Picture That! From Mendel to Normandy

In her book Picture That! From Mendel to Normandy, Sharron L. McElmeel encourages teachers of tweens and teens (grades 4-12) to use picture books across the curriculum and provides guidance as to which children's books to use and how to use them. Although the selection of books is somewhat uneven in quality and Picture That! does not include detailed lesson plans, teachers will find it full of helpful ideas on using a variety of picture books. The approach Sharron McElmeel uses in her in-depth look at 62 books is one teachers can easily apply to other books. McElmeel also provides a list of 280 recommended books.

Among other uses of children's picture books, author and educator Sharron L. McElmeel recommends, "Using picture books to introduce a topic, to build a schematic background for content-area studies, and to develop higher-level thinking skills..." After an introduction to selecting and using picture books across the curriculum with older students and tips on making the best use of her book, McElmeel presents a detailed look at 62 of the picture books she recommends.

Each chapter covers one book and uses the same approach. McElmeel starts by providing a paragraph of ideas on how to use the book in the classroom (Idea Shelf). This is followed by bibliographic information about the book (Book Shelf), a summary of the book (Annotation), information on the ways the book is related to the curriculum (Curriculum Link), background information on the subject of the book (Background), and a list of ways the book can be used in the classroom (Extension Ideas), ending with a bibliography of related books (Books to Explore).

This approach is easy to follow and provides a good overview of how each book can be used in the classroom. It is an approach teachers will find helpful in looking at any book. However, teachers who are looking for detailed lesson plans will not find them in Picture That: From Mendel to Normandy.

At the end of the book, there is a list of 280 of the picture books the author recommends, with some annotated. According to McElmeel, "There are literally hundreds of picture books that could be parlayed into use in any classroom depending on their content, goals, and objectives. These are just a few of my favorites..." Although McElmeel has recommended some good picture books, the quality is somewhat uneven overall, and some books (and authors) I think should have been included, were not. For example, I was disturbed that McElmeel didn't include any books by Patricia Polacco on her detailed list and she included only one book by Eve Bunting. However, additional books by these authors are included in her quick list at the end of the book.

The Author: Sharron L. McElmeel

Sharron McElmeel has 35 years' experience as a classroom teacher and a library media specialist and has also been a college instructor in young adult and children's literature. McElmeel has written numerous books for educators, librarians and parents, including Literature Frameworks: Apples to Zoos, ABCs of an Author/Illustrator Visit, WWW Almanac: Making Curriculum Connections to Special Days, Weeks, and Months, Authors in the Pantry: Recipes, Stories, and More, Children's Authors and Illustrators Too Good to Miss: Biographical Sketches and Bibliographies, and Character Education: A Book Guide for Teachers, Librarians, and Parents.