Abstract
Historical fiction, fiction about contemporary people of other cultures, and nonfiction trade books can increase children's interest in social studies and enhance their knowledge. Dianne Monson and Kathleen Howe discuss the ways that these books appeal to young readers and lead them to seek further understanding of historical events, foreign cultures, and Americans from different cultural backgrounds. They offer numerous examples of books that serve this purpose for several social studies topics.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cullinan, B. E., and C. W. Carmichael. 1977.Literature and Young Children. Urbana, Ill.: National Council of Teachers of English.
Durkin, D. 1966.Children Who Learn to Read Early: Two Longitudinal Studies. New York: Teachers College Press.
Goodlad, J. I. 1984.A Place Called School. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Howe, K. 1990. “Children's Literature and Its Effects on Cognitive and Noncognitive Behaviors in Elementary Social Studies.” Doctoral dissertation, University of Minnesota.
Jersild, A. I. 1949.Children's Interests and What They Suggest, for Education. New York: Bureau of Publications, Teachers College, Columbia University.
Monson, D. L., K. Howe, and A. Greenlee. 1989. “Hel** Children Develop Cross-Cultural Understanding with Children's Books.”Early Child Development and Care 48:3–8.
Odland, N. 1980. “American History in Fact and Fiction: Literature for Young Readers.”Social Education 44:474–481.
Science Education Databook. 1980. Washington, D.C.: National Science Foundation.
Strickland, D. S., and L. M. Morrow. 1989. “Environments Rich in Print Promote Literacy Behavior During Play.”The Reading Teacher 43:178–179.
Children's Books
Beatty, Patricia. 1987.Charley Skedaddle. New York: William Morrow and Company.
Byars, Betsy. 1985.The Golly Sisters Go West. Illustrated by Sue Truesdell New York: Harper and Row.
Cherry, Lynn. 1990.The Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Coerr, Lynn. 1977.Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. New York: Dell Publishing Co.
Collier, James Licoln, and Christopher Collier. 1974.My Brother Sam Is Dead. New York: Four Winds Press.
Conrad, Pam. 1985.Prairie Songs. New York: Harper & Row.
Fleming, Alice. 1988.The King of Prussia and a Peanut Butter Sandwich. Illustrated by Ronald Himler. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
Harvey, Brett. 1986.My Prairie Year: Based on the Diary of Elenore Plaisted. Illustrated By Deborah Kogan Ray. New York: Holiday House.
Lowry, Lois. 1989.Number the Stars. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin.
MacLachlan, Patricia. 1985.Sarah, Plain and Tall. New York: Harper & Row.
Morris, Ann. 1990.Loving. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard.
Orr, Katherine. 1990.My Grandpa and the Sea. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books.
Paterson, Katherine. 1991.Lyddie. New York: Lodestar/Dutton.
—. 1988.Park's Quest. New York: Lodestar/Dutton.
Rylant, Cynthia. 1982.When I Was Young in the Mountains. Illustrated by Diane Goode. New York: E. P. Dutton.
Speare, Elizabeth George. 1983.The Sign of the Beaver. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin.
Turner, Ann. 1985.Dakota Dugout. Illustrated by Ronald Himler. New York: Macmillan.
—. 1987.Nettie's Trip South. Illustrated by Ronald Himler. New York: Macmillan.
Yep, Laurence. 1977.Child of the Owl. New York: Harper & Row.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Kathleen Howe completed her doctorate at the University of Minnesota. Her dissertation dealt with the use of children's literature trade books in the elementary social studies curriculum. Dianne Monson is a past president of the U.S. Board on Books for Young People and has written and lectured on children's literature throughout the curriculum.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Monson, D.L., Howe, K. Trade books and the social studies curriculum. Publishing Research Quarterly 7, 37–46 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02678159
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02678159