Survival skills are something every
child should
learn about. Through the use of literature, these skills can come
alive.
Different genres can be used to help the children relate to survival
through
multiple experiences. The following list contains literature on the
topic
of survival based on an intermediate reading level. All of the
following books
can be found on Amazon.com
Stone Fox written by John Reynolds Gardiner
Gardner, John Reynolds. Stone Fox. HarperTrophy, 1988.
Little Willy's Grandfather is sick, and it's up to Willy to save their farm from tax collectors. Their only hope of surviving is to win the prize money from the National Dogsled Race. But a lot of other people want to win the race, too, including Stone Fox, who has never lost a race in his life. Little Willy's strong iron will helps him survive the race, but does he beat Stone Fox? This book was chosen for this survival theme because of the struggles Willy must go through on this quest for win the money to save his grandfather as well as to beat Stone Fox.
I selected this novel because it is a wonderful story of how a boy strives for a goal to win to save his family. Every reader has goals in life and this novel through the theme of survival shows how if you put your mind to it you can accomplish anything, even if everyone is against you in the start.
Number the
Stars written by Lois Lowry
Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars. Laure Leaf, 1998.
Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen often think of life before the war. It's now 1943 and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching through town. When the Jews of Denmark are "relocated," Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be one of the family in order to hopefully survive. Soon Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission to save Ellen's life.
I selected this novel because it is realistic historical fiction based on the events that took place in Nazi Germany. These events and stories are important for every reader to know about and understand that they really did take place.
Hatchet written by Gary Paulson
Paulson, Gary. Hatchet. Simon Pulse; Revised edition, 1999.
Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father when the single engine plane in which he is flying crashes. Suddenly, Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother has given him as a present -- and the dreadful secret that has been tearing him apart ever since his parents' divorce. But now Brian has no time for anger, self-pity, or despair -- it will take all his know-how and determination, and more courage than he knew he possessed, to survive.
I selected this novel because may young readers need to know it is possible to survive if they were to be stranded in the wilderness. Brian takes the reader on a journey to show the many ideas and ways a young adult can take to help themselves surive on thier own.
Holes written by Louis Sachar
Sachar, Louis. Holes. Yearling Books, 2000.
Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great- grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys' detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the boys "build character" by spending all day, every day, digging holes: five feet wide and five feet deep. It doesn't take long for Stanley to realize there's more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. Stanley tries to dig up the truth, but then finds himself and a friend attempting to survive on thier own in the desert with no food or water.
I selected this story because it has multiple survival themes through out the novel. Each character has a different survival story and way of dealing with it due to their background. It is also a fun read for young adults.
Taylor, Theodore. The Cay. Yearling Books, 2002.
Phillip is excited when the Germans invade his home, the small island of Curacao. War has always been a game to him, until the freighter he and his mother are traveling to the United States on is hit by a torpedo.
When Phillip wakes up, he is on a small raft in the middle of the sea. Besides Stew Cat, his only other companion is an old West Indian named Timothy on the raft. Phillip remembers his mothers warning about black people: “They are different, and they live differently.” By the time the raft arrives on a small island, Phillips head injury from the accident has made him blind and dependent on Timothy. Now Phillip must rely on Timothy to help him survive on the island, until they are hopefully rescued.
This survival story of a boy and his new friend show how two people can depend on each other in the wilderness. Every reader wonders what it would be like to be stuck on a desert island, this is why I have selected this novel. Also the idea of over coming a cultural barrier to trust someone is important for young adults to understand.
Tuck Everlasting written by Natalie Babbit
Babbit, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting. Farrar Straus & Giroux; Reprint edition, 1986.
Doomed to-- or blessed with-- eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family wnaders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can. When ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles on thier secret, the Tucks take her home and explian why living forever at one age is less a blessing than it might seem. Complications arise when Winnie is followed by a stranger who wants to market the spring water for a fortune. At this point, the Tucks fight for their survival as eternal figures, while Winnie has to decide if she was ment to have eternal life as well.
I selected this novel because it is a simple fantasy story and also realistic. The idea of eteranal life is something every young adult things of at one point, and this novel shows the struggle of deciding to life with it or with out it. The idea of surviving and never aging is hard to imagine, but the Tuck family has been able to do it, would you choose to do it?
A Wrinkle in Time written by Madeline L'Engle
L'Engle, Madeline. A Wrinkle in Time. Yearling Books; Reissue edition, 1973.
Meg Murray, her little brother Charles Wallace, and their mother are having a midnight snack on a dark and stormy night when an unearthly stranger appears at their door. He claims to have been blown off course, and goes on to tell them that there is such a thing as a "tesseract," which is a wrinkle in time. The family then finds out thier father has been experimenting with time-travel when he suddenly disappeared. Meg, Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin go on adventure to outwit the forces of evil as they search through space for their father? The children search for their father with hopes he is still alive, as they fight for thier own survival.
I selected this novel because if a reader enjoys it they can continue on in the series with the characters of Meg and Charles Wallace. This novels survival theme is different from the rest, it brings us to another demension in the world around us. This is a unique quality of this novel which readers should be introduced to.
Windsinger written by William Nicholson
Nicholson, William. Windsinger. Hyperion Press, 2000.
Kestrel Hath's schoolroom rebellion against the stifling caste system of Aramanth leads to explosive consequences for her and her family. Kestrel, her twin brother, and a classmate do the unthinkable, they leave the city walls. Their only hope to rescue their family is to find the key to the windsinger. The windsinger used to be the source of happiness and harmony in the city of Aramanth, but it was given to the evil Morah in exchange for calling off the terrible army of the Zars. The three children set off on a mission based on bravery, wits and determination for thier survival as they attempt to bring back the key. Inorder to succeed, they much face the most sinister force of all: the powerful Morah and the army of Zars.
I selected this novel because of the adventure in the story that both boys can girls would enjoy. This book has both realistic and fantasy qualities which makes it an easy and fun read for young adult readers. Also the idea of a caste system is used which may students need to understand as apart of history.
Spinelli, Jerry. Maniac Magee. Little Brown & Co, 2000.
Jumanji written by Chris Van Allsburg
Van Allsburg, Chris. Jumanji. Houghton Mifflin Co, 1981.
Biography:
Informational Books:
Professional Resources:
Teachers
at Random a web site put out by
Random House Inc.
Teachers at Random. Random House Inc. 2003. http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/
Images from this site can be found at: The Teachers Guide and Discovery School
Novels: Realistic Fiction
Gardner, John Reynolds. Stone Fox. HarperTrophy, 1988.
Little Willy's Grandfather is sick, and it's up to Willy to save their farm from tax collectors. Their only hope of surviving is to win the prize money from the National Dogsled Race. But a lot of other people want to win the race, too, including Stone Fox, who has never lost a race in his life. Little Willy's strong iron will helps him survive the race, but does he beat Stone Fox? This book was chosen for this survival theme because of the struggles Willy must go through on this quest for win the money to save his grandfather as well as to beat Stone Fox.
I selected this novel because it is a wonderful story of how a boy strives for a goal to win to save his family. Every reader has goals in life and this novel through the theme of survival shows how if you put your mind to it you can accomplish anything, even if everyone is against you in the start.
Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars. Laure Leaf, 1998.
Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen often think of life before the war. It's now 1943 and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching through town. When the Jews of Denmark are "relocated," Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be one of the family in order to hopefully survive. Soon Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission to save Ellen's life.
I selected this novel because it is realistic historical fiction based on the events that took place in Nazi Germany. These events and stories are important for every reader to know about and understand that they really did take place.
Paulson, Gary. Hatchet. Simon Pulse; Revised edition, 1999.
Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father when the single engine plane in which he is flying crashes. Suddenly, Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother has given him as a present -- and the dreadful secret that has been tearing him apart ever since his parents' divorce. But now Brian has no time for anger, self-pity, or despair -- it will take all his know-how and determination, and more courage than he knew he possessed, to survive.
I selected this novel because may young readers need to know it is possible to survive if they were to be stranded in the wilderness. Brian takes the reader on a journey to show the many ideas and ways a young adult can take to help themselves surive on thier own.
Holes written by Louis Sachar
Sachar, Louis. Holes. Yearling Books, 2000.
Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great- grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys' detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the boys "build character" by spending all day, every day, digging holes: five feet wide and five feet deep. It doesn't take long for Stanley to realize there's more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. Stanley tries to dig up the truth, but then finds himself and a friend attempting to survive on thier own in the desert with no food or water.
I selected this story because it has multiple survival themes through out the novel. Each character has a different survival story and way of dealing with it due to their background. It is also a fun read for young adults.
Novels:
Multicultural
The Cay written by Theodore TaylorBud, Not Buddy written by Christopher Paul Curtis
Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy. Yearling Books; Reprint edition, 2002.
Bud is a Afriacn American orpan on the run from abusive foster homes. He is alone and has to survive on his journey to find his father. It's 1936, in Flint, Michigan. Ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy on the run, but he's on a mission. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: posters of Herman E. Calloway and his famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression! Bud's got an idea that those posters will lead to his father. Once he decides to hit the road and find this mystery man, nothing can stop him.
I selected this novel because it was both multicultural and historical. The idea of a child in search for a missing parent can be related to many young adult readers today. It can also be connected to information on the civil rights movement and slavery due to the African American concepts in the novel.
Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy. Yearling Books; Reprint edition, 2002.
Bud is a Afriacn American orpan on the run from abusive foster homes. He is alone and has to survive on his journey to find his father. It's 1936, in Flint, Michigan. Ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy on the run, but he's on a mission. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: posters of Herman E. Calloway and his famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression! Bud's got an idea that those posters will lead to his father. Once he decides to hit the road and find this mystery man, nothing can stop him.
I selected this novel because it was both multicultural and historical. The idea of a child in search for a missing parent can be related to many young adult readers today. It can also be connected to information on the civil rights movement and slavery due to the African American concepts in the novel.
Taylor, Theodore. The Cay. Yearling Books, 2002.
Phillip is excited when the Germans invade his home, the small island of Curacao. War has always been a game to him, until the freighter he and his mother are traveling to the United States on is hit by a torpedo.
When Phillip wakes up, he is on a small raft in the middle of the sea. Besides Stew Cat, his only other companion is an old West Indian named Timothy on the raft. Phillip remembers his mothers warning about black people: “They are different, and they live differently.” By the time the raft arrives on a small island, Phillips head injury from the accident has made him blind and dependent on Timothy. Now Phillip must rely on Timothy to help him survive on the island, until they are hopefully rescued.
This survival story of a boy and his new friend show how two people can depend on each other in the wilderness. Every reader wonders what it would be like to be stuck on a desert island, this is why I have selected this novel. Also the idea of over coming a cultural barrier to trust someone is important for young adults to understand.
Novels: Fantasy
Tuck Everlasting written by Natalie Babbit
Babbit, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting. Farrar Straus & Giroux; Reprint edition, 1986.
Doomed to-- or blessed with-- eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family wnaders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can. When ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles on thier secret, the Tucks take her home and explian why living forever at one age is less a blessing than it might seem. Complications arise when Winnie is followed by a stranger who wants to market the spring water for a fortune. At this point, the Tucks fight for their survival as eternal figures, while Winnie has to decide if she was ment to have eternal life as well.
I selected this novel because it is a simple fantasy story and also realistic. The idea of eteranal life is something every young adult things of at one point, and this novel shows the struggle of deciding to life with it or with out it. The idea of surviving and never aging is hard to imagine, but the Tuck family has been able to do it, would you choose to do it?
A Wrinkle in Time written by Madeline L'Engle
L'Engle, Madeline. A Wrinkle in Time. Yearling Books; Reissue edition, 1973.
Meg Murray, her little brother Charles Wallace, and their mother are having a midnight snack on a dark and stormy night when an unearthly stranger appears at their door. He claims to have been blown off course, and goes on to tell them that there is such a thing as a "tesseract," which is a wrinkle in time. The family then finds out thier father has been experimenting with time-travel when he suddenly disappeared. Meg, Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin go on adventure to outwit the forces of evil as they search through space for their father? The children search for their father with hopes he is still alive, as they fight for thier own survival.
I selected this novel because if a reader enjoys it they can continue on in the series with the characters of Meg and Charles Wallace. This novels survival theme is different from the rest, it brings us to another demension in the world around us. This is a unique quality of this novel which readers should be introduced to.
Windsinger written by William Nicholson
Nicholson, William. Windsinger. Hyperion Press, 2000.
Kestrel Hath's schoolroom rebellion against the stifling caste system of Aramanth leads to explosive consequences for her and her family. Kestrel, her twin brother, and a classmate do the unthinkable, they leave the city walls. Their only hope to rescue their family is to find the key to the windsinger. The windsinger used to be the source of happiness and harmony in the city of Aramanth, but it was given to the evil Morah in exchange for calling off the terrible army of the Zars. The three children set off on a mission based on bravery, wits and determination for thier survival as they attempt to bring back the key. Inorder to succeed, they much face the most sinister force of all: the powerful Morah and the army of Zars.
I selected this novel because of the adventure in the story that both boys can girls would enjoy. This book has both realistic and fantasy qualities which makes it an easy and fun read for young adult readers. Also the idea of a caste system is used which may students need to understand as apart of history.
Novels:
Folklore
Maniac
Magee written by Jerry SpinelliSpinelli, Jerry. Maniac Magee. Little Brown & Co, 2000.
Maniac Magee is a folk story about a very excitable
boy. This novel is considered a folk take because it presents "the
history of a kid", according to Jerry Spinelli. A boy that can
outrun dogs, hit a home run off the best pitcher in the neighborhood,
tie a knot no one can undo. The "Kid's gotta be a maniac," is what the
folks in the town Two Mills say. It is also the story of how
this boy, Jeffrey Lionel "Maniac" Magee, confronts racism in a small
town,
tries to find a home where there is none and attempts to soothe
tensions
between rival factions on the tough side of town. "Maniac" is a boy who
lost
both his parents in a trolly accident and has to survive on his own while he
looks for a real home with a family.
I selected this novel because it is one every young adult shoud read. The idea of a boy and what is expected of a boy shines through in this novel. The struggles Maniac must go through can relate to any child's life and show the hardships that could be apart of a kids life.
I selected this novel because it is one every young adult shoud read. The idea of a boy and what is expected of a boy shines through in this novel. The struggles Maniac must go through can relate to any child's life and show the hardships that could be apart of a kids life.
Picture Books: Fantasy
Jumanji written by Chris Van Allsburg
Van Allsburg, Chris. Jumanji. Houghton Mifflin Co, 1981.
The game under the tree looked like a hundred others
Peters and Judy had at home. They were bored and looking for
something interesting to do so they thought they woud give
Jumanji a try. Little did they know when they unfolded its
ordinary-looking playing board that they were about to be plunged into
the most exciting and bizare adventure of their
lives. Peters and Judy find themselves fighting to save thier house,
thier
town, and for their own survival.
I selected this book for the survival theme because it shows the obstacles Peter and Judy must over come to save themselves in their own home. Kids can relate to this on many levels while enjoying the excitement of the story.
I selected this book for the survival theme because it shows the obstacles Peter and Judy must over come to save themselves in their own home. Kids can relate to this on many levels while enjoying the excitement of the story.
Real Kids Real
Adventures: Number 2 written by
Deborah Morris
Moris, Deborah. Real Kids Real Adventures: Number 2. Berkley Publishing Group, 1997.
Amazing true stories of young heroes and survivors who lived to tell the tale of how they did it! For example: A Canadian teen climbs down a sheer 1,000-foot cliff to rescue his grandfather, an 11-year-old California boy is lured away by a neighborhood "friend" who takes him on a three-day chase across the nation, and a Texas boy and his dog are sucked down into a flooded storm sewer as they play in a "puddle.
I selected this book, because it lets the young reader understand the real life events that kids can experience envolving survival.
Moris, Deborah. Real Kids Real Adventures: Number 2. Berkley Publishing Group, 1997.
Amazing true stories of young heroes and survivors who lived to tell the tale of how they did it! For example: A Canadian teen climbs down a sheer 1,000-foot cliff to rescue his grandfather, an 11-year-old California boy is lured away by a neighborhood "friend" who takes him on a three-day chase across the nation, and a Texas boy and his dog are sucked down into a flooded storm sewer as they play in a "puddle.
I selected this book, because it lets the young reader understand the real life events that kids can experience envolving survival.
Real Kids Real
Adventures: Number 5 written by
Deborah Morris
Moris, Deborah. Real Kids Real Adventures: Number 5. Berkley Publishing Group, 1997.
Amazing true stories of young heroes and survivors who lived to tell the tale of how they did it! A sixteen year old Indiana boy running home in ther rain become a targe for a powerful lightning bolt, a Florida girl as her new kowledge of CPR put to the test when she finds her ten-year-old brother tangled by the neck in a swing rope, and a California boy finds his father unconsious and bleeding after an earthquake rocks thier house.
I selected this book, because it lets the young reader understand the real life events that kids can experience envolving survival.
Moris, Deborah. Real Kids Real Adventures: Number 5. Berkley Publishing Group, 1997.
Amazing true stories of young heroes and survivors who lived to tell the tale of how they did it! A sixteen year old Indiana boy running home in ther rain become a targe for a powerful lightning bolt, a Florida girl as her new kowledge of CPR put to the test when she finds her ten-year-old brother tangled by the neck in a swing rope, and a California boy finds his father unconsious and bleeding after an earthquake rocks thier house.
I selected this book, because it lets the young reader understand the real life events that kids can experience envolving survival.
Informational Books:
Kids Survival Handbook written
by Claire Llewellyn.
Llewellyn, Claire. Kids Survival Handbook. Tangerine Press, 2002.
Kids often ask "what if" questions to adults. This is a wonderful book for kids to read when these what if situations come up invovling the topic of survival in many situations. What happens when your adveutre takes a turn for the worst? How to you survive unexpected situations? This handbook teaches techniques for surviving many situations, for example: a shark attack, how to escape from a burning building. This book also gives tips on how to store and prepare food while camping to how to treat a burn or a broken arm. There are pages in each section for note taking along wiht many pictures of examples and how-to lists provided by the American Red Cross and Outward Bound. (A compass may come with the handbook)
Llewellyn, Claire. Kids Survival Handbook. Tangerine Press, 2002.
Kids often ask "what if" questions to adults. This is a wonderful book for kids to read when these what if situations come up invovling the topic of survival in many situations. What happens when your adveutre takes a turn for the worst? How to you survive unexpected situations? This handbook teaches techniques for surviving many situations, for example: a shark attack, how to escape from a burning building. This book also gives tips on how to store and prepare food while camping to how to treat a burn or a broken arm. There are pages in each section for note taking along wiht many pictures of examples and how-to lists provided by the American Red Cross and Outward Bound. (A compass may come with the handbook)
Willy
Whitefeater's Outdoor Survival Handbook for Kids
Whitefeather, Willy. Willy Whitefeather's Outdoor
Survival Handbook for Kids. Roberts Rinehart Pub, 2000.
This is a great book because it puts adult information into young peoples words and understanding. This is a great feature to teach kids about survival, so that they have an easy time understanding the termonology. Honorary Chief of the Black Creek Cherokee of Florida, a river-rafter and a backwoods guide, has lived in the wilderness for many years. When he found almost all of the how-to-survive-in-the-woods books were written for grown-ups, he sat down and wrote this book for his grandchildren and for kids everywhere so they could learn how to "make it back safe." In this book, Whitefeather advises young people on how to survive being lost or stranded in the woods or desert.
This is a great book because it puts adult information into young peoples words and understanding. This is a great feature to teach kids about survival, so that they have an easy time understanding the termonology. Honorary Chief of the Black Creek Cherokee of Florida, a river-rafter and a backwoods guide, has lived in the wilderness for many years. When he found almost all of the how-to-survive-in-the-woods books were written for grown-ups, he sat down and wrote this book for his grandchildren and for kids everywhere so they could learn how to "make it back safe." In this book, Whitefeather advises young people on how to survive being lost or stranded in the woods or desert.
Professional Resources:
Amazon.com : Books a web
site put out by Amazon.com, Inc.
Amazon.com : Books. Amazon.com, Inc., 1996-2003. http://www.amazon.com/books/
This site is a great resource for teachers to find information about a text or reviews that have been written about a specific text. This site was a good tool to link books with the survival theme at the same reading level. This site lets the researcher search by title, author, subject, keywords, etc. This site can also link books together through peoples interest as well as level. If the theme survival is entered as the topic, a book comes up and then at the bottom of that books information, a list of books that are related or linked to that book is given. Along with finding information on a book, this site helps as a teacher to link books for lit circles, book clubs, etc.
Amazon.com : Books. Amazon.com, Inc., 1996-2003. http://www.amazon.com/books/
This site is a great resource for teachers to find information about a text or reviews that have been written about a specific text. This site was a good tool to link books with the survival theme at the same reading level. This site lets the researcher search by title, author, subject, keywords, etc. This site can also link books together through peoples interest as well as level. If the theme survival is entered as the topic, a book comes up and then at the bottom of that books information, a list of books that are related or linked to that book is given. Along with finding information on a book, this site helps as a teacher to link books for lit circles, book clubs, etc.
Teachers at Random. Random House Inc. 2003. http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/
This site offers many differenty types of teaching
tools for many topics, including survival. This site allows the
teacher to select specific themes or topics. When searching for
surival, a list of books for all ages and of multiple generes came up.
Along with finding books for teachers use, this site can also help
search for lesson plans on a specific topic or subject for any grade
level. This site provided a list of many books on the survival topic
for all ages and levels of reading.
Images from this site can be found at: The Teachers Guide and Discovery School