BOOK OF THE MONTH — NOVEMBER 2016 (NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH)

Happy November, readers!

Fall is in the air and the year is winding down. With the cool breeze and the crisp leaves, it sounds like a perfect time to curl up inside with a good book. (We hope you have been enjoying this series!)

Native Americans possess a deep appreciation of the land and the world around them. Things that most people take for granted are sacred and dear to them. Growing up, I enjoyed watching movies like “Brother Bear” and “Man of the House”, both of which have ties to the Native American culture. I grew fascinated learning about the great spirits, the lights that touch the earth, dreamcatchers, and rain dances. This month, we celebrate the heritage of the Native Americans and the natural wonders of the earth.

Native American Tales and Legends was edited by Allan A. Macfarlan and published in 2012. Macfarlan gathered more than 30 traditional stories and compiled them into a delightful book. Your whole family will enjoy reading legends about how different things were created and how the fire was discovered. A handy list is included in the beginning of the books that includes all of the nations and tribes that are represented, along with their geographic locations.

Along with some of our other Books of the Month, this book is written at a middle school reading level. There are few pictures in it, but that allows people to draw on their imaginations to visualize the stories. You can start reading one story a night at bedtime and you will have enough to take you through the entire month of November.

TIP: IF YOUR CHILD STRUGGLES WITH READING THE WORDS IN THIS BOOK, SPLIT UP THE READING. ALTERNATE PARAGRAPHS, PAGES, OR CHAPTERS. HELP YOUR CHILD BREAK DOWN AND PRONOUNCE DIFFICULT WORDS. OR, READ THE BOOK ALOUD TO YOUR CHILD. WHEN YOU READ ALOUD TO YOUR CHILD, YOU ARE TEACHING FLUENCY, RATE, AND INFLECTION.

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