We've had an interesting week in the Book Nook of our library, reading Goldie Takes a Stand: Golda Meir's First Crusade by Barbara Krasner, illustrated by Kelsey Garrity-Riley:
I was hesitant about reading this to our kindergarteners. Would they be able to understand the historical aspects of the story? Would they get the importance of Goldie's statement about education being the way out of poverty? Would they appreciate the importance of Golda Meir becoming the Prime Minister of Israel?
Luckily, the kindergarten classes have been studying community helpers lately, and I was able to make that connection with this book. I'm not sure whether they truly understood the conditions of life a hundred years ago, when people lived in two room houses and bread was three cents a loaf. I had to explain the definition of "textbook", and how they are just handed out in today's public schools; the children in Goldie's day had to purchase theirs.
Maybe they will at least remember the name, to trigger a mental spark when it comes up again in world history class.
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As for my personal reading, I spent a lot of time this past weekend doing online research of the care and feeding of monarch and queen butterfly caterpillars. There are more than a dozen living on a milkweed plant in my backyard container garden! I can't wait to see if they hang around long enough to form chrysalises.
I am also reading The Woman in this Poem: Women's Voices in Poetry, selections chosen by Georgia Heard. After the focus on diversity in last week's Banned Books Celebration, I felt drawn to find myself in the written word; this book accomplishes just that.
It's Monday; what's in your reading pile this week?
Goldie sounds like the sort of picture book I look for for middle school, although my own girls would probably have liked it when they were young. It would probably take some preparation for students to understand it.
ReplyDeleteGreat picture books work in different ways at different times - young children might only grasp the basic spirit of the story, but that might be enough. It's still worth sharing important stories with them, just adapted in different ways. I haven't seen this one before, but you've got me very curious!!
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you shared the book about Golda Meir with those young ones, and made the connections for them. It's never too early to start learning about other kinds of life. I have and love Georgia's book of poetry, beautifully organized and shared.
ReplyDeleteI will have to find this book. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOur local library (not the one I currently work in) has been raising monarch butterflies successfully. Great blog and nice selection on Golda Meir.
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