Discussion Themes
Each theme lists several books of varying difficulty from which you will select 3-6 books for your series of 3 program sessions. The exception to this is the theme The Odyssey, which uses the same text for all three programs.
Grade levels are indicated to help you choose books that are appropriate for the reading ability of your participants. Some themes are subdivided to show “themes within the theme,” but you may select from any of the titles listed under your chosen theme. For assistance in selecting appropriate books for your group, contact Dr. Jennifer Kidney, Director of Literature Programs.
Themes: [Links scroll to specific themes]
Biography
Country Life
Expanding Horizons: Multicultural Stories
Friendship
Home-Grown Stories
Journeys
Native America
The Odyssey
Read With Me
Biography
What makes a hero? Whom do we admire? This series explores the idea of what makes a life well lived.
Leading the Way
Eleanor Roosevelt by Doris Faber
Grades 4 and up
This biography emphasizes the trials of Roosevelt’s early years and how her lifelong energy, ambition, and warmth developed the character of a great First Lady.
El Chino, written and illustrated by Allen Say
Grades 2-5
Biography of Bill Wong, who became a famous bullfighter in Spain.
Changing the World
Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman
Grades 4 and up
This biography, illustrated with dozens of period photographs and drawings, contrasts legend with fact.
“Wanted Dead or Alive”: The True Story of Harriet Tubman by Ann McGovern
Grades 2-5
Story of Harriet Tubman’s childhood and the faith that led her to help others escape from slavery.
Making A Difference
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr
Grades 1-4
Biography of Sadako Sasaki, her heroic struggle to fight leukemia, and how she inspired others with her faith.
Teammates by Peter Golenbock
Grades 1-4
Biography describes the racial prejudice encountered by Jackie Robinson when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers and the support he received from his teammate, Peewee Reese.
Ragtime Tumpie by Alan Schroeder
Grades 1-4
Illustrated biography depicts Josephine Baker’s childhood in St. Louis.
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Country Life
This series examines what life is like in the country, from sensitive Cinderella cowboys to children discovering the joys of the wide-open countryside.
Parents in the Pigpen, Pigs in the Tub by Amy Ehrlich
Easy to Read
This amusingly illustrated read-aloud book tells of a family changing places with the barnyard animals.
Back Home by Gloria Jean Pinkney
Easy to Read
Eight-year-old Ernestine makes a summer visit to the North Carolina farm where she was born.
Babe the Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith
Grades 3-5
The original story of the sheepherding pig, now made famous on film.
The Cowboy and the Black-Eyed Pea by Tony Johnston
Easy to Read
Johnston adapts the fairytale of “The Princess and the Pea” to tell the story of a wealthy Texas rancher’s daughter trying to find a real cowboy.
Lucy’s Summer by Donald Hall
Kindergarten-Grade 4
Seven-year-old Lucy spends the summer of 1910 on her family’s New Hampshire farm.
Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner
Grades 2-6
A boy hopes to pay the back taxes on his grandfather’s farm by winning a dogsled race.
Lassie, Come Home by Rosemary Wells
Grades 3-5
Updated version of the classic story of 12-year-old Joe and the heroic collie Lassie.
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Grades 4-7
A boy rescues an abused dog he finds near his West Virginia home.
Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell
Easy to Read
A hardworking duck collapses after trying to do all of the lazy farmer’s chores. The other animals rally in support of the duck and chase the farmer away.
Bigmama’s by Donald Crews
Kindergarten-Grade 4
Crews describes his childhood visits to his grandmother’s home in the country and the wonderful stories told by his relatives.
The Land I Lost: Adventures of a Boy in Vietnam by Huynh Quang Nhuong
Grades 4-6
The author describes his childhood in a rural village in Vietnam.
A Year Down Yonder or A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
Grades 5-8
Both books are about urban children spending time with their grandparents in the country during the Depression.
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Expanding Horizons: Multicultural Stories
Through fiction, legend, biography, and autobiography, this theme explores several different cultures.
The Spider Weaver: A Legend of Kente Cloth by Margaret Musgrove
Kindergarten-Grade 3
The author retells an Ashanti tale of the origin of kente cloth.
Where on Earth is My Bagel? by Frances Park
Kindergarten-Grade 4
A Korean boy decides he wants a bagel and sends a message via pigeon to New York City. The pigeon returns with the recipe.
The Old Man and His Door by Gary Soto
Kindergarten-Grade 3
An old man is asked to bring a pig (el puerco) to a barbeque, but he is preoccupied and, instead, brings his door (la puerta).
The Best Older Sister by Sook-Nyul Choi
Kindergarten-Grade 3
A Korean girl is jealous of her baby brother. Her grandmother helps her understand the special needs of babies.
Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth by Anne Rockwell
Grades 2-5
The story of Isabella, a Dutch-speaking slave who renamed herself Sojourner Truth at the age of 46 when she began traveling to speak out for the abolition of slavery.
Journey Home by Lawrence McKay, Jr.
Kindergarten-Grade 5
A Vietnamese girl and her mother journey to Vietnam in search of the mother’s birth family.
When Jessie Came Across the Sea by Amy Hest
Grades 1-7
Jessie is a turn-of-the-century Jewish immigrant who comes to New York alone at the age of 13.
The Magic Shell by Nicholosa Mohr
Grades 2-5
A boy from the Dominican Republic tries to adapt to his new life in New York City.
Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki
Grades 2 and up
A Japanese American boy confined in an internment camp during World War II finds hope in building a baseball diamond.
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Grades 4-7
A 10-year-old boy in Depression-era Michigan sets out to find the man he believes to be his father.
Leon’s Story by Leon W. Tillage
Grades 3-7
Tillage’s autobiography tells of his experiences before, during, and after the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye
Grades 5 and up
The story of an Arab American family that moves to Jerusalem where they encounter prejudice—both from others and among themselves.
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
Grades 5-9
A homeless boy in 12th-century Korea serendipitously becomes an apprentice to a master potter.
A Step from Heaven by An Na
Grades 7 and up
The story of a Korean family that immigrates to the United States.
Parrot in the Oven by Victor Martinez
Grades 7 and up
A Hispanic teenager views life in an urban California housing project.
Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan
Grades 5 and up
The author blends modern Hindu culture with age-old traditions to depict an Indian girl’s struggle to survive in a male-dominated society and an arranged marriage.
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Friendship
This series focuses on several questions: Who are our friends? What attracts us to them? How important are they to us?
Families
A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams
Easy to Read
After a fire destroys all their furniture, Rosa and her mother and grandmother save their dimes to buy a comfortable armchair.
Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary
Grades 4-6
This third book in the popular “Ramona” series describes Ramona’s relationship with her father.
One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey
Easy to Read
Illustrated story describes the magic in a series of mundane events on a morning in Maine.
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
Grades 5 and up
Gilly learns about life and love through her experiences in different foster homes.
Peers
Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel
Easy to Read
Five stories recount the adventures of a frog and a toad.
The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Grades 4-6
Wanda Petronsky, a lonely girl who has only one dress, makes drawings of dream dresses that she leaves behind to be entered in a school art contest, causing her former classmates to wonder why they never befriended her.
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Grades 4 and up
Ten-year-old Jess befriends a newcomer who subsequently meets an untimely death.
The Friendship by Mildred Taylor
Grades 4-7
The friendship of an elderly black man and a white store owner is tested against racial tension and peer pressure.
Animals
The Biggest Bear by Lund Ward
Easy to Read
Johnny Orchard goes hunting for a bear so he can make a rug, but returns with a live bear cub.
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Grades 3-6
Classic story tells of the friendship between Wilbur the pig and Charlotte the spider.
Duncan and Delores by Barbara Samuels
Easy to Read
Dolores must learn how to be friends with Duncan the cat.
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Home Grown Stories
This series features books written by Oklahoma authors.
The Good Luck Cat by Joy Harjo
Grades 1-4
Woogie the cat quickly uses up eight of her nine lives.
Twister by Darleen B. Beard
Kindergarten-Grade 3
Two children learn that life can change with terrifying speed when a lovely summer day is interrupted by a tornado.
Why Buffalo Roam by Michael L. Kershen
Grades 2 and up
Kershen was nine years old when he created this story about the buffalo, in which he recasts the Biblical story of Abraham and Isaac.
Buffalo Train Ride by Desiree Webber
Grades 4-7
The true story of how William Hornaday ensured the survival of the bison and ultimately established a small herd with the creation of the Wichita National Forest and Game Preserve.
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Grades 4 and up
The story of a boy and his dogs and growing up in the Ozarks.
The Babbs Switch Story by Darleen B. Beard
Grades 6-9
The true story of a disastrous fire in Babbs Switch, Oklahoma, told from the point of view of a 12-year-old girl.
Red Dirt Jessie by Anna Myers
Grades 3-7
During the Depression, Jessie schemes to make her father come out of his personal depression.
The Rachel Resistance by Molly Levite Griffis
Grades 5-7
During World War II, Rachel becomes a member of Captain Midnight’s Secret Squadron and is soon convinced that there are spies and traitors in her hometown of Apache, Oklahoma.
Beauty by Bill Wallace
Grades 4-7
After his parents break up, an 11-year-old boy finds solace on his grandfather’s farm by caring for a horse named Beauty.
Rifles for Waitie by Harold Keith
Grades 7 and up
This historical novel, set during the Civil War, focuses on a young farm boy who joins the Union army and becomes a scout.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Grades 7 and up
Poverty, sacrifice, and a search for self underlie this story about Ponyboy, Sodapop, and Darrel—“greasers” who face death, defeat, and socioeconomic struggles as they come of age.
Marked by Fire by Joyce Carol Thomas
Grades 7 and up
A young black girl is victimized both by a tornado and a deranged neighbor, but finds her own inner strength.
Stone Water by Barbara Snow Gilbert
Grades 5-9
A 14-year-old boy must decide how to honor his grandfather’s wishes when the man is placed on life support after a devastating stroke.
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Journeys
This series examines different ways of travel and the different motivation for journeys.
Fantasy
Wings, A Tale of Two Chickens by James Marshall
Easy to Read
Harriet the chicken rescues her friend from a fox.
The Mountains of Tibet by Mordicai Gerstein
Easy to Read
A little boy is offered the chance to live a different life.
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Grades 4-6
After being orphaned and sent to live with his cruel aunts, James discovers the world of insects inside a giant peach.
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit
Grades 5 and up
The Tuck family confronts a dilemma when others discover the secret of their longevity.
Between Worlds
The Funny Little Woman by Arlene Mosel
Kindergarten-Grade 2
Based on a folktale about an old woman and her dumpling, this story’s old woman is captured by wicked creatures and escapes with the means to become wealthy.
Just Us Women by Jeanette Caines
Easy to Read
A little black girl and her favorite aunt plan a long car trip.
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Grades 5 and up
An orphaned boy runs away from his relatives.
Mississippi Bridge by Mildred Taylor
Grades 5-9
The white friend of a black family tells of their encounters with and the effects of segregation in the South.
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Grades 5-9
A 10-year-old girl and her family help smuggle Jews out of their Nazi-occupied homeland to safety in Sweden.
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt
Grades 5-9
Two boys, bored in a small Texas town, have their world expanded and changed when they encounter “the fattest boy in the world.”
Toward Knowledge
The Treasure by Uri Shulevitz
Kindergarten-Grade 3
A retelling of a folktale in which a poor man follows his dream and finds riches.
The Gold Coin by Alma Ada
Kindergarten-Grade 3
A thief is reformed in his attempts to rob an old woman of her gold coin.
The Gold Cadillac by Mildred Taylor
Grades 4-7
A family drives from Ohio to visit relatives in Mississippi in 1950.
The Goats by Brock Cole
Grades 5 and up
A boy and girl—designated as “goats” by their fellow campers—discover inner resources and become friends.
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
Grades 4-7
The story of the Oklahoma Dust Bowl and a young girl’s desire to travel away from it is told in stanza form.
What Jamie Saw by Carolyn Coman
Grades 4-7
The journey in this story is a family’s attempt to escape domestic violence.
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Grades 5-9
A boy must learn to survive in the wilderness after a plane crash.
Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
Grades 5 and up
A 10-year-old boy writes letters to his favorite author as a means of coping with his parents’ divorce.
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Native America
This theme offers a variety of books about American Indian history, myths and legends, and contemporary life.
History
Morning Girl by Michael Dorris
Grades 4 and up
The story of Taino Indian children in the Bahamas in 1492, the year that Columbus “discovered” America.
The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
Grades 4 and up
Erdrich tells of the experiences of a 19th-century Ojibwa family.
Doesn’t Fall Off His Horse by Virginia Stroud [Oklahoma author]
Grades 1-4
A little girl’s great-grandfather explains how he received his Kiowa name in a raid on a neighboring Comanche camp.
The Long March by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick [Oklahoma Author]
Grades 2-4
The true story of how the Choctaws responded to the needs of the Irish during the potato famine of the 1840s.
The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow by Ann Warren Turner
Grades 4-8
Through the words of her granddaughter, a Navajo woman tells of the 400-mile Long Walk of 1864, when Navajos were removed to Fort Sumner where they remained until they agreed to cease raids on white settlements and to send their children to white-run schools.
Myth and Legend
How Turtle’s Back was Cracked, Retold by Gayle Ross
Kindergarten-Grade 3
Ross retells a traditional Cherokee legend that explains the appearance of a turtle’s shell.
First Strawberries by Joseph Bruchac
Kindergarten-Grade 3
A Cherokee legend explaining the origin of strawberries.
Love Flute by Paul Goble
Kindergarten-Grade 3
Inspired by a Santee Dakota legend, this story explains the importance of flutes in Plains Indian culture.
Circle of Wonder by N. Scott Momaday [Oklahoma Author]
Grades 4-7
Momaday blends Christian and Native American traditions in this Christmas story.
When Clay Sings by Byrd Baylor
Kindergarten-Grade 3
Pieces of broken pottery cause children to imagine the lives of the people who made the pots.
Contemporary Life
Annie and the Old One by Miska Miles
Grades 1-3
An Indian child must come to terms with her grandmother’s traditional beliefs.
The Heart of a Chief by Joseph Bruchac
Grades 5 and up
Bruchac explores what it means to be American Indian in contemporary society through the eyes of an 11-year-old Penacook boy.
Shota and the Star Quilt by Margaret Bateson-Hill
Kindergarten-Grade 3
A Lakota girl and her neighbor save their city apartment building.
Rain is Not My Indian Name by Cynthia Smith
Grades 5-9
In this coming of age story, the death of Rain’s best friend leads her to explore her mixed Native American and Irish-German heritage.
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The Odyssey
This series uses a retelling of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey to explore the art of telling stories.
The Odyssey, Retold by Robin Lister
Grades 5 and up
This retelling of Homer’s epic poem emphasizes the adventures of Odysseus during his 20-year journey home from the Trojan War.
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Read with Me
This series introduces parents of young children to books of rhythm and rhyme and their importance in developing a love of reading.
All of the books in this series are easy to read, illustrated books that demonstrate the use of repetitive aspects of language (rhyme, alliteration, etc.).
Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet Ahlberg
Happy Birthday, Moon by Frank Asch
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema
Yo! Yes? by Chris Raschka
Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino
A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle
Tickle, Tickle by Helen Oxenbury
Where Does the Brown Bear Go? by Nicki Weiss
Chicken Soup with Rice: A Book of Months by Maurice Sendak
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