Literature for Young Children

Theme: All about me and my family

My house

            The book my house was written by Patricia Jensen and illustrated by Wayne Backer mainly to capture the attention of children. The book consists of a boy who compares his house with that of a friend ( Jensen & Becker, 1989). This book can be used in teaching children as they list some of the items found at their homes. I chose this book because it is so elementary in developing the knowledge of the young child especially in some basic items at home.  

People in my family

            This book was written by Jeff Moss and it defines the people in my family as those you meet each day. It focuses on several occupations and how they are important in our lives every day and as part of our family. For example a postman brings mail through rain, sleet snow or hail to ensure that our letters are safe. A fireman ensures to put the fire out in case there is fire anywhere, thus a fireman is part of our family. The baker is always responsible of making our bread on a daily basis. Whenever we want bread, we just run to the baker. A teacher works a whole day to teach important things and he ensures you don’t forget (Moss & Brown, 1983). Thus, in that manner, he is part of our family. A barber with his large and comfortable chair on which we sit on, does his level best to ensure that our hair is cut properly and looks good. The driver drives us to take us where we want to go at any time. The dentist is always taking care of our teeth as the doctor makes us well in case we are feeling sick. The grocer sells to us the things we need on a daily basis for example eggs, bread, cheese and meat. The cleaner is always that our clothes are clean such that we look best (Moss & Brown, 1983). Finally, the trash collector will always ensure our trash is taken away to keep our homes clean. Therefore, all these people who are helpful in our day to day life are part of our family. This book helps the children to know some of the important people in our daily life and the role they play and how they become part of or family.

Little blue and little yellow.

            This book was devised by Leo Lionni in form of a story while in a train trip with the grandchildren. He tore circles of colors from a magazine. The story has various layers of meaning from the story of friendship through exploring color. He explores a story of two best friends little blue and little yellow. After a long period of separation, they eventually reunite and the two hug each other until they become little greens (Lionni, 2011). Their change of color makes them to be rejected by their parents as they reach home. The two meet again and in the course of crying, their tears turn them back to their original. The two inform their parents about the whole thing and as the parents hug each other they also turn green. Despite the aspect of color, the book brings out the aspect of friendship and we see after little blue reuniting with little yellow as friends, they later separate and go home (Lionni, 2011). This book explains the power of friendship in a family. The three books are all important as far as the theme is concerned because they all deal with what is practiced at home.

References

Jensen, P., & Becker, W. (1989). My house. Danbury, Conn: Grolier.

Moss, J., & Brown, R. E. (1983). People in my family. Racine, Wis.: Western Pub. Co. in cooperation with Children's Television Workshop.

Lionni, L. (2011). Little Blue and Little Yellow.