Freddy’s Favorites compile TextProject’s recommendations for read-aloud books for struggling and beginning readers. The Common Core State Standards bring increased focus to what it is that students are learning in schools and what they need to know. Through read-alouds, students can be introduced to topics and genres that they might otherwise not be able to read independently. Our list of Read-Aloud Favorites can be searched by grade level, genre, format and subject.
To read more about the importance of reading aloud in a classroom, please read this blog entry in Frankly Freddy.
Martin’s Big Words
2002 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor
Many memorable quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. have survived through his published books and speeches. Ten of those quotes are highlighted in this book about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and several key events from the civil rights movement. With the mixed media illustrations, this book is a lovely way to introduce Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to readers.
Elijah, Of Buxton
2008 Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Elijah, of Buxton is a fabulous book about the first child born in the town of Buxton, Ontario, Canada. What makes Elijah and his birth so special is that he was born in a town of freed slaves. Seeking a way to free his slaves, Rev. William King took the 15 slaves he inherited to Canada and helped establish a community where his former slaves could build a meaningful and rich life. Eventually word got out about Buxton and it became a destination on the Underground Railroad. To this day, Buxton exists as a community composed mostly of the descendents of freed slaves.
Just like in Bud, not Buddy, Curtis infuses humor and mischief to lighten the bleak reality, in this case, of slavery. The end result is a great book that I look forward to rereading.
Day Of Tears
2006 Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
In 1859, a large slave auction was held to sell Pierce Butler’s slaves. During the two-day slave auction, over 400 slaves were sold. For the duration of the auction, a heavy torrential rain fell from the sky, and because of the rain, this moment in history was known as “the weeping time.” From this historical event, the author Julius Lester weaves fact with fiction to tell a compelling story about the attitudes towards slavery and how large slave auctions affected the slaves involved.
Another interesting thing about this book is its format. Though Lester did not intend Day of Tears to be a play, the format of the book makes it possible to read the book aloud in a group setting. The format also makes it easier for readers to visualize the story as it unfolds, and makes the characters and events even more real and poignant. In addition to the narration, Lester includes flashback memories from each key character in the book and intersperses them within the narrations. This gives the reader a more rounded picture of each character.
How the Forest Grew
This is one of those books that can be described as quiet beauty. Originally published in 1980, How the Forest Grew is not flashy or even colorful but it is a true gem. The book traces the slow restoration of a plowed field back into a hardwood forest in Massachusetts. First the plowed field used for farming is overgrown with weeds and is considered a meadow. Next fast growing sun loving trees take over and the meadow turns into a forest. Next slower growing and shade loving trees start to take over and the forest floor. At each stage of transformation the author describes the animals and plants that inhabit the new habitat. The simplistic text mirrors the quiet and fluid changes the habitat undergoes.
Dolley Madison Saves George Washington
Dolley Madison played a role in the important history of the White House. Before she was a First Lady, Dolley was the hostess to many official White House functions while Thomas Jefferson was in office. (It should be noted that while Dolley lived there, the White House was called the President’s Mansion.) Dolley continued the role of hostess when her husband, James Madison, was elected to become the nation’s 4th president. Over the years Dolley became well known for making everyone feel welcomed at the White House. In an effort to make the White House more hospitable, Dolley also renovated the interior of the White House.
One of the items she used in the renovation was a full-length portrait of George Washington, also known as the Lansdowne portrait. The portrait was painted by Gilbert Stuart, as a gift from Senator and Mrs. William Bingham of Pennsylvania to the Marquis of Lansdowne, a well-known supporter of the American Revolution. When the War of 1812 brought British soldiers to the steps of the White House, Dolley had the portrait cut from the frame and removed for safekeeping. As was customary at the time, Stuart made copies of the Lansdowne portrait, where they were hung in official US government buildings. During the War of 1812, the original Lansdowne portrait was still in England. The portrait that Dolley Madison saved was one of those copies Stuart made. The original has since returned to the United States, and it is currently hanging in the National Portrait Gallery, at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.