Every year during the long third quarter, my 4th-grade students and I read Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars. This pitch-perfect novel is most students’ first encounter with World War II. Driven by my students’ deep curiosity and interest, I have developed a repertoire of WWII lessons to supplement the novel. The subject matter can be tricky and complicated to teach, and for years, resources for elementary school students were scarce. I was thrilled to see the publication of three strong WWII picture books in the past year which discuss three different aspects of the war, but they all tell stories laced with the courage, faithfulness and reconciliation.

Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind by Cynthia Grady and Amiko Hirao

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941, young Japanese-Americans were incarcerated with their families in internment camps. In the opening pages of Write to Me, young Katherine Tasaki tells her librarian, Miss Breed, that she is leaving, and Miss Breed gives her an addressed postcard, telling her to write. Thus begins a correspondence between Miss Breed and her young patrons. Told in both a narrative and an epistolary format, the book highlights Miss Breed’s courage and work on behalf of Japanese-Americans and shows the power of literature and story amid darkness. By focusing on the efforts of a single citizen, Write to Me brings a complicated and large issue to a level that is ideal for elementary-age students.

• Establish Background Knowledge—The front and back endpapers have historical photographs showing various aspects of the Japanese-Americans’ internment. Before reading the book, cover the captions and show a few of these pictures to your students. Ask them to tell you what they think is happening in the photographs. If you have not discussed the Pearl Harbor bombing, then briefly read an informational book or article to your students. Emphasize the surprise nature of the attack. Locate Japan and Hawaii on a world map. Ask students to explain why the Pearl Harbor base was an ideal target.

• Opinion Writing—President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942. After reading Write to Me, give students an article or let them research the order and the resulting relocation camps. Without too much prior discussion, invite children to think about the order and the relocation camps. Instruct children to respond to the following prompt, “Do you think that President Roosevelt was right when he enforced Executive Order 9066? Why or why not?” Be sure to think about the mindset of the U.S. in early 1942. After students have formed opinions, encourage a few students to share their writing with the class. Or take it a step further and assign a “Dear President Roosevelt” letter-writing assignment where students share their opinion in a formal letter.

• Further Reading—Read other books discussing the relocation of Japanese-Americans like The Bracelet by Yoshiko Uchida and Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki and Dom Lee. Make a list of the things you learn about the internment camps from the three different books. A few of my students wanted to read more, so I directed them to the novels Dash by Kirby Larson,  Heart of a Champion by Ellen Schwartz and The Journal of Ben Uchida by Barry Denenberg. For a longer, more informational text, be sure to read Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of the Japanese American Incarceration During World War II and a Librarian Who Made a Difference by Joanne Oppenheim.

• Write for Justice—Clara Breed mailed the children postcards, seeds, books, soap and thread. She visited them in the camps, but she was not content with her efforts. So she began to advocate for the rights of the children by writing magazine articles and “letters asking for a library and school for the imprisoned children.” Encourage students to talk to their parents about unjust situations in the U.S. and around the world. When each student has decided upon an issue, show them how to write an article or letter advocating for justice.
 

Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot’s World War II Story by Marc Tyler Nobleman and Melissa Iwai

In September of 1942, to prove that the continental U.S. could indeed be bombed, Japan sent pilot Nobuo Fujita in a small plane to bomb the woods near Brookings, Oregon. Only one of the two bombs exploded, causing a minor forest fire. A later attempt was also unsuccessful. Fast-forward 20 years. Fujita is invited to Brookings’ Memorial Day festival. Burdened by feelings of guilt and shame, Fujita decides to attend the festival, and what unfolds is a story of reconciliation and restoration. Visits between Japan and Brookings lasted until Fujita’s death in 1997. Sharing a little-known story of the war, Thirty Minutes Over Oregon fascinated my students and led to a complex discussion of personal and national loyalties.

• Cultural Knowledge—Fujita strapped his family’s 400-year-old samurai sword to his plane seat when he bombed the Oregon forest. Years later, he gave the sword to the town of Brookings and it is now located in the Brookings Public Library. Learn the cultural importance of the samurai sword by reading a few of the stories in Sword of the Samurai: Adventure Stories from Japan by Eric A. Kimmel and Michael Evans. I also found this article/worksheet from The Asian Art Museum to be very helpful.

• Write Around a Phrase—A WWII veteran responded to protestors who didn’t want Fujita to attend the Memorial Day festival in a newspaper article writing, “He was doing a job and we were doing a job.” Write this phrase on the board or a piece of chart paper. Give students a few minutes to respond to the phrase. Afterward, allow students to share what they wrote about the phrase and lead a class discussion about national responsibility and loyalty. After our discussion, I read Shooting at the Stars by John Hendrix aloud. The story of the WWI Christmas Truce further emphasized the concept that the students had begun to understand and vocalize—that war is made up of individuals who have more similarities than differences with those fighting for the opposing side.

• Vocabulary Art—Learning not just the definition of unfamiliar words but how to apply them in different contexts is an essential skill for all students. With my students, we made a list of “power words” found in Thirty Minutes Over Oregon (examples include catastrophically, pride, veteran, condemning and reconciliation) and then each student selected a word. The assignment was to make an illustrated definition of his/her selected power word. I provided oversized paper, markers, pastels, magazines and other materials to ensure maximum creativity. The only criteria for their illustrated word assignment was that their creation must include a sentence using the selected power word and the artwork must reflect an aspect of their sentence or the word.

• Learn More—Watch two short videos (here and here) about Nobuo Fujita’s life and his reconciliation with the town of Brookings.

Ruby in the Ruins by Shirley Hughes

It’s 1945 in London, and the war has finally come to an end. Young Ruby is thankful her house survived the blitz bombings and is excited for her father’s homecoming. When he finally arrives home from his duty in the war, she is surprised by her feelings of shyness around him. One day Ruby and her friends decide to play on the forbidden piles of rubble that line the London streets. An accident occurs, and Ruby’s dad saves the day. The incident and conversation afterward help ease the emotional distance between the two. Hughes’ straight-forward text and illustrations present the London blitzes and post-war devastation from a child’s point of view, showing how the war affected not just soldiers, but the lives of all English citizens.

• Life in London during WWII—For young Ruby, life during the war meant “nights when the warning sirens wailed and searchlights swept the sky,” terrifying explosions that made her family’s small house shake and trips to the cold and crowded air raid shelter. The BBC People’s War is a collection of several articles (many first-hand accounts) regarding the blitzes and daily life in London during the war. Print various articles and let students read them individually or in pairs. Afterward, write the following words on pieces of chart paper: air-raids, Blitzkrieg, evacuees, siren, rubble, Luftwaffe, Royal Air Force, countryside and air-raid shelter. I wrote two words on each sheet of paper. Let students provide the information they gathered from their articles to flesh out the meanings of the words. My students enjoyed listening to the sound of an actual air-raid siren.

• Nonfiction Text Features—When the students have grasped the concept and big ideas of the London Blitz as well as the mass evacuation, show them these excellent photographs of children evacuees from the Imperial War Museum. Read the captions that accompany the photographs and then discuss the importance of photo captions in nonfiction documents. Teach students that though a caption can be more than one sentence, the first sentence is the most important and must give readers information about the photograph. Give each student a copy of this photograph of young children next to London rubble. Provide the basic details of the photograph and then let them write a caption to accompany the photograph.

Books are stealthy: tucked into engaging adventures we often find lessons in bravery, kindness and perseverance. In the best books, we also find inspiration. Shining light on women endeavoring to create their own futures, Ernestine’s Milky Way and Born to Ride are two promising stories set against the backdrop of American history. These are two cheerful, thoughtful tributes to the many countless women who donned bloomers, kept their heads up when the path was thorny and forged ahead to the future.

In the midst of World War II, in a lush valley of the Great Smoky Mountains, Ernestine—a determined 5-year-old—sets off on a very important errand. With her dad away at war, all the chores fall to Ernestine and her mother. Life back then wasn’t easy or convenient. Their days were full of hard work, but also kindness, imagination and courage. Ernestine will need every one of these if she’s going to deliver milk to her neighbors a long walk away. Wrapped in the magic of adventure, Ernestine’s Milky Way is a lesson in determination.

Ernestine’s story rings with the sounds of life in the Smokies. Author Kerry Madden-Lunsford gracefully employs local dialect in order to give readers a sense of location and time. In addition, Madden-Lunsford makes resourceful use of animal sounds, descriptive language and poetic expressions to place us on the trail with Ernestine.

Illustrator Emily Sutton fills her pages with flora, fauna and lush, subdued color. Ernestine’s path takes her through brambles and berries and barbed-wire fences, which Sutton illustrates with fine detail and unrestricted enthusiasm. Sutton’s eager brush strokes convey a sense of wildness and awe, while chickens, fire-burning stoves, banjos, barrels and wagons plant the story firmly in its time.

Based on the recollections of the author’s friend, the real-life Ernestine, Ernestine’s Milky Way gives readers a snapshot of country life in the 1940s. Today, the idea of a five-year-old being sent on errands alone is foreign and even shocking, but that was the reality for many farm children who shouldered much of the work of this era.

Also shining light on an era of U.S. history, Born to Ride, by Larissa Theule, begins with the “cannots” of a late-19th century girl. But there is one cannot that young Louisa Belinda will not abide. Despite the rules, despite what the adults might think, even despite the threat of getting permanent “bicycle face,” Louisa Belinda is determined to learn to ride a bike. But as Louisa Belinda conquers the bike, a new era is being wheeled into her town, assisted by her mother—who has a few surprises of her own.

Illustrator Kelsey Garrity-Riley creates a small-town Rochester, New York, that is charming and cheerful. Garrity-Riley fills her pages with the trappings of 19th century; milkmen and pinafores, feathered hats and horse-drawn carriages. The suffragettes are calmly at work, making signs and planning a rally. Small details—rally buttons, a poster for Susan B. Anthony’s speech—lend historical authenticity. In this exciting environment, a young girl is bravely forging her own future.

Theule narrates in a youthful, conversational tone that invites discussion and questions. And young readers may have many: the idea of scandalous bloomers, no vote for women and the threat of bicycle face seems unbelievable and downright ridiculous to today’s girls. While Louisa Belinda’s own bike riding is met with little resistance, three concluding pages of historic photos and facts about “wheelwomen” and the suffragette movement help open the door to the genuine gritty struggles women faced. 

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read Larissa Theule’s fascinating essay on wheelwomen and bicycle face here.

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.

When developing risk-taking, self-confident children, parents know that showing children examples of bravery is more effective than talking about this rather intangible word. Two new picture books about bravery in action will leave children chuckling with delight and feeling strong and confident.

Lindsay Leslie’s This Book is Spineless has the most imaginative approach to overcoming fears. The book itself is scared of what lies ahead as the pages turn, and the book asks readers to help it be brave and face its fears. With book puns such as “being spineless” or “growing a spine,” this story is sure to be a delight to children and the adults who read to them.

Leslie’s sensory language will almost allow young readers to hear the ghosts, see the mysterious strangers and feel a rocket’s propulsion during their adventure with the book. At the end, the book also realizes that while it needed a little push from the reader, it quite liked the journey and was proud of preserving to the end of the tale and surviving spooky events that frightened it.

Illustrator Alice Brereton creates scary mirror-image prints in blacks and grays. Once the book plucks up enough courage to advance beyond these illustrations, the book becomes even braver and takes many risks to finish the story. Bright colors create an explosion of joy and confidence at the end.

When You Are Brave also focuses on rising to and successfully navigating life’s challenges. Author Pat Zietlow Miller (Sophie’s Squash) creates an inspirational story that is quietly profound with positive messages of looking inside oneself to find a tiny seed of courage which will grow with use.

A young girl is faced with moving somewhere brand new and far away. But soon the girl realizes she has to be as brave as a caterpillar that goes to sleep, not knowing when it will wake up; or like the lost dog who searches for miles for his welcoming backyard light; or a baby bird, launching from the nest for the first time. Even when things might not work out, having had the courage to try is a mighty life lesson.

Illustrator, Eliza Wheeler, (Doll Bones and Miss Maple’s Seeds), creates richly detailed gray, dark scenes when the girl is scared. Once she reaches deep inside to find her courage, Wheeler depicts the tiny fire starts to glow from within her, which soon grows into a magical, shimmering set of wings. The connection between the girls’ growing courage and the growing light is a beautiful inspiration for young readers.

The decorations and treats may differ, but two things are vital for a proper birthday celebration: good friends and the perfect birthday wish. With the-more-the-merrier themes, Hoo Hoo Who? and Ten Rules of the Birthday Wish are original and clever tales that leave everyone feeling invited.

Ten Rules of the Birthday Wish by author Beth Ferry and illustrator Tom Lichtenheld offers resourceful birthday tips and tricks for nailing the perfect celebration, no matter who you are. Both sincere and hilarious, the rules encompass everything from when to celebrate (short-lived insects should party straightaway), to how to blow out a candle (spit-prone camels should seek assistance). Clever asides, such as a tongue-in-cheek “pin-the-stinger-on-the-human” game, keeps readers engaged and scanning the page for laughs. Several party fails provide hilarious exceptions to the rules (i.e. spiny animals vs. balloons).

From page one, Ferry and Lichtenheld capture their audience by encouraging young readers to count along. Boldly and cheerfully illustrated, every page is visually appealing with soft colors. Text alternatively pops and shrinks, keeping readers engaged and looking for the occasional tiny footnote and aside. A conversational, confident tone makes for an easy and amusing read aloud. Inviting and funny, Ten Rules for the Birthday Wish doesn’t take itself too seriously. But despite the mirth, one cannot deny that every page carries an underlying and earnest wish for your birthday joy.

Hoo Hoo Who? begins with a surprise party, thrown by Owl, that is in full swing. But since the farsighted Owl has broken his glasses, he may need help welcoming his party guests. Aimed at a slightly younger audience, author-illustrator Mary Maier and author Lauren Horton’s picture book encourages little readers to predict which animal is next on Owl’s guest list. With detailed clues about the guests’ physical appearances and movements, even the youngest listeners can join in the guessing. Before the last guest arrives, however, there is one more surprise for the blurry-eyed Owl.

Maier’s text has a rhythm that lends itself to read-alouds and inspires participation with owl hoots and other animal sounds. And here’s a preschool party tip: have your little party-goers pretend to be each animal as they arrive. Educators will enjoy that Horton, who is also a speech pathologist, includes links for incorporating this book into educational settings.

Maier illustrates with bold lines, quick dashes and spatters of paint, which echo the excitement—and slight frenzy—of a surprise party. (Or perhaps someone looking through broken glasses?) With large, vibrant illustrations and extreme animal close-ups, Hoo Hoo Who? is friendly and energetic. Seeing “you” written on the guest list brings this party even closer to the reader.

Clever and amusing departures from more solemn birthday gift books, Hoo Hoo Who? and Ten Rules of the Birthday Wish charmingly leave no birthday boy, girl, animal, bird or bug behind.

In Fear the Bunny, Richard T. Morris offers an amusing riff on William Blake’s famous poem “The Tyger,” insisting that it is bunnies, not tigers, that strike such a fearful figure. 

For his part, Tiger can’t help but laugh when he comes upon a tangle of his fellow forest-dwelling animals reading about “Bunnies, bunnies, burning bright.” But when Tiger tries to tell them that they have it all wrong, that they should fear him, a tiger, not some fluffy, cuddly bunny, the animals push back. In their forest, they tell him, no animal is quite so fearsome as the bunny.

Frustrated, Tiger tries to explain. Tigers are the ones with dagger-sharp teeth and deadly claws. But he gets nowhere. The others are distracted. Something stirs ominously in the distance. The animals flee to shelter, and though it seems silly to Tiger, he eventually heeds their desperate pleads and hides in the forest’s lush foliage.

But when Tiger spies the bunny from whom they’ve so diligently hidden, he can’t contain his disdain. He mocks the bunny, and the other animals’ cowering, that is until he sees the horde of bunnies that lay in wait.

With its witty premise and attractive illustrations, Fear the Bunny will amuse children and parents alike.

Like Fear the Bunny, the latest from Caldecott Honor author and illustrator David Ezra Stein, Hush, Little Bunny, takes its inspiration from a popular source. But where Fear the Bunny draws inspiration and then dashes off in a totally unexpected direction, Hush, Little Bunny hews closer to the original material. 

Stein takes the popular lullaby, “Hush Little Baby,” and reworks it for all the bunny lovers out there. Accompanied by his gorgeous watercolors, Stein takes us along with Papa Bunny and his little one as they bid winter goodbye and welcome spring with all the new experiences it brings—both frightful and exciting.

The portrayal of familial love that emerges is both moving and engaging, and, as always, Stein’s delightful brushwork is worth the price tag alone.

In author and illustrator Nicola Killen’s The Little Rabbit, Ollie can’t wait for the rain to stop, so he can go play in the puddles. Before the wind has settled, Ollie races out the door with his umbrella and favorite stuffed animal, Bunny, in tow.  

As soon as they’re outside, a golden petal settles onto Bunny’s nose and something astonishing happens. With a twitch of his nose, Bunny springs to life, hops out of the basket and darts off with a pack of wild rabbits. 

Ollie calls and calls, but can’t find Bunny anywhere. Just as the sky darkens and the rain returns, Ollie spots him. He’s stranded in a puddle of quickly rising water. With the aid of an inspired gust of wind, Ollie hops aboard his upturned umbrella and sails through the puddle to rescue Bunny. 

Next, Bunny leads Ollie up to the treehouse. But when Bunny climbs higher up the tree and jumps towards the clouds above, what will Ollie do?

With each turn of the page, The Little Rabbit grows increasingly fantastical, reminding readers of the wonder-filled realm between reality and make believe that young children inhabit with such glee. With its beautifully stark watercolors and the occasional gold-embossed magic petal, The Little Rabbit is as visually charming as is its text. 

Children see the world through their unique lens. Their innate creativity and innocent imaginations give them a pure perspective on the world. But in the era of smartphones, I wonder if the artistic language of photography—line, color, texture, balance, lighting—is being lost. Do children know that photography goes beyond selfies and Instagram filters? Do they understand what makes a quality photograph? Do they realize that a photograph can move people to action? The following three books address these questions and show children the history, power and beauty of photography.

The Bluest of Blues: Anna Atkins and the First Book of Photographs by Fiona Robinson 

Author Fiona Robinson tells the story of photography pioneer Anna Atkins in The Bluest of Blues. Raised by her scientist father, Anna Atkins developed a love for the natural world early in her life. She became a collector of flowers, ferns, insects and shells. In her early 20s, Anna began cataloging her collections and dedicates herself to creating a herbarium with thousands of dried botanical species. She wanted to share her work with the world, but she didn’t have a “quick, accurate way to copy her collection” until she was introduced to the cyanotype print. Using its chemical reaction process, Anna started to document her collection and later published what is considered the first book of photography. As a lifelong lover of sun prints, I love using this printing process with my students, but I have always stumbled when attempting to explain the chemical process. Robinson’s blue watercolor and pencil illustrations provide a strong foundation for students’ forays into cyanotype art. 

• Nature Notebooks—Charlotte Mason, a British educator who lived around the time of Atkins, believed that children need to observe nature and record their observations in a notebook each day. Make or order blank books for your students. Explain that for the next few months, they are going to be observing nature and recording their observations through drawings and notes. In my experience, colored pencils and watercolors work best for nature drawings. Set up a nature table in your classroom with shells, pinecones, magnifying glasses, rocks, dried flowers, botanical books, etc. Create a few pages in your own nature notebook to show students. As time allows, take students outside and let them spend time observing and sketching. When students come inside, let them look for answers to the questions (there will be many) that arise from their time spent outside. 
• Cyanotype Prints—Provide students with the opportunity to emulate Atkins by creating their own cyanotype prints. Purchase chemically treated sun paper at an art or photography store. I like to have enough paper for each student to create multiple prints. Ask students to bring in one small treasure from home. Gather buttons, old keys, blocks, jewelry, plastic letters and other small objects. Before beginning the project, take students outside and let them collect leaves, acorns, flowers and rocks. (I have classroom ferns and ivy plants and their leaves work well.) Let students spend time designing their cyanotype and then put them in the sun for five minutes. Come back in and soak the prints in water. Hang the cyanotypes up around the classroom to dry and then let each student pick out one of their prints to contribute to the class book. 

This is My Eye: A New York Story by Neela Vaswani 

Neela Vaswani’s story of a young girl living in New York City is told with photographs “taken” from the girl’s perspective. “My dad says it’s not what you look at—it’s what you see,” she says at the beginning of the story. From there, the photographs on each page illustrate the city’s subway stations, rainy days and people as seen through a peephole. Vaswani’s powerful photographs and spare text offer a glimpse of what it’s like to be a 9-year-old living in New York. Storytelling through perspective photography can be a tough concept for children, but this is the perfect gateway for classroom photography projects. 

• Figurative Language—This book is filled with figurative language. Briefly review personification, similes and metaphor, then read the book again and write down the examples of each on three sheets of chart paper. Print several photographs of cities and show them to students one at a time. Let students write their own sentences with figurative language to go along with the photographs. After they have composed several sentences, ask them to write their favorite on an index card. Hang each photograph on the board or bulletin board and let students come put their index card around the photograph that it describes. 
• City Stories—As a class, discuss the meaning of the sentence, “Walls tell stories and stories are everywhere.” Encourage students to talk about the stories they see in the coordinating photographs. If possible, use Google Earth to show your students images of murals in your city. Using the Socratic seminar method, have a class discussion about the stories behind the murals and what they symbolize. If there are not enough murals in your city, use historical or interesting local buildings. My 4^th graders and I did this exercise and the students were so interested that many of them did further research and shared their findings with the rest of the class. Inquiry-driven local history at its best! 
• Camera Walk—Write the phrase, “It’s not what you look at, it’s what you see” on the board or a piece of chart paper. Give students time to think about the meaning and then reread the book. Assign partners and then take students on a walk around the school’s campus. Their mission is to take 10 photographs while keeping the phrase “it’s what you see” in mind. Upon return to the classroom, give students time to write sentences to go along with their photographs. Extend the project by asking students to take photographs around their homes or in the local community. Have them email you the photographs and then share these with the class. 

Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression by Carole Boston Weatherford and Sarah Green 

Dorothea Lange knew from a young age that she wanted to be a photographer, and she became one of the leading photographers of the 20th century. But it wasn’t until she was in her late 20s that she had an awakening and realized that “She was meant to photograph people—not just the wealthy but from all walks of life.” Her newfound purpose led Lange to document the reality and suffering present around the country: breadlines, migrant workers, internment camps. She was focused on sharing reality and considered herself “a storyteller with a camera.” Insight into some of Lange’s famous photographs and her social activism led my students to have discussions about the power of photography, and they began to understand that a photograph is indeed worth a thousand words. 

• Historical Context—Lange’s work is best understood in historical context. Spend time discussing the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, migrant workers and internment camps. Read aloud portions of Children of the Dust Bowl: The True Story of the School at Weedpatch Camp by Jerry Stanley, Children of the Great Depression by Russell Freedman, Blue Willow by Doris Gates and Write to Me by Cynthia Grady and Amiko Hirao. For older students, study primary sources including maps, song lyrics and posters. Using their new knowledge, ask students to write a first-person journal entry as if they are a child of the Dust Bowl or Great Depression. 
• Visual Literacy Lange considered herself a “storyteller with a camera.” Show students a few of Lange’s most well-known photographs including Migrant Mother, Breadline and Dust Bowl Refugees. Give students the tools they need to “read” the stories in these photographs. Let them practice by filling out a Reading Photographs graphic organizer. 
• Compare Photographers—Lange knew she was meant to photograph people. Read Antsy Ansel: Ansel Adams, A Life in Nature by Cindy Jenson-Elliott and Christy Hale, Polka Dot Parade: A Book About Bill Cunningham by Deborah Blumenthal and Masha D’Yans, and Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America by Carole Boston Weatherford and Jamey Christoph. Each of these photographers felt called to a certain type of photography. Look at examples of their photographs. Create a four column T-chart comparing and contrasting their lives and works.

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.