Leaping into Literature: Six Years Strong
A Tradition begun way back in 2013 is still beating strong. As with every 4th Term for the past six years we enjoyed reading our way through piles of picture books, a tradition we look forward to each year. Our Leaping into Literature immersion as per usual was accompanied by the children giving their opinions and star ratings. This year’s participating children shrunk to only four; 13, 11, 8 & 5 years. Due to the growing ages of the children we also included short chapter books, as the interest of some in picture books is beginning to wane just a little, my heart begins to break.
Short Chapter
Mr Pettigrew’s Harvest Festival – Leonard Clark 3 Star
Benjamin Franklin – Charles Michael Daugherty 5 Star
Return of the Wolf – Dorothy Hinshaw Patent 5 Star
Australian
Fabish the Horse that Braved a Bushfire – Neridah McMullin 5 Star
The Crow and the Waterhole – Ambelin Kwaymullina 4.5 Star
Sebastian Lives in a Hat – Thelma Catterwall 3.5 Star
Fox and the Fine Feathers – Narelle Oliver 5 Star
Tale of the Outback Hole – Robin Skirrey 4.5 Star
The Big Big Sea – Martin Waddell 4.5 Star
Banjo and Ruby Red – Libby Gleeson 4.5 Star
It’s a Miroocool! – Christine Harris 4.5 Star
The Tomorrow Book – Jackie French 3 Star
And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda – Eric Bogle 4.5 Star
Look See, Look at me – Leonie Norringtone 2 Star
McGillycuddy Could ! – Pamela Duncan Edwards 3.5 Star
Ducks to Water – Brett Avison 2.5 Star
Science
Let’s Find out about Fishes – Martha and Charles Shapp 4 Star
Let’s Go Rock Collecting – Roma Gans 3.5 Star
History
I Wish I’d Danced With Anna Pavlova – Leonie Young 4.5 Star
Fly, Kite, Fly: Story of Leonardo and a Bird Catcher – John Winch 5 Star
The Treasure Box – Margaret Wild 4.5 Star
Faith
Christopher the Holy Giant – Tomie dePaola 5 Star
Geography
One Step at a Time – Jane Jolly 4.5 Star
Peacock Girl – Lily Wu 5 Star
The Seeing Stick – Jane Yolen 5 Star
The Sheep Beauty – Li Jian 4.5 Star
Dance of a Thousand Stars – Julia Hubery 3.5 Star
A Song for Jamela – Niki Daly 4 Star
Little Dog Lost Brave Dog named Baltic – Monica Carnesi 4 Star
The Magic Pillow – Demi 5 Star
Sora and the Cloud – Felicia Hoshino 2.5 Star
Creative Arts
Katie and the British Artists – James Mayhew 4.5 Star
Mind Your Gramma! – Yvonne Morrison 4 Star
I Love a Sunburnt Country 4 Star
Jabberwocky – Lewis Carroll 1 Star
My Shadow – R L Stevenson 3.5 Star
Miscellaneous
President Penny Baker – Kate Feiffer 4 Star
Fancy Nancy: There’s No day Like Snow Day – Jane O’Connor – 4 Star
Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly – Jane O’Connor 4 Star
Dewey There’s a Cat in My Library – Vicki Myron 4.5 Star
Don’t Worry Hugless Douglas – David Melling 3 Star
The Tomtes of Hilltop Farm – Brenda Tyler 3 Star
Auction – Tress Seymour 4 Star
Banjo Granny – Sarah Martine Busse 2.5 Star
2 Comments
Maria
Hello,
All these wonderful books! My son (4yo) stumbled upon the book Fabish at the library during the bushfires which was providential! We really enjoyed the book and he asked so many questions around horses and fires. It also came alive because we were reading the book when the bushfires were at their highest and we would wake up to a smoky filled sky.
I’m wondering, aside from reading the books, do you have a literature curriculum that accompanies the books you have read? For eg: Memoria Press and 5 in a Row have literature guided programmes for the good books they recommend. In this way, history, cultural studies are also covered. Appreciate if you have any guidance that mirrors the above curriculums according to the Australian books you have recommended.
Thank you.
Erin
Hi Maria,
Fabish is a terrific book! We read it ourselves recently as we also lived with bush fires for months. Isn’t it amazing how the right book often comes into our hands at the right time! So often happens.
What a great question regards a literature curriculum, to my knowledge there is no Australian literature curriculum… but it’s my next plan to write some, to that end I’m first concentrating on creating a massive database of Australian Books, have you found that yet? For now have a poke around in there, loads of books on various topics. https://sevenlittleaustralians.com/australian-books/