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Waiting for the Biblioburro by Monica Brown illustrated by John Parra

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Waiting for the Biblioburro by Monica Brown illustrated by John Parra

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Waiting for the Biblioburro   is an inspiring children's picture book about Ana, a young girl in a small village who loves books and discovers through the help of a new librarian friend, that books can inspire you to create stories of your own.  This book has a Lexile level of 560L, being appropriate for ages 5-8, right around the first grade range. This story can be used in anyway in a first grade classroom because it shares a heartwarming story of the kindness in people. The illustrations are also unique to a hispanic art point of view, which can be very education for students to see! This book is a great fit for individual and group reading comprehension and understanding, as it has simple vocabulary while also introducing new Spanish vocabulary! Overall, the book is moderately complex because of some elevated vocabulary and knowledge demands about rural life and hispanic culture. Teachers can create a small group activity with this text, having each group read a page of the book and act out what is happening on that page! This is a fun activity that groups can do to show reading comprehension over pages of the story! (Aligned with state standard 1.FL.F.5 A. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.)

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Flecther and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke

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Flecther and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke

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Fletcher and the Falling Leaves  tells the story of a caring fox who is very found of a tree near his home, but becomes concerned when its leaves start to fall. This book has a Lexile level of 570L, being age appropriate for ages 6-8, which is around the first-second grade range. This story can be used in various ways inside the first grade classroom because of its discussion of change and illustrations that illuminate the plot. This book is a great fit for individual or group reading, but I would prefer it for group reading. Overall, this book has a moderate complexity level due to some elevated vocabulary and some required background knowledge of seasons. Teachers can use this in a large group read aloud, with an activity for children to act out what happens to trees when seasons change ( i.e. falling leaves, growing blossoms, windy branches, etc.). This is a fun activity that can be done in large groups to help recall the plot and also expand their knowledge on the change of different seasons. (Aligned with TN Reading Standards K.FL.VA.7a Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on Kindergarten conversations, reading, and content.
i. Identify new meanings for familiar words and apply them accurately).

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Tomas and the Library Lady by Pat Mora illustrated by Raul Colon

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Tomas and the Library Lady by Pat Mora illustrated by Raul Colon

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Tomas and the Library Lady  is a story about a young boy who loves stories, so he finds a library and makes a new friend who helps him discover his love of books and story telling. This book has a 500L Lexile level, making it appropriate for ages 5-7, right around the first grade range. This story can be used in various ways in the first grade classroom because it shares an inspiring story of a young boys love for reading, which can inspire other children to find their own love of books. The unique illustrations also help students gain insight into the imagery Tomas was seeing while using his imagination during readings. This book has a great foundation for elaborating on reading comprehension skills and fluency, as it has a moderately complex vocabulary due to its elevated vocabulary regarding stories and imagery. It also has a slight knowledge demand regarding hispanic culture and language that contributes to its complexity. Overall, this book can be used in various ways in small or large group activities. With this text, teachers can create a small group activity where each student draws a part of the story that was important to Tomas's life and labels what that part of the story was. This could be him discovering libraries, reading stories to his grandpa, etc. This is a fun activity that can help reading comprehension, vocabulary expansion, and understanding a text and recalling the different parts of a story. (Aligned with TN Reading Standards :1.FL.PC.1 Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print. a. Recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence, such as first word,

capitalization, and ending punctuation.
1.FL.F.5 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
a. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding).

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They All Saw A Cat  is a unique story that shows how one cat can be seen in so many different ways by different animals or creatures. This book has a Lexile level of 310L, putting it's age range in that of 3-5 year olds. This creates a perfect book for read alouds in Kindergarten, or a beginner book for reading on your own. This story can be used in anyway in a Kindergarten classroom because it shares vivid and unique imagery of the different perspectives of a cat by different animals and people. The illustrations I feel are what make the story unique, so using a small group or large group activity surrounding the discussion of the pictures could helps students understand the book and the importance of pictures.  Overall, I would say this book is more of a simple text, as the vocabulary and reading comprehension expectation is perfectly aligned with ages below Kindergarten age range. There is not much background knowledge needed aside from knowing different animal types and what a cat looks like, but these aspects result in a more simple text to use in a K classroom. Teachers can use this book in a large group read aloud while asking students to identify differences between each illustration based on what animal is looking at the cat. This can help students understand perspectives, descriptions, and different ways to use imagery to describe one object. ( Aligned with TN state standard K.FL.PC.1 Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print; K.FL.PC.1 E: Distinguish between pictures and words.

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Dreamers tells Yuri's powerful story about her journey as a new mother and her infant son immigrating to the United States and with her she brings hope, resilience, and dreams. This story has a Lexile level of 480L, with a recommended age range of 4-8 years old. This story could be used best in a 2nd grade classroom in a lesson about immigration, determination, or hope. This story also has illustrations that that provide the readers with insight and depth into Yuyi's journey as a new immigrant in America, along with the illustrations being creative, unique, and beautifully crafted. This book would be considered a moderately complex text, as it contains tier II and tier III vocabulary, while also requiring knowledge demands about immigration. Teachers can use this story in a group read aloud, while then asking children to write a few sentences on what made Yuri brave and a dreamer. This would help their sentence structure, vocabulary pull out, and their reading comprehension skills. (Aligned with TN standard 2.FL.WC.4 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words; write legibly).

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Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor Illustrated by Rafael Lopez

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Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor Illustrated by Rafael Lopez

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Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You tells an inspiring story of children with various challenges who come together to build a garden, asking each other questions about one another along the way. This book is recommended to be used with ages 4-8, and would be a great asset to a first grade classroom. This text is to be considered moderately complex, due to the elevated vocabulary, necessary background knowledge of disabilities and differences, and paragraph structured writings. The illustrations in this story give great images of differences that many children may have, while contributing to the emotional impact of the plot of the story. Teachers could use this story in a lesson about differences, either by a small group reading or a large group read aloud. Teachers can plan an activity about differences, asking each child to draw a picture of themselves, and write single words that describe what differences they have that make them who they are! This is a fun way to embrace the things that make children who they are, while also improving their writing, spelling, vocabulary, and overall reading comprehension and fluency skills from reading the book. (Aligned with TN standard: 1.FL.WC.4 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words; write legibly).

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Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreno Played the Piano for President Lincoln by Margarita Engle Illustrated by Rafael Lopez

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Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreno Played the Piano for President Lincoln by Margarita Engle Illustrated by Rafael Lopez

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Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreno Played the Piano for President Lincoln tells the amazing story of a young girl who loved to play the piano and bring joy through her music and despite being in the face of multiple wars and fleeing to a new country, she kept playing. She even played the piano for President Lincoln and brought joy to all who listens to her hands dance across the piano keys. This story has a Lexile level of NC1260L, with a recommended age range of 4-8 years old. This text would be best utilized in a 2nd grade classroom, as it is considered a more complex text due to its necessary background knowledge on different wars, immigration, and revolutions; along with new vocabulary pertaining to life in the age of the civil war. The beautiful illustrations are unique to the story and provide more depth to the impact teresa's music had on the people around her. Teachers can use this book in a group read aloud in a lesson about music, immigration, or history. Teachers could plan a group activity where each child discusses their favorite part of the book, and includes a vocabulary or sight word that was discussed in the book in their discussion. This would help their decoding skills, reading comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary skills improve. (Aligned with TN Standard 2.FL.PWR.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when decoding isolated words and in connected text).

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Perfectly Norman tells the story of a young boy named Norman who believed himself to be extra normal, but one day grows wings. He struggles to hide his wings because he is afraid of being judged for his uniqueness, but in the end, finds out how extraordinary his normal truly is. This story has a 610L Lexile level, making it appropriate for ages 5-7, right around the perfect age of a first grade class. This story can be used in multiple ways in a first grade classroom, whether that be small or larger group activities or instruction as it has vocabulary that should be easy for first grade to understand while also providing a stable reading comprehension skill alongside accurate fluency. Overall, I would say this text is moderately complex as it has familiar vocabulary but also introduces new vocabulary; the story also has a requirement for background knowledge about the feeling of being different in society in order to fully understand the complexity of the issue in the book! Teachers can use a small group activity where each student names a difference they are proud of, write it down, and write why they are proud of it. This helps create a sense of confidence and acceptance in social groups, while also practicing reading writing skills. ( Aligned with TN standards 1.FL.WC.4 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words; write legibly.
1.FL.SC.6 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when speaking and conventions of standard English grammar and usage, including capitalization and punctuation, when writing).

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Dewey: There's a Cat in the Library by Vicki Myron and Bret Witter Illustrated by Steve James

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Dewey: There's a Cat in the Library by Vicki Myron and Bret Witter Illustrated by Steve James

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Dewey: There's a Cat in the Library  is a story of a cat who's new home is in a library, and he discovers the library needs him just as much as he needed the library. This book has a 590L Lexile level, with a recommendation of reading age being 5-8 years old. This text is more simple due to its sentence structure, no required background knowledge, and only a few new vocabulary words. I would use this text in a Kindergarten classroom due to its simplicity and age range. The illustrations are also used in a simple manner to help amplify the plot of the story.  Teachers can use this story in large group read alouds, having students point out and practice sight words when they hear or see them. This can help improve reading comprehension, spelling, and word recognition! (Aligned with TN standards
K.FFL.PWR.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when decoding isolated words and in connected text.
K.FFL.PWR.3 C: Read common high-frequency words by sight).

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Norman the Doorman shares a classic story of a mouse who is not just a mouse, but a mouse of many talents. These talents include being a doorman, and being a gifted artists who creates sculptures out of mouse traps. This story has a Lexile level of AD890L, which gives its ideal age range being 3-6, making it a perfect read aloud for Kindergarten. This story can be used in various activities throughout the classroom as it has beautiful illustrations that show depth into Norman's artwork, while also having a story that helps students think about their own creativity. I would say this story is more of a somewhat simple text, as not much background knowledge is required but new vocabulary and not all simple sentences are seen in the story. This story is also simple enough to be used as individual readings in a Kindergarten classroom, which can help students build their reading comprehension skills and fluency skills. Teachers can have students read this book aloud to a partner ( students take turn reading different pages) and then ask the students to draw something they would create out of a mouse trap! This way students could showcase their creativity similarly to how Norman did in the story. This activity helps reading comprehension skills, writing skills, and artistic creation skills! (Aligned with TN standards K.FL.PC.1 Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print
K.FFL.PWR.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when decoding isolated words and in connected text).

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Drawn Together by Minh Le Illustrated by Dan Santat

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Drawn Together by Minh Le Illustrated by Dan Santat

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Drawn Together is a heartwarming story of a grandson and grandfather who lack a common language, but when they sit down to draw, creativity takes over and magic happens. This story has a Lexile level of 310L, with a recommended age range of 5-7. I would use this book in a first grade classroom, specially in a lesson about differences or cultures. The illustrations are also a great attribute to the story as they are unique, beautiful, and give insight into the different cultures and their artwork. Overall, I would say this book is a moderately complex text for first grade due to background knowledge demands about different cultures and artwork, along with new and enriching vocabulary.  This book can be used in small or large group settings, but would be a great use in small groups to deeply admire the artwork in the story. Teachers can use this book in small groups and have students partner up and communicate through drawing, much like the duo in the book. Students can then describe their drawings to other students and list similarities between their art and the stories. (Aligned with TN Standards 1.FL.PWR.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when decoding isolated words and in connected text
1.FL.VA.7c Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple relationships).

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Hair Love by Matthew A Cherry  Illustrated by Vashti Harrison

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Hair Love by Matthew A Cherry  Illustrated by Vashti Harrison

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Hair Love is a heart-warming story of a young girl with "crazy" curly hair and how her father helps her turn her hair into a beautiful style for a very special day, which is the homecoming of her mother. This book has a Lexile level of 480L, and a recommended reading age of 4-8. The beautiful illustrations within the story help amplify and are necessary to the understanding of the underlying plot. This text is moderately complex because of necessary background knowledge on curly hair, somewhat elevated vocabulary while introducing new vocabulary, and detailed illustrations that uncover missing plot details. I would define this book as best for 1st grade, as the text complexity can help students build their reading comprehension skills, fluency skills, vocabulary, and underlying plot; all of which may be too simple for higher grades but too complicated for Kindergarten. Teachers could use this book in small group assignments where students draw and write a sentence about something they love that their parents help them with, and something they love about themselves. This can help create a sense of confidence and nostalgia on memorable moments, while also building the necessary reading and literacy skills listed above. This is a great read that with the right activity can help students think deep about their lives and about the book! ( Aligned with TN Standard 1.FL.PC.1 Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print. a. Recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence, such as first word,

capitalization, and ending punctuation).

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The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson Illustrated by Rafael Lopez

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The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson Illustrated by Rafael Lopez

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The Day You Begin is a powerful story about the emotions children may feel on the first day of school due to their skin color, ethnicity, culture, religion, or any differences children may have. This story has a Lexile level of 980L, being labeled as an ages 5-8 being an appropriate reading age. This book would be a great book to incorporate into a 1st grade classroom, as it is a moderately complex text due to necessary background knowledge on differences in people, new vocabulary, and extensive discussion about differences in each person, along with illustrations that support and amplify the plot of the book. This book can be used in small or large group, but could inspire better conversation in small groups. Teachers could ask students read the book to themselves, then in small groups, write differences that were talked about in the book, and then have students write down what makes them different. Students could then discusses why their differences help make them unique! This can help reading comprehension, fluency, sentence structure in writing, etc. (Aligned with TN reading standards 1.FL.F.5 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
a. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding. 1.FL.WC.4 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words; write legibly).

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The Black Book of Colors by Menena Cottin Illustrated by Rosana Faria

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The Black Book of Colors by Menena Cottin Illustrated by Rosana Faria

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The Black Book of Colors is a beautifully written story about a boy named Thomas, who since he is blind, describes the different way that colors feel, taste, sound, and smell. This book is beautifully illustrated in all black, along with Braille writing, which gives children a chance to view the world from a different perspective. This book has a Lexile level of 520L, with a recommended age range from 5-10 years old. The book would be best served on the higher scale of the age range, possibly in a 3rd grade classroom due to the deeper discussion possibilities. I would say this story is more moderately complex due to its increased descriptors in language and new, enriching vocabulary along with some background knowledge of colors and their association with objects. This story can be used in various literacy activities, but large group would be ideal for group discussion of the book. Teachers can use this book in a large group discussion activity, asking each student to describe colors without using their sense of sight/what the color looks like before reading the story. Students can then compare what they intemperate colors to be described as, and compare them to the story's description of colors after the reading is completed. This book and activity can help with reading comprehension and fluency along with learning new vocabulary. ( Aligned with TN reading standard 3.FL.VA.7c Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and time relationships).

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Under My Hijab by Hena Khan Illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel

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Under My Hijab by Hena Khan Illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel

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Under My Hijab is an insightful story that introduces children to the hijab and why women decide to wear it and what it means to them. The Lexile level of the story is 710L, with a recommended age range of 5-7 years old. I would use this story in a first grade classroom in small or large group activities and discussion. This book is a great book to start the conversation of hijabs and museum culture, in a way children that are unfamiliar to the topic can understand. The illustrations are unique to the story and provide insight and personal experiences into the life of a Muslim, in a colorfully painted way that interests children. I would say this book is moderately complex with necessary background information on religions, extended vocabulary, while also having some simple sentence structure. A small group activity you can use this book for as a teacher is to create a read aloud activity, where each child writes vocabulary words they are familiar with while other children read parts. Each child would have a chance to read and to write vocabulary words. This activity helps improve reading comprehension, vocabulary expansion, and fluency. (Aligned with TN standards 1.FL.PWR.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when decoding isolated words and in connected text. 1.FL.WC.4 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words; write legibly).

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Big Feelings by Alexandra Penfold Illustrated by Suzanna Kaufman

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Big Feelings by Alexandra Penfold Illustrated by Suzanna Kaufman

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Big Feelings is a inspiring story of many different young children who are trying to understand their own feelings and emotions. This story has a Lexile level of 240L, with a recommended age range of 4-8, but I would use this in a Kindergarten classroom. This text is a simple text, with no necessary background knowledge, simple sentences, and some new vocabulary but mostly familiar terms. The content is a great introduction to a Kindergarten student on the importance of feelings, and that having big emotions are normal and we all handle them differently while the text complexity makes it very easy for students to read. The illustrations are beautiful and creative as they help students see visually how some emotions can make children feel, helping them understand their own emotions and the plot. This book would be a great tool for a large group activity. The teacher can read the story to the class, and each child can talk about their biggest emotion and how they handle it, much like the children in the story. This can help with understanding story plots, reading comprehension, and verbal communication. (Aligned with TN Standard K.FFL.PA.2 Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes)).

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The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers 

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The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers 

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The Day the Crayons Quit is a very relatable book for young children, as they will read about the struggle and complaints that a simple crayon can have in a day of its life. This story has a Lexile level of 730L, with a age level of 3-7, making first grade a great age for this story. This text is moderately complex with elevated vocabulary, some background knowledge on certain complaints, and not completely simple sentences. The plot is easy for first grade children to understand and the text complexity makes it perfect for first grade. The illustrations are also very unique and give perspective into a crayons life and hardships. Teachers could use this book in large or small group activities. I would use this book in small groups and have children write and talk about their favorite parts of the story, and which crayon they felt they related to. This can help improve reading, writing, vocabulary, and spelling skills in the classroom, along with reading comprehension over remembering plot in a story. (Aligned with TN Standard 1.FL.WC.4 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words; write legibly).

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I Want My Hat Back is a story full of mischief and twists about a bear who lost his hat, and is trying to find out where it went. This story has a Lexile level of 230L, with a recommended age range of 5-7. The story is a somewhat simple text because of its simple sentence structure, common language, few new vocabulary words, sight words, and illustrations that support certain parts of the text per page. The illustrations are simple but do help contribute to the simplicity of the plot. I would use this book in a Kindergarten classroom, as its text complexity and plot seems perfect for Kindergarten age. Teachers could use this story in a fun group activity by having someone hide a hat, or a typically item acting as a hat, and ask each child to politely go around and use questions with sight words to find out who has the hat. This would be similar to the plot of the story.  This is a fun activity that helps build vocabulary and communication skills, while also building group work skills. (Aligned with TN standard:
K.FFL.PWR.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when decoding isolated words and in connected text).

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Snowmen All Year by Caralyn Buehner Illustrations by Mark Buehner

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Snowmen All Year by Caralyn Buehner Illustrations by Mark Buehner

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Snowmen All Year is a fun story about child who dreams of a snowman who is here to enjoy the entire year's holidays and fun events, not just winter. The Lexile level of this story is 560L, with a recommended age range of 3-7. This story is a somewhat simple text with new vocabulary words, some required background knowledge, and simple sentences in paragraph form. I would use this book in a first grade classroom as a beginner independent reading book for 6-7 year olds. Teachers can use this book in an independent reading activity, where students read the book on their own and then write sight words they recognize and a small summary of their favorite part of the book. This is a great activity to build reading comprehension skills, sight word recognition, fluency, and encoding skills. (Aligned with TN standard:1.FL.WC.4 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words; write legibly).

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My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero Illustrated by Zeke Pena

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My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero Illustrated by Zeke Pena

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My Papi Has a Motorcycle is bright story that celebrates the relationship between a father and daughter, and although life is changing, she knows her father will always be there. This story has a Lexile level of 750L, with a recommended age range of 6-8. This book would be considered more moderately complex as it contains new vocabulary, different paragraph formations such as thought bubbles, and various aspects of required cultural knowledge. I would recommend this book be used in a second grade classroom, or late first grade. Teachers can use this book in a small group activity, where they talk in a think-pair-share about similarities between their parents and Daisy's father. This can help improve 2nd grade reading comprehension, verbal communication, and decoding skills. It is also a great book to give insight to different cultures across the globe. (Aligned with TN standard:2.FL.PWR.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when decoding isolated words and in connected text).