Multicultural Picture Book
Laura Powers
"Beatrice's Goat" by Page McBrier and illustrated by Lori Lohstoeter was published in 2004 by Aladdin publishers.
Christopher Award Books for Young People 2002
Tennessee's Volunteer State Book Award Master List
Portion of the book sales goes to Heifer Project International
This picture book is based on the true account of Beatrice Biira, an impoverished Ugandan girl whose life is transformed by the gift of a goat from the nonprofit world hunger organization Heifer International. An afterword from Hillary Rodham Clinton says this book is a heartwarming reminder that families, wherever they live, can change their lives for the better.
Background Information and multicultural literature criteria for "Beatrice's Goat"
This book honors and celebrates diversity and is rich in cultural details by showing that not all young children are granted with the opportunity to go to school. It shows that even though this young girl is faced with the problem of not having enough money to go to school, she overcomes this issue by raising a goat and making money for herself which not many children her age would do. This book also provides in-depth treatment of cultural issues by showing that children around the world are not getting an education because of their lack of money. Beatrice's Goat shows how certain charities help out the not so fortunate families by giving them opportunities to make a living for themselves in order to go to school and provide for their families.
Author: Page McBrier
Beatrice Biira
Graduation
Procedures for "Beatrice's Goat" Read Aloud:
- The teacher will begin the read aloud by going through a smartboard interactive activity that reviews the vocabulary. Student's will be asked to select the word they believe works best on the smartboard activity.
- Then the teacher will begin reading: "I am going to read you the story 'Beatrice's Goat' which is a true story about a young girl who lives in the small village of Kisinga. Kisinga is located in western Uganda. From reading the title and looking at the picture, why do you think this author chose to write about Beatrice and her goat?"
- Begin reading 'Beatrice's Goat'. Once you get done reading the first page, pause and asks the student's, "Why do you think Beatrice's family lives in a new house?" Call on 2 students for a response.
- Continue reading onto the second page and stop after the first paragraph. "Let's look at the word tend. Tend means to look after or take care of." After you go over the word tend, place the vocab card with the word and definition up on the board for the student's to reference if they forget what the words means.
- Finish reading the second page and pause and ask the student's, "Raise your hand if you can tell me why Beatrice can't go to school." Call on 2 student's for a response. "Now, let's also look at the word yearned. If you yearned to do something it means you want very much to have or do something. What is something Beatrice yearned to do?" Call on 2 students for a response. Also place the vocab card for yearned up on the board.
- Continue reading all the way through the end of the book. "At the beginning of the story, the narrator says that 'there is one reason why Beatrice loves Mugisa most of all.' What do you think that reason is?" Call on 2 or 3 students for a response.