The Misfits

Title: The Misfits
Author: James Howe
Type: Novel
Grade Level: 4-7
Rating: 5 out of 5

The Gang of Five is a group of four misfit students at Paintbrush Falls Middle School.  Addie (the tall, outspoken one), Joe (who is learning to live with being gay), Skeezie (the resident tough guy) and Bobby (the quiet, overweight boy) have all been targets of name-calling.  Addie decides they should run for student council against their more popular classmates just to make a point.  Little does she know that they would evolve into the "No-Name-Party" who stand up for anyone and everyone who has ever been called a name.

This book was amazing!  It was tremendously powerful and I was left blown away when I was finished reading it.  The characters were so strong and the language so precise.  It was not just the core four characters but every person created by James Howe and placed into the story that made an impact.  Every person had a purpose and they weren't just one dimensional.  From Daryl Williams who has a stutter and is the catalyst for the "No-Name-Party" to DuShawn Carter who represents more than just his black skin, each and every person brings a different dynamic to the story that is key to what the "No-Name-Party" represents.  The language used by James Howe is so powerful.  This is a touchy subject but with his word choice he just blows the whole thing up.  He doesn't dance around the names and taunts but attacks them and uses them to the book's advantage.  The quick wit, humor and deliberate word choice give the story its strength.

If I end up teaching upper elementary or middle school I would definitely love to use this book in my classroom.  It addresses something extremely important and relevant to students at that age. Name-calling effects the victim, aggressor and outsider and by reading this story it is made clear to the reader.  I don't think many students realize the power their words can have.  "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will break my spirit."  The book shows that everyone is different, even those in the "popular" crowd and that we are all effected by such negativity.  I can imagine the classroom discussions would be highly interesting and passionate by the students.  Whether or not I read this book with my classroom I would still want to participate in No Name-Calling Week.  I think it would be a great experience for the students, teachers and parents to first hand see how just one week of no name-calling can be like.

The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor

Title: The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor
Author: Joanna Cole
Illustrator: Bruce Degen
Type: Picture
Grade Level: 1-4
Rating: 4 out of 5

Miss Frizzles class is at it again! This time it's an underwater adventure!  The class is working on their ocean science projects when they are taken on a whirl wind field trip with Miss Frizzle and her Magic School Bus.  The students get first hand experience of ocean life as they travel all throughout the ocean.

I remember loving the Magic School Bus series as a child!  They were always funny and really interesting!  Miss Frizzle's class was always traveling to exciting places like the ocean, space and even inside the human body!  The books have all sorts of facts that are interesting and at the level of the reader.  The students in Miss Frizzle's class were asking questions I myself was wondering.

Miss Frizzle is such an eccentric character!  She is very intriguing to the reader with her wacky outfits and crazy adventures.  Everybody in the book has a unique personality (even the bus!) and with them we are taken on all the class adventures.  We are given a view into their crazy classroom experiences which we would not normally have the pleasure of gaining access to (Tunnel & Jacobs).

This book (and the whole series!) is great to have in the classroom.  Yet because of all the things happening on each page it would not be the best read aloud book.  It is more suitable for small groups or individual reading.  You could pair the book up with science units you are working on in class.  If you are feeling ambitious you could take a step into Miss Frizzle's funky shoes and take your kids onto your own version of a Magic School Bus adventure while still in the confines of your own school (or take them on a real field trip!).

Addition Lesson Ideas

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

Title: The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Author: Jon Scieszka
Illustrator: Lane Smith
Type: Picture
Grade Level: 2-4
Rating: 4 out of 5

These "fairly stupid tales" are the classic fairy tales with a whole lot of twists.  Jack and the Bean Stalk, Cinderella, Princess and the Pea, and many more are all changed and combined to create these hilarious stories.

When we were younger, my sister and I had difficulty reading this book because of laughing so hard.  The story plots, characters, and all sorts of literary devices of familiar fairy tales are mixed and matched and swirled around to create the assortment of silly tales that had us uncontrollably laughing.  One problem I could see with this book is that it uses the word "stupid" in the title and throughout the book to describe the stories.  I could see parents objecting on the book based on the use of that one word.  In a time when name calling and bullying are in the news all the time using a book that advocates a word like "stupid" as a description can be seen as questionable.  As a teacher you might want to be careful with this book.  Maybe not read it aloud but rather just have it available in your classroom library.

If you were to use this book in your class you could pair it up with the original stories that it is based on.  Show that stories are not always written the same and can be altered.  They also do not need to be written in the "conventional" way we are so used to.  Different styles spice up things and make students question norms and how they themselves choose to write.

Princess Grace

Title: Princess Grace
Author: Mary Hoffman
Illustrators: Cornelius Van Wright, Ying Hwa-Hu
Type: Picture
Grade Level: 1-3
Rating: 3 out of 5

In the town parade this year there will be two princesses chosen to represent Grace's class.  Grace has always wanted to be a princess so she is very excited about this possibility.  But on planning her costume she is not exactly sure what princesses wear or what they do?  With the help of her teacher, Grace and her class learn there is more to a princess than just "pink, frilly dresses."

I really enjoyed this book.  It had me thinking about things I've never considered before.  Like Grace and her classmates, I've always associated princesses with the pretty dressed in pink ones of fairy tales but princesses are all over the world with different customs and duties.  As a reader you follow Grace along as she learns about princesses and also learns about herself because of who these women are.  You see her grow and become a more conscious person.

Although this book is mostly aimed at girls it does reach out to a boy (prince!) audience as well so it can be used for a whole class without leaving the boys in the cold.  The book highlights princesses in different cultures and how they all differ despite having the same title so you could use this book to cover different cultures.  Another option is to use this in a unit on stereotypes.  Most everyone in the U.S. has the same image of the "Christmas tree fairy in a pink and floaty dress" but this books shows that there are all sorts of princesses (and princes!).  You could use this book along with others to tackle stereotypes.

Real Princesses of the World

To Be an Artist

Title: To Be an Artist
Authors: Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko
Pictures: Global Fund for Children (Organization)
Type: Picture
Grade Level: K-3
Rating: 4 out of 5

Children across the world are artists.  Their cultures and the supplies available to them may differ but they are all partaking in the universal language of art.  Travel to 35 countries and see what art looks and sounds like to the children living there.

I always enjoy learning about different cultures.  It is interesting to see how they differ and yet how they are similar.  For the most part this book was a window for me.  It offered me views of completely different worlds with their different cultures. The book shows the children doing the same kind of activity but in different ways.  We all love art and it comes in all shapes, sizes and sounds.

This would definitely be an interesting book to have in the classroom.  It opened my eyes to several things and I'm sure it would do the same with my students.  You could open up a unit on art around the world with this book.  Each student or group of students could be assigned one of the countries from the book.  They would do further research and then present their findings to the class.  Then as a whole we would do an art activity from that country.  The students would learn about other countries and gain an appreciation from the differences and similarities.

A Cool Drink of Water

Title: A Cool Drink of Water
Author: Barbara Kerley
Photographer: National Geographic
Type: Picture
Grade Level: K-3
Rating: 4 out of 5

A National Geographic book showing through photographs how people around the world acquire their water.

This book really got me to think about how I take advantage of the availability of my water.  All I need to do is turn on the faucet or grab a water bottle and I'm good to go.  It's amazing what people must do to get such an important thing.  As Americans we forget what a necessity water is because it is always at our fingertips.  This book gave me a different perspective and it was a window to different cultures and how people must get their water.

This book would be interesting to use in the classroom.  I'm sure the students would have an eye opening experience like I did on how people get and use their water supply.  This book could be matched up on units about natural resources, conservation or simply just water.  The class could read the book, write about their own experiences, research and make plans for water conservation.  You may want to emphasize the fact that people from different cultures should not be pitied or looked down upon because of the differences in their circumstances.  Rather this is an educational way to see how others live and how their cultures may differ from ours. 

Jacqueline Woodson Experience

Jacqueline Woodson is a very daring writer.  She likes to tackle all sorts of controversial issues.  Common themes throughout her work are gender, African American society and history, economic status, sexual identity and sexual abuse among other things.  Her books range from picture to young adult to adult books all with the same purpose of addressing universal questions that surround the reader.

Although many of her books end sadly there is still a feeling of hope.  When the characters are dealing with split families, divorce, death, desertion, loneliness, racial conflicts, violence, etc. the reader is left to wonder can this book end happily?  But all her characters have such strength.  They may not start out that way but with the help of a friend you see them grow.  Woodson shows the harsh realities of life and doesn't dance around the truth.  She does such an excellent job of portraying her characters, settings and struggles so realistically that as a reader you can see everything going on in your mind's eye.

 The topics that Woodson address in her books can be seen as very controversial.  She covers all sorts of uncomfortable issues like child abuse.  Many do not believe this should be read by school age children but Woodson defends her work by saying that these are the realities of the students' lives.  They may not be dealing with these issues themselves but they may know someone else who is.  She chose content she experienced and saw around her which is similar to many students.  "[I wanted] to write about communities that were familiar to me and people that were familiar to me. I wanted to write about communities of color. I wanted to write about girls. I wanted to write about friendship and all of these things that I felt like were missing in a lot of the books that I read as a child."

Woodson's website

Tyrannosaurus Math

Title: Tyrannosaurus Math
Author: Michelle Markel
Illustrator: Doug Cushman
Type: Picture
Grade Level: K-3
Rating: 3 out of 5

Tyrannosaurus Math, a tyrannosaurus rex, finds math in everyday things all around him.  He counts ornithomimus footprints, draws pictures of ankylosaurs to figure out how many legs he has eaten, and uses pie charts to evenly distribute hadrosaurs amongst his siblings.

The literary elements of time and place contribute to the story (Peterson & Eeds).  If the story had taken place in modern times it would have been completely different.  T-Math could have been stomping around a city and counting skyscrapers but since the story is during prehistoric times it gives it a historical and more realistic perspective.

This book takes something (dinosaurs) that a lot of students are interested in to help them understand and appreciate math better.  In my classroom this book would for obvious reasons be used to work on math with my students.  The back of the book lists the math skills and describes how T-Math used them. We could use the book to introduce skills or reinforce them with the examples.  Since T-Math is finding and using math in his everyday life I could challenge my students to do the same.

The Three Pigs

Title: The Three Pigs
Author and Illustrator: David Wiesner
Type: Picture
Grade Level: K-3
Rating: 4 out of 5

A twist to the classic tale of The Three Little Pigs.  The pigs escape from the pages of their story and adventure into other fairy tales.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story!  Like most people I grew up knowing the tale of The Three Little Pigs.  So when I started reading this book I thought it would be the same old thing but with Caldecott Award winning illustrations.  I was shocked when the pigs exited the frames of their pictures in order to escape the wolf.  The use of the illustrations creates a very unique structure to the tale.  It was because of them that the story had a different spin to it.

I had the pleasure of reading this with my child study student and she was blown away just like I had been.  On the page that one of the pigs first escapes she stopped to stare at the picture.  She knew something was different than what she was used to and hungrily read on.  The layout of the story was something she had never seen before and she loved it.  She was constantly pointing out things and excitedly talking about all that was happening in the unconventional pictures and use of text.  Having experienced this with one child I know that others will have a similar reaction to the story.  I could use this book in a comparison unit with reading other fairy tales or just other versions of The Three Little Pigs.  We could also talk about how the illustrations are used in this story and the idea of thinking outside the box when we work.

Flotsam

Title: Flotsam
Author and Illustrator: David Wiesner
Type: Picture
Grade Level: K-2
Rating: 4 out of 5

A wordless picture book where a boy finds an old underwater camera while at the beach.  He gets the film developed and the pictures show him the existence of an underwater world and secrets unknown to man.

I really enjoyed this book because of its unique story plot idea but especially because of the beautiful and creative illustrations. There is so much detail and thought put into each picture which is so important seeing as it is a wordless picture book.  Everything is open to interpretation but the pictures act as guides throughout the story.

I had placed this book on my kitchen table when I got home from the library and all of my roommates at some point opened it up and were intrigued by it.  I think that since all the interactions I've witnessed surrounding this book (including my own) have been so positive and interested that this book would be a great pick for using in the classroom.  Children love picture books and this one is different in that the illustrations seem so realistic ad relatable to any reader who is familiar with the beach setting.  Then comes the science fiction!  Students would surely love to create a narrative to go with this story.

Jumanji

Title: Jumanji
Author and Illustrator: Chris Van Allsburg
Type: Picture
Grade Level: 2-4
Rating: 4 out of 5

Peter and Judy are bored with all their games so they decide to give Jumanji, an ordinary enough looking game they find, a chance.  Yet this book is far from ordinary!  Soon the children are rushing through the game to rid their house of lions, monkeys and other jungle animals before their parents get home!

As I read this book I was filled with all sorts of emotions.  I was worried for the children's safety, stressed by the continued appearance of dangerous creatures, anxious for them to finish the game and relieved when their parents came home to find them safe and sound.  As a reader I felt the fear and stress the children felt because of their predicament.  I couldn't put the book down because I was so caught up in the story and invested in the characters.  It is the plot of the story and how each events follows another that causes me to feel as I do when I read (Peterson and Eeds).  The tension in the story (Will they be alright!?) is what creates the suspense, nervousness and urgency inside me as I continue through the book.

For older students you could use this book to talk about the difference between books and the movies that are based on them.  For example, the difference in character relationships, characters included (the movie has Robin Williams as a person who was trapped inside the game), the use of time,  length (short book but long movie), etc.  You could even use the book as a reinforcer to follow rules in the classroom.  Luckily Peter and Judy follow directions but what about the two little boys that never follow rules that play the game after them?  You could have a little fun here with that idea.  Or else you can always just read the story in the classom because it is an enjoyable and intriguing read with beautiful Caldecott Award winning illustrations.

The Napping House

Title: The Napping House
Author: Audrey Wood
Illustrator: Don Wood
Type: Picture
Grade Level: K-2
Rating: 4 out of 5

"There is a house, a napping house, where everyone is sleeping."  It is a rainy day and everyone is taking a nap... crammed in the same bed!  What happens when a granny, a boy, a dog, a cat, a mouse and a flea all take a nap together?

I remember when I was little and my mom used to read me this story.  Her voice was so soothing to listen to as it followed the cadence of the repeated patterns of the book (Peterson & Eeds).  The flow and how the reader's voice sounds aloud is important for a story called The Napping House.  Since everyone is sleeping it is a great use of language to have the readers lulled into a comfortable and drowsy state just by the word choice.  I remember my mom and I would laugh together at the idea of the story which is wonderfully reinforced with the pictures.

The familiar people and animals combined with the repeated and predictable patterns sets an early reader at ease when reading this story.  It is also a fun story to read aloud (as I know from my own personal experiences) because of the cadence and patterns.  The order of events and even the idea of the story would be worthy for classroom discussion.

I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This

Title: I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Type: Novel
Grade Level: 4-6
Rating: 4 out of 5

Marie, an affluent black girl, and Lena, a down on her luck white girl, strike up the unlikeliest of friendships.  Despite their differences and society's disapproval the two bond over their shared experiences and the secrets they cannot tell anyone else.

This book had me hooked almost immediately.  The characters were wonderfully written by Woodson.  They were not flat and one dimensional characters but realistic and complex humans.  Having not dealt with most of the issues these girls face (parental abandonment, death and abuse, and racial conflict) I was taken along with them as they coped and learned from their experiences (Peterson & Eeds).  Marie and Lena were so strong and brave in the face of what they were confronted by and it was awe inspiring to me as a reader.  I had such an emotional attachment to them and felt their pain, fears, and joy.  Part of what makes this book so powerful is the controversy within.  I'm sure some parents would have issues with some of the content (sexual abuse, abandonment, death and racial discrimination).  I understand their concern and wish to protect their children but I believe that all students should be exposed to real life issues and not unduly sheltered.

I can definitely see the value in reading this book in the classroom.  It would give my students an opportunity to tackle some serious social issues.  The characters go through things that hopefully most of my students do not have personal experience with but it would be a growing experience for them and help them open their eyes to the realities of the world around them.  It wouldn't be an easy book to teach but I think it would be very rewarding.

The Giver

Title: The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry
Type: Novel
Grade Level: 5+
Rating: 4 out of 5

Jonas lives in world with no color, pain, choice or love.  Everything is in its place for logical and correct reason.  At age 12 Jonas is assigned the position in the community as the mysterious and unknown Giver.  Soon he is gaining insight on emotions, the past and a life of freedom.  Now that he knows these things he wants it for everyone but is it his place to make a decision?

This book has so much going on within it.  You are always kept on your toes and wanting more.  The use of literary elements are key for this and because of them the story is brought to life and gives meaning to the reader (Peterson & Eeds).  Jonas is the main character of the story and through him you are introduced to this Utopian world and then also to the discovery that it is actually a Dystopia.  As a reader you follow along with him and learn and grow as he does.  You are sucked into his world and feel his pains, joys, fears and triumphs.

There is some controversy surrounding the idea of the release in the story.  Infants, the elderly and the troublesome are "released" or in reality, put to death.  In one particular case a girl asks to be released which is in essence her suicide.  It is an uncomfortable and touchy issue but parents need to understand there is a purpose to it in the story.

I read this book in 6th grade.  I don't remember much about the experience except that I enjoyed it and it had been thought provoking.  Despite the controversy around it and it being banned I would love to use this book in my classroom.  It definitely forces the reader to think.  Students could be answering question about free will, whether total control or maybe just partial control is a good idea, importance of history and the idea of the release.  Like I said before there is so much happening in this story that students could endlessly discuss and dissect the text, especially the ending.  What do you think happens?  I won't say what I think here in case you haven't read it but I recommend you do read The Giver.  The last page is such a tease which you can also talk about open ended finishes to stories with your students.

The Un-Wedding

Title: The Un-Wedding
Author and Illustrator: Babette Cole
Type: Picture
Grade Level: 2-5
Rating: 3 out of 5

Demetrius and Paula's parents do not get along.  The children fear it is their fault hut find out other children have the same exact problem.  Demetrius and Paula suggest an un-wedding and learn that everyone benefits from their parents' separation.

The book never actually says the word "divorce" but the reader infers that "unwedding" and divorce are the same thing.  Personally I did not experience divorce as a child but many of my friends did and like Demetrius and Paula they were confused and concerned it was their fault.  I think that the use of comedy makes the topic more light-hearted and easier to handle for the reader.  I could see parents potentially objecting to this book because of the unusual and uncomfortable topic but it is something children grapple with.

Divorce is an unusual classroom topic and especially unusual in children's literature but it is a relevant topic for many children.  With statistics as they are now then it is certain that several of my students will have parents that are divorced.  A book like this shows that parents disagreeing is common and that good can come out of a divorce.  I don't know how I would use this in my teaching but it would be a good reference to have available to my students.

White Wash

Title: Whitewash
Author: Ntozake Shange
Illustrator: Michael Sporn
Type: Picture
Grade Level: 2-5
Rating: 4 out of 5

A young African American girl and her brother are walking home from school when they are ambushed by a gang of older white boys.  The brother is beat up while Helene-Angel is held down and her face is painted white.

Parents might say this is an inappropriate and irrelevant book.  Yet children can usually handle more than they are given credit for.  And like Tunnel and Jacobs say, "Avoiding the harsh and often unsavory realities of life does not make them go away."  Although their black classmates may not be getting whitewashed they still go through the shame and self-doubt brought on by other forms of daily racism.  So no matter what parents may think, a book like this that shows the reality of racism and its effects.  Plus, Ntozake Shange is a reliable source considering she had to handle racism since childhood.

Helene-Angel and her brother, Mauricio, are verbally abused by racial and ethnic slurs and are physically abused by the white thugs on the street.  Afterwords, Helene-Angel is fearful, embarrassed and begins to see herself as ugly.  Mauricio is embarrassed and emasculated.  Yet with the love, strength and support of their family and friends of all races the two siblings are able to overcome this incident.  This story evokes a lot of emotion out of me as a reader and I know it would effect my students the same.  This book tackles racism and its effects on not just the people being targeted but everyone else around them.  It is important that children are exposed to topics like racism so they can become aware of it and act as agents against it.  I would read this book to my students and find out their reactions to it.  This book opens up discussion on racism, the effects, equality, fair treatment and ways to battle racism.

Prince Cinders

Title: Prince Cinders
Author and Illustrator: Babette Cole
Type: Picture
Grade Level: K-1
Rating: 4 out of 5

With a twist to the classic Cinderella, Prince Cinders is forced to to clean up after his three big hairy brothers.  A fairy tries to help but all her spells seem to go wrong.  Yet Princess Lovelypenny still seems to fall for Prince Cinders and sets out to find the prince who fits in the trousers left behind.

I found this story hilarious.  The text was funny and clever and the pictures were a perfect match.  If you can get a reader to laugh out loud (like I was!) then you know they are engaged in the book.  Prince Cinders is such a lovable and goofy character that the reader can't help but getting attached to him and cheering him on.  We get to know him and travel along with him as he (literally) grows and changes throughout the story (Peterson and Eeds).  Prince Cinders is a strong character that the reader identifies with.

Children know and love fairy tales.  Most children grow up knowing stories like Cinderella which is what Prince Cinders is based off of with a comedic twist.  As a teacher you could read both of these books and compare and contrast them.  You could discuss the differences and the effects from these differences between the classic and the contemporary version.  So not only will the children enjoy reading a familiar classic like Cinderella but they would also get to read a hilarious spoof of it all while learning to compare and contrast.

Rapunzel

Title: Rapunzel
Retold and Illustrated: Paul O. Zelinsky
Type: Picture
Grade Level: 3-5
Rating: 3 out of 5

To ease his pregnant wife's food cravings a husband repeatedly sneaks into his neighbors yard to pick her vegetables.  He eventually is caught by the sorceress who he had been stealing from and is forced into paying his debts back with his still to be born child.  Upon birth the sorceress takes the daughter and places her in a tower to be kept from everyone.  The only way to enter the tower if by climbing up the long ladder of Rapunzel's hair.

A concern of mine for this book is that it lacks any diversity.  The husband and wife are privileged, white, rich and young.  The sorceress is old and ugly.  Rapunzel is a rare beauty with pale skin, reddish gold hair and a beautiful voice.  The prince is young, handsome and brave.  Like most fairy tales Rapunzel does not challenge societal norms or attempt at diversification.  Just because of that does not mean the book is bad but I would like to try for as much diversity in my classroom readings as possible.

This book won  the Caldecott  Award in 1998 for its stunning and highly realistic oil paintings.  I would say the art in this book is its high point.  Since fairy tales are so popular with children you could read this book and discuss the art.  Create an art appreciation unit based off this story.  This book could even be used as an example of a different painting style.  Have this be the example and let children do their own paintings to this story, their own or others.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Title: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Author and Illustrator: Eric Carle
Type: Picture
Grade Level: Pre-1
Rating:

Out pops a little caterpillar from his egg.  He is very hungry!  The little caterpillar eats through all sorts of food before building himself a cocoon.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a classic that brings back fond memories of kindergarten for me.  I remember gathering on the circular carpet in from of my teacher as she read us the book.  The artwork was bright and inviting and the holes in the pages made the book interactive.  The text was concise and well-written with subtle humor in it that made me smile at the silly caterpillar.  A pattern is established with the caterpillar increasing its eating as the week continues which makes the story easier to comprehend for the young readers (Tunnel and Jacobs).

The opportunities are endless with teaching this book in class.  You can do a unit on caterpillars to butterflies with discussing their life cycle, correct diet (unlike the one in the book), and then raise butterflies on your own.  You can start of the year with this book and ask the children what food would they like to eat through as a way to get to know them.  Here is a link with lots of great ideas and activities to use with this book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Activities

The Lion and the Mouse

Title: The Lion and the Mouse
Author and Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney
Type: Picture
Grade Level: K-3
Rating: 4 out of 5

A wordless picture book that shows the interactions between a lion and a mouse.

I'm not very used to wordless picture books but this one made me fall in love with them.  I love the concept that comes with them.  The reader is forced into the role of author and their creativity is encouraged to run wild with the images.  The illustrations were amazing and definitely worthy of the Caldecott Award they earned.  Jerry Pinkney was able to show the story so wonderfully because of his extraordinary artwork.  If the images were lesser than the story would not have been as effective.

A book like this is great because everybody "reads" it differently.  In your classroom every child will have a different outlook on things.  After reading the book you could ask your students to tell their story to show that each person gains something different from the images.  This book would be great to read aloud and let your students write stories to go along with it.  You also could use this book for a unit on inferring and predicting based on pictures.

The Great Kapok Tree

Title: The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest
Author and Illustrator: Lynne Cherry
Type: Picture
Grade Level: 3-5
Rating: 4 out of 5

A young man is sent into the rain forest to chop down a giant Kapok tree.  While taking a break he falls asleep at the foot of the tree.  As he rests the creatures of the forest that depend on this tree whisper to him their stories.

The Great Kapok Tree is a wonderful book.  The illustrations are colorful and bright and the text draws the reader in.  Both the images and the text set the mood for the story (Peterson and Eeds).  Through text the animals logically lay down the facts and the pictures bring that to life.  Who would want such beautiful and vibrant birds to be forced to live in "black and smoldering ruins?"  The book plays with the readers emotions to stimulate their personal connection.

This book is so great for the classroom!  There are so many things that students (and teachers!) can learn about from it!  You can use it for units on environmental protection, rain forests, their animal life, cause and effect, and so on.  The book includes maps of rain forests around the world before and after deforestation which can be used as a teaching tool.  There are diagrams of the layers of the rain forests and the animals that live within them.  The animals tell the sleeping man the truths of the rain forest that the man (and probably the reader) do not know or understand.  The animals codependency on the Kapok and the cause and effect nature of the man's action is clearly shown to the readers.  The man's decision to not cut down the tree shows that one person can make a difference.  What is something your students could do to make a difference in their environment?

Save the rain forest!

The Higher Power of Lucky

Title: The Higher Power of Lucky
Author: Susan Patron
Illustrator: Matt Phelan
Type: Novel
Grade Level: 4-6
Rating: 5 out of 5

Lucky lives in the desert of Hard Pan, California with her French legal guardian, Brigitte, and her faithful dog.  Worried that Brigitte will leave her, Lucky goes out to find her Higher Power and along the way learns about herself and the meaning of family.

The Higher Power of Lucky is a wonderfully enjoyable story and when you break it down by its literary elements you are given an insight on why it is such a great novel (worthy of the Newbery Award!).  Also by looking at literary elements you see and learn so much more than you had originally.  As a reader I became attached to Lucky almost instantly.  She was quirky and very lovable.  It wasn't until I took a deeper look that I realized why I loved her as a character so much.  She is such a dynamic character and you experience her growth throughout the story as you travel along with her (Peterson and Eeds).  You are let into her thought processes and understand the way her brain works.  Most people I know do not think of a desert as a good place to live but Lucky loves it and the readers grows to appreciate it.  The setting basically becomes another character in the book.  It is constantly changing with the weather which brings everything and everyone together.  If the story was anywhere but a desert then it would not work.  The desert brings the story to life and adds to the reader's construction of meaning (Peterson and Eeds).  It was the literary elements like the characters and the place that added to my understanding and appreciation of this great novel.

I think this book would work really well in the classroom.  Students and teachers alike will love it and there is so much to talk about it.  Like I said before the literary elements are very strong in this book and so it would be a great example to teach about literary elements to students.  You could also talk about the controversy surrounding this book and what children think about it.  (In particular, the use of the word "scrotum" on the first page)  You could discuss what a family is which many students can relate to since they do not come from "normal" nuclear families themselves. You could even talk about the differences of living in a desert as opposed to somewhere else (pair it up with another novel so you can compare).

Literary Elements

If you had asked me a week ago to name a couple literary elements I would not have been able to name one.  But now I can! Character, point of view, time, place, plot, mood, symbol and symbol and extended metaphor, to name a few.  They seem like simple enough aspects to writing but they are rarely given the attention they deserve.  These elements are what make or break a book and without an understanding of literary elements the reader can miss out on so many aspects of a story.

You might be asking why someone who didn't even know what literary elements are is all of the sudden such a strong advocate for them, and that is a good question.  In a class discussion on literary elements in the book The Higher Power of Lucky my eyes were opened to so many things I hadn't noticed previously in my ignorance.  I was seeing things I hadn't before, making connections and enjoying the book so much more because of this new found knowledge of literary elements.

When told the list of literary elements (character, point of view, time, etc.) you would probably recognize them but can you explain their importance to the story?  According to Peterson and Eeds, literary elements "enable us to enter even further into story worlds and see and understand them much better."  If used properly, these elements pull the reader into the text and keep them there.  The reader connects with the book, grows with the characters and is affected by the mood of the story.  If you are reading without understanding literary elements then you are reading only one dimensionally and you are missing out on the whole encompassing experience.  By gaining knowledge on literary elements and paying attention to them then you are given the power to be both a better reader and writer.

Need an example?  We all know stories have characters, they are necessary for the story to work and that's it, right?  Wrong.  There is so much more to a story book character.  It is through a story's characters that the reader has a chance to step into another's shoes and feel what it is like to be them.  You get to know the character and travel along with them as they grow and change throughout the story.  You gain insight to things you might never have had the chance to on your own because of a story's characters.  The character is your guide and it is from them that you also learn and grow.  Have you ever given a character in a story this much thought?  My guess is not but next time you pick up a book you might catch yourself thinking about these things.  It is through your understanding of literary elements, like characters, that leads to appreciation and a fuller reading experience.

The Gingerbread Man

Title: The Gingerbread Man
Author and Illustrator: Carol Jones
Type: Picture Book
Grade Level: 1-3
Rating: 3 out of 5

A gingerbread man escapes from an old couple who baked him and then continues to run away from a series of nursery rhyme characters who hope to eat him.  Eventually he meets up with a fox who promises to help him.  A recipe for gingerbread is included in the back of the book.

It seems like every child grows up knowing and loving the story of The Gingerbread Man.  It's a fun book with a gingerbread cutout who comes alive and goes running along and singing from people who would love to eat him.  I know that after I finished reading the book I had the song stuck in my head.  One concern that I would have with this book is there are some outdated words.  If I was reading the book to my class I could work with them on explaining the words but if they were reading it on their own they might struggle with the old fashion words.

My child study student requested that I bring this book and so when I did the following week she was ecstatic.  This version was different than what I used to.  I don't remember a bunch of nursery rhyme characters being the ones preying on the gingerbread man but I enjoyed that.  Also the pages had a cut out in them so as you read you could see who the next person would be to try to eat the gingerbread man.  My child study student liked those cut outs because they gave her a clue on predicting who was next.  As a teacher you could read the book aloud to your class and then do an activity like a play, a song, an obstacle course or a cooking activity with the book.  There are a lot of options and great things you can do with this book.

Clifford to the Rescue

Title: Clifford to the Rescue
Author and Illustrator: Norman Bridwell
Type: Picture Book
Grade Level: K-2
Rating: 3 out of 5

Clifford is a very big red dog.  With his owner, Emily Elizabeth, Clifford helps out around his town.  Whether it is catching robbers, rescuing people from a burning building or helping a kitten, Clifford is happily there to help.

Clifford books are classics, I remember growing up on them.  They are simple reads but a child can get a lot out of them.  They are full of lessons, teach about holidays and other things a reader deals with on a daily basis.  It has a little edge also because kids love animals and a dog teaching them lessons is different than a normal kid doing the same things.  I think Clifford books are a great teaching tool because the student is enjoying reading while also learning something.

I had the opportunity to read this book with my child study student and she loved it.  She saw I had a Clifford book and was immediately excited to read it.  She enjoyed making predictions on what would happen next and pointing out what was happening in the pictures.  I had brought the book along because I had been curious if another child would react to and love the books as much as I did when I was a child.  She clearly did and after she was done reading we had a discussion on helping others.  Clifford to the Rescue would be a good book to use in the classroom during a lesson on helping others for younger elementary students.  Like I did with my child study student you could read the book and discuss how you have helped others as an introduction to your lesson.  From my own personal experiences as a reader and also from working with my child study student I think this book would be a very effective teaching tool.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

Title: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Author: Laura Joffe Numeroff
Illustrator: Felicia Bond
Type: Picture Book
Grade Level: K-1
Rating: 5 out of 5

If you give a mouse a cookie then you better be prepared for a busy day of following his orders.  A silly story of a boy who offers a mouse a cookie and the adventures that ensue.

I challenge you to find someone who didn't love this book as a child.  It is a classic that every child loves and every adult has fond memories of.  It is a simple book but the little mouse is so funny and endearing that you can't help but love his demanding character.  Plus the illustrations are excellent.  They are simple like the text but really make the book.  The cause and effect nature of the book establishes a pattern in the book that according to Tunnel and Jacobs is a sign of a well-written book.  (If this happens then this will happen, when this happens then this will happen, etc.)  It makes the pattern of the book predictable and comfortable for children to follow.

You could read this book to your students simply for an enjoyable read or you could also incorporate some sort of activity along with it.  You could teach your students about cause and effects relationships with the mouse being an excellent example.  You could talk about the chain of events leading from one thing to another and even do your own type of activity with it.  There is a whole series of If You Give books like If You Give a Moose a Muffin and If You Give a Pig a Pancake, so if you have a reluctant reader who enjoyed this book there are several more similar to it that they can enjoy.

Curious George Visits the Library

Title: Curious George Visits the Library
Author: Margret and H.A. Rey
Illustrator: Martha Weston
Type: Picture Book
Grade Level: 1-3
Rating: 3 out of 5

George, a very curious monkey, visits the library just in time for story time but gets impatient while waiting for his favorite book to be read.  He explores the library finding loads of books to read and learns about how the library works.

As a child I enjoyed these books, I mean, they are classics.  George is such a funny character and children love the idea of a monkey getting into mischief.  The text is extremely simplistic and Tunnel and Jacobs would possibly say that the book might be condescending because of its controlled vocabulary and because the text tells rather than shows.  Despite those things the story works because of the age of reader the book is aimed at.  The simple sentences are what is to be expected of a reader at such a level.

This book would be a great read aloud before going to the school library with your class.  You could read the story, talk about what George did that was acceptable and unacceptable in a library and students could talk about their own experiences at a library.  After going over library etiquette your class is prepared to visit the library.  Books from this series are full of lessons and important stories relevant to the readers.  You could use Curious George books for a theme on teaching life lessons.

Llama Llama Misses Mama

Title: Llama Llama Misses Mama

Author and Illustrator: Anna Dewdney

Type: Picture Book

Grade Level: Pre-1

Rating: 4 out of 5

It is Llama's first day of school and she is feeling overwhelmed and lonely.  Eventually Llama is having so much fun she forgets to miss her Mama!

This is a very cute story.  As a reader I could relate with Llama because I remember my first day of school, or even other events that were new to me.  I was shy and unsure and once I opened up to the new setting I completely forgot to be sad or lonely or shy.  The story rhymed and had a great flow to it.  As I read it aloud I caught myself thinking that Tunnel and Jacob's term "music in language" best described the text.  The illustrations were also very cute and work great alongside the text.

For pretty obvious reasons this book would be great for the first day of school, especially for kindergarten.  Llama is experiencing exactly what you're students are going through so they can relate to him very well.  You could start the day off with reading the book aloud so your students understand they are not alone in their feelings and that it is natural.  You could also use this book for a rhyming unit for beginners.  The rhyming is simple but gets the point across.

Author/Illustrator Study: Brian Selznick

Despite initially saying he would never be a children's book illustrator, Brian Selznick became just that, and a very successful one too.  Selznick wrote his first book, The Houdini Box while working at a children's book store and from there his career took off as a commissioned illustrator for other authors.  He did a lot of work drawing for other authors but continued to write and illustrate his own books.

A list of his work as both author and illustrator

• The Houdini Box
• The Boy of a Thousand Faces
• The Robot King
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2008 Caldecott Medal)

A partial list of his work as illustrator

• Frindle by Andrew Clements
• The Doll People by Ann Martin and Laura Godwin
• Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride by Pam Munoz Ryan
• The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins by Barbara Kerley (2002 Caldecott Honor Book)

Brian Selznick is foremost known as an illustrator and its understandable because of his amazing artwork.  I really enjoyed the story plot of his books but his drawings were what really stood out for me.  Although he is both an author and illustrator, Selznick's drawings are the key to his success.  His work is usually just charcoal drawings but he adds such definition and depth that they come alive on the page.  Selznick travels all over while researching for his drawings.  He wants to see exactly what it is he is drawing, to be able to feel and experience his subject.  He was taught to feel them physically and emotionally and I believe his connection with his work is what makes his drawings jump off the pages and into the hearts and minds of the readers.  It is no wonder that he has illustrated for more than 10 different authors and also won the Caldecott Award!

It is Selznick's ability to grab the reader's attention with his drawings that makes his books great for reading aloud (or on your own) in the classroom.  I'm thinking in particular that The Boy of a Thousand Faces would be a great read aloud in a classroom around Halloween time.  The pictures are sensational and add to the fun plot that will have the students not only enthralled but their minds will be speeding along trying to predict what is going to happen next. (I know I kept trying to guess what was going to happen next!)

Although I am sure girls would enjoy them too (I did!) but the books that Selznick wrote and also illustrated take on the interests that Selznick had as a child himself (monsters, magic, machines, etc.).  I think his books would be great for boys that are reluctant readers.  The books are vivid and exciting and the text is easy enough to read without skimping out on excitement.

Brian Selznick's most recent book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2008 Caldecott Award) is a book that is abuzz not just in the literary world but also the cinematic one.  Selznick describes the book as “not exactly a novel, and it’s not quite a picture book, and it’s not really a graphic novel, or a flip book, or a movie, but a combination of all these things” (Selznick).  The book is 533 pages with 300 of those pages being pictures.  Unlike the traditional idea of pictures accompanying text Selznick decided that with Hugo pictures would be telling parts of the story that the text did not.  Karen Breen, a chairwoman of the Caldecott judges committee said that the book was chosen because of “the way the illustrations told the story was so exquisite” (Rich).  It is a unique idea with a unique plot that has even captured the attention of Martin Scorsese who will be directing an adaptation of the novel into a movie.  With a star studded cast and crew it will be interesting to see how Selznick’s brilliance carries over onto the big screen.

For more information on The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the making of the movie and Brian Selznick you can visit his website dedicated to the book. Hugo Cabret Website

Nicky's Noisy Night

Title: Nicky’s Noisy Night

Author: Harriet Ziefert

Illustrator: Richard Brown

Type: Picture Book

Grade Level: Pre-K

Rating: 3 out of 5

Nicky the kitten can't sleep and so with the help of the reader lifting the flaps he is able to discover what is causing the noises that are keeping him awake.

I remember loving lift-the-flap books and Nicky's Noisy Night was one of my favorites.  Not only is it exciting to guess what is behind that door or curtain or clock but with a lift-the-flap book the reader gets to take charge and interact with the book.  The fun a reader (or listener) can have with this book makes me think of what Mem Fox said about the importance of having fun while reading and making a game of it.  This book is for beginning readers and it does the important job of showing that reading can in fact be fun and lively.  According to Tunnel and Jacobs establishing patterns in writing can be part of what makes a book well-written.  In the book the pages start with saying that something is making a noise and asks who is it?  The pages follow the same pattern which makes the reading predictable and thus easy.  The continual pattern also makes the reading flow smoothly.

I had the opportunity to read this book with my child study student and so I was able to first hand see her come alive with the book.  She could hardly wait to lift the flaps and see what was making the noises disturbing poor Nicky.  Yet, before she opened the flaps we would both make a prediction on what we thought was making the noise.  It was a great opportunity for me to work on making predictions with her and I think as a teacher I could use this in a classroom and work on a unit of making predictions.  This unit would be for younger students based on the reading level of the book so I could pair it up with simple guessing and predicting activities.

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Title: Harold and the Purple Crayon

Author and Illustrator: Crockett Johnson

Type: Picture Book

Grade Level: K-2

Rating: 5 out of 5

Harold and the Purple Crayon is about young Harold who decides to take up his large purple crayon and go for a nighttime walk.  Whatever Harold imagines he can create with his purple crayon and so ensues the adventure.

If you ask anyone who has read Harold and the Purple Crayon if they liked it you will get a similar reaction to this- "Yes!  I loved that book when I was younger!"  It is exactly what I say when asked about the book.  It brings back warm memories of reading the book with my sister and mom and then doing purple crayon drawings of our own.  

Although the illustrations are simple they are fantastic.  They portray Harold's childish capability to draw as well portray his thoughts.  The pictures tell what the story at times does not.  I read this book with my child study student and at the point when Harold was frightened by the monster and his hand started shaking she looked at the illustration and exclaimed, "Oh no!  He is drawing water!  He can't swim and he is going to drown!"  Based on the pictures she was able to predict what was going to happen next.  She didn't know if he could swim or not but she added her own details to the story.  It wasn't until the next page that the text explains Harold's shaking hand accidentally drew water.  So from my experience with my child study student I saw that this book would be great for working on predictions and from my own experience I know that pairing the book with a fun coloring activity is a great idea for younger students reading the book.

The Boy of a Thousand Faces

Title: The Boy of a Thousand Faces

Author and Illustrator: Brian Selznick

Type: Picture Book

Grade Level: 2-5

Rating: 4 out of 5

The Boy of a Thousand Faces is about 10 year old Alonzo King who was born on Halloween and loves monsters of all types.  Nobody else in the town believes in monsters until one day The Beast arrives and sends the town into a frenzy and seeking Alonzo's expertise.

I really enjoyed this book.  Even though it was a book about monsters I found it very cute and the characters endearing.  The plot was unique and fun and the drawings doubled the fun and uniqueness of the book.  Alonzo is a passionate character and his emotions carry over to the reader and they feel his boredom, curiosity and excitement.  He is a likable character that readers (especially children who are as equally obsessed with monsters) can relate to.

It is Selznick's ability to grab the reader's attention with his drawings that especially makes his book great for reading aloud in the classroom.  The Boy of a Thousand Faces would be a great read aloud around Halloween time.  The pictures are sensational and add to the fun plot that will have the students not only enthralled but they get to act as detectives and try to guess what is going to happen next.  Additionally we could do an art project where the students get to create Halloween masks and become one of Alonzo's 1,000 faces.

The Houdini Box

Title: The Houdini Box

Author and Illustrator: Brian Selznick

Type: Picture Book

Grade Level: 2-5

Rating: 4 out of 5

Inspired by the work of Houdini, young Victor devotes himself to copying the work of the great magician.  Despite failure Victor continues to lock himself in a trunk, holding his breath while submerged in his bathtub and attempting to walk through walls.  One day he runs into Houdini at a train station and not wanting to reveal his secrets in public Houdini promises to send Victor something in the mail.  This is how Victor comes to own a mysterious locked box with the initial E.W. inscribed upon it.

It is not a book I would usually choose for myself but I still really enjoyed it.  Victor is a great, lively boy that you could find in any household.  His curiosity and passion for a boy at his age is very realistic.  I also really loved the parallels between Victor and Houdini.  The beginning flipped between the two magicians and is a good lesson on comparing for students.

While the story is fiction I enjoyed the historical facts and real-life fliers about Houdini.  As a reader I got to read an interesting and fun book while also learning some history.  A lot of the time students at this age level don't like to read historical fiction books and so a book like this could be a good way to show them that history can be fun!

Whistle for Willie

Title: Whistle for Willie

Author and Illustrator: Ezra Jack Keats

Type: Picture Book

Grade Level: K-2

Rating: 5 out of 5

Peter’s greatest wish is to whistle!  He wishes he could whistle like the other children and be able to whistle for his dog, Willie.  The story follows Peter’s struggles as he practices and works hard to achieve his dream.

I just love this book.  It was one of my favorites as a child because of the beautiful, bright pictures and also because I could relate with the struggle to whistle.  I remember my older sister was able to whistle and then all my friends could whistle and I still couldn't.  It was so frustrating!  I told my mom of my continual failure and she pulled Whistle for Willie from the bookshelf for the two of us to read.  I connected with Peter right away and it made it easier for me knowing that others struggle with learning how to whistle.  Just like when Peter learned to whistle I too happily showed off to my parents.  I still emotionally connect to Peter because of my past experiences with whistling.

As a child I remember being able to relate to Peter and I’m sure my students would too.  Everyone struggled with whistling and everyone has a story about the first time they were able to.  This may not be the most academic of books but it would definitely be a fun read.  You could pair it with a whistling unit or focus on the artwork and work on collages of your own.  I don't think this book gets enough credit for the beautiful pictures but children certainly appreciate it and I can imagine they would love to try to copy the artistic style.  No matter what you do with the book the children are going to love it.

Poppy

Title: Poppy

Author: Avi

Illustrator: Brian Floca

Type: Novel

Grade Level: 3-5

Rating: 4 out of 5

The land around Dimwood forest is ruled by the owl, Mr. Ocax, who promises to protect the inhabiting mice as long as they remain obedient.  In order to save her giant mouse family, Poppy, sets out on a dangerous adventure and takes on the horrible Mr. Ocax.

I remember loving this book as a child and I loved it as much now that I’m older.  It has love, death, bravery, and humor.  It hit me emotionally.  Even though it is targeted for a younger audience I still found myself getting caught up in the plot.  While reading I did have one concern though concerning the emotional pulls of the book.  I was a little shocked at the death of characters wondering if that was appropriate for young children.  Then I remembered that as a 3^rd grader I read the book and the deaths did not upset me.  Yes, I was sad when brave Ragweed died but I was at an age that I could understand that death is part of life and could continue on reading without being too shaken up.  Now reflecting on this, I think it is actually good there is death and struggle in the novel because children deal with these things in real life and it is something they can relate to and must learn to handle.

This book would be good to incorporate in a unit on making predictions and educated guesses.  I read this book a long time ago so I didn’t remember much of it.  I found myself several times making predictions and using the context of the book to guess what would happen next.  Sometimes I was wrong and sometimes I was right and I think it would be an excellent example to read while teaching children about making predictions.

Favorite Childhood Book

I read a lot of books as a child, so many that I can't really remember many in particular but one that does stand out is Poppy, written by Avi.  I still remember devouring it as a 3rd grader.  My sister and I shared a room and I was so enraptured by the book that I wanted no distractions, so I set up camp in our guest bedroom.  I lay in the quiet reading about Dimwood Forest and the brave mice who stood up against the overpowering horned owl, Mr. Ocax.  The book excited me with the action and heroism.  It was one of those books that I couldn't put down and was honestly upset when it was over because I had enjoyed reading it so much.  You can only imagine my excitement when I realized there was a whole Poppy series called The Poppy Stories.

Now that I'm older I often don't have enough time in my schedule for pleasure reading but looking back and remembering the excitement a good book can give you makes me want to rush to the library and pick up a book to get lost in.