Picture Book #13

Title:  Hardworking Puppies

Author:  Lynn Reiser

Illustrator:  Lynn Reiser

Genre:  Children's Fiction 

Subgenre:  Early Reader Animal Fantasy/Informational Picture Book

Themes:  dogs, counting, dog's jobs, the importance of dogs

Primary and Secondary Characters: all ten hardworking dogs and their ten job masters

Awards:  Part of "Best Picture Books of 2006," by Horn Book Fanfare

Date of Publication:  2006

Publishing Company:  Harcourt Books

Summary:

This is a great counting picture book that tells the story of ten hardworking puppies.  These puppies want jobs and they can't wait!  A firefighter comes along and seeks a hardworking puppy.  A puppy is picked, and now there are only nine puppies left.  Each day, a new person comes a seeks a puppy for a hardworking job.  Every time someone gets a puppy for a job, one is subtracted.  But, now there's only one puppy left!  The last puppy becomes an expert pet and is very happy.  But, after all the puppies have done their work at their jobs, they are ready to relax.  Each dog has been needed for important jobs but now that their work is done, they all play!

How it will be used in the classroom:
This is a great way to introduce subtraction to students and of course, makes it fun!  It is also a great way to see how important dogs can be within working important jobs.  The book gives a great outline for what jobs need dogs to enhance their work abilities.  Some examples include guard dogs, assistance dogs and water-rescue dogs.  I think it would be great for students aged 4-7 to see how some jobs wouldn't be the same if it weren't for dogs!

Picture Book #12

Title:  My Big Brother

Author:  Miriam Cohen

Illustrator:  Ronald Himler

Genre:  Children's Fiction 

Subgenre:  Early Reader Realistic Fiction

Themes:  family, big brothers, little brothers, military life, family struggles

Primary and Secondary Characters:  big brother, little brother, the youngest brother, and mama

Awards:  South Carolina Picture Book Award Nominee 2007

Date of Publication:  2005

Publishing Company:  Star Bright Books

Summary:

This book describes a strong relationship between a little boy and his big brother.  He loves to do everything his big brother does.  They play basketball together, play the guitar together, and read.  One of their favorite pastimes is to work on big brother's car.  The boys, the youngest,  the middle boy, and the oldest, along with their mama go to church every Sunday.  The oldest brother always tells mama how beautiful she looks.  When they come back to eat lunch, the oldest brother always tells mama how delicious the food is.  One day, the older brother tells the family that he is joining the army.  Everyone is sad, but sends him off.  The older brother makes sure before he leaves, that his younger brother will take care of their youngest brother.  He agrees to take care of him, and realizes that he is the big brother now.  So, after his big brother leaves, he does the same activities with his younger brother that he used to do with his older brother.  They play basketball, keep their brother's car clean and even tell mama how beautiful she looks for church.  The young boy misses his big brother so bad and always looks at his picture.  He decides he's ready for him to be home for good.  

How it will be used in the classroom:
This would be a great book to have for those students who have experienced someone in their family leaving to the military.  This would be a great book to read around Veteran's Day, to remember those who deal with loved ones being gone and of course to honor those who serve.  I think it would also be great for students to see how important it is to be respectful of your younger or older brother.  

Picture Book # 11

Title:  Ella Sets the Stage

Author:  Carmela & Steven D'Amico

Illustrator:  Carmela & Steven D'Amico

Genre:  Children's Fiction 

Subgenre:  Early Reader Animal Fantasy

Themes:  elephants, school classroom, school talent show, interaction with your classmates, talents, acting

Primary and Secondary Characters:  Ella, Miss Bell, Tiki (a monkey), Lola, Belinda, Ella's mother, Daisy, Mrs. Sowenso, Frankie, Ada & Ida (twins), Victor, and Theodore

Awards:  2006 National Parenting Publications Gold Award

Date of Publication:  2006

Publishing Company:  Arthur A. Levine Books

Summary:

Ella is getting excited about the upcoming talent show that was just announced!  She is eager to get ready but cannot seem to think of a talent that she could perform.  Her friends have already found what their talents are that include magic, ballet, singing and jump roping.  However, Ella is determined to find a talent of her own.  She searches for a talent and finds herself banging on pots and pans and realizes that's not a talent, but instead a "racket," as her mother put it.  She gives up and her mother describes many things that she's good at - baking, and making people happy.  But that doesn't satisfy Ella.  So, instead of performing, Ella decides to join the talent show committee.  Ella is such a help within the committee and even helps put together the talent show program and the winning medals.  Once the talent show starts, catastrophes occur and it's Ella to the rescue!  After the show, the winners are revealed and but there is also another award...and it goes to Ella!  Ella received an award for all her hard work within making the talent show happen!  Ella found out then soon, that she had a talent after all!

How it will be used in the classroom:
What a fun book this would be for students with an upcoming talent show!  This would be a fun book to read and then soon after have a miniature talent show within the classroom!  Students would love to be able to show off their talents, and for those who are having trouble will also have a job, just the same as Ella had!  This would be great for students grades 1-3.

Picture Book #10

Title:  The Black Book of Colors

Author:  Menena Cottin 

Illustrator:  Rosana Faria

Genre:  Children's Fiction 

Subgenre:  Early Reader Braille Picture Book

Themes:  Braille, colors, feeling texture of pictures, the Braille alphabet

Primary and Secondary Characters:   the colors yellow, red, brown, blue, white, green, black and a rainbow, and the sun

Awards:  2007 Bologna Ragazzi New Horizons Award, 

Date of Publication:  2006

Publishing Company:  Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press

Summary:

This is truly an amazing book!  The entire book is in Braille (also with words that can be read) and has texturized pictures to help portray the color that is being read.  The colors are introduced and are recognized by an object that is that color.  For instance, yellow is the first color introduced and says, "yellow tastes like mustard, but is as soft as a baby chick's feathers," and the illustration is the texturized feel of feathers floating throughout the page. It is really cool to try and feel before you read the next page if you can guess what object is being drawn.  This book brings a whole new perspective on how you see colors!  The book finishes with the entire Braille alphabet.  

How it will be used in the classroom:
This would be a great book to read when discussing disabilities children could have.  It would be a great activity to have the children learn the Braille alphabet and have them write something in Braille.  This book would truly help children appreciate their sense of sight!

Picture Book #9

Title:  Roller Coaster

Author:  Marla Frazee

Illustrator:  Marla Frazee

Genre:  Children's Fiction 

Subgenre:  Early Reader Realistic Adventure

Themes:  theme parks, waiting in line for a ride, riding a roller coaster, being excited and nervous at the same time!

Primary and Secondary Characters:  the people waiting in line, the little girl and her father, and the other ten people that rode the roller coaster

Awards:  "Excellence and Exuberance in a Picture Book," Award in 2004 by Children's Literature Council 

Date of Publication:  2003

Publishing Company:  Harcourt Books

Summary:

This adventurous picture book takes you through a roller coaster ride!  The story opens with showing a long line of people who are waiting in line to ride the incredible roller coaster.  For anyone that has rode a roller coaster, they know that waiting in line is half the fun, as it is as much fun to watch the people in line too!  As a little girls turn comes near, she is measured to ensure that she is tall enough.  Only making it by a couple of inches, she is allowed to ride and proceeds to take the first seat.  (As anyone knows, the front seat gives the most thrill!)  The "clickity, clackity" of the roller coaster going up to the top gives the girl a nervous reaction.  As the roller coaster plunges downward, the little girl isn't able to open her eyes.  The roller coaster speeds in circles and even goes upside down!  It seems that the roller coaster is done in a flash and the little girl looks pleased with her ride.  However, there are other passengers that are holding their stomachs and others that look scared.  But, for the little girl, she is ready to ride it again!

How it will be used in the classroom:
This would be a fun book to read to my students when it gets close to fair time, or even when a festival is coming up.  This book would really get students excited and would be a great opportunity for them to write about their first experience on a roller coaster.  It would also be a fun activity to have them draw their own design of a roller coaster.  

Picture Book #8

Title:  Lemons Are Not Red

Author:  Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Illustrator:  Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Genre:  Children's Fiction 

Subgenre:  Early Reader Modern Fantasy

Themes:  identifying colors, animals, fruits, objects, bed time story

Primary and Secondary Characters:  lemons, apples, carrots, eggplant, flamingo, elephant, reindeer, snowmen, grass, sky, the moon and night

Awards:  American Library Association Notable Children's Book 2005  

Date of Publication:  2004

Publishing Company:  A Neal Porter Book/Roaring Book Press

Summary:

This color-crazed book adventures a world of what certain objects would be like if they were a different color.  But, the author makes sure that you know what color that object really is!  For instance, lemons are not red, they are yellow, and the author shows a lemon that is red, but then quickly corrects herself and shows a lemon that is the correct color, yellow.  There are many other objects that are discolored in this book and it's funny to see what a purple carrot looks like!  The books ends with a cute quote, "the night is black...good night!"  So this really makes for a great bed time book!

How it will be used in the classroom:
This would be a great book to have in a classroom for pre-k or kindergarten.  The children would love to be able to see what a red lemon looks like, or what a gray flamingo is!  This is also a great way for them to continue to recognize colors and how they are spelled.  This could make for a fun activity for them to make different objects turn different colors and then correct them by coloring them the right color!

Chapter Book #4 - Newbery Medal

Title:  The View from Saturday

Author:  E.L. Konigsburg

Illustrator:   E.L. Konigsburg

Genre:  Youth Fiction

Subgenre:  Realistic Fiction

Themes: classmates, relationships with your teacher, friendship, academic groups, family, bullies, sixth grade classroom setting, learning and being challenged, making new friends

Primary and Secondary Characters: Mrs. Eva Marie Olinski, Noah Gershom, Noah's grandparents, Nadia Diamondstein, Ginger (Nadia's dog), Grandpa Izzy Diamondstein, Margaret Draper (Grandpa Izzy's new wife), Allen Diamonstein (Nadia's father), Ethan Potter (Margaret Draper is his grandmother), Julian Singh, Mr. Singh (Julian's dad)

Awards:  1997 Newbery Medal Winner

Date of Publication: 1996

Publishing Company:  Thorndike Press

Summary:

This is a fun book that can get children excited about joining academic groups within their schools.  All four students, Noah, Nadia, Ethan and Julian are all classmates within Mrs. Olinski's sixth grade class.  She is a paraplegic who they grow close to.  However, at the beginning of the school year, these students weren't good friends.  This book is told from each child's perspective and shows how they all eventually interrelate with each other.  Noah, who by funny chance, becomes Nadia's grandfather's best man in his wedding.  But then Nadia tells her story about spending the summer with her grandpa and his new wife, Margaret Draper.  Margaret is also Ethan's grandma.  Ethan later joins his grandma and comes to meet Nadia and her grandfather.  But, Nadia doesn't find out till later that Ethan will be in her classroom.  Then, the book finishes with Julian, who is a new student and is presumed as "weird" since he wears different clothing and has an English accent.  He moves into an antique house that has long been in Epiphany, NY, where they all live.  His father plans on restoring the house and making it into a bed and breakfast hotel.  They all soon learn they are all in the same class and all because of one brave move by Julian, they all become friends.  They later call themselves "The Souls," which would be their group name in their sixth grade competition.  They win the competition and go on to beat the eighth grade too!  They find themselves in the finals and everyone questions their abilities.  But, with a winning answer, they beat the returning champion team and win the Academic Bowl!  Not only do The Souls accredit their teacher Mrs. Olinski, they accredit their friendship that won them a championship!

How it will be used in the classroom:
This would be a great book to have in the classroom around state testing time.  The students would like to relate to these characters and how they overcome major obstacles.  This book would be mostly geared to fifth or sixth grade, given the material that is used within this book.  I really think students could get into this book and would hopefully encourage them to interact within academic groups.