Literature Links Guess Who?, by Margaret Miller (Green-
willow, 1994), is a picture book for very young readers. Bright photos and very simple text are set in a question and answer format: “Who cuts your hair? A chef? A tailor? A gardener? A polar bear?” (Turn the page) “A barber!” This book can be used in a discussion about the people who comprise a community or neighborhood, and the kinds of roles that are filled by the people in our communities. Many different climates and environments are shown. The people pictured doing different activities are diverse, with a nice balance of men, women, people of color, etc. This book could also serve to help children to imagine themselves pursuing different interests; for instance, as a pilot, teacher, dentist, or mechanic.
Be My Neighbor, by Maya Ajmera and
John D. Ivanko (Charlesbridge, 2004), portrays different kinds of neighborhoods around the world. The text describes ele- ments that many neighborhoods have— schools, homes, people, places to play and worship, markets, and transportation. Families and children in various settings are pictured in bril- liant photographs. Students ages five through eight will enjoy the text as it is read aloud or independently. This book could serve as a model on which your class could build its own book about the commu- nities near you.
What are the qualities most neighborhoods share? Are there different qualities between rural, suburban, and urban neighborhoods? Neighbors are also discussed.
The Curious Garden, by Peter Brown
(Little, Brown, and Company, 2009), is a fictional story, but based on an intrigu- ing truth. Liam is a curious little boy who notices a tiny garden struggling amidst concrete and asphalt. He decides to help the garden along and over time, it thrives. Oth- ers notice the beautiful plants and cultivate their own small patches of dirt until there are flowers and trees sprouting up and beau- tifying the whole city. While the illustrations depict fanciful blankets of green and color, the story is based on an abandoned but very real, elevated railway track in Manhattan. In 1980, “the High Line” was closed to traffic and slowly nature reclaimed the area. Now flora populates the old tracks. Sharing this story with your seven- to twelve-year-olds can inspire reclamation efforts in your own communities.
The Streets Are Free, by Karusa (Annick
Press Ltd., 1995), is based on the true story of the children of the barrio of San José de la Urbina, who wanted a place to play. The shift in Venezuela from exporting mostly coffee to oil resulted in many farmers mov- ing into urban areas. By the 1950s, thou- sands relocated to Caraca and Maracaibo. This very personable story relates from the
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