The Best Worst Brother

The Best Worst Brother 

Author: Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen
Illustrator: Charlotte Fremaux

Grade Level: 1-3

Genre: Realistic Fiction 

Awards: None

Summary: This is the story of a young girl and her brother.  The young girl notices early on that her brother is different.  He is unable to speak and has to use sign language to communicate.  He has tantrums that seem more extreme than most boys his age.  When the girl invites her parents to her open house, she is nervous to see they brought her brother along.  She didn't know what he might do to embarrass her.  When her teacher offers her brother a cookie, he takes it and throws it at her.  The teacher lovingly responds by telling the family of her own brother.  Her brother too had down syndrome.  In the end, the young girl realizes just how much she loves her little brother.

Evaluation: I enjoyed this book.  I like how the author chose to tell the story from the sisters perspective.  Its important not to forget about the challenge a sibling may face having a sibling who has down syndrome.  As much as they may love their sibling, life may look a little hectic at time.  I would include this in my classroom because I think students would be able to relate to it.

The grade appropriateness is between first and third grade.  The words are easy to read and understand.  The sentences flow nicely and they do not overcrowd a single page.

Even with middle school, you could use this book as a read aloud.  You could use the read aloud to set the tone for how you expect your class to be respectful by reading this book toward the beginning of the school year.  Make sure students know that every peer of theirs deserves to be respected, whether they have a disability or not. 

Refugee

Refugee  

Author: Alan Gratz 

Grade Level: 6-8

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Awards: Nansen Refugee Award, Bluebonnet Award

Summary: This book follows the story of three people - Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud.  All three characters are seeking refuge during different times in our world's history.  Josef is living in Nazi Germany around 1930.  Isabel is living in Cuba during the year 1994 while fights and crime are throughout her city, making it a dangerous place to live.  Similar to Isabel, Mahmoud is seeing his homeland being burdened by violence and war during 2015.  Even though the things they are running from take place during different years, their fights for refuge are similar.  In the end, Josef sacrifices his youth in order to lead his family in his father's absence.  Isabel sells her beloved instrument to buy gas for the boat they used to escape.  Mahmoud sacrifices his comfort to lead and save his family.  All three stories are joined together by the bold sacrifices these individuals made. 

Evaluation: I had a friend recommend this book to me (and I am so glad she did!).  This book reminded me of A Long Walk to Water.  Telling the story of three different children seeking refuge from different situations throughout different years was fascinating.  It keeps the reader engaged and wanting to know how the author is going to tie all the stories together.  I highly recommend this book and I plan to use it in my own classroom.

The grade level is between sixth and eighth grade.  Because all three characters are going through difficult things that they are trying to seek refuge from, the topics are heavy and deep.  This book requires some amount of maturity if read.

I would love to use this book as an ongoing read aloud.  The last five to ten minutes of class every day would be saved for this book.  After the lesson is done and students put away their things, I would pull out this book and continue where we left off.  After we finish the book as a class, student would then turn in a writing assignment discussing the significance of the characters and them seeking refuge during different times in history.

This One Summer

This One Summer 

Author: Mariko Tamaki

Illustrator: Jullian Tamaki

Grade Level: 7-12

Genre: Fiction 

Awards: Caldecott Medal, Gran Guinigi for Best Writer

Summary: This graphic novel follows the story of two friends: Rose and Windy.  Spending the summer at their lake houses, the two girls spend the summer days talking, swimming, and adventuring.  Things being to change when Rose develops a crush on a boy named Duncan.  As the girls spend time around Duncan, they are exposed to a lot of things.  Duncan ends up getting another girl at the lake pregnant and ignores her.  Rose ends up seeing the young girl drowning and calls out to her mother to help.  After her mother saves the young girl, Rose and her mom renew their relationship as mother and daughter.

Evaluation: After reading this book, I wasn't surprised to find articles of unimpressed and shocked readers.  Some even wondered why this book received a Caldecott medal due to its mature themes.  After seeing how many students enjoyed and related to this book, I would not mind including it in my classroom library.  The illustrations are amazing and the story is fascinating.  It will definitely keep the reader engaged. 

The age appropriateness is between seventh and twelfth grade.  If you are teaching younger grades and really want to include this book in your library, I would encourage you to get parents' permission before a student checks out the book from your classroom.  This book includes sexual terms, cursing, teen pregnancy, and suicide. 

Seventh and eighth graders would love this graphic novel.  The illustrations paint such vivid pictures of the characters' emotions.  Students who chose to read this book could create their own "graphic novel book talk."  Instead of using a poster with a lot of words to describe the summary of their book, they could draw illustrations of the overall summary (without giving away the ending, of course).

Charlotte's Web

Charlotte's Web

Author: E.B. White

Grade Level: 4-6

Genre: Fiction 

Awards: Newbery Medal

Summary: This is the story of a pig named Wilbur.  After being moved to a new farm, Wilburn soon make an unexpected friend.  He befriends a spider named Charlotte.  One day, Wilbur finds out the farmer is going to kill him in the winter time.  To help keep him alive, Charlotte vows to save him.  Charlotte begins writing things in her web over Wilbur's pigpen.  This draws the attention of a lot of people and the farmer decides to enter Wilbur into a contest.  Charlotte goes with Wilbur and helps him win the bronze medal.  Sadly, Charlotte's last spinning kills her.  However, before she died, she left an egg sac with Wilbur.  Wilburn takes the egg sac with him and takes care of Charlotte's babies.  Three of her babies stay with Wilbur and live in the place their mother once lived.

Evaluation: I loved this story.  Even though it has been a while since I read it, I still remember the impact this book had on me as a young girl.  This is one of the first chapter books I remember reading.  This is a book I plan to use in my classroom, especially if I'm with fourth graders.

The age appropriateness is between fourth and sixth grade.  Students at this age will be able to get through this book without much difficulty, easily able to understand the events taking place.

When I read this book, my teacher had the entire class read this book together.  There were some days she would read and days we would get into smaller groups and read aloud.  I loved reading this book with my classmates.  She made the story come to life by having props.  I would use this book in a very similar way in my classroom.

Hello, Universe

Hello, Universe 

Author: Erin Entrada Kelly

Grade Level: 4-7

Genre: Fiction 

Awards: Bluebonnet Award

Summary: This book tells the story of four unexpected people becoming friends.  The book takes place during their transition from sixth grade to seventh grade.  When one character, Chet, pranks Virgil, the others are inclined to go on a mission to rescue him.  While on this rescue mission, the reader learns more about these characters and the lives they live outside of school.  At the end, Virgil is rescued and the students become friends through this shared experience. 

Evaluation: Overall, I enjoyed this book.  The way this book was written reminded me of Wonder.  Similar to Wonder, the story is told from different points of view.  These different points of view add a lot to the overall story, deepening the impact things had on each character.  I also love the diversity of the characters in this book.  I would love to use this book in my classroom to show an example of a writer writing from different points of view.  Middle school students will also enjoy reading this because they are the same age as the characters in the book. 

The age appropriateness is between fourth and seventh grade.  There are some words used that may be harder to understand for younger readers.  Some of the themes might be harder for younger students to fully grasp and understand. 

I think this would be a good book to read as a book club book.  I think this book would keep students engaged and interested.  This book has important themes of bullying, going through life deaf, cultural differences, being yourself, and being a friend.  These themes help make the book more relatable and thus, more enjoyable for students.  As they notice these themes throughout, students can do writing reflections and discuss them with peers.  

A Different Pond

A Different Pond

Author: Bao Phi

Illustrator: Thi Bui

Grade Level: 3-5

Genre: Non-Fiction 

Awards: Caldecott Medal

Summary: This tells the story of a young boy and his father.  Every morning the young boy and his father go out fishing.  When the boy asks his father why they fish every morning, his father tells him it is so he can provide dinner for their family.  When they get home, his father leaves to work the first of his two jobs along with his mother.  At the end of the book, the family comes together to eat the fish the boy and his father caught.

Evaluation: There is so much more to this book than the summary I wrote.  This book is powerful.  It tells of the struggle a family faced as a Vietnamese refugees.  Even after working countless hours, the father and mother still lack the funds necessary to provide dinner for their family.  This book shows the great lengths a father is willing to go to in order to provide for his family.  I would love to use this book in my classroom because I think it is important to have students place themselves in someone else's shoes.

The age appropriateness is between third and fifth grade.  There are some terms mentioned that might be unfamiliar to younger readers.  Even if you were to define those terms to younger students, they still might not be able to grasp the full picture this book is illustrating. 

I could use this book during the unit on world issues and how they are portrayed in literature.  After I read this story, students could reflect on the world issue being discussed and the emotions evoked in them as the reader.

Holes

Holes 

Author: Louis Sachar 

Grade Level: 4-6 

Genre: Fiction 

Awards: Newbery Medal, Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award, and National Book Award for Young People's Literature

Summary: This is a story of a boy named Stanley Yelnats.  When Stanley is wrongfully accused of stealing, he is sent to Camp Green Lake.  His family blames the accusation on their bad luck which has followed them for many generations.  When brought to the camp, Stanley meets other troubled youth.  Their only job at this camp is to dig.  As the story progresses, Stanley befriends another boy named Hector Zeroni.  At the end of the book, Stanley's friendship with Hector frees his family of their curse and brings an unexpected treasure. 

Evaluation: I loved this book!  I read this one back when I was in middle school.  My classmates and I loved it.  The plot was interesting and kept me engaged throughout.  This is a book I would love to use in my class (possibly as a book club book).

The age appropriateness is between fourth and sixth grade.  I personally would not go lower on the grade because some subjects come up that might be too mature for younger readers. 

I would love to use this book for a book club.  There are a lot of discussions this book could lead to that would help build the overall classroom community.  There are also a lot of free online resources available for this book if you do choose to use it in a book club or as a whole class reading.  

Where the While Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are

Author: Maurice Sendak

Illustrator: Maurice Sendak

Grade Level: 1-4

Genre: Fiction 

Awards: Caldecott Medal

Summary: This is the story of a young boy's journey to his imagination.  After being sent to his room with no dinner, this boy decides to take a long journey to another world where he will be loved and appreciated.  Once he is there, he feels loved and welcomed by the "wild things."  The boy is soon elected to be their leader.  After a while, the boy grows weary and decides to go back home.  Once he is home, he finds a bowl of soup on his dresser, still hot.  He then realizes how much he is loved and appreciated by his mother.

Evaluation: This was another great book.  Even though a lot of middle school students might have read this when they were younger, it is still a fun book to revisit.  This is one I plan to use in my classroom.  The story is sweet and the illustrations are amazing!

The age appropriateness is between first and fourth grade.  There are very few words on each page and the vocabulary is easy to read and understand. 

I can use this book when talking about an author's craft.  This book would be an example of an author using both written word and illustration to tell his story.  After we look at this book, students can then make their own picture story book.

The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend

The Adventure of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend 

Author: Dan Santat

Illustrator: Dan Santat

Grade Level: 1-5

Genre: Fiction 

Awards: Caldecott Medal

Summary: This tells the story of an unimagined friend.  As this character waits to be imagined, he sees that most of his other friends have been imagined.  He is soon left unimagined.  He decides to search for his friend.  As he enters the world, no one takes notice to him.  He is invisible.  As he waits in a tree, a young girl approaches him.  The fact that she can see him means she has imagined him.  They soon become friends and she gives him the name Beekle.  At the end, the two are shown enjoying life together as friends

Evaluation: This was the cutest book!  It brought back so many memories from my own childhood.  I connected closely with this book.  Even though most middle school students no longer have imaginary friends, most of them had one at one time.  I think they would enjoy the story and the illustrations.  This is definitely a book I will use in my classroom.

The age appropriateness is between first and fifth grade.  The words used are easy to read and understand.  There didn't seem to be any vocabulary words that might be unfamiliar to younger students. 

I would use this book for a creative writing activity.  I would read the story to the class and have them write their own story explaining what might happen to imagined friends once their "imaginer" is older.

Show Way

Show Way 

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Illustrator: Hudson Talbott

Grade Level: 3-5

Genre: Non-Fiction/Biography 

Awards: Newbery Medal

Summary: This book begins telling the story of a woman.  As the book continues, the reader is introduced to that woman's daughter, granddaughter, great granddaughter, etc.  As the generations go on, the woman's life still leaves an impression on the lives of those after her.  They all bear the marks she received and continue her journey to freedom.  At the end, the reader is introduced to the last woman in the family line - the author herself.

Evaluation: I loved this book.  This is one I plan to have on my classroom bookshelf.  It isn't just the story that's being told, but the way the story is being told.  The author tells her ancestors stories in a simple, short ways that help show the bigger picture.

The age appropriateness is between third and fifth grade.  The story itself is easy to read and follow along.  The illustrations play a vital role in this story.  The vocabulary is clear and easily understood.

I would work with the history teacher when reading this book.  I think this book would have a lasting impact on the students.  You could read this in English class during the time they learn about slavery in history class (cross-curricular teaching).  After doing a read aloud with this book, students could then do a writing assignment on this book explaining why they think the author chose to tell the story over multiple generations and how that played a role in the overall purpose of the book.

Beautiful Blackbird

Beautiful Blackbird 

Author: Ashley Bryan

Illustrator: Ashley Bryan 

Grade Level: 2-4

Genre: Fiction 

Awards: Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrators

Summary: Every bird is amazed by the beauty of the blackbird.  They see true beauty and uniqueness in blackbird and decided that they too want black in their feathers.  The blackbird begins painting different designs on the other birds to add more diversity to their coloring.  Once blackbird adds the black designs on them, they feel more beautiful than ever.

Evaluation: This was a neat story.  There are so many lessons that can be taught using this book.  Where younger students might get a simpler meaning from this book, older students might find deeper meaning.  I would love to have this book in my classroom library. 

The age appropriateness is between second and fourth grade.  The author uses repetition throughout the book as well as vocabulary that is easier to understand.

You could use this book in a read aloud and have students write down what message they got from the story.  Student could then compare and discuss similarities and differences between the messages they got from it.

How the Peacock Got Its Feathers

How the Peacock Got Its Feathers 

Traditional Latin American (Mayan) Tale retold by Sandy Sepehri 

Illustrator: Brian Demeter 

Grade Level: 2-6

Genre: Traditional Literature 

Awards: none

Summary: This story tells the Mayan tale of how the peacock got its beautiful feathers.  Within this etiological myth is the message of humility.  One bird became so caught up in becoming the new leader of their village that they allowed pride to influence their actions.  They stole the current leaders headdress in order to show that they were the most worth bird to lead.  The peacock warned this bird of their wrongdoing and encouraged them to return the headdress.  When the leader found out, he took back the headdress and turned the bird into a bland bird lacking any color as a consequence.  Because the peacock showed the most conviction and humility, the leader decided to award the peacock with a beautiful tale of feathers.

Evaluation: This was a good, quick read.  It was interesting to read the Mayan's tale on why a peacock has such beautiful feathers.  This is a book I might try to have on my shelf because a lot of students seem fascinated by mythology in middle school.

The age appropriateness is between second and sixth grade.  The vocabulary isn't too difficult and the book includes definitions of unique words used in the story.

You could use this book when discussing different works of mythology.  You could show the different myths people believed and how the tale/myth was told first through oral tradition.  You could also use this book when introducing the term "etiological myth."

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chaves

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chaves   

Author: Kathleen Krull

Illustrator: Yuyi Morales 

Grade Level: 3-6

Genre: Biography  

Awards: Jane Addams Children's Book Award for Picture Book, Pura Belpre Award (2004)

Summary: Harvesting Hope is about Cesar Chaves and his fight for migrant farm-workers.  Growing up, he saw firsthand the harsh conditions and mistreatment his family and others faced.  As he got older, Cesar Chaves decided to take a stand for the rights of migrant farm-workers.  He lead a peaceful march in protest of the reality many faced.  His march made an impact on thousands of lives affected by similar conditions he faced as a migrant farm-worker.

Evaluation: I was not only moved by the written words of this story, but by the illustrations.  When a powerful story is able to be told well artistically, it is even more impactful.  I enjoyed the way Cesar Chaves' story was told in this book.  This is a book I would enjoy having on my classroom shelf.

The age appropriateness is between third and sixth grade.  Even though the topics discussed in the book are about mistreatment of people, Kathleen Krull explains it in a way that's appropriate for younger students. 

After doing a read aloud with this book, students could discuss and write reflections on the events that took place and how Cesar Chaves' was able to make a difference.  You could plan this read aloud during the anniversary of Chaves' protest march.  

Malala's Magic Pencil

Malala's Magic Pencil  

Author: Malala Yousafzai

Illustrator: Kerascoet

Grade Level: 3-6

Genre: Non-Fiction 

Awards: Jane Addams Children's Book Award Winner, Nonfiction Capitol Choices 2018, Goodreads Choice Awards 2017

Summary: This book is about Malala Yousafzai and the power her voice has had on the world.  Malala explains what life was like in the place she grew up and the things she dreamed would be changed.  She then tells how she was able to make a difference using her voice.  A single pencil had the power to change the world when it was in the hands of one willing to stand up for something they believed in.  At the end, Malala tells the reader that they too can make a difference.

Evaluation: I loved this book.  Malala was able to tell her story in an appropriate way for younger students.  Her book helps inspire and encourage students.  It shows that they too can make a difference.  This is a book I plan to use in my future classroom because there are so many lesson plans you can make from this book.

The age appropriateness is between third and sixth grade.  Malala tells her story using vocabulary appropriate for younger readers.  The illustrations do a powerful job at telling the story along with the words on the page.

I was actually able to see this book used in a classroom.  The teacher used this book to teach inference and the power of writing.  She made the book applicable by teaching it during Women Appreciation Month.  The students loved the read aloud and enjoyed coming up with things they could write about to help change the world. 

Langston's Train Ride

Langston's Train Ride  

Author: Robert Burleigh 

Illustrator: Leonard Jenkins 

Grade Level: 3-7

Genre: Non-Fiction 

Awards: NAACP Image Award (2005)

Summary: This book takes the reader through Langston Hughes' writing of his 1921 poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers."  This poem is what sparked Langston's journey in becoming a writer.  While on his way to see his father, Langston was inspired to write.  This story depicts what may have taken place during the train ride to prompt Langston's writing of his poem.

Evaluation: The writing was powerful, but the illustrations made a lasting impression.  I think students would love to read this book and see how illustrations can play a huge role in the story itself.  This is a book I would love to read with my future students. 

The age appropriateness is between third and seventh grade.  The vocabulary isn't too difficult and there aren't too many words on each page.  One thing to know is that there are excerpts from Hughes' poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers."  Some younger students who have not worked with poems yet may need to have a lesson on poems before reading this book independently. 

You could use this book to introduce Langston Hughes to your class.  Before you read any of his poems, you could do a read aloud with this book to show how this train ride sparked his passion for writing.  As a pre-reading activity, you could have students come up with the story based on the illustrations alone.  After students have a chance to share their stories, you could then read the book to them.

The Last Princess

The Last Princess: The Story of Princess Ka'iulani of Hawaii 

Author: Fay Stanley

Illustrator: Diane Stanley 

Grade Level: 4-6

Genre: Biography 

Awards: none

Summary: Ka'iulani was born and raised in Hawaii and was the next in line to the throne.  In order to rule Hawaii well, Ka'iulani traveled the world and studied at the top schools and colleges.  When she heard news of her beloved home being threatened by foreign Americans, she rose to action.  She talked with the President of the United States and told him how her people were being mistreated by Americans.  The President assured her he would have someone look into the situation happening.  Soon after her conversation, Ka'iulani returned home to help her fellow Hawaiians.  The monarchy line of Hawaii was soon ended as the Hawaiians signed over their rights and became part of the United States.  So saddened by this, Ka'iulani rode out in the rain on her horse, got sick, and died days later. 

Evaluation: This was a very good book.  The story of Ka'iulani was told and depicted well.  I think students would enjoy reading this book during independent reading time.  It is a short read, but accurately tells the life story of Ka'iulani along with the history of Hawaii.  This is a book I plan to have on my classroom shelf.

The readability is between fourth and sixth grade.  The reason I went up on the grade level is because there are Hawaiian names and terms mentioned throughout the story.  The book does have the term definitions in the back of the book which is very helpful.

You could use this book when doing a persuasive writing assignment.  Students can pretend to be Ka'iulani and write a letter she may have written during that time defending her homeland.  You can also use this activity to teach how to write in a letter format.  

Night

Night 

Author: Elie Wiesel 

Narrator: George Guidall

Grade Level: 8

Genre: Non-Fiction 

Awards: none

Summary: This book tells the story of Elie Wiesel and his experience in Auschwitz.  The story begins with Elie being twelve years old and describes what was taking place in Sighet during WWII.  After the German army invades Sighet, Elie is soon separated from his mother and sisters, who are immediately taken to the gas chambers, and is forced to labor for the Germans alongside his father.  Throughout the story, Elie describes in detail some horrific and inhumane acts that took place during his time in Auschwitz.  At the end of the book, Elie's father dies days before they were liberated.   

Evaluation: This is definitely an audio book I will have in my classroom.  By eighth grade, most students will have already learned some facts about the Holocaust.  This book will help give more details to the events told in their history books.  Parts of this book  are difficult to read due to the content, but necessary in order to understand the seriousness of the Holocaust.  George Guidall does a wonderful job at reading this book.  The first chapter is read slower, but speeds up around chapter two.

The age appropriateness should be no lower than eighth grade.  Any grade below eighth will have an even harder time understanding the images and symbols Elie Wiesel uses to tell his story.  The situations depicted would also be difficult for younger readers to fully understand.  For eighth grade, I would highly recommend  going through this book as a class, leaving plenty of time to discuss and process.

For many schools, a Holocaust unit is required for eighth grade ELA class.  This audio book is a powerful resource to use during that unit.  Because there are a lot of unfamiliar terms used throughout the book, an audio book helps students know how to pronounce the unfamiliar words.  I would recommend having a class set of Night for student to read while the audio book is playing.

Knock Knock: My Dad's Dreams for Me

Knock Knock: My Dad's Dreams for Me 

Author: Daniel Beaty 

Illustrator: Bryan Collier

Grade Level: 3-6

Genre: Non-Fiction  

Awards: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner, ALSC Notable Children's Book, Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards Picture Book Honor, Notable Children's Book in the ELA, and more.

Summary: This story is about a young boy and his father.  Every day the boy's father knocks on his door, wakes him up, and tells him he loves him.  One day the boy's father doesn't come knocking on his door.  The boy's father is no longer in his life.  The young boy is then forced to learn how to become a man without the guidance of his father.  One day the young boy sees a letter in his room written by his father.  In the letter, his father wrote words of wisdom to help him become a man - lessons he was not able to be there for in person. 

Evaluation: What a powerful book this was.  I was not only impacted by the story, but also by the illustrations.  Daniel Beaty's powerful words were depicted beautifully by Bryan Collier.  Sadly, a lot of student can relate to the story weaved throughout the pages.

The age appropriateness is between third and sixth grade.  Even though the themes in this book are more mature, many students are facing similar realities in their own life.  The story is poetically told in an age appropriate way.

This is definitely a book I want to expose my future class to.  The writing alone is impactful.  I could read this book aloud and have students note the tone, mood, and theme of this work.  Students could also pay attention to the writing style used.

The Reason for a Flower

The Reason for a Flower 

Author: Ruth Heller

Illustrator: Ruth Heller 

Grade Level: 1-3

Genre: Non-Fiction 

Awards: none

Summary: This book takes the reader through the life of flowers.  These seemingly delicate plants offer more resources that many might imagine.  Before reading this, many might think flowers are meant for visual enjoyment only.  After reading through this, the reader will soon find out that there is a lot more a flower have to offer throughout its life.  After going through the lifespan of a flower, the book concludes with the way that flower might be used as a resource - grains, perfumes, shampoos, etc.  Flowers give us most of the resources we use on a daily basis.  

Evaluation: I never knew all the reasons for a flower.  This book taught a lot in few, simple words.  I was amazed how much this book was able to say about flowers using mostly easy vocabulary.  The illustrations in this book were beautiful as well.  I think this will be a book I will have on my future shelf due to its informativeness. 

The readability is between first and third grade.  The author did a wonderful job at explaining harder concepts in simple, understandable ways.  The vocabulary was appropriate for younger readers and helpful for older readers.

You could relate this book to different works that mention a floral metaphor.  You could use this book to help students make predictions as to why an author might include a metaphor of a flower.  This book might help them see the importance of a flower and how it offers a lot of resources to us and connect it to the other text (text-to-text connections).

The Trees of North America Science Nature Guides

Trees of North America Science Nature Guides 

Author: Alan Mitchell 

Illustrator: David More 

Grade Level: 4-8

Genre: Non-Fiction 

Awards: none

Summary: This book goes in-depth describing the many different types of trees in North America.  The descriptions of the trees are easy to read and understand with the help of the illustrations.  Along with illustrations of the trees, their bark, and their leaves, this book compares the heights of the trees to that of buildings.  Also included in this book are some interesting science experiments for students to try on their own (planting their own tree, measuring the height of a tree, etc.).  

Evaluation: This book was full of interesting information about trees.  I could easily see students finding this book interesting.  It was neat to see how this book about trees kept me, the reader, engaged throughout.  This is a book I would be proud to have on my shelf.

The readability is between fourth and eighth grade.  The material in the book is appropriate for all ages.  However, the vocabulary in this book is more advanced.  Some younger readers may have difficulty understating certain terms.

You could use this book in your classroom by having students write a specific type of tree in their writing rather than just saying "tree."  By providing a specific type of tree to their story, they will strengthen the picture-pushing details in their story.  You can use this book to show how doing research on seemingly insignificant things in their stories can help make a huge impact to their writing.  

Ant Cities

Ant Cities 

Author: Arthur Dorros

Illustrator: Arthur Dorros

Grade Level: 2-5

Genre: Non-Fiction 

Awards: Reading Rainbow Selection Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children, National Science Teachers Association/Children's Book Council

Summary: This book talks about many interesting facts related to ants.  It discusses how they make their hills, what's underneath them, and the roles each ant plays in the colony.  It shows what the life span of an ant might look like and what they might grow up to be.  The end of the book mentions unexpected places an ant hill might be found (ships, sidewalks, top of buildings, etc.) and encourages the reader to keep an open eye for ant hills around them.

Evaluation: I loved this book!  When I read it, I immediately thought of my brother.  For as long as I can remember, my brother has been fascinated by ants.  I would love to have this book in my classroom.  Like my brother, I think there would be a few middle school students who would enjoy picking up this quick, informative read.

The readability is between second and fifth grade.  The vocabulary is simple and easy to understand.  The book does a great job at providing illustrations for vocabulary terms that might be unfamiliar to younger readers.

It would be neat to have a classroom ant farm and use this book to make a text-to-world connection.  You could then use your classroom ant farm as a writing assignment.  Students could write a story about a time they stepped on an ant pile or saw an ant in an unexpected place.  They could then apply the vocabulary from the book in their writing.  

Who Was Edgar Allan Poe?

Who Was Edgar Allan Poe?

Author: Jim Gigliotti 

Illustrator: Tim Foley 

Grade Level: 4-8

Genre: Biography 

Awards: none

Summary: This book takes you through the life of Edgar Allan Poe.  The book begins describing his father's abandonment and his mother's tragic death.  Poe is then taken in by the Allan family and grows up under their care.  Years later, Mrs. Allan dies of the same infection as Poe's mother - tuberculosis.  Poe is faced with more death the older he gets, including his young cousin whom he was married to.  The book concludes with Poe's mysterious death in an alleyway.  People still are unsure the exact cause of Poe's death.  

Evaluation: This is definitely a book I will include in my classroom library.  Poe's works are usually introduced to students during the middle school years.  This would be a great way for students to do a deeper author study of Poe.

The readability is between fourth and eighth grade.  Some of the facts mentioned in this book (ex. gambling and excessive drinking) may be a little too mature for younger readers.  However, those facts are told in a way that is appropriate for fourth graders.

I recently used this book during my student teaching.  The class was assigned to write a creative, fictional, spooky story that took place in their school.  I began the unit by introducing them to Poe.  I gave them a brief introduction to his life and then encouraged them to check out Who Was Edgar Allan Poe? in order to gain a better understanding.  We then read "The Raven" and talked about what the raven symbolized in the story and in Poe's life.  We also noted how Poe is often depicted with a raven near him.

What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?

What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?

Author: Steven Jenkins & Robin Page 

Illustrator: Steven Jenkins

Grade Level: 2-5

Genre: Non-Fiction 

Awards: Caldecott Honor 

Summary: This book takes you through the the different noses, ears, tales, eyes, feet, and mouths of animals.  Each animal described has a unique way they use different body parts.  As you go through the book, you begin to learn how different animals use different body parts to smell, communicate, hang, and see.  At the end of the book, there is a list of all the animals that were discussed throughout the book with more information on each.  

Evaluation: I enjoyed the way this book went through the different bodily characteristics of each animal.  I would include this in my classroom because I think this book could be used for a daily warm up activity. 

The readability is between second and fifth grade.  Both the subject matter and the vocabulary in this book can be easily understood by younger readers.  The material is also written in a way that is interactive and interesting.

I could use this book as a writing warm up.  Each day I could have a different page on the board displaying one of the mentioned body parts.  Students have to guess what animal the part belongs to and what they might use that body part for.  Middle school student would love this warm up.  This would provide daily interesting facts as well as fun writing prompts.  

The Devil's Arithmetic

The Devil's Arithmetic 

Author: Jane Yolen 

Grade Level: 7-8

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Awards: National Jewish Book Award

Summary: This book is about a girl named Hannah Stern.  Hannah is a Jewish girl living in New York during the Passover Seder.  During this time, all of Hannah's family is home to celebrate this important time of year for their faith.  While they are over, Hannah keeps getting frustrated with her grandparent's constant talk of what life use to be like for them during WWII.  During this celebration, Hannah is tasked to open the door in hopes of seeing the prophet Elijah.  When she opens the door, Hannah is transported to Poland in 1942.  She doesn't know anyone around her, but they all seem to know her and call her Chaya.  They are soon taken to a concentration camp.  It is here where Hannah witnesses events that took place in the concentration camps.  The more time Hannah spends in the camp, the more she forgets her life as Hannah.  One fateful day, a Nazi soldier chooses three girls to send to their death.  Hannah is the only one he decides to spare.  Instead of saving her own life, she offers herself in the place of Rivka.  As Hannah is led to her death, darkness surrounds her.  She is then back in her New York home awaiting the arrival of prophet Elijah.  Back at the dinner table, Hannah's aunt Eva asks if she is okay.  Noticing the tattoo on her aunts arm, Hannah asks about it.  She soon finds out that Rivka was her aunt Eva.  Hannah then tells her aunt what happened when she opened the door for the prophet Elijah, an event that changed her life and saved her aunt's.

Evaluation: I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  The story is told in a way that makes reader feel as though they are there experiencing what the character is experiencing.  I plan to have this in my classroom because I think it is a book students need to be exposed to.

I put the readability between seventh and eighth grade.  Even though younger grades could read the text itself, I think the themes would be difficult for them to understand.  Even with older students, they will need some exposure to the vocabulary before they read this book. 

I plan to use this text during the Holocaust unit in my classroom.  Even though I may not have this book as a whole-class book club, I want students to have access to this book in my classroom.  The book gives a lot of information about what it might have been like for someone inside a concentration camp during the Holocaust.  This book could then be used to teach point-of-view and perspective.  

The Book Thief

The Book Thief 

Author: Markus Zusak 

Grade Level: 7-8

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Awards: Kathleen Mitchell Award, National Jewish Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature, Indies Choice Book Award for Children's Literature 

Summary: The narrator, Death, tells the story of a young girl named Liesel.  Liesel, her mother, and brother were on a train to another area of Germany to receive help during WWII.  After Liesel's brother dies on the train ride, her and her mother stop somewhere to bury him.  When they bury him, Liesel steals her first book.  Once they arrive in Munich, Liesel is forced to live with foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann.  As the war is getting worse, life in Germany also gets worse.  Liesel steals another book by saving it from the pile of books the Nazi's were burning.  Around this time, the Hubermann family take on the danger of hiding a Jew in their home.  Throughout the story, Liesel not only learns to read and write, but she learns that unexpected people can become like family.  At the end, Hans, Rosa, and Rudy all die after an air raid comes for their neighborhood.  Liesel is left alone, again, forced to say goodbye to those she had come to love.  Two years later, Liesel reunites with the Jew the hid and remain close friends until his death.  Death does come for Liesel, but not until after she lived a long life.

Evaluation: This was such a good book.  I read through this book with a group of students in one of my education courses.  This book led to a lot of great discussions in that group.  During my student teaching, I have found that this book is very popular among eight graders (I can see why!).  Almost all of the students I've talked to have loved this book.  Some have even said it's among their top favorite books.  That being said, I plan to have this book in my classroom.

The readability is between seventh and eighth grade.  The subject matter in this book may be difficult to read for younger students because it takes place during WWII when the Nazi's took over Germany.  Because seventh and eighth graders should have already had some exposure to this subject, they should be old enough to understand the themes in this book.

Because most schools require eighth grade ELA teachers to cover the Holocaust, this book would be a powerful additional read to present to the students.  If your school does not require you read through a particular book (the school I'm at requires us to read through Night as a class), I highly recommend using this one.  You could use this book as a guide to create a timeline of events during WWII.

These Hands

These Hands 

Author: Margaret H. Manson
Illustrator: Floyd Cooper

Grade Level: 3-5

Genre: Historical Fiction

Awards: Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Text 

Summary: In this book, a grandfather is showing his grandson, Joseph, all the things that his hands can do.  He can tie shoes, play piano, shuffle cards, and play baseball.  He then begins to tell his grandson what his hands used to not be able to do.  His hands couldn't touch bread in the factory because of his skin color.  So, he joined hands with others, made signs, and raised his voice.  Now, no matter a persons skin color, they can touch the dough in the factory. 

Evaluation: I think the illustrations in this work are amazing.  I love how this book tells about a dark time in our country's history in a way that can be better understood by younger students.  This is definitely a book I will use in my future classroom. 

The readability is between third and fifth grade.  The text in this book includes simpler vocabulary and uses repetition about what the grandfather's hands can do.  Even though the book is talking about a topic that might be difficult for younger readers to understand, the book describes it in an understandable way.

One way I can use this book in my future classroom is when we come across texts that deal with racism.  I think this book will be an impactful addition to that subject.  I also think this book could open up good conversations.  Even in its simplicity, this book can help spark deeper conversations about our country and what racism looked like years ago and compare it to what it looks like now.  This book could then lead to a compare and contrast writing assignment. 

Henry's Freedom Box

Henry's Freedom Box 

Author: Ellen Levine 

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson 

Grade Level: 3-5

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Awards: Caldecott Medal 

Summary: This book follows the story of Henry.  Henry is torn away from his family at a young age and is forced to work as a slave in a warehouse.  He gets older and soon marries a young woman and has several children.  Sadly, Henry's family is torn away from him when they are sold in a slave market.  Determined to find reunite with his family, Henry ships himself to the North in a shipping box.  After this long, tiresome journey, Henry is finally free.

Evaluation: The retelling of this story is impactful, not only in the way Ellen Levine writes the story, but in the illustrations by Kadir Nelson.  I plan to use this in my classroom because it is a powerful work.  I think middle school students would be moved by the story and how the emotions are presented in the illustrations. 

The grade appropriateness is between third and fifth grade.  There might be some vocabulary words that will be unfamiliar to younger readers.  That being said, this could be a story to introduce after you've had the chance to go over that time in our country's history to help build a knowledge of some of those vocabulary words. 

I could read this book to my middle school students when they begin to come across slavery in their textbook readings.  This would be a powerful book to show them the great links many people went through in order to be free.  This book could then lead into a writing reflection time.