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Author/Illustrator: Allen Say
Lexile: 560L
Grade level: 1-2
Page count: 64
Genre: Nonfiction/Informational
Rating: 5/5
Allen Say tells of his life story as a graphic novelist during WWII. He tells of how he was rejected by his father and apprenticed under Japan's leading cartoonist, Noro Shinpei.  He discusses the horrors of the war and how it pushed him to attempt to understand who he really was.  He spent his days working hard as a artist and practicing his craft. Much of the story outlines the relationship between Say and his mentor and his experiences that occur on his path to finding himself.

I rated this book a 5/5 due to its incredible illustrations, which switch between cartoon drawings and real photographs.  This variety of pictures is what makes the story come to life.  Along with this, Sey's description of his life and experiences allow the reader gain a greater understanding of what life was like during the midst of WWII.

I would use this book in my classroom to teach about not only WWII, but also about autobiographies. This would allow me to incorporate this book into both an English and a Social Studies unit. Teaching students about the different types of literature is important to their overall understanding of literature as a whole, therefore I would use this book as an example of an autobiography.  I would also use this book in Social Studies to study what it was like to live in Japan during this time.

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Electric Ben: The Amazing Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin

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Electric Ben: The Amazing Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin

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Author/Illustrated: Robert Byrd
Lexile: NC1050L
Grade level: 6-8
Page count: 40
Genre: Nonfiction/Informational
Rating: 4/5
This book outlines the life and accomplishments of Benjamin Franklin in chronological order, accompanied with detailed illustrations. Each page represents a different time in Franklin's life. Each page creates an idea of how his personality was, along with the many different sides of him.  These include scientist, inventor, writer, publisher, and philosopher. The illustrations also depict Franklin's experiences throughout his life.

I rated this book a 4/5 because it did an incredible job of capturing Franklin's personality and describing his life experience;s in detail.  The illustrations also convey a great attention to detail and allow the reader to accurately visualize Franklin's life. The only problem I had with this book was that there was so much information crammed on each page, that it was difficult to comprehend all of it.  It was easy to miss important details in the text because there was so much information on each page.

I would implement this book into my classroom when teaching a social studies lesson on Benjamin Franklin.  This book is both accurate and informative regarding every aspect of Franklin and his life experiences, therefore, it would be beneficial to include in the classroom. I would make sure to teach students ahead of time how to pick out the main points in a text, given that there is an excess amount of information on each page in this book.

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Author and Illustrator: Shel Silverstein
Lexile: NP
Grade level: 3-5
Page count: 176
Genre: Poetry Collection
Rating: 5/5
In the attic of Shel Silverstein you will find quirky characters and crazy stories about all sorts of different creatures.  This collection of poems tells the stories of Gooloo birds, Cloony the Clown, Ticklish Tom, and endless other silly characters.

I rated this a 5/5 because it is so fun and silly for children to read.  It evokes the reader's imagination and allows children to see that not all poetry has to be serious or sad; which is a common misconception. I grew up with this book and always loved reading these wacky poems as a child, as do my younger siblings today.  These poems are engaging and humorous for children.

I would use this book in a poetry unit in the classroom.  There are enough poems in this book that each students in the class could read their own poem and then explain it to the class.  Many of these poems include underlying themes and morals, so I would also have students identify these when reading these fun poems. Along with this, this would be an ideal book to use for teaching students about the difference between adjectives, nouns, and verbs.  Each of these is prominent in each poem and could be easily identified by children.

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Author: John Updike
Illustrator: Trina Schart Hyman
Lexile: NP
Grade level: 1-2
Page count: 36
Genre: Poetry Collection
Rating: 5/5
This book is a collection of poems that describe a child'd life throughout each of the 12 months.  The poems describe, in detail, each season and the emotions that go along with this time.  The illustrations also depict a diverse New England town.

I rated this book a 5/5 due to its detailed illustrations and creative poems that directly relate to children.  Every child has experience each of the seasons and has special memories and emotions that go with each month, much like this poem describes.  I found each of the poems to be engaging and the illustrations to go along with each poem made the book as whole interesting and extremely detailed.

I would use this book as an introduction to poetry for my students. After we had read the book thoroughly together as a class, I would have the students write their own poems to describe their experiences in each month. Not all children like to read or write poetry, but this book makes doing so relatable and easier for the children to master and find inspiration from.

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Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
Lexile: 950L
Grade level: 6-8
Page count: 272
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 5/5
This book takes place in 1936 in Flint, Michigan. Bud Caldwell is a ten year old orphan on the run. He was living with his third foster family, the Armoses, but their son bullies him, which is what pushes Bud to run away. He is in search for a better life and the only things he carries with him are mementos of his late mother, including a poster for a jazz band called the Dusky Devastators of the Depression. Bud thinks that the bands leader, Herman E. Calloway, may be his father.  He decides to search for him to find out for sure. Bud and another orphaned boy, Bugs, decide to go to Hooverville on a train to look for jobs out west.  However, Bud misses the train and has to return to Flint again. When he finally reaches Grand Rapids, he meets his father in the band, but he rejects him immediately. But, the rest of the band members are kind to him and he eventually discovers that Calloway is his grandfather.  In the end, his grandfather and the other members take him in and give him a home to live in.

I rated this book a 5/5 because it gave the reader a clear picture of how difficult life was during the Great Depression.  This is a dark time that is not taught to great extent in schools, and this book provides teachers with a way to teach about the struggles of this time, and being an orphan through the use of this book.  Along with this, Bud speaks and thinks accurate to what a ten year old would, making him a relatable character.  The book also included humor, which made it more enjoyable to read.

I would implement this book into my classroom to teach about the Great Depression. I would incoporate this into a social studies lesson, as well to teach about this subject.  This book could also be used to book clubs because it would be easy for students to hold a discussion about this book.

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Author/Illustrator: Ludwig Bemelmans
Lexile: 330L
Grade level: 1-2
Page count: 44
Genre: Classic/Rhyming
Rating: 4/5
Madeline is the tiniest girl of twelve little girls who live in a old house in Paris together. They have the same routine each day; all perfectly in order. That is, until one day Madeline has to have her appendix removed. Her hospital room is filled with flowers, candy, and toys when the other eleven girls come to visit her. They are thrilled to play with the toys and spend the day with Madeline.  When they all go back home they all claim that they want to have their appendix removed too.
I rated this book a 4/5 due to its incorporation of various illustrations of actual famous places in Paris.  Children can gain insight about this foreign place through the illustrations included throughout this book. Also, the entire story rhymes which makes the story engaging and fun to read.
I would use this book in the classroom to teach students about rhyming words.  Students can look at the last word in each sentence and find the word that it rhymes with. I would also show students real pictures of the places illustrated in this book, such as the Eiffel Tower. This book could also be incorporated into a social studies unit to teach about Paris.

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Author/Illustrator: Lane Smith
Lexile: AD360L
Grade level: Pre-K/K
Page count: 32
Genre: Realistic fiction
Rating: 5/5
Grandpa was born a very long time ago on a farm.  He grew up and after high school had to serve in the War. When the war was over, he married Grandma. They had lots of grandchildren, but he started to forget things.  Now, he carves memories into his garden bushes to help him remember his past.

I rated this book a 5/5 because of its incredible illustrations and storyline.  I liked that the story incorporated realistic illustrations of the garden, along with line drawings of the characters.  The contrast made the garden really stand out, which added to its importance in the story.

When using this book in the classroom, I would ask students to interview someone elderly that they know.  This could be a grandparent, relative, or family friend.  I would have the students create a timeline of their life, much like this book does.  This will allow students learn how to conduct an interview and look at how different time was in years before our own.

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Author/Illustrator: David Pelletier
Lexile: NP
Grade level: Pre-K/K
Page count: 32
Genre: Alphabet book/Picture book
Rating: 4/5
This book strays away from traditional alphabet books by using graphic art to illustrate each letter.  The form of the letter remains the same, but also portrays the word that is associated with.
I rated this book a 4/5 because I appreciated the creativity implemented into this book through the use of graphic art.  This type of art is not typically found in books, much less in children's literature in an alphabet book.  The only aspect of the book that I did not like was that the majority of the colors used were very dark.  In my experience, I have found that children generally respond best to bright colors, otherwise they are not always as engaged.
I would use this book in the classroom to teach my students the alphabet. This book could also be used to teach students about different forms of art. Not all children may be familiar with graphic art, so this book would introduce them to this new type of art.

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Author/Illustrator: Kevin Henkes
Lexile: 360L
Grade level: 1
Page count: 28
Genre: Comedy and Humor
Rating: 4/5
Kitten sees a full moon for the first time and thinks that it is a little bowl of milk in the sky.  She wants to reach this bowl of milk. First, she tries to lick it, but only ends up with a bug in her mouth. Then, she tries to jump to it, but only ends up falling down. She tries to chase it, but it only seems to get farther away. Kitten tries to climb a tree to reach it, but only ends up stuck and afraid. She sees the reflection of the moon in a lake and tries to jump on it, but ends up soaking wet. In the end, she goes back home and finds a real bowl of milk waiting on her porch.

I rated this book a 4/5 because of its silly storyline. Children will be thoroughly engaged in this book due to its silly story about a confused kitten. The only aspect of this book that I did not like was that all of the illustrations are in black and white. In my opinion, colored illustrations would have added to the overall story and made it more interesting for children.

I would use this book in the classroom to teach students about verbs. This books is full of a wide variety of different verbs, so it would be ideal in teaching students how to identify these in a text.

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Author/Illustrator: Dr. Seuss
Lexile: 500L
Grade level: 1-2
Page count: 48
Genre: Comedy and Humor
Rating: 5/5
The King of Didd is very angry one day and is yelling at the sky.  He is sick of the sky only doing four things: snow, fog, sunshine, and fog.  He claims that he is going to call on his royal magicians to create something new to fall from the sky.  His page boy, Bartholomew Cubbins, thinks that this is a dangerous idea. But, the King does not listen and the royal magicians create oobleck.  Oobleck is a gooey, sticky, green substance that falls from the sky and makes everything stick together.  Bartholomew runs across town trying to get someone to warn the townsfolk of this mess, but everyone is stuck to something and cannot.  Finally, he finds the King stuck to his throne and tells him to say sorry.  The King at first refuses, but finally apologizes and admits that this was all his fault, and the oobleck immediately stops falling and melts from the town.

I rated this book a 5/5 because of its humorous approach to teaching children the importance of apologizing and admitting when they make a mistake. I also liked the chants and rhyming that were incorporated into the story, making it fun and silly for children to read or listen to.

I would use this book in my classroom to teach students how to pick out the theme or moral of the story. Once the students comprehended that this book was about the importance of apologizing and admitting when you make a mistake, I would hold a discussion with them as to why this is so important. This is an important concept for children to learn and this book provides an opportunity for them to do so.  This book could also be used to teach students about rhyming.

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Author: Matt De La Pena
Illustrator: Christian Robinson
Lexile: AD610L
Grade level: Pre-K/K
Page count: 32
Genre: Children's Literature/Picture book
Rating: 5/5
CJ and his grandma are walking together after church on a rainy Sunday. They always ride the bus across town together. CJ wonders why they do not have a car, or an Ipod, or why they cannot get off at a nice part in town.  But, each of his questions are met with a positive response from his grandma.  She sees the world in a positive way that CJ does not see right away.  Once they reach the last stop on Market Street, they reach a homeless shelter where they serve food to the poor.

I rated this book a 5/5 because of its clear message to the reader about what is truly important in life.  Children sometimes find it difficult to see past what they want and do not have, when they should really focus on is the positives in life.  The dialogue was written in such a way that this age and culture would actually speak in, which makes it more realistic and relatable for the reader. This book opens children's eyes to social issues such as poverty and blindness, as well.

I would implement this book into my classroom to open up a discussion with children about issues such as poverty.  This book gives clear insight on this topic, so children will be able to better understand this topic. This book also shows different cultures, which not all students may be familiar with, so I would discuss with students how, though people may appear different on the outside, they are exactly the same as us on the inside.

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Author/Illustrator: Vera B. Williams
Lexile: 640L
Grade level: 1-2
Page count: 32
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Rating: 5/5
A young girl lives with her mother and grandmother in a small basement of an apartment. They had to move here because their old home burned down. Now, her mom works as a waitress and each day they put their change into a big jar.  They are working to save up enough money to buy a big, comfy chair.  All of their other furniture burned in the fire, so they would like a new chair to relax and cuddle in. They eventually save up enough money and use it to buy the chair of their dreams.

I rated this book a 5/5 due to its incorporation of difficult-to-discuss topics and illustrations that are engaging and colorful.  This book discusses the tragedy of a fire, and how horrible it was for this family to loose all of their possessions.  Children will gain empathy through reading about this families situation, and it will give teachers a way to open a discussion about a topic such as this.  Along with this, it shows a diverse family of a single mom, grandma, and daughter.  Children who do not have a typical family situation will be able to relate to this diversity.

I would use this book in the classroom to discuss diversity among families, like I mentioned in the rating above. I think that it is important for students to understand that not all families are the same, and not every child has two parents together and siblings.  This will help the students to gain empathy and understanding of the world around them.  This will also put into perspective what really matters in life for students.  Many students at this age struggle to see past the everyday problems they face.  Therefore, reading a book that shows them the importance of family over all puts into perspective what truly matters in life. I would hold a discussion about these topics with students so that they can relate this book to their own life and experiences.

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Author/Illustrator: Brian Floca
Lexile: 840L
Grade level: 3-5
Page count: 64
Genre: Informational
Rating: 4/5
This nonfiction book informs readers about the history of the first locomotive and transcontinental railroad. It tells of the people who built it, the engine of the locomotive, the countries it traveled to, and the history of locomotives and railways.

I rated this book a 4/5 due to its use of figurative language and rhyming to make the information presented in this book easier for readers to comprehend. I also liked that many phrases were written in bold or colored words to make them stand out, which also aids in helping children remember those particular words or phrases.  The only problem I found with this book was that there was such a large quantity of information on each page that students may loose interest, or find it difficult to comprehend so many facts at once.  However, if the student was doing a research project on locomotives, this quantity of information would actually be helpful.

I would use this book in the classroom to teach students about locomotives and the history of railroads. I would implement this book into a transportation unit. Given that this book is nonfiction and included a variety of facts about this subject, I would recommend that students use this book when researching this topic, as well.

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Author/Illustrator: Lauren Cactillo
Lexile: AD360L
Grade level: Pre-K/K
Page count: 40
Genre: Realistic fiction/ Picture book
Rating: 5/5
A young boy goes to visit his Nana in the big city.  But he is scared of the loud, busy city and does not think that it is a safe place for his Nana to live.  However, his Nana says that the city is not actually scary, but extraordinary.  The next day she gives him a red cape to keep him safe in the city.  His Nane shows him all the wonderful things in the city, and he decides that it is actually the perfect place for her to live.

I rated this book a 5/5 because of the how easy it would be for children to relate too, and its exquisite illustrations. The book utilizes both neutral and bright colors to show the contrast between what is scary for the boy and what is exciting. I also noted that many children can relate to visit their grandma, or another relative, so this book would be easy for children to relate back to their own experiences, making it even more engaging.

I would use this book in the classroom to teach students about setting, and different types of living environments. Some students may not be familiar with a big city, so this book would give them insight as to how different it would be to live there.  I would have students compare and contrast their own home and life to the one described in the book. This book would be perfect for introducing students to setting, given that it is a central focus of the story.

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Author/Illustrator: Simms Taback
Lexile: BR
Grade level: Pre-K/K
Page count: 35
Genre: Picture book/ Comedy
Rating: 5/5
Joseph has a little overcoat, but it is very old and worn. He then turns it into a jacket.  From here on, he keeps turning his old coat into smaller pieces of clothing until it is just a small button.  But, Joseph looses the button and had nothing left at all.  So, he writes a book about it to show that you can always make something out of nothing.

I rated this book a 5/5 because of its unique use of holes in the book to show how Joseph made the worn out overcoat smaller and smaller.  I thought the story, as a whole, was silly and fun for children reading it.  Also, the illustrations were fun and colorful to keep the readers attention throughout the story. I found every aspect of this book to be interesting and well-written.

I would use this book in my classroom to teach a life lesson to the students.  The book directly states "you can always make something out of nothing." I would have students think of other instances in which they can make something out of what appears to be nothing.  This book shows how to make a negative situation turn positive, which is as important concept for students to learn at an early age. I would also have my students make their own "overcoat" out of craft materials and then show how they can cut it up to make each of the smaller pieces of clothing.  This would make the text interactive and hands on for the students, which would increase overall engagement.

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Author: Susan Marie Swanson
Illustrator: Beth Krommes
Lexile: 60L
Grade level: Pre-K/K
Page count: 40
Genre: Picture book/ Bedtime story
Rating: 4/5
A child is given the key to house which is full of light.  The child enters the house and explores all of the different lights.  From a light next to the bed, to the glow of the moon. The child sees that, though the night is very dark, the inside of the house is full of light.

I rated this book 4/5 I liked that the illustrations were black and white, yet colored all of the light gold. It added extra emphasis on the overall focus of light in the story. I also liked that this bedtime story focused on light in order to make children feel comfortable in their home and see that it is a safe place to be, despite the darkness of the night. The only aspect of the story that I did not like was that the storyline was told in a circle, meaning that it started and ended the same way. I would have preferred there be a clear beginning, middle, and end, because this often makes it easier for children this young to follow.

I would use this book in my classroom to read before naptime.  Given that this is a bedtime story geared towards preschool level children, this would be a perfect book to read before putting them to sleep.  Along with this, I would have students practice making lists by having them make lists of all the things that give off light in their own home.

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Author: Minfong Ho
Illustrator: Holly Meade
Lexile: AD600L
Grade level: Pre-K/K
Genre: Bedtime stories/ Picture book
Page count: 35
Rating: 5/5
This is a Thai lullaby of a mother who is trying to put her baby boy to sleep. She tells all the animals of around to be quiet so that her baby can sleep.  She tells this to a mosquito, cat, mouse, frog, pig, duck,  monkey, buffalo, and elephant.  But, by the time she gets all of the animals to quiet down so that her baby can sleep, he has already woken up.

I rated this book a 5/5 because of the multicultural aspect of it, along with the illustrations that appear to be textured.  It is difficult to find books that give children insight to the lifestyle of other cultures, and this book does an incredible job of this.  It shows where and how individuals of the Thai culture live.  I also found the wide variety of animals included to be engaging for students, as well.

I would use this book in the classroom to teach students about the diversity of different cultures.  Many students may not have even ever heard of the Thai culture, so this book could give them great insight.  I would have students identify what is different about this culture than their own.  For example, the baby sleeps in a hammock, the family owns a rice barn, and the mother's way of dress in traditional to their culture.  This book does a great job of accurately portraying this culture and I would absolutely use this book in the classroom to explain different cultures.

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Author/Illustrator: Molly Bang
Lexile: NP
Grade level: Pre-K/K
Page count: 24
Genre: Counting/ Bedtime stories
Rating: 4/5
This is the story of a little girl getting ready to go to bed.  She counts all of the things around her starting at ten, all the way down to one.

I rated this book a 4/5 because I liked the illustrations and the objects that were included in the counting.  However, I felt that this book was somewhat limited in what you could do with it in the classroom, which is why I did not rate it a 5/5.

I would use this book in a Pre-K classroom specifically if the students still had naptime. This book is a bedtime story and would be perfect to read to children before they go to sleep at naptime. I would definitely use this when working at my daycare before we put the children to bed. This book could also be used when beginning to teach students how to count, given that this is the central purpose of the story.

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Author/Illustrator: Mo Willems
Lexile: AD690L
Grade level: Pre-K/K
Page count: 35
Genre: Picture book
Rating: 5/5
Trixie is in Pre-K and cannot wait to show off her new Knuffle Bunny to all of her friends at school.  But, when she gets to school she realizes that another girl in class, Sonja, had the exact same Knuffle Bunny. The two girls fought until both of their bunnies were taken away by the teacher.  At the end of the school day, their teacher gave each girl their bunnies back.  But, it was not until 2:30 in the morning that Trixie realized that the bunny she had was not hers.  She woke up her parents and explained the predicament.  Sonja's dad called saying that there had been a mix-up and they had Trixie's Knuffle Bunny. Both girls and their dads walked across town in the middle of the night to exchange the bunnies. After this, the two girls became best friends.

I rated this book a 5/5 not only because of the relatable plot, but also the fantastic illustrations.  Each illustration has a real-life picture with cartoons drawn on it.  I have never seen this before in a children's book, so I was very impressed by the creativity, and I see children being very intrigued by these illustrations, as well.

I would use this book in my classroom to teach students about friendship.  I would use the book to explain that sometimes we can make new friends at the most unexpected times. I would also discuss with students how the pictures in the book are different from other stories they have read, and how Trixie's city and school are different than their own. The book takes place in a big city, which some children may have never experienced before.

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Author/Illustrator: Eric Rohmann
Lexile: BR
Grade level: Pre-K/K
Page count: 35
Genre: Picture book
Rating: 5/5
Rabbit and Mouse are best friends.  But, wherever Rabbit goes, trouble always seems to follow. He gets Mouse's toy airplane stuck in a tree and comes up with a grand plan to get it down.  Rabbit gathers all of the other animals in the area and stacks them on top of one another.  However, the plan is still out of reach. So, Rabbit climbs to the top of the pile of animals and holds out a squirrel and Mouse to grab the plane. But, then all of the animals come toppling down. The rest of the animals are not very happy with Rabbit, but Mouse still lets him play with his toy airplane because he is a good friend.

I rated this book a 5/5 because, though it did not include many words, the pictures were so detailed that they told the story themselves. In this age group, illustrations are crucial to consider when picking out books that children will enjoy reading.  With children this young, they will not remain interested in a book that does not have engaging illustrations.  This book, however has great illustrations and is also relatable to children.  Most children are used to playing and having silly things happen because of it, or enjoying time with their friends.

I would use this book in the classroom to lead a discussion about friendship.  This book outlines that it is important to look past your friends flaws and accept them for their mistakes. I would also discuss with students how not all books need words to tell a story.  I would go through each page of the book and have students say what words they think would fit on that page if the author had chosen to include words on it.

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Author/Illustrator: Peter McCarty
Lexile: AD180L
Grade level: Pre-K/K
Page count: 35
Genre: Children's Literature/Picture book
Rating: 5/5
Hondo and Fabian are a dog and a cat who live together in the same house.  They both start their day sleeping in their favorite places.  Hondo wakes up to go on an adventure, while Fabian stays at home. Hondo spends his day playing at the beach with his friend and Fabian has fun playing with Baby at home.  At the end of the day, they eat their food side by side and fall asleep in their favorite spots again.

I rated this book a 5/5 because of its unique illustrations and easy to follow storyline.  I think that this story would be perfect for preschool students who have very short attention spans.  I work at a daycare and I often struggle to find books that the students will sit through the entire story as I read it to them.  This book is simple and short enough that these students would be able to listen to the entire story, while also having great illustrations to look at.

I would use this book in a preschool or kindergarten classroom to teach the students about following a storyline.  The beginning, middle, and end are easily identifiable in this book, so I would have the students look for these and draw them on a timeline.

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Author/Illustrator: Ian Falconer
Lexile: AD270L
Grade level: Pre-K/K
Page count: 35
Genre: Children's Literature/Fantasy Fiction
Rating: 5/5
Olivia is a quirky pig who has tons of energy.  She spends her days going to museums, taking trips to the beach, and reading books with her mom.  She sometimes has too much energy for her mom to keep up with.  Her wild imagination and big dreams make life fun and full of energy.

I rated this book a 5/5 because it has engaging illustrations and an overall message that children can benefit from learning.  It teaches children to be themselves and find a way to make every situation fun. I also liked that each page had multiple illustrations so that children had various pictures to look at while the teacher is reading.

I would use this book in my classroom to teach students that being unique is a good thing.  I would ask students to identify what makes Olivia unique, and then compare it to what makes them unique. This book can also be used as a starting book to teaching students about theme, though at this age this may be a difficult concept to teach all students.

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Author: Barbara Cooney
Lexile: 680L
Grade level: Read aloud 1-2
Page count: 35
Genre: Classic
Rating: 5/5
Alice is a little girl who wants to do three things in life: live by the sea, go to faraway places, and most importantly, make the world a more beautiful place. Her grandfather tells her of his travels and she wants nothing more than to live just like him. Her grandfather tells her that the one thing she must do in life is make it a more beautiful place. Alice goes up and people begin to call her Miss Rumphius.  She travels the world and eventually ends up living in a small house overlooking the sea.  However, she gets sick and has back pain, which makes the winter long and hard for her. After the winter, she realizes that her lupines have survived the winter, so she decides to plant hundred of seeds across the land so that lupines will grow everywhere.  This is how she makes the world a more beautiful place.  The narrator, who is a young girl, states that she wants to travel the world just like her Great-aunt Alice.  Miss Rumphius tells her that she too, must make the world a better place.

I rated this book a 5/5 because I appreciate the overall life lesson that is conveyed through the story.  The illustrations are also very beautiful, which adds to the story.  The story is also easy to follow and interesting to the reader.  I would definitely use this book as a read aloud in my classroom.

I would implement this book into my classroom to teach students about setting. There are multiple settings conveyed throughout the story and they are all illustrated exceptionally. I would have the students identify the different themes and write about each one using adjectives. This will work on both their decoding and writing skills. This book could also be used to teach a life lesson to students. This book teaches us that we should all try to make the world a more beautiful place, because it is what we leave behind that really counts. I would then have students brainstorm ideas as to how they could make the world a better place, then complete one of these tasks in their everyday life.

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Author: Charles Perrault
Illustrator: Marcia Brown
Lexile: 1000L
Grade level: 6
Page count: 35
Genre: Fairy Tale
Rating: 4/5
A girl named Cinderella lives with her dad and stepmom, and her two daughters. Her stepsisters are jealous of her beauty and pureness, so they force Cinderella to do awful chores all day. The prince of the town holds a ball, but the stepsisters prevent Cinderella from going. Cinderella is crying when her godmother appears and makes her a beautiful gown. She also turns a pumpkin into a carriage, allowing Cinderella to go to the prince's ball. The prince sees her and immediately falls in love with her. They dance all night together.  On the second night of the ball, Cinderella stays past midnight and she looses her glass slipper. The prince goes to every woman in town to try on the glass slipper, and finally finds that it fits Cinderella.  The get married and live happily every after.

I rated this book a 4/5 because it is a classic that all children are familiar with, and the overall story is engaging and fun to read. It uses complex language that will challenge six grade readers. The only problem I had with this book is that it has been told and retold so many times in so many different ways, that it is starting to become less interesting for children to read.

I would use this book in my classroom to compare this version of the story to the original.  I think that children will be shocked to compare the two stories and read how different the original actually was.  For example, in the original, the stepmom cuts off her daughters toes in order to try to get the glass slipper to fit.  I would not use this book on its own in my classroom, simply because it has become predictable for children because they have heard the story so many times.  However, I would use this book to compare to other versions.

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Author: Berta and Elmer Hader
Lexile: AD710L
Grade level: Pre-k/K
Page count: 35
Genre: Informational
Rating: 5/5
This book describes all of the animals of the forest and how they are preparing for winter. All of the woodland animals have their own special ways of getting ready for the cold days to come.  The geese fly south, the chipmunks get ready for hibernation, and the squirrels store nuts under logs. The groundhog predicted six more weeks of winter and he was right, the animals had a very long, cold winter.

I really enjoyed this books attention to detail when both describing and illustrating all of the animals of the forest.  This book informs students about the winter preparation habits of many different creatures.  Not only this, but the illustrations accompanying the text are extremely well-detailed and accurate to nature.

I would use this book in my classroom to teach students about different types of woodland animals and how they prepare for winter. Given that this is an informational text, students are able to learn direct facts from this book. It could also be incorporated into a science class when teaching about the environment or different animal species. I believe that books that can be implemented into different subjects are the most beneficial to include in the classroom.

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Author: Ezra Jack Keats
Lexile: AD410L
Grade level: Pre-k/k
Page count: 35
Genre: Picture book
Rating: 5/5
Peter wishes more than anything that he could whistle. He is playing outside and sees a boy whistling for his dog.  He sees his dog, Willie, and tries to whistle for him to come, but he cannot. He returns home and puts on his father's hat to try to grow older so that he will then be able to whistle. After a long day of trying, Peter finally is able to whistle and Willie comes running when he does. His parents are proud of him for teaching himself to whistle.

I rated this book a 5/5 due to its incredible illustrations and diversity. The main character of the book is an African American boy, which is not common in children's books. I believe that showing multicultural children in books is important. The illustrations also appear to be created in the form of a collage, which greatly adds to the overall engagement of the book.

I would use this book in my classroom to teach students about diversity. Specifically in schools that do not have a lot of racial diversity, many students are not exposed to this and know little of other heritages. I find teaching students about other cultures to be crucial to their overall understanding of the world, so I would use this book to introduce them to a new culture. I would also do a picture walk with this book so that students can thoroughly look at the pictures and practice making predicitions and inferences.

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Author: Eleanor Estes
Lexile: 990L
Grade level: 6-7
Page count: 306
Genre: Comedy/Humor/ Classic
Rating: 5/5
This book takes place in Connecticut in 1919 and is about a puppy named Ginger Pye.  Jerry and Rachel Pye ask their mother is they can get a new puppy from a nearby farm for one dollar.  Their mother says yes, if they can make the money themselves.  Jerry and Rachel try to think up a plan to earn the money, until one day a boy named Sam Doody offers them a dollar to dust church pews.  Once they have earned their dollar, they immediately go buy their new puppy.  They are so caught up in this new puppy that several days go by before they realize they still need to name him.  Their mother decides on the name Ginger.  He is the smartest dog in the entire neighborhood, and quickly becomes well-liked by all the neighbors.  That is, until one day Ginger is stolen. Jerry and Rachel continuously search for him but are unable to find their lost puppy.  He was lost for many long months until he finally returned back home, as a full grown dog.  The family uncovers the secret that Wally Bullwinkle, the neighborhood bully had stolen their puppy, and he had been just down the road this entire time.  The children are overjoyed to have their long-lost dog back together with them.

I rated this book a 5/5 because the book was written in a humorous way that the reader can remained interested in throughout the story. I also enjoyed that a puppy was the central component of the story because this is something that many children can relate to or would at least find interesting to read about.  Overall, this book was extremely well-written in terms of language and dialogue and one that I would definitely recommend reading.

I would use this book in my classroom to teach students about plot. The plot is evident and somewhat drawn out in this book, so students would clearly be able to identify the rising and falling action and the climax. I would also use this book for book clubs because it is one that students can read on their own and discuss with one another.

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Author: Emily Arnold McCully
Lexile: 580L
Grade level: 2
Page Count: 35
Genre: Picture book/historical fiction
Rating: 5/5
Mirette is a curious girl who loves to hear stories of wild adventures. She meets an incredible man named Bellini, who is famous for walking across high wires in the sky. One day, she finally gets up the courage to ask him to teach her.  At first her refuses, so Mirette practices every day until she is successful enough to show him.  He realizes that she has what it takes to be great at wire walking, so he agrees to teach her. Mirette hears stories from the townsfolk about the great Bellini and all of his accomplishments.  When she asks why he never told her, he admits that he is fearful of the wire.  In the end, he walks across a wire over the town, but becomes afraid so Mirette walks on the other end of the wire to meet him in the middle.

I rated this book a 5/5 because I found the theme to be beneficial to teach children and the illustrations greatly added to the story as a whole. This book teaches children to follow their dreams, no matter how difficult them may seem.  It also holds the truth that we should not let what we fear hold us back. The books also takes place in Paris nearly a hundred years ago, which is not common in books, therefore children could benefit from this diversity in setting, as well.

I would use this book in the classroom to teach about the overall theme that I discussed above. This book is based off a man named Blondin, who was an real-life famous wire-walker one hundred years ago in Paris. This man actually walked across Niagra Falls on a wire. I would have my students research this man, then create a chart or Venn Diagram to compare the real man to the man described in the book.

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Author: Arnold Lobel
Lexile: 400L
Grade Level: 1
Page Count: 64
Genre: Short Story Collection
Rating: 4/5
This book is a collection of short stories about the two best friend, Frog and Toad. In the first chapter, Frog goes to Toad's house to wake him up from hibernation. Toad wants to sleep until May and refuses to wake up so Frog switches the calendar to trick him into waking up. The second chapter takes place in Summer when Frog is not feeling well. Toad tries to come up with a story to put Frog to sleep, but he takes so long that Frog is already feeling better and Toad is the one who is sick. The third chapter is about the two friends going on a long walk and Toad looses his button. Frog is trying to help Toad find the lost button, but they find every button except his. They eventually find his button in Toad's house. Toad feels bad so sews his button onto a jacket and gives it to Frog as a gift. The next chapter consists of the friends going swimming.  Toad feels embarrassed for his silly swim suit, and refuses to get out of the water. His friends then laugh at him for his suit and he goes home. The last chapter is about Toad being sad that he never receives mail.  Frog writes a letter to make his friend happy.

I rated this book a 4/5 because the language and stories were appropriate for the grade level.  I liked that most of the stories had a moral, however the last story was predictable and not very interesting.  However, I think that this would be a very good book to help struggling readers practice their reading and comprehension skills.

I would use this book as a way to allow students to practice their reading skills. This book is grade appropriate and the language used is relatively simple to understand, therefore this would be a good book to use with struggling readers. The font is also large and spaced apart well, which is important in books for this age level.

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Author: Tomie de Paola
Lexile: AD880L
Grade Level: 1-2
Page Count: 32
Genre: Folktale
Rating: 5/5
Strega Nona is a magic witch who cures headaches, made love potions and got rid of warts. She helped the townsfolk with many troubles they had. One day, Big Anthony goes to visit Strega Nona and she makes him a deal. If he cleans her house and garden, she will give him a place to sleep and pay him. Her only rule is that he must not touch the magic pasta pot. When he tells the town of this magic pot, they laugh at him. So, to prove them wrong, when Strega Nona is away, he uses the magic pasta pot to feed the entire town. However, he does not realize that he needs to blow three kisses at the end of the chant in order to get the pasta to stop flowing. The pasta would have covered the entire town had Strega Nona not returned and stopped it. As punishment for his actions, Strega Nona makes Big Anthony eat all of the pasta. He definitely learns his lesson after this.

I rated this book a 5/5 because there is a clear life lesson taught through this story, and the accompanying pictures are plentiful and detailed.  The reader is able to clearly see the full sequence of the story through the numerous pictures on each page.  Along with this, this book teachers children a valuable lesson about honestly and integrity.

I would use this book in my classroom to teach my students about theme. There is a clear theme that can be tied to this book, and teaching students how to pick this out can be done with this story. I would also have a discussion with my students about honesty, and how being untruthful can negatively affect us, just like it did for Big Anthony. This book could also be used when teaching students about cause and effect.

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Author: Clare Turlay Newberry
Lexile: Could not find- but the grade level on every site I looked at was listed as K-2
Grade level: 1-2
Page count: 35
Genre: Classics/Childen's Literature
Rating: 3/5
April lives with her parents and her cat, Sheba, in a small apartment. Her dad is extremely strict about their home only allowing one cat. However, Sheba gives birth to three kittens. April is immediately attached to these kittens, but Brenda is by far her favorite. Her parents decide that she can keep one kitten, but only if she gives Sheba away.  Otherwise, she must give all of the kittens away. April watches two of the kitten be taken away.  Then, she is left to decide between Brenda and Sheba. One night, her mom walks in on her crying and together they convince April's father to move into a bigger apartment so that she can keep both the kitten and the cat. In the end, the whole family ends up happy with the two pets.

I rated this book a 3/5 because I liked the overall story, however it seemed somewhat unbelievable. In this situation, most children's parents would not decide to move into a whole new home just to keep a kitten. Though many children can relate to having pets, the story relatively predictable, and this may lead children to believe that if they simply cry, then they will automatically get their way. Other than this aspect of the book, the language used was appropriate and added to the story and the illustrations were interesting.

I do not foresee myself using this book in my classroom in the future. As I stated above, I found the plot to be unrelatable to children. However, I could potentially use this book to teach students about setting and characterization. The story elements are very clear in this book, so if I did choose to use this book, I would do so to teach students about this.

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Author: Verna Aardema
Illustrator: Leo and Diane Dillon
Lexile: 770L
Grade level: Read aloud for grades 1-2
Page count: 32
Genre: Folk tale/picture book
Rating: 5/5
This book starts with a mosquito annoying the iguana with his fibs, which leads to a series of events that lead to an unfortunate result.  It describes a West African folk tale about how the mosquito developed its annoying habits. The overall moral of the story is to not tell lies, because other people will be negatively affected by them.

I rated this book a 5/5 primarily due to the illustrations.  They remind me of stained window glass, which is exquisite.  Children will be engaged while hearing this story due to the detailed illustrations which are drawn in such a way that they will not be used to seeing. I also like the overall moral of the story.  I think that folk tales are interesting to children and can also be equally beneficial to their learning.

I would use this book in the classroom to teach students about cause and effect. The entire book describes a series of cause and effect, which the students can clearly follow throughout the course of the story. Students could make a chart showing how the mosquito telling a lie lead to the rest of the negative events in the book. I would then discuss with the students how this cause and effect reflects the moral of the story.

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Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky

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Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky

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Author: Faith Ringgold
Lexile: AD760
Grade level: 4
Page count: 32
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 4/5
Cassie and her brother, Be Be are flying high in the sky when they come across a train full of people. Be Be decides to join this people on the train, but before Cassie can board the train departs. Harriet Tubman guides Cassie through the lives of slaves who escaped and journeyed on the Underground Railroad.  Cassie is shocked by all that she sees, and just how difficult the lives of these escapees truly were. Harriet explains the unjust laws, the dangers of being caught, the tragic deaths, and the various landscapes each slave had to navigate through. In the end, Cassie and Be Be are reunited and realize just how difficult the lives of their great-great-grandparents was as slaves.

I rated this book a 4/5 because the book was written from the perspective of a child, making it relatable for the young readers, and the illustrations were extremely detailed. This book has the ability to open reader's eyes up to the horrors the slaves faced every day, and the challenges the encountered when attempting to escape using the Underground Railroad. The only problem I noticed with this book was that it was slightly had to follow. Readers may be confused as to why the children are flying in the first place, and this may distract them from understanding what the story is really about, and that this actually happened in history. Other than this, I found nothing but positive elements incorporated into this book.

I would use this book in my class to teach students about slavery and the Underground Railroad. I would use this book in a social studies unit about slavery and have students use this book to look at the Underground Railroad specifically. Though it could also be incorporated into an English class, I would primarily use it when teaching social studies given the direct historical information included in the text.

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Author: Eric Carle
Lexile: NP
Grade level: Pre-kK
Page count: 35
Genre: Children's Literature/Song
Rating: 5/5
This book goes through each day of the week and incorporates a different food into each day. It starts with Monday, string beans and adds a new food to each day until it reaches Sunday.  This book is meant to be sung to young children.

I rated this book a 5/5 because of it's unique illustrations and fun word choice. The illustrations are unlike any I have seen in any other book, and young children reading it will be thoroughly engaged. I also liked that it is written in such a way that it is easy to sing the words to children and they can join along, as well.

I work in a preschool classroom and I have actually used this book with my students. The young children love seeing their teacher be silly and sing the words of a book to them, and they greatly enjoy joining along. It aids in teaching them the days of the week and helping them remember the correct order. The illustrations also keep the students engaged while I am reading aloud to them.

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Author: Marcus Pfister
Lexile: 470L
Grade level: 1-2
Page count: 35
Genre: Animal Stories
Rating: 3/5
Hopper is a small, white hare who wakes up to a snowy, winter day.  He first has to wash his fur before he can go wrestle with his friend, Nick.  There games came to a halt when Hopper's mom tells him to come look for food with her.  On their journey to find food, they are nearly attacked by a falcon, and then come face to face with a stag.  Hopper has to learn about different predators in the forest and how to protect himself from them.
I rated this book a 3/5 because the illustrations were unique and engaging.  However, the story is difficult for children to relate to.  Children would enjoy looking at the pictures of this story, but I did not find the storyline to very interesting.
If I were to use this book in my classroom, I would use it to teach about predators and prey. This book gives insight as to which animals are dangerous to others and how the prey protects themselves. I can see this book being implemented into a science classroom. I would most likely not use this in an English classroom, however, because the content that can be taught with it is limited.

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Author: John Boyne
Lexile: 1080L
Grade level: 8
Page count: 216
Genre: Historical novel
Rating: 5/5
Bruno, a nine-year-old boy is living in Nazi Germany and his father is a Nazi officer. His curiosity got him into trouble as he wandered to close to Auschwitz, a Jewish imprisonment camp.  There he meets a young Jewish boy in the camp, named Shmuel.  They form an unexpected friendship and communicate through the fence of the camp every day from then on. Bruno does not understand that this is actually a death camp and that the people inside are Jewish prisoners. The boys make a plan to sneak Bruno into the camp by dressing him in striped pajamas, which was what the Jewish wore in this camp. Once he was in, Bruno realized that life on Shmuel's side of the fence was extremely bad.  They are surrounded by Nazis and lead into a gas chamber.  The boys hold hand and they spend their final moments together.

I rated this book a 5/5 because of it's compelling plot and detailed descriptions.  This time in history is extremely difficult to discuss, but this book sheds light on this horrific topic.  It also gives the reader insight as to what it would be like for children living during this time, and how sheltered they were from the horrors of what was really going on.  The children's perspective of this book is accurate to how a child would think and react to the events described.  Along with this, there are flashbacks that add to the overall plot of the story, as well.

I would use this in my classroom to teach students about the Holocaust and the horrors that it entailed. In my opinion, this book should only be used in upper level middle school or older ages due to its graphic content. Also, I think the teacher needs to determine if the students are mature enough to handle such a difficult topic before reading this book. This novel could also be used to teach about flashbacks, and what they tell us about the story.

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Author: Jan Brett
Lexile: 440L
Grade level: 1
Page count: 35
Genre: Children's literature
Rating: 5/5
This book starts off with a young girl hanging her laundry out to dry on a cold, winter day.  One of her red stockings blows away in the wind and a curious hedgehog crawls into it.  He realizes that, because of his prickles, the stocking is stuck on his head.  He comes across all the other animals on the farm who make fun of him for his silly hat.  However, he explains to them how his new hat will keep him warm in the cold winter and protect him from the rain and snow.  Hedgie begins to get sad because all of his friends keep making fun of him. Finally, the girl chases after Hedgie and takes the stocking off of his head.  She laughs saying that animals do not wear clothes.  Then, Hedgie sees all of his animal friends running around the farm with clothes from the girl's clothing line on their heads.  In the end, Hedgie is the one who has the last laugh as he watches his friends looking silly.

I rated this book a 5/5 because of its engaging storyline and exquisite pictures. The illustrations in this book make the story come to life and adds many details to the overall plot.  The silly story is one that children will find engaging, but there is a problem and solution evident, as well.

I would definitely incorporate this book into my classroom. I would first use this as a picture walk. Given the detailed illustrations and notable characters and scenery, this book would be perfect in a first grade classroom to introduce as a picture walk. This book could also be used to teach about the story elements. There is a clear beginning, middle, and end, along with setting, characters and theme. I would read this book with my students, then have them identify each of the story elements.

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Author: Cynthia Lord
Lexile: 780L
Grade level: 4
Page count: 224
Genre: Realistic fiction
Rating: 5/5
A young girl named Catherine has a younger brother with autism, named David. Her family essentially revolves around his disability. She wants nothing more than to just live a normal life, but this is near impossible due to her brother's autism. She has spent her entire life trying to teach David "rules". She meets a friend next door named Kristi. But, instead of being able to hang out with her all the time like she wants, Catherine has to go to therapy for David instead. At therapy one day, she accidentally meets a boy named Jason, who is in a wheelchair and cannot speak. She and Jason become good friends and she attempts to teach him how to speak. This leads her to try to do the same with David. She wants to teach David to talk more fluently so that he is able to stand up for himself against bullies. In the end, Catherine learns to appreciate her brother and newfound friend, Jason, despite their disabilities.

I rated this book a 5/5 because the conflict and resolution is evident in the story and the characters are thoroughly developed. .Characterization is an important aspect of a well-written story, and this book does an exceptional job of it. Catherine is relatable for children, even if the reader has not experiences exactly what she has. This book also uses language that is appropriate for young children and the dialogue reflects actual children's way of speaking to one another.

I would definitely choose this book to be used in my classroom because of the extent of activities that could be done with it. Many children are not aware of physical or mental disabilities around them, and know little to nothing about them. In my opinion, teaching students about these disabilities is crucial to their development of empathy  and understanding. I would also use this book to talk about characterization, because it is clearly evident throughout the book.

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Author: Avi
Lexile: 540L
Grade level: 3
Page count: 153
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 3/5
Ida is an eight grade girl who has big dreams of being a teacher one day.  These dreams come to an abrupt halt when she finds out that her current teacher can no longer teacher because her teacher's mom is ill and they cannot find a replacement. For Ida, this means that she will not be able to take her exit exams and continue on to high school.  The students come up with a plan to have Ida teach the class for the rest of the school year.  However, they must keep it a secret due to the fact that the school board would never allow it. Ida is constantly exhausted, but she really loves teaching. As the school year goes on, she finds herself slipping behind in her own studies because she is focusing so much on teaching her peers. Then, the school board director finds out and threatens to shut the school down.  Ida convinces the school committee to allow the students to take their exit exams so that the school year would not have been a waste. All ends well as Ida, and all of her peers, pass their exit exams and she is well on her way to becoming a successful teacher.

I rated this book a 3/5 because the book was accurately written according to the historical time period, however, it was not very relatable to children or engaging for the reader. The dialogue included is written in such a way that students of that time would actually have spoken. But, the story as a whole not interesting to the reader, and it was difficult to find aspects of the story that children could relate to their own life experiences.

This book could be used in the classroom to teach students about what schools used to be like. Students could compare what Ida's school was like compared to their own school. This book also has a clear beginning, middle, end, and problem and solution. This book could also be used to teach students about the story elements, as well. Overall, I would not use this book in my classroom due to the fact that I do not foresee students being engaged when reading it, which is an aspect that I feel is extremely important when deciding which books to use in the classroom.

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Author: R.J. Palacio
Lexile: 790L
Grade Level: 4
Page count: 315
Genre: Realistic fiction
Rating: 5/5
This book is about a boy named Auggie who has a facial deformity. He has previously been homeschooled but is now starting his first year at a public middle school. He immediately get bullied by the majority of the grade due to his physical appearance. Auggie does make a few friends, however, who are able to look past his physical differences and notice his fun personality and sense of humor. One day in the school lunchroom on Halloween, one of his close friends, Jack, makes nasty comments making fun of Auggie, without realizing that he is sitting nearby listening. After this incident, Auggie has trust issues and wants to give up on school completely.  However, his sister convinces him to return despite his friends betrayal.  Eventually Jack and Auggie make up, but the rest of the students make fun of Jack for hanging out with him and he faces social isolation.  The climax of the story occurs when the fifth graders go to a nature camp, and the bullying breaks out once again. Auggie's friends stand up for him in a physical fight.  In the end, he is able to stand up for himself and realize who his true friends are.
The other students finally accept him and he overcomes all the challenges that his first year of middle school brought.

I rated this book a 5/5 because it sheds light on very serious topics and challenges, yet is easy to understand and relate to for the reader. The book also switches perspectives between characters in the story, giving the reader an idea of how each different character reacts to a situation.  This book is highly praised and many children greatly enjoy it due to the accurate fifth grader perspective it is written in and the challenges that are described throughout.

I would use this book in the classroom to teach students how to overcome obstacles they are faced with in life. Auggie has to decide who his true friends are, which is a decision that all children eventually face. This book can also be used to open children's eyes up to different disabilities that they may have or see in other students. This could be used to teach students the importance of being kind to everyone, despite are differences they may have. I would also use this book as inspiration for students to write a research paper. They could research topics such as craniofacial abnormalities, birth defects, bullying in schools, or how to combat bullying. The ways to effectively incorporate this book into the classroom are endless.

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Author: Elizabeth George Speare
Lexile: 770L
Grade Level: 3-4
Page count: 135
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 5/5
Matt is a twelve year old boy who moves to the Maine wilderness with his father, to build a cabin and start a new life for his family. His father leaves him all alone in this strange new land while he goes to get the rest of their family and bring them back with him. While his father is away, Matt meets an Indian named Attean. His tribe encourages him to become a part of their tribe and travel to new land with them. Matt struggles with the decision to join Attean's tribe or to wait for his family, though they may never return. In the end, Matt decides to wait for his family and they eventually do return. Unfortunately, his family has gotten sick and one of his sisters has passed away. Though his family is not well, he is certain that he made the right decision and is grateful to be back with his family.

I rated this book 5/5 due to its clear plotline and historical context. The book puts into perspective how different life is in an Indian tribe compared to an American's way of life. Children can compare their own lives to the lives of both Indian and American children at this point in history. The story was easy to follow and has clear conflict throughout.

I would use this book in the classroom to teach students about this time in history. The characters in this book live in log cabins and huts, hunt animals for food, and move with the seasons. Children are most likely not familiar with this way of life, and could make a Venn Diagram to compare their own life to that of the characters in this book. In my opinion, teaching about history through books is an excellent way to make the concept engaging and relatable for students. This book could also be used to identify conflict and resolutions in books. These are both very evident in this story, therefore this book would be a good starting place for teaching students this concept.

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Author: Megan McDonald
Lexile: 530L
Grade Level: 2
Page count: 176
Genre: Realistic fiction
Rating: 5/5
Judy is in a very bad mood because she is starting dreading starting the third grade.  She loved everything about second grade; from the armadillo sticker on her desk, to her funny teacher, and her class pet.  She starts third grade to realize she was right, everything really has changed.  Judy has to deal with the struggles of growing up and the changes that come with it. But, when Mr. Todd assigns a special class project, she really gets to express herself! In the end, it turns out that third grade is very different from second, but it's not so bad after all.

I rated this book a 5/5 because of its humorous tone and relatability for children.  All children can relate to the challenges of leaving a comfortable grade, teacher, and class behind, and moving on to something completely new to them. I found the main character's personality to be quirky and fun to the reader, and a character that children can easily relate to.

I would use this book in the classroom at the start of the school year to show students how, though it can be difficult to adjust to a new school year, there are many good things that can come out of it. This book could also be used in book groups because it is one that students could easily discuss and would have no problem keeping up with reading on their own.

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Author: Paula Danziger
Lexile: 720L
Grade Level: 3
Page count: 80
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Rating: 5/5

Amber Brown, a spunky third grader, and Justin have been best friends since preschool.  They do absolutely everything together, that is, until they find out that Justin has to move to Alabama.  The hardest part about it is that they deal with it in completely different ways.  Amber wants to talk about the move, while Justin wants to pretend like nothing is going to change. They get into an argument over something silly, and will not speak to one another for several days.  Amber becomes more and more upset and she thinks about her best friend leaving her for good.  In the end, Amber accepts that they deal with difficult situations in different ways, and her and Justin vow to be friends forever, despite the distance.

I gave this book a 5/5 rating because of how easily children can relate to it.  This book was written from the perspective of a third grader, and it reflects exactly how a typical child at this age would think and react to different situations.  It's use of characterization also makes it a very well-written piece of literature.

I would use this book in the classroom to discuss multiple topics, such as, growing up, interpersonal relationships, and dealing with challenges in our everyday life.  Amber is dealing with the difficulties of watching her best friend move away.  She also has to overcome a fight her and her best friend had.  Being able to discuss with students topics such as moving and stress in relationships is extremely beneficial in the classroom.  Along with this, this book is incredibly engaging for children. When they are reading it they are able to directly relate to Amber and her humorous personality, while still gaining the literary value that this book has to offer.

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Author: Chris Van Allsburg
Lexile: 520L
Grade Level: 3
Page count: 32
Award: Caldecott Medal
Genre: Fantasy, Picture
Rating: 4.5/5
The story begins with a young boy in his bed on the night of Christmas Eve.  He hears a train outside his window and boards it.  This train, known as The Polar Express, takes him to the North Pole, along with other children, on the ride of his life. After a long journey through mountains and valleys, they arrive to a city covered in Christmas decorations, with hundreds of elves.  Santa Claus approaches the young boy and asks him what he would like for Christmas.  He states that his greatest wish is to have a bell from Santa's sleigh.  Santa gives him this bell before the children board the Polar Express to return home.  The boy loses the bell, only to then find it wrapped under his tree on Christmas morning.  The story ends with a short message explaining that only those who truly believe in the magic of Christmas can hear the bells beautiful ring.

This is one of my favorite Christmas stories due to it's beautiful message regarding the magic of Christmas and the detailed illustrations to go along with this.  The main character's strong belief in Christmas, despite his parents disbelief is compelling to children reading this story.  Not only does this book include an engaging and clear storyline, but also drawings that make the story come to life.

This book could be used in the classroom in a variety of different ways.  Given that the book includes a clear beginning, middle, and end, it could be used to aid in the teaching of retelling.  The events throughout the story can be clearly mapped out and retold by students.  This book could also be used to teach textual elements, such as theme, setting, characters, and point of view.  All of these elements can be clearly found in the book, therefore The Polar Express would be a great book choice in teaching this crucial reading skill. The only aspect of this book that I would need to watch out for when implementing it into the classroom would be the school's policy on discussing Christmas.  Some school's are more strict than others regarding this, so it would need to be approved by the principle before proceeding with using it in the classroom.

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Author: Cynthia Rylant
Illustrator: Stephen Gammell
Lexile: 940L
Grade Level: 4 (could also be used as a read aloud in younger grades)
Page Count: 32
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Rating: 4/5 stars

A car full of quirky relatives come to visit in a rainbow-colored station wagon.  When they arrived, there was hugging and laughter.  The relatives stayed for the summer and helped tend to the garden, play music, and eat up all of the strawberries and melons.  When the end of the summer comes around, the relatives must go home and they are greatly missed.  But, they will come back next summer for more fun.

I gave this book 4/5 stars because I liked the overall theme of family diversity portrayed in the book, but I also loved the detailed illustrations.  Even in older grades, students really enjoy having drawings to accompany the story.  This book could be used as a read aloud to younger grades, or an independent read for older grades; this versatility was also an aspect of the book that I appreciated.

I would use this book in my classroom to discuss diverse families. This family in particular is very large and live far away from one another.  I would have the students create a venn diagram to show how their own family can compare and contrast to the one in the story.  We will then share one another diagrams to see how diverse families can be, even in our own classroom. I would also discuss with my students how life can be different from state to state in America.  For example, the relatives from Virginia in this book grew different food and lived in the mountains, which is different than how we live here in Wisconsin.

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Author: Neil Gaiman
Illustrator: Dave McKean
Lexile: 820L
Grade Level: 4
Page count: 307
Genre: Horror Fiction/Fantasy
Rating: 5/5
Nobody Owens, also known as Bod, is adopted and raised by the ghosts that live in the graveyard after his family is murdered by a man named Jack. Bod is granted the "Freedom of the Graveyard" meaning that he can pass through any solid objects in the graveyard and explore as he wishes. Much of the book outlines his adventures exploring the graveyard and, eventually, the dangerous world outside of it. One day, he decides to attend a school for regular children, and it goes terribly wrong. He tries to stand up against bullies and ends up being noticed by the entire school, though being noticed is very dangerous for him.  This is because Jack is still searching for him to finish the job he started so many years ago. Bod and his friend Scarlett go searching for Bod's real family and end up in the house that his family was murdered in.  Once there, Bod is confronted by Jack, who then proceeds to chase him, with other Jack look-a-likes and try to kill him. He is able to defeat all of them except Jack Frost, who them kidnaps his friend.  Bod is able to get her back and defeat Jack Frost.  However, Scarlett is upset by his actions and he is forced to erase her memory of that night and him.  In the end, Bod says goodbye to his graveyard family and sets out in search of a new life.

I rated this book a 5/5 due to its captivating plot.  The reader remains engaged throughout the entire book because the story moves quickly and creates suspense throughout.  This fantasy world is one that children can have fun reading about and imagining. Along with this, the language used is interesting to the reader, overall.

I would use this book in my classroom for book clubs.  This book is one that students will be interested enough in that they can keep up with on their own and hold discussions with one another.  Also, there are several themes present that the students would be able to identify and discuss while reading.

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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian 

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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian 

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Author: Sherman Alexie
Illustrator: Ellen Forney
Lexile: 600L
Grade level: 2
Page count: 230
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Rating: 5/5 stars

Junior is a young cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation.  He bravely decides to leave the reservation and go to an all-white school, knowing that his fellow Indians would hate him for it.  The book tells the story of his struggles from trying to fit in, both at his new school and on the rez, falling head over heels for a white girl, playing basketball against his former friends, and dealing with heartbreak along the way.  Junior's determination to design his own future is inspiring and the accompanying cartoon drawings make this book impossible to put down.

I really liked the way this book gave insight to the diversity of different cultures. Prior to this, I had not read many books specifically from a Native American's perspective.  This novel showed how choosing one's own destiny, even when it is the right decision, can be extremely difficult. Junior was hated by many of his friends and community for choosing to go to an all-white school. I gave this novel 5/5 stars due to not only its important cultural message, but also it's engaging cartoon drawings throughout the book.

I would use this book in the classroom to teach about diversity.  Many children are not familiar with how different life can be for Native American's on reservations, and this book provides great insight to this.  I would also use it to teach the importance of accepting one another's differences, both physical and mental.  Junior has physical challenges that are evident to his classmates, but his friends are very accepting.  This is an important concept to teach children.