Deb Bambino prepared these suggestions for literature circles for teachers in her district and thought others might find them useful.

Suggestions for Literature Circles
in the Middle Grades

Author studies
Genre studies
Cinderella bibliography
Multicultural mythology

General Resources

Literature Circles Resource Center (Seattle University)

Also.. http://www.literaturecircles.com has a terrific website!

This link takes you to an easy to understand list of literature circle "jobs."

Harvey Daniel's book "Literature Circles" (complete text on-line)

Author Studies

Author: Jean Craighead George

Good science connections, books span grades and reading levels and are well written and engaging. Some suggested titles are:

(M)The Missing Gator of Gumbo Limbo
(M)Who Really Killed Cock Robin
There's an Owl in the Shower
*The Tarantula in my Purse
The Talking Earth
My Side of the Mountain
Shark Beneath the Reef
(M)The Firebug Connection
Julie of the Wolves
(M)The Case of the Missing Cutthroats
One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest
The Moon of the Alligators

[*Short Stories]
[ (M) Ecological Mysteries]

Author: Mildred D. Taylor

Historical fiction that features the Logan family and their experiences as African Americans in the South. Good social studies connections for multidisciplinary projects, as well as multicultural understanding.

*The Song of the Trees
*The Friendship
*The Gold Cadillac
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Let the Circle Be Unbroken
The Road to Memphis

[*Suitable for early intermediate grades]

Author: Nicholasa Mohr

Short stories and novels featuring the lives of Felita and her family in New York and Puerto Rico.

Felita
Going Home
Nilda
The Song of el Coqui and Other Tales of Puerto Rico
All for the Better, A Story of El Barrio
*El Bronx Remembered
*In Nueva York

[*Short Stories]

Genre Studies

Short Stories:

"Charles" and "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
"Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
"The All American Slurp" by Lensey Namioka
"The Tell Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe
" The Last Leaf" by O'Henry
" The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
" Shoes for Hector" by Nicholasa Mohr
" Raymond's Run" by Toni Cade Bambara
" Slower Than the Rest" by Cynthia Rylant
" The Moustache" by Robert Cormier
" A Tale of Terror" by Paul Louis Courier
" No Win Phoung" by Alden R. Carter
" Am I Blue?" by Bruce Coville
" All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury

Cinderella Bibliography

Climo, Shirley. The Egyptian Cinderella. Harper Collins, New York
Climo, Shirley. The Irish Cinderella . Harper Collins, New York
Climo, Shirley. The Korean Cinderella. Harper Collins, New York
Climo, Shirley. The Persian Cinderella. Harper Collins, New York
Cole, Babette. Prince Cinders. G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York
Cole, Babette. Princess Smartypants. G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York
Dahl, Roald. Revolting Rhymes. Puffin Books, New York
Delamare, David. Cinderella. Simon & Schuster, New York
Granowsky, Alvin. Cinderella. Steck-Vaughn, Texas
Hickox, Rebecca. The Golden Sandal. Holiday House, New York
Hooks, William. Moss Gown. Clarion Books, New York
Huck, Charlotte. Princess Furball. Greenwillow Books, New York
Jackson, Ellen. CinderEdna. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, New York
Levine, Gail. Cinderella and the Glass Hill. Harper Collins, New York
Louie, Ai-Ling. Yeh-Shen. Philomel Books, New York
Perrault, Charles. Cinderella. Dial Books, New York
Mal, Vo-Dinh. The Brocaded Slipper. Harper Collins, New York
Martin, Rafe. The Rough-Face Girl. G.P. Putnam's Son, New York
Mayer, Marianna. Vasilisa the Brave. Morrow Junior Books, New York
Messina, Christina. Cinderella and Other Classic Italian Fairy Tales. Children's Classic, New York
Minters, Frances. Cinder-Elly. Viking, New York
Munch, Robert. The Paper Bag Princess. Annick Press LTD, Canada
Philip, Neil. The Cinderella Story. Penguin Books, England
San Jose. Christine. Cinderella. Boyd's Mills Press, Pennsylvania
San Souci, Robert. Cendrillon. Simon & Schuster, New York
San Souci, Robert. Cinderella Skeleton. Silver Whistle, Hong Kong
San Souci, Robert. Sukey and the Mermaid. Four Winds Press, New York
Shorto, Russell. Cinderella: The Untold Story. Ariel Book, New York
Sierra, Judy. Cinderella. Oryx Press, Phoenix
Sierra, Judy. The Gift of the Crocodile. Simon & Schuster, New York
Steptoe, John. Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters. Scholastic New York
Wilson, Barbara. Wishbones. Bradbury Press, New York

Bosma, Bette. Fairy Tales, Fables, Legends and Myths. Teachers College Press, Columbia.
Bruno, Betteleheim. The Uses of Enchantment. Vintage Books, Toronto.
Hearne, Betsy. Beauties & Beast. Orynx Press, Phoenix.
McCarthy, Tara. Fables and Fairytales. Scholastic, New York
Philpot, Jan. Once Upon A Tradition. Incentive Publications, Nashville
Shannon, George. Knock at the Door. Ornyx Press, New York

Integrated Thematic Unit - Cinderella Activities
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/7123/cinderactivities.html

Shen's Books - About Cinderella
http://www.shens.com/cinder.htm

Cinderella versions questions
http://www.shsu.edu/~eng_dxd/cinderella_versions_questions.html

Multicultural Mythology

Bernstein, Margery. Earth Namer. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York
Bruchac, Joseph & Locker, Thomas. Thirteen Moons on Turtles Back.
Christ, Henry. Myths and Folklore. Amsco Publications, New York
Crespo, George. How The Sea Began. Clarion Books, New York
DePaola, Tomie. The Legend of the Bluebonnet. Scholastic, New York
DePaola, Tomie. The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush. Scholastic, New York
Evans, Cheryl & Millard, Anne. Greek Myths & Legend. EDC Publishing, Oklahoma
George, Jean. Dear Katie, The Volcano is a Girl. Hyperion Books, New York
Globe, Paul. The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses. Bradbury Press, New York
Globe, Paul. Her Seven Brothers. Bradbury Press, New York
Greenfield, Karen. Sister Yessa's Story. Harper Collins, New York
Hamilton, Virginia. In The Beginning. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, San Diego
Lasky, Kathryn. Surtsey. Hyperion Books, New York
Philomel Books, New York

Evans, Cheryl & Millard, Anne. Norse Myths & Legends. EDC Publishing, Oklahoma