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Reading FileFantasy/Other ~ 10 ?1) Title: My Lucky DayAuthor: Keiko KaszaGrade Level: K-1 Genre: Fantasy/OtherSynopsis: The Fox thinks that it is his lucky day when a pig comes knocking at his door, little does he know the pig has other plans in mind. When the fox tries to cook the pig, the sly pig first suggests the fox clean him up since he is quite dirty. Then the pig suggests that the fox fatten him up, so the fox prepared him spaghetti and cookies. Finally the pig says he needs to be massaged so the meat is tenderer. After all this Mr. Fox collapses from exhaustion and the pig grabs the leftover cookies and heads on home bathed, fed, and massaged. Activity: Talk how Mr. Fox thought he was going to be the lucky one when the pig was really tricking him. Discuss honesty and how to treat friends. Let the class draw what they think will happen next. Rating: 3 – I liked the book. It is a funny book to read aloud with children. Good teaching tool to discuss honesty and treating friends.2) Title: The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry BearAuthor: Don and Audrey WoodGrade Level: KGenre: Fantasy/OtherSynopsis: Little mouse finds a Big Red Strawberry, but he is scared that the Big Hungry Bear will find it and eat it! So there is only one way to save it… he has to eat it!Activity: Reader’s TheaterRating: 5!!! This is my favorite book of all time. 3) Title: Dear Mr. BlueberryAuthor: Simon JamesGrade Level: 1-2Genre: Fantasy, OtherSynopsis: Emily is a little girl on vacation who thinks a whale is living in her pond. So she writes letters to her teacher Mr. Blueberry asking what to do and how to care for her new whale friend, Arthur. He tries to explain to her that whales don’t live in ponds, but Emily still believes that Arthur is there. One day Arthur is gone, she is sad. But when she goes to the beach she finds Arthur there in the ocean, happy and free.Activity: Talk about whales and do a project involving whales. Have the students research and write a report on different types of whales including habitat, diet, and other important facts on their type of whale. Rating: 4, adorably cute fantasy book that can be tied into a real science or animal unit.4) Title: Miss Bindergarten gets Ready for KindergartenAuthor: Joseph SlateGrade Level: KGenre: Other (Alphabet Book)Synopsis: Miss Bindergarten is getting ready for Kindergarten and so are all of her new friends!Activity: Use as an engage a lesson about introducing letters at the beginning of the school year in Kindergarten.Rating: 3, this is a good alphabet book that is great for engaging young students. 5) Title: The True Story of the 3 Little PigsAuthor: Jon ScieszkaGrade level: 2-4Genre: Fantasy/OtherSynopsis: The true story of the three little pigs as told by the wolf was about the wolf who had a cold and was baking a cake for granny. He only wanted to borrow a cup of sugar from his neighbor, but his sneezing caused their houses to fall down since they were made of such silly materials such as straw and sticks. He only ate the pigs after they had died from him sneezing their houses down. When he got to the last house made of bricks, the pig inside had insulted his dear old granny. That made the wolf mad and tried to break down the door, and that is when the cops showed up. Activity: Venn Diagram that they can compare the standard story of the 3 little pigs (from the pigs point of view) and the wolf’s side of the storyRating: 5, I think this story is hilarious and gets kids thinking about that there is more than one side to every story. 6) Title: The Giant PumpkinAuthor: Joy CowleyGrade level: K-1Genre: Other Synopsis: One day a giant pumpkin starts to grow in Mr. and Mrs.‘s garden. They don’t know what to do with it. They think that maybe it can be used for a cradle or a car or a bed. But then one day the pumpkin grows so big that it explodes and so they decide to have a pumpkin party instead and they invite all their friends and have a pumpkin party all week long.Activity: have the students color pumpkins and make something unconventional out of a pumpkinRating: 3, funny silly book. 7) Title: Pancakes for BreakfastAuthor: Tomie dePaolaGrade level: K-1Genre: Other/FantasySynopsis: One morning a woman wakes up and she wants pancakes. She goes through all the effort to make the pancakes. She gathers eggs from the chicken coop. She milks the cow, churns the butter. But when she goes to get maple syrup, she returns to find her dog and cat have destroyed all her hard work. SO she goes next door and eats their pancakes. Activity: Make pancakes as a class. Rating: 4, great book with no words. Can show following a recipe and working for something you want. 8) Title: No, David!Author: David ShannonGrade level: K-1Genre: Other/ FantasySynopsis: David likes to get into trouble. He is always hearing No, Don’t, Stop. But in the end his mom still loves him despite all the trouble he gets into.Activity: Have the kids draw a picture of a kid getting into trouble. Rating: 2, it is a good book to look at the pictures in but not a fascinating read. 9) Title: The Art LessonAuthor: Tomie dePaolaGrade level: 1-2Genre: Other/FantasySynopsis: Tommy wanted to be an artist. When he went to school he didn’t like the paints that they used in kindergarten. They were powdery and didn’t stick to the paper. But when he got to 1st grade he started art lessons. But they were only given one piece of paper and were forced to copy. Tommy didn’t like that so the art teacher let him have another piece of paper to create his own art work. And Tommy still creates to this day. Activity: Art lessons. Let the children do their own creations. Rating: 4, fun story to read before the students go to an art lesson. 10) Title: What are You Grumpy About?Author: Tom Lichtenheld Grade level: K-2Genre: Other/FantasySynopsis: The book goes through a series of things that can make kids grumpy. Such as waking up on the wrong side of the bed or having to pick up their room. But it ends with someone tickling you till you forget why you were grumpy.Activity: Have the kids draw a grumpy childRating: 3, good illustrations and funny story about being grumpy. Shows kids that it isn’t good to be grumpy. Caldecott ~ 20 ?1) Title: The Snowy DayAuthor: Ezra Jack KeatsGrade Level: K-1Genre: Caldecott Synopsis: Peter wakes up one morning to discover that snow had fallen over night. He spends all day discovering how his feet make tracks and playing in the snow. He dreams that night that all the snow melted, but when he wakes up in the morning he discovers that even more snow has fallen and he and his neighbor go out to play another day.Activity: Ask children if they have ever seen snow. Make snowflakes and hang them around the room or on a bulletin board.Rating: 3, Good quick read about snow. Would be really good around winter time or winter break especially if you are in an area that gets snow. 2) Title: Strega NonaAuthor: Tomie dePaolaGrade Level: 2-4Genre: Caldecott HonorSynopsis: Strega Nona is a magical witch who owns a magical pasta pot. She leaves one day to go visit her friend in a town over. Big Anthony takes this opportunity to try to make pasta in her magical pasta pot for himself. He however does not know how to stop it and the pasta overflows and threatens to take over the whole town. Just when they think the pasta is going to overtake the town Strega Nona shows up and stops the pasta. She then makes Anthony eat all the pasta in punishment for being so careless and not listening. Activity: Make pasta with the class and have it as a group activity where they have to follow directions unlike Big Anthony. Rating: 5, Big Anthony is a silly boy that needs to listen better. The book is a great funny story for kids and adults alike. I truly love this story and most books by Tomie dePaola. 3) Title: The Way to Start a DayAuthor: Byrd BaylorGrade level: 1-3Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: Every day the sun should be greeted and praised. Thousands of peoples and cultures have worshiped the sun as it rises for the sun brings life and all things good. So sing a song to the new sun and enjoy the new day.Activity: Watercolor a sunrise. Have them paint a sunrise. Rating: 2, interesting but not my favorite book I have read. 4) Title: Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the SkyAuthor: Elphinstone DayrelllGrade level: 1-2Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: The Sun and Water were good friends and the Sun visited with Water all the time but Water never visited the Sun. The Sun decided to build a bigger house so that Water could visit with all his people. When Water arrived the Sun and the moon did not realize how big Water was and so they retreated to the sky so that Water could have room and they never came back.Activity: Draw a picture of the sun and the moon and the water below them. Rating: 1, just wasn’t my favorite book.5) Title: The House in the NightAuthor: Susan Marie SwansonGrade level: K-1Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: There is a Key that leads to the house that leads to the world of dreams. The world of dreams is within a book that leads in to the dark upon the moon.Activity: Have children make links between series of objects.Rating: 1, good pictures but not a good story.6) Title: A Tree is NiceAuthor: Janice May UdryGrade level: K-2Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: Trees are great and they provide many benefits to us. They are play structures and shade. They are wonderful and funActivity: Plant a Tree together as a class projectRating: 4, I love trees and this book is so great. 7) Title: Grandfather’s JourneyAuthor: Allen SayGrade level: K-2Genre: Caldecott Synopsis: Grandfather left home as a young man and traveled through the country side of America. He fell in love with the country, but he longed for the city of his childhood. So he took a trip back to his home town and fell in love with his childhood sweetheart. They moved back to America and had a daughter. Then when she was almost grown they moved back to Japan. There she fell in love and started a family. But they longed to go back to their other home in America. Each time they stepped foot on one country they longed for the other. Never knowing which they loved more. Activity: Color a map of the world to see where everyone comes from.Rating: 3, beautiful illustrations and great story of a timeline with real history.8) Title: King Bidgood’s in the BathtubAuthor: Audrey WoodGrade level: K-1Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: The King’s in the bathtub and won’t get out and no one knows how to get him out. So different people try and get him to come out to go to battle, feast on lunch, go fishing, or have a ball. But each time the king just invites them to do the activity in the tub. Finally the page pulls the plug and the King finally gets out. Activity: Have the kids decorate a bathtub and put some activity (fishing, eating, dancing, ect) in the tub. Rating: 4, funny and comical story. 9) Title: The Three Little PigsAuthor: David WiesnerGrade level: K-1Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: The story of the 3 little pigs but with a twist. The pigs get out of the story and they go around into different stories. They gather some friends and then they made their way back to their own story. They scare away the wolf with the dragon they found in another story. And they live happily ever after. Activity: color a picture of the pigs and make their own foldable story of the pigs.Rating: 4, Such a fun twist on a classic story. 10) Title: TuesdayAuthor: David WiesnerGrade level: K-1Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: On Tuesday night the frogs all take flight and fly all over the city. They return to the pond just before dawn leaving lillipads all over the city and the people in a state of confusion.Activity: Draw a picture of a frog and what their frog would do if they could fly all over the city.Rating: 5, funny story, I literally laughed out loud. Such a cute story even without any words.11) Title: FlotsamAuthor: David WiesnerGrade level: K-1Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: A boy spends the day at the beach and he finds lots of little things on the beach. He finds a hermit crab and a crab and a seagull. He also finds an underwater camera and gets the film developed. What he sees is unbelievable. He finds a picture that went so far back that all these kids had found the camera before him. He then sends the camera back into the ocean for another child to find.Activity: make a time capsuleRating: 5, I love David Wiesner’s stories. He tells such great story without a single word12) Title: Free FallAuthor: David WiesnerGrade level: K-1Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: A little boy falls asleep and falls into a world of dreams. He travels through books facing adventures and wondrous things. He finally awakes from his astonishing dream journey through his books. Activity: Have the kids draw themselves into their favorite storyRating: 5, David Wiesner is such a great author without writing a single word. 13) Title: A Chair for My MotherAuthor: Vera B. WilliamsGrade level: 1-3Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: A girl and her mama and grandmother are working to save up for a new chair. Their house burned down and they lost all their belongings. So they are saving up for a new comfy perfect chair. When they finally saved up enough money they took it to the store and they bought that big chair they had been dreaming of.Activity: have the kids draw a picture of an item they really want and have them decorate a piggy bank that they can use and start to save up for. Rating: 3, it is a god story to show kids that not everything is immediate that some things you have to work really hard for and wait on for a long time.14) Title: GolemAuthor: David WisniewkiGrade level: 1-3Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: In Prague in 1580 the Jews are being persecuted and the head Rabbi goes out and creates a protector. The golem is named Joseph and he is charged to protect the town. When the Jews are safe then the Rabbi must now turn Joseph back to clay because he is needed no more. Activity: have the children create people out of clay or play doughRating: 2, interesting story that incorporates history, religion, and fable into one. 15) Title: Owl MoonAuthor: Jane YolenGrade level: K-2Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: One night a little girl goes owling with her father. She walks silently with her father through the cold winter’s night. She has to be absolutely silent as her father calls for the owl. Finally they find an owl and they just stand there and stare at it before it flies away and they all head home. Activity: have students color a picture of an owl Rating: 2, interesting but not my favorite. 16) Title: Crow BoyAuthor: Taro YashimaGrade level: 1-3Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: There was a little boy found under the school one day. He never spoke or did played with the other children. He did his own thing. After 5 years they got a new teacher, this teacher talked and communicated with the boy and encouraged him. Before graduation the boy performed in the talent show and did the calls of the crows. The town finally realized what this boy had gone through and they felt bad about all the teasing that they had put him through. They finally respected him and cherished this child for who he was. Activity: listen to bird calls and match them with pictures of the birdsRating: 3, it was a good book, but I think better for teachers to show the power of a teacher on a child’s outcome. 17) Title: Snowflake BentleyAuthor: Jacqueline Briggs MartinGrade level: 1-3Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: The true story of a man obsessed with snow and snowflakes. He spent years of his life photographing and studying the wonderful beautiful creations that are snowflakes.Activity: Cut out snowflakes, showing how each student does it differently. They might look similar but all are unique.Rating: 4, cool that it is a real story and that someone dedicated their life to studying something that is so fleeting. 18) Title: OliviaAuthor: Ian FalconerGrade level: K-1Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: Olivia is a busy pig who wears everyone out. Even herself. She is very active and lives a busy life that is constantly in motion. Until mama makes her go to bed.Activity: Have the kids draw their day. Draw what they like to do every day.Rating: 5, such a cute book and so relatable to all the children.19) Title: Zen ShortsAuthor: Jon J MuthGrade level: 1-3Genre: CaldecottSynopsis: 3 children meet a panda bear who teaches them some very valuable parabolic lessons. He teaches them how to live life in a zen-ful way.Activity: Color a panda bear and draw one of his lessons.Rating: 4, such a cute story with even better pictures. 20) Title: Stone SoupAuthor: Marcia BrownGrade level: 1-3Genre: Caldecott Synopsis: Three soldiers are traveling home from war. They come upon a town that claims to have no food and room, but then the soldiers trick the town and say they will make soup from stones, but truly they are tricking the townspeople into pulling out their hidden stocks of food to make a soup. The soldiers are then given a bed for the night and sent off the next morning well fed and rested.Activity: make soup with the class. Rating: 4, fun sassy book that is fun to read. Seasonal/Holiday ~ 10 ?1) Title: Stories of Santa; Up on the Housetop & Jolly Old St. NicholasAuthor: No Author (Hallmark book)Grade Level: k-4Genre: Seasonal/HolidaySynopsis: 2 Christmas Classic song lyrics put with pictures. Activity: Write lists and letters to SantaRating: 4 I love the classic songs and any age child loves Santa Clause and the activity can be catered to any grade level with the level of writing done. 2) Title: Franklin’s ThanksgivingAuthor: Paulette Bourgeois, Brenda ClarkGrade Level: 1-3Genre: Seasonal/HolidaySynopsis: Franklin and his family love Thanksgiving. This year, however, Franklin’s grandparents can’t make it. So Franklin decides to invite Mr. Owl and his friend Moose’s family. Unknown to him his mother has invited Bear’s family and his father has invited Mr. Mole. On Thanksgiving Day everyone shows up and everyone is surprised at how many people are there and since Franklin’s house can’t hold everyone they all decide to move the tables and food to the field and all celebrate outside together. Activity: Have students write their family traditions at Thanksgiving. Rating: 5, I love Franklin stories. I think they are classic and never go outdated. 3) Title: Merry Christmas, Little Critter!Author: Mercer MayerGrade Level: K-2Genre: Seasonal/HolidaySynopsis: Little Critter tells all about his holiday plans, including writing letters to Santa, visiting Grandparents, and decorating the house. Activity: Have the children write their Christmas Traditions. Rating: 4, Little Critter books are always a good choice. Well written and well-illustrated. 4) Title: Witzy’s Halloween GhostAuthor: Suzy SpaffordGrade Level: K-1Genre: Seasonal/HolidaySynopsis: 4 Friends were playing in the back yard when a sheet flew off the clothesline and covered them. They decided to go around and surprise some of their other friends as a Halloween ghost.Activity: Have the children draw pictures of their Halloween costumes and write a short description if at that level. Rating: 2, was a short cute book. Would be a quick read to the classroom and good for the kids to look at the pictures.5) Title: Olive, the Other ReindeerAuthor: J. Otto Seibold & Vivian WalshGrade Level: 1-4Genre: Seasonal/ HolidaySynopsis: Olive is a dog that one day while listening to the radio heard the song “All of the other reindeer” but Olive heard “Olive, the other reindeer.” She realizes that she needs to report to Santa Claus at the North Pole. She gets there just in time to help Santa with his Christmas Eve deliveries. While on the delivery route Olive ends up being a great help with her dog senses. Thanks to Olive Santa was able to deliver all the presents and get back to the North Pole safely. Activity: Have students write a sequel to the book about what Olive will do next Christmas. Younger kids can watch the movie for a fun day close to Christmas/Winter Break.Rating: 5, Olive is a fun book for any age child. Younger children can look at the fun illustrations, while older children can read it as a classic Christmas story.6) Title: The Scary Sounds of HalloweenAuthor: Candy Cane PressGrade Level: K-1Genre: Seasonal/HolidaySynopsis: A Halloween sound book about a scary house on Halloween. Activity: Have children read the sounds and act them out together as a class. Practice sound words.Rating: 3, Good book for practicing sound words with Kindergarteners. Would be fun to have on a shelf in a first grade classroom for students to flip through and read. 7) Title: Snowmen at NightAuthor: Caralyn BuehnerGrade Level: K-3Genre: Seasonal/ HolidaySynopsis: One little boy wakes up to find his snowman an awful fright with its arms falling and its smile crooked; this leads him to wonder what snowmen do at night. He comes up with the thought that late at night after the sun has gone way down all the snowmen gather in the park to play. They drink ice cold cocoa and play snow baseball. They race down the hills and skate on the pond. Once they all have had their fun they make their way home just before dawn looking worn out and ragged. Activity: Create their own snowman personality and write and illustrate what their snowman would do at night. Rating: 5, such a cute story that would be appropriate in any classroom. Fun to talk about and use your imagination to come up with your own story line. 8) Title: Happy Easter, Biscuit!Author: Alyssa Satin CapucilliGrade Level: k-1Genre: Seasonal/HolidaySynopsis: Biscuit helps the little girl find Easter eggs. This fun filled flip book would be great fun for children to look at and read along with. This book tells nothing of the actual meaning of Easter, just tells about an Easter egg hunt. So could be placed in a non-Christian classroom. Activity: Create and or decorate eggs, either paper or actual eggs. Rating: 3, fun flip book that is a simple read. Can be read aloud or individually. The interactive part of the book makes it entertaining to many children. 9) Title: Christmas MagicAuthor: Michael GarlandGrade Level: 1-3Genre: Seasonal/HolidaySynopsis: One Christmas Eve, Emily is building a snow woman. While she is building it she notices there is something different this Christmas Eve. Once she finishes her snow woman she goes inside to finish decorating and get ready for bed. Just before bed she looks out the window to find her new neighbor building a snowman of his own. Later she awakes to find her dog and cat singing Jingle Bells, her decorations dancing, and mice baking pies in the kitchen. Most shockingly of all she looks out the window to see her snowwoman and the snowman turn to real people and start dancing. They invite her to dance with them and they dance all night long. At dawn, Emily goes inside but is too tired to go back to bed and so she falls asleep in the chair by the Christmas tree. Later she wakes to her parent shaking her awake, she rushes out to see the snowpeople turn back to snow but have moved and are standing next to each other.Activity: Make their own snowmen and women. Write a back story to the snowperson and give it a name. Rating: 4, Such a fun story about magical Christmas time. Great read with good wording and wonderful pictures to go along with the story. Simple story that would be fun to spike the imagination of young children. 10) Title: Auntie ClausAuthor: Elise PrimaveraGrade Level: 3-5Genre: Holiday/SeasonalSynopsis: Sophie’s family loves Christmas, no one more than her great-aunt, Auntie Claus. Sophie was spoiled and loved getting presents. Auntie Claus always had Sophie over for tea every day and taught her important lessons, such as how to hang the garland or which trees to pick. She always ended with telling Sophie that it is far better to give than it is to receive. Auntie Claus every year took a “business trip” from Halloween to Valentine’s Day. This year Sophie decided that she was going to stow away. Sophie ends up in the North Pole working as an elf! On Christmas Eve, Sophie finally learns what Auntie Claus has been telling her all along, it is far better to give than it is to receive. Activity: Have the children make cards and small gift to then give to a charity or the elderly in a nursing home at Christmas time. Rating: 5, This is my favorite Christmas book ever. It is a fun story and teaches children the joy of giving and how rewarding it is to make other people happy.Favorite Characters ~ 10 ?1) Title: The Very Hungry CaterpillarAuthor: Eric CarleGrade Level: K-1Genre: Favorite CharacterSynopsis: The Caterpillar hatched from his egg as a very hungry little caterpillar. He ate and ate and turned into a fat caterpillar. He then built a cocoon around himself and went to sleep for 2 weeks and emerged a butterfly. Activity: Teach about caterpillars and how they turn into butterflies. If possible get a butterfly garden for the classroom and have the students watch the caterpillars grow and change into butterflies. Rating: 4, Great book to combine reading and science. Can teach the children about days of the week, counting, and that caterpillars evolve into butterflies.2) Title: The Tale of Peter RabbitAuthor: Beatrix PotterGrade Level: K-2Genre: Favorite CharactersSynopsis: Peter is a mischievous little bunny that against his mother’s will went into Mr. McGregor’s garden. He ate lots of Mr. McGregor’s plants until the farmer found him and chased Peter all around the garden. Finally Peter was able to escape and ran home back to his mother who put him straight to bed with some chamomile tea. Activity: Go over the vegetables that Peter eats and try and grow some in a classroom garden. Rating: 3, would be a good book to have in classroom library for quiet reading time. It teaches the importance of listening to adults and that there are consequences for your actions.3) Title: The Foot BookAuthor: Dr. SeussGrade Level: KGenre: FavoritesSynopsis: How many, many feet you meet! Activity: Have the kids tell what type of feet they have. (ie dancing feet, running feet, teaching feet)Rating: 5, Dr. Seuss has a way of making books so fun to read, listen to, and look at. It can entertain children of all ages. 4) Title: Home Sweet TreeAuthor: Stan & Jan Berenstain Grade Level: 1-2Genre: FavoritesSynopsis: Brother and sister take you on a tour of their home. They show you their basement and bedrooms. Mama Bear makes cookies and Papa Bear takes a snooze. Activity: Have the children do a family project. They can write a description of their home and family and then draw a picture of the outside of their home. Rating: 5, love Berenstain Bears and they are so well written. They are appropriate for all age levels and students can imagine themselves as brother or sister bear. 5) Title: Curious George plays BaseballAuthor: Margret & H.A.Rey’sGrade Level: 1-2Genre: FavoritesSynopsis: George goes with the Man in the Yellow Hat to a baseball game to cheer on his friend Jimmy. George is curious if he could play baseball. He wanders into the dugout and starts throwing baseballs with his feet and holding the bat with his hands. The umpire didn’t like that. So George runs away into the stands and hangs on a flagpole and watches the rest of the game. Then a foul ball is hit and George reaches out and catches the ball before it hits Jimmy’s mother in the stadium. George is a hero.Activity: Play “Baseball” in the classroom (if possible) where you can practice another subject; like math facts and the kids get a math problem that they answer to get on base, if they get it wrong then they get a strike. Rating: 5, I love Curious George. I think the books are fun and innocently mischievous. 6) Title: My Adventures with Elmo and FriendsAuthor: Kate AndresenGrade Level: K-2Genre: FavoritesSynopsis: Elmo and his friends have many adventures together. This story was about Elmo and his friends gathering for breakfast, then they had a talent show, and at the end of the day they all went to bed. Activity: Have the students put on an Emotions Talent Show like Elmo and his friends. Act out an emotion and how that emotion looks and a situation that that emotion would show up in. Rating: 3, Love the old classics like Elmo and Sesame Street. They can teach a variety of things to children from counting to letters to how to treat friends. 7) Title: Franklin’s Birthday PartyAuthor: Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda ClarkGrade Level: 1-3Genre: FavoritesSynopsis: Franklin’s birthday is quickly approaching and he is trying to figure out what to do for his party. After talking with his friends he wanted to go to Tamarack Play Park, but his parents told him that it was too expensive to take everyone so he can only take 2 friends. Franklin was torn he wanted to go to the Play Park but he also wanted all his friends there. Then at dinner he came up with the idea to bring the park to his house. All week he worked with his dad on creating the perfect party. When his friends arrived they were all excited and had the best party ever.Activity: Have a class birthday party for an author or famous person that the class choose together. Have the students study that person’s life and family. Rating: 5, LOVE Franklin books. The movies are just as good and the stories are relatable and there are so many that children can get interested and learn to love reading by getting started on a character. 8) Title: Me Too!Author: Mercer MayerGrade Level: K-1Genre: FavoritesSynopsis: Little Critter’s little sister always wants to do everything that he does. Little Critter is aggravated that he always has to share with his sister, but he always does because it is the right thing to do. One day when his sister has something he wants he asks her to share with him and she does so happily since he always has done with her. Activity: Play the game Me Too with the students. Rating: 4, simple read and story about sharing and caring for your little sibling. Great role model book for young children with little siblings on how to be a good older sibling. 9) Title: The Cat in the HatAuthor: Dr. SeussGrade level: K-2Genre: Favorite CharacterSynopsis: Sally and her brother were inside on a wet and rainy day. They had nothing to do until the Cat in the Hat showed up with a plan to play. He brought with him Thing One and Thing Two and they made such a mess. They didn’t know what to do. So they told them to leave before mother got home, but they still didn’t know what to do about the mess. Just before mother got home the Cat came through the door again with his cleaning machine and it all up. Activity: Rating: 2, to be honest I think that at times this book is overrated and teaches children to let strange people into the house and make a mess while their mother is away.10) Title: Fancy Nancy Halloween… or BustAuthor: Jane O’ConnorGrade level: K-2Genre: Favorite CharactersSynopsis: Fancy Nancy is getting ready for Halloween. She is going to be a bushel of grapes. At the party they play games, but as she is playing she balloons bust! She doesn’t know what to do after her costume is all busted up. Activity: Have the Kids draw their Halloween costumes in a foldable and make their own Halloween book.Rating: 5, Fancy Nancy is fun and relatable to most children. Just a great character. Coping ~ 5 ?1) Title: I’m a Big BrotherAuthor: Ronne RandallGrade Level: K-2Genre: CopingSynopsis: Luke is a big brother now and he has to learn how to be a big brother. He wants to play with his little brother but his brother is still too little to play. Mom and Dad let Luke help baby though. He gets to help bathe baby, dress baby, and can show baby how to play on the playground. Finally baby is big enough to play ball with Luke and Luke realizes that being a big brother is going to be lots of fun. Activity: Have the kids write something that they want to do with their little sibling. If they have a sibling then they can write about their real sibling and if not then they can write about their imaginary sibling.Rating: 4, great book if there is a child that is going to have a little sibling for the first time. Especially older children that have been an only child for 5, 6, 7 years a little sibling can be a huge change. This book makes a little sibling sound like fun and a good thing when the child might not be looking forward to having to share mom and dad.2) Title: Little Hippo’s New HouseAuthor: Harriet ZiefertGrade Level: K-1Genre: CopingSynopsis: Little Hippo is moving and his mom and dad are packing up his room so that the moving truck can take all their stuff to the new house. Hippo is nervous that the truck won’t find the new house. He anxiously awaits the truck’s arrival. Once it arrives little hippo unpacks and sets up his room in is new house.Activity: Have students “pack” a paper suitcase with items that they would take with them to a new home. They can either draw or cut out from magazines and then explain one or two items in front of the class.Rating: 3, it is fun because it is a flip book and will keep the children’s attention. It is a book that young children that are moving can use to imagine themselves with. 3) Title: It’s MineAuthor: Parragon BooksGrade Level: KGenre: CopingSynopsis: Elly the Elephant got a new bike. His friends Binky and JoJo want to ride too but Elly doesn’t want to share. But soon Elly realizes that playing alone is no fun and that sharing and playing together makes everything better.Activity: Show and Tell or a Show and Share. Have the students bring in a toy to share with the class. Rating: 2, good book if you have an issue with children not sharing. It is well illustrated and can be a good book to help children understand the importance of playing together and sharing. 4) Title: Nana Upstairs & Nana DownstairsAuthor: Tomie dePaola Grade Level: 2-3Genre: CopingSynopsis: Young Tommy loves visiting his Nanas, Nana Downstairs was his grandmother and Nana Upstairs was his great-grandmother. When Nana Upstairs passes away, the love and comfort from his parents and family helps him get through the difficult time. Activity: Make a family tree researching their family members that have passed away by talking to their older family members. So if their grandparents have died then they talk to their parents or if their grandparents are still alive then have them research their great- grandparents and have them write up a story about their lives. Rating: 4, Tomie dePaolo is a wonderful author. This is one of his sadder books, but it has a wonderful message of family and togetherness. 5) Title: The Good, The Bad, and The SillyAuthor: Doug PetersonGrade Level: 1-3Genre: CopingSynopsis: Larry the Cowboy has to take his cattle driving test. He has to take it with 2 other people, Sunburn Kid and Botch Scallion. Botch decides he wants to cheat but Larry knows it is wrong and he decides to go back. Larry then is able to save the other 2 from the avalanche of dodge balls. He didn’t pass the test but was happy that he did the right thing. Activity: Have the students do a worksheet where they look at different scenarios and decide what is the right reaction to do. Rating: 3, good VeggieTales booksMath ~ 5 ?1) Title: Countdown to KindergartenAuthor: Alison McGheeGrade Level: KGenre: Math Synopsis: Kindergarten is about to start and you HAVE to know how to tie your shoes! Starting from 10 counting down to 0, each day brings the first day of school closer and closer and you still don’t know how to tie your shoes. Finally the 1st day of school comes and you realize that no one else knows how to tie their shoes either, and you realize that this year is going to be fun.Activity: Read as an introduction at the beginning of the year. Then have them do a cutting/coloring craft with numbers on a shoeRating: 3, good book for circle time and good to include the children in the countdown part. 2) Title: Chicka Chicka 1.2.3Author: Bill Martin Jr, Michael Sampson, Lois EhlertGrade Level: K-1Genre: MathSynopsis: 0-100, all the numbers are climbing the tree, but then they all get attacked by bees and all fall out. But then zero jumps up and joins with 10 to make 100 and all the numbers can come back into the tree.Activity: Make number line sheets to practice writing and counting to 100Rating: 3, fun way to introduce counting to 100. Fun illustrations and easy to follow storyline.3) Title: One Monkey Too ManyAuthor: Jackie French KollerGrade Level: K-2Genre: Counting/MathSynopsis: Silly monkeys never know when it is too many. They always put one too many monkeys in whatever they are doing. Activity: Cut out monkeys and glue them onto a sheet with different boxes with numbers but they are always putting one more. So in the box with one they will put 2 and the box with 2 they will glue 3, ect..Rating: 3, fun entertaining book for teaching adding one. 4) Title: Counting CrocodilesAuthor: Judy SierraGrade Level: K-2Genre: Counting/MathSynopsis: The cunning monkey lived on an island with only lemons. One day he looked across the sea and saw a banana tree. He wanted those bananas so badly but the sea was filled with crocodiles. So what the smart monkey did was ask the crocodiles how many of them there were. They all lined up so the monkey could count them but what the monkey really used them for was making a bridge to the island with the bananas. The crocodiles didn’t realize this until the monkey had gone there and back. Activity: Make a crocodile number line. Cut out the head of a crocodile and cut out numbers one through 10 with the crocodile tail at the end. Rating: 3, cute counting funny book. 5) Title: Gobble Gobble Crash! A Barnyard Counting BashAuthor: Julie StiegemeyerGrade level: K-1Genre: MathSynopsis: The farm comes awake late at night as the Turkeys arrive and make a clash. All the animals create a noise and this awakens the farmer. The farmer comes out and tries to get the turkeys, but the other animals hide the turkeys. Activity: Counting worksheet with farm animals. Use in a farm lesson.Rating: 5, fun book that goes over counting and animals.Multicultural ~ 10 ?1) Title: The Legend of the Indian PaintbrushAuthor: Tomie DePaolaGrade Level: 1-3Genre: MulticulturalSynopsis: Little Gopher has a unique talent among his tribe. He is the smallest of them all and he is not strong or mighty like the other boys in the tribe. But his talent is the talent of art. In a dream vision he was told to put down the stories of his tribe in paintings. He tried and tried to paint the sunset and was never able to get it quite right, but finally one night he heard a voice telling him to go to hilltop where he watches the sunset and he will find what he needs to paint the sunset. He finds brushes there that allow him to paint the most beautiful sunset, and when he leaves, he leaves the brushes there on the hillside. The next morning when the tribe awakes the brushes had taken root and the hill was covered in beautiful flowers. That each spring after that bloomed and the tribe rejoiced. Activity: Students paint on canvases tribal stories depicting different scenarios such as hunts or dreams or great deeds. Rating: 4, this story unique and can be used in an art lesson and in a multicultural lesson. So many options for using this book. 2) Title: Jamie O’Rourke and the Big PotatoAuthor: Tomie dePaolaGrade Level: 1-3Genre: Multicultural Synopsis: Jamie O’Rourke is the laziest man in all of Ireland. One day he catches a leprechaun and the leprechaun traded a magic potato seed for his freedom. Jamie went home and planted the potato and it grew and grew and grew. Finally it grew so big that Jamie couldn’t get it out of the ground. When it finally came out of the ground, it rolled down the hill and blocked the road. The whole town had to eat the potato in order to free the road. They decided that they never wanted Jamie to plant another giant potato again, so the town fed him and his wife for the rest of their life. Activity: Potato week! Rating: 4, well written and fun story3) Title: Bringing the Rain to Kapiti PlainAuthor: Verna AardemaGrade level: 1-3Genre: Multicultural Synopsis: Ki-pat brings rain to the Kapiti Plain by shooting an arrow into the cloud full of rain. The arrow brought the rain to the plains to green up the grass to feed the cows to make life better. Activity: Color a series of pictures depicting the events in the story and then have them cut them out and sequence the stories. Rating: 4, it was an interesting read and could be more than just a book about African plains.4) Title: The Ugly MenorahAuthor: Marissa MossGrade level: 1-3Genre: MulticulturalSynopsis: Rachel loves her family’s Menorah because it is so beautiful and ornate. But this year she is spending Chanukah with her grandmother since her grandfather died. She missed her grandfather so much. When she saw her grandmother’s menorah, she thought it was ugly since it was so simple and small. But after Grandma explained that Grandpa had made the menorah for her because they could not afford a beautiful new one at the time; Rachel thought it was the most beautiful menorah of all time since it made her feel like her grandfather was with them again. Activity: Have the class talk about different cultures and how different cultures celebrate holidays. If allowed have a menorah in the classroom so the students can see what a real one looks like. Rating: 3, good simple book to show kids about different cultures even within our own community and classroom. 5) Title: The Keeping QuiltAuthor: Patricia PolaccoGrade level: 2-4Genre: MulticulturalSynopsis: When Anna came to America all she had left to remember home in Russia was her clothes. So when she out grew them, her mother made her clothes and clothes from her other family members into a quilt. The quilt became a symbol of their family and was there at all celebrations. The quilt continues to be passed down through the family and to keep alive the memories of their roots in Russia.Activity: Have the children make a picture quilt. Everyone has a different piece of paper and they make a collage of pictures that represent their family. Then tie all the pieces of paper together and hang in the classroom to represent the class’s connections.Rating: 4, such a good book. So touching and shows the power of a symbol and its connection to a family. 6) Title: AbuelaAuthor: Arthur DorrosGrade level: K-2Genre: MulticulturalSynopsis: Rosalba and her abuela are in the park and then they find themselves flying all over New York. They travel to see all the parts of the city and see their family. They play among the clouds and in the ocean. They visit the statue of liberty and fly around her head. Then they land back in the park and find their self another adventure. Activity: Have the students write a story about their grandparents or another special friend and an adventure they have gone on or would want to go onRating: 3, good solid story.7) Title: The legend of the Blue BonnetAuthor: Tomie dePaolaGrade level: 1-3Genre: MulticulturalSynopsis: A girl named She-Who-Is-Alone had a doll that was made by her parents before their death due to the great famine that had taken over the land. When the shaman went to talk to the great spirits, he returned and told that they had to sacrifice the most cherished item in order to return life to the land. So long after everyone had gone to bed She-Who-Is-Alone went up to the hill top because she knew that her doll was the most cherished item since it was all she had left of her family. She sacrificed it to the Spirits and fell asleep on the hillside. When she awoke there was flowers and the famine was over. Activity: Draw a picture of their most valued object. Rating: 4, beautifully written story8) Title: Rechenka’s EggsAuthor: Patricia PolaccoGrade level: 1-3Genre: MulticulturalSynopsis: Babushka lived in a little house by herself and painted eggs for the Easter festival. One day she found a wounded goose and nursed it back to health. The goose one day was exploring her house and accidently destroyed all the eggs. All Babushka’s hard work was destroyed. But the next day the goose that she had taken in had laid an egg that was beautifully painted. Every day the goose laid a new egg. It was a miracle. When spring had finally come she knew that the goose would have to leave. But when the goose left, she left a surprise, an egg with a baby goose inside to stay with Babushka always. Activity: Paint eggs as a classRating: 3, good story9) Title: A Million Fish…More or LessAuthor: Patricia C. McKissackGrade level: 1-3Genre: MulticulturalSynopsis: Hugh Thomas was out on the bayou a fishing and caught a Million fish. But before he could leave he had to give half to the alligators that blocked his path. Then he had to get another half to the raccoon pirates that blocked his path. Then he was walking back into town and a bunch of birds stole a bunch of fish off his wagon. Then a local cat and her friends stole the last bit of them leaving him with only 3. Activity: talk about tall tales and how they affect the studentsRating: 3, interesting story about tall tales10) Title: Whoever You AreAuthor: Mem FoxGrade level: K-2Genre: MulticulturalSynopsis: All over the world all the children maybe different on the outside, but on the inside they are all the same. Activity: look at the map and compare pictures of the native children from that country. Study their culture, what they wear, learn, speak, eat, ect..Rating: 1, odd book and really just thought the pictures were creepy.Science/Nature/Animal ~ 10 ?1) Title: Red Leaf, Yellow LeafAuthor: Lois EhlertGrade level: K-1Genre: NatureSynopsis: There is a mighty big Sugar Maple in the front yard. But it wasn’t always there. Once it was a small seed in the ground and then sprouted into a sapling. The sapling was then taken by nursery worker to a farm to grow into a bigger tree. Then from that was taken again to be planted in the front yard where it now lives. Activity: Go outside and collect leaves with the students and then have them glue the leaves down on a sheet of paper.Rating: 4, good book for fall. 2) Title: Earth Day – Hooray!Author: Stuart J. MurphyGrade level: 1-3Genre: ScienceSynopsis: Carly, Luke and Ryan are cleaning up the park and they realize that they want to collect cans to raise money to buy flowers to beautify the park. Activity: Have a cleanup day and go out and clean a park and plant some flowers and do a communication beautification project.Rating: 3, good to promote class participation in cleaning up the community.3) Title: The Magic School Bus Explores the SensesAuthor: Joanna Cole & Bruce DegenGrade level: 3-5Genre: ScienceSynopsis: The class is preparing for an assembly, but Ms. Frizzle gets the days mixed up. The assistant principle decides to take the bus and follow Ms. Frizzle to get her to come back to the school. That was a mistake, the bus changes into a tiny speck and they travel around learning all about the different senses. But finally they make it out and get Ms. Frizzle and go to the assembly. Activity: Explore the different sense with different activities using the 5 senses.Rating: 4, Fun book that is interactive and really explains the science behind the concept. 4) Title: Red Sings from Treetops; a year in colorsAuthor: Joyce SidmanGrade level: K-2Genre: ScienceSynopsis: Traveling through the seasons on the colors. Studying each color and its relation to each season.Activity: draw out each seasonRating: 3, I love the different seasons and wish I lived in a place with 4 seasons.5) Title: CrickwingAuthor: Janell CannonGrade level: 1-3Genre: ScienceSynopsis: Crickwing is a cockroach that loves playing with his food. He is always scared of the bigger predators out there that pick on him. But then he realizes he can pick on the little puny ants. But then they gang up on him and they take him back to the colony and were going to sacrifice him to the army ants but when a few ants decide to let him go. To return the favor he constructs a giant anteater sculpture to scare away the army ants and save the leaf-eaters.Activity: Get an ant farm in the classroom so the kids can watch how ants tunnel ect..Rating: 4, good book that personifies bugs and also educational. 6) Title: PinduliAuthor: Janell CannonGrade level: 1-3Genre: ScienceSynopsis: Pinduli was a little hyena searching and exploring the plains. She came across a pack of dogs, a lion, and a zebra who all made fun of her. So she tried to change and ends up looking like a ghost and scaring the animals into making amends with all the other animals that had offended them.Activity: talk about how words can hurt feelings and how we need to use our words to build up others instead of tearing them down.Rating: 4, good book about the power of words. 7) Title: VerdiAuthor: Janell CannonGrade level: 1-3Genre: ScienceSynopsis: Verdi is a green snake who doesn’t want to grow up. HE wants to run and be active forever. But after he takes a nasty fall he realizes the joy in being still but also realized he can be both. Active and relaxed. Activity: Draw snakes and watch a movie about different kinds of snakes and how they adapt to their environment. Rating: 3, good book about snakes. Not too scary but still a book about snakes that a boy would love to read. 8) Title: Who Lives Here?Author: Wendy MadgwickGrade level: K-1Genre: ScienceSynopsis: This book explores the different types of habitats out in the world and what types of animals live in them. Activity: Do a matching sheet with different pictures of habitats and the animals that live in them and have the children match the animal to the habitat.Rating: 4, great book for young children to read on their own and also as a class. 9) Title: Who is Out?Author: Wendy MadgwickGrade level: K-1Genre: ScienceSynopsis: This book explores the types of nocturnal creatures in the wild and what they do at while they are out. Activity: draw a picture of a nocturnal creature and what it does at night. Write a short sentence explaining the creature and its actions. Rating: 4, great for young children to read on their own and also to read as an entire class in engagement.10) Title: Who is Hiding Here?Author: Wendy MadgwickGrade level: K-1Genre: ScienceSynopsis: This book explores different landscapes and how certain animals use that to their advantage.Activity: Have the children do worksheets where they search pictures for animals in their habitat. Like a word search but with picturesRating: 4, great book for young children to look at and read on their own but also good as an engagement. Fairytale/Folktale ~ 10 ?1) Title: Strega Nona’s Magic LessonsAuthor: Tomie dePaolaGrade level: 1-3Genre: Fairytale/FolktaleSynopsis: Bambolona doesn’t like being the baker’s daughter. She is working like crazy and he never helps. So she goes to Strega Nona’s to get some help. She decides to teach her magic. But big Anthony gets jealous and dresses up as a girl so that he can learn magic too. But he fails at it and makes a big mistake which causes him to promise to never to practice magic again. Activity: color a picture Rating: 4, love Tomie dePaola and his stories of Strega Nona2) Title: Helga’s Dowry; A Troll Love StoryAuthor: Tomie dePaola Grade level: 1-3Genre: Other/FantasySynopsis: Helga is the loveliest troll in all the lands. But she can’t marry the troll she loved because she did not have a dowry. So she decided to go out and make her own dowry. So she works and works to earn a dowry, but after she earned it she realized that her love only loved her for her money. But just then she gets another offer for marriage from someone who didn’t need her dowry. The Troll King!Activity: conversation on having friends that appreciate you for you instead of what you have. Counseling standardsRating: 3, good for teaching children to be true to themselves and have friends that respect them for who they are. 3) Title: Tony’s BreadAuthor: Tomie dePaolaGrade level: 1-3Genre: Fairytale/FolktaleSynopsis: Tony wants to make the best bread in all of Millan. He also has a daughter who he has spoiled into a princess. One day a wealthy nobleman comes to town and falls in love with Tony’s daughter. He decides that he would make Tony’s dream of having the best bakery in Milan come true in order to marry his daughter. And so that is what he does.Activity: make bread with the class as a science lesson of how to combine ingredients to create something new.Rating: 3, a solid book by Mr. dePaola. Not my favorite but still a great book. 4) Title: Strega Nona Meets her MatchAuthor: Tomie dePaolaGrade level: 1-3Genre: Fairytale/FolktaleSynopsis: Strega Nona’s friend shows up and tries to start her own business to compete with Strega Nona. All is going well for her friend until she leaves Big Anthony in charge as she leaves for a few days. While she was gone, Anthony messes everything up. The townspeople realize that they prefer the old ways of Strega Nona and they ask her friend to leave. Activity: Use it to explain technology. Say that new technology is good and can be helpful but sometimes the old way is just as good. Rating: 4, love me some Strega Nona story. That woman is so smart and always knows how it is going to work out. 5) Title: A Boy, a Dog, and a FrogAuthor: Mercer MayerGrade level: K-1Genre: Fairytale/FolktaleSynopsis: A little boy goes frog hunting with his dog. They can’t catch the frog so the boy and his dog go home. The frog gets sad and decides to follow the boy home and they play in the bathtub and become friends.Activity: Have the class have a tank of tadpoles and watch them grow into frogs.Rating: 2, interesting story not my favorite. 6) Title: Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s EarAuthor: Verna AardemaGrade level: 1-3Genre: Folktale/FairytaleSynopsis: The mosquito buzzed to the iguana who got annoyed so he stuck sticks in his ears so he wouldn’t have to listen to it. This spiraled out of control and ended up with the night that lasted too long. Finally they got it all sorted out but the mosquitos are still hated by all the animals.Activity: look at series of events and sort them into the proper order. Rating: 1, not the best book. Didn’t really like it at all.7) Title: Heckedy PegAuthor: Audrey WoodGrade level: 2-4Genre: Fairytale/FolktaleSynopsis: A mother has 7 children each named for a day of the week. They are being so good she says she will get them anything they want from the market. While she is gone a witch comes into the door and turns the children to food. The mother comes home to find that her children are missing and she finds them at the witch’s hut. The witch says if the mother can guess all her children the first try she will get them back. Of course the mother does and they chase away the witch to never see her again.Activity: Talk to the children about the importance of following instructions. Have them circle on s sheet the people you should trust. Such as teacher, parents, doctor, ect..Rating: 2, good story, don’t really know how I would use it in a classroom. Maybe as a bedtime story later with my own children8) Title: Tooth FairyAuthor: Audrey WoodGrade level: K-1Genre: Fairytale/FolktaleSynopsis: Mathew lost a tooth but his sister Jessica is jealous because he will get a treat and she won’t. So she decides she wants to trick the tooth fairy and get a treat as well. But when the tooth fairy shows up and takes them to tooth world she gets in trouble and realizes that she needs to be patient and wait for her teeth to fall out naturally.Activity: Draw a picture of the tooth fairy and her castle of teeth.Rating: 3, decent fairytale and story. Good fun read with the children. 9) Title: The Rabbit and the TurtleAuthor: Eric CarleGrade level: K-2Genre: Fairytale/FolktaleSynopsis: The rabbit and the turtle are looking for something to do and they decide to have a race. The rabbit thinks he is so fast that he doesn’t have to worry about losing so he takes a break and falls asleep. But he falls so far behind the turtle who slowly continuously trudges along winning the race.Activity: teach the children good pacing skills. To run a steady marathon instead of multiple sprints. Rating: 3, great classic story10) Title: The Story of Jumping MouseAuthor: John SteptoeGrade level: 2-4Genre: Fairytale/Folk TaleSynopsis: The little mouse wanted to see the far off land. So he decides to make a journey to the far off land. At the beginning of his trip he meets a mouse how gives him a gift of jumping that allows him to jump very high and travel far distances. On his trip he meets a bison, and gives the bison his eye-sight. He then continues his travels blind and meets a wolf who he gives his nose to. The mouse doesn’t know how to continue on without his eyes or nose to lead the way. Just then the frog who gave him the gift of jumping gave him the gift of living in the far off land forever as an Eagle. Activity: write a story of their own of a creature going on a journey. What kind of traits might that creature need? Scent of a dog, ears of a bat, ectRating: 4, pretty decent book. Enjoyed the story line but don’t know how I could use it to teach. Social Studies/Historical Fiction 1) Title: Grandfather’s JourneyAuthor: Allen SayGrade level: K-2Genre: Social Studies/Historical FictionSynopsis: Grandfather left home as a young man and traveled through the country side of America. He fell in love with the country, but he longed for the city of his childhood. So he took a trip back to his home town and fell in love with his childhood sweetheart. They moved back to America and had a daughter. Then when she was almost grown they moved back to Japan. There she fell in love and started a family. But they longed to go back to their other home in America. Each time they stepped foot on one country they longed for the other. Never knowing which they loved more. Activity: Color a map of the world to see where everyone comes from.Rating: 3, beautiful illustrations and great story of a timeline with real history.2) Title: Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s EarAuthor: Verna AardemaGrade level: 1-3Genre: Social Studies/Historical FictionSynopsis: The mosquito buzzed to the iguana who got annoyed so he stuck sticks in his ears so he wouldn’t have to listen to it. This spiraled out of control and ended up with the night that lasted too long. Finally they got it all sorted out but the mosquitos are still hated by all the animals.Activity: look at series of events and sort them into the proper order. Rating: 1, not the best book. Didn’t really like it at all.3) Title: Rechenka’s EggsAuthor: Patricia PolaccoGrade level: 1-3Genre: Social Studies/ Historical FictionSynopsis: Babushka lived in a little house by herself and painted eggs for the Easter festival. One day she found a wounded goose and nursed it back to health. The goose one day was exploring her house and accidently destroyed all the eggs. All Babushka’s hard work was destroyed. But the next day the goose that she had taken in had laid an egg that was beautifully painted. Every day the goose laid a new egg. It was a miracle. When spring had finally come she knew that the goose would have to leave. But when the goose left, she left a surprise, an egg with a baby goose inside to stay with Babushka always. Activity: Paint eggs as a classRating: 3, good story4) Title: The Legend of the Indian PaintbrushAuthor: Tomie DePaolaGrade Level: 1-3Genre: Social Studies/Historical FictionSynopsis: Little Gopher has a unique talent among his tribe. He is the smallest of them all and he is not strong or mighty like the other boys in the tribe. But his talent is the talent of art. In a dream vision he was told to put down the stories of his tribe in paintings. He tried and tried to paint the sunset and was never able to get it quite right, but finally one night he heard a voice telling him to go to hilltop where he watches the sunset and he will find what he needs to paint the sunset. He finds brushes there that allow him to paint the most beautiful sunset, and when he leaves, he leaves the brushes there on the hillside. The next morning when the tribe awakes the brushes had taken root and the hill was covered in beautiful flowers. That each spring after that bloomed and the tribe rejoiced. Activity: Students paint on canvases tribal stories depicting different scenarios such as hunts or dreams or great deeds. Rating: 4, this story unique and can be used in an art lesson and in a multicultural lesson. So many options for using this book. 5) Title: GolemAuthor: David WisniewkiGrade level: 1-3Genre: Social Studies/ Historical FictionSynopsis: In Prague in 1580 the Jews are being persecuted and the head Rabbi goes out and creates a protector. The golem is named Joseph and he is charged to protect the town. When the Jews are safe then the Rabbi must now turn Joseph back to clay because he is needed no more. Activity: have the children create people out of clay or play doughRating: 2, interesting story that incorporates history, religion, and fable into one. 6) Title: The Legend of the Blue BonnetAuthor: Tomie dePaolaGrade level: 1-3Genre: Social Studies/ Historical FictionSynopsis: A girl named She-Who-Is-Alone had a doll that was made by her parents before their death due to the great famine that had taken over the land. When the shaman went to talk to the great spirits, he returned and told that they had to sacrifice the most cherished item in order to return life to the land. So long after everyone had gone to bed She-Who-Is-Alone went up to the hill top because she knew that her doll was the most cherished item since it was all she had left of her family. She sacrificed it to the Spirits and fell asleep on the hillside. When she awoke there was flowers and the famine was over. Activity: Draw a picture of their most valued object. Rating: 4, beautifully written story7) Title: Crow BoyAuthor: Taro YashimaGrade level: 1-3Genre: Social Studies/ Historical FictionSynopsis: There was a little boy found under the school one day. He never spoke or did played with the other children. He did his own thing. After 5 years they got a new teacher, this teacher talked and communicated with the boy and encouraged him. Before graduation the boy performed in the talent show and did the calls of the crows. The town finally realized what this boy had gone through and they felt bad about all the teasing that they had put him through. They finally respected him and cherished this child for who he was. Activity: listen to bird calls and match them with pictures of the birdsRating: 3, it was a good book, but I think better for teachers to show the power of a teacher on a child’s outcome. 8) Title: Snowflake BentleyAuthor: Jacqueline Briggs MartinGrade level: 1-3Genre: Social Studies/Historical FictionSynopsis: The true story of a man obsessed with snow and snowflakes. He spent years of his life photographing and studying the wonderful beautiful creations that are snowflakes.Activity: Cut out snowflakes, showing how each student does it differently. They might look similar but all are unique.Rating: 4, cool that it is a real story and that someone dedicated their life to studying something that is so fleeting. 9) Title: The Ugly MenorahAuthor: Marissa MossGrade level: 1-3Genre: Social Studies/ Historical FictionSynopsis: Rachel loves her family’s Menorah because it is so beautiful and ornate. But this year she is spending Chanukah with her grandmother since her grandfather died. She missed her grandfather so much. When she saw her grandmother’s menorah, she thought it was ugly since it was so simple and small. But after Grandma explained that Grandpa had made the menorah for her because they could not afford a beautiful new one at the time; Rachel thought it was the most beautiful menorah of all time since it made her feel like her grandfather was with them again. Activity: Have the class talk about different cultures and how different cultures celebrate holidays. If allowed have a menorah in the classroom so the students can see what a real one looks like. Rating: 3, good simple book to show kids about different cultures even within our own community and classroom. 10) Title: The Keeping QuiltAuthor: Patricia PolaccoGrade level: 2-4Genre: Social Studies/ Historical Fiction Synopsis: When Anna came to America all she had left to remember home in Russia was her clothes. So when she out grew them, her mother made her clothes and clothes from her other family members into a quilt. The quilt became a symbol of their family and was there at all celebrations. The quilt continues to be passed down through the family and to keep alive the memories of their roots in Russia.Activity: Have the children make a picture quilt. Everyone has a different piece of paper and they make a collage of pictures that represent their family. Then tie all the pieces of paper together and hang in the classroom to represent the class’s connections.Rating: 4, such a good book. So touching and shows the power of a symbol and its connection to a family. ................
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