DITHOR and book selection

[momof2n2]

We started the year doing DITHOR and had a good fit when we did Biography and then a not-so-great-fitting-book for Adventure.

I want to get into it for at least two more genres for this third and then the fourth quarters.

I was looking at Fantasy and Folk Lore.

The problem I am fearing is that I won't pick books long enough or meaty enough for a good fit. If the book doesn't fit the questions well and we have to stretch on a day, that is fine. If I feel like we are stretching every time, that isn't so fine, to me.

I am considering for Fantasy:
Catwings by LeGuin - sort of short though, huh?
Velveteen Rabbit - Williams - I've never read.
Castle of Yew - Boston
Mouse of Amherst

I am considering for Folk Lore:
Tatsinda by Trenerne
Dick Whittington and His Cat - Moore

Does anyone have any experience with these books and DITHOR?
I'd _LOVE_ some feedback.
Thanks so much.
stacy

[Carrie]

Stacey,

I'm so glad that you're getting a chance to use and enjoy DITHR. I'll also encourage you that you most likely won't pick the perfect book in length and fit every time but that's o.k. Your child will still be reading and learning, and the ride will get smoother as you go.

If you haven't had a chance to look over the Level 2 and Level 3 Book Packs for ideas, then that is where I'll point you first. These will give you good ideas for the genres you listed: http://heartofdakota.com/drawn-into-optional.php

Just click on the book title to get all the information about that book.

Next, the Catwings book you listed is a wonderful one, but it is short. There is also a Catwings Return, Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings, and I believe even one more Catwings title in the series. My kiddos have loved Catwings. So, you could use the series if needed. The other titles you listed are also very good.

Folk Tales are a harder genre to match well. Both of the titles you listed are good ones. They're pretty different in length from one another though. You may wish to give a look at the Folk Tales in our Level 2 and 3 packs too. McBroom's Wonderful One-Acre Farm is a good tall tale. It is laugh-out-loud funny. Pocahontas by the D'Aulaires in a classic legend that is very endearing. Both Jeremy: The Tale of the Honest Bunny and A Penny's Worth of Character have good moral values woven into them and a strong theme of virtue and honesty that comes out, so they're worth considering as well. None of the listed titles are very long.

Blessings,
Carrie

[momof2n2]

I am sure my son is like other kids. When it is a subject he likes he can and does read well. When it is a subject he does not like, he needs things more simple. Therefore - I try to pick books with animals. He can and does enjoy some non-animal related stories, but he is less likely to WORK at it if it is just about "some people."

[my3sons]

We loved ALL of the Catwings books - what a great series! We also laughed outright with McBroom's... The Velveteen Rabbit is a classic, and always a good read. My ds was "stuck" in the Little House in the Prairie series, and I credit DITHOR with getting him to step out of his "box" with those and find new kinds of books and genres to love. That naturally happens over time with using DITHOR, so you won't be in "animal" world forever with ds! HTH!
In Christ,
Julie

[6timeboymom]

I know we used "My Father's Dragon" for fantasy. that was fun!
I also used a book for Folk Tale that my BIL gave my boys called "El Cucuy" or something like that. (I can't put my hands on it right now, of course!) But it was a story about a troll-ish person who lives in the mountains in Mexico (bil is from Mexico) and who has a big ear and will come and take naughty kids away. This story is about how two naughty girls were taken but their dad spent all his time looking for htem, and finally found them and took them home. Of course then they were very good girls! my BIL said it's a common tale in his area of Mexico. He also read it onto a tape for my boys, in Spanish!
The book we had was a picture book, with the story in English on one side, Spanish on the other.