The Christmas Alphabet

Written and Illustrated by Robert Sabuda

No Awards

The Christmas Alphabet is the perfect book to go through with your pre-k or kindergarten class. It enforces the alphabet and helps them to learn new vocabulary words that are related to the holiday. You open the book and the pages are simple, two letters on each page with a square above the letter that you flip open. When you flip open the square, a pop-up comes up with a shape of something that coordinates with the letter. Ex: N- Nutcracker, R- Ribbon, S-Snowflake. 

I would use this as a read-aloud during the month of December to introduce my class to the holiday of Christmas. As we read it, I would take my time on each letter discussing where we might see these things or what they ar used for. 

Roosevelt's Rough Riders

Written by Andrew Santella

No Awards

Roosevelt's Rough Riders is a non-fiction book about Roosevelt's Rough Riders, a group of everyday men consisting of farmers, cowboys, miners, and many others, who volunteered to fight in the Spanish-American War under Theodore Roosevelt. 

I would use this book as a resource in my library that students could turn to when they want more information on Theodore Roosevelt. This book could also be a good resource when teaching students about the Spanish-American War. Because of the subject, I would suggest this book for sixth, seventh, or eighth graders. so children ages 10-12. 

Hot Dog! Eleanor Roosevelt Throws a Picnic.

Eleanor Roosevelt Throws a Picnic

Written by Leslie Kimmelman

Illustrated by Victor Juhasz

No Awards 

                                        

Hot Dog! Eleanor Roosevelt Throws a Picnic is a fun, nonfiction book that is able to portray a stressful time in a light way. The royal monarchs, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth decided to come to America, Eleanor Roosevelt saw there coming to America as an opportunity to unite the two nations by throwing a "picnic". She served American cuisine, which included Hot Dogs, which were greatly unfamiliar to the British Monarchs. The illustrations in the book do a wonderful job of portraying the feelings of the monarchs and how truly, they weren't sure of how to react. The end of the book suggests a tradition, a celebration on the 50th anniversary of the king and queens coming to America where Americans gathered to have a picnic of their own. 

This book was written for second and third graders, based on the vocabulary and illustrations. Some sections may need some explaining but for the most part, this is a fun read for students and a book that can lead to conversations about differences in cultures and traditions between the two nations. 

Pharaoh's Boat

Written and Illustrated by David Weitzman

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year 2009

American Library Association Notable Book 2010

Children’s Africana Book Awards, 2010 Best Book for Young Children

California Readers 2011 Book Collections for School Libraries

 

Pharaoh's Boat is a nonfiction story about all of the ship makers in Egypt coming together to help create a ginormous vessel that is meant to be used to help transport Egypt's Pharaoh across the sea. However, the Pharaoh wasn't fully prepared for where the boat would take him. 

This is a beautiful book that would serve as a great resource for students to learn about the Pharaoh of Egypt and his voyage across the sea. This would be a good book to read as a whole group for the class where we walk through and discuss the things we see, or learn while reading it. I think its most appropriate for students in third or fourth grade. 

Kenya

Country Profiles and Discovery

No Awards

This non-fiction book is a good resource for students to use when they are doing research over Kenya. It covers information ranging from geography and climate to the types of animals, to the culture of the people living there. 

This is appropriate for an upper elementary or middle school classroom. I wouldn't use this for any whole group activities but I think this is a good resource for students to use when doing research for projects or for when they're just interested in learning about Kenya. I would keep this in my classroom library. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Friendly Beasts

Illustrated by Sharon McGinley

No Awards

 

The Friendly Beasts is a retelling of the true story of Christmas. A cow, donkey, camel, goat, and dove all bring gifts to baby Jesus. 

 

This is a good seasonal book to keep in your classroom library if you're a lower elementary school teacher. This would be a good book to have in a Sunday School class for little's when it gets close to Christmas time to tell them about all the gifts that animals and people brought when Jesus was born.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here and There

Written by Tamera Ellis Smith

Illustrated by Evelyn Daviddi

No Awards

 

 

 Ivan's parents are divorced. His parents live in separate homes and because of this Ivan is forced to stay here (his moms home) and there (his dads home). Ivan describes the different ways that he feels when he's here vs there, and how he's more comfortable when he's here. At the end of the book, Ivan learns that regardless of if he's here or there, that his parents love him. 

This book is so important because it talks about divorce and the way that it affects children. I would recommend this book for grades first, second, or third, because it talks about a topic that is relevant in the lives of a lot of children. I would use this in my classroom library or as a read aloud in my class.

Time To Pray

Written by Maha Addasi, Translated by Nuha Albitar

Illustrated by Ned Gannon 

No Awards

 

 

Yasmin is visiting her grandmother, who lives in a country somewhere in the Middle East. On her first night, she's wakened by the muezzin at the nearby mosque calling the faithful to prayer, and Yasmin watches from her bed as her grandmother prepares to pray. A visit with Grandmother is always special, but this time it is even more so. Her grandmother makes Yasmin prayer clothes, buys her a prayer rug, and teaches her the five prayers that Muslims perform over the course of a day. When it's time for Yasmin to board a plane and return home, her grandmother gives her a present that her granddaughter opens when she arrives: a prayer clock in the shape of a mosque, with an alarm that sounds like a muezzin calling the faithful to prayer.  

 

I loved this book because it had the story written in Islamic and then translated to English. I would use this book as a read aloud for students so that we could have a conversation about the different ways that cultures pray and how we pray and if we pray. This would have to be a delicate conversation but I still think this would be an interesting book to read to my class. I would recommend it to age groups in fifth grade. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sofia Valdez, Future Prez.

Written by Andrea Beaty

Illustrated by David Roberts 

No Awards.

 

 

Sofia is a stand up citizen, she helps her neighbors, walks their dogs, rakes leaves in her neighborhood, and visits with the elderly. However, one day on her walk home from school, her Abuelo becomes injured by the communities landfill, something that has become unruly and out of control. After her Abuelo is injured, Sofia decides that something must be done. Mustering up all of her courage, Sofia marches down to city hall to demand change and speaks up when it's hard. Because of Sofia's brave actions, her community is able to create a beautiful park in place of their stinky ole landfill. 

 

I loved this book and the message that it sends. Sofia is a second grader, and she is just one person. This book speaks to me that even if you're just one person and even if you're young, you can still stand up for what you believe in and fight to make a change. This book is appropriate for grades first through third. I would use Sofia Valdez Future Prez. as a read aloud to segway my students into an activity that revolves around a time when they stood up for something they believed in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Are Welcome

Written by Alexandra Penfold

Illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman

No Awards

 

 

All Are Welcome follows a group of students through their day of school, where they talk about all of their unique qualities and that despite all the things that make them different from one another, all are welcome in their classroom. This book sends a message to students that no matter who they are or where they come from, they have a safe place where they are protected, school.

 

This book is most appropriate for lower elementary classrooms because of how simple it is, but like "I am Enough", I would have this book in my classroom regardless of the grade because it is so important for students to feel represented and spoken for. I would use this as a read-aloud in a lower elementary classroom to lead the conversation into one about celebrating our differences.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am Enough

Written by Grace Byers

Illustrated by  Keturah A. Bobo 

No Awards

 

I am Enough, was written to promote self-acceptance and love despite differences. Following Grace through her day to day, she discusses what she loves about herself and all the things that make her special. On some pages, Grace is by herself discussing the things that make her beautiful, but on other pages, Grace is surrounded by her peers, all beautifully unique in their own way. 

 

This is a fantastic book to highlight and show representation for those that aren't always represented. I would have this book in any classroom regardless of the grade. But in younger classrooms I would use it as a read-aloud and lead the conversation into one where we can all talk about the things that make us different and special. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Follow The Moon Home

Written by Phillipe Cousteau

Illustrated by Meilo So

Bluebonnet Award Winner

 

 

Vivienne and Clementine are friends and activists. The friends realize that all the lights shining onto the beach from beach houses end up disorienting newly hatched turtles to the point that the go in the wrong direction and end up in danger. However, Vivienne and Clementine come up with a plan to keep this from happening. After a community meeting, it is decided that the next time a batch of turtles hatches, for those few moments, the community will turn off the lights of their homes so that the turtles can be guided to the ocean by the moonlight.  

 

This bluebonnet winner is beautifully illustrated so that the pictures and words work together to get the purpose of the book across. This book would be great in a lower elementary classroom, like first or second grade, to help teach students about the life cycle of turtles and the importance of activism. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cheshire Cheese Cat

Written by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright

Illustrated by Barry Moser

Bluebonnet Winner

 

 

The Cheshire Cheese Cat is an homage to Charles Dickens. Skilley is a cat who lives in the alleyways of London. When he meets a mouse, Pip, Skilley makes a deal that if Pip helps him to a better life of living at the Cheshire Cheese Inn, in return,  Skilley will protect Pip and his mousey pals. However, their plans soon have a wrench put in them when they must work together to keep the peace at no only The Cheshire Cheese Inn, but also of the Monarchy of London. 

I would recommend this book for third or fourth graders because it is an easy and intriguing read that will keep students attention through the end of the book. I wouldn't use this for a whole group activity, but would make it available in my classroom library.