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.