Week 1: Award-Winning Literature

My collection was developed for a school library, with a second grade audience in mind. That means that I picked book selections and planned related activities for students that would be about seven years old. The activities and book selections then, are all age appropriate and would appeal to that age range and be effective, informative learning tools in the classroom.

Swimmy

by: Leo Lionni

Second Grade

• APA Citation: Lionni, L. (1963). Swimmy. New York: Pantheon.

• Description: "The gorgeous, Caldecott Honor-winning tale of a very clever fish by beloved picture book creator Leo Lionni.
  
  Deep in the sea lives a happy school of fish. Their watery world is full of wonders, but there is also danger, and the little fish are afraid to come out of hiding . . . until Swimmy comes along. Swimmy shows his friends how—with ingenuity and team work—they can overcome any danger.
  
  Winner of the 1964 Caldecott Honor, this beloved tale of a brave little fish has been a favorite to generations of readers. To celebrate Swimmy's fiftieth anniversary, we are issuing a handsome special edition hardcover that includes a bonus poster." Retrieved from Amazon.com on September 12, 2017: https://www.amazon.com/Swimmy-Leo-Lionni/dp/0394826205.

• The Age/Grade Level for which this book is appropriate: Pre-school-2nd grade.

• Justification: I love all of the Leo Lionni books that I've read, and feel like they have a timeless quality that will continue to inspire future generations. They are all pretty simple, with minimal, easy to understand word choice and unique illustrations. They all cover important content in a relatable, fable-like manner. I would read this book aloud to my class as part of story time. Afterwards, to demonstrate comprehension and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3, I would ask students to think about what they just heard and respond to who the book was about, what challenges were faced, and how obstacles were dealt with. This conversation would be interactive as I would pose questions encouraging students to think about how they would feel and respond in similar situations. I would use this story as part of a larger lesson plan with several other fable-like books throughout the week. To demonstrate CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.2, at the end of the week, students would be asked to draw and re-tell their favorite fable that we explored as a class, and write out its central message, tell why they liked it, and what they learned from the week overall. (English Language Arts Standards >> Reading: Literature >> Grade 2, Retrieved from Common Core State Standard Initiatives on September 12, 2017: http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/2/.)  

• Keywords: teamwork, exploration, aquatic, bullying

• Review: "This classic Caldecott Honor book follows a little fish named Swimmy who bands together with the other fish in his school to fight against the dangers of the open sea and the large fish that is bullying them. The story is wonderful for young children who are fascinated by fish and the artwork brings Swimmy’s world to life beautifully. Great for children from preschool through second grade." Retrieved from Horn Book on September 12, 2017: http://www.hbook.com/2015/06/blogs/lollys-classroom/picture-books-under-the-sea/.

• Citation: Spina, C. “Picture Books under the Sea.” The Horn Book, 9 June 2015, http://www.hbook.com/2015/06/blogs/lollys-classroom/picture-books-under-the-sea/. 

"Swimmy, 1964 Caldecott Honor Book", American Library Association, July 8, 2013.http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecotthonors/1964honorswimmy (Accessed September 12, 2017)

• Awards: This book was a 1964 Caldecott Honor Book. Retrieved from the ALSC list of Caldecott Medal & Honor Books at: http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecotthonors/caldecottmedal#60s.