Picture book 11

Title: The Hello, Goodbye Window

Author: Norton Juster

Illustrator: Chris Raschka

Genre: Picture book, realistic fiction
Sub-Genre: Family, love, traditions
Theme: Family, love, grandparents, value of small things in life
Primary and secondary characters: Little girl, nanna and poppy

Awards, date of publication: 2005

 Publishing company: Hyperion Book CH

Summary and how it can be used in the classroom: Told in the voice of the little girl, this story is a story about a special bond shared between this little girl and her grandparents. There is a special window in the house where everything happens. The little girl is always going to it when she is at their house. She watches animals out of it and plays games with her grandparents through it. This is where they say hello and goodbye every time they are entering or leaving. The colors in this book are eye catching and brilliant. This book can be used in the classroom to show imagination and a special bond with family.

Picture book 10

Title: Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal

Author: Paul Fleischman

Illustrator: Julie Paschkis
Genre: Picture book, modern fantasy, folktale
Sub Genre: Family, true love
Theme: Family, love, never giving up, obedience diversity
Primary and secondary characters: Cinderella, her step mother, her step sisters, her fairy god mother and her prince

Awards, date of publication: 2007

Publishing company: Henry Holt and Company, LLC

Summary and how it can be used in the classroom: This is the story of a not so lucky girl who got treated like a slave by her step mother. Her step sisters were evil to her and they all gave her no hope in life. One day, Cinderella meets her prince at a ball, but has to leave because she promised her fairy god mother she would be home at a certain time. She leaves a glass slipper behind and the prince is bound and determined to find Cinderella again. He searches everywhere for her and finally ends up at the house where she lives. Her step mother tries to pawn her step daughters off on the prince, but their feet do not fit in the slipper. Finally, he seems Cinderella and her foot fits perfect into the slipper. They live happily ever after. One good thing about this story is that it is told in different countries in different ways. The book shows diversity to the children and can be used to show that no matter where a person is from they all have the same story, just told a bit different.

Picture book 9

Title: Hansel and Gretel

Author: Rika Lesser
Illustrator: Paul O. Zelinsky
Genre: Picture book, modern fantasy, folktale
Sub Genre: Family, Following your heart
Theme: Family, love, persistence, choices, instinct
Primary and secondary characters: Hansel, Gretel, their mom and dad, and the old lady in the candy house

Awards, date of publication: 1984 Caldecott Honor book

Publishing company: Dodd, Mead and Company

Summary and how it can be used in the classroom: This is the story of two young children who are betrayed by their parents. The family is short on food so the mom wants to abandon the children in the woods. One day she does this, and the children end up wandering to an old hag’s house who wants to eat them. The children have to fight for their lives. They end up pushing the old hang into a fire and getting away with all of her food and jewels. They wind up finding their way back home only to find out their mother had died. It was a relief to hear this. The two children and their father lived happily ever after. This book can be used in the classroom to show how people can work together to solve problems. It can also show that everyone has family issues, its how you deal with them that matter.

Picture book 8

Title: Hardworking Puppies

Author: Lynn Reiser

Illustrator:-unknown

Genre: Picture book
Sub Genre: Counting, working together
Theme: Hard work, working together, counting, puppies, saving people
Primary and secondary characters: The 10 puppies and the people they helped

Awards, date of publication: 2006

Publishing company: Harcourt, Inc

Summary and how it can be used in the classroom: This is a story about ten hard working puppies who all wanted jobs to keep them busy. It starts off with ten and as each puppy gets a job the book starts counting down the puppies. It gives a brief description of what each puppy will be doing. The puppies all have jobs that will help and benefit other people. In the end they all wind up happy and playing together again. This book can be used to show counting in the classroom. It can also be used to show hard work and benefiting others

Chapter book #5

Title: Hatchet

Author: Gary Paulsen
Illustrator: Gary Paulsen
Genre: Children's Literature
Sub genre: Chapter Book
Theme: Dedication
Primary and Secondary characters: Brian
Awards, date of publication: 2007, Newberry honor book
Publishing company: Simon and Schuster
Summary and how it can be used in the classroom:The story is about Brian, 13, and how he manages to survive 54 days in the Canadian wilderness after a plane crash. Brian was flying to visit his father when the pilot dies of a heart attack. The plane drifted off course and finally crashes into a small lake. Brian swims out of the wreckage. The novel takes us through Brian's days, how he learns patience through his experiences with failures and small successes: building a fire, fishing and hunting, making his shelter a safe one. He endures a porcupine attack, a tornado and being utterly alone for almost two months. This is a tale of adventure but, it is also a tale of character growth. You could use this book when teaching about characters and how diverse they can be.You could also use it to teach about never giving up and patience

Picture book 7

Title: The Wolf is Coming

Author: Elizabeth Macdonald
Illustrator: Ken Brown
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Sub genre: Farm animals
Theme: friendship, teamwork, fear
Primary and Secondary characters: The pigs, rabbits, donkey, chicks, and cow
Awards, date of publication: 1998
Publishing company: Dutton Children’s books
Summary and how to use it in the classroom: The rabbit family is the first to notice an intruder on their land, and they hurry to try to hide and warn the other farm animals. The chase begins and the rabbit family has to move from the chicks, to the pigs, to the cow and last the donkey barn where all of the animals end up. The animals worked together and helped each other to scare the intruder (wolf) away. This can be used to show teamwork and lending a helpful hand. It can always show diversity in a classroom.

Chapter book #4

Title: Arthur and the Read to Race

Author: Marc Brown
Illustrator: Stephen Krensky

Genre: Children's chapter book
Sub genre: dedication, running
Theme: Friendship, dedication, exercise, knowledge, pressure, positive attitudes

Primary and Secondary characters: Arthur, Miss Grimslid, Buster, Francine, Muffy, the Brain, Fern, Binky, Sue Ellen, Mr. Ratburn, Mr. Haney
Awards, date of publication: 2001

Publishing company: Little Brown and Company
Summary and how to use it in the classroom: This is the story of several third grade students entering a literacy race to raise money for children who cannot read. Arthur and his friends all enter and start the “intense” training.The students pair up to start training. Each pair does it a different way. When the race day finally comes, some pairs are too tired, others think too much, and some just do not care anymore. Fern, who did not training at all, ends up winning the race. This can be used to teach your students that slow and steady can win the race. With dedication and the right mind set, you can succeed

Picture book 6

Title: Alphabet Under Construction

Author: Denis Fleming
Illustrator: Denis Fleming and David Powers

Genre: Children's picture book
Sub genre: Education, teaching
Theme: Colors, animals, creations, working, imagination, learning

Primary and Secondary characters: the mouse, the letters
Awards, date of publication: 2002

Publishing company: Henry Holt and Company, LLC
Summary and how to use it in the classroom: This is a creative and fun book of a busy mouse “constructing” the letters of the alphabet. He uses the letter he is referring to at the beginning of each phrase. The vibrant colors on every page make it easy to read and learn from. You can use this for the younger students when teaching them their alphabet.

Chapter Book #3 (Poetry)

Title: Joyful Noise

Author: Paul Fleischman
Illustrator: Eric Beddows

Genre: Children's Literature Poetry
Subgenre: Poetry, Insects
Theme: Insects vs. nature, the work of an insect, the habitat of the insect, an insect’s love, appreciation of hard work, cooperation with others, and helping others.

Primary and Secondary characters: the Insects and their habitats
Awards, date of publication: 1988 and Winner of the 1989 Newbery Award

Publishing company: Library of Congress Cataloging in Publicating Data
Summary and how to use it in the classroom: Joyful Noise is a children's book of poetry about insects that is designed for two readers to enjoy together. On each page are two columns of verse for children to alternate reading  about the lives of six-legged creatures ranging from fireflies, to a love affair between two lice, crickets eating pie crumbs and the single day in the life of a mayfly. Large scale pencil illustrations enhance the comical, easy-to-read text.

Chapter book #2

Title: Rules

Author: Cynthia Lord
Illustrator: Cynthia Lord
Genre: Children's Literature
Subgenre: Chapter Book
Theme: Overcoming Obstacles, Friendship
Primary and Secondary characters: David, Catherine, Kristi, Jason
Awards, date of publication: 2006, Newberry Award and Schneider Family Book Award
Publishing company: Scholastic Book Company
Summary and how to use it in the classroom: The book "Rules" tells the story of a young girl named Catherine who has an autistic brother named David. There are constant every day battles that Catherine has to face when dealing with her brother's autism. She has a new neighbor named Kristi who she is constantly trying to impress. She also meets a new boy named Jason at her brother's clinic and becomes very good friends with him. In the end she learns that she does not always need to make other people happy. She accepts the fact that David will always act this way and that Jason is a good friend even if he is in a wheelchair. This would teach the students the importance of overcoming obstacles and also teach the students the value of friendship.

Chapter book #1

Author: Simms Taback
Title: Joseph had a little overcoat
Illustrator: Simms Taback
Genre: Children's Literature
Subgenre: Chapter Book
Theme: Conservation
Primary and Secondary characters: Primary- Joseph
Awards, date of publication: 1999, Caldecott Award
Publishing company: Viking Juvenile
Summary and how you can use it in the classroom: When Joseph's favorite overcoat becomes old and worn, he makes a jacket out of it. When the jacket is more patches than jacket, Joseph then turns it into a vest. When it is cut up from being a vest, he then makes it into a scarf . This continues until there is nothing left of the original garment. However, Joseph manages to make something out of nothing. This teaches students the value of hard work and how you can turn little in too much. You could use this book when discussing economy and managing money. You can also use it to show the value of making use of what you have.

Picture Book 5

Title: The Lion and the Mouse

Author: Jerry Pinkney
Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney
Genre: Picture Book
Subgenre: Children's Literature
Theme:Bullying Prevention

Primary and Secondary characters: The lion and the Mouse
Awards, date of publication: 1989, Caldecott Award
Publishing company: Little, Brown and Company

Brief Summary and how this book can be used in the classroom: This book tells the story of a mouse who is scared by the animals of the forest. He is so scared that he accidently runs up the back of a lion. The lion does not eat him though, he decides to just let him go. The lion is then caught by hunters. The mouse sees this and  chews the rope the lion is caught in so that the lion can get free. They then become best friends. This book teaches about friendship to the students. They can see that just because another student is bigger than them or looks scary, they can be nice and help them just like everyone else.  

Picture Book 4

Title: Piggy Takes a Dare

Author: Ellen Weiss

Illustrator: Tom Brannon
Genre: Picture book
Subgenre: Strength

Theme: Bullies, Overcoming peer pressure
Primary and Secondary characters: Piggy- Primary, Classmates- Secondary
Awards, date of publication:1991
Publishing company: Western Publishing Company

Brief summary and how you would use this books with your students: In this story Piggy wants to become friends with the coolest girls in school. She even dies her hair because they tell her too. They then tell her to go to the old lady's house down the road and leave a mean note. Piggy gets to the lady's steps and then falls. The woman then comes out and helps Piggy up and takes care of her. Piggy then realizes that she should not have to hurt people to be cool. This will teach the students to do what they know they should do, rather than listening to someone else. It will also teach them about not conforming to be like everyone else.

Picture Book 3

Title: Five Creatures

Author: Emily Jenkins

Illustrator: Tomek Bogacki

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Realistic Fiction
Themes: Love, family, common traits, pets, interests

Awards: A Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Book; American Library Association (ALA) notable children's book; Bulletin of the CCB blue ribbon; Child Magazine's Best Children's Book Award; Parent's Guide Children's Media Award; the Charlotte Zolotow Honor Award for outstanding writing.

Publishing Company: Douglas and Mclntyre Publishing Group

Brief summary and how you would use this books with your students: In this book of cheerful comparisons, simple text and sincere pictures work together to portray various scenes in a happy household where each member is different but also has something in common with one or more of the others. The fun comes from sorting out the similarities and the differences between the pets and family members. You can use this book in the classroom for entertainment and showing how families can work together in a household.

Picture Book 2

Title: The blacker the berry

Author: Joyce Carol Thomas
Illustrator: Floyd Cooper
Genre: Children's Literature
Subgenre: Picture Book
Theme: History
Primary and Secondary characters: Little girl, grandmother
Awards, date of publication: 1989, Coretta Scott King award
Publishing company: Joanna Colter Books
Summary: This book tells the story using poetry. These poems tell history of African Americans. For instance, the poem "What shade is human". This poem talks about different kinds of milk. The poem discusses white, chocolate, sweet and mother's. I feel that this is to show the many diversities and cultures in life. You could use this in your classroom when talking about history. This will teach the children to embrace their own history and learn more about others. It was very inspiring and made me want to read more.

Picture Book 1

Title: Crickwing
Author: Janell Cannon
Illustrator: Janell Cannon
Genre: Children's Literature
Subgenre: Illutration
Theme: Bullying
Primary and Secondary characters: Ants, Crickwing, other animals
Awards, date of publication: 2005
Publishing company: Voyager


This is the story of an unfortuante cockroach named Crickwing, called this because of a twisted wing earned when fleeing a predator. Crickwing finds hes has a talent for food presentation: He is a food sculptor! He builds his creations out of roots, leaves and petals, and then eats them...when he can. Crickwing is constantly thwarted by lizards, ocelots and food-stealing monkeys. As he watches thousands of busy leaf-cutting ants, he wonders why isnt anyone bothering these little bullies. Thus, a bully is born. Crickwing harasses the ants until their Queen orders him to be captured and offered as a sacrifice to the army ants. Luckily, kind leaf-cutters set him free, and he redeems himself by using his special talents to rid the leaf-cutters of the army ants once and for all. Cannon's illustrations are beautiful and catching, guaranteed to enrapture the most reluctant reader. This would be great to introduce bullying prevention. Teaching the students that bullying is not good. You could incorporate this book into almost any lesson.