Thursday, March 15, 2012

Picture book 16

 

Title: Leaf Man

Author: Lois Ehlert

Illustrator: Harcourt Inc.
Genre: Children's literature
Subgenre: Picture book nature
Theme: Nature, seeing the beauty around you, wind
Primary and Secondary characters: The leaf man
Awards, date of publication: 2005
Publishing company: Harcourt Children's Books
Summary and how it can be used in the classroom: This book tells the story of a man who travels with the wind/ Fall has come, the wind is gusting, and Leaf Man is on the move. Is he drifting east, over the marsh and ducks and geese? Or is he heading west, above the orchards, prairie meadows, and spotted cows? No one's quite sure, but this much is certain: A Leaf Man's got to go where the wind blows. This book can be used for pleasure reading and to entertain.

Picture book 15

Title: The Ugly Duckling

Author: Hans Christian Andersen

Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney
Genre: Children's literature
Subgenre: Picture book, belonging
Theme: family, feeling to belong
Primary and Secondary characters: bird
Awards, date of publication: 1999, Caldecott Honor
Publishing company: HarperCollins
Summary and how it can be used in the classroom: This book tells the story of the awkward little bird who marches bravely through hecklers, hunters, and cruel seasons. He eventually matures into a beautiful swan, the most beautiful bird of all. This is an unforgettable survival story.  This book has Splendid watercolors set in the lush countryside bring drama to life. This book can be used to show that people can change and there is no such thing as an ugly person. Anyone can succeed and do well in life.

Picture book 14

Title: Knuffle Bunny

Author: Mo Willems

Illustrator: Mo Willems
Genre: Children's literature, fantasy
Subgenre: Picture book
Theme: being in charge, adventures
Primary and Secondary characters: Trixie, Daddy, knuffle bunny
Awards, date of publication: 2004
Publishing company: Hyperion
Summary and how it can be used in the classroom: This book tells the story of Trixie, Daddy, and Knuffle Bunny taking a trip to the neighborhood Laundromat. The exciting adventure takes an intense turn when Trixie realizes somebunny was left behind. They use a combination of muffled black-and-white photographs and easy-to-read illustrations. This fabulous book tells a brilliantly true-to-life tale about what happens when Daddy's in charge and things go terribly, entertainingly wrong. This book can be used to show responsibility and pleasure reading.

Picture book 13

Title: We gather together

Author: Diane deGroat

Illustrator: Scholastic Inc.
Genre: Children's literature
Subgenre: Picture book
Theme: Not to judge
Primary and Secondary characters: Gilbert, Phillip
Awards, date of publication: 2005
Publishing company: Chronicle Books
This book tells the story of how Gilbert and his classmates take a field trip. Gilbert is late to class so he gets stuck with being partners with the class tattle-tale. At the pilgrimage Phillip, his partner, follows is partner around and is constantly getting on Gilbert's nerves. So Gilbert then decides to lock himself in the bathroom to hide from his partner. Gilbert then realizes that he is now trapped in the bathroom and knows that Phillip is the only one that can help him. Finally, after many calls Phillip saves the day and helps Gilbert. So maybe being Phillip's partner wasn't so bad at all. This will teach the children not to judge a book by its cover.


Picture Book 12

Title: The Pull of the Ocean
Author: Jean- Claude Mourlevat

Illustrator: Jean- Claude Mourlevat
Genre: Children's Literature
Subgenre: Chapter Book
Theme: Strength
Primary and Secondary characters: Daughter, Siblings, Father
Awards, date of publication: 2009, Mildred L. Batchelder Award
Publishing company: Laurel Leef

Summary:On a stormy night, little Yann Doutreleau wakes up his older brothers, all twins. He tells them that they must leave their home because their father has become violent. Without question, the siblings follow Yann into the darkness. This begins their remarkable journey toward the ocean. They encounter many people on their journey. The young boy, Yann is mute, and rarely spoke with his parents. This story is wonderful. It teaches the students to be independent and to have inter-strength

Chapter book #9

Title: Hattie Big Sky

Author: Kirby Larson

Illustrator: N/A
Genre: Chapter book, Historical fiction
Subgenre: orphans, American history
Theme: servants, orphans, determination, work
Primary and Secondary characters­­­­­-Hattie, her aunt and neighbors
Awards, date of publication:
2006, Newberry honor
Publishing company:
Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Summary and how it can be used in the classroom:  
This is a book about Hattie Brooks, who is a 16-year-old orphan living with an insufferable aunt who constantly reminds her that she is nothing but a burden. Just before her aunt all but enslaves her to a neighboring household as a servant, Hattie receives a letter from her deceased uncle’s attorney that leaves her a homestead in Montana. Hoping to find a place of her own, Hattie leaves immediately for the untamed, wild Montana to farm the land. This book can be used when talking about family or feeling alone in the world.

Chapter book #8

Title: Princess Academy

Author: Shannon Hale

Illustrator: N/A
Genre: Chapter book, modern fantasy
Subgenre: Chapter Book, competition
Theme: Competition, dedication, schooling
Primary and Secondary characters: Miri, classmates, the prince
Awards, date of publication:
June 16, 2005, Newbery Honor
Publishing company:
Bloomsbury USA Childrens; First U. S. Edition edition
Summary and how it can be used in the classroom:  This book Is about
Miri who lives on a mountain where, for generations, her ancestors have mined stone and lived a simple life. Then word comes that the king's priests have discovered her small village, the home of the future princess. In a year's time, the prince himself will come and choose his bride from the girls of the village. The king's ministers set up an academy on the mountain, and every teenage girl must attend and learn how to become a princess. Miri soon finds herself confronted with a harsh academy mistress, bitter competition among the girls, and her own conflicting needs to be chosen and win the heart of her childhood best friend. But when bandits pursue the academy to kidnap the future princess, Miri must gather the girls together and use a power unique to the mountain dwellers to save herself and her classmates. This book can be used to show your students about dedication and working together to achieve what they want.

Chapter book #7

Title: We are the ship

Author: Kadir Nelson

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Genre: Children's Literature
Sub genre: Chapter Book
Theme: African American, baseball history
Primary and Secondary characters: Historic Baseball players
Awards, date of publication: 2008, Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award
Publishing company: Hyperion Books

Summary and how it can be used in the classroom: This book tells the story of the Negro League baseball. The story is of gifted athletes and determined owners. It also discusses racial discrimination and international sportsmanship. It discusses triumphs and defeats on and off the field. It is a mirror of the social history of black America in the first half of the twentieth century. The story of the Negro League tells the story of how heroes overcame segregation, terrible condition, and hatred by playing ball. This book also has great illustrations and does a great job at telling the story. This book would be great when teaching African-American history.

Chapter book # 6


Title: Evangeline Mudd and the Golden-haired apes of the Ikkansti Jungle

Author: David Elliott

Illustrator: Andrea Wesson
Genre: Children's Literature
Subgenre: Chapter Book
Theme: Dedication
Primary and Secondary charactesrs: Evangeline, Parents, Animals
Awards, date of publication: 2007
Publishing company: Candlewick

Summary and how it can be used in the classroom: In this first book of the series, the main character, Evangeline, has a pair of primatologist parents. When her parents are called away on research trip to Ikkansti Jungle and mysteriously fail to return, it is up to Evangeline to find them. It is a wild, fast paced adventure and the illustrations were awesome. It is a great heroine story. The children will enjoy the book because of the great adventure. You could read this book to the children when teaching about adventure and bravery