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Classical Christian
Homeschooling:
Classical Education
at Home
WebMaster:
Christine
Miller
Classical Christian
Homeschooling Online Catalog: Kindergarten Literature
www.clas...ling.org/curriculum/literature-k.html
This page last revised:
June 2003
Copyright
© 1997-2003 |
Kindergarten
Literature Curriculum
One of the best ways to prepare a child for independent reading on his
own, to develop all the reading readiness skills necessary to begin phonics and reading
instruction in first grade, is to read aloud to that child, lots and lots of quality books
and poetry, every day. The dozen suggestions recommended on this page from the 1000 Good Books List are certainly not all that a
child should have read aloud to them in the course of the kindergarten year, but are
rather those selections which should not be missed. These books were chosen for their
cultural relevance, their literary value, their gentle instruction in virtue, their humor,
and the beloved place they have had in the hearts of children for several generations.
 Poems & Prayers for
the Very Young
Martha G. Alexander
Beautiful poems and prayers from Christina Rossetti, Ralph Waldo Emerson,
Robert Browning, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Blake, Victor Hugo, and more, as well as
many traditional poems of unknown authorship adorn this little volume: “The little
cares that fretted me / I lost them yesterday / Among the fields above the sea / Among the
winds at play / Among the lowing of the herds / The rustling of the trees / Among the
singing of the birds / The humming of the bees. The foolish fears of what might pass / I
cast them all away / Among the clover-scented grass / Among the new-mown hay / Among the
hushing of the corn / Where drowsy poppies nod / Where ill thoughts die and good are born
/ Out in the fields with God.”
 The Complete Poems of
Winnie-the Pooh
A. A. Milne & Ernest Shepard, illustrator
The complete poems found in When We Were Very Young and Now We
Are Six are combined in one volume, with the original illustrations by Ernest Shepard.
With classics as “Daffodowndilly” and rollickers such as
“Disobedience” (“James James / Morrison Morrison / Weatherby George Dupree
/ Took great / Care of his Mother / Though he was only three”), this volume showcases
the same lilting rhythm and serious nonsense that made A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh
songs so popular with young and old alike.
 A Family Treasury of
Little Golden Books
Ellen Lewis Buell, editor
46 well-chosen classic Little Golden Books are brought together in one
heirloom anthology, including many recommended in the 1000 Good Books list. The Poky
Little Puppy, The Saggy Baggy Elephant, The Tawny Scrawny Lion, The Color Kittens, Tootle:
they’re all here, with their original full-color illustrations by famous artists such
as Eloise Wilkin and Garth Williams. What’s even better: none of the more recent
Disney or Sesame Street stories are included in this beautiful collection.
 The Real Mother Goose
Blanche Fisher Wright, illustrator
Originally published in 1916, this edition with Blanche Fisher
Wright’s charming illustrations contains over 160 traditional nursery rhymes that
have been handed down to English-speaking children for generations. With both the familiar
(Little Po Beep, Little Boy Blue, Miss Muffet) and the obscure but delightful (One Misty
Moisty Morning, Sneezing) this classic collection is a standard for every child’s
bookshelf.
 The
Little House
Virginia Burton
“Once upon a time there was a Little House way out in the country.
She was a pretty Little House and she was strong and well-built.” So begins Virginia
Lee Burton’s favorite and comfortable tale of a happy country house and her family,
whose future becomes uncertain as the city encroaches ever closer. The triumphant ending
is reassuring for children and adults alike. Winner of the prestigious Caldecott Medal in
1943. Other Virginia Burton favorites include Katy and the Big Snow; Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel; Maybelle the Cable Car.
 The Little Red Hen
Paul Galdone, illustrator
This classic tale of an industrious hen and her lazy neighbors on the farm
teaches volumes about the benefits of hard work, echoing the scriptural admonition that
those who will not work should likewise also not eat. Paul Galdone’s dynamic and
imaginative illustrations breathe new life into this old favorite. Other classic tales
illustrated by Paul Galdone include: The Cat Goes Fiddle-i-fee; Henny Penny; The Three Billy Goats Gruff; The Three Little Kittens; The Three Little Pigs; and The Gingerbread Boy.
 A Hole is to Dig
Ruth Krauss
A “first book of first definitions,” Ruth Krauss’
imaginative text coupled with Maurice Sendak’s award-winning illustrations allow us
to see familiar things in a new way. Dogs, for example, are to kiss people, hands are to
hold, buttons are to keep people warm, brothers are to help you, and laps are so you
don’t get crumbs on the floor. To quote Elementary English, “A Ruth
Krauss book is to look at over and over again, to quote from and laugh at and talk about,
and even (going along with Sendak’s illustrations) to hug lovingly and drop off to
sleep with.” Delightful!
 Make Way for Ducklings
Robert McCloskey
“It’s not easy for duck parents to find a safe place to bring up
their ducklings, but during a rest stop in Boston’s Public Garden, Mr. and Mrs.
Mallard think they just might have found the perfect spot--no foxes or turtles in sight,
plenty of peanuts from pleasant passers-by, and the benevolent instincts of a kindly
police officer to boot. Young readers ... love the mother duck’s proud, loving
protection of her wee webbed ones.” Winner of the 1942 Caldecott Medal. Other Robert
McCloskey favorites include: Blueberries for Sal; Burt Dow, Deep Water Man; Lentil; One Morning in Maine; and Time of Wonder.
 The
Little Engine That Could
Watty Piper
“Watty Piper’s The Little Engine That Could is one of the
greatest tales of motivation and the power of positive thinking ever told. In this
well-loved classic, a little train carrying oodles of toys to all of the good boys and
girls is confronted with a towering, seemingly impassable mountain. As nicely as they ask,
the toys cannot convince the Shiny New Engine or the Big Strong Engine -- far too
impressed with themselves -- to say anything but “I can not. I can not.” It is
left up to the Little Blue Engine to overcome insurmountable odds and pull the train to
the other side.”
 Curious George
Margaret & H. A. Rey
“The watercolor paintings that accompany this special edition of the
very first Curious George story made their way out of Paris on the back of Hans Rey’s
bicycle, as he and his wife, Margaret, narrowly escaped the German occupation. By way of
Spain and Brazil, Rey and his work came to the United States, where cash-strapped
children’s publishers always required “color separation” art -- i.e., a
different drawing for each color. So Rey’s watercolors were never used,” that
is, until now. The original watercolors now illustrate Rey’s much-loved tale of a
little monkey that came to make life a lot more interesting for the Man in the Yellow Hat.
The Complete Adventures of Curious George is also available, which
includes all seven Curious George books in one beautiful volume.
 Peter
Spier’s Rain
Peter Spier
Peter Spier’s unique books are wordless storybooks narrated with his
award-winning illustrations. Perfect for pre-readers, it gives children a chance to use
the pictures to tell the story to you for a change. Rain recounts the adventures of
a brother and sister during one rainy day, and captures the beauty and wonder of their
joyous experiences as they explore their neighborhood, splash through puddles, see where
the animals hide, make footprints in the mud, take warm baths and snuggle up at the end of
the day, as the wind chases the clouds away to reveal a shimmering moon while they sleep.
From the first small drops of rain to the clear blue sky of a bright new morning, Rain
is a delight. Other Peter Spier favorites include: Noah’s Ark; People; Christmas; and Circus.
 The Story of the
Creation: Words from Genesis
Jane Ray, illustrator
“An illustrator whose elegantly beautiful The Story of Christmas
was a 1991 ALA Notable Book brings the same striking blend of folk motifs and Middle
Eastern references to a handsome rendition of the King James version of the Creation. ...
with richly fecund tapestries of color; her jewel-like birds and stylized animals recall
Wildsmith’s sumptuous art, but Ray’s carefully balanced organization and
creative use of frames --bordered with decorative thematic collages or simply lined in
gold -- are uniquely hers. Her dark Adam and somewhat fairer Eve, wreathed in delicate
flowers, are last seen sleeping, on the seventh day, in a ... beautifully composed
Peaceable Kingdom.” --Kirkus Reviews. The text in all her books illustrating Bible
stories (which include Noah's Ark: Words from Genesis and The Story of Christmas: Words from the Gospels of Matthew & Luke)
is from the King James Bible.
Out of print. Search AddAll.com or BookFinder.com
via a title search using “story of the creation” and an author search using
“jane ray.” If a used copy of the book cannot be found, request your public
library to interlibrary loan a copy in for you, and when it comes in, copy it and bind it
at a copy store, and return the book to the library. The U.S. Copyright Law contains a fair use provision
which allows an educator to make a single copy of out-of-print materials if needed for use
in teaching (not for profit or publication).
Using the Online Catalog
 This online catalog is made possible through an association with Barnes&Noble.com. Clicking on the book title or book cover will take
you to Barnes&Noble.com’s information page about that book. You can look at its
price, availability, any discounts currently taken for that title, reviews of the book,
and other information, as well as order it if you decide to purchase the book. You can
even place books in your shopping cart and save them for purchase at a later time. You can
continue to add or delete books from your shopping cart until you are satisfied with your
order and ready to purchase. Clicking on any link to Barnes&Noble.com will open a new
window; to return to CCH, click on the “Window” menu on your browser’s menu
bar, and choose Classical Christian Homeschooling.
Sometimes books go out of print, or the publisher runs out of stock. Any
book not available from Barnes&Noble.com for any reason can be searched using AddAll.com, a book shopping site which
will scan Barnes&Noble.com as well as Amazon.com, Powell’s Books, Book Close Outs
and many other new and used book sites. Be sure to also check BookFinder.com for out of print book
searches.
Still have questions? Ask
me!
 
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