Education

Childrens
Literature
Annotated
Bibliography

Dee Pauley
2017
 Table of Contents

Fantasy
Adventure
Olivia 17
Come On, Rain! 1 The Adventures of Beekle The Unimaginary Friend 18
Same, Same but Different 2 Where the Wild Things Are 19
The Reletives Came 3 Lulu and the Brontosaurus 20
The Story about Ping 4

Animal Historical Fiction

My Favorite Pets By Gus W. 5 Im Still Scared 21
For Ms. Smolinski's Class Number the Stars 22
Gorilla Gail Gibbons 6 Finding Winnie 23
It's a Dog's Life 7 The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear
How Man's Best Friend Sees, Passage to Freedom The Sugihara Story 24
Hears, and Smells the World You Wouldn't Want to Be an American Pioneer! 25
From Caterpillar to Butterfly Following the Life Cycle 8 A Wilderness You'd Rather Not Tame
Elizabeth Started All the Trouble 26
Biography/Autobiography
Mystery
Timeless Thomas 9
How Thomas Edison Changed Our Lives The Missing Cupcake Mystery 27
The Boy Who Loved Math 10 Scooby Doo: The Thanksgiving Mystery 28
The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes 29
Thomas Jefferson Voice of Liberty 11 Calendar Mysteries September Sneakers 30
Beethoven's World 12
The Moon Jet 37
Fairy Tales My Alien Parents 38

The Story of Ferdinand 13

A Donkey Reads adapted from a Turkish Folktale 14
The Orphan A Cinderella Story from Greece 15
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble 16
Non-Fiction Westerns
Pandas and other Endagered Species 31 The Legend of Freedom Hill 47
Bubba and the Cowboy Prince 48
Magic Tree House Fact Tracker Armidilly Chili 49
The Bill of Rights 32 Journey of a Pioneer 50
The Story of America Immigration and Migratio 33 The Ballad of Wilbur and the Moose 51
The U.S. Supreme Court 34 Casey the Greedy Young Cowboy: 52
A Book about being Thankful
Science Fiction Peckos Bill 53

Alien Adventures Goal! 35

Batman Attack of the Man-Bat! 36
The Moon Jet 37
My Alien Parents 38

Spooky/Scary
Old Black Witch 39
Princess Posey and the Monster Stew 40
Halloween Pie 41
When an Alien Meets a Swamp Monster 42

Sports
Just as Good 43
You Can Do It! 44
The Littlest Leaguer 45
The Bat Boy 46
 Title: Come On, Rain! 1

Author/Illustrator: Karen Hess / Jon J Muth

Pulbisher: Scholastic Press Date: 1999

Number of pages: 43 Genre: Adventure

Description of illustrations:

Come on, Rain as watercolor painting type of illustrations.

Because of the use of watercolors you can see the heat of the
summer that the author was trying portray. The illustrations take
up the whole page and the words are embedded in a small
portion of the page.

A short summary of the main plot and themes:

A young African American girl, living in the city, is waiting with her

ADVENTURE mother for the rain to finally come. Her mother works very hard
in the heat while the girl occupies her time. When the rain comes
they celebrate by dancing in the rain and the mother's join the
kids in their celebration. This is a multicultural book.

Personal Response:

This book is an excellent creative book, in word and color. The

rhythm and rhyme of the poem is interesting and creative. I like
the book. I think it is simple and makes you feel good about
family and friends.

Potential Uses:

This book is written from the point of view of a young African

American girl in the inner city. The book would be good for a
read aloud because of the rich culture it has and because of the
use of poetry to tell a story. It could be used to discuss different
genres of writing, since this form is different than a narrative
book.
Title: Same, Same but Different 2 Title: The Relatives Came
Author/Illustrator: Jenny Sue/Kostecki-Shaw
Pulbisher: Henry Holt and Company, LLC Date: 2011
Number of pages: 31 Genre: Adventure
Description of illustrations:
This is a colorful picture book - made to look like kids
drawings. The pictures are the bulk of the book.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Two boys, one from the US and one from India are pen palls
writing and drawing to each other about their worlds...Same
but Different.
Personal Response:
This is a very good picture book. It is entertaining and helps
the reader to see the similarities and differences living in
different places. I like that even the text, the letters, are part
of the illustrations.
Potential Uses:
This is an excellent book for young readers to read on their
own, it would be good for 1st or 2nd grade students. It is a
good book to use as a supplement when discussing world
cultures in class. Each page of the book points out cultural
differences and similarities. At the 2nd grade level this book
could be used to help students with comprehension, drawing
conclusions from the text and making text to world
connections.
3
Author/Illustrator: Cynthia Rylant/Stephen Gammell
Pulbisher: Simon & Schuster Date: 1985
Number of pages: 26 Genre: Adventure
Description of illustrations:
This Caldecott Honor book has illustrations that are almost
like crayon colored drawings. The illustrator uses the entire
page and the words fit into a small portion of the page. The
characters are drawn with cartoonlike features.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
This story is about big family and what it is like when they get
together in the summer. It's about the adventure of driving to
family far away and the excitement of being together. It's a
great story about extended family and the love we have for
our families.
Personal Response:
This is a good book about when family comes to visit. It used
to be that family drove long distances to see each other and
at happened in the summer. Life has changed a little today
but the premise of the book is about love of family and the
excitement that comes when we see them - so it is relevant
always.
Potential Uses:
This book would be a fun aloud. Most kids have family they
visit so they will connect to this story. It can be used to teach
about the value of extended family. In 1st grade and older,
this book could be used to make text to self connections and
could be used to activate prior knowledge to draw conclusions
in how the story will end.
Title: The Story about Ping 4

Author/Illustrator: Kurt Wiese/Marjorie Flack

Pulbisher: Puffin Books Date: 1977

Number of pages: 32 Genre: Adventure

Description of illustrations:
The illustrations are a mix of painted characters and crayon
colored scenes. The illustrator uses black and white to
characterize the scary birds against the brightly colored
animals. The characters are oriental and the dress and faces
are what you would think of when you visualize people from
that region.

A short summary of the main plot and themes:

Ping is a duck who tries to avoid being spanked so he runs
away. He soon realizes that the spanking would be much
better than being alone on the Yangtze River.

Personal Response:
Pings adventure on the Yangtze River is a cute story. I think
ANIMALS
it is fun and ends well and young children can connect with
his adventure.

Potential Uses:
Pings story is good for young elementary students. It would
be useful as a read aloud in class and provides an opportunity
to introduce young children to another culture. Children of
that age understand the concept of trying to avoid trouble and
this book would be a good way of talking about being
responsible and owning up to your actions. I think the story
could be used to talk to children about a sequence of events
and introduce them to the concept of cause and effect.
Title: My Favorite Pets by Gus W. for 5 Title: Gorilla
Ms. Smolinskis Class
Author/Illustrator: Jeanne Birdsall/Harry Bliss
Pulbisher: Random House Childrens Books Date: 2016
Number of pages: 30 Genre: Animal
Description of illustrations:
The book is filled with huge pictures of the sheep and Gus's
adventures with them. The words are written on handwriting
paper on each page and the picture shows what Gus is trying
to say, and sometimes what he doesn't say - adding fun.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Gus turns in his report to Ms. Smolinski about his sheep. Gus
tells us all about what sheep do and don't do and how
sometimes they can get him in a little trouble along the way.
Personal Response:
I think it is a fun book. I really think little boys would love the
mischief that Gus finds himself in.
Potential Uses:
Easy read for a new reader in 1st or 2nd grade and the
adventures Gus has will keep them laughing. The pictures
are entertaining and provide at least half of the story. Besides
just being a fun book, it would be a very fun read aloud for a
group of children. It would be useful to help comprehension
skills and discuss the cause and effect of what Gus does.
Finally it can be used to introduce a study on animals.
6
Author/Illustrator: Gail Gibbons
Pulbisher: Holiday House Date: 2010
Number of pages: 32 Genre: Animal
Description of illustrations:
The book is a painted jungle. The gorillas are life like but the
vegetation and the area around them are very animated. The
illustrator uses maps and little pictures to describe things, like
the Gorilla's jaws and teeth.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
This book defines what a gorilla is, where they live, what type
of Gorilla's there are.
Personal Response:
This is a very Interesting and factual book about Gorilla's. I
think the pictures are great and will keep kids entertained as
they read about gorilla facts. It really is like an encyclopedia
in information but done in a way that is creative and
entertaining.
Potential Uses:
This is an excellent book for any young student that needs to
have factual information on a gorilla. It can be used in the
classroom as supplementary material in a unit study on
animals or to be made available for book reports
assignments. Students can learn about non-fiction and fiction
and evaluate the use of illustrations in the book.
Title: It's a Dog's Life: How Man's Best Friend 7 Title: From Caterpillar to Butterfly:
Sees, Hears, and Smells the World
Author/Illustrator: Susan E. Goodman/David Slonim
Pulbisher: Roaring Book Press Date: 2012
Number of pages: 28 Genre: Animal
Description of illustrations:
Cartoon like characters of different dogs and the things people
do with their dogs. At points the illustrator shows what type of
dog is in the picture.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
A dog takes you through the history of where dogs came from
and how they were bread. The dog explains how they hear,
smell and see differently than humans. He even gives some
tips about how to train them.
Personal Response:
This book is a fun way to learn about "everything" dog. It is
really detailed and full of information but at the same time
everything is taught in dog humor. Kids will want to read this
story.
Potential Uses:
This would be a great book for a dog lover or maybe even for
kids who are afraid of them. Besides being silly it has factual
information about dogs. You could discuss what credibility of
character is, and evaluate if the dog telling the story was
credible. Students could infer what is fact and what is fantasy
in this book. Finally, it could be used as a resource for book
report or as a fun read aloud when teaching about animals.
8
Following the Life Cycle
Author/Illustrator: Suzanne Slide/Jeff Yesh
Pulbisher: Picture Window Book Date: 2009
Number of pages: 24 Genre: Animal
Description of illustrations:
The book is brightly colored with larger than life illustrations of
butterfly's, larva, caterpillars, etc... The setting the butterflies
are in is equally vivid.. The illustrations have much of the
information needed for the reader.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
This is a book about the life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly. It
has step-by-step process of the cycle and fun facts about
butterfly's.
Personal Response:
I think the colors are beautiful to look at and the size of the
butterflies, and larva, etc.. are great for a close up view of
what you normally cant see. It is an interesting and creative
way to teach the facts of the cycle of the Monarch.
Potential Uses:
This book is excellent for kids with an interest in butterflies. It
can be used in a science study as a resource for teaching or
as a supplemental resource for information for the students.
The book could also be used to help students with
comprehension by recalling the steps of the cycle.
Non-Fiction
Biography
Title: Timeless Thomas: How Thomas Edison 9 Title: The Boy Who Loved Math
Changed Our Lives
Author/Illustrator: Gene Barretta
Pulbisher: Henry Holt and Co., LLC Date: 2012
Number of pages: 37 Genre: Biography
Description of illustrations:
The Illustrations really help the reader to understand the
materials and inventions that they would not understand by
just reading about. On one page the illustrations are present
day uses of his inventions and the next page is what he did to
make that happen. Things like the "electric pen" and voting
machine, would not have meant anything to a young reader.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
This is the story of Thomas Edison. The author flips from
present day uses of something Edison invented and then
jumps back to what he actually invented to get us to what we
uses today. At the end of the book there is biographical
information and a list of all the people who were a part of his
team.
Personal Response:
This is an awesome book for studying Edison. It's one thing
to talk about Edison - it's another to see what his inventions
were in picture and then see vividly how we use those
inventions today.
Potential Uses:
This would be an excellent book to make text to world
connections and then have students hypothesize what the
world would be like without Thomas Edisons inventions. You
could discuss cause and effect of some of the inventions that
impact the world most. That would help them to grow in
comprehension and critical thinking when reading.
10
The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos
Author/Illustrator: Deborah Heillgma/LeUyen Pham
Pulbisher: Roaring Brook Press Date: 2013
Number of pages: 36 Genre: Biography
Description of illustrations:
There is an entire page at the end of this book devoted to the
illustrators notes on how he illustrated the book. He took a great
amount of time to incorporate math symbols, numbers, equations,
graphs, etc. He also went for deeper concepts, i.e. Harmonic Primes
over a drawing of Paul, since Paul's favorite numbers were prime.
The numbers on the buildings are primes. The book is colorful and
you could spend a ton of time finding the math on each page.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
This is the story of Paul Erdos. It is written as a narrative from the
time he was young until he died. He loved numbers as a small child
but did not like school or any kind of rules. As he grew older he
traveled all over the world working with people who needed help with
math. He was such a genius everyone wanted his input. He
developed math that we now see in computer processors and search
engines on the computer. He died as an old man doing math.
Personal Response:
BEST BOOK!! I will be buying this book. Such a great book for
sparking interest in math and helping kids see that even if they get in
trouble and don't do things like others - it doesn't mean they are not
bright. The book was done so well. Interesting story and fun!
Potential Uses:
This book is an excellent Math supplement - I think it should be in
every class, 2nd-6th grade! Beyond classroom uses, I would use as
a read aloud with to discuss the math in the illustrations in addition to
the contributions he made to math. The students could learn to
evaluate techniques that authors can when writing to impact the
story. This stories use of mathematics in the illustrations is a good
example of that
Title: Thomas Jefferson Voice of Liberty 11
Author/Illustrator: Andrew Santella
Pulbisher: Childrens Press Date: 1999
Number of pages: 48 Genre: Biography
Description of illustrations:
Illustrations are basically pictures of places, people and old
pictures. There are also pictures of old paintings illustrating
the Continental Congress and Thomas Jefferson. On one
page there is a picture of a sketch that Jefferson drew of
Monticello - his home.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
The biography is about the life of Thomas Jefferson. He
owned slaves all his life. He was interested in many things
besides politics. He pursued architecture, horse riding, and
music. The book describes the things that he was famous for
as well, like the Declaration and the University of Virginia.
There is a timeline at the end of the book.
Personal Response:
It was an encyclopedia like in its information but very
interesting because his life was interesting. I thought the
author could have made it more appealing to the age they
were targeting. The vocabulary was written for early
elementary.
Potential Uses:
This book is perfect for a U.S. history study in fourth or fifth
grade. Students can use the book to research who Thomas
Jefferson was and the life he led behind what he was famous
for. On a different level, book could provide an opportunity to
compare and contrast culture of that time compared to now,
and understand how our values have change from one period
of time to another.
Title: Beethovens World 12
Author/Illustrator: Jennifer Viegas
Pulbisher: The Rosen Publishing Group Date: 2008
Number of pages: 64 Genre: Biography
Description of illustrations:
There are not many pictures in this book. There are some
paintings of Beethoven and pictures of compositions and
instruments of that time throughout the book.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Beethoven's World is a Music Throughout History book about
the composers life and contributions to music. The book also
describes what was going on during the time that some of the
most famous works were written, as some of these
compositions took years to write. At the end of the book there
is a glossary of terms, a timeline and a list of all of his works.
Personal Response:
Beethoven's World is excellent in the way the author explains
the time period, the compositions and how incredible
Beethoven was. I enjoyed reading details about some of his
compositions. The author wrote it in a way that would interest
a young music enthusiast.
Potential Uses:
This book and probably the entire series of Music Throughout
History would be excellent resources for music classes. It
could also be a resource for a biography project for students
in 4th grade and older. The content and style of the book is for
older elementary students who can read well. Finally the
story can be used to discuss the impact of Beethovens music
to music today. Providing an opportunity to compare and
contrast the differences in culture from his time to now.
 Title: The Story of Ferdinand 13

Author/Illustrator: Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson

Pulbisher: Puffin Books Date: May 2006

Number of pages: 67 Genre: Fairy Tale

Description of illustrations:

The story was illustrated with black and white pencil drawings.
The illustrator paid particular attention to showing expression
and emotions through the animals and characters in the story.

A short summary of the main plot and themes:

Ferdinand was a young bull who did not display the typical
aggressive behaviors of bull. He liked to sit outside and smell
the flowers. He was a very fierce and strong bull in appearance

FAIRY TALE so he found his way to the bull fights. Although he looked fierce
he was, who he was, and the fighters eventually gave up on
him.

Personal Response:
This is one of my all times favorites for children. It is a good
story about being who you are and not what everyone expects
you to be. Ferdinand doesnt mind that others think he should
be another way. I also like that children can learn about bull
fighting and a different culture than their own.

Potential Uses:
It is a great book to read aloud to children. It provokes deeper
conversation about self image and gender roles. It is also useful
in teaching about the Spanish culture and bullfighting. Older
students can use the story of Ferdinand to compare and
constrast the stereotypical roles of boys and girls then
encounter in their lives to the expectations of Ferdinand and his
response to the people he encounters.
Title: A Donkey Reads 14
Adapted from a Turkish Folktale
Author/Illustrator: Muriel Mandell/Andre Letria
Pulbisher: Star Bright Books Date: 2011
Number of pages: 24 Genre: Fairy Tale
Description of illustrations:
The illustrations are colorful drawings visually showing what it not
written. The illustrator pays particular attention to expressions on
the faces of the donkey and the people in the story. To show the
poverty of the villagers the illustrator uses browns, greys and blacks
to depict their homes and clothing. The mid eastern culture is
apparent in the dress and facial hair of the characters.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
A Donkey Reads is a Turkish folktale about a village wise man
outwitting a tyrannical Mongolian ruler. He saves a donkey by
telling the ruler that he could teach him how to read. The donkey
never learns how to read but the wise man teaches him how to look
like he is reading. He saves the donkey and gives a laugh to the
villagers.
Personal Response:
This was probably my least favorite book. It didn't seem to have a
climax to the story that was worth the read. Even for kids listening
to the story I think they would come away wanting something more.
Potential Uses:
Teachers could discuss the use of anthropomorphism in literature
with older elementary students using this book. It can also be used
to introduce a tale from a different culture and compare and
contrast tales that they know to this. Finally, the story helps
students recognize that we have common stories and therefor lives
with people of other cultures.
Title: The Orphan: 15
A Cinderella Story from Greece
Author/Illustrator: Anothony Manna/Soula Mitakidou
Pulbisher: Random House, Inc Date: 2011
Number of pages: 32 Genre: Fairy Tale
Description of illustrations:
Every page had a green color to it. The faces looked like old
painted doll faces. The illustrator used watercolor to indicate the
dream like story.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
This story is similar to Cinderella. The difference is, the story takes
place in Greece. A young girls mother died, just like Cinderella.
The father weds a very mean wife with three daughters, who are
equally as mean. The orphan girl goes to her mothers grave to ask
for help. Through the grave, her mother says a poem, telling her to
be faithful and have faith that things will change. Eventually all is
good; the prince marries the orphan girl.
Personal Response:
The story is similar to Cinderella in the circumstances, but this story
focuses on the value of having faith and listening to family, when
life is difficult. I like the use of the poems as her mother talks to
her. It is another creative expression that kids can connect with.
The use of rhyming words always has an impact on young readers.
Potential Uses:
The rhyme and poetic form will be appealing to young children.
The story could also be used with older elementary students as an
introduction to rhyme and poetry as a genre of story telling. Finally,
since the story takes place in Greece, the book can be used to
introduce that culture and make a text to text connection with our
Cinderella story.
Title: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble 16

Author/Illustrator: William Steig

Pulbisher: Simon and Schuster Date: 1969

Number of pages: 35 Genre: Fairy Tale

Description of illustrations:
This is a Caldecott Medal book. The illustrations are very
good and tell much of the story. The characters are all
animals - Sylvester is a horse. The illustrations are watercolor
paintings - and drawings.

A short summary of the main plot and themes:

Sylvester finds a magical red pebble. He figures out that if he
wishes for something while he holds it - it will be granted.
Unfortunately, Sylvester turns himself into a rock and needs
someone to wish him back to life. It's a story to be careful
what you wish for.

Personal Response:
It was a cute story. Not too much of a moral to the story, but it
was cute and had a good ending.

Potential Uses:
This is a good read aloud story for young children. It can be
used to teach young children the life lesson of being content
with what you have. In older students, it can also be helpful in
understanding characterization, plot and sequence in story
telling. Teachers could point out the beginning, middle and
end of this story and have students write or draw their own
ending. This would help with comprehension and critical
thinking skills.
 Title: Olivia 17

Author/Illustrator: Uab /fakciber

Pulbisher: Simon & Schuster Date: 2000

Number of pages: 15 Genre: Fantasy

Description of illustrations:
The illustrations are colored in gray scale and uses color to
emphasis a main idea on each page. Like the "Olivia get's
dressed pages" the illustrations have Olivia in grey scale and
her outfit pieces, that the author wants you to look at, are in
red.

A short summary of the main plot and themes:

This is a little girls fantasy about what her day could be.
Building sand castles that are the Empire State Building,

FANTASY going to the museum and recreating the painting at home.

She is mischievous, fun and has a creative mind.

Personal Response:
Good book for a quick read with lots of pictures for the child to
look at. It is simple but fun.

Potential Uses:
Olivia should be read as a read aloud or could be read by new
readers since there are few words and the story is told
through pictures. Young girls are the target audience for this
story. You can work on comprehension skills with younger
children using this story. Using text to self connections,
discussing the sequence of events in her day, and finally
discussing what could be real and what must be fantasy
would be easy comprehension activities you could do with
young children.
Title: The Adventures of Beekle 18
The Unimaginary Friend
Author/Illustrator: Dan Santat
Pulbisher: Little, Brown Book Co. Date: 2014
Number of pages: 39 Genre: Fantasy
Description of illustrations:
This is a Caldecott Medal book. The illustrations were created with
pencil, crayon, watercolor ink and Adobe Photoshop. The land
Beekle comes from is vivid in color and then when he goes to the
world the colors become dull - until he meets his new friend, then the
colors come back again. The creatures are animals that kids already
know, like an octopus, but lifelike characteristics are added to
them...big eyes and a large mouth. The portraits of people
exaggerate their expressions to get the readers attention. This is a
picture book - about 70% of the story is done in picture.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Beekle lives in the world of imagination - waiting for someone to
imagine him. When it doesn't happen, he goes to the world to find his
friend. He has adventures as he travels and finally meets his friend,
and they start adventures of their own.
Personal Response:
I love this book and used it for my Read Aloud assignment. The kids
were very interested in what Beekle was doing and what he was
seeing and how he felt. Each page prompted conversation about the
story and how they could relate to it.
Potential Uses:
The story can be used to help kids explore their own creativity in
pretending. It can also help teachers make a personal connection
with students, as they talk about pretend. Teachers can listen to
students stories about pretend as well as tell their own stories, using
text to self connection. There are lots of comprehension strategies
you can use to help students, like, predicting what happens next,
summarizing the story at the end, and discussing what could be true
and what could be fantasy.
Title: Where the Wild Things Are 19
Author/Illustrator: Maurice Sendak
Pulbisher: Harper Collins Publishers Date: 1963
Number of pages: 37 Genre: Fantasy
Description of illustrations:
This is a Caldecott Medal book. The illustrations look like
colored pencil drawings. The story starts in Max's room and
the color is very pail. It seems as though the color becomes
more vibrant as he said away from the room to where the wild
things are. There are many pages that are just the illustrations
telling the story. The wild things faces are scary yet they are
friendly at the same time. As Max heads back to his room the
colors dull again.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
This is a fantasy of a small child pretending to be the "wild
thing" his mother called him when he went to his room. Max
goes to where the wild things are and pretends to rule over
them. They danced and had fun until he started to miss
home. Max set's out for home even though the Wild Things
didn't want him to go.
Personal Response:
This is a good story for a young child. All kids dream about
"what they would do if...". This book helps the child to dream
and at the same time reminds him that home is always best.
Potential Uses:
With older students this book could be used to teach literary
devises like anthropomorphism and exaggeration. It could
also be used to discuss the how the illustrations are used to
tell a story and how the use of color can affect a story.
Finally, its a good read aloud and could be used with small
children to begin learning how to critically think about stories.
Title: Lulu and the Brontosaurus 20

Author/Illustrator: Judith Voirst/Lane Smith

Pulbisher: Antheneum Books for Young Readers

Date: 2010 Number of pages: 113 Genre: Fantasy

Description of illustrations:
The illustrations were black and white and were used to help
the readers visualized the characters appearance. They also
showed the setting of the forest and the creatures Lulu
encountered.

A short summary of the main plot and themes:

Lulus parents refuse to give in to her demands to have a
brontosaurus for her birthday. So she goes out and finds her
own. The only problem is, he does not want to be her pet, he
thinks she should be his!

Personal Response:
At first I thought Lulu was a terrible brat but about half way
through the book I realized the point was that she would meet
her match and that made it a funny book. I also liked that
even though the brontosaurus was demanding, he was much
more well mannered than LuLu. I enjoyed reading the story
and thought having three different endings was fun.

Potential Uses:
This book could be read in 1st-4th grades as a first chapter
book. The book has three different endings and could be
used to teach about beginning, middle and end of stories.
They could be prompted to write their own ending. It can also
be used to teach about the differences between animals and
humans.
 Title: Im Still Scared 21

Author/Illustrator: Tomie DePaola

Pulbisher: G.P. Putnam and Sons Date: 2006

Number of pages: 83 Genre: Historical Fiction

Description of illustrations:
Tomie drew 3x5 cards of his dear diary journals from the time
surrounding Pearl Harbor. All pictures were black and white
drawings of a scene from the page. A way to describe what he
already wrote in words but because of the time difference it made
sense to draw a picture. Like being the boiler room of the school
for bomb drill.

A short summary of the main plot and themes:

This book is about Tomie at 5-6 years old. It was Christmas time

HISTORICAL and Pearl Harbor had just been bombed. The book is and account
of what happened from the view of a child and what it meant in his
life. How he didn't understand what war was but the things that
were happened, like cousin going to war, the bomb drills at school,

FICTION grown up's talking in huddles...helped him define war.

Personal Response:
This is one of my favorite books. I loved the history as scene by a
young boy and how catastrophic events impacted every day life for
him and his family.

Potential Uses:
This is an excellent book to read to 2nd-5th grade when
talking about scary world events as a read aloud. I think that
now, when we have the religious tolerance problems in the
world, this book would be very helpful in teaching kids that we
are a nation of immigrants and one religion or race is not
defined by some bad thing some of those people did. It will
raise cultural awareness and help the reader to compare and
contrast stories from the time surrounding the events in this
book to today.
Title: Number the Stars 22
Author/Illustrator: Louis Lowry
Pulbisher: Sandpiper Date: 1989
Number of pages: 137 Genre: Historical Fiction
Description of illustrations: No Illustrations
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Annalise is a 10 year old girl growing up in Copenhagen
Denmark during the German invasion of that country. Her
best friend, Ellen, lived upstairs of their apartment building.
Annalise didn't know what brave was until she understood, it's
what we do even when we are afraid. Her family sacrificed
lives and security to help Ellen's family, who were Jewish.
This story is about the courageousness of Annalise and her
family during that time.
Personal Response:
I loved this story. Even though the events in the book were
fictionalized the characters and families were based on real
people the author knew. It was easy to read and hard to put
down. I read it in one evening - not wanting to put it down. I
thought the ending was appropriate for the story and it left me
feeling hopeful for the characters.
Potential Uses:
This is a good book for students in 5th or 6th grade to read on
their own or as an assigned reading. The story will help
students connect the events of World War 2 to the lives of
people their own age. It is an excellent supplement to a study
about World War 2. A teacher could read a chapter of the
book aloud and then apply historic events, dates, and context
to what they read about in the book. It will raise cultural
awareness as well, helping students to connect experiences
and ideas to another time and culture.
Title: Finding Winnie: The True Story 23
of the Worlds Most Famous Bear
Author/Illustrator: Lindsay Mattock
Pulbisher: Little, Brown and Company Date: 2015
Number of pages: 42 Genre: Historical Fiction
Description of illustrations:
The book was illustrated in pastel colors, almost like the same
pastels from the Winnie the Pooh movie. The drawings are life like.
The faces, objects and places in the story, depict the fact that this
was a true story. As the author is telling the story to her son there
are little pictures on the sides of the pages - illustrating her
presence in the story as she reads to her son. There is a family
tree at the end of the book along with real pictures of the characters
in the true story of Winnie.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
This is the true story of how Winnie the Pooh came to be, told by
the great granddaughter of the person who found Winnie. It is the
adventure from when Winnie was found to how Winnie became the
famous Winnie the Pooh.
Personal Response:
I absolutely loved this book. I think it's my favorite children's picture
book. Besides being the real story of Winnie the Pooh, it's a story
about kindness, love of animals and family. A great book!
Potential Uses:
This is a good book to help kids appreciate history more, illustrating
that there is history behind everything and the history of the
object/animal or people brings so much more meaning to it. It can
be used as a read aloud in an elementary class, for a study on
animals or the importance of kindness to animals. It can also be
used as part of a study of the history of World War 1. For older
students you could evaluate the authors technique in how she tells
the story, using the perspective of third person omniscient but being
part of the story as well, which is unusual in childrens stories.
Title: Passage to Freedom: The Sugihars Story 24
Author/Illustrator: Ken Mochizuki/Dom Lee
Pulbisher: Lee & Low Books, Inc. Date: 1997
Number of pages: 30 Genre: Historical Fiction
Description of illustrations:
The illustrations are sepia painted. Almost like they took a real
picture and re-colored it in sepia and then added other layers.
Every other page is a picture, which helps the reader feel the
struggle the people were going through. The looks on the faces of
the characters and the cloths they wore helped the reader to see
the diverse cultures represented in the story.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
This is a story of a young boy of a Japanese Diplomat, living in
Lithuania in 1940. This is the story about how his father saved
thousands of Jewish people by signing papers for them to go to
Japan to escape the Nazi's.
Personal Response:
Passage to Freedom is an amazing true story. Pictures really make
the story real and help the reader to see the pain these people were
in without having to uses words.
Potential Uses:
This would be an excellent story to read to students as we all
struggle with the refugee crisis in the world. A great reminder that
we are all human and we need to take care of each other - even if it
means going out on a limb and sacrificing. It would also be useful
when teaching about World War 2 and the impact it had around the
world, not just in Germany. You could use this story to discuss the
cause and effect of his fathers actions for the people he saved but
also for the consequences he endured in order to save their lives.
This could lead to more critical thinking about what that would look
like today, by asking students if they are aware of a group of people
who need saving now. You could discuss what we are doing to
help those people and if we are doing enough or if we are locking
them out like Japan did.
Title: You Wouldnt Want to Be an American 25
Pioneer! A Wilderness Youd Rather Not Tame
Author/Illustrator: Jacqueline Morley/David Antram
Pulbisher: Lee & Low Books, Inc. Date: 1997
Number of pages: 28 Genre: Historical Fiction
Description of illustrations:
The illustrations were full of maps and pictures of items that
would have been taken west during the western expansion.
The illustrations show the emotions and struggles of the times
when people moved west. They are cartoonlike but illustrate
the things reality of the struggle in moving west.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
The book goes through the process of being a pioneer. It
gives us some of the information that led to the pioneer
movements and illustrated the struggle it was to be a pioneer.
The first couple of pages of the book is a timeline of the
American Pioneers, from 1803-1869, the Lewis and Clark
Expedition to the first U.S. Transcontinental Railroad. The
end of the book highlights the Top American Pioneers.
Personal Response:
I thought it was an interesting story for learning about early
pioneers of the western expansion. The illustrations added
interesting and descriptive information to the story. It is
factual without being boring. Beyond that, it is a good
chronological and descriptive account of what a Pioneer
would have gone through in their travels west.
Potential Uses:
This would be a great book to read aloud for a study in American
History, for 4th-6th grades. The illustrations are particularly good to
help students understand some of the tools, maps and equipment
that the pioneers would have used. The students could discuss the
effect the pioneer movement has on America today.
Title: Elizabeth Started All the Trouble 26

Author/Illustrator: Doreen Rappaport/Matt Faulkner

Pulbisher: Disney Date: 2016

Number of pages: 28 Genre: Historical Fiction

Description of illustrations:
The book is full of beautifully detailed drawings with a lot of color.
In particularly the illustration of the faces of the people helps the
reader comprehend the impact the struggle of womans rights.

A short summary of the main plot and themes:

This is the story of the plight of womens rights in our nation, from
having no rights, to the Nineteenth Amendment being signed in
1920. The author tells stories of the women who brought our right
to vote into fruition, all the way back to Elizabeth Cody Stanton in
1840. The last page is a great illustration of how we're working on
equal rights even today with the words, "And we're still working on
it.
Personal Response:
This is an inspirational book showing what one person can do to
change the world. It is a reminder to not loose hope because you
MYSTERY
never know what happens with what you do today. We all hear
about the "suffragist" movement and women getting the right to
vote but this book helps us to understand the depths of difficulty
they had to overcome, the time it took to bring that into fruition, the
effort they had to make as a group.

Potential Uses:
This book is a good resource for teaching about the Suffragist
movement. In addition it will help students understand that what
they do now can change the world later and to not give up on
something they believe in. Students can compare and contrast how
woman are treated today compared to the beginning of the
movement. They could also make a chronological timeline of
events to help with comprehension, retelling the main points of the
story. Finally, students can compare the language, dress, customs
and culture of the beginning of the movement to today.
Title: The Missing Cupcake Mystery 27
Author/Illustrator: Tony and Lauren Dungy
Pulbisher: Simon and Schuster Date: 2013
Number of pages: 32 Genre: Mystery
Description of illustrations:
The people are very colorful. What they wear and what they
are carrying is colorful, but the surroundings are neutral. The
characters are an African American family.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
The family finishes up dinner and they were getting ready for
dessert. They realize that the cupcake is missing. The family
sets off to find the missing cupcake. Ruby the dog finds a
clue, crumbs on the floor. It was next to Jade's bed. She lied.
Jade finally tells mom and dad the truth, that she ate the
cupcake. She learned her lesson, you must always tell the
truth.
Personal Response:
The missing cupcake is an easy reader for beginning readers.
I think it is interesting for young readers and well balnanced
between illustration information and text. It has a moral to the
story, never tell a lie, but if you do there is forgiveness. This
is another one of Tony Dungy's books. He is known for using
his books to promote family values and Christian character. I
think it is a good story for young readers.
Potential Uses:
This is a good early reading book to have available to
students in 1st or 2nd grade. Diversity is sometimes difficult
to find in young reader books and this is about an African
American family and their value of family and honesty. This
book will help develop attitudes and abilities to interact with
diverse groups and cultures.
Title: Scooby Doo: The Thanksgiving Mystery 28
Author/Illustrator: Gail Herman
Pulbisher: Hannah Barbera Date: 2005
Number of pages: 32 Genre: Mystery
Description of illustrations:
The illustrations are exactly what you would think of when you
watch Scooby Doo on tv. It is very colorful and full of action.
The illustrations also emphasis how the reader should feel by
the characters facial expressions.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Scooby Doo is a Book Level 2 Scholastic Book. It is a typical
story of Shaggy and Scooby miss-understanding what is
really going on and how they figure it out. In this story,
Shaggy and Scooby suddenly realize that the gang has been
replaced by Pumpkin heads. They can't figure out why and
are very scared in the process of trying to figure it out. At the
end it is just a miss understanding. The gang was ok and
Shaggy and Scooby get to begin their Thanksgiving dinner.
Personal Response:
The Scooby Doo mystery is good in the context that it is a
level 2 reading book. The pictures are action packed and fill
in a ton of the background information for the reader and the
words are simple. I also like that there a lot of dialogue in the
story. It shows the readers how dialogue can be used to tell a
story.
Potential Uses:
Scooby Doo level 2 readers and are good to have in class as
supplementary material. Students would find the story funny
and I dont think they would figure out what an adult would
already know, so they would be interested to read on. They
would learn strategies like using picture clues to help
determine word meaning.
Title: Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes 29
Author/Illustrator: Kimberly and James Dean
Pulbisher: Harper Collins Publishers Date: 2016
Number of pages: 40 Genre: Mystery
Description of illustrations:
Pete the Cat has bright colored pages. The illustrator uses the
words as part of the illustrations, the words that the kids would
likely repeat. Like, "But Who!" Also, the rhyming lines are in
bold type of different font and size drawing the reader to those
words.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Pete and Gus were going to have a cupcake party. They
made 10 cupcakes and page by page the cupcakes go
missing. They find clues to where the cupcakes may have
gone. Every time they think they know where the clues lead
they are wrong, and the cupcakes keep disappearing. Finally,
they found Grumpy Toad had eaten all the cupcakes. They
gave him a second chance and invited him to the party.
Personal Response:
I love this book! It is fun to read out loud and can be done as
an interactive reading, allowing the kids to participate is fun.
The rhyme, math concepts and lesson in forgiveness are
perfectly woven in the story.
Potential Uses:
I think you could use this story to teach math concepts, like
subtraction as the cupcakes are taken away. It is also useful
in critical thinking skills such as, cause and effect, and
hypothesizing on outcomes. The story concludes with
forgiveness, which is a good lesson. Finally, I think this book
would be wonderful for interactive read aloud because of the
rhyme. The attention brought to the words by the illustrator
would be helpful as students learn to read site words.
Title: Calendar Mysteries: September Sneakers 30
Author/Illustrator: Roy Ron/John Steve Gurney
Pulbisher: Random House Date: 2013
Number of pages: 64 Genre: Mystery
Description of illustrations:
September Sneakers illustrations are done in black and white.
There are just a few 1/2 page pictures throughout the book to show
a scene. In the beginning of the book there is a map of Green
Lawn the twin of the Calendar Mysteries, which helps the reader to
vision where the kids are in the story.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
It's the beginning of the school year and Bradley needed to bring
the class hamster back to the school. He went to get her out of the
barn and she was gone. In her place was a little green sneaker.
Soon other things go missing and in there place, a little green
sneaker. Bradley and his friends set out to find the missing items
and figure out the mystery of the little green sneakers.
Personal Response:
September Sneakers is a good book or young readers. It was fast
moving as they searched through the town. I liked the way the
author used dialogue throughout the book rather than telling the
story.
Potential Uses:
This chapter book is a good book for young readers in 1st-3rd grade.
It is a good transitional book from picture books because the there
are still illustrations but they tell less of the story than a picture book
would. You could use this book to talk about plot. Helping students
to recall the beginning, middle and end of the story. You can
further this comprehension exercise by having students write a
different ending, which will help them to analyze characters more
deeply and help them learn to critique the credibility of the
characters.
 Title: Pandas and other Endangered Species 31
Magic Tree House Fact Tracker

Author/Illustrator: Mary Pope Osborne/Sal Murdoch

Pulbisher: A Stepping Stone Book Date: 2012

Number of pages: 113 Genre: Non-Fiction

Description of illustrations:
Throughout the book there are black and white photo's of real
pandas and other animals that are in danger of becoming extinct.
The illustrator uses a small drawing of one of the Magic Tree House
characters faces and then the fact is next to their face.

A short summary of the main plot and themes:

Pandas and other Endangered Epecies is a "fact tracker" Magic

Non School House book. It tells the reader about what Pandas are,
how and where they live and what makes them endangered. In
addition, the author talks about what makes a species endangered
and what species are endangered. She concludes with a short
biography of two of the most famous animal rights activists Jane

Fiction
Goodall and George Schaller.

Personal Response:
This was the first "fact tracker" Magic Tree House book I have read.
It is equally as good as all the other Magic Tree House books. The
information is presented in an interesting way. The illustrations
really help bridge the gap for the young readers as far as the details
about the animals looks and the areas they live.

Potential Uses:
Pandas and Other Endagered Species would be an excellent book
for a young reader to learn about endangered species, science, and
about those who help animals. It would be great in an elementary
library to use for supplementary material in a science curriculum. As
a teacher you could read parts of the book aloud in teaching about
any one of the subjects that are in this book. This book is useful in
helping students identify characteristics and usefulness of non-
fiction books.
Title: The Bill of Rights 32
Author/Illustrator: Lucia Raatma
Pulbisher: Scholastic Inc. Date: 2012
Number of pages: 64 Genre: Non-Fiction
Description of illustrations:
There are many live photos and some drawings of photos we
do not have, like the meeting at the Continental Congress.
There are excellent maps with dates of events. The book
uses large illustrations with less emphasis on the words.
They are bright colored and take up much of the pages.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
The author educates the reader on the time leading to the
creation of the Bill of Rights, what the goal of government was
supposed to be, and finally explains what each amendment is
and how it applies today.
Personal Response:
This book was excellent. It simply says what the Bill of Rights
is and makes it relevant to the lives of kids. The illustrations
are interesting and help the reader to visualize the time in
history. The time line at the end of the book is very helpful.
Also, at the end of the book there are brief biographies of
people who influenced the Bill of Rights - both back when it
was created and in the present - with people like Ernesto
Arturo Miranda, who the Miranda rights were named after in
1966.
Potential Uses:
This would be useful for introducing American History to
elementary students. It would be good for 4th-6th grade. The
book could be read aloud or used as a resource for book
reports on the subject. Students could compare the language
of the time of the Bill of Rights to today as well as discuss the
effect the Bill has on citizens today.
Title: The Story of American 33
Immigration and Migration
Author/Illustrator: Greg Roza
Pulbisher: Gareth Stevens Publishing Date: 2011
Number of pages: 32 Genre: Non-Fiction
Description of illustrations:
There is a mixture of real portraits and pictures with drawings
of life throughout American History. It is colorful with maps
and timelines to help visual the time in history.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
This is the American story of immigration and also migration
across America. Talks also about the "Acts' and laws created
to control immigration in the past. Helps the readers
understand where people immigrated from, around what time,
where they lived when they got here and how this impacted
our society today.
Personal Response:
Great short read about the history of the United States. The
book also informs the reader about our culture and where it
derives from. unit study on that topic.
Potential Uses:
It is a good book for 3rd-5th grade students as a supplement
to a unit study in American History or a study in what
immigration is and how it has contributed to our nations
history. This book would be an excellent resource to engage
older students in critical thinking about the world we live in
today. The could compare and contrast immigration to the US
in the past to the issues we face now with so many displaced
people in the world.
Title: The U.S. Supreme Court 34

Author/Illustrator: Anastasia Seen/Matthew Skeens

Pulbisher: Picture Window Books Date: 2009

Number of pages: 24 Genre: Non-Fiction

Description of illustrations:
The illustrations are big pictures of people and places, colorful
and cartoon-like. It resembles illustrations found in graphic
novels. It makes looking at the Supreme Court interesting for
kids.

A short summary of the main plot and themes:

Science
The non-fiction book is about the Supreme Court. It starts
with how we got the Supreme Court, what makes it up, where
it first started, where it's held now, what it looks like, and who
impacted it's existence.

Personal Response:
I thought it was a nice short way of describing what the
Supreme Court is, how it fits into our government, and why it
is so important to us as citizens. It is good for the beginning
of learning about our country.
Fiction
Potential Uses:
This book is great to introduce students to U.S. government.
The illustrations make it a good book to read aloud as they
learn about the different parts of government. It also can
spark conversation about what democracy is and our
involvement as citizens in the democracy. Students could be
asked to outline what the Supreme Court is and where it fits
into our government system to check on comprehension.
Title: Alien Adventures Goal! 35
Author/Illustrator: Alison Hawks
Pulbisher: Oxford University Press Date: 2015
Number of pages: 16 Genre: Science Fiction
Description of illustrations:
Goal! Is a new reader book. The illustrator adds boxes with
words in different fonts to all the characters and items that are
important on each page. The scenes are like real pictures
with cartoon like characters placed in them. The alien, Nok, is
small and friendly looking. Each page is fully illustrated and
with words describing each item that is important for that
page.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Tiger, Cat and Max are playing football in the yard. Their
alien friend Nok wanted to play too, until he gets stuck in the
spiders web. It is a new reader book with a comprehension
check at the back of the book.
Personal Response:
Goal! Was quick and easy to read and helped me to see how
important word association for reading comprehension. I liked
the way the author mixes real life in with the cartoon
characters and the alien.
Potential Uses:
Goal! Is a new reader book for new readers. It is a first look
into science fiction for young readers, introducing the readers
to aliens and outer space. It would be a good chance to talk
about the types of genre of books there are. The books have
2 5 sentences per page and the storyline is predictable so
the reader can easily relate to the story. This book would be
a good resource in the library for new readers or for older
children who struggle to read.
Title: Batman Attack of the Man-Bat! 36
Author/Illustrator: Jack Black/Luciano Vecchio
Pulbisher: Sone Arch Books Date: 2015
Number of pages: 74 Genre: Science Fiction
Description of illustrations:
Batman is a graphic novel book. Like most of the graphic
novel books, the illustrator uses different fonts and sizes for
onomatopoeia words. He puts the word in a form to describe
the action or sound they make on the pages throughout the
book. The pictures are just as you would see in a DC Comic
but with more vivid color. The pictures are dark and scary.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Batman is a Comic Chapter Book. It is another story of
Batman vs Poison Ivy. This time Bruce Wayne is lured into
the rainforest to combat a Man Bat who is kidnapping all the
men in the villages. Batman follows the Man Bat to it's home
and finds Poison Ivy.
Personal Response:
It was a typical Batman story. I was intrigued by how they
action words were formed and placed throughout the book.
Potential Uses:
Batman is always a good story for kids who love comics. This
book is a chapter book and may provoke a comic lover to
want to read. It would also be good for a struggling reader
since a good part of the story is told in illustrations. This book
would be an opportunity to discuss literary devices such as
onomatopoeia, imagery, mood, foreshadowing, and dialogue
with older students.
Title: The Moon Jet 37
Author/Illustrator: Hunt Roderick/Nick School
Pulbisher: Oxford University Press Date: 2007
Number of pages: 20 Genre: Science Fiction
Description of illustrations:
The illustrations for The Moon Jet are pictures drawn on a
white canvas. The pictures tell at least 1/2 the story as this is
a phonics reading book and the words are simple and few.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
The Moon Jet is a phonics-reading book. Kipper has a box
and a bin in his room and it turns into a jet that reaches to the
moon. He meets monsters on the moon and eventually
wakes up back in his room.
Personal Response:
The Moon Jet is a good book for new readers. It was easy to
read and I liked how they used words over and over so young
readers could learn bigger words. At the end of the book they
author goes over the new words in the book and there are
comprehension questions about the story. I thought it was a
great new reader book.
Potential Uses:
The Moon Jet would be awesome to have in K-1st grades.
The book does a very good job at teaching students words
through repetition, and has games at the end of the book to
check for comprehension and memory of site words. Finally,
it also provides a place to talk over reading comprehension
with the reader. So, in addition to learning new words it helps
with critical thinking skills for young readers.
Title: My Alien Parents 38
Author/Illustrator: R.L. Stone
Pulbisher: Amazon Publishing Date: 2000
Number of pages: 46 Genre: Science Fiction
Description of illustrations:
No Illustrations.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
One Saturday morning Rob wakes up and finds that his
parents are acting very strange. They are drinking coffee they
don't like and making breakfast for Rob that he doesn't like.
As the morning goes on Robs family get's stranger and
stranger. Rob suspects that aliens have replaced his parents.
He calls his friend Andrew to help and figures out and he
figures out Andrew is an alien too. Rob spends his time trying
to prove they are aliens and eventually tries to escape their
grip.
Personal Response:
My Alien Parents was fast paced and interesting. As a reader
you can imagine sitting like Rob was at breakfast trying to
understand why his parents were acting so weird. I also liked
the surprise ending.
Potential Uses:
It is a good chapter book for 3rd-4th grade students to enjoy.
It would be good to have for boys who need a little help
wanting to read because of the content of the story. It uses
age appropriate background information to help the reader
connect with the idea that something wasnt right which helps
new readers learn to make text to self connections. It also
has a rising action, climax and falling action that could be
discussed after the book is read; to further the students
understanding of the book and of story structure.
 Title: Old Black Witch 39

Author/Illustrator: Wende and Harry Devlin

Pulbisher: Purple House Press Date: 1963

Number of pages: 32 Genre: Spooky/Scary

Description of illustrations:
The characters in Old Black Witch are drawn like dolls - not
really life like but not cartoon either. The pictures of the witch
are almost like Strega Nona (at least the face), simple
illustrations. The colors are dark and ominous to help the
reader feel spooked.

A short summary of the main plot and themes:

Spooky
Nicky and his mother move to New England to open a Tea
Room. They soon find an old black witch living in the building.
That is fine with Nicky and his mom - she didn't scare them!
Eventually they put her to work. In the end the witch ends up
saving the day for the family and they live happily ever after
together.

Scary Personal Response:

I liked this story. I thought it was fun how no one was afraid of
the black witch, as we are usually afraid of such a character. I
also liked how they became friends and she took care of them
in the end.

Potential Uses:
This book is really just a fun spooky book that is a good read
aloud during Halloween. It is written so young readers could
read on their own as well. The book would help young
children talk about their fears and open conversation about
pretend. The books use of humor, play on words, dialect, and
symbolism could be discussed as part of a bigger lesson in
literary devices for older students during Halloween time. The
mother is from England and this story could be used to
introduce English customs and compare them with ours.
Title: Princess Posey and the Monster Stew 40
Author/Illustrator: Stephanie Greene/Stephanie Roth Sisson
Pulbisher: Penguin Young Reader Group Date: 2012
Number of pages: 85 Genre: Spooky/Scary
Description of illustrations:
The illustrations were black and white drawings of Pose's
adventures during Halloween. The pictures are 1/2 a page and
sometimes none at all.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Posey is afraid of all the crazy Halloween stuff. Monster soup,
Monster's eye balls, and witches brains were scary words for a
6 year old. She is afraid each time her teacher talks about
having them - until she figures out what they are. It was time for
Halloween and she was getting a little nervous about trick or
treating without a flashlight. In the end she conquers all her
fears and has a little fun too!
Personal Response:
Posey feels like many little kids at that age. Those are scared
things! I thought it was a good easy read for beginning readers
and a topic they could all connect with.
Potential Uses:
Posey's story an appropriate story to help kids who are afraid of
the unknown at Halloween. It is for beginning readers but could
also be read as a "read aloud" book over a couple of days. The
words are simple and there are only a few sentences on each
page. The illustrations can help young readers decode some of
the words that they may struggle with. This book would be
helpful to help young readers critically think about real stories
and make believe and then compare and contrast fact from
fiction when celebrating Halloween.
Title: Halloween Pie 41
Author/Illustrator: Michael Tunnell/Kevin OMailey
Pulbisher: Lee & Shepard Books Date: 1999
Number of pages: 20 Genre: Spookey/Scary
Description of illustrations:
Halloween Pie's illustrations are dark and spooked. The
illustrator blurs the images of the characters, which makes the
book creepy for the reader.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
The old Halloween Witch baked a pumpkin pie. She set it
aside to cool and placed a spell on it to protect it from being
taken. Soon the smell of the pie woke a vampire, ghoul,
zombie, skeleton and other characters from the graveyard.
They ate the pie and the witchs spell went into place. In the
end the witch gets her pie back.
Personal Response:
Halloween Pie was fun to read. The illustrations were a little
scary but the story itself never got too scary and it ended well.
I'm not sure I would have read this to my kids at a young age
because of the illustrations but older kids would enjoy getting
spooked.
Potential Uses:
I think this would be a fun book to have for older elementary
students to read through at Halloween. The pictures are
spooky but the story itself is takes some of the scariness
away. For older students the book could be used to analyze
and evaluate the authors use of setting to develop the plot of
the story. It could also be used to discuss rising action,
climax and falling action as a part of the plot structure.
Title: When an Alien Meets a Swamp Monster 42

Author/Illustrator: Cornelius VanWright

Pulbisher: Nancy Paulson Books Date: 2014

Number of pages: 30 Genre: Spooky/Scary

Description of illustrations:
Pictures are colorful and provide the description of the
characters. The illustrator used the illustrations to show more
action in the story than the words could explain for young
readers.

A short summary of the main plot and themes:

Alik and Boi accidentally bump into each other at the pond
and are terrified of each other. Alik is a young boy and Boid is
a crocodile. They run home scared but eventually meet
again. Once they get past their looks they become friends.

Personal Response:
It was a humorous story that sends a good message...if you
get past appearances you may end up liking each other. It
Sports
shows how both Alik and Boi reacted when they got home
and how afraid they both were.

Potential Uses:
This book is excellent for cultural awareness and diversity
lessons, helping students develop attitudes and abilities to
interact with diverse groups and cultures. It's a good story to
begin a conversation about not judging a book by its cover. It
would be a good read aloud for a class that is coming
together at the beginning of a school year. At the end of the
story there could be group activity on getting to know each
other. It's a fun read aloud, full of action and drama that kids
would laugh at and find interesting, all while learning a good
lesson.
Title: Just as Good 43
Author/Illustrator: Chris Crowe/Mike Benny
Pulbisher: Candlewick Press Date: 2012
Number of pages: 30 Genre: Sports
Description of illustrations:
The illustrator uses tons of color and focuses mostly on the
characters, leaving the background information very vague.
Like the faces in the baseball stadium are colored dots but the
player on the field was very vivid. He also showed more
action with expression rather than with actual physical action.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Just as Good was the story of how much Larry Doby meant to
a young boy and his family in 1947. Larry Doby followed
Jacki Robinson as the second African American to play on a
Major League Baseball team. The story is about the day
Larry Doby led the Cleveland Indians to win the World Series
and how much that meant to African Americans and began to
change the world for the better.
Personal Response:
I never heard of Larry Doby. The book gave me a true
appreciation for what he did. Not just as a baseball player -
but how he helped to change the world. Excellent story.
Potential Uses:
Just as Good would be an excellent story to help students
understand what discrimination was like in early 1900s and
how one person make such a difference. Boys will naturally
want to learn more about famous baseball players. Having
this story as supplementary material for young readers would
be good. As a group activity, read aloud, this book could help
students develop attitudes and abilities to interact with diverse
groups and cultures.
Title: You Can Do It! 44
Author/Illustrator: Tony Dungy/Amy June Bates
Pulbisher: Simon and Schuster Date: 2008
Number of pages: 24 Genre: Sports
Description of illustrations:
The illustrations are in 70's colors showing the time they lived
in. Most pages are full page pictures with the words
embedded in the open spaces of the scene.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
This is a story about Tony Dungy and his little brother. He
tells the story about how his little brother didn't know what he
wanted to do when he grew up but that the family helped him
to see he could do anything he put his mind to. Tony is a
Christian and grew up in a strong Christian family. This book
reflects his beliefs.
Personal Response:
You Can Do It was a good story with Christian values. They
talked about prayer and how God made each of us differently.
I enjoyed the fact that it was in part about Tony Dungy but he
focused mostly on his little brother.
Potential Uses:
You Can Do It is a very good book to help a child as they
struggle with who they are and what they want to become. In
addition to this positive message it would also be good for
siblings and friends to read so they can see how to support
others as they struggle with those questions. Students could
engage in critical thinking exercises by discussing the main
point of the story, hypothesizing an alternate ending, and
making text to self connections.
Title: The Littlest Leaguer 45
Author/Illustrator: Syd Hoff
Pulbisher: Harper Collins Publisher Date: 2014
Number of pages: 48 Genre: Sports
Description of illustrations:
The drawings were simple in color and in drawing and
illustrated on a white canvas. Color was used to highlight
what was important for the page.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Harold was small. He wanted to be a great baseball player.
Each game he sat on the bench, until the Little League
Championship when it changed. When Big Leon got hurt. It
was Harolds turn. The coach needed Harold to make a hit
with bases loaded. Harold realized his height might be his
advantage against the pitcher. He saves the game with a hit
and a home run.
Personal Response:
The Littlest Leaguer is an I Can Read level 1 book. It is one
of the better books I've read for a level 1 book. I enjoyed the
story and found it entertaining.
Potential Uses:
The Littlest Leaguer is an I Can Read level 1 book. I think
that many little boys can connect with being the smallest on a
team and they dream, like Harold, of saving the day with a
home run. I also think, on the other side of things, a big kid
may be able to empathize, after reading Harolds story, with a
smaller teammate. The book has 1-2 sentences per page
and is meant for new readers. The pictures can help the
reader piece the story together if they cant figure out some
words.
Title: The Bat Boy 46
Author/Illustrator: Mike Lupica
Pulbisher: Philomel Books Date: 2010
Number of pages: 247 Genre: Sports
Description of illustrations: N/A
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Brian Dudley is a thirteen year old boy whos father was a Major
League Baseball player who left him at a young age. Brian gets a
job on the Detroit Tigers as the bat boy. Hank Bishop is a cynical
player who is trying to make a comeback. The story is about their
unlikely relationship that forms.
Personal Response:
I thought that Bat Boy was predictable but I enjoyed the way the
relationship built over time between Hank and Brian. In the
beginning of the story both characters were hurting and lonely and I
liked how they helped each other as time went on. It was a feel
good story.
Potential Uses:
This book is for more advanced readers in 5th-6th grade. The
content of the book has inappropriate language for younger
students. The story would be good for baseball lovers who like to
read. It may be useful to engage this age group in more advanced
reading, since the topic is about baseball they may be more inclined
to take a chance and read a novel. This book is useful to critically
think on many levels. As a teacher you could help students learn
how to analyze the characters actions, viewpoints, and feelings and
then draw conclusions about the changes that occur in the
relationship over time. Students could also identify the conflict in
the story and evaluate the resolution in context with real life.
Finally, this story is great to identify the rising action, the climax and
the falling action when learning about writing stories.
 Title: The Legend of Freedom Hill 47

Author/Illustrator: Linda Jacobs Altman/Cornelius

VanWright

Pulbisher: Lee & Low Books Inc Date: 2000

Number of pages: 30 Genre: Western

Description of illustrations:
All of the illustrations look like they were painted with water
colors. The pictures take up the entire page and the words
are embedded in the pictures. The characters look real and
the pictures of the old west are typical of how an old western
movie looked. The ethnicity of the characters is very apparent
which helps the reader with understanding the story more.

A short summary of the main plot and themes:

The book is set in California during the Gold Rush in the

Western 1850's. Two girls are friends, Rosabel and Sophie. They
have a connection because they are both a little different.
Rosabel is Jewish and Sophie is African American. Sophie is
a freed slave but her mother is not. One day her mother is
captured by a slave catcher and Sophie and Rosabel set off
to find a way to free her.

Personal Response:
Freedom Hill is a very interesting book, both in picture and it's
story. The author does a great job of capturing the pain of
what slaves went through as well as helping the reader
understand what the Gold Rush was.

Potential Uses:
Freedom Hill would be a good read aloud for a class studying
this time of American History in 4th-6th grades. It could also be
used to talk about diversity. The reference to the Jewish and
African American background of the girls as not belonging
could be used to start discussion in class about diversity.
Title: Bubba and the Cowboy Prince 48
Author/Illustrator: Helen Ketterman/James Warhola
Pulbisher: Scholastic Press Date: 1997
Number of pages: 32 Genre: Westerns
Description of illustrations:
The illustrations are beautifully colored. The illustrator made
the characters culturally diverse even though the setting was
in the wild west.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Bubba's character is the male version of Cinderella in the
west. His stepfather and brothers treated him horribly and
made him work on the ranch. Miss Lolene was looking for a
man and through a ball. Just like Cinderella, Bubba finds
himself at the ball. He of coarse looses his boot and Miss
Lolene finds him and they live happily ever after.
Personal Response:
I loved this book! It was a creative way to reverse the role of
the Cinderella character to a male, and in a western genre. It
added fun and the use of the typical old west language was
very creative. An added positive was the diversity portrayed
through the illustrations of the characters.
Potential Uses:
Bubba the Cowboy Prince would be a fun story to read as a
read aloud and a great book to read aloud to a class of
diverse students. In addition, this book would provide a way
to help children learn how to make text-to-text connections,
from Cinderella to Bubba. Finally, you could engage the
students in critical thinking by discussing the use of figurative
language and dialect in the story. Asking the students how it
contributed to the story.
Title: Armidilly Chilli 49
Author/Illustrator: Helen Ketterman/Will Terry
Pulbisher: Albert Wittman & Co. Date: 2004
Number of pages: 32 Genre: Western
Description of illustrations:
Armidilly Chilli has brightly colored pictures. The characters
of the story are animals and spiders that you would find in the
western part of the United States. The illustrator emphasizes
the personality of the characters by the clothing and
accessories they wear, the tall cowboy hats and the capes.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Miss Billy Armadilly is the old lady character who wants to
make Armadilly chili. She rounds up her friends to help get
the ingredients for the recipe. The story ends with Miss Billy
and her friends around the table eating their chili.
Personal Response:
Armidilly Chilli is a fun story. I like that the characters are
animals and spiders from the western part of the US. I also
like that the chili ingredients and the vegetation are also
indicative of the west. It is a fun way to introduce to the
differences between here and there. The language of the
book is also stereotypical of the old west. It's very creative
way to introduce the old west to kids.
Potential Uses:
This is a great read aloud book for K-2nd grade. I would want
to be very creative in expressing the language in the book and
provide some background information about the old west
before I began. It could also be helpful when talking about the
United States geography and cultural differences between the
regions with 2nd grade students. Finally, students could learn
about the use of dialect when writing a story and how it
contributes to the tone and setting.
Title: Journey of a Pioneer 50
Author/Illustrator: Patricia Murphy/Peter Dennis
Pulbisher: Darling Kindersley Limited Date: 2008
Number of pages: 32 Genre: Western
Description of illustrations:
There are small pictures illustrating a part of the content of each
page. Maps and real pictures of some of the tools that were used
in the day are throughout the book. Everything that would be
difficult for a child to comprehend the illustrator either had a real
photo and or a painting.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Olivia Clark is a young girl about to leave Missouri and travel west
as a Pioneer. This book is her diary from before her travels and
throughout her 2000 mile trip to Willamette Valley, Oregon Territory.
Personal Response:
This is a Beginning to Read Alone book, level 2. The way the
author wrote the book as a diary -- in a young girls words is
interesting and bridges the gap kids have in understanding what
being a pioneer was by relating it to a young girl. Excellent facts
were on every page with illustrations to help define what the student
reads. It was a good book for a young reader.
Potential Uses:
This is a beginner level 2 book and a good resource to have in
class for information on pioneers. The pictures of the tools,
equipment and maps are very useful to help children connect with
the time and understand the vocabulary used to explain how
pioneers lived. Students could engage in conversation about the
effect of the pioneer movement on the US today and could compare
and contrast life now to that time.
Title: The Ballad of Wilbur and the Moose 51
Author/Illustrator: John Stadler
Pulbisher: Robin Corey Books Date: 2008
Number of pages: 40 Genre: Western
Description of illustrations:
The illustrations are cartoonlike colored drawings that pack
action into the story.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Wilbur is a small cowboy who herds pigs for a living. Alvin is
his companion who helps rid the farm of villains like gamblers
and pig-rustlers.
Personal Response:
I like this book because of the poetry. The rhyming is catchy
and moves the story along fast. The story is simple but
comical for young children.
Potential Uses:
This rhymed ballad is good for PreSchool-2nd grade as a
read aloud. The cartoons like illustrations are fun for young
readers to look at and the rhyming verse keeps young readers
attention. Older students could be introduced to the concept
of Anthropomorphism and its use in story telling. The book
could also be used to teach older students about different
genres of literature and poetry and the devices used in both.
Title: Casey the Greedy Young Cowboy: 52
A Book about being Thankful
Author/Illustrator: Michael Waite
Pulbisher: David C. Cook Publishing Co. Date: 1988
Number of pages: 32 Genre: Western
Description of illustrations:
This is a picture book. The illustrations cover the entire page and
the words are just a small portion of the page. The illustrations
have Casey as a stereotypical cowboy, with a cowboy hat and
boots.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Casey watches Broncho Bill on TV. He wants his life. He finds
Broncho Bill crying and realizes that his life may be better. Bronchi
Bill doesn't have a family and lives alone. He realizes how
thankless he's been for his family and his life. Then he helps
Broncho Bill in the end.
Personal Response:
The story is really about being thankful for what you have and
helping others because you realize that you are blessed. The book
ends with the Psalm 118:1, "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is
good...." I loved the lesson of the story and how the author uses
kids natural tendency, to think something on tv is better than the life
they have, to help them relate to Casey. It is a good story for
character building.
Potential Uses:
This book could be used to teach students about text to self-
connections, by comparing Caseys idolism to Broncho Bill to idols
the students have today. I also would consider it as a read aloud
for young elementary students because of the lessons in character
and color of the illustrations in the book. It is also a good way of
introducing young readers to the use of dialect in reading.
Title: Peckos Bill 53
Author/Illustrator: M.J. York/Michael Garland
Pulbisher: The Childs World Date: 2013
Number of pages: 24 Genre: Western
Description of illustrations:
There are very few pictures in this book. The few that are on
the pages are showing Peco's Bill larger than life.
A short summary of the main plot and themes:
Pecos Bill was the toughest baby around. He got his name by
teaching himself how to swim in the Pecks River as a baby.
He was raised with a pack of coyotes for 17 years. Finally,
his brother Bob found him and Peco's Bill went back to the
ranch and he learned how to be a man. He found that he was
good at taming horses and his best friend became Widow-
Maker - a horse - no one but Pecos could ride. It is said that
Peco's did many incredible things in his life.
Personal Response:
It is an ok story. I think that a young boy might like the story
because of the adventurousness and over the top things that
Peco's does.
Potential Uses:
It is written for young readers beginning readers. It is a
transitional book to chapter books because there are few
illustrations in the book and most of the story telling is through
words. It could be a good book to have as supplementary
material in a classroom for Kindergarten 2nd grade.
Students could learn to critically think through fact and fantasy
and could learn about character development through
illustration and dialogue.