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  • Read Aloud Recommendations








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diasstorycloth
Dia's Story Cloth
Written by Dia Cha, stitched by Chue and Nhia Thao Cha
Published in 2002 by Lee & Low Books, Inc.
and the Denver Museum of Natural History

   This book tells the story of the Hmong people's journey of freedom from China to Lao, Thailand, and eventually the U.S. This story is told through the needlework stitching of a story quilt, sent to the author by her Aunt Chu and Uncle Nhia Thao Cha from a refugee camp in Thailand. It tells how the Hmong people fled China because they refused to give up their culture as demanded by the ancient Chinese government.
   Parents are encouraged to read this story with their children, as the illustrations depict the story as it is told in writing. It gives a different perspective of life from that of most children in the United States. Children will be impressed with the struggles that the author faced when she immigrated to the U.S. at the age of fifteen. This book is recommended for older readers. This book will be a great read for classes grade 4 and up. It will give your students an insight into the struggles that the Hmong people faced before they migrated to the U.S. You can also have your students write an ethnography about the Hmong, as there are additional facts written about this group of people in the back of the book.
   I truly enjoy this book, as it represents an alternate method of story-telling. The word Hmong means 'freedom' and this story illustrates the word freedom through words, needlework and a desire to hold onto everything this culture represents.






irasleepsover
Ira Sleeps Over
Written by Bernard Waber
Published in 1972 by the Houghton Mifflin Company

This book is about a little boy and his beloved teddy bear, Tah Tah. He is going to his friend's house for his first sleepover, but is too embarrased to bring Tah Tah along. Once he finds out that his friend also has a teddy bear, named Foo Foo, he runs homes and grabs his fuzzy friend.

I recommend parents to read this book with their young child. Many children have security items, like bears or blankets, that keep them feeling safe. Oftentimes, as they grow older, they are embarassed to be viewed as infantile by their peers. This book is a great example of how children still rely on these items, especially when they are away from home.

Teachers are encouraged to use this book as a read-aloud in their classrooms. This book is a correlation between the insecurity brought about by sleeping away from home, and the scary transition from Kindergarten to first grade. You might want to ask the children to bring in their teddy bears on the day you read this book.

This book is delightful and is a wonderful read that kids can relate to as they experience the independence of first-time sleepovers. Parents can relate to this book as well, as adults never fully outgrow our insecurities.