerses children in colors, textures, and perspectives found in the natural world. The lyrical prose touches on various aspect of the parks, ultimately reminding readers that the parks belong to everyone and upon visiting, “you are home.” The majestic artwork, historical note, labeled map and intimate second person narration make it a memorable and inspiring read-aloud.

• National Park Art
  One cannot help but to be struck by Turk’s richly colored pastel illustrations conveying the grandeur of the parks. Visit Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, and show your students Turk’s early sketches and behind-the-scenes photographs. Give each student a 12 x 18 piece of black construction paper. Provide gem- and natural-hued construction paper and oil or chalk pastels. Print out several photographs from various national parks. Let each student choose a photograph, and use it to inspire his/her park artwork. Hang the photographs and completed artwork to create a wall of majesty.
   
• Individual Park Research
  There are 58 national parks. Look at a U.S. map of the park locations. Each park has its own website. Let each student choose a national park. Tell them that they have one week to become the classroom expert on their chosen park. Keeping in mind students’ age and abilities, create a project rubric outlining the information that students need to know. This project was a fantastic way to introduce beginning research skills to my second-grade classes.
   
• Further Reading
  Expand the project by reading more books celebrating our country’s National Park Service. Start with Barb Rosenstock’s The Camping Trip That Changed America: Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, and Our National Parks, and then over the next few weeks read Jason Chin’s Grand Canyon, Annette Bay Pimentel’s Mountain Chef: How One Man Lost His Groceries, Changed His Plans, and Helped Cook Up the National Park Service and David Domeniconi’s M Is for Majestic: A National Parks Alphabet.

Camp Tiger by Susan Choi, illustrated by John Rocco

As his family heads to Mountain Pond for their annual summer camping trip, the young narrator explains, “As soon as we get back from camping, we go back to school. My brother is starting fourth grade and I am starting first grade. I don’t want to be a first grader.” They are setting up their campsite when a tiger emerges from the woods, approaches the family and inquires about an extra tent. The tiger and little boy form an immediate bond, and together they engage in a myriad of outdoor adventures. Initially trepidatious, the little boy gains self-confidence and boldness with each new experience. Without a trace of didacticism, Choi weaves a fantastical and sensitive story that will resonate not only with children’s imaginative and inquisitive natures but their feelings and fears as well.

• Plan a Camping Trip
  As a class, make a list of local campgrounds. Use a state map or Google Earth to pinpoint their locations. With younger students, brainstorm a list of supplies that they will need pack for a weekend camping in the woods, and then help them draft a weekend schedule. Remind them to consider the weather when deciding what to pack. Gather around a classroom “fire” and teach them a few campfire songs. Let older students work with partners to create an entire camping itinerary. Give them a loose budget and encourage them to research tents, stoves, food, backpacks, sleeping bags and other camping essentials. What will they make for their meals? How and where will they store their food? Do they need to make campsite reservations or buy a camping license? What are they going to do during the day? Some students may want to plan a camping trip in another part of the country. Students will create a multimedia presentation communicating the details of their camping trip.
   
• Sensory Creative Writing
  When the boy buries his face in the tiger’s fur, he observes, “He smells like sunshine and pine needles.” Gather several natural materials and essential oils. I used lavender, rose petals, fresh pine shavings, rosemary, orange peel, cloves, eucalyptus, peppermint, basil, sage, fresh moss and spruce. Make a few different combinations, and put them into individual mesh bags. Numerically label the bags. Using a graphic organizer, students will smell the bags and then journal or simply list words or memories that the scent of each bag evokes. After they have smelled every bag, students can choose their favorite scent and use it to drive a creative writing piece.
   
• Growing Older
  Reread the sentence “All summer, things my mom used to do for me—like make my bed in the morning or fold up my clothes—have become things that I have to do myself.” Ah, so important! Ask children to start brainstorming things that their mom and dad for them. Make a class list on chart paper. Lead a discussion that will give children an opportunity to reflect on these things and which things they can start doing independently. Encourage them to pick one or more of the jobs and try to do it by themselves. When a child successfully completes a task, write his or her name next to the respective task on the class chart. I had initially intended to do this reflection activity with just my younger grades, but I think it was probably more important for upper elementary-age students.
   
• Book Flight
  Read aloud Judith Kerr’s classic, The Tiger Who Came to Tea. Compare and contrast the two stories. Similarities and differences abound!

If I Were a Park Ranger by Catherine Stier, illustrated by Patrick Corrigan

Opening with the directive encouragement, “Imagine serving as a park ranger for U.S. National Parks!” this nonfiction first-person narrative informs children of the many duties and delights that come with territory when one chooses the career of park ranger. Touching on various aspects of the job, including an educational path and the history of the NPS, the text and illustrations work together showcasing the various tasks (including designing exhibits, giving costumed tours and updating the park website) that can be part of a park ranger’s job responsibilities. Giving a human element to the national parks and conveying a significant amount of information through succinct and approachable text, it’s an ideal and effective read-aloud.

• Environmental Stewardship
  One of the most important responsibilities of park rangers is to “protect the land, the plants, the buildings, and the wild animals in my park.” Write the phrase “environmental stewardship” on the board, and unpack the root words with children until the class has collectively created a definition explaining the concept. Discuss what would happen if people do not take care of the parks and wildlands. On a piece of chart paper, write the question, “How can we be good stewards of the environment, and what can we do to encourage others to do the same?” Read the Leave No Trace Seven Principles to the class. Ask students if they can think of areas in their daily lives that need stewardship. Discuss practical ways that the students can be good stewards of these areas, and then let them design posters or brochures that remind others to do the same.
   
• Junior Ranger Program
  The National Park System has a wonderful Junior Ranger program with various downloadable booklets that let children learn about different aspects (fishing, archeology, historic preservation, biology, etc.) of national parks. Order physical books or download and print PDF versions, and let students choose a book that interests them. After they have completed the activities, they can send or email their completed booklet and earn a Junior Ranger badge or patch. This activity is an excellent option for early finishers. Let students work on the books in spare time throughout the entire year, and keep track of the number of badges and patches earned by your class.
   
• Connect with a Park Ranger
  Reach out to local parks and inquire if a park ranger can come visit your classroom. Invite students to prepare questions and choose one or two students to lead the interview. Another option is to schedule a Skype session with a park ranger that works in a National Park that is in a different part of the country.