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Germs Are Not For Sharing by Elizabeth Verdick. (Letter)

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Germs Are Not For Sharing by Elizabeth Verdick. (Letter)

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Dear Dr. Solomon,

I must say that this Informational Text book was very cute and informative for children in grades K-1st. I loved the simplicity in the book, and how easy it is to understand by the images shown in the book. The book carefully depicts how one should always wash their hands after using the bathroom, after coughing, or after playing outside. There are many examples used which children can relate to and learn that washing your hands is extremely important. I think the book is perfect for a cleaning lesson when children are learning the importance of being clean, and it's pretty easy and a short book to read which will be fun for them.

Sincerely,

Karina Escamilla

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From Seed to Pumkin by Wendy Pfeffer. (Sticky Notes) 

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From Seed to Pumkin by Wendy Pfeffer. (Sticky Notes) 

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From Seed to Pumpkin deals with the use of learning how a seed can be developed into a pumpkin and children are able to visit a pumpkin patch to see all the different pumpkins.

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My 5 Senses by Aliki Brandenburg. (Letter)

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My 5 Senses by Aliki Brandenburg. (Letter)

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Dear fellow students reading this,

I'd say if you are going to be teaching Elementary, this is a great book for grades K-2nd. The book, My 5 sense, is basically what it looks like and sounds like and is full of useful information for children to learn their sense which makes it an Informational Text. The book is written in simple language that children can understand and read even if they are beginning readers. The illustrations are clear and instructive. When Aliki discusses each sense, there is a picture of a boy pointing to each body part, which helps readers understand that sense. When the boy is interacting with his world using his senses, Aliki draws pictures of the boy's actions. The illustrations accompany the education of the text in the book in a manner that allows children to learn through visual and auditory means. Great book!

Sincerely,

Karina Escamilla

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My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann.             (1-Minute Book Talk) 

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My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann.             (1-Minute Book Talk) 

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Click http://vocaroo.com/i/s0gJpRKJ46mz to listen to my 1-minute book talk over this Caldecott Award Winning book.

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New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. (Infographic)

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New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. (Infographic)

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Dear Dr. Solomon,

Today I will be telling you about one of the GREATEST books ever made, and I may be a little bias but that's okay. Twilight discusses the romance between new girl Bella Swan, and mysterious but very charming Edward Cullen. Did I mention Edward's a vampire? Through this books comes a lot of action, romance, and suspense. Bella moves from sunny Phoenix, Arizona to where it's always cold and rainy in small town Forks, Washington where she is quickly welcomed by a few friends. As the story moves on the unending but mysterious love story between Bella and Edward grows, but there are a few obstacles which get in the way... that being Jacob... who also happens to be a wolf. Crazy right? I won't spoil too much for ya, I definitely think you should read the book to find out the rest!

Sincerely,
Karina Escamilla

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Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry. (Letter) 

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Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry. (Letter) 

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Dear fellow students who are reading this,

This book is written in a poetry form which makes it interesting, personally I love poetry books because it makes it a little more difficult to understand the meaning of what's being said but that's what makes it fun! In this cute children's book the story of Stone and Stick is told as they become best friends after Stick rescues Stone from a prickly situation with a pinecone. The book tells the adventures of the two objects and how they see what's around them as either dangerous or conquering. This book is honestly one of the cutest books I've read and I think this book sets great examples for children in young age groups to know when it is right to help a friend out when in need. I also enjoyed how cute the book cover is, hope you guys do too!

Sincerely,

Karina Escamilla

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Dear Dr. Solomon and fellow peers,

I'd say this is a great book to read for young age groups, preferably grades K-4th. The book has great use of poetry in the way that it is written and easily depicts how students can learn and understand that it's okay to have feelings or emotions for certain situations. This full color book is filled with vivid, expressive illustrations that help children ages 2 to 8 describe their emotions and understand that feelings are a normal part of life. I like how this book switches from emotions so quickly. Many social emotional regulation books focus on sad or upset feelings, and it can bring the whole book down. I like how this one switches from excited to disappointed to happy, so the children don't get stuck on one emotion. Definitely a fun and recommended read!

Sincerely,

Karina Escamilla

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The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan.            (Blog Post)

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The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan.            (Blog Post)

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During this book, I was a little discouraged at the fact that it was pretty sad, and I must confess I'm not really a fan of sad books, but as I continued to read I was happily surprised with he ending. In this Multicultural Award Winning- Pura Belpre book, the story of Neftali is told. There were a few things I did enjoy about the book, I enjoyed the great use of imagery in the book and use of imagination from Neftali. This book is such a great way to see how all the negativity we receive from certain people can make us become brave, and successful in the end just as Neftali did with his father. I really enjoyed getting to discuss this book with other members in the class and we were able to discuss our different opinions and ideas of how we Neftali may view the world through his eyes. It was definitely a great assignment turn out. Visit https://rdg23062016.slack.com/messages/thedreamer/ to see our full conversation!

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The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.              (Book Review) 

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The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.              (Book Review) 

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In this Historical Fiction book, the story of a tree which is quite odd. This book gives off a philosophical discussion which is pretty interesting when realizing it. There is also a lot of personification use in the story which pertains to the tree. The story is based on a tree and a young boy, the tree loves the young boy because each day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave. This book shows a great way for students to become more familiar with certain literary elements, which in this case would be similes, personification and even some metaphors. The book is interesting and a fun book to read as a whole class.

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In this fun Post Modern Picture Book, a story is a story told, then retold by dueling authors... one of them being Chester. Melanie Watt starts out with the story of a mouse in a house. Then Melanie's cat, Chester, sends the mouse packing and proceeds to cover the pages with rewrites from his red marker, and the gloves are off. I absolutely loved this book because of the entertainment and images involved. It definitely made me laugh a few times while reading. This book is a great example of how children can become their own authors and it isn't so hard to tell a story, but in this case Chester the cat, takes over. This makes it a fun read for the children in young age groups due to the images and fun writing involved. Great book, and certainly one of my new favorites!

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Max: Best friend. Hero. Marine. by Jennifer Li Shotz. (Book Review) 

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Max: Best friend. Hero. Marine. by Jennifer Li Shotz. (Book Review) 

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In this Biography which tells Max's story deals with when Justin’s older brother, Kyle, is killed in Afghanistan, and Justin can’t believe that his brother is really gone. Except there’s one thing that Kyle left behind, his dog. Max is a highly trained military canine who has always protected his fellow soldiers. But when he loses his handler and best friend, Kyle, Max is traumatized and unable to remain in the service. This book is told as an adaptation to the Warner Brothers film, which I must include is an incredible movie, and definitely a tear jerker. I think this book is great for children because who doesn't love a book about dogs but this book carefully tells a wonderful story about the close bond between a boy and a dog, and deals with realistic situations which simply gives the book great quality.

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Who Was Walt Disney? by Whitney Stewart. (Book Review) 

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Who Was Walt Disney? by Whitney Stewart. (Book Review) 

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In this Biography, the story of the famous Walt Disney whom I am certain everyone is familiar with, and whom we have the greatest appreciation for because of all his amazing movies some of us can call our favorite childhood movies. Walt Disney was know for his entertainment to the audience around the world, he loved entertaining people but it often got him into some trouble. If there was on situation, he actually painted pictures with tar on the side of his family's house. Come on Walt! But throughout the book, Walt is recognized for his great productions whom we are all certainly thankful for. This book is a great read for children because it allows them to actually get to know the man behind all the magic, behind all the movies in which they love. Everything about the book is great, and such a fun read!

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In this Traditional Literature book we are all certainly familiar with, the story of a young girl named Cinderella is told. Cinderella lives happily with her parents but after her mother passes, Cinderella's father than remarries a cold, cruel woman with 2 daughters who Cinderella is not a fan of. When Cinderella's father dies, she than becomes the servant of the house but that soon changes as she arrives at the ball where her shining prince charming awaits her presence. As the clock strikes midnight, Cinderella must rush home while losing a glass slipper. The prince uses the slipper to find his bride and after many many girls, Cinderella is the one. This book is your typical but favorite (well mine at least), fairytale which tells a beautiful, romantic story. This book is great for children at a young age because it is certainly something they are all familiar with and will enjoy reading. There are many great images in the book which also are attention grabbers and who doesn't love talking animals?? Come on now!

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This Historical Fiction book is set around a young boy and his father who travel together all the way to Washington D.C to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. As they visit the memorial, they see that there are others around who are crying and hugging and the young boy cannot understand why but his father explains that they simply miss their fallen heroes who were their family members. The boy and his dad soon find his grandfather's name where the boy then refers to the wall as "my grandfather's wall". I think this book has a lot of historical facts that deals with war, family, and courageousness. The boy's obvious feelings of loss for a man he never knew, and his father's quiet remark, "He was just my age whe he was killed," really bring home the impact of war on the families whose lives have been changed by the loss of a loved one. This book is definitely a good read for children, who would learn an important lesson by reading it.

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Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. (Book Recommendation)

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Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. (Book Recommendation)

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First off let me just say how much I simply enjoyed the cover of this book. It's certainly an attention grabber for children I would say, they'd actually probably refer to the big monster on the cover as the bad guy. Where the Wild Things Are falls under the Historical Fiction genre. I really love this book because it's definitely relatable for children at a young age. This story has an incredibly grounding effect on its readers because it is so real to everyone, it is a story we still hold dear because there is, or was, a wild thing in all of us. As children we all can remember how there may be monsters in the closet or under the bed, and we all experienced a scary moment like this. I love this book, and I'd say it definitely brought back a few childhood memories.

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The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch by Chris Barton.          (Book Recommendation) 

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The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch by Chris Barton.          (Book Recommendation) 

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I really enjoyed reading this book. It was full of so much information about John Roy Lynch, who in the end really surprised me and made me realize that we are able to do whatever we set our minds to, no matter the color, size, religion, we may be. There is no discrimination in following your dreams. The book was rewarded as a Bluebonnet Award Winner, and I completely understand why. The book is carefully depicted with great images illustrated by Don Tate who did a great job in making the images fun yet easily interpreted. John Roy Lynch, is the perfect example of someone who, despite certain difficult circumstances in the past, was able to overcome all negativity and over power people who once had power over him. Now that is awesome!

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The Three Little Pigs by Patricia Seiburt. (Story Map) 

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The Three Little Pigs by Patricia Seiburt. (Story Map) 

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Traditional Literature

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Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. (Letter) 

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Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. (Letter) 

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Dear Dr. Solomon & fellow classmates,

Like many fairy tales, you would think that Ella Enchanted fits the perfect meaning of a happy ending fairy tale, in which most cases it does. My immediate reaction to this book was everything I expected, I even loved it more than the movie mainly because there were far more pictures going on in my head which I connected to the movie itself in some parts and even pictured Ella as Anne Hathaway but definitely had way more going on that what the movie actually did. Like your typical Cinderella story, Ella played a far more courageous role. Although, the irony is that she was controlled most of her life but still new how to play that independent role we sometimes don't see in princesses. This Newberry Award Winning book definitely has many themes but one in particular which i think is most important which would be power. Ella spends most of her lifetime aware of her lack of power but is she as powerless as she thinks? Ella soon realizes that she has had the power to be happy and live her life freely like she should. Go Ella! This is still one of my favorite stories ever and would highly recommend the book and the movie to anyone has has not read or seen either.

Sincerely,

Karina Escamilla

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Junie B. Jones Is Not A Crook by Barbara Park. (Book Review) 

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Junie B. Jones Is Not A Crook by Barbara Park. (Book Review) 

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In this Realistic Fiction chapter book, a terrible thing has happened to Junie B. Jones, she's lost her new, black, furry mittens or she thinks someone has taken them. Poor Junie! She then finds a fascinating pen to which she thinks she should keep because it's only fair, but is it really fair? I really enjoy all of the Junie. B Jones books because they are very funny and fun for children to read. They are also relatable to children theses days in the sense that the things Junie does are some things we might have done as a child. Monsters under the bed, not excited about new baby siblings, and so forth. I would definitely advise anyone to read these books because like I said it's always fun to look back and relate certain situations we may read to our own.

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Sisters by Raina Telgemier.               (Short Write)

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Sisters by Raina Telgemier.               (Short Write)

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"Why you chose to read this book in this genre"
- Suggestions for Writing about Reading.
My immediate reaction to this book was "CUTEEEE". The relationship between Raina and Amara is distant at first but when they decide it's time to get along to save their family, it's all about getting along, after all they are sisters. I think what really made me want to read this genre is well because Graphic Novels are fun, and it's nice to see actual pictures in chapter books that you don't always necessarily get see very often in others. The pictures in the book are quite simple but still pertain well with events in the book. I loved the book cover a lot and I think it's mainly what interested me to read the book in the first place. I think before even reading the book you get an idea about two sisters who don't get along which fits the description pretty well.

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Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy by Jenny Nimmo. (Short Write)

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Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy by Jenny Nimmo. (Short Write)

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"What words helped you picture the setting?"Suggestions for Writing about Reading.
In this Fantasy book, there is an incredible amount of imagery throughout it all. I actually read this book in middle school as a class assignment. Everyday we were given our own novels and were to read for about 45 minutes. This is a great book for anyone who's interested in what some may say magical elements and like myself, for those who enjoy books with so much imagery. As we begin to read the book, Charlie is starting a new semester at Bloor's Academy. The setting is mainly set in a classroom where Charlie is aware of the new art teacher, Mr. Boldova. The setting of the book is just like any other ordinary scene of being in class but there is a bit of rumors and fishiness going around about the invisible boy, Ollie. Words that helped me picture all of this were "Yewbeam aunts", "strange", "power", "secret identity".

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Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. (Book Review) 

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Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. (Book Review) 

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This Realistic Fiction book is definitely a tear jerker and will definitely make you miss your dog if you haven't seen them for a while (miss you Jax). Opal and his father are out doing some grocery shopping at their local Winn Dixie grocery store to where they meet a stray dog who happens to be wandering alone around the store. They immediately fall in love with her and take her home and name her Winn Dixie, which I thought was clever and cute! Throughout the book we get to know more about Opal's life and how it hasn't always been such a great one. Opal was abandoned by his mother and of all things, that upsets him the most. There are many rough patches that Opal encounters but with Winn Dixie by his side, anything is manageable. This incredible, lovings story about a boy and his pet dog immediately allows us to feel attached to animals, in specific dogs, which is always a great feeling to have. This book would be a great recommendation for children because it is very relatable for some us, and it's just a great read! I mean can we name one book that involves animals that isn't a great book? It would be hard!

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Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. (Letter) 

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Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. (Letter) 

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Dear Dr. Solomon,

If there is one book which I loved more than the movie itself, it would definitely be Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. This book would fall under the category of a Fantasy or Fictional book. Charlotte's Web is pretty emotional in some parts when finding out if Wilbur the pig was gonna make it or not. With the help of Charlotte, the friendly spider, it was determined that Wilbur would be safe. This is overall a great book for children to read because of the fact this it is incredibly animated which makes me personally love the book even more. The protagonists in this book are both animals who you would never expect to be best friends, a spider and a pig? Odd combination, but it works for this book! There is a main part in the book where Charlotte decides to use her web to help Wilbur stay on the farm, and uses specific words throughout her web to describe Wilbur as an interesting pig which then attracts people to visit the farm. This reminded me of a graphic organizer of some sort which are used to categorize specific characteristics like Charlotte did. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for grades 4-8, and if you haven't read it... you definitely should! Please let me know what you think!

Sincerely,

Karina Escamilla

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The Host by Stephenie Meyer. (Book Review) 

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The Host by Stephenie Meyer. (Book Review) 

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The Host written by one of my all time favorite authors if I may add, Stephenie Meyer, is a chapter book that would fall under Science Fiction.
The Host deals with humanity being invaded by what seems like robots. Humans serve as 'hosts' for the invaders by taking over their minds and all control of their bodies. Melanie Stryder, one of the few remaining in the "wild" is then found and must compete with the soul that has taken over her body, Wanderer... both in search for the man they love. This is a great book for anyone who loves science fiction. I believe that Stephenie portrayed a great twist of action and romance in this book like the movie itself which is also great. I would say this book is a very stirring, science fiction tale  that immediately made me go through so many emotions as I read it. This is a rare story that made me stop and think about the choices that are made and what I would do in their place. Intense, exciting, dramatic, and inspiring. I'd highly recommend this novel to any reader, not only science fiction fans.

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Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth by Barbara Park.              (1-Minute Book Talk)

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Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth by Barbara Park.              (1-Minute Book Talk)

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Click http://vocaroo.com/i/s0q121HsvpBe to listen to my 1-minute book talk over this Realistic Fiction book.

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The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. (Story Map)

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The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. (Story Map)

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Hansel and Gretel by the Grimm Brothers. (Defining Quote) 

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Hansel and Gretel by the Grimm Brothers. (Defining Quote) 

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Hansel and Gretel written by the Grimm Brothers is a Folktale/Fairytale. While reading, there was a specific quote which stood out to me the most, "The witch intended to close the oven door once Gretel had climbed inside, for the witch wanted to bake her and eat her too. But Gretel sensed what she had in mind and said, "I don't know how to do it. How do I get in?" […] Then Gretel gave her a push that sent her flying inside and shut the iron door and bolted it."   This quote is based overall on the maturity Gretel gains. She shows a "Coming of Age" side to her when she finally decides to stand up to the witch after realizing the sad childhood she's had all her life with the fact that her parents abandoned her and Hansel multiple times, has actually made her strong enough to survive her childhood alongside her brother. This is a great tale which focuses mainly on pride, and courageousness.

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I Love Saturdays y domingos by Alma Flor Ada. (Book Review) 

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I Love Saturdays y domingos by Alma Flor Ada. (Book Review) 

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I Love Saturdays y domingos written by Alma Flor Ada is a Multicultural book based on a young girl who visits both sets of her grandparents on the weekends who come from two different background and cultures. I definitely think this book is a great book to introduce when learning about the Spanish culture because of the multicultural and international literature it contains. This book can show children that people from different backgrounds can share some similarities. Children are also able to share a connection with the book by remembering a weekend spent with their grandparents which makes the book more comprehensive and relatable for them. The book is written in English and then again with a combination of English and Spanish which can help children learn the language by seeing direct translations and connections. I definitely think the book is a must read because it is a great way to have children perform different activities and learn more about different cultural backgrounds. Students will be able to become more familiar with a different culture, and will then be able to compare and contrast between their own cultures with the ones they've learned.

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The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. (Summary)

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The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. (Summary)

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The Polar Express written by Chris Van Allsburg is an award winning Caldecott book. This book was also listed as Bestseller for The New York Times, along with Best Illustrated Book. For many, this book has become a beloved classic, which everyone may know about. This book is about a young boy who on Christmas Eve stumbles upon the greatest adventure of his life. As he laid in bed, he tries hard to listen for the Bell's of Santa's sleigh, which told by a friend, happens to not exist. The load, roaring sound of a steam engine outside his front yard suddenly makes him leap out of bed to where he notices the biggest train of his life. The conductor soon calls the boy onto the train full of children, to be on their way to the North Pole. The children soon arrive to the gathering of Santa's elves dancing and prancing around awaiting the giving of the first gift of Christmas. The boy is chosen to receive the first gift, and out of all things to wish for, the boy chooses one of Santa's sleigh bell's as his gift. The boy slips the bell in his pocket and as they head home, later that evening he realizes he has misplaced the bell. The next morning the young boy and his younger sister are in the process of opening their Christmas gifts. The boy soon notices a small box with his name on it to where he finds the Silver Bell, and astounded by it's beautiful sound, the boy soon realizes and believes in the true meaning of Christmas.