Children's background experiences not only make them unique individuals, but also impact their interactions with texts because of their varied schema. Teachers who work with children should keep in mind Gregory Smith's (2002) five thematic patterns (cultural studies, nature studies, real world problem solving, internship and entrepreneurial opportunities, and induction into the community process) and use children's literature to engage children in place-conscious education. The purpose of this article is to provide a list of children's books that we believe can be used to develop each of the thematic patterns in order to allow children to develop a sense of place as it relates to where they live as well as to the larger world (Gruenewald, 2003; Smith, 2002; Smith & Sobel, 2010).