The elaboration of a proper plan for building a class library with restricted resources would require thorough thinking over the possible resources and funding methods. It is necessary to decide whether children will be allowed to take books, and what books, home. Surely, the books should be children-oriented, with large letters, photo images. The books should be also selected based on the issues of durability, as children of kindergarten age are often careless with their books.
The following point is the selection of the books. There is a strong necessity to think as children, while selecting fairy tales, stories, verses, etc. Surely, any adult would choose a book where all the fairy tales by a single author are collected. Nevertheless, a child would prefer a large formatted book, with colorful images and as little text as possible. Some children prefer describing pictures instead of reading a tale. Children of this age also prefer rhymed texts, where lines are repeated. There is a perfect rhythm in such text, and it is easy to remember.
The library should entail not only fiction, but also non-fiction – the stories of real people, and children, for the kids could associate the adventurers of the main characters with themselves and improve their fantasy, conversation and communication skills.
As for the matters of the resources, it should be stated that such a restricted budget may be spent only on second-hand books, and part of the finances for the announcements, which will proclaim the raising of used books for the kindergarten library.
The recommended books for children of this age are the following:
- Duck in the Truck, Jez Alborough.
- Rumble in the Jungle, Giles Andreae.
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle.
- Pumpkin Soup, Helen Cooper.
- The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child, Julia Donaldson.
- Shhh!, Sally Grindley.
- Kipper, Mick Inkpen.
- The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Judith Kerr.
- Little Beaver and the Echo, Amy MacDonald.
- Elmer, David McKee.
- The Rainbow Fish, Marcus Pfister.
- We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Michael Rosen.
Budget
Originally, the budget of the allover project is essentially restricted. $150 may be spent only on second-hand books, (if the average price is up to $5 per book, 30 books may be bought) or for searching for a sponsor.
Assuming that the average price per book may be around $5, and part of the resources may be spent for searching a sponsor (announcements and advertising), and part for the fundraising activity.
Book Talk
Title: Duck in the Truck
Author: Jez Alborough
Genre: Children’s Fiction
Setting: the truck of the Duck stuck in the muck. The first character who offers his help is the First. Then sheep provides assistance. However, the truck is not so easy to pull out. Kids are offered to find out, whether the truck will be pulled out, in this rollicking read-aloud by the inimitable Jez Alborough.
It is the childish rhymed story of a duck who has stuck in the mud and is helped by a frog in a bush, a sheep in a jeep, and a goat in a boat. Originally, it is an interesting and messy story for children, teaching them to help those who need it. Reading this book the kids will have an opportunity to enjoy colorful and brilliantly painted illustrations and study to listen to the needs of the surrounding people.