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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Brave As You

Written by Jason Reynolds 

Coretta Scott King Award

 

 

Genie and his brother Ernie are sent to Virginia for the summer to stay with their grandparents while their parents (secretly) navigate their marriage. As if being sent to this new place isn't shocking enough, the brothers are even more shocked to discover that their grandpa is able to navigate his everyday life while being BLIND. The boys both think their grandpa is so brave for living each day and being so cool, without being able to see a thing. However, Genie is quick to think about what it actually means to be brave, after Ernie shows no interest in shooting a gun, something considered to be a mark of bravery in their family. Genie battles with his definition of what bravery actually is throughout the book.

 

I would recommend this book for junior high to high school level students because of how huge of a book it is and because it discusses some heavy topics. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunny Side Up

Written by Jennifer Holm

Illustrated by Mark Holm

No awards.

 

 

Instead of being gone on a trip with a friend, Sunny is spending her summer vacation...at her grandpas retirement home.  Sunny spends her days being gushed over by the communities old ladies, which she of course cannot stands. Though she feels like she is the only kid there, she soon realizes that there is another kid her age, the groundskeepers son. The two hit it off and start hanging out, reading comic books and going on rescue missions to find residents lost cats. Eventually a question comes up, why is Sunny in Florida with her grandpa? This opens up a big family problem, that Sunny's brother has a drug abuse problem that the family is trying to address.  

This graphic novel addresses an issue that a lot of families might be facing so I love that it was included in a children's book. I would have this in my library for students to access for independent reading time. I think that this graphic novel is most appropriate for middle school, anywhere from fifth to eighth grade. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bridge to Terabithia

Written by Katherine Paterson

Newbery Award Winner

 

 

Jess Aaron's practices everyday to become the fastest runner in his school so that he can be the best at something. One day when the races start at recess, a new student (who also happens to be a girl), Leslie Burke, crosses over to the boys side and beats everyone at a race. Though this does not seem like a promising start, Leslie and Jess quickly become good friends. Most days, they go into the woods behind their home and play in their imaginary land called "Terabithia". They have constructed bridges, swings, and tree house's to help aid them in their imaginary exploration. However, one day while Jess is gone on a field trip with his teacher, Leslie goes to Terabithia alone and has an accident where she falls into a creek and drowns. The remainder of the book shows Jess as he goes through the five stages of grief, unsure of how he is supposed to continue living as adventurously as he did while with Leslie. By the end of the book, Jess understands that he can carry his memories of Leslie with him wherever he goes. 

 

This book is a tearjerker and can be very emotional for children to read, however I feel that it's important for students to understand that emotions are normal. Because of this, I would recommend this book for students starting in sixth grade. I would keep it in my library for them to read (if allowed at my school) but it wouldn't be a book that I would use for a whole group activity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because of Winn Dixie

By Katie DiCamillo

No major awards

 

 

In Because of Winn Dixie, main character Opal Buloni moves to a new town with her dad. Because Opal is new, she doesn't know any one, where anything is, or anything about her new town, all she knows is that she's lonely. One day when Opal is at the local Winn Dixie, she see's an orphaned dog and decides to adopt it. Opal names the dog Winn Dixie because she feels it's the most fitting (I agree). Winn Dixie helps Opal discover her new town and leads her to new people, helping Opal to create friendships and relationships with those around her, eventually falling in love with her new home. 

I loved this book because it is a childhood favorite. I think it is appropriate for children in grades ranging from third to sixth, and is a book that will last with them forever. Though I wouldn't use this book for a whole group lesson, I could see myself using it as a book to read a chapter of each day or afternoon as a reward for children. I would also use this in my classroom library.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Unfinished Angel

Written by Sharon Creech 

There is an angel living in a Swiss village where life is quiet and good -- until a small American girl named Zola arrives with her papa. Unlike everyone else, Zola can see the angel, because she has dealt with angels before. And she has high expectations for what angels can do. When Zola discovers some homeless children who need help, Zola and the angel help each other and help the villagers become a closer community in the process.

I would recommend this book to grades fourth through sixth. The book is an easy read that doesn't have a complicated vocabulary or complex subjects. I would keep this book in my library for students to access but I wouldn't use it for any classroom activities. 

Something to Sing About

Written by C.C Payne 

Jamie Jo is deathly afraid of bees, and because of this, she refuses to go outside. This book is about her journey to overcome her fear and lack of faith during a difficult time in the life of her family. 

This book is an easy read that is able to cover hard subjects in a way that makes them not so heavy. I would recommend this book for a fourth through sixth-grade classroom. I wouldn't necessarily use this book for any classroom activities, but I would keep it in the student library for my students to read when they want.  

Third Grade Angels

Written by Jerry Spinelli

First-grade babies, second-grade cats, third-grade angels, fourth-grade rats. George, or "Suds", is entering the third grade in his school, making him a third-grade angel. This means that each month, his teacher will choose a student to award the "halo". To get this, a student has to show kindness, braveness, or be well behaved. This seems simple for George because he possesses all of these qualities but, when he feels like his good actions are being overlooked he beings to question what the point of being good is. At the end of the book, Constantina is awarded the halo instead of George, but despite this, George is still happy for his classmate. 

This book is good for 3-5 graders. I would use this as a book for a book project where students have to talk about the differences in George's actions and how they change throughout the book. 

Peppe The Lamplighter

Written by Elisa  Bartone

Illustrated by Ted Lewin

Caldecott Honor  

Peppe The Lamplighter is the story of an immigrant family living in Little Italy, New York. Against his father's wishes, Peppe decides to get a job, lighting lamps at night, to help provide extra income for his family. However, after one night when his father scolds him, Peppe decides not to light the lamps and because of this, his sister gets lost. His father then begs Peppe to go and light the lamps, explaining and realizing that lamp lighting is a truly important job. Peppe runs all across Little Italy lighting lamps and helps to find his sister, making his family very proud. 

This book is good for children within the age range of four to eight. It highlights the importance of doing what you feel is right no matter what. I would use this book to introduce the struggles that immigrant families had to go through and still have to go through. 

Anansi The Spider

By Gerald McDermott

Caldecott Honor book 

Anansi The Spider is a tale from the Ashanti where Anansi is a hero. In this book, Anansi relies on his sons to help save him from many of his ventures that go bad. However, when Anansi finds himself in a situation where his sons can't help him, he calls on Nyame to help him solve his problem. 

This book is appropriate for kindergarten classrooms because of its simple vocabulary and big bright pictures. The illustrations are so bright and colorful that I can understand why it would win a Caldecott. I would introduce this book with a picture walk where we flip through the book looking at the pictures and discussing what we think is happing and what we think will happen. 

The Funny Little Woman

Written by Arlene Mosel

Illustrated by Blair Lent

Caldecott Medal Winner 

A Japanese woman loves to make dumplings. One day, a dumpling begins to roll away. She follows it as it leads her over the river and through the woods in an attempt to catch it. As she is following it, she stops and talks with every person along the way about if they saw her dumpling. Finally, the dumpling lands in the hands of the wicked, three-eyed oni, and the woman must outsmart the wicked being in order to get her dumpling and be free. 

This funny book is wonderfully illustrated to create a nice relationship between the story and the images. This book would be a fun read aloud in a second-grade classroom where we talk about details within the book and trying to guess what we think will come next.  

The War That Saved My Life

Written by Kimberly Bradley

Newbery Honor Book 

Ada and her brother Jamie live in a small apartment with their mother. Jamie lives as normal of a life as he can, playing with friends and going to school. But 10-year-old Ada isn't allowed to leave the apartment because her mother is embarrassed by the twisted foot that she was born with. Ada instead is forced to crawl around the apartment and do all the cooking and cleaning for her mother. Because she cannot leave the apartment, she has not been to school. However, when war threatens their London city, Ada sneaks out early one morning with Jamie, and head to the train station with Jamie's school to be relocated to a safer place. The two are sent to the countryside to live with their new caretaker, Susan Smith. Though Susan isn't an overly compassionate person, she is kind to Ada and Jamie. She buys them clean clothes, keeps them bathed, has Ada's foot looked at by a doctor, and helps teach them both. By the end of the book, Ada and Jamie are back home with their mother who still does not properly care for them. Susan Smith follows them and adopts them, bringing them back to the country to live.

This book, though emotional, is an easy read. I would say that this book was written for a fifth-grade classroom but could be read and enjoyed by all levels past that as well. I would have this in my classroom library if I were a middle school teacher. 

 

The Most Important Gift of All

Written by David Conway 

Illustrated by Karin Littlewood 

No Awards

Following the custom of her village, Ama is looking for the perfect gift to offer her newborn baby brother, so she decides to go on the hunt to find it. Her grandma suggests that Ama give him the gift of love. On her journey to find "love", Ama has conversations with a weaverbird and a giraffe but finds that they aren't much help in helping her to understand. However, after getting some advice from a lion that you can't search for love, but simply know you have it when you have it, Ama spends the night in a tree searching for understanding. By the end of the book, it's not quite clear if Ama understands what exactly love is, but she does her best to show it.

I would recommend this book to elementary students, grades second and third. I wouldn't use this for whole group instruction but would have it available in my library for students.  

Dear Mr. Henshaw

Written by Beverly Cleary

Illustrated by Paul O Zelinsky

Newbery Award 

After his parent's divorce, Leigh and his mother move to a small town where he is put in a new school. As if moving to a new school isn't difficult enough, Leigh has to deal with a bully who always steals his favorite treats from Leigh's lunch every day. Eventually, Leigh is given an assignment by his teacher to write a letter to someone and Leigh chooses his favorite author, Mr. Henshaw. Throughout the book, Leigh writes a series of letters in his journal to Mr. Henshaw and by the end of the book, realizes that all the things that frustrate him; his dad not being around, not having his dog, being forced to move schools, and always having his treats taken by a bully, are out of his control. Leigh understands that life is about balance so he tries to find happiness despite all of his frustrations.

This book covers topics that are very relevant to a lot of children. Divorce is a common thing, living in single-parent households are a common thing, and being frustrated with your circumstances is also a common and normal thing. This book could be good for children to read because it addresses all of those things and sheds light on the fact that its okay to be frustrated sometimes about them, but it also shows that even if you are frustrated with things that are out of your control, it's also possible to find happiness in the good things around you.

I would have this in my classroom library if I was a middle school teacher because I feel that this book is most appropriate for children in that age group.   

New Kid

Written and Illustrated by Jerry Craft

Newbery Winner  

Jordan Banks transfers to a new school for seventh grade, and while this is normally a nerve wracking thing, its even more stressful for Jordan because he is only one of the few people of color at his school. Jordan tries to remain positive, but it's difficult when everyone including his teachers are staring at him, calling him the wrong name, and stereotyping him. Eventually Jordan makes some friends and finds a group of people that are able to appreciate him for who he truly is. By the end of the book, Jordan learns to speak up for himself against the bad and appreciate all of the good things that his new school has to offer. 

This graphic novel is the first one I have read and I really enjoyed it. It covered lots of heavy topics, like oppression, stereotypes, and bias against certain cultures but was able to discuss them in a way that brough attention without making it too heavy for children to read. This graphic novel is appropriate for middle school students. The vocabulary isn't complext but some of the subjects might not be understood by elementary sstudents. I would definitely have this in my classroom library depending on the grade I teach!

Holes

Written by Louis Sachar

Newbery Winner

The main character, Stanley Yelnats is accused to stealing a pair of important shoes and is sent of to a camp for boys where they make them dig holes all day long in an attempt to build character. The truth is that the people running the camp have an alterior motive and are actually searching for a treasure that was lost in the desert many years prior. While digging one day, Stanley find's something interesting, a tube of lipstick. This strikes an idea in his head and he starts connecting dots of prior knowledge from his childhood and family history. Stanley brings down the cruelty of Camp Green Lake and finds the treasure that is rightfully his. 

This book is a fun mystery that students can read individually or it could also be something you choose to read daily to your class. I would consider this book to be for more mature and would read it to middle school or junior high students. 

The Willoughby's

The Willoughby's (audio book)

Written by Lois Lowry

The Willoughby children, Timothy, Barnaby A, Barnaby B, and Jane were born into a family with parents who really don't enjoy the inconvenience of having children. Because the Willoughby parents don't actually enjoy having children around, they come up with a series of plans to get rid of them. However, what the parents don't know is that they are playing right into the plan of their children. The Willoughby children arrange a plan to "orphan" themselves by sending their parents off on a vacation. Eventually, they end up in the care of a charismatic nanny and in the end are adopted by her. 

This book is meant for children age ten and up. Because I plan on teaching lower elementary, I can't see myself using this in my classroom, but if I were to end up in a higher-ed classroom then it would be a book available in my student library. This book has won some awards, but not a notable one that was discussed in class. 

 Shoeless Joe and Black Betsy

Written by Phil Bildner

Illustrated by C.F. Payne

No Awards

This story of Shoeless Joe Jackson covers his baseball career and his superstitions about his bat, Black Betsy. In the story, we read about the success of the baseball player and his belief that a baseball player is only as good as their bat. Because of this, he works closely with a friend to create the perfect baseball bat that he uses in every game.  

My favorite thing about this book was the illustrations, they were so well thought out and beautifully detailed. I would use this book as a resource if my students decided to do a project over a person they admired or looked up to. In seventh grade, I had to write a paper about a "celebrity" that I looked up to, and if that was atopic in my curriculum, I would allow this to be a topic.

The Extraordinary Mark Twain

Written by Barbara Kerley

Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

No Awards 

This biography about Mark Twain was written from the perspective of his daughter, Susy. Susy sketches bits and pieces of her days with her father in journal entries that are placed in this book. I didn't know much about Mark Twain before this book, but I feel that it did a good job of covering all of the life of Mark Twain and from the perspective of someone really close to him. The book is interactive and has journal entries that open up within the pages of the book to see Susy's writing. 

I would recommend this book to middle schoolers ranging from fifth grade to eighth grade because though it was plainly written, I feel that the subject is meant for children older than fourth grade. I would use this book as a resource for an author talk with my students. 

The Hallelujah Flight

Written by Phil Bildner

Illustrated by John Holyfield

No Awards

The Hallelujah Flight is a story about James Banning, the first African American to fly across the country. Banning took his flight during The Great Depression and did it to serve as a symbol of inspiration. Banning and his co-pilot Thomas Allen decided to take the flight together, and were given the name "The Flying Hobo's." The two persevered through scary weather and were welcomed with enthusiasm and cheer during their landing in New York. 

This is a great book for elementary students and could be used to spread a little inspiration to a classroom. This is a perfect book to use during a social studies unit when teaching your students about perseverence. This is also a great book to use to check for students attention, there are lots of points in the book that could be used for discussion.