Catalog Search Results
Author
Summary
This enchanting book delves into the history of folktales, or stories made up by peoples around the world to teach important values to their children. Traditional folktales from a variety of Native American communities and distant countries such as India and Botswana are all presented to show the commonalities shared by such diverse cultures in their classic stories. Artwork and paintings illustrate the tales, while textboxes explain important terms...
Author
Summary
With bright photographs and illustrations, this volume explains the concept of a fable-defining the genre, detailing its characteristics, and reproducing some of the most famous examples of these stories from cultures around the world. Included in the Common Core Reading standards, the fable is an irrefutably fundamental genre that allows young readers to learn universal morals by using animals to teach them important lessons. After learning all about...
Author
Summary
Included in the Common Core standards, poetry was one of the earliest genres of literature and remains one of the most important today. Rhythm, word stress, and the other central elements of poetry are explained, as well as themes that are common in this sensory-based form of writing. Many examples of short poems are featured, including samples of the haiku form that originated in Japan or the Irish limerick known for incorporating humor, among others....
Author
Summary
Fairy tales have existed in every culture around the world, teaching children stories of characters in imaginary worlds who undergo hardship but learn to overcome their difficult circumstances. This compelling book covers the basic components that make up fairy tales, as well as the purpose these fantastic tales serve in culture. Some of the most famous fairy tales are retold in varying versions, unique to different cultures, followed by activities...
Author
Summary
Legends are riveting tales that are based on real events, but exaggerated so that they are not completely true. In this book, readers will learn the most important aspects of what defines a legend, as well as how to tell fact from fiction in these semi-historical tales. Famous legends, such as those of Robin Hood and El Dorado, are presented in abridged versions that help anybody identify what various legends have in common and what is unique to the...
Author
Summary
Every culture in human history has created its own myths to describe how the natural world works. These stories that explain the cultural lessons, values, and religious beliefs of a specific group of people are a prime component of the Common Core Reading standards for grade levels 2 and 3, and within this book some of the best-known myths are reproduced in a way that readers can grasp and interpret their meanings. Norse, Egyptian, and Chinese myths...
Author
Summary
While plays are printed works and are therefore certainly able to be read, they don't truly come alive until they are performed, with actors breathing life into the words on the page. After reading this engaging and informative book, young readers may well want to write and perform their own creative works. Happily, how to do just that is spelled out in the book itself. Also included are excerpts from famous and not-so-famous plays-all to educate,...
Author
Summary
This engaging volume introduces readers to the world of technical texts and their uses and is aligned with grade 2 Common Core ELA-Literacy standards. Students learn about the purposes and types of technical texts, and actually analyze sample texts. They review experiments, recipes, and crafts, and compare and contrast the examples. They also discover how specific images contribute to and clarify texts. In an activity section, readers are given the...
Author
Summary
In a nutshell, fiction is made up and nonfiction is real: real events, actual people, true facts, and verifiable ideas. This clear and easy-to-follow book cracks open the nutshell and goes well beyond, providing young readers with clear and engaging examples of nonfiction in action. With excerpts from and comparisons between essays, reports, and more, students will come away with a solid comprehension of what constitutes works of nonfiction. Further,...
10) What Is Fiction?
Author
Summary
Stories have been a part of our lives since birth. Many parents were reading and recounting stories and tales to us before we could talk. This instructive volume explains what constitutes a work of fiction as well as why it's written in the first place, and highlights important terminology, such as conflict. Key examples feature famous fiction authors and their work, comparing and contrasting their styles, and highlighting some of the prominent features...
11) What Is a Song?
Author
Summary
Songs are universal, and every culture has its own. Some are celebratory. Others tell stories. Many are about love. There are national anthems and protest songs. There are lullabies and playground songs. This book teaches young readers about the many different kinds of songs around the world and throughout history. It then compares pairs of songs, allowing readers to think about how each pair is similar or different. Finally, readers are challenged...