Dear Aviva, I suggest these books as part of the "Caring Makes a Difference" curriculum from the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education, recommended for grades K-4:
Caring Makes a Difference Common. The Mirror and Me. Illustrated by Lorraine West. Chicago: HipHop Schoolhouse, 2004; ISBN: 0-9768674-0-0. A boy from South Africa learns to appreciate his unique qualities. (8-12) Cooper, Ilene. The Golden Rule. Illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-8109-0960-1. “Grandfather explains that the Golden Rule is a simple statement on how to live that can be practiced by people of all ages and faiths, then helps his grandson figure out how to apply the rule to his own life.” (5-10) Cuyler, Margery. Kindness Is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler. Illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-689-87344-7. “Mrs. Ruler guides her students in discovering ways of being kind to their family members, each other, and their community.” (5-10) Doros, Alex and Dorros, Arthur. Numero Uno. Illustrated by Susan Guevara. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2007; ISBN: 978-0-8109-5764-0. In a classic battle of brains versus brawn, Hercules and Socrates constantly argue, until the town sends them away for three days to see who they will miss the most. Through cooperation and the use of everyone’s talents, a bridge is built. (4-8) Keller, Laurie. Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2007; ISBN: 978-0-8050-7996-8. A rabbit is worried about how he will get along with his new neighbors, until the owl tells him to treat the otters the same way he would the otters to treat him. Humor and puns makes a lesson in the golden rule funny and painless. (5-10) Lamstein, Sarah Marwil. I Like Your Buttons! Illustrated by Nancy Cote. Morton Grove, Illinois: Albert Whitman & Company, 1999. ISBN: 0-8075-3510-9. Cassandra admires her teacher’s button, which starts a chain of complements and good will throughout the day. (3-8) McCloud, Carol. Have You Filled a Bucket Today?: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids. Illustrated by David Messing. Northville, Michigan: Ferne Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-1-933916-16-3. “The concept of bucket filling is an effective metaphor for encouraging kind and considerate behavior and for teaching the benefits of positive relationships. (8-12) Naliboff, Jane. The Only One Club. Illustrated by Jeff Hopkins. Brooklyn, New York: Flashlight Press, 2004. ISBN: 0-972-92253-9. The premise of the book – that everyone has something special about them and we should acknowledge and respect that, is a good lesson for children. Jennifer Jacobs is the only Jewish person in her class. While the other students make Christmas decorations, she makes dreidels and six-pointed stars for Hanukkah. When she goes home after school, she makes herself a glittery badge that says “The Only One Club.” Her fellow students want to join the club, but she is hesitant. After thinking it over, she comes to school the next day with a badge for all her classmates, who all have something unique – red hair, the last name “Raven,” etc. (4-8) Pearson, Emily. Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed. Illustrations by Fumi Kosaka (Gibbs Smith, 2002; ISBN: 978-0-87905-978-1). “A young girl’s good deed is multiplied as it is passed on by those who have been touched by the kindness of others.” (4-8) Rosenthal, Amy Krouse. Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons. Illustrated by Jane Dyer. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2006. ISBN: 978-0-06-058081-0. Words are defined through the baking and sharing of cookies. (5-10) Symes, Ruth. Harriet Dancing. Illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church. New York: Chicken House (Scholastic), 2008; ISBN: 978-0-545-03204-9. Harriet is dismayed when the butterflies will not dance with her, but soon her other friends join her and prove that anyone and everyone can dance (4-8). Vision, David and Mutiya. What Makes Me Beautiful? Illustrated by Ignacio Alcantara. New York: Soul Vision Works Publishing, 2004; ISBN: 0-9659538-4-X. A child recount the different qualities that make him beautiful. (5-10). Wallace, Nancy Elizabeth. The Kindness Quilt. (Marshall Cavendish, 2006; ISBN: 978-0-7614-5313-0). After Minna and her class hear the Aesop fable of “The Lion and the Mouse,” they think of ways to be kind and draw pictures of their activities, which eventually become a big quilt wall hanging. (5-10) Kol tuv, Kathe Pinchuck Past Chair, Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee Association of Jewish Libraries ----- Original Message ----- From: Aviva Rosenberg<mailto:[email protected]> To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2015 10:22 PM Subject: [ha-Safran] Looking for a book/story Hi everyone, I'm looking for a book or story that has a theme along the lines of "true happiness comes from making other people happy." It's for a Rosh Chodesh Adar program so it would be nice if it was Jewish, but doesn't have to be. It can be a book, a folktale, a chapter from a larger work, but suitable for elementary school as a read-aloud. Any and all suggestions are welcome. Thank you! Aviva Rosenberg Library & Media Specialist The Moriah School 53 S. Woodland Street Englewood, NJ 07631 __ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) ================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [email protected] To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: [email protected] Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html Earlier Listserver: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org -- Hasafran mailing list [email protected] https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran
__ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) ================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [email protected] To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: [email protected] Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html Earlier Listserver: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org -- Hasafran mailing list [email protected] https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran
