Book Club!
(from Mini-Lessons for Literature Circles
by Harvey Daniels and Nancy Steineke).
The goal of a kid-friendly book club is
to encourage kids to do more then just
read a book. Through small, peer-led
discussions, children can build the
skills of thoughtful and curious
readers, inspiring a life-long love of
reading. Here are some key points to
help get started.
1.Visualize: Make mental pictures as
you read.
2.Connect: To your own experience,
events, or other books.
3.Question: Actively wonder and ask
about the book.
4.Infer: Predict, interpret, guess
what’s next.
5.Evaluate: Critique, make
suggestions.
6.Analyze: Identify style, theme, etc.
7.Recall: Re-tell the story using
pictures, performance or another
activity.
Alaska Youth Literature Community Project
How To Raise a
Reader!
(www.facebook.com/icanreadbooks)
- Kids Choice! Let kids pick the
book they want to read.
- Use picture clues, ask
questions about what happens
next.
- Help younger readers along!
Encourage them to practice
reading where they can, but
-
step in when needed.
Have fun with the characters.
AK Kids
Use silly voices and actions.
READ!
- Ask your child to describe a
character, then you guess
which one it is.
- Let them ask YOU questions!
- Lead by Example! Kids will
be more likely to read if they
see you reading too!
Alaska-Focused Youth
Allison Erickson Literature
Stunning Alaska Literature to
University of Alaska Southeast inspire a life-long love of reading!
July 21, 2014
 Amazing Alaska Books for Young Readers
While this list shares some of my favorite Alaska Literature for Children, it is by no means
exhaustive. What I have highlighted here are just a few of the many
books out there to spark curiosity and interest in the rich natural,
cultural, and historical story that Alaska has to offer!
Photo Credits: Photobucket.com, speakupreader.com, Allison Erickson
Photo

Alaska History and Culture

Alaskan Animal Books
Moose in May Written by John Schweider
and Cindy Kumle. John Schweider, 2014, unp.
(Primary) Visually engaging, close-up
photographs complement the family story of
mother moose as she cares for her rapidly
growing newborn calves.
Solo Flite By Marianne Schlegelmilch,
illustratied by David W Large Jr. Blood Bank of
Alaska, Inc, 2002. unp. (Elementary) With the help
of his new family and Spirit Raven, the orphan
puppy Solo trains for and accomplishes a
harrowing Iditarod finish.
North: The Amazing Story of Arctic
Migration by Nick Dowson, illustrated by
Patrick Benson Candlewick Press, 2011
(Elementary) The story of birds, terrestrial
mammals, and marine mammals as they make
their journey to the Arctic coast.
Agate by Joy Morgan Dey, illustrated by Nikki
Johnson. Lake Superior Port Cities Inc., 2007
(Primary) Agate is a plain old moose with low
self-esteem, dejectedly comparing himself to
his vibrant friends. This is a fantastical and
poignant story of how Moose's friends support
him.
Kitaq by Margret Nicolai, illustrated by David Rubin.
Alaska Northwest Publishing, 1998. (Elementary) This
work of historical fiction centers around Kitaq's
first fishing expedition, an event of great
significance in the life of a young Yup'ik child.
A Small Tall Tale in the Far Far North By
Peter Sis. Alfred A Knoph, Inc. 1993. Unp.
(Elementary) This fantastical folk tale adapted from
the personal writings of Jan Wentzl, tells of a man
abandoning city life for the open wilderness of the
Arctic. His adventure brings the challenges of
survival and relationships with Arctic inhabitants
that he commits to support and protect.
Children of the Midnight Sun: Young
Native Voices of Alaska. Profiles by Tricia
Prown, photos by Roy Corral. Alaska Northwest Books
(Elementary/Middle) The joyously emotional
photographs and descriptive documentary text
relay the experience of children living in modern
society while maintaining cultural practices. This
work emphasizes the interconnectedness of these
children's lives, contrasting old ways with new
behaviors.
How Raven Brought Light to the People
Ann Dixon, Illustrated by James Watts. Macmillan,
1992, Unp. (Elementary)
The story is about a Tlingit Chief who holds the
sun, moon, stars in three ornate wooden boxes.
Raven tricks the chief and his family and gradually
releases the light into the previously dark world.
The Alaska Experience
To The Summit by Claire Rudolf Murphy
Lodestar Books, 1992. (Middle) This coming of
age story of the resilient 17-year-old Sarah
during her quest to summit Denali. Sarah
discovers her physical capability and her
confidence as she gains new perspective on her
life.
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead
George Harper & Row Publishers, 1972. 170p.
(Middle) While in anticipation for change, Julie
embraces cultural and traditional knowledge,
relying on the natural world, it's cycles, and it's
creatures for survival.
Prince William by Gloria Rand illustrated by
Ted Rand, Henry Holt and Company, 1992
(Primary) Denny and her family live in Prince
William Sound during the Exxon Valdez Oil
Spill. Denny finds a baby seal that she lovingly
rescues and follows through the rehabilitation
process.
Down at the Seaweed Café by Robert
Perry, Illustrations by Greta Guzek. Nightwood
Editions, 2002 (Primary) On the edge of a
sheltered ocean cove, the driftwood, seaweed,
and ocean glass have been collected to
construct a quaint café staffed by local children,
where visitors from the fishing vessels are
welcomed to share stories and songs over a cup
of seaweed tea.