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Book Title: I Am Love: A Book of Compassion

Author: Susan Verde

Illustrator: Peter H. Reynolds

Publication Date: September 17, 2019

Publisher:‎ Harry N. Abrams

Grade Level: Preschool-3rd grade

Genre: Board book, Children's Literature, Fiction

Theme: Kindness and compassion

# of pages: 32 pages

Plot: This book encourages readers to look inward when they feel afraid, angry, hurt, or sad. Focuses on the idea that when someone is in a dark place, love has a transformative power to let the light back in. Showing compassion can look like good listening, self-care, forgiveness, among other acts of the heart.

Summary: There's always something you can do to help a friend in need. Showing love and compassion helps us get through hard times.

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Bibliographic information

Title: Speak Up

Author: Miranda Paul

Illustrator: Ebony Glenn

Publisher: ‎Clarion Books

Date: July 7, 2020

# of pages: 40

Grade level: Preschool-3rd grade

Genre: Fiction, Children’s Literature

Theme: Activism, Community, Culture, Racial & Social Justice, Diversity

Literary elements:

Main character: Diverse spread of students, no names mentioned.

Setting: All kinds of places (classroom, playground, lunch table, etc.)

Plot: Celebrating diversity while encouraging students to speak up and use their voice to take action when they see something that needs to change.

Personal response to the book:

This book had a very positive tone with a great message behind it. I loved how it empowers all readers to make their voices heard even when it’s hard. It’s so important for young readers to understand that their voice matters and to embrace diversity while encouraging empathy and taking action.

Curricular connections:

This book would be perfect to read during a lesson on encouraging students to make their voices heard. Students should have the opportunity to talk about issues they feel strongly about and affect them. They could discuss issues that effect them and share their ideas or opinions. This could also connect to empathy and taking a stand with situational awareness.

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Author's Name: Joanna Ho

Title: Say My Name

Illustrator: Khoa Le

Publisher: Harper Collins

Date: September 26, 2023

# of pages: 40 pages

Grade Level: Preschool- 3rd grade

Genre: Fiction, Children's Literature

Theme: Exploring culture and ethnicity

Topic: The beauty, meaning, and history behind the names

Summary: Focuses on six kids (Hé Xiao-Guang, Ofa Kivaha Tupoumalohi, Bijan Hosseini, Nizhoni Yazzie, Xóchitl Luna, and Akosua Acheampong) of Chinese, Tongan, Persian, Diné, Mexican, and Ghanaian descent that proudly celebrate their names, languages, and cultures. On each page one child introduces their name alongside with their families legacy, focusing on the importance of correct pronunciation. The book celebrates the beauty and sounds of each name alongside their culture of origin.

Author's Background: Joanna Ho is the daughter of Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants. She was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, but has lived all across the world throughout her life. Joanna holds a BA in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a master’s from the Principal Leadership Institute at Berkeley. She has been an influential educator and worked as an English teacher, a dean, the designer of an alternative-to-prison program, a teacher professional development creator, and the vice principal of a high school in the Bay Area. Joanna has a passion for anti-bias, anti-racism, and equity work and expresses that through her writing.

Artistic Media: The illustrator used burgundy and teal tones to show expansive landscapes and patterned motifs. They used extremely intricate details to capture each cultural aspect.

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Award: Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children 2024

Publication date: January 31, 2023

author:  Julie Fogliano

Illustrator: Cátia Chien

Genre: Poetry

Themes: solidarity, perseverance, kindness

Grade level: Preschool-3rd grade

Type of poetry: lyrical

summary: The book is structured around characters getting up with the sun and going to sleep with the moon. It covers things about life and the things that unite humans. The settings vary from playgrounds and bodies of water, and also show people in crowds and alone. It emphasizes the message that through all of life’s ups and downs, there will always be light after darkness, and that we have each other to get through.

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Book title: The Day You Begin

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Illustrator: Rafael López

Publication Date: August 28, 2018

Publisher: ‎Nancy Paulsen Books

Grade Level: Kindergarten- 3rd grade

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Diversity, self-esteem, friendships

# of pages: 32 pages

Personal response: My initial thoughts of this book are that it spreads a great message for young readers. This book highlights that everyone has unique differences and there are times you may feel as though you don't fit in because of your differences. However, sharing your story and what makes you unique allows you to feel less alone. Everyone just wants to feel welcomed and heard and I think that this book holds a great purpose for all students.

Curricular connections: This book holds both academic and personal value. Everyone goes through a time in their life, especially at a young age, where they may feel as though they don't belong. The powerful message of this book can allow students of all ages to relate to feeling out of place and recognizing that school can be a place to share their story and embrace differences. It can be used to teach the themes of diversity and inclusion which are so important for teachers to highlight in order to create a welcoming environment for all students.

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Author: Christian Robinson

Illustrator: Christian Robinson

Publication date: Christian Robinson

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Grade level: Preschool- 3rd grade

Genre: fiction

Theme: Diversity, Culture, Inclusion

# pages: 40 pages

Personal response: I really enjoyed listening to this book and loved how it highlights the value of humans. It is so important to teach young children that regardless of their situation, they matter. The simplicity of the words and the depth of the illustration hold so much power in the purpose of the book. I think this would be a great book to read to my preschoolers.

Evaluation:

Good Books Expand Awareness: This book shows children that despite our differences, all humans are connected and important.

Good Books Provide an Enjoyable Read that Doesn’t Overly Teach or Memorize: You Matter by Christian Robinson spreads a great message that teaches students that they matter while also being enjoyable to read. This is a great book to purchase for your children or students.

Good Books Tell the Truth: The book includes examples of real world things that students can connect to such as beaded hair, a wheelchair, or hijab. This gives students a sense of representation and connection through words and illustrations.

Good Books Embody Quality: Both the illustrations and word choice throughout the book draw the reader in because of the message that it is sending. The voice of the book is inviting and warm to all audiences.

Good Books Have Integrity: All of the books elements such as the genre, plot, language, characters, style, theme, and illustrations work together to create a satisfying whole.

Good Books Show Originality: The message of this book gives readers the opportunity to think of the world and themselves in a new light. It gives young readers the message that they belong and matter no matter the situation. This is important for young readers to understand as it shapes their persona of themselves.

Extra Piece of Excellence: Personally, I loved how the illustrations were incorporated into the story. I think that the illustrations allowed for the use of fewer words because they told a lot of the story on their own.

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Author: Kelly Yang

Illustrator: Kelly Yang

Publication Date: February 28, 2023

Publisher: ‎Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Grade level: 3rd- 7th grade

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Immigration, Family, Inclusion

# of pages: 304 Pages

Summary: Ten-year-old Lina Gao meets her family in Los Angeles after not seeing her parents and her little sister in five years. She’s been living with her grandmother in Beijing. She realizes that school is hard to navigate as an immigrant and is embarrassed by her lack of English.

Personal response: I really enjoyed how this book has a great message. No one can truly understand the challenges that immigrant students face when coming to the U.S. but this story does a great job at grasping some of those challenges. I think that this is a really great chapter book for students to read.

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Author: Amy Hest

Illustrator: P.J. Lynch

Publisher: ‎Candlewick

Publication Date: 1997

Grade Level: 1st-5th grade

Genre: historical fiction

Theme: family, tradition, courage

Page Count: 40 pages

Summary:This book is about a 13 year old girl who traveled from Eastern Europe to America for a better life. She left her grandma and the life she new behind at the chance at a new life. Jessie worked hard in New York and in the end was able to reunite with her grandma.

Personal Response:

This book teaches about courage. Jessie left everything to bravely voyage to a brand new country. She jumped at the chance of hope and changed her and her grandmas life for the better. I found this book really interesting and think that it has a really great meaning.

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Author: Lesa Cline-Ransome

Illustrator:James Ransome

Date: November 7, 2017

Publisher: Holiday House

Genre: Biography, Children's Literature, Picture book

Themes: U.S History, Leadership

Grade level: Preschool- 3rd grade

# of pages: 32 pages

Artistic Media: watercolor paintings

Summary: This biography starts with a glimpse of Harriet Tubman at an old age and continues through all stages of her younger life. While most people know her as Harriet Tubman, she was born with the name Araminta. When she was a young girl her father showed her the stars and the first steps on the path to freedom. The book travels through her life and all of the roles she played. She went through many different names throughout her life: General Tubman as a Union spy,  Moses leading hundreds to freedom on the Underground Railroad, and Minty as a slave whose spirit could not be broken.

Literary Qualities- The creative plot of the story is interesting and draws the reader in because it starts at the end of Harriet's life. This makes the reader wonder about why Harriet is the way she is. The story explaining each stage of Harriets life allows young readers to relate to Harriet because at she was just a young girl with a dream. This allows young readers to know they are capable, This book also includes unique lyrical language that captures emotion and deep story telling. The illustrations added a lot to the story and helped add context as well as emotion to the written language.

Origin of book- This book was published by Holiday House. Lesa Cline-Ransome is the author of the book and her husband, James Ransome, is the illustrator.

Authorship- Lesa Cline-Ransome decided to write a book about Harriet, but was hesitant about the approach because there are already so many books about Harriet Tubman. After some research her husband suggested that Lesa write about the many roles Tubman filled throughout her life.

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Author: Cece Bell

Illustrator: Cece Bell, David Lasky

Publisher: Amulet Books

Publication Date: September 2, 2014

Grade level: 5th- 10th grade

Genre: Graphic novel

Theme: Deaf Culture, ASL, Auto-biography, Overcoming Challenges, Communication

# of pages: 248 pages

Personal Response:

I thought that El Deafo was a great written meaningful graphic novel with lots of great illustrations. The illustrators did a great job at creating images that add meaning and help spread the message to the audience. I also enjoyed how the author incorporated humor into a meaningful topic. The story spreads the importance of being kind to everyone and making friends. This story can also relate to many young readers because just as Cece, they are trying to make new friends. I think that this graphic novel is a great book for young kids to read because it can help them understand to embrace their differences and be more open to making to friends.

Can you find the following elements in El Deafo: panels, word balloons, sound effects, motion lines, narration, and background colors? If you take any one of these, what do you lose? Can you still understand the story?

The book used sound effects such as"beep", "booop", "flush, "zip", "tinkle", "pop", and "ka-boom. These help the the reader have a deeper understanding of the illustrations. However, they text would still be comprehensible without them. The word balloons and the thought balloons that show what the character is thinking and not saying out loud add complete the story and without them it would be hard to follow the meaning of the characters dialogue. The panels, word balloons, sound effects, motion lines, narration, and background colors included in the story really make the story and without all of them the story would lose meaning.

Expressions and gestures are important to how we understand characters. Can you find an example of a particular expression or movement that you think shows a significant character trait?

On page 84 it shows when CeCe created her superpower "El Deafo." By just CeCe's expression alone while looking in the mirror and seeing herself as a superhero, you can see how resilient CeCe is. This shows a lot about CeCe as a character and this trait follows her throughout the rest of the book.

Activity:

I think that this book would be perfect to do a character analysis project on. The students could draw out CeCe and then draw what makes her her. They could identify CeCe's identity intersection in however they see fit to the character's identity.

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Author: Thanhha Lai

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: September 22, 2011

Grade level: 3rd-7th grade

Genre: Novel, Historical fiction

Theme: Culture, war, bravery, resilience

# of pages: 288 pages

Personal response: I really enjoyed reading the book Inside Out & Back Again. I think that it was a really captivating novel that follows the emotional experience of young refugee. The story was really eyeopening because you never know the stories of those around you. At such a young age Kim Ha experienced something that I could never imagine as she was displaced from her home in Vietnam and began a new life in Alabama. Her story expressed so much emotion and resilience as she tries to navigate her life because everything she had ever known was changed. I loved the meaning behind this story and how it really captured a deep meaning through the text.

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Author: Sarah Everett

Publisher: Clarion Books

Publication Date: June 27th, 2023

Grade Level: 3-7th

Page count: 336 pages

Genre: Fiction

Themes: Discrimination, grief

Summary:

The book is about an 11 year-old-girl, Kemi, who believes the world is going to end as an asteroid comes towards Earth. Surrounded by her family, Kemi decides she has to do something to ensure her family isn't forgotten. She creates a time capsule in trying to deal with the uncertainty.

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Author: Madeleine L'Engle

Illustrator: Ellen Raskin

Publisher: ‎Square Fish

Publication Date: January 1, 1962

Grade Level: 6th-8th grade

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction

Theme: Love, Individuality

Page Count: 218 Pages

Summary: This book tells the story of a high school girl, Meg Murry, who is transported through time and space with her younger brother and friend to rescue her father who is a scientist that is studying time travel.

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Author: Kelly Barnhill

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers

Publication Date: August 9, 2016

Grade Level: 5th-middle school

Page Count: 386 Pages

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Themes: family, memory

Summary: A young girl names Luna has magical powers. Growing up she struggles to recover memories of her mom and how she got her magic. The book follows Luna trying to gain her memories back to help find her identity and where she came from.

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When Jessie Came Across The Sea

Personal Response: This book is about a 13 year old girl who traveled from Eastern Europe to America for a better life. She left her grandma and the life she new behind at the chance at a new life. Jessie worked hard in New York and in the end was able to reunite with her grandma.

Personal/academic values:

This book teaches about courage. Jessie left everything to bravely voyage to a brand new country. She jumped at the chance of hope and changed her and her grandmas life for the better.

Visual representation:

I chose to represent this book through the image above. The lace border represents the hard work Jessie put in to build a life for herself. The ship represents the voyage Jessie set out on and the arrows to the pictures on the bottom show what that voyage gave her (new country, money, love).

Effectiveness:

This activity is a great way fo students to represent emotion and symbols in a story. Students can show their comprehension as well as the connections they made to the text to interpret the meaning behind the story.

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Book title: Ada's Violin

Author: Susan Hood

Illustrator: Sally Wern Comport

Publication: May 3, 2016

Publisher: ‎Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Grade Level: 3rd grade

Genre: nonfiction

Theme: community, empowerment, power of music

# of pages: 40 pages

Summary: This story takes place in Paraguay and talks about a group of children that played recycled musical instruments. They eventually became an internationally famous orchestra band. It shows the power of music and how that transformed the community and empowered children and families.

Personal Response: I really enjoyed reading this book and I love that message that it shares. I think that it shares an empowering message to young students that they can do what they set their mind to. I also enjoyed how it spreads the message that you can turn something that you may think of as "trash" into something truly beautiful. Overall, this book had a great tone of hope and innovation that is important for young students to hear.

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Author: Deborah Ellis

Publisher: ‎Groundwood Books

Publication Date: 2000

Grade Level: grade 6- 12th

Genre: realistic fiction

Theme: gender relations, family, friendship

Page Count: 176 Pages

Summary:

This book is about an 11-year-old named Parvana. She takes the risks to help provide for her family after the Taliban takes control of Afghanistan. She cuts her hair short and dresses as a boy so that she can work and make money for her family.

Personal Response:

I really enjoyed reading this book because I loved the sense of courage the tone of the story expressed. The author did a great job at expressing culture and history while spreading the sense of inspiration.

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Author: Beth Ferry

Illustrator: Molly Idle

Published: October 27, 2020

Publisher: Roaring Book Press

Grades: kindergarten-6th grade

Pages: 32

Theme: Values, confidence, supporting others

Summary: This book follows mother animals encouraging their babies to do what they want and follow their dreams. The mothers inspire their children to reach for the stars and believe in themselves.

Personal response: I think that this book shares a message that many children need to hear. I really enjoyed how the illustrations are colorful and vibrant. The use of animal life kept my attention and added a deeper meaning to the book. I also noticed how easy to follow the book is. It would be great to include in a young class. The meaning and inclusion of ,"do you believe in happy endings?" and "do you believe that dream come true?" would make for a great discussion.

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Author: Jory John

illustrator: Pete Oswald

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: August 29th, 2017

# of Pages: 40

Grade Level: PreK-3

Genre: Fiction, humor

Themes: feelings, mindfulness, making good choices, positive self talk

Summary: This book is a about a sunflower seed who thinks of himself to be bad. He doesn't use manners and has a bad attitude. Everyone thinks of him as a bad seed and doesn't want to be around him. When he is almost picked to be eaten he decides to change his way of life. He changes his mindset and works towards positive self-talk

Personal response: I really enjoyed this book and the illustrations included. I think that the illustrations included in the story add a lot to the meaning. They give a sense of emotion and I think that helps the audience understand the importance behind making good choices and having a positive outlook on yourself.

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Author: Ken Mochizuki

Illustrator: Dom Lee

Publisher: Lee and Low books

Date: October 16, 2018

# of pages: 32

Grade level: Kindergarten

Theme: Prejudice, Hope

Summary: This book follows Shorty who is a Japanese American who was put in to a internment camp after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Shorty and his father build a baseball diamond and for a baseball league to boost the spirits of those at the camp. He begins to pick up on the prejudice around him and uses baseball to gain dignity and self respect.

Personal Response: I think that his book is a really great read. It shows the audience how to have hope in the worst of circumstances. Along with that, it teaches students about an important historical event.

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All The Way To The Top: How One Girl's Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything

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All The Way To The Top: How One Girl's Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything

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Title: All The Way To The Top: How One Girl's Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything

Author: Annette Bay Pimentel

Genre: Biography

Illustrator: Nabi Ali

Themes: Children's Disabilities, Activism

Date: March 10, 2020

Publisher: Source Books

Pages: 32

Grade Level: 2nd-4th grade

Summary: This is a true story about an eight year old girl named Jennifer. Jennifer was determined to make a change about how the worlld around her was built because it made it hard to do simple things in her wheelchair. Jennifer wanted to use her voice to help pass the Americans with Disabilities Act. She uses her determination to crawl the steps of the Capitol building in Washington DC to try to convince Congress to pass the law.

Evaluation:

Is the person presented in a way that captures the interest of children? Yes, the book covers a young girl just like the children that would be reading it. It shows them the power of young children's voice.

Is the person presented as a human being with strengths and faults? Yes, the book talks about Jennifer's struggles with being a child with disabilities and how it effects her everyday life. It also shows her strengths and how she was determined to make a difference.

Is the depth of coverage appropriate for the intended audience? Yes, the book presents important concepts about disabilities and makes the audience aware about accessibility in the world around them. It also covers the importance of children's voice and can inspire students to use their voice like Jennifer did.

Is the documentation of details unobtrusive and integrated into the narrative? Yes, the events and details are easy to follow.

Is the information included in the biography accurate and documented? Yes, the illustrator is actually who the story is written about so the story is very accurate. She shares her story about the Capitol Crawl and how she got there.

Activity: This book is very empowering especially because it covers a true story about a girl that is the same age as the young readers will be. I think that it would be great to have the students make a character trait to show Jennifer's physical traits and personality traits. They could use pictures or words to describe Jennifer. After the students finish their posters I think that it would be great to have a discussion about what they thought about the book as it does cover some pretty important topics.

All The Way To The Top: How One G

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Title: Everything Sad Is Untrue

Author:Daniel Nayeri

Genre: Autobiography

Themes: inequality, reslience

Date: August 25, 2020

Publisher: Levine Querido

Pages: 268

Grade Level: 8th-11th grade

Summary: This book is about how Daniel Nayeri his mother, and his sister sought refuge in the United States when he was eight years old, having fled from Iran. It talks abut how and why his family fled from Iraq. It also covers the story of his ancestors and how Daniel's life was as a refugee in Oklahoma. He endured a lot with starting a completely new life but he also went through his stepfather abusing his mom and classmates who would bully him.

Personal response:

My response to the book "Everything Sad Is Untrue" is that I really enjoyed reading about Daniel Nayeri's life and his experience with moving from Iran to Ohio. I thought it was interesting to get to hear the perspective of a child immigrant and see what that experience was like for them. Throughout the story Daniel captured so much emotion that allowed the reader to visualize his journey and how he felt about it. The book seemed to cover topics like displacement, sacrifice, and eternal justice. I think that this book is really empowering as teaches it focuses on how Daniel left his home in Iran but never left his cultural heritage. I would recommend this book because I feel like it is really powerful and the author did a great job at spreading the message of courage as well as cultural identity.

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Ban this Book

Bibliographic Information:

Author: Alan Gratz

Illustrator(Cover art): Kristyna Litten

Publisher: Starscape

Grade Level: 4th-6th

Genre: Fiction

Themes: Using your voice

Pages: 256

Publication Date: August 29, 2017

Artistic Media:

Cover Art-Drawing- neutral color palette

Literary Elements:

Main Characters: Amy Anne her friends and family

Setting: School

Summary: This book is about Amy Anne who is a fourth-grader. She makes a discovery that one of her most favorite books has been banned from the school library due to censorship. Amy fights back by starting her own illegal locker library and using her voice to go against the censorship in the school.

Personal Response:

I really enjoyed reading this book because I have never really heard of censorship in literacy and this book was eye opening. I liked that this book was interesting to read while also educating the audience on new terms.

Curricular Connections:

This book could be used for so many different subjects such as:

Literacy: Have students write a book review or explore the main character

Social Studies: Explore the first amendment and explore historical books that have been banned

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Where the Wild Things Are

Bibliographic Information:

Author: Maurice Sendak

Illustrator: Maurice Sendak

Publisher: HarperCollins

Grade Level: K-3rd

Genre: Fiction & fantasy

Theme: Power of imagination and love

Pages: 48

Publication Date: January 1, 1984

Artistic Media:

Illustrations

Literary Elements:

Main Character: Max and his mother

Setting: Max's home and the land of the wild things

Summary: This book talks about a young boy named Max who wears a wolf suit and gets into mischief at home. After a tantrum, he is sent to bed without supper. His imagination takes him to a magical land inhabited by Wild Things—large, imaginative creatures. Max becomes the king of the Wild Things and enjoys his time with them. He eventually misses home and decides to return.

Personal Response:

Growing up this was one of my favorite books. As a preschool teacher I still get to read this book to my students and I absolutely love it. It has become one of my students favorite books and it is such a full circle thing for me. I love the use of imagination and the illustrations throughout the book.

Curricular Connections:

Literacy: Students do a creative write using their own imagination

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Bibliographic information:

Author: Aida Salazar

Pages: 240

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Publication Date: February 26, 2019

Grade: 3-7

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Gender Fluid, Teen, Family, Culture, Tradition, Friendship

Literacy Elements:

Characters: Celestina Rivera (Celi), Mima, Magda (Marco), and Ivan

Setting: Oakland, California

Summary:

Celi's body begins changing and her family is bent on making a scene about it. She is faced with an ultimatum between her best friend and the attention of a boy she likes. After suffering consequences that drive a wedge between herself and her family and best friend, Magda. Celi uses strength to stand up for her friend Magda and gives in to the traditional Moon Ceremony. Celi learns about the beauty of her body and finds support among the women that attend.

Personal Response:

I loved how this book included so much emotion. I have never read a book about a woman learning about her body and I think that this was really powerful. Puberty is something that isn't really talked about in this way and I loved the way the author wrote to the young audience.

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Author: Renee Watson

Illustrator: Bryan Collier

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: September 20, 2022

Pages: 48

Level: 2nd-6th grade

Genre: Biography

Theme: perseverance, voice, believing in your power

Artistic media: Watercolor

Literacy Elements:

characters: Maya Angelou

setting: St.Louis

Summary: This book is about Maya Angelou's life from birth. Maya learns the power of words at a young age and, for a time, is silent because of that power. Ms. Flowers introduces her to poetry and this begins Maya's rebirth. The book covers Maya becoming a mother, singer, and close friend of important figures like Malcom X and Martin Luther King. Maya explores with the power of words and the potential consequences they can have.

Personal response:

This book was really powerful. It shared such a moving story that I wasn't aware of before reading it. Maya was really remarkable and the story was written in such a beautiful way that it captured emotions. I also really loved the images and the way the illustrator used colors througout.

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Watch Me Bloom: A Bouquet of Haiku Poems for Budding Naturalists 

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Watch Me Bloom: A Bouquet of Haiku Poems for Budding Naturalists 

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Author/illustrator: Krina Patel-Sage

Publisher: Lantana Publishing

Date: March 7th, 2023

# of Pages: 32 pages

Grade Level: PreK-3

Genre: Poetry

Themes: Learning and celebrating nature

Artistic media: colorful images

Summary: This book is a collection of haikus poems that teach the reader about the different types of flower. The poetry goes into detail about where they originate, their differences about them, and more facts for the reader to learn.

Personal response: I love that these poems share a variety of messages. The poems are a great way to teach young readers about the different species of flowers. I think that the illustrations keep the audience interested while also informing them further on the different flowers appearances.

Curricular connections:

Literacy: have the students dive into the literacy devices of the poems

science: have the students explore flowers further

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Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books

Date: January 4th, 2022

# of pages: 32

Grade Level: K-3rd

Genre: Fiction

Themes: power of imagination, confidence

Summary: This story follows young siblings who find themselves to be bored one afternoon. They remember something their grandmother told them that sparks their imagination. Saying the phrase she used to tell them brings them back to see the beauty of the world that their ancestors came from.

Personal Response:

I really enjoyed reading this book because of the illustrations. I think that the illustrations really captured the sense of imagination that the author was trying to get across to the young audience. I also think that they incorporated the message of our ancestors and the things we learn from them that was in a great way.

Curriculum ideas:

Social studies: Discussing American History or ancestors

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Fill a Bucket: A Guide To Daily Happiness for Young Children 

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Fill a Bucket: A Guide To Daily Happiness for Young Children 

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Author: Katherine Martin, Carol McCloud

Publisher: Bucket Fillers

Illustrator: Dave Messing

Date: 2008

# of pages: 24

Grade Level: PreK-K

Genre: fiction

Themes: kindness

Summary: This book teaches children the importance of being kind. It expresses how everyone has a bucket, and we want to fill their bucket, not dip into it.

Personal Response:

I chose to include this book because it something that I have read to my preschool students. They really enjoyed this book and it seems to be something that has stuck with them the entire school year. For younger aged students the illustrations help explain the story and resonate even deeper with them.

Curriculum ideas:

I think this book could be a really fun read aloud book and an activity to go along with it would help students better understand the message.

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Bibliographic Information

Author: Carl Emerson

Illustrator: Lon Levin

Date: January 1, 2008

Publisher: Magic Wagon Looking Glass Library

Ages: Pre-K-4th grade

Genre: Fiction, Children's Lit.

Theme: School, Bullying, frustration

# of pages: 32 pages

Literary Elements

Main Character: Marty Onster

Setting: School

Plot: Marty is the child of monsters. When he gets to school he gets bullied. He begins to get frustrated when his friend gets bullied.

Personal Response:

I thought this was a great read and the illustrations helped spread the message.

Curricular Connections

This would be a great read aloud book as this is something that students go through and it is important to talk about bulling to try and prevent it or teach kids how to deal with it.

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Read Monster Boy's First Day of School on Epic

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Read Monster Boy’s First Day of School on Epic

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Instantly access Monster Boy’s First Day of School plus over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids.

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Bibliographic Information:

Author: Audrey Penn

Illustrators: Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Lack

Publisher: Tanglewood Press

Publication date: 1993

Theme: Fear, love

Grade: K-1st grade

# of pages: 32 pages

Literary Elements:

Main Characters: Chester Raccoon, Mrs. raccoon

Setting: the forest

Summary: Chester is anxious to leave his home to go to school. His mom shares a "family secret" with him. She kisses his hand on his paw and told him to press the kiss to his cheek whenever he missed her.

Personal response:

I think this book is a great reminder to tell students how much their parents love them. Many students have a hard time leaving their mom. I actually read this book to my preschool students and they love it.

Curriculum:

This book would be great for the beginning of the year so that students remember their parents love them and their love is always with them.

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Glass Slipper Gold Sandal A Worldwide Cinderella

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Glass Slipper Gold Sandal A Worldwide Cinderella

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Author: Paul Fleischman

Illustrator: Julie Paschkis

Publisher: Henry Ho Co.

Date: September 4, 2007

Literature: folktale, fiction

Grade level: Pre k -4

# of pages:32

Summary: This book is about Cinderella, but with different points of views. They all follow the same plot of a young girl losing her mother, her father remarries, and she gets mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters who are jealous of her beauty. However, we see the story being told from different parts of the world, experiencing their different traditions and themes.

Personal Response: I think this book is a great way to incorporate other cultures in the classroom. It is also great for young readers because it is a story that many students will already know the main idea of.

Curriculum:

Have students discuss the different cultural aspects and how they change the original "Cinderella" story.

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Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909

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Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909

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Author: Michelle Markel

Illustrator: Melissa Sweet

Publisher: Blaxer and Blay

Date: January 22, 2013

# of pages 32

Grade level: 3rd-7th

Genre: Non fiction, biography

Literacy elements:

Main character: Clara Lemlich

Setting: New York City

Summary: Clara is an immigrant who works in poor conditions. She wants to fight because it is unfair to her and others.

Personal Connection: This book was very informative to the audience as it talks about real life struggles of women in the workforce throughout history. I enjoyed how the illustrator included incorporates images of assorted fabrics and stitch patterns so that the audience could get a better sense of the conditions the workers were in.

Curriculum ideas:

Social studies: exploring work for immigrants and worker rights/conditions

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How Do You Spell Unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee

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How Do You Spell Unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee

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Author: Carol Boston Weatherford

Illustrator: Frank Morrison

Publisher: Candlewick

Publication Date: April 11, 2023

Pages: 40

Level: 1st-6th grade

Genre: Biography

Theme: determination against discrimination

Literacy Elements:

characters: MacNolia Cox

setting: Akron,Ohio

Summary: This book talks about MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee. She was an African American girl who participated in the National Spelling Bee in the 1930s. Her story sheds light on the racial inequalities she faced during that time. MacNolia was an incredibly talented speller. She faced discrimination and unfair treatment due to her race, which hindered her chances of winning.

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The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles

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The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles

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Bibliographic Information:

Author: Lamar Giles

Illustrator: Dapo Adeola

Publisher: Kwame Alexander's imprint Versify

Grade Level: 3rd-7th grade

Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure

Theme: friendship, confidence

Pages: 304

Publication Date: April 2, 2019

Literary Elements:

Main Character: Otto and Sheed

Summary:

This book talks about the adventures of cousins Otto and Sheed Alston as they experience a never-ending summer and encounter strange phenomena in their hometown of Fry. They learn valuable lessons about friendship, bravery, and the importance of family.

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Author/Illustrator: R.J. Palacio

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

Date Published: February 14th, 2012

Grade Level: 3rd Grade-7th Grade

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Pages: 320

Theme: Family, Bullying, School, True Friends, Confidence, Differences

Summary: This story is about a young boy named Auggie. Auggie, has undergone multiple surgeries to correct his facial deformity, but his appearance still sets him apart from other children. As he starts school, he faces bullying, stares, and isolation. However, he also finds friendship and support from classmates like Summer and Jack.

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Author: Don Freeman

Publisher: Viking Press

Date: 1968

# of pages: 32

Grade Level: K-3

Genre: childrens picture book

Themes: friendship, acceptance, self-identity

Summary: This book is about a teddy bear named Corduroy who lives in a store. He longs for a friend and a home, and is excited when a young girl names Lisa buys him. This story explores themes of friendship, acceptance, and kindness.

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Author: Ryan T. Higgins

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Date: 2018

# of pages: 40

Grade: 1-4

Genre: humor

Themes: friendship, kindness, acceptance

Summary: Penelope Rex starts her first day of school. Penelope finds it difficult to not eat her classmates because all of her classmates are delicious snacks to her. She discovers that making friends isn't easy when you've tried to eat them. Her classmates are scared of her, and Penelope begins to feel lonely and sad. In the end she learns the importance of kindness, respect, and acceptance, after realizing that her classmates are not for eating

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Author: Louis Sachar

Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Date: 1998

# of pages: 233

Grade: 3rd-6th

Genre: fiction

Themes: friendship, justice, fate

Summary: Stanley finds himself wrongly accused of stealing a pair of sneakers and is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention center where delinquents are forced to dig holes in the desert every day to "build character." As he unravels the curse that haunts his family, he discovers the purpose of the camp.

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Author: Raina Telgemeier

Title: Smile

Date: February 2010

# of pages: 224

Grade level: 2nd-5th grade

Genre: Graphic novel

Theme: insecurities, friendship, bullying, self-acceptance

Summary: Raina, a sixth-grader, trips and falls one night, severely injuring her two front teeth. This leads to a long and complicated journey of dental treatments, surgeries, and orthodontic work. Throughout this process, Raina deals with physical pain, self-consciousness about her appearance, and bullying. She grapples the ups and downs of teenage life. Throughout her journey she learns the importance that imperfections is a powerful form of strength.

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The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge

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The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge

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Author: Joanna Cole

Illustrator: Bruce Degen

Date: March 1, 2010

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Genre: Fiction

Themes: Climate Change and Global Warming

Grade level: 2nd-5th

# of pages: 48

Setting: Magic SchoolBus, plane

Main characters: Ms. Frizzle, the students

Summary: Ms. Frizzle takes her class on a field trip to explore the causes and effects of climate change. Throughout the adventure, the students learn about various aspects of climate science, including the greenhouse effect, carbon emissions, renewable energy, and the importance of conservation.

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Author: Marcus Pfister

Illustrator: Marcus Pfister

Genre: Children’s literature, picture book, Fiction

# of pages: 32

Theme: Sharing, happiness

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Date: 1992

Age: Infant to 3 years

Summary: This book is about a beautiful and prideful fish. He os vain and proud of his beauty. He is unwilling to share his uniqueness and finds himself lonely. With time he realizes that he can’t get friends by the way he looks so he decides to share his glitter scales to other fish in the sea.

Personal Connection: This is a book that I remember reading as a child. I think that is a staple in many childrens childhood. My preschool students love this book!

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Author/Illustrator: Raul the Third III

Publisher: Versify

Date: March 24,2020

# of Pages: 48

Grade Level: Preschool- 3rd

Genre: Fiction

Theme: culture, community, diversity

Summary: Little Lobo and Bernabé go on a culinary adventure through their town. They visit various food trucks and eateries to gather ingredients for a special meal. They encounter diverse food vendors, musicians, and artists.

As they sample different foods and collect ingredients, they celebrate the rich cultural heritage of their community, showcasing the delicious flavors and traditions of Mexican cuisine.

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Title: We Are Water Protectors

Author: Carole Lindstrom

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Illustrator: Michaela Goade

# of pages: 40

Age Range: 3rd-6th

Genre: Children's Literature

Date: March 17, 2020

Theme: activism, environmental justice, and Indigenous rights

Summary: The book follows a young girl named "Water Protector," she joins her family and community in the fight to protect their land, water, and sacred sites from the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. She. witnesses the peaceful resistance of her people, who come together to defend their rights and preserve their way of life.

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Author/Illustrator: Chen Jiang Hong

Grade Level: PreK-3rd

Date: October 1st, 2006

# of Page: 38

Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books

Theme: Perseverance, humility

Summary: This book tells the story of a famous painter named Han Gan. He was known for his paintings of horses that were so vivid that they could jump off the page. One night a warrior asked him to paint a horse that would come to life. Han attempted but failed. He asks for forgiveness. Moved by Han Gan's sincerity, the horse agrees to help him once again. Together, they create a masterpiece that astounds the emperor and solidifies Han Gan's reputation as one of the greatest painters of his time.

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Author: Annette Bay Primentel

Genre: Informational picture book

Illustrator: Madison Safer

Themes: Exploring pigments and dyes made from natural sources

Date: June 6, 2023

Publisher: Harry N. Abrams

Pages: 88

Grade Level: 3-7th

Summary:

Cara and her grandfather spend a day together, exploring the world around them and noticing the beauty in the simplest things. Cara's grandfather shares with her the wonders of the world before colors existed. He describes how they use their imagination to paint the world in vibrant hues, filling it with warmth, joy, and beauty. They discover that even in a world without color, there is still wonder and magic to be found.

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Title: A Bad Case of Stripes

Author: David Shannon

Illustrator: David Shannon

Date: March 1, 1998

Publisher: The Blue Sky Press

Reading age: Pre-3rd

Theme: individuality, acceptance, empathy, courage

# of pages: 32

Summary: Camilla loves lima beans, but is afraid to admit it because none of her classmates like them. She decides to quit eating them, and, in doing so, she loses herself. Her case of stripes worsens and begins to extend to the world around her.

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Author: Katy Howes

Publisher: The Innovation Press

Publication Date: November 22, 2022

Grade Level: K-3rd

Illustrator: Heather Brockman Lee

Genre: Fiction, children's poetry

Theme: creativity, self-expression

Summary: This book is about the joy and happiness that comes with writing poetry. Each page of the book focuses on a different aspect of the poetic process, from finding inspiration in everyday moments to letting words flow freely onto the page. It celebrates the beauty of language and the power of poetry to capture emotions, thoughts, and experiences.

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Author: Laura Numeroff

Publisher: HarperCollins

Number of pages: 32

Genre: Fiction

Theme: friendship

Grade Level: Preschool-3rd grade

Summary: This book is about a boy who gives a mouse a cookie. Then, the mouse wants more and more things, leading to funny adventures. It teaches kids about cause and effect in a playful way.

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Author: Eric Carle

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Number of pages: 26

Genre: Fiction

Theme: imagination

Grade Level: Prek-1st

Summary: "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" is about a caterpillar that eats different foods each day and then transforms into a butterfly. It's a fun book that teaches kids about counting, the days of the week, and healthy eating.

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Author: Patricia Polacco

Publisher: Philomel Books

Number of pages: 48

Genre: Fiction

Theme: dyslexia, perseverance, self-discovery

Grade Level: K-5th

Summary: This book is about a girl named Trisha who struggles with dyslexia and bullying in school. Mr. Falker, helps her learns to overcome her challenges and discover her love for reading. His patience, encouragement, and belief in Trisha's abilities makes a profound impact on her life.