Annotated Bibliography

I created a 30 book annotated bibliography for my class. I was nervous for this assignment but it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable assignments for the class. I love to read and enjoyed reading the book through the eyes of a teacher and thinking of ways it could benefit children. Here is my bibliography, tell me what you think!

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Introduction: I am a senior at Florida Southwestern College and less than a month away from my final internship in elementary education. Education is my passion. My passion of education stems from my love of children, grammar, and reading. When I realized these passions of mine mix, I realized teaching was my passion!

I have taught in kindergarten and third grade throughout my bachelor’s degree. I realized third grade is not for me! I loved the kindergartners and the innocence they have. My final internship will be in second grade and I am very excited! I think second grade will be the perfect mixture of children that are still young and innocent yet are more self sufficient. I would teach kindergarten any day though!

My internship will be at Tortuga Preserve Elementary which is a newer school in Fort Myers. I completed my kindergarten teaching here and hope to start my career here as well. It is a wonderful STEM school!

I have been in the Bachelor’s of Elementary Education at Florida Southwestern College for a year. I took the fast route with my program taking 5 classes a semester. Some may think that sounds crazy but I knew I could do it and I was eager to start my career knowing it will affect my husband and son. I have completed the program (nearly) now and wouldn’t change my decision!

This is my last class of the program and nearly my last assignment. I was very excited for this assignment because of my love for reading. My goal was to read 30 children’s book of various genres’s this summer. I reflected upon them and created a classroom activity for each book. When I was creating each activity I knew I needed to create activities that were fun, engaging, and taught them something from the book. In The Joy of Children’s Literature it talks about different types of reading such as; read aloud, shared reading, guided reading, and independent reading. This helped me when creating activities for the 30 books. One statement that I read about reading was that, “There is nothing more powerful than a literacy teacher sharing her passion for reading, writing, and thinking.” I knew when I read that statement I would remember it forever. It encouraged me to create more read aloud during this assignment. I want to be able and share my passion for reading with my children and a read aloud is the perfect way to do that!

When it came to choosing the books I would be reading I looked for books that not only sparked my interest but I thought would spark my children’s interest as well. Advice that I received from The Joy of Children’s Literature was how to distinctly find each genre of book. It gave great detail in modern fantasy, realistic fiction, historical fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. The book also gave great advice for choosing a book within each genre. “The book broadens understanding and perspective on the world that open up new possibilities and the capacity for empathy.” This was a quote that really stuck out to me during my research within the book. Whenever I was choosing a book the quote popped into my head and I made sure each book met that goal.

Reference:

Johnson, D. (2011). The Joy of Children’s Literature, 2nd Ed. Belmont, CA:

 Wadsworth

Reflection: This process was new for me in many ways. I made time to sit down and read which I have not done in a long time. I also read books that I would not originally read. This brought me to open my eyes to genres that I am not particularly attracted to. I found that in some cases I was right, and other I was wrong! My favorite’s form this list would be The Wall, S is for Sunshine, and A Chair for my Mother.  The Wall is my favorite because of the emotion I could feel reading the book. It tells of a story that not all children may be able to relate to but they can definitely feel. S is for Sunshine is my second favorite because it is about Florida and I think it portrays our state well! A Chair for my Mother is also one of my favorites because I liked reading about a family that may not have a lot, but they have each other and they worked hard to give each other things they would like.

Something that surprised me would be that there are so many award winning books that I have never read! I am glad that I was able to research books and find many books that I needed to read! If I had to do this assignment again the only thing I would change would be to have more time and be able to research lessons to go along with books. This way I would be able to create better lessons for my students.  In the future I plan to use some of the books I read in my classroom. During the process I was sure to mark them if I wanted them for my classroom library!

FEAPS Reflection: During this assignment I met many of the FEAPS practices including 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12. I experienced human development and learning through this assignment when creating the activities for the 30 books. When creating the activities I was sure to incorporate different levels and styles of learning in to the activities. I also made a point to take prior knowledge the student’s had on the subject of the book and link that the new learning.

Knowledge of subject matter was definitely met during this assignment. I gained knowledge of how to create an annotated bibliography, how to find awards won by the authors, how to summarize them and how to create various activities for the books.  By learning how to analyze a book it helped me to learn how to help children do the same. It helped me to understand that all books have something that you could further knowledge with.

The learning environment for each of the activities created for the 30 books were set up for an engaging learning environment for all students. The learning environment is always something that I pay attention to and something that I am mastering lesson by lesson. This assignment helped me to learn how to create an engaged learning environment even for small lessons.

This assignment took many, many hours of planning. It took research and planning to find the books I was going to read. It then took planning to create activities to go along with each book. Becoming a teacher is learning how to master planning!

Technology was incorporated into this assignment through some of the activities created. I made a point to use the overhead projector for visuals with the students. I also made a point to use the computers for research for the students as well as for the students to type papers with.

Title, Author, Copyright Genre, Pages		Theme Summary Awards	Personal Response to the Book	Classroom Use
Picture Books                            primary general, Sci or SS focus
David Gets in Trouble By: David Shannon Illustrator: David Shannon 2002 32 pages Primary (K-3)		Theme: kids adventure Summary: A young boy named David who is constantly getting in trouble with a humorous twist. Awards: Monarch Award: Illinois’ K-3 Readers Choice Award	I chose this book knowing No, David No was a very popular, humorous book. David Gets in Trouble is just as funny! I have a two year old and can relate to every page of this book. David is always getting in trouble for something. Anything from his dog eating his homework to forgetting to put pants on! I think this book shows the real side of energetic little boys. I enjoyed the illustrations. It is very interesting to see Shannon’s way of making his illustrations look half finished, yet appealing. Although I do enjoy the illustrations and think they represent David well, there is something about David’s mouth that bothers me. It is very big, dark inside, and he has jagged shark-like teeth. This would not keep me from reading the book it is just something I noticed.  For children, I think this book is age appropriate. The illustrations are bright and fun and the wording is simple and limited per page in order to reduce the reader from becoming overwhelmed.	This book could be used in the class as a read/think aloud. I would read the book to class while we discuss David’s actions and things we can do to prevent these things from happening. Such as having our homework eaten by our dog! This book would be great as a read aloud because children will think it is funny and will enjoy getting to laugh with the teacher about it while they learn how to become responsible.
S is for Sunshine By: Carol Crane Illustrator: Michael Glenn Monroe 2000 40 pages Intermediate (4-5)		Theme: Alphabet Summary: A book that goes through the alphabet using people, places, and things from Florida. Awards: No notable awards found	I have heard of this book before but had never had the chance to read it. I enjoyed learning about Florida as they went through the alphabet. They thought of things are true Floridian things that others may not know of! I loved the illustration of the Everglades. The Everglades are an important part of Florida and they did a wonderful job of illustrating and explaining the area. Carol Crane created her book so that the illustration is the main part of each page and then there is a small paragraph explaining. I love this method because it lets the reader create their own idea of the image before reading about it.	I will definitely use this book in my classroom being a Florida teacher. Every letter teaches the reader something about Florida that they may know about but it gives them more information. I would use this book during a 4th grade science lesson. We could read the book in class and then have each student pick a letter to learn more about. They could research the topic on the internet, such as mockingbirds, and then present their findings to the class.
Destination Space By: Seymour Simon 2002 32 pages Middles Grades (6)		Theme: Space Summary: This book gives you facts and many pictures from outerspace. Awards: No notable awards found	I wanted to read a book by Seymour Simon and thought the cover of this book was appealing. The images within this book are mind blowing! I have never seen such amazing photos of outer space. Seeing Saturn that close is amazing and definitely something children should see. I enjoyed reading his book and found myself learning something from every page. This book is geared towards 6th grade but I did feel as an adult reading it, there were too many words on a page. At some points I felt as if I were reading from a text book. The information is interesting and something that I want to know, but at some points it was overwhelming to read at once.	This book should be required in the classroom. The information and images are so rich that I feel the children would be very interested in reading this book. While teaching about outer space during a science lesson I would reference this book by using the overhead projector and show its images so they are able to see what Saturn looks like, or the three images of mars as it is orbiting!
What Makes a Shadow? By: Clyde Robert Bulla Illustrator: June Otami 1994 32 Pages Science Focus		Theme: Science Summary: This book gives many questions to think about and information about shadows. Awards: No notable awards found	The cover of this book appealed to me. I also liked how the title of the book is a question. The illustrations throughout the book are perfect for the age group. They are bright, clear, and engaging. The wording on each page is limited and to the point. I think that is important in keeping the reader engaged. I think Clyde did a perfect job of exploring the topic of shadows and how to find our shadow! The thing I love most about this book thought would be the higher order thinking questions throughout. The book has built in questions for the reader to explore during the book and I love that!	I would use this book as a science lesson by reading the book in class and then going on a shadow scavenger hunt. Within the book it tells you different things you can do to find a shadow such as; looking at a tree, holding a book so the sun shines on it, hold a paper towel so the sun shines on it, and holding your hand close to a lamp to name a few. I would do each activity with the children and make it a hands on learning experience.
Grace For President By: Kelly DiPucchio Illustrator: LeUyen Pham 2007 40 pages Social Studies Focus		Theme: Social Studies Summary: This book is about the electoral process of the U.S within an elementary classroom. Awards: Amelia Bloomer List (2009)	I love the many morals behind this book. It encourages students that they can do anything they set their mind to, it encourages equal rights among girls, and it accurately teaches the students about our voting system. I think this book has great illustrations and the audience it is geared for is exact. Grace For President teaches children about our campaign process in a way that children can comprehend which is impressive!	I am very excited about this book and look forward to using it! When possible, I would read this book during the United States electoral process and would have our own classroom campaign. I would follow the story of the book and have volunteers for president, campaigns, and voting. I would have the children research the campaign going on at that time on the internet so we could learn more about it and possibly compare and contrast it with the book. I think this would be a wonderful and memorable lesson for children to learn and understand the campaign and electoral process!
Traditional Literature          Folk Tale, Myth,  Epic, Multicultural Cinderella
Beowulf By: Michael Morpurgo Illustrator: Michael Foreman 2006 96 pages Epic	Theme: Medieval Times Summary: This is a children’s book based on the adventures of Beowulf. The books follows the original story line yet in a kid friendly way. Awards: No notable awards found		It has always been hard for me to get into and enjoy epic stories. There is something about not being able to relate to the story that keeps me from enjoying the plot. I thought reading a children’s epic story might be different. But I am sad to say it was not. I enjoyed the illustrations and getting to see what Beowulf and the three fights look like visually. I think the author and illustrator created the vision of the three fights perfectly for a child’s mind. Even though I did not enjoy the story I did enjoy the illustrations and the detail put into them. The colors the illustrator chose do a great job of setting the tone of the experiences Beowulf experienced.  I thought Michael Morpurgo told the story well and I truly think this story would be enjoyable for children that do enjoy dragons and sea monsters. I love the idea of taking a story that is read in high school and making it into a children’s version. I think this version of Beowulf followed the original story line very well.	I would use this version of Beowulf in the classroom to teach them about epic stories as well as heroes and heroism. I would have them find examples of hero and heroism within the book and then I would have them think of things in their lives where they have been a hero! I would have them wrap up the lesson by writing a short story about their heroic acts and the acts of heroism in Beowulf.
Zen Shorts By: Jon J Muth Illustrator: Jon J Muth 2005 40 pages Folktale	Theme: Animal, adventure Summary: This is a great story about young children who meet a panda bear named Zen Shorts. Zen teaches the children many lessons throughout their adventures. Awards: Caldecott Honor, Book Sense Book of the Year Award		This is definitely another book I want for my classroom library! It is such an amazing story and the lessons taught throughout it are valuable. I truly enjoyed this story and think the author did a great job of gearing the illustrations and wording towards the correct age group. The illustrations are bright and fun, making them engaging. I love the small stories within the story. I think this is a great method of engagement and interest. I can see why this book is a Caldecott winner!	This book could be used in the classroom in so many ways. One way I would use this book in the classroom would be to read it as a read aloud. While reading the story I would stop after each ‘Zen story’ and have the children talk with their shoulder partner about the lesson they learned through that story. For example; when Zen tells the story about good luck and bad luck being a maybe thing, I would have the children discuss this theory and communicate their thoughts about it. After reading the entire story I would have the children take the three lessons they talked about and create an illustration that shows the lessons being taught or learned. I think this would be a great way to have the children retell and summarize the story in a fun way.
The Rough-Face Girl By: Rafe Martin Illustrator: David Shannon 1998 32 pages Multicultural Cinderella	Theme: American Indians Summary: This is an American Indian version of Cinderella. A young girl with two evil sisters are all trying to marry the invisible man. Awards: No notable awards found		I loved this version of Cinderella. The illustrations were intriguing and I loved how they portrayed the culture and lives of the people of Lake Ontario. It is always interesting to read about other cultures and think about the differences between our culture and theirs. The author did a great job of keeping the reader engaged and interested in the story. I like how the story makes a point with a small amount of words per page, but with the large, detailed illustrations. I enjoyed this book and think children would enjoy it as well.	This book I could use in the classroom by comparing and contrasting this multicultural version of Cinderella with another version of Cinderella. I would allow the children to choose the other version and I would ask them to compare and contrast 8-10 things throughout the stories. Within the compare and contrast lesson I would encourage them to look at the differences in cultures as well as the differences of the story.
Modern Fantasy:                    ( primary, intermediate,  upper)
Where the Wild Things are By: Maurice Sendak Illustrator: Maurice Sendak 1963 37 pages Primary		Theme: Animal Fantasy Summary: This is a cute story about a little boy who takes an adventure to where the wild things are! Awards: Caldecott Medal, Indies Choice Book Award, American Library Association (ALA) Notable Book	I have heard of this book many times but never had the chance to read it. I can see why it is the Caldecott Medal winner of Picture Book of the year! The illustrations are as wonderful as the story itself. I love the story because it reminds me of my son, a monster, but loves his mommy! I think Sendak did a great job of gearing this book for the younger children and engaging them in the fantasy of monsters and islands of dark. The illustrations are wonderful, giving the reader the chance to imagine what it would be like to be Max. It is very interesting when looking at the illustrations in detail to see that they are mostly made up of many, many lines and squares. It is an interesting technique, but a successful one!	I would use this book in the classroom by having the children listen to it as a read aloud and then have them read it in pairs with each other. I would then have them work with their partner in creating a sequel to the story. I would ask them to take the elements of the original story and create a sequel where Max goes back to the island to see the wild things! I think this would be a great way to use writing with children’s literature in the classroom!
Charlottes Web By: E.B. White Illustrator: Garth Williams 1974 184 pages Intermediate		Theme: Animals Summary: This is the original story of Charlotte’s Web. A young girl, a pig, and a spider all become best friends. Awards: Newbary Honor, George C. Stone Center for Children’s Books Recognition of Merit Award, Massachusetts Children’s Book Award, Laura Ingalls Wilder Award	I have watched the movie version of this story and always loved it. I enjoyed the book even more! E.B White is an amazing author and is incredibly talented in writing a story that is heart felt and engaging. I enjoyed the book version because I was able to create the story in my mind rather then watch the story. The idea of a pig and a spider becoming friends is not only funny but sweet as well. I think the author did an outstanding job of engaging the appropriate age level of 3-5th grade as well as using words that are not complicated for the reader to understand. The limited illustrations throughout the book are nice to come upon. It was nice to read the story while creating my own illustrations in my mind but then come upon simple black and white illustrations that give you a little peak into the authors mind.	This book could be used in the classroom many ways. I would use the book by having the children create their own illustrations to tell the story. We would read the book over a few weeks period and at the end I would allow them to review the book with a pier and brainstorm ideas. I would then have them create a 10 page booklet of illustrations to tell the story of Charlottes Web.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets By: J.K. Rowling Illustrator: Mary Grandpre 1999 342 pages Upper		Theme: Adventure Summary: This is the story of Harry Potter. Harry is attending Hogwarts and finds himself in a little trouble. Awards: Mythopoeic Fantasy Award, British Book Award, Smarties Prize, Booklist Editors’ choice, prijs van de Jonge Jury, Books I loved best yearly (BILBY) Awards, Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award, Golden Archer Award, ALA Teen’s Top Ten	I was very resistant to reading a Harry Potter book because I have never read one. I have never had interest in the magical fantasy world. I convinced myself to read this book because it has won so many awards and is such a popular story line in the schools today. I was very surprised to find myself engaged by the end of the first chapter! Harry is an interesting character and it is fun to follow his crazy life. Rowling does a great job, clearly, of engaging the reader and keeping the story alive. It was fun to imagine being back in the school setting where there are annoying girls, mean teachers, and even mean peers. I liked how there was an illustration at the beginning of every chapter, I think that engaged the reader to read on and find out what the illustration was all about. Overall, I was very happy with this book and enjoyed reading it. I’m sure it is so well known that I do not even have to say it, but J.K Rowling is a great children’s author and I can see why children enjoy it!	I would use this book in the classroom by having the children complete a brochure on it after reading it. I would use this book as a daily read aloud in the classroom. After reading it I would have the students create a brochure for the book. They could choose to make it for Hogwarts, the life of Harry Potter, etc. I would encourage them to create illustrations within the brochure!
Poetry Books                       (primary, intermediate, upper)
Me I Am By: Jack Prelutsky Illustrator: Christine Davenier 2007 32 Pages Primary		Theme: learning Summary: This is a cute book about the importance and uniqueness of being yourself. Awards: No notable awards found	This book was created perfectly for kindergarten aged children. The illustrations are bright and colorful and the story is fun to read. Prelutsky did a great job of teaching the importance of ‘me’ and that there is no other ‘you’ out there!	I would use this book in the beginning weeks of kindergarten. I would read it aloud and have the children point to themselves every time I say “Me I Am”. This would be a fun, engaging way to teach the lesson of the importance of yourself and that being unique is a good thing. After reading the story I would have them create a picture of themselves and we would then discuss the differences between each picture and how that is a good thing!
Where the Sidewalk Ends By: Shel Silverstein Illustrator: Shel Silverstein 1974 176 pages Intermediate		Theme: Poetry Summary: This is a book of poems. The poems are short and humorous and some consist of imaginary places and things! Awards: George C. Stone Center for Children’s Books Recognition of Merit Award, Golden Archer Award.	I knew I needed to choose a Shel Silverstein book for this section and I thought this book would be the perfect one, and I was right!  Shel does a great job of not only writing the poetry but of creating the illustrations as well. I remember learning about Shel and how he sometimes creates his illustrations before writing. I can see that within this story. His illustrations are intriguing and provide visuals for the poetry. The poetry is fun to read and takes you to an imaginary place where trolls, frogs, hippo sandwiches, and so much more come alive! I truly enjoyed reading the poems and can see why this book is an award winner. It is definitely child appropriate and engaging.	I would use this book in the classroom by reading a poem or two a day and then discussing the type of poem and talking about the poem itself, what it was about, what we liked, what we don’t understand. Towards the end of the year I would have the children choose their favorite poem we read and then create their own poem and illustration to go along with it. This would be a fun way to incorporate poetry into the everyday lesson.
Here in Harlem By: Walter Dean Myers 2004 88pages Upper		Theme: culture Summary: This is a book of poems and letters from residents of Harlem. Awards: No notable awards found	I wanted to read a book by Walter Dean Myers and when I found this book I knew it would be a great book of poems that would be influential in the classroom. While reading this book of poems I could feel the voices. The images in the book are great. I think because they are black and white they allow the reader to feel the emotions within the picture. I enjoyed reading this book and hearing, feeling, and seeing the life of Harlem.	I would use this book during black history month. I would read a few poems and day and we would discuss what it was like for that person, how they felt, what were they afraid of, what were they proud of? At the end of black history month I would have the students write a poem to a person living in Harlem.
Realistic Fiction:                   (primary, intermediate, upper)
A Chair for my Mother By: Vera B Williams Illustrator: Vera B Williams 1982 32 pages Primary		Theme: culture Summary: This is a cute book about a family of a grandma, mother, and daughter who work very hard for what they have after their house has burnt down. Awards: Caldecott Honor Award	This was a beautiful story about the real life struggles families go through to have simple everyday things. I think this book can teach a lesson to be thankful for what we have and to work hard for what we want. I enjoyed the story and the illustrations. I loved the colors used and style of almost being colored with a crayon. The author used simple, understandable language that is perfect for the intended age group of k-3. This is a great story and easy to see why it is a Caldecott winner!	I would use this book in the classroom to teach the lesson of wants and needs and what we must do (or our parents must do) to give us what we want and need. I would then have the children create their own dream chair that they would like and write a few sentences to explain the chair.
Owl Moon By: Jane Yolen Illustrator: John Schoenherr 1987 32 pages Primary		Theme: Adventure, animal Summary: This is a story of a boy and his father who go on an adventure to find owls. Awards: Caldecott Medal	The illustrations in this book were perfect. Schoenherr created the illustrations to fill up the entire page and the wording is placed within the illustration. I like this idea because I felt that I could see the illustration as I was reading. I enjoyed this story. I could feel the emotions of the little boy as he shivered, wondered, and smiled throughout the story even though he was persistent not to make a sound! This book is perfectly created for its intended age group of k-3. I will add this to my list of classroom books!	For this book I would take the class on a walk. I would instruct them that just as the son and dad were silent, they must be as well. I will tell them to bring a scrap piece of paper and pencil and write down what they see, hear, and feel during our walk. Once we get back to class we will discuss what we saw, heard, and felt during our walk. We will then discuss how the son and dad must have felt being out in the dark cold night and walking in silence! I would then have them write out how to go owling so that they are able to recall information from the text.
Bridge to Terabithia By: Therine Paterson Illustrator: Donna Diamon 1977 143 pages intermediate		Theme: adventure Summary: This is a story of Jesse and Leslie who are best friends after some conflict in the beginning. They create a world of Terabithia where they take many adventures. Awards: Newbary Medal, Zilveren Griffel	This is a powerful book that definitely sucks in the reader! I couldn’t believe I had never read or heard about this book. What a powerful story for a young reader. I love that the story talks about real struggles that children go through. Jesse and Leslie are a fun pair of kids to read about and it was nice to see how they helped each other through hardships. It was very sad when Leslie passed away but I think that is something that can happen, so it is okay to read about. There are only a few black and white illustrations throughout the book but I felt they were placed in purposeful places and let the reader see the authors vision for that place. Overall, this was a great book and I think Paterson did a wonderful job of creating a story for 5th-6th grade children.	This book could be used in the classroom to teach about having a fear and overcoming them. I would have the students write a personal journal that only they can read about a fear that they have and some ways that they can overcome it. I would ask the children to raise their hand if they would like my help in thinking of ways to overcome it. After the writing I would have the students work in groups to create an illustration of their take of terabithia. I would have them include Jesse and Leslie in the illustration.
Holes By: Louis Sachar 1998 233 pages Upper		Theme: adventure, survival Summary: This is a story about a young boy who goes to camp only to find he will be digging holes all summer. He gets himself in trouble a few times only to find his grandfathers treasure is buried at the camp. Awards: Newbary Medal, National book award, West Australian Young Readers’ Book Award, Rebecca Caudill Young Reader’s book award, Grand Canyon Reader award, Nene award, Massachusetts Children’s book award,  Flicker tale children’s book award, Sequoyah book award, Dorothy canfield fisher children’s book award, Sunshine state young readers award, Pacific northwest library association young readers choice award, Zilveren Zoen, Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis, New Mexico land of enchantment award, Boston Globe-horn book award, NECBA Fall list title, ALA best books	Seeing the list of awards for this book and hearing so many wonderful things about I was very excited to read this book! It was not a let down! I read the entire book in 2.5 hours, not even taking a break for water! I was so engaged and eager to read on. I love that this book is about two young boys who find a way to make this experience into something good by helping each other. I felt bad for Stanley while he was digging and felt just as eager as he was to find out why he was digging! I was longing for illustrations throughout this book! While reading I could create the image in my head but I needed more then just the front cover to give me an idea of what camp green lake and the desert looked like. Besides the illustrations I was very impressed with the author ability to take an unhappy experience and make it into an intriguing adventure for the reader. I was very happy to see the ending that we were all hoping for! If I ever teach 5th grade this will be a must read!	This book could be used in the classroom over and over again. One activity I would use with this book would be to read it aloud everyday to the children. After reading each day we would discuss the book, the adventures of that day, and how we feel about it. As a culminating activity I would allow the children to watch the movie of Holes and then compare and contrast the movie and the book.
Historical Fiction                (primary, intermediate, upper)
The Wall By: Eve Bunting Illustrator: Ronald Himler 1990 32 pages primary		Theme: culture, war. Summary: This is a book about a young boy and his father who visit the wall of fallen heroes to find their grandfathers name. Awards: No notable awards found	Wow! This is the first book of this experience that has made me cry. Such a powerful story and setting to take place in. I think this book is a must read for all children. The wall might not be something that all children can relate to, but it something that we can all understand. The illustrations in this book are powerful. They are very soft and emotional. I loved seeing the little boy stand by his dad as they honored the grandfather. The content of the book I feel is appropriate for 2-3rd grade however I feel this book could be read to younger children as well. I am very surprised the book is not an award winner.	I would use this book to teach a lesson of honor. I would explain to the children if they did not understand the wall. We would talk about the names on the wall and the people visiting the wall. I would then have them write a letter to either the names on the wall or the people visiting the wall as if we could place them there. This would be a great lesson to do around veterans day.
The Glorious Flight By: Alice and Martin Provensen Illustrator: Alice and Martin Provensen 1987 39 pages Primary		Theme: Adventure, discovery Summary: This is a story of Louis Bleriot who creates one of the first working airplanes. Awards: Caldecott Medal	The simplicity of the wording within this book is perfect for second graders. Each sentence is easily read, flowing with the next. The illustrations are very entertaining and provide visuals for the story well. I enjoyed this story and had actually never heard of Louis Bleriot. It was funny to watch how the airplane was created in the beginning and the different ways they tried to get it into the air!	For this book I would read it aloud to the class and then allow them to read it in pairs. I would then discuss with them the importance of never giving up on your dreams, just as Louis did not. I would have them invent their own airplane in pairs by drawing it and then writing a paragraph about the invention and how it works.
Stars and Stripes the Story of the American Flag By: Sarah L Thomson Illustrator: Bob Dacey and Debra Bandelin 2003 32 pages intermediate		Theme: Social studies Summary: This is an information book about the American flag. Awards: No notable awards found	I loved the notes on the flags page in the very beginning. It is a great resource for facts on the American Flag. It provides the page where you can find the information as well which is great! The illustrations in this book are very vivid and bright. The detail can be seen in each illustration! The wording is perfect for 4th graders. It is information and fun for the reader. I think this would be a great book to have when learning about American symbols!	With this book I would have the children choral read it in class. I would then discuss the book with them. Talking about the flag and the events listed on the Notes on the Flags page. I would then have them work in pairs and create a timeline of the events. They would be encouraged to use bright colors and make it appealing to the eye. Afterwards we would review the events and the date they took place. We would also discuss how the American Flag symbolizes America today.
Rush Revere and the First Patriots By: Rush Limbaugh Illustrator: Rush Limbaugh 2014 256 pages Upper		Theme: Social Studies Summary: This is a book about the events that led to the American Revolution with a humorous twist. Awards: No notable awards found	I love the look of this book. The pages are tinted as if it were a journal, with markings and all. The illustrations are great. He provides animated looking pictures to show up to date visuals of what the American events might look like. It is humorous and fun to read! The wording is appropriate for 5- 6th graders and I can see that this book would interest that age.  I love that when reading this book it as if you are traveling back in time with the author to the beginning of the American revolution. It is a funny twist of today’s society on American events!	I would have children read this book during AR time and nightly. I would assign a chapter accordingly and we would discuss the chapter read the next day. Every event that happens such as the Boston tea party, stamp act etc. After reading the book I would have the children form into groups and pick an event that was in the book. I would then have them create a skit to act out this event! After each group we would discuss the event and what we have learned about it!
Non Fiction                       (primary, intermediate, upper)
Make Money! Wash Cars By: Bridget Heos Illustrator: Daniele Fabbri 2013 24 pages Primary		Theme: Informational Summary: This is a story about a young boy who learns to wash cars in order to earn money for a skateboard. Awards: No notable awards found	I love the illustrations in this book! They are so bright and perfect for younger children. The wording is simple and easily read by most second graders. I think this book being geared towards second grade is perfect. Second graders are finding things they like and want and this book teaches them that if they work hard they can earn something they want! I love the character is working hard cleaning cars to earn a skateboard and then he does. I think this book teaches a great lesson.	I would use this book in the classroom to teach the lesson of working for something you want. I would have the students choral read the book and we would then discuss how the boy learned how to clean cars, and very well at that, so that he could earn enough money to buy himself a skateboard. I would then have the student’s think of something they would really like. We would discuss each student’s want and then they would decide how they can earn it. After everyone has decided I would have them write a paragraph explaining the thing they wish for and how they plan to earn it.
A Sock is a Pocket for Your Toes By: Elizabeth Garton Scanlon Illustrator: Robin Preiss Glasser 2004 32 pages primary		Theme: informational, adventure Summary: this is a story about many different things in the world that have “pockets” or things that hold them! Awards: No notable awards found	This book is very cute and geared for the correct age group. The book teaches children about different people and things that have “pockets”. I love the lesson this book teaches and the humor that goes along with it! The illustrations are amazing! They each contain so much detail and explanation within them. This book would easily engage a child while teaching them about different items and the pocket they have. Such as “a vase is a pocket for a rose!” I enjoyed this book!	I would use this book in the classroom by reading it to my students. We would then discuss the book and think of something not mentioned in the book that has a pocket. Such as the desk is a pocket for a student. I would then have them work in groups to create a short rhyme that explains the pocket along with an illustration. We would then share each group with the class.
On a Beam of Light By: Jennifer Berne Illustrator: Vladimir Radunsky 2013 56 pages Intermediate		Theme: history, informational, biography. Summary: This is a story of Albert Einstein and his life from a young child to an adult. Awards: No notable awards found	This is a great book about Albert Einstein! I actually learned knew things about Albert! He is such an inspirational person and I think this shows that well. There is a bountiful amount of facts within the book about Albert Einstein! The illustrations are so intriguing. They are created as if it were by a young child, yet they are perfect for the book. They show Albert as a child, growing up, and questioning the world around him. The way the book is worded is engaging. I love how Albert’s questions are in red and therefore the reader is able to see the question pop out and ponder it themselves. I can definitely see myself using this book in the classroom to teach children about Albert Einstein.	I would use this book in class by reading it on Albert Einstein’s birthday. I would read it to teach the children about Albert Einstein and how he invented and co invented many, many things!  I would emphasize the part of the book that says, “He asked questions never asked before. Found answers never found before. And dreamed up ideas never dreamt before.” I would explain that each of us in the classroom have the ability to think like Albert Einstein and we must use our brain to its best ability with every action we make!
Every last drop Bringing Clean Water Home By: Michelle Mulder Illustrator: various sources 2014 48 pages upper		Theme: science, nature, informational Summary: this is a very informational book about water and the many uses and sources of it. Awards: No notable awards found	My favorite part of this book would be the pictures provided throughout. The pictures show a real experience for the reader. I chose this book because I think it is important for children to be aware of their surroundings and the things happening in this world. I love the information provided throughout the book and the facts given in each chapter. I love how each topic is recognized by a fun highlighted sentence. I think this book would appeal to the older aged children and they would enjoy the information given.	This book could be used in the classroom by reading it with the children during a science lesson of water. Discuss each chapter, talk about how the people in the pictures feel, talk about the facts given, talk about water and the importance of it. Discuss the different functions of water. After reading and discussing the book I would have each child choose a topic in the book that they feel is the most important for water clarity and use. I would then have them research this topic on the internet and write a paper on how they can help keep the water clean and it’s use to them.
DIVERSE POPULATIONS                 (primary, intermediate,upper)
Armando and the Blue Tarp School By: Edith Hope Fine and Judith Pinkerton Josephson Illustrator: Hernan Sosa 2007 32 pages primary		Theme: culture, family Summary: this is a story about a young boy who wishes to go to school like his sister but he must work with his father in order to make an income for the family. Awards: No notable awards found	This is a great book to represent diversity. The book is about a boy named Armando whose only wish is to go to school but he must pick trash with his father in order to make money for him family. I love how the book has the Spanish and English language throughout the book. It gives the reader words in English and then translated to Spanish which I think is a great learning tool for the reader! In the end Armando and his father build a school and Armando is able to learn in it. It is a great story to show children that there are people in this world that are not like us! The illustrations give the reader a true look into the life of Armando and what it would be like not being allowed to go to school. I think Edith and Judith did a great job of writing a story that may be controversial but important for children to know about.	I would use this book in the classroom by reading it to the class and then discussing the life of Armando and how we would feel. After reading and discussing the book I would have the students create an illustration to show Armando’s new school and what it would be like for him getting to learn everyday. I think this would be a great way to let the children use their imagination in extending the story.
Chicken Sunday By: Patricia Polacco Illustrator: Patricia Polacco 1998 32 pages primary		Theme: culture, family Summary: This is a story of a mixed racial family who does not have much but they are appreciative for each other. Awards: No notable awards found	This is a great book about the life of children who are not all the same race. I love the illustrations throughout the book. Patricia did a great job of telling a story about an African American family that did not have much, but they did have love. I love this story and think 2nd grade children would enjoy it just as much.	I would use this book in the classroom by having the children choral read it. I would then have them write a short story about a family tradition that they have. I would have them talk about their family and their tradition and the pride they have for it.
The Keeping Quilt By: Patricia Polacco Illustrator: Patricia Polacco 1988 32 pages Intermediate		Theme: culture, family Summary: this is a story of a Russian family who creates a quilt from their Russian clothing. They use the quilt throughout their lifetime and it becomes a piece of their family. Awards: No notable awards found	This is such a great book about diversity! I will definitely be using this book in my classroom! I love how the author showed Anna as a young Russian girl in America. The quilt they created is beautiful! I love following the story of the quilt and the many uses of it. The illustrations are perfect for the book. They show the people in black and white and the objects in color. Patricia Polacco has a way of creating stories about diversity in a beautiful way.	I would use this book in the classroom by reading it to the students. I would stop every few pages and discuss the quilt. What it means to the family. After reading the book I would have each student create a piece of the quilt and we would then sew them all together. This would show the diversity in our classroom!
Holy Enchilada By: Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver Illustrator: Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver 2004 160 pages upper		Theme: school, culture Summary: this is a story of a young boy who attends his schools’ diverse luncheon and makes a mistake with his recipe, making it much too spicy! Awards: No notable awards found	This is a great book about the diversity of cultures; it is funny and educational! Henry is a funny kid who seems to be misunderstood by his teacher. The school multi-cultural luncheon is a great idea! I think this would be a great idea for schools to do. The illustrations in this book are few but they do provide small illustrations above each new chapter which are funny and engaging! I think the author did a great job of gearing this book towards 5th and 6th graders. I can see 5th and 6th graders enjoying the education and humor within this book.	I would use this book in my class by reading it as a daily read aloud. We would discuss Henry, his friends, and the teacher as well. We would discuss the luncheon and what the right decision would be for Henry to make. After reading the book I would have a class luncheon and have every child bring in a food to show their families culture. I would ensure that we understand Henry made a mistake with his food but we will not do that!