The Top 10 Ways to Ruin the First Day of School (Realistic Fiction)

Tony Baloney, aka Anthony Madison, is obsessed with peanut butter and baloney sandwiches, the David Letterman show, and crazy antics such as jumping rope over the toilet. Tony, or TB as everyone calls him, is determined to end up on the David Letterman show and spends all of his time finding a way to do just that. One day during a field trip to a football game, Tony runs out onto the field in a bear suit and manages to run 100 yards before scoring and catching the attention of his idol, David Letterman. After seeing Tony’s performance at the football game he gets a phone call from The Late Show asking him to appear on the show. TB, Anna, Mo, and their teacher Mr. Gore all head off to New York City so Tony can finally live his dream of meeting David Letterman and being on The Late Show. True to his character, Tony finds any excuse to create chaos and commotion while in the Big Apple. This book is incredibly funny from start to finish and would be an excellent book to read to students at any time of the school year, especially the beginning! The Top 10 Ways to Ruin the First Day of School by Ken Derby is a great book and I could see all readers enjoying it.

J.K. Rowling by P.M. Boekhoff and Stuart A. Kallen (Informational)

This book about J.K. Rowling is a great informational book about the life and career of one of the world’s greatest writers. J.K. Rowling found her inspiration from several parts of her life, and used her imagination and childhood experiences to create her wonderful stories. Once J.K. Rowling began writing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone she used herself, her family, and her friends for inspiration. One interesting fact I learned from this informational book is that Joanne had friends by the last name of Potter when she was a child, and was extremely envious of their last name. The inspiration for the flying car in the second Harry Potter book came from her best friend’s car. Joanne felt that she was most like Hermione because as a child she was very studious and shy, just like the character she created. Overall this book was very easy to read and was full of information that readers would learn a lot from. Many readers love the Harry Potter series and should also read a little about the author that created it.

Oh, The Places He Went: A Story About Dr. Seuss by Maryann N. Weidt (Informational)

Oh, The Places He Went: A Story About Dr. Seuss is a wonderfully written informational book about the life of one of the most famous children’s book authors. Although I had familiar with a lot of Dr. Seuss’ works, I have never researched his history and his inspiration which led to his creations. Dr. Seuss’ real name is actually Theodor Seuss Geisel, which he continuously changed and shortened throughout his career. Some of Dr. Seuss’ most memorable creations were influenced by his environment. Green Eggs and Ham was created because a friend bet him fifty dollars that he couldn’t write a book using only fifty words. The Cat and the Hat came about because Dr. Seuss believed he could make an excellent beginner book for readers using 223 words. The title ended up being The Cat in the Hat because it was the first two words on the list that rhymed. Another one of Dr. Seuss’ great books was The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, a character that he believed to be similar to his personality. This book was very informational and enjoyable to read. I think it should go along with any unit that studies Dr. Seuss and his wonderful books.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Series Study (Harry Potter)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third book in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. This book begins on the night of Harry’s thirteenth birthday as he is receiving presents via the Owl Post from all of his friends from the magical world. During the summer before starting Hogwarts Harry sees a man on the news, a fugitive named Sirius Black. On the train ride to school there is an attack by a dementor, something that Harry finds out later that sucks out your soul. Similar to the past two years there is a new Defense Against the Darks Art teacher, Professor Lupin. During Professor Lupin’s class Harry learns how to fight off dementors. Harry soon realizes that the fugitive he saw on the news during the summer is his godfather and is trying to help protect Harry, so in turn Harry tries his hardest to free Sirius. This is another great book by J.K. Rowling. All of the books in the Harry Potter series is creative and imaginative and offers an escape for readers.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Series Study (Harry Potter)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second book in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. In the book Harry is beginning his second year at Hogwarts after spending a horrible summer with the Dursley’s, the only family he has left. During his summer he is visited by an odd little house elf named Dobby. Dobby brings chaos to the Dursley house which makes his aunt and uncle lock him in his bedroom until school begins. Once Harry arrives at Hogwarts he begins hearing voices throughout the school and begins thinking that he is crazy. After doing some research Harry learns about the Chamber within Hogwarts where a student was killed 50 years ago. Shortly after Harry learns about the chamber he realizes that he is a Parseltongue, which means he can speak to and understand snakes speaking to him. All around Hogwarts students are getting Petrified and nobody is really sure what is going on or who is to blame. It is up to Harry to find out the truth about what is happening in the Chamber and who is harming everyone at Hogwarts. This is another great book by J.K. Rowling, a truly imaginative and creative piece of literature. A story this amazing would truly inspire kids to read and get them engaged in reading, great story!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Series Study ( Harry Potter)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone is the first book in the Harry Potter series written by J.K. Rowling. In this book the readers are introduced to the Dursley family and their magical relative Harry. Harry’s parents, Lily and James, were killed by one of the most evil wizards ever, Voldemort. Once Harry turns 11 he is taken away to Hogwarts, a school for witches and wizards. For the first time in Harry’s life he finally feels like he fits in. Once he is at Hogwarts Harry quickly makes friends with Hagrid the groundskeeper and Hermione and Ron. Soon after arriving at Hogwarts adventure immediately finds Harry and his friends. The three students soon discover that something is being hidden within Hogwarts, and it is being protected by a three headed dog and all sorts of magic. Once Harry, Hermione, and Ron realize that it is the Sorcerer’s Stone that is being protected they use all of their powers and knowledge to keep it protected and from out of Voldemort’s reach. Harry is faced with many difficult challenges while he is trying to protect the stone and eventually faces Voldemort. In the end Harry is able to save the stone and keep Voldemort from gaining powers. This book was a great introduction to Harry Potter, his friends and enemies, and all of the adventures headed their way.

The Watsons Go To Birmingham- 1963

The Watson’s Go To Birmingham is set in Flint, Michigan during the 1960’s and follows one families’ trip to Birmingham, Alabama during the time of the Civil Rights Movement. Kenny is one of the main characters and his older brother Bryon becomes the reason the family takes off to Alabama. Bryon is a trouble maker and after finally making his parents mad enough they decide to make him go stay with his grandmother for a while until he sees how hard life can really be. The book is a rollercoaster ride of emotions, and goes from telling humorous stories that will make you laugh as you read, and there are also heart-wrenching parts that make you feel the pain of the characters. There are several elements that make this story a very valuable piece of literature to read along with students. I would definitely use this book as a historical reference and to bring history alive for readers.

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck is a light hearted and humorous story about two children and their crazy adventures with their grandmother. Set in rural Illinois, Mary Alice and Joey visit their eccentric grandmother every summer, leaving city life behind in Chicago, and beginning their usual summer adventures. Joey and Mary Alice begin their first summer with their grandmother by hosting a wake and sharing their excitement about seeing their first “stiff”. For several summers after that Joey and Mary Alice share it with their grandmother, finding adventures everywhere. This was an amazing story of connected summers full of adventures. The writing is very detailed and imaginative which makes reading it very quick and pleasurable. I would love to use this book with my students and I could use this novel to prompt many lessons. Great book!

Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid (Realistic Fiction)

Stink is a second grader with an older sister named Judy, and is convinced that he is the shortest person in the whole world. Stink, whose real names is James, finds himself going on all kinds of adventures, from losing the classroom newt named Newton, to making a wig in honor of his idol James Madison. Judy and Stink are your typical brother and sister combo, always finding ways to make the other one annoyed. Every morning Stink has Judy measure him, hoping that maybe gre an inch or two over night. One day to Stink’s dismay, he discovers that he actually shrank by three quarters of an inch! From then one Stink is determined to do whatever it takes to grow taller, including eating all of his peas and drinking every drop of his milk. Eventually Stink begins to realize that growing will take time, and that you decide how tall you feel. This is an adorable story full of funny adventures. I would really enjoy reading this along with 1st or 2nd grade students. I would also like to read some of the books from the Judy Moody series. Great book, very creative and entertaining!

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (Predictable Patterened Book)

Brown Bear, Brown Bear is a wonderful story with vibrant illustrations. Rhyming words, repetition, and bright and bold colors make this book enjoyable for young kids. The predictive style of the story helps young readers to learn fluency and the repetition helps them to understand the sound and sight of new words. Brown Bear, Brown Bear would be an excellent choice for an interactive read aloud, and could easily engage students and get them involved in the reading. This book would also be a great way to introduce students to writing their own stories about the things they see. Although it is a short children’s book there are several lessons that could be drawn from it, and it is definitely a book that children would love!

Check It Out! A Book About Libraries (Informational)

Check it Out by Gail Gibbons is an adorable and informational book introducing readers to the wonderful world of libraries. This would be an excellent book to read to children before their first visit to the school library or the public library. Check it Out tells readers all about the different kinds of libraries, the many types of books you can find in a library, and all of the things to be learned in a library. This book also talks about the history of libraries and the ways that they have greatly changed over the years. Although the book is slightly outdated and the illustrations aren’t very detailed, it is still a very cute and informational book. I never thought I would learn something about libraries but I did, and I think that other people could learn from this book as well.

Dinosaur Tracks by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld (Informational)

Dinosaur tracks are hidden under layers of sand and mud and have been covered up for millions of years, fossilized underground. The book Dinosaur Tracks introduces readers to the history of dinosaurs and the different kinds of dinosaurs. The simple language of the book and the complex information makes it a very informational book that young students could easily read and learn a lot of information from. The illustrations show the different types of dinosaurs. This book would be a great way to introduce dinosaurs to young students and offer informational resources to older students. Dinosaur Tracks asks the readers questions through the story and encourages them to think about solving the dinosaur mysteries like ichnologists would. This book connects dinosaur tracks to several parts of the United States which also makes it a very informational geographical book. Overall this was an excellent informational book and I would love to have it in my classroom library!

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (Banned Book)

James and the Giant Peach is a highly imaginative story by Roald Dahl about a little boy named James and the adventures that he goes on. After James’ parents are horrifically eaten by a rhinoceros he is sent to live with his two aunts, Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker. James is a seven year old boy when he goes to live with his aunts and is forced to work hard and do whatever his aunts’ demand of him. One day James meets an old wizard who gives him a bag of green crystals which he accidentally spills on the roots of a peach tree. Soon after James spills the green crystals on the peach tree it grows to be as tall and big as a house. James becomes curious and crawls into the peach to discover a bunch of insects that have grown to be as tall as him. James, the giant peach, and his new insect friends roll away after flattening Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker and embark on several crazy adventures. Although this book is highly imaginative and descriptive, it contains a lot of graphic violence which might make teaching it to children very challenging. I enjoyed reading this book but as a future teacher I am not completely convinced that I would use it with students.

Toys Go Out: Being the Adventures of a Knowledgeable StingRay, a Toughy Little Buffalo, and Someone Called Plastic (Modern Fantasy)

This book is a perfect example of books that fire up readers’ imaginations. Although the story didn’t have a real plot, it is an adorable story about a group of talking toys. The toys go on several adventures and have a clever way of explaining the world around them. All of the characters have distinct personalities, especially StingRay and Lumphy. This is definitely a book that I would use with 1st or 2nd graders. It would make a read-aloud really enjoyably because of all the different characters. Toys Go Out would be good transitional books to help students get away from picture books and to start reading more substantial books. Great book, I enjoyed reading it and I am sure many children would to.

You're Aboard Spaceship Earth! (Informational)

You’re Aboard Spaceship Earth is a great information children’s book depicting the way life is on Earth. The book begins with a description of where Earth is in relation to the other planets, and then discusses why our planet is so unique. The book describes the process of recycling water from water vapor to rain, and the cycle that it has gone through for many years. Next children are exposed to the definitions of oxygen and carbon dioxide and how it affects humans and our environment. This book also discusses the importance of keeping our environment clean and healthy, and how it would benefit humans if we did so. This book was very informative and uses a language that is suitable for children. As a teacher I could see using this book for many different lessons and topics.

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko (Historical Fiction)

Al Capone Does My Shirts is an amazing novel about a young boy named Moose, his sister Natalie, and their new home on Alcatraz Island. The novel follows Moose during his transition to living on an island full of convicts and his relationship with his special needs sister. Moose quickly makes friends and enemies on the island and at his school, and he makes both in the Warden’s daughter Piper. Piper tries to convince Moose to start a money-making scam by having the other students bring their dirty laundry to school so they can get washed by the famous convicts on Alcatraz Island. The first part of the book is primarily about the antics that Moose gets into while trying to fit in with all of the new people. After reading half way through this book it takes on a more serious tone and begins focusing on Moose’s sister Natalie and her disabilities. The relationships between the two siblings, and Moose and his mother are very dynamic and are serious issues that many children might face. I was expecting this novel to be silly and light hearted, and I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be full of serious issues and a true depiction of the time period. This is definitely a book that I would read aloud to students, great story!!!

The Mysterious Tadpole (Author Study: Steven Kellogg)

The story of the Mysterious Tadpole begins when Louis’s uncle McAllister brings a tadpole for his birthday present. Louis feeds is tadpole, Alphonse, nothing but cheeseburgers and is amazed at how quickly he grows. Although everyone is expecting Alphonse to turn into a normal frog just like other normal tadpoles, he quickly shows everyone that he is nothing but normal. Alphonse grows too big for a jar, the sink, the bath tub, and even a swimming pool. Louis’ parents became frustrated at how much room Alphonse is taking up, and suggest that he be taken to the zoo. Louis is determined to keep Alphonse no matter what, even if it means taking him to obedience school or smuggling him into the schools pond. This is another amazing book by Steven Kellogg. The illustrations and story line are amazing and so imaginative.

Pinkerton, Behave! (Author Study: Steven Kellogg)

Pinkerton, Behave is about a little girl and her mother trying to train their Great Dane pet. The little girl takes her dog Pinkerton to the obedience school once she realizes that it is going to take a professional to train her dog. Once Pinkerton arrives at obedience the teacher tries training him to come, fetch, and attack a burglar. Although the little girl and her mother believe that being around well-trained dogs it will influence Pinkerton, the exact opposite happens when Pinkerton encourages the other dogs to not follow commands. Pinkerton fails to get trained at obedience school and although everyone thinks he isn’t capable of being a well trained dog, he proves everyone wrong when he saves them from a burglar. Overall the book is very cute, with the exception of some mildly creepy illustrations of the burglar coming into the little girl’s room. This book is another great example of the creative geniuses from Steven Kellogg.

A Penguin Pup for Pinkerton (Author Study: Steven Kellogg)

In this book by Steven Kellogg a little girl named Emily and her Great Dane named Pinkerton become inspired by penguins. After Emily explains all of the neat and interesting habits of emperor penguins, Pinkerton decides he is a penguin and starts cradling a football as if it were his egg. Pinkerton sits with his egg all day and all night long, never leaving it. One day Emily brings in Pinkerton and his “egg” for show and tell. Sadly, Pinkerton becomes tempted by a cookie and neglects his “egg”, and then he realizes that he is not really an emperor penguin. After that, mayhem follows as Pinkerton interrupts a football game, a dog show, and ends up getting chased by the police. Pinkerton escapes all of the chaos and eventually Emily finds him at the skating rink cradling his “egg” once more. Emily’s granny surprises Pinkerton with a penguin pup, or is it a Pinkerton chick?! Overall this is a really cute story and the illustrations are amazing. All of Steven Kellogg’s books have very distinct styles and they are all a pleasure to read.

Behind Museum Doors: Poems to Celebrate the Wonders of Museums (Poetry Anthology)

Behind the Museum Doors is a collection of poems about the different treasures that you would find when visiting a museum. This collection of poems covers topics ranging from Ancient Egypt to medieval times and dinosaurs. The first poem of the book, Behind the Museum Door, lists all of the things that can be found within a museum. This collection of poems shows a large amount of imagination and would be a great way to introduce a field trip to a museum. This book is also very informational and describes different periods in time and various cultures. The illustrations were very creative and detailed. Most of the poems seem fit for students in higher grades because of the language used. Overall it was a good collection of poems about a creative topic.

Scien-Trickery: Riddles in Science (Specialized Poetry Collection: Science)

Scien-Trickery is an absolutely adorable book full of riddles about all kinds of science. Each page has a colorful illustration and a rhyming poem full of scientific facts. The poems of Scien-Trickery challenge the reader and teach them science along the way. There are several science topics included in this book, which would be it very usable for all science classes at every grade level. This book of poems was very enjoyable to read and I laughed at several of the riddles and answers. I would use this book in my classroom to introduce new science topics and use for problem solving lessons. I also thought this book would serve as a good guide to use for students to create their own science riddles. Great book!

Harlem by Walter Dean Myers (Single Poem Picture Book)

Harlem by Walter Dean Myers is a beautifully written and beautifully illustrated poem about the journey to Harlem. This poem describes how people from all walks of life made their journey to Harlem. The illustrations depict the culture that is found in Harlem and how it serves as a melting pot for generations of diverse people. The poem is read with a rhythm, and most of the poem seems to have some kind of a musical beat. Myers used extremely descriptive words which made the poem come to life and make it feel as if you aren’t just reading this poem, but as if you are actually in Harlem. This poem is very educational and could be used to create many lessons. This poem was very enjoyable and pleasant to read.

Hansel and Gretel (Traditional Literature)

Hansel and Gretel is a story about a woodcutter and his wife and their two children. When the woodcutter and his wife discover that they don’t have enough money to take care of the children anymore they decide to lose them on purpose in the middle of the forest. After overhearing these horrible plans, the first time the kids are taken out into the forest they drop tiny pebbles during the walk so they can find their way back to the house again. The second time they were taken out into the forest the brother and sister dropped breadcrumbs, and their path got eaten by all of the animals on the forest. Because Hansel and Gretel couldn’t find their way back home they keep walking into the forest and eventually come across a house made of candy. To Hansel and Gretel’s dismay a very evil witch lives inside the house made of candy and tries to eat Hansel. Although this story has a moral (not to steal…) the story is very violent and talks about parents abandoning their children, little kids pushing people in stoves, and their mom dying. This particular version of the Hansel and Gretel story is definitely a version that I would not share with my students or my own children.

Rapunzel (Traditional Literature)

Paul O. Zelinsky’s version of Rapunzel is the traditional version of this old fairy tale. The story begins with a husband and a wife that have struggled with becoming pregnant for quite some time. One day the wife discovers that she will soon have a baby and begins having cravings for herbs in her neighbor’s garden, a herb called rapunzel. The wife’s husband agrees to go into the neighbor’s yard, who happens to be a sorceress, and brings rapunzel back to satisfy his wife’s cravings. Once the sorceress discovers that someone has been stealing from her garden she confronts the man and forces him to give her his baby upon the birth. The sorceress names the baby Rapunzel and raises her in a tall tower away from everyone else. Many years later a young man is riding his horse past Rapunzel’s tower and immediately falls in love with her after hearing her sing to the forest animals. The young man tricks Rapunzel into letting him climb up her hair, and once they meet they fall deeply in love. Soon Rapunzel and the young man decide to get married. One day the sorceress comes home and discovers that Rapunzel is pregnant, which means she betrayed her trust. The sorceress cuts off Rapunzel’s hair and pushes her from the tower. Once the young man attempts to climb to the top of Rapunzel’s tower the sorceress pushes him from the tower, blinding him. At the end of the story Rapunzel and her prince eventually find each other and live happily ever with their twins. This version of Rapunzel is close to the version that I have always known. However, this version seemed extremely violent for a fairy tale, and although children would enjoy the beautiful illustrations, it might be too harsh for some children to enjoy the story.

RAPunzel: A Happenin' Rap (Traditional Literature)

RAPunzel is a unique spin on the traditional story of Rapunzel. In this version by David Vozar and illustrated by Betsy Lewin, a witch kidnaps Rap when she is a baby to punish her father for spilling ice cream on her. The witch makes Rap stay in her room and is never allowed to come out or talk to anyone else but her. Rap can make demands for whatever she likes, from new clothes to food, and the witch has no choice but to fulfill all of her crazy demands. One day Fine Prince was jogging down Rap’s block and immediately fell in love with her shiny golden hair. After much convincing and changing of hair styles, Rap eventually let her hair down and let Fine Prince climb all the way up to see her. All of a sudden the witch appears and zaps Fine Prince all the way downtown. In true fairy tale style Rap and Fine Prince find each other and not only live happily ever after, but they open their own beauty salon and have kids with six feet of hair. Although this version of Rapunzel was highly creative and fun, the language seemed to be a little too mature and rough for younger audiences. I think this book would serve as an excellent example of ways to modernize traditional literature and incorporate new forms of storytelling into “old” stories.

Chachaji's Cup by Uma Krishnaswami (Multicultural)

Neel and his father’s old uncle Chachaji shared a special tradition every day, drinking tea and enjoying Indian culture. One day Chachaji tells Neel about the tea cup that he uses during every tea time and why it is so important to him. Chachaji explains to Neel about the struggles that his mother went through during hard times in India. Chachaji’s mother was caught in a war and became a refugee in her own country, and when it became time to escape the country, she chose to take an old teacup with her. Neel was touched at the sentiment that Chachaji had for the teacup, and was devastated when he accidentally dropped and broke the teacup. Neel’s great-uncle became very sick and in order to help him become well, Neel repairs the old teacup. Chachaji’s Cup is a great story and offers insight into the Indian culture and history. The book includes not only a story but also includes factual information in the back of the book as well.

Pretty Salma: A Little Red Riding Hood Story from Africa (Traditional Literature)

Pretty Little Salma lives with her grandparents on the quiet side of a small African village. One day Pretty Salma’s grandmother asks her to go to the market and tells her not to talk to any strangers along the way. Pretty Salma slips on her yellow sandals, her white beads, and her stripy ntama and heads for the market. Pretty Salma decides to take a short cut on the way home, through the wild side of the village. As Pretty Salma walks home she begins singing a song and attracts the attention of Mr. Dog. Without knowing it, Mr. Dog cons Pretty Salma out of her ntama, sandals, and beads. Mr.Dog refuses to give Pretty Salma her things back, and while he heads for Granny’s house, she runs off to get help from her grandfather. Mr. Dog gets to Granny’s house and tries to bite her half. Pretty Salma and her grandfather come to the rescue wearing scary costumes and masks that look like Ka Ka Motobi the Bogeyman. Mr. Dog gets so frightened that he runs out of Granny’s house and right back to the wild side of the town. This version of Little Red Riding Hood is full of culture and vibrant illustrations. I really enjoyed reading this story because it was so different than the popular Little Red Riding Hood.

Rosa by Nikki Giovanni (Historical Fiction)

Rosa is an amazing story about the life of Rosa Parks and the way her actions changed the world for everyone. Unlike many other historical fiction books, this book described her everyday life and was light-hearted and a joy to read. Rosa included enough information to learn something from reading it, yet was short enough that children will be able to enjoy it as well. The illustrations for Rosa was done by Bryan Collier and I was really impressed at the way the illustrations made the story come to life. The pages almost looked like a scrapbook, filled with photographs and memorabilia from Rosa and the time period in which she came from. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I learned more about Rosa Parks than I ever did from just a textbook or in the classroom. I would definitely use this book during a lesson on the Civil Rights, it is very inspirational and informative.

Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude (General Storybook)

It all begins when a boy and a girl are forced to work together for their library project and are supposed to choose a fairy tale to talk about. Since the boy and girl couldn’t decided on a fairy tale as partners, they decide to write one of the own. The girl’s fairy tale is about Princess Tenderheart, a princess that lives in a beautiful princess with eight beautiful ponies. The young boy decides that the girls’ fairy tale isn’t as good as his so he introduces his character to the story: the cool motorcycle dude! The two kids continue collaborating back and forth creating a mixed- up mashed-up fairy tale. This book is a wonderful example of recognizing someone else’s creative differences and making something great from collaboration. The book is illustrated by three different authors, so it makes it very interesting to see the illustrations that are coming from a particular part of the story. Very cute book!

I Lost My Tooth In Africa by Penda Diakite (Multicultural)

I Lost My Tooth in Africa is based on a true story about a little girls adventure when she visits her parents’ home country in Africa. Amina is excited to hear that if she loses her wiggly tooth while she is visiting Africa she will receive a chicken! Amina does everything she can to lose her tooth while she is visiting her family. Throughout the story Amina shares her family traditions, her favorite African meals, the games she plays, and the language from Africa. One night as Amina is falling asleep in her bamboo bed her tooth finally falls out! The next morning Amina puts her tooth under a calabash gourd and impatiently awaits her very own chicken. Amina finds things within her village to keep her busy while she is waiting for the African tooth fairy to come visit her. After waiting for a couple of days Amina turns over the calabash gourd and discovers a rooster and a hen! This book has amazing illustrations and is full of the African culture. I was excited to see that the story was based on the author’s experience which made the story easy to connect to. There are several things to be learned throughout the story and would be a great way to introduce a unit on African culture. Great book!

The Grapes of Math (Concept Book)

The Grapes of Math is a vibrantly illustrated book full of math riddles. This book is an excellent way to show math problems in a visual format and get students excited about solving math riddles. Each page shows a different illustration and a matching riddle. By using the illustration ( a group of colorful fish, bunches of grapes, a family of snails) students will be able to solve the problem easier. The concept of this children’s book is to guide children to grouping items and then to multiply them, rather than add every individual item. This book is full of possible lessons and activities. The rhyming language and funny riddles makes it an enjoyable book to read and teaches several things along the way.

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White (Book to Movie Comparison)

Charlotte’s Web is a story about a girl named Fern and her undying friendship for a little pig named Wilbur. Fern’s father attempts to kill Wilbur because he was born a runt, and Fern saves his life, and their friendship blossomed from that moment on. Fern and Wilbur are inseparable after she saves his life, and once Wilbur is too big to stay with Fern he moves to her uncle’s farm across the road. Once Wilbur becomes adjusted to life in a new environment he is determined to make friends with the other animals in his barn. After being turned down by almost every animal around him, Wilbur finally finds a friend in a very unusual place, at the top of barn in a corner, with a spider in her web. Charlotte, a smart and loving spider, becomes one of Wilbur’s best friends. One day Wilbur finds out that it is being planned for him to be killed around Christmas and eaten. Wilbur is devastated at this news and quickly turns to Charlotte for advice. Charlotte promises that she will never let anything bad happen to Wilbur, and she will never let him be eaten. Charlotte begins working on a plan to save Wilbur, and uses her knowledge and amazing ability to weave beautiful webs to write real words to save his life. This book is full of friendship, love, and loyalty and is sure to be enjoyed by anyone who reads it!

Gossamer by Lois Lowry (Modern Fantasy)

Littlest One, Fastidious, and Thin Elderly are magical creatures that come out at night to give sweet dreams to those that are sleeping. On a usual night Littlest One and Thin Elderly will collect memories from the old lady’s house and use them to give her sweet dreams throughout the night. One day a little boy named Johnny is forced to stay with the old lady to escape his abusive father. Littlest One and Thin Elderly recognize how sad the little boy is although he doesn’t show it. Sinisteeds do the job opposite of Littlest One and Thin Elderly, they bring horrible nightmares to people. Littlest One and Thin Elderly have to be brave and give Johnny and the old lady dreams full of sweet memories and thoughts before the nightmares are given to them. In Lois Lowry’s Gossamer the world around us as we are asleep is brought to life simply and beautifully. Gossamer is a very poetic book that will capture your attention and fire up your imagination.

Heaven by Angela Johnson (Coretta Scott King Author Winner: 1999)

Marley is a 12 year old girl that lives in a place called Heaven. Although Marley believes the she lives the “perfect” life, suddenly everything she once knew is changing. Once Marley turns 14 she slowly begins realizing that her life has been full of lies. Marley’s parents aren’t really her parents, and she is not really Butchy’s sister. Marley’s Uncle Jack, the person who has been writing her amazing letters turns out to be her real father. Marley begins searching for herself at a young age and what it means to really have a family. The people who she thought were really her parents turn out to be her aunt and uncle, and Marley becomes even more upset because her family isn’t “perfect”. The book was a difficult read because it constantly switches viewpoints and places in time. I really liked how vivid Johnson wrote the story, especially in all of the letters.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Counting Picture Book)

A little egg laying on a leaf during the night and a couple of mornings later a little and very hungry caterpillar popped out of the little egg. The caterpillar spends the next week looking for food, and each day he finds more and more. One Monday the caterpillar ate an apple but he was still hungry, so Tuesday the caterpillar ate through two pears. The caterpillar continues eating for the rest of the week, devouring through plums, strawberries, oranges, chocolate cake, pie, lollipops, and on and on. After having a huge stomachache the caterpillar slept through the whole night and woke up feeling much better in the morning. Not only did the caterpillar wake up feeling much better the next morning, he woke up as a beautiful butterfly! The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is an adorable way for little kids to learn how to count. The book is interactive and creatively illustrated.

Tuesday by David Wiesner (Wordless Book)

The story begins Tuesday around 8 o’ clock in the evening. The night sky is quiet and the toads start flying around on giant lily pads. Hundreds and hundreds of toads are flying around in the dark on their lily pads, running into clotheslines and birds in the sky. Several toads find their way into a house through an open chimney and make themselves comfortable in front of the television. After wreaking hours of havoc the flying toads finally returned back to their pond once the sun began to rise. The next morning investigators discover the leftover lily pads from the toads’ wild evening, and tried to make sense of the weird scenes. Next Tuesday the toads stayed in their ponds, however, the pigs from the barn decide to take off on their own flight. Tuesday by David Wiesner is a wordless book depicting the adventures of toads and pigs as they fly through the sky. Although the illustrations were amazingly detailed and very realistic, I didn’t like the way the book lacked a story line or problem. Children would enjoy the way the book is just pictures, which would let their imagination come up with its own story.

Flotsam by David Wiesner (Illustrator Study: David Wiesner)

Flotsam by David Wiesner is a wordless book that describes one boys adventure through amazing illustrations. The story all begins when an old underwater camera washes onto the beach still intact. The boy decides to develop the film and he is astonished at what he sees in the pictures. The pictures are full of how life is underwater. Every page in the book is covered in details of life in the sea. The next picture the boy comes across is a picture of a girl holding a stack of pictures showing more kids with more pictures. After using his microscope and magnifying the pictures 70 times the boy realizes that this camera has been used by kids all around the world for generations. The book ends when the boy takes a picture of himself holding his pictures, and then tosses the camera back into the water. The camera floats around the ocean, documenting detailed underwater societies and finally being washed onto shore once more. This book is unlike any other book I have ever seen. The illustrations were amazingly detailed and realistic. I know that any child, or adult, would enjoy reading this book and letting their imagination run wild. Fantastic book!

The Night Before First Grade (Literature Based Lesson Plan)

Penny is beginning her first day of first grade tomorrow, and tonight she is preparing everything for the morning. Penny packs her backpack and lays out her new outfit and even packs her own lunch. That night Penny dreams of everything that the first grade will bring and playing with her best friend Jenny. Once the morning came Jenny ran to the bus to meet Penny and soon they were at school. Although Jenny and Penny were anxious to be in the same classroom together, they were disappointed to find out that the first grade classes were split, and they would be in separate classrooms. Penny plays all kinds of games during her first day, and even meets a new friend named Nina. In the end Penny finally gets to see Jenny, and introduces her new friend Nina while Jenny introduces Tina! The Night Before First Grade is an adorable book written by Natasha Wing and illustrated by Deborah Zemke. This is definitely a book that I would read to my students on the first day of school. The illustrations are very cartoon-ish and the rhyming story makes it fun to read.

Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair by Patricia Polacco

Eli’s Aunt Chip is the only person in Triple Creek that does not own a television set. Triple Creek is a town that loves TV’s. Everyone watches TV all day long, while they are eating, playing, and even while they are sleeping. One day Aunt Chip discovers that Eli cannot read, surely a consequence from the towns’ obsession with TV’s. Although no one in Triple Creek can read, they sure do know how to use books. Citizens of Triple Creek know use books to hold up roofs, fill potholes, mend fences, and shore up the dam. The citizens of Triple Creek use books for any other reason but to read them. Aunt Chip teaches Eli to read and suddenly all the children realize what they have been missing this whole time they have been obsessed with TV’s. Books start disappearing from around town, from the potholes to porches, and even the dam started missing books. Once the dam lost its support from the books it spouted a leak, which led to a bigger leak, and eventually it flooded out the town. The flood washed through the city of Triple Creek and was strong enough to tear down the tower that gave power to all the TV’s. Without their TV’s everyone starts to realize how the absence of reading and books led to their town becoming run down. After it started “raining books” all the children of the town started teaching their parents to read, and the town became glorious and prosperous again. This book is a creative way to show children the consequences of not reading. Although it is exaggerated I think children would enjoy the illustrations and answering, “What if everyone stopped reading?” Great book!

June 29 1999 by David Wiesner (Illustrator Study: David Wiesner)

Holly Evans is a young girl with an idea, vegetable seeds, and balloons. Holly plans to study the growth of vegetables once there are in outer space. Shortly after Holly launches the vegetable seeds nested inside balloons from her home town of Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, she is amazed at the upcoming events. Gigantic turnips are discovered in Montana, huge heads of lettuce float through the sky, cucumbers and lima beans float over towns across the country. Holly is ecstatic to see an enormous broccoli land in her backyard, knowing that her experiment was a huge success. It wasn’t until an arugula appears in Ashtabula that Holly realizes the extraordinary vegetables around the country did not come from her experiment. So if the giant peas floating in rivers and if the eggplants being exchanged and booming the economy aren’t from Holly’s experiment, whose vegetables were they? The answer is, of course, outer space. Due to a clumsy kitchen worker the entire food supply of the star cruiser Alula Borealis is sent down to Earth. So now that the aliens lost all of their vegetables, what is for dinner? =) This book was amazingly adorable! It is hard to describe how cute and clever it is without seeing the detailed illustrations of the giant vegetables and the aliens in their star cruiser. Great book!

The Three Pigs by Daivd Wiesner (Illustrator Study: David Wiesner)

“Once upon a time there were three pigs..” Everyone knows the traditional story of the three little pigs, but not everyone knows how the three pigs would change the story given the opportunity. Everything seems normal until the big bad wolf blows the first little pig right out of the story! After a couple of pages pass the pigs realize they can actually escape the story, and even change it up a little bit. Eventually the three pigs stumble upon a nursery rhyme, and they even change how they look to fit right in. Next, the three pigs adventure into a fairy tale full of dragons, castles, and kings. The three pigs make friends with the characters from other stories and decide to return home to their brick house, after making sure the big bad wolf can’t get to them anymore. This is one of the most creative and innovative stories I have ever read about the three pigs. With each setting the illustrations change, from the traditional story to nursery rhymes to fairy tales and back to traditional. This is one of the best adaptations I have ever read, and it is definitely worth reading many times!

Rapunzel: A Groovy Fairy Tale (Traditional Literature)

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!” Although this line usually makes you think of the classic fairy tale, this groovy version is anything but classical. Retold by Lynn Roberts and illustrated by David Roberts, the new and “improved” Rapunzel is the groovy kind of damsel in distress. Rapunzel lives with her horrible Aunt Esme and aunt’s pet crow named Roach. Rapunzel’s aunt refused to let Rapunzel leave their apartment at the top of their old and abandoned apartment building. Since the elevator was broken in their building and considering the thousand stairs from the top to the bottom, Aunt Esme used Rapunzel’s long braid to leave the apartment, leaving Rapunzel all alone. One day a boy, Roger, from the school that Esme works at as a cafeteria lady follows her home and immediately falls in love with Rapunzel’s flowing red hair. Roger tricks Rapunzel into letting down her hair so he can climb up and finally see her. Roger and Rapunzel quickly become great friends and create a plan for Rapunzel to escape. Once Aunt Esme discovers what Rapunzel and Roger have been up she cuts all of Rapunzel’s hair off, so she will never escape. Eventually Rapunzel does escape her horrible aunt and goes in search of Roger. Roger and Rapunzel finally find each other and even start a bad, and wear wigs made from Rapunzel’s long, flowing, red hair. This book was extremely imaginative and modernized the classic fairy tale of Rapunzel. The illustrations were great and I’m sure children would enjoy comparing this version to the other versions of Rapunzel.

Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type

Click, clack, moo…Clickety, Clack, Moo. This book is about Farmer Brown and his problem with his letter-typing cows. Although it seems impossible, Farmer Brown’s cows can actually type, and they type letters demanding electric blankets to keep them warm. Farmer Brown is stubborn and won’t cave to the cows, so the cows do the only logical thing: they go on a strike. During this strike, all milk production stops and then a farm-wide strike begins. The cows write a letter demanding electric blankets for the hens as well, because after all, no animal likes to be cold. Eventually the two parties reach an agreement. Farmer Brown gives the animals electric blankets and in return the animals go back to giving milk and eggs. Just once Farmer Brown makes the cows and hens happy, the ducks realize they want something too! Click Clack Moo: Cows that type by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Betsy Lewin is an adorable story with even more adorable illustrations. The story is simple yet introduces children to new terms such as strike, ultimatum, and a neutral party in a way that is fun and creative! Thumbs up!

The Giver: (1990 Newbery Winner)

The Giver is a unique story set in the future within a utopian community. Jonas, an eleven year old boy is about to receive his Assignment at a traditional ceremony with all of the other eleven year old children. Jonas’ community is seemingly perfect; no pain, no hunger, no hate, and no differences. For many years the community has been kept from all of the things that can destroy people, like war and poverty. Jonas lives his childhood oblivious to where all of these hurtful and dangerous emotions are kept, until the Ceremony of Twelves. Once Jonas receives his Assignment as The Receiver he slowly begins to realize what is protecting his community and keeping it “perfect”. Jonas becomes the sole receiver of memories, given to him by an old man who holds all of the memories and pain. Although Jonas is able to have wonderful experiences and finally have memories of birthdays and snow, things not found in his community, he also becomes the bearer of all of the hatred and hurt. Eventually Jonas realizes the falseness that is all around him and tries to escape his “perfect” community. Lois Lowry won the Newbery Award for The Giver in 1990. This book is unlike any other book I have ever read and it truly transports you to another world. The Giver forces you to wonder what exactly constitutes a perfect world, and the consequences of having one. Amazing book!!

Taking a ride on the Polar Express: (1986 Caldecott Winner)

The Polar Express is a beautifully written and illustrated story about a child’s belief in Santa, and the magic of Christmas. The story begins on the night of Christmas Eve, when the boy is anxiously awaiting the appearance of Christmas Magic. Late into the snowy night, a huge steam engine appears in front of his house, ready to head to the North Pole. The Polar Express is full f children, sipping hot chocolate and riding the train in their pajamas, all waiting excitedly to reach the North Pole. Once the train reaches the North Pole hundreds of elves and children all gather to watch as Santa gives the first present of Christmas. The boy is delighted to be the child that Santa chooses, and decides instead of a toy he would rather have one of Santa’s silver bells from his sleigh. As the Polar Express takes all of the children home, the boy sadly realizes that the Santa’s present fell out of his pocket. The next morning, the Christmas magic returns the silver bell back to the boy, and from then on he can always hear the ringing of Christmas. The Polar Express won the Caldecott Medal in 1986, and has turned into a must-have Christmas story. The illustrations are incredibly vivid and truly make this wonderful story come to life. I love the way this story describes the way children believe in the magic and surprise of Christmas, and even though its rare in adults, sometimes it can last forever.

Song and Dance Man (1989 Caldecott Winner)

The Song and Dance Man is a wonderfully colorful story told by children remembering their grandfather. Although the story is simple, it has descriptive language and is rich in imagination. The story begins as the children’s grandfather takes them up to the attic , turns on an old lamp to serve as his spotlight, and gives his grandchildren an old-time performance. “His tap shoes makes soft, slippery sounds like rain on a tin roof”, is just one example of the many descriptive sentences throughout the whole book, which makes you feel as if you are watching the show from the front row. The illustrations are done in a light colored pencil, which makes it even more adorable and child like. Song and Dance Man was written by Kevin Ackerman, the illustrations were done by Stephen Gammell, and was the Caldecott Winner in 1989. I really enjoyed the way this book was simple, lighthearted and fun, and was meant to entertain and delight young readers.

Ellington Was Not a Street (Coretta Scott King Illustrator Winner: 2005)

Ellington Was Not A Street was written by Ntozake Shange and was illustrated by Kadir Nelson. Nelson’s painting -like illustrations won the book the 2005 Coretta Scott King Award. Ellington Was Not A Street is a beautifully illustrated book about a little girl’s childhood and the people that were a part of it. Each page shows a different part of history, and how it happened around the little girl. This book is full of culture and shows how influential people can be, even if to you they are just ordinary people. Ellington Was Not A Street pays tribute to African American innovators, politicians, and leaders through sweet and simple text and gorgeous illustrations. My favorite part of the story was at the very end when it elaborates on “men who changed the world” and gave a biographical snippet of William DuBois, Paul Robeson, Edward Ellington, and many more. This book is both educational and delightful to read and gives an illustrated glimpse into the African American culture and American history.

Missing May (1993 Newbery Winner)

Missing May is a novel that will tug on your heartstrings and make you realize how the loss of a loved one is seen through the eyes of a child. Summer is a young girl who spent her childhood being passed through the hands of one relative to another relative, living like an orphan since her mother died when she was 6 years old. One day, Aunt May and Uncle Ob went on a trip to visit their relatives, and that is when they first met Summer. Aunt May and Uncle Ob had raised their own children and were settling into old age when they realized they still had plenty more love to give, which is exactly why they took Summer home with them that day. Summer was finally “home” when she went to live with Aunt May and Uncle Ob, and was continuously astonished at how much they loved one another. The story begins when an old Aunt May passes away while gardening, and Uncle Ob and Summer are forced to go on with their own lives. Summer has a hard time grieving for Aunt May and Uncle Ob becomes lost in life and has lost hope for being able to go on. Cletus, a boy around Summer’s age, become as essential part in helping Uncle Ob and Summer grieve for Aunt May. Cletus convinces Summer and Uncle Ob that he has had a supernatural experience and he believes they could reach Aunt May in the afterlife. This book was amazingly emotional and explained loss in a way that children can understand. I really liked how eclectic the characters were, especially Cletus. This book may be difficult for some children to get interested in, but I do think if they opened their minds, they would find a lot to like in this book.

Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons (2009 Monarch Award Nominee)

Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons by Amy Krouse Rosenthal offers great illustrations and a warm “feel-good” story that most children (and adults) would enjoy. Cookies introduces a vocabulary list of words not typically found in most children’s books. The story follows several children as they are baking chocolate chip cookies, and along the way they learn several life lessons. Cookies educates children on ideas such as cooperate, trustworthy, and fair. Along with the words are examples of each one, in language that most children can identify with. I think this book would be an excellent choice for a parent to read to their child, and for a teacher to read to the classroom. This book would serve as an effective tool to use as a teacher if negative classroom behaviors become an issue. I’ve not seen too many children’s books that focus directly on teaching life lessons, and I’m curious about Rosenthal writing another story with the same focus but for an older audience.

Rules (Rebecca Caudill 2009 Nominee)

Wow! I have never read a book that discussed the topic of autism from a child’s point of view, and now that I have read Rules by Cynthia Lord, I am extremely glad that I did. Rules explores the difficulties that autism causes from the view point of an older sibling. Catherine is a twelve year old girl and David, her younger brother, has autism. In order to help David, Catherine creates a list of rules to help him cope with autism. Growing up with David made Catherine mature quickly and learn to accept responsibility although she doesn’t always like it. One of my favorite parts of the book was Catherine meeting Jason, a fourteen year old boy with a disability that prevents him from being able to talk. In order to help Jason express himself Catherine makes communication cards to give him words. Although my siblings don’t have autism or any other disability, I grew up in a home led by only my mom, and as an oldest child I had a tremendous amount of responsibility that I didn’t always want. I really liked the way this book explained disorders in terms that weren’t scientific but very descriptive from a personal point of view. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is close to an autistic child, and anyone who is looking for a good read.