Picture Books

Picture Books

I love books, so of course I would love picture books! Picture books play an integral part of my fourth grade curriculum.  There are so many reasons why I believe picture books should be used in the classroom and across the curriculum.  I will list just a few of those reasons.

1. set a purpose for learning
2. activate thinking on a visual level
3. serve as writing models
4. help in understanding reading skills and strategies such as: predicting,

          drawing conclusions, making inferences, summarizing, analyzing the author

          craft, point of view, plus many, many more

    5.   used to teach theme

    6.   breathe life into dry facts

I feel as though I could write pages about picture books, so instead I chose to share two of my favorite Civil War picture books.  

I use my Social Studies textbook as a resource, not my main focus of our lessons.  We may only read two or three paragraphs or use it for the infographics that it provides.  Textbooks provide facts.  They rarely do justice to the personal perspectives of those who lived through certain periods of history and/or events.  They don’t grab a reader’s attention.  Open a picture book and history is brought to life!  They inspire and motivate students into wanted to learn more and encourage lively discussions.  

The first book I would like to introduce is Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco.  This is Polacco’s true-life tale of two Union soldiers, one white and one black, who are caught behind enemy lines.  Pink finds Say, near death, in a pasture in Georgia.  He picked up Say and carried him to his house where his mother, Moe Moe Bay, lived.  When Confederate marauders invade the house and kill Moe Moe Bay (Pink's mother), the two boys are forced to flee North.  Even after reading this book several times, tears still come to my eyes as I read it again to my new class.  

The second book I would like to share is The Last Brother by Trinka Hakes Nobel.  This book is set in July 1863 where the bloodiest battle of the Civil War was fought outside the sleepy Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg.  Eleven-year-old Gabriel has followed his 16-year-old brother Davy to war after their older brothers were killed fighting. In this tale, Gabe a young bugler, is forced to choose between duty to his country and loyalty to a friend.  

In the Author's Note, Trinka Hakes Noble explains that the inspiration for The Last Brother came from her own family history:

Nearly one hundred of my ancestors were in the Civil War, which they called the States War. One large Hakes farming family from upstate New York sent all their sons. The youngest, a fourteen-year-old drummer, was the only one who returned. This tragic loss was not uncommon on both sides...

The Last Brother was written with deep respect and honor, not only for my ancestors, but for all who served in the Civil War.

Remember - Picture books aren’t just for little kids.  They are powerful and engaging!