Text Set for 2nd Grade: Topic - Himalayan Mountains

from Jan Reynolds' Vanishing Cultures: Himalaya

Text Set for 2nd Grade: Topic - Himalayan Mountains

Read Aloud/Shared Reading

Note: Tenzin's Deer is the last read aloud in this text set and serves as a bridge to the next text set as it is a fable. Multiple copies of these texts are needed as students working in small groups reread the texts.

from Crane Boy

1. Cohn, Diana. (2015). Crane Boy. Illustrated by Youme Landowne. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press. (40 pp.) (Narrative)
2. Jenkins, Steve. (2002). The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest. New York: Sandpiper. (900L) (Informational)
3. Martin, Jacqueline Briggs. (2010). The Chiru of High Tibet: A True Story. Illustrated byLinda Wingerter. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Books. (900L) (Biography)
4. Reynolds, Jan. (2007). Himalaya: Vanishing Cultures. New York: Lee & Low Books. (1000L) (Photo essay)
5. Soros, Barbara. (2007). Tenzin’s Deer. Illustrated by Danuta Mayer. Cambridge, MA: Barefoot Books. (Lexile N/A) (Fable)

Browsing Books and Independent/Buddy Reading

Note: Because of the topic, few books used for traditional guided reading are included. Nonetheless, the topic fascinates children and through buddy reading, students can (and do) peruse these texts. Interest trumps 'reading level.'

from Tiger of the Snows (iBook version)

1. Adhikary,  Anita . (2011). N Is For Nepal.  Herndon, VA: Mascot Books Inc. (32 pp.) (ABC book, Informational)
2. Blanc, Katherine. (2010). The Boy Who Conquered Everest: The Jordan Romero Story. Hay House.  (890L, 72 pp.) 
3. Burleigh, Robert. (2014). Tiger of the Snows. Illustrated by Ed Young. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. (40 pp.) (Biography of Tenzing Norgay) iBook version
4. Cohn, Diana. (2009). Namaste! Illustrated by Amy Córdova. Herndon, VA: Steiner Books. (970L, 32 pp.) (Contemporary fiction)
5. Donkin, Andrew. (2001). DK Readers: Danger on the Mountain -- Scaling the World's Highest Peaks (Level 4: Reading Alone). Washington, DC: DK Children. (870L, 48 pp.) (Informational text)
6. Esbaum, Jill. (2014). Explore My World Snow Leopards. Washington, DC: National Geographic. (32 pp.) (Informational text)
7. Gerstein, Mordicai. The Mountains of Tibet.  Cambridge, MA: Barefoot Books.
8. Guiberson, Brenda Z.  (2010). Moon Bear. Illustrated by Ed Young. New York: Henry Holt. (Informational)
9. Heine, Theresa. (2014). Chandra's Magic Light: A Story in Nepal.  Illustrated by Judith Gueyfier. Cambridge, MA: Barefoot Books.  (Fiction, picture book)
10. Herman, Gail. (2015). Climbing Everest (Totally True Adventures). Illustrated by Michele Amatrula. New York: Random House Books for Young Readers. (570L, 112 pp.) (Account)
11. King, Deide. (2010). I See the Sun in Nepal. Illustrated by Judith Inglese. Satya House Publications. (380L. 40 pp.) Bilingual in English and Nepalese (Devanagari) (Fiction, picture book)
12. Kramer, Sydelle. (1993). To the Top! Climbing the World's Highest Mountain (Step-Into-Reading, Step 5). New York:  Random House Books for Young Readers. (620L. 48 pp.) (Account of Hillary and Norgay's ascent of Mount Everest)
13. Kroll, Virginia. (2014). Snowbound Secrets. Illustrated by Nívola Uyá. Madrid, Spain: Cuento de Luz. (36 pp.) (Contemporary Tale.+
14. Morris, Jackie. (2014). The Snow Leopard. London, UK: Frances Lincoln Children's Books. (32 pp.) (Fable)
15. Novesky, Amy. (2004). Elephant Prince: The Story of Ganesh. Illustrated by Belgin K. Wedman. San Rafael, CA: Mandala Publishing. (32 pp.) (Myth)
16. Rima Fujita. (2011). Save the Himalayas.  Long Island City, NY: One Peace Books. (44 pp.) (Contemporary tale)
17. Shrestha, Sophie. (2007). In Search of the Thunder Dragon. Illustrated by Romio Shrestha. San Rafael, CA: Insight Kids. (32 pp.)
18. Taylor-Butler, Christine. (2014). Sacred Mountain: Everest. New York: Lee and Low Books. (48 pp.)
19. Tiwari, Hari. (2013). The Story of a Pumpkin: A Traditional Tale from Bhutan. Illustrated by Dal Rai. NH: New Hampshire Humanities Council. 
20. Turner, Pamela S. (2008). A Life in the Wild: George Schaller's Struggle to Save the Last Great Beasts. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. (1020L, 112 pp.) (Biography)