Just in Case

Bibliographic Information (APA): Morales, Y. (2008). Just in Case. Illus. Yuyi Morales. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press.

Brief Annotation: This is an ABC story about Señor Calavera and his journey to Grandma Beetle's birthday party. He meets Zelmiro the ghost and Zelmiro helps him find a birthday present for grandma.

Genre: ABC PictureBook

Grade Level: Preschool-1st grade

Readers who will like this: Most children would enjoy this book that is so vividly illustrated. Children of a Spanish background would be able to relate to this book well.

Response/Rating (1-4): 4; This is a very cute book using the Spanish Alphabet and vivid colors to illustrate it. This book has a wonderful ending and is a great multicultural choice.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Do you know what the difference is between the Spanish Alphabet and the English Alphabet?

Ten Little Rabbits

Bibliographic Information (APA): Grossmam, V. (1991). Ten Little Rabbits. Illus. Illustrator Sylvia Long. San Fransisco, CA: Chronicle Books.

Brief Annotation: This is a counting book that uses rabbits dressed at Native Americans.

Genre: Counting Picture Book Grade Level: Preschool- K

Readers who will like this: Children who are learning to count or are interested in or learning about Native Americans.

Response/Rating (1-4): 2; the colors aren't very vivid and seem muted, nut the overall theme is great. It is a great way to get young children interested in Native Americans. It would be great to start a unit on Native Americans with this book.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Do you like to count? Do you know anything about Native Americans?

Reading Strategies Connection: Anticipation Guide: Create a worksheet with four to six misconceptions about Native Americans. Discuss the statements with the class and then have the children fill out the worksheet before reading stating whether they agree or disagree. The children will then do the same thing when the read aloud is done. Discuss how their ideas have changed.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Bibliographic information: Pinkney, J. (2011). Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Illus. Jerry Pinkney. New York, NY: Little Brown and Company.

Brief Annotation: This is a beautifully illustrated book that illustrates the song Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. It has several verses that I had not heard before.

Genre: Children's PictureBook

Grade Level: Preschool-K

Readers who will like this: Any child who has heard the song before would enjoy this book.

Response/Rating (1-4): 4; This is beautifully illustrated and so much fun to sing with the children. The children can sing along because often times they have heard it before.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: What do you picture when you sing the song "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"?

Goodnight Moon

Brown, M.W. (1991). Goodnight Moon. Illus. Clement Hurd. New York, New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
Brief Annotation: This children picture book is about saying goodnight to all of the things surrounding a little rabbit. It ties in all of the fairytale rhymes that we learned growing up as kids.
Genre: Children Picture book
Grade Level: Pre K-Grade 2
Readers who will like this: This a book for adults and children to enjoy together. It is the perfect "tuck-me-in" book for a child.
Response/Rating: I give this book a 4. I think this is the perfect book for a young child who is a little scared to go to bed at night. It has a sense of putting the child at ease showing them that they aren't alone in a large room and there are friendly things around them that will be resting too. I think the color shades changing as the moon goes down is also a clever touch by the illustrator.
Question: Have you ever felt like you were all alone at night and all you could see was the moon in the dark? How did, or does that make you feel?

I know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Angelou, M. (1993). I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. New York, New York: Random House, Inc.

Brief Annotation: This is a novel about Maya and her life of being moved from home to home when her parents divorced when she was a child. She lived with her grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas where she discusses her experience with the segregation of blacks and whites and then she shortly lives with her mother in St. Louis, Missouri where she is sexually abused and raped by her mother's boyfriend. This book is fascinating and captivating.
Genre: Novel; Memoir
Grade Level: 9th-12th
Readers who would like this: Mature adults that are looking for insight through someone's struggles and life story.
Response/Rating: I give this book a 3. I felt that there was a sound story to be told and it was very insightful. I do, however, feel that from a teacher's standpoint it would be very hard to fit this into course curriculum as this book is meant for a mature audience that has experienced more in life.
Question: Has anyone ever felt empowered to stand-up and go against the odds?

Color Dance

Bibliographic Information (APA) Jonas, A. (1989). Color Dance. Ann Jonas. New York, NY published: Greenwillow Books.

Brief Annotation: This book is about learning what colors mix together to get other colors. It uses the primary colors and shows how they can make purples, greens, and oranges.

Genre: Concept Book, Colors, Picture Book

Grade Level: PreK-2

Readers who will like this: Children who are learning colors or enjoy beautiful picture books.

Response/Rating (1-4): 4; This is a great book for children who are learning their colors and understanding how different colors are made.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: What colors do you think you can mix together to get Orange?

Reading Strategies Connection: I would use the "All About Books" strategy. In this strategy you would talk to the children about the book and assign them to small groups. The small groups would then get together to create thier own concept color book. They could use different animals to create colors. They would be able to use thier imaginations. This would help the children remember what colors make what and would also be a way to increase literacy and understanding

Flashcards of My Life: A Novel

Bibliographic Information: Harper, C. M. (2006). Flashcards of my life. New York, New York: Little, Brown and Company.

Annotation: The author uses a journal style text to tell the story of Emily, a young girl in high school. Emily is given a set of flashcards that ask about certain events in her life that are shared with the reader as well as her personal journal entries accompanied with illustrations she has drawn herself.

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Grade Level: Middle School or higher

Readers Who Will Like This Book: Young girls ages 10-16

Personal Response and Rating: I rate this book a 3. Remembering how I felt and what I experienced at that age were accurately depicted in the book without being sensationalized or over dramatized. The language is easy to follow and the characters are realistically flawed.

Prereading Question: What would you choose to write in your personal journal?

Reading Strategies Connection:

A. Reading Strategy - Character web

B. Description of Strategy - Students create a web for characters in the book by identifying traits and supporting their choices with examples from the text.

C. Rationale - There are quite a few characters in the book that seem to play a significant role in the protagonist's life. By creating a story web, students will be able to make connections between the protagonist and supporting characters as well as gain a deeper understanding of the interactions between these characters and how the protagonist's life is effected by them.

City Dog, Country Frog

1. City Dog, Country Frog

2. Willems, M., & Muth, J. J. (2010). City dog, country frog. New York: Hyperion.

3. This is a story about a frog and dog that meet in the Spring and play until Winter. When Winter comes frog is no longer at his rock. City dog has to make new friends next spring.

4. Children's fiction Picture book

5. Preschool to 1st grade

6. Children that love animals, love to look at beautiful pictures, or that have ever lost a friend or are moving to another grade.

7. The book is super cute and I love the illustrations. I like that dog has to find a new friend in the spring.

8. Have you ever moved away from a friend or a friend has moved away from you? Have you ever made new friends?

Clementine

1. Clementine

2. Pennypacker, S. (2006) Clementine. Marla Frazee. New York, NY: Hyperion

3. This is about a little girl trying to identify with her friends and her name. She is trying to figure out who she is.

4. Children's Contemporary Realistic Fiction

5. 3rd to 4th grade. Ages 7-10

6. Children who are trying to figure themselves out would enjoy this book. Children who have ever had a fight with thier best friend would also identify with the character.

7. I thought this was a cute book but it wasn't one of my favorites. I don't know that I would teach it in my classroom. Her grammar skills kind of annoyed me. She is a slightly annoying character.

8. Have you ever wished you had a different name?

9. a. Tea Party Reading Strategy

b. This strategy acts as a moving discussion group. The teacher would select important excerpts from the book. For Clementine you could select passages when she is feeling a certain way but doesn't come out and say it. When you have selected the excerpts you write them on index cards and give them to a few children in the class. The child can practice reading it out loud a few times and then they will travel to different groups around the room of children. The child will read the excerpt and ask a question about it. Such as "How do we know from this passage how Clementine is feeling?". When they have traveled to all the groups the children will all meet together as a class an discuss thier findings.

c. Children often times don't get enough time to read to their peers. This would not only provide the children with an opportunity to read to thier peers but would give them a chance to draw inferences from the book. Clementine is a great book to help children try to figure out what the character is feeling. Often times she doesn't state how she is feeling but she will describe her facial expression or reaction that someone else gave her and you are able to figure out how she is feeling.

Frog goes to dinner

1. Frog goes to dinner

2. Mayer, M. (2005). Frog goes to dinner. New York, NY: Dial.

3. This is a wordless picture book about a frog that sneaks into his boy's coat and goes with him to dinner. Throughout dinner he causes a lot of chaos with the restaurants guests.

4. Genre: Wordless Picture Book

5. Grade level: Preschool-2

6. Who will like this book: Most children would love this book. The humor in this book should appeal to most children.

7. This is a cute book with nice illustrations. The book is easy to flip through and create your own words and stories.

8. Have you ever had a pet frog or any pet you wish you could bring to dinner with you?

and tango makes three

1. And tango makes three

2. Richardson, J., Parnell, P., & Cole, H. (2007). And tango makes three . New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.

3. This is based on a true story about two male penguins that fall in love and the zoo keeper gives them an egg to hatch. It is about how any type of family can raise a baby.

4. Children's Picture Book

5. K-2

6. Children who have grown up in an atypical family or children who have ever felt different.

7. I loved this book. It is very liberal and allows children at a young age to think about real world issues. It shows children that everyone can be accepted regardless of sexual orientation or differences.

8. Have you ever felt like you didn't fit in?