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Jory John and Pete Oswald. HarperCollins Publication date February 12, 2019. Pre-3rd. 40 pages. Fantasy

This is a funny, cute story about being yourself and not being too hard on yourself. It is about an egg watching his fellow eggs try so hard to be something or stress themselves out that they eventually crack. So this egg embraces himself and doesn't crack. It is about self acceptance and giving yourself a break, don't be too hard on yourself so you crack.

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Shannon Olsen and Sandie Sonke. May 5, 2020.  27 pages. Grades K-2.

This is a great book for building community in classrooms. It is about how important it is to be kind and understanding in our classroom and how to make it feel like home. Classrooms are to support students and make them feel included. It is a great story about what a classroom should be, accepting loving and supportive.

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Erin Palmer and John Joseph. Ready Readers Publication date July 1, 2018. K-2. 24 pages.

This is a very sweet story about accepting others and understanding others. Katie has down syndrome, but it does not define who she is. She is unique and has other gifts and talents beyond her disability. It is very simple and has lots of pictures, would be great for ELLs and early readers.

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Julia Finley Mosca and Daniel Rieley. The Innovation Press Publication date March 3, 2020. Grades 2-5. 40 Pages. Biography

This is an amazing Biography of the well known African American woman engineer, Raye Montague. This is the story of the sexism and racism she faced when she showed interest in math and engineering. How women are not often seen as engineers. She changed the way ships were designs in the navy and tremendously impacted it. It is her determination that keeps her going throughout the hardships faced.

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Brad Meltzer and Christopher Eliopoulos. Dial Books Publication date January 14, 2014. K-4th. 40 Pages. Biography.

This is the story of Amelia Earhart and her amazing accomplishment of being the first woman to fly a plane. It encourages girls to not take no as an answer, do things that have never been done before. The biography is her entire life and how her love and passions developed through her life.

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Rachelle Burk. Rockridge Press, Publication date September 29, 2020. Grades 2-4th. 66 pages. Biography.

This is the biography of Simon Biles, the 22 year old American Olympic winner Gymnast. It is the amazing story of her and her determination and how she got to where she is. She is considered the best gymnast in the world. It is about how much she trained, how intensive she trained, and everything it took to be as amazing as she is. It is inspiring and amazing to read about this strong young women. Great read for kids to get inspired, especially girls.

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Pete the Cat and the Supercool Science Fair

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Pete the Cat and the Supercool Science Fair

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James Dean. HarperCollins. Publication date October 15, 2019. Preschool-3rd grades. 24 pages. Science fiction

This is a fun story about Pete the cat and his science experiment and how fun science can be. This is a fun science promoting story about Pete wanting to make his science project volcano better and bigger. He uses different science tools to make the best volcano. This book encourages students to love science and think creatively.

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Michelle Schuab and Alice Potter. Charlesbridge, Publication date February 18, 2020. Preschool-2nd grade. 32 pages. Science fiction.

This is a book encouraging all students to try out science. It talks about the different disciplines in science in a kid friendly way. It is about science being for everyone, girls, boys, disabled, any one can love science! Science is inclusive and fun.

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Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos. Dial Books, Publication date June 17, 2014. K-4th. 40 pages. Historical Fiction

This is an informational book about the story and life of Rosa Parks. What she did and the courage she had. About how she contributed to the Civil Rights movement. It is a really great way to teach her story in a meaningful engaging way for students to understand.

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Natascha Beibow and Steven Salerno. Clarion Books, Publication date March 19, 2019. 48 pages. Grades 1-4.

This is a fun book about the inventor of crayola crayons. It is the true story of his story and how he created crayons and how they came to be what they are today. It is about dreaming in colors and exploring in bright fun colors. It is a really fun story with great pictures.

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Yangsook Choi. Dragonfly Books. Publication date October 14, 2003. Pre-2nd grade. 40 pages.

This is about a girl named Unhei. She moved from Korea to America and is going to a new school. She feels very worried about no one being able to pronounce her name correctly. So she picks from a name jar to find a name that her new classmates can pronounce correctly. After making a new friend, she learns that the best name is the name she was given. Our names represent us and our cultures and backgrounds.

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If You were a kid during the Civil Rights Movement

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If You were a kid during the Civil Rights Movement

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By Gwendolyn Moore, Riley Kennedy. Children's Press, Publication date February 1, 2017. 32 Pages. Grades 2-4. Historical Fiction.

This is a historical book about how the civil rights movements changed the history of our country forever. Two African Americans go to the protests and a segregated school. This will show students how it would have felt to be a child during this time. It is from the perspective of a child to help the child reader understand it better.

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Heidi Poelman and Kyle Kershner. Familius, Publication date April 1, 2018. 16 pages. Pre-1st. Historical Fiction.

This is a great book for young students to begin learning about major figures in our history as a country. This fun picture book introduces important people in our past who changed the world in some way, what they did and how. Examples like Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman.

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Written by Kay Barnham illustrated by Maddie Frost. B.E.S. Publication date May 1, 2018. 32 pages. K-3 grades.

This is an informational book about how plants grow and why. It shows the life cycle of a plant and the necessities to live. It is a fun science book that would be a good topic book for a science lesson.

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Rob Sanders and Steven Salerno. Random House Books for Young Readers Publication date April 10, 2018. K-3, 48 pages.

This is a really sweet story of a man trying to fight to equal rights and respect for gay people. The hardships gay people face and how difficult it is in the United States. This is the story of a gay man changing the rules of gay rights. He created the rainbow flag, a universal representation of the LGBTQ+ community. The book is so colorful and fun to look at. It is a great story about activism and fighting for your rights. Hope and love.

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Gabrielle Balkan, illustrated by Sam Brewster. Phaidon Press, Publication date September 18, 2017. Pre-4th. 48 pages. Science Non-fiction

This is the book of different record breaking bones that animals have. It is kind of like a fun guessing game. The pages are fun and colorful and engaging. Students can guess the animals while learning about them.

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Kay A. Haring. Illustrated by Robert Neubecker. Dial Books, February 14, 2017. K-3. 40 pages.

This is the story of the famous artist Keith Harrington. How his passion of drawing carried him through his schooling. Keith was rejected for how much he drew and how he drew. He drew everywhere he went. He was an anonymous artist who left art up to interpretation. This is a story about following your passions no matter what people say.

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Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb. Publisher Little, Brown & Co. Publication date. October 1, 2013. 327 pages. Chapter book

This was an amazing, moving, sad story of a young girl named Malala. This was written by the youngest person to ever receive a Nobel peace prize, which is amazing. When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. She was 15 when she was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive. Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she became a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest nominee ever for the Nobel Peace Prize. I AM MALALA is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons. I AM MALALA will make you believe in the power of one person's voice to inspire change in the world.

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Raina Telgemeier. Graphix. September 1, 2012. Grades 5 - 9. 240 pages. Graphic Novel chapter book.

I liked this book. Callie loves theater. And while she would totally try out for her middle school's production of Moon Over Mississippi, she's a terrible singer. Instead, she's the set designer for the stage crew, and this year she's determined to create a set worthy of Broadway on a middle-school budget.

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By Alan Gratz. Starscape, August 29, 2017. Grades 3 - 7. 256 pages. Realistic Fiction chapter book.

I really enjoyed this book and felt it would be a great addition to my personal library in my future classroom. It showed how important it is to use your voice, even if you're shy and afraid. It had the message of standing up for what you believe in. Reading is so important and it is important to instill a love of reading in children and let them read what they want to. I really enjoyed the book and thought it was a sweet story. I think this book can be beneficial to students to get them to find their voices and use them. Taking a stand against injustice is a lesson that goes beyond just reading. Students can use this book to inspire them to stand up for what they believe in and out of school. My portrait is of Amy, and the qualities she possesses throughout the story. Amy Anne is a strong dedicated girl with a passion for reading. I think students can learn a lot from Amy Anne.

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By Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook. Illustrated by Rosie Butcher. Sterling Children's Books. May 7, 2019. Preschool-2nd. 32 pages.

This is a sweet story about self acceptance and community. There is a ton of diversity in this book and is about accepting yourself because we are all unique and there is only one "you". It shows children to be authentically them and be proud of who they are. This is a great book for diversity and representation because of how many groups, cultures, races, and people there are in the book.

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By Stacy B. Davids. Illustrated by Rachael Balsaits. Upswing Press. November 7, 2015. 32 pages. Grades 1st-4th.

This is about a girl named Annie who does not like to dress like a traditional "girl." Her mom insists she wears a dress to a wedding but she does not want to. Annie loves her plaid shirt, she feels comfortable in it but her mom does not understand. This is the story of gender norms, identity, self acceptance, and the hardships children face being accepted and taken seriously. Annie just wants to be accepted for who she is and what she wears without judgement.

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Written bu Theresa Thorn Illustrated by Noah Gringi. June 4, 2019. Henry Holt and Co. Grades 1-2. 40 pages.

This is an amazing book about self acceptance and gender identity. It is about how some people are different than their born gender. This makes gender identity very easy to understand for children and is very straight forward. It says some girls are girls some boys are boys and some are in between or confused and that is okay. It is important to accept and support one another and be understanding.

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By Dylan Glynn. Chronicle Books. April 21, 2020. 40 pages. Preschool - Kindergarten. Picture book fantasy.

This is the story of rain boy and the bullying he experiences. He is always raining and cannot help it. Everyone loves the sun but the sun sees the good in rain boy. Rain boy is not accepted for who he truly is and faces loneliness and bullying. This is about not fitting in, laking confidence, and how important it is to be kind. This book has amazing illustrations and was a great read.

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By Meg Medina Illustrated by Angela Dominguez. Candlewick October 3, 2017. K-3rd. 32 pages. Picture book.

This is the story of the connection between a grandmother who only speaks Spanish and a granddaughter who only speaks English. They slowly teach each other words in their native languages by labeling things in the house. They buy a bird to speak both languages. It is illustrated very well and is a really sweet story. It can teach the lesson of difficulties faced when families move away from each other and can not speak the same language.

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By Delanda Coleman and Terrence Coleman. Illustrated by Beatrix Mello. December 24, 2019. 31 pages. K-3rd. Picture book.

This is the story of a young girl who does not let her gender define her. She is more than a girl, a princess. She is a strong woman who can be anything she wants to be. She tries out many careers that are male dominated. This is an inspiring book for young girls to see that they can do anything and specifically African American girls.

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By Eric Carle. World of Eric Carle. March 23, 1994. 26 pages. Preschool- 1st. Classic fantasy picture book.

This is a classic children's book about a caterpillars life span. The caterpillar eats too much he gets super full. Once he eats healthy he feels better. There is a lesson about growing and changing and how important it is to feed your body healthy food to grow. The caterpillar turns into a beautiful butterfly only after he eats right.

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By Ibtihaj Muhammad. Illustrated by Hatem Aly. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. September 10, 2019. Preschool - 3. 40 pages.

This is a book about two sisters and their first day of school and wearing Hijabs. The story is about the bond between the sisters and their support for each other going through life. It is about accepting others and being proud of who you are. The older sister faces bullying because of her Hijab but she stays strong for her little sister.

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Written by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt. Illustrated by Gianna Ruggiero. Norton Young Readers. September 1, 2020. Preschool-2nd. 48 pages. Picture book.

This is a fun story about an italian girl who loves pizza. She sets off on a quest to show everyone just how good pizza is. This promotes trying new things and being open minded towards foods, different cultures, and being optimistic. It is a fun illustrated book and was fun to read.

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By Dr. Seuss. Beginner Books/Random House. August 12, 1960. Preschool - 2. 65 pages. Children's fantasy.

This is a really fun story for students. This is a classic Dr. Seuss book and was my favorite book as a child. This is the lesson of trying new things and being optimistic. The narrator ends up trying green eggs and ham and loves it.

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Written by Kevin Noble Maillard Illustrated by Juana Martinez-neal. Roaring Brook Press. October 22, 2019. Preschool-1. 48 pages. Realistic fiction Native American.

This is a cute story about the traditions of Native Americans. This is about family, growth, and the history behind Native Americans. This tradition of fry bread became a big part in Native American culture because they were removed from their land and had to adapt. Their food was rationed and this was all they could make. It is a great, historical lesson.

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By Pat Zietlow Miller Illustrated by Jen Hill.
Publisher Roaring Brook Press February 6, 2018. Preschool-2nd grade. 32 pages. Picture book.

This book is about the importance of being kind. It is the story of classmates showing kindness to each other and the impact it can have big or small. Kindness can change someones life or just impact their day significantly.

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By Alex Gino. Scholastic Inc. April 25, 2017. Grades 3 - 7.  224 pages. Realistic fiction novel.

This is a heart wrenching story of George, or Melissa, a young girl who is being misgendered as a boy. She was born a boy but knows she is a girl. This is the story of being a transgender child and the hardships faced of identity, bullying, not being accepted, being made fun of, and not being taken seriously. Melissa overcomes this with the support of her friends and family. This story was tough to read but important, all children should understand how it feels to not be accepted for who you are.

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Author: Christine Day
October 1, 2019 Publisher: Quill Tree Books. 288 pages. Grades 3 - 7. Realistic fiction Novel.

This book is about a girl named Eddie whose mom was adopted by white parents so she does not know anything about her background as a Native American. She doesn't know anything about her heritage. She finds a box of letters and pictures of a girl who looks just like her. This is a great story that includes crucial history lessons of native Americans that all children should know and discovering it through this book is a great way for them to learn it. This is the journey of self discovery and Eddie finding herself and her background.

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By Jon Klassen. Candlewick September 27, 2011. Pre-3rd. 40 pages. Fantasy picture book.

This book is a book about a bear who loses his hat and can not find it. He nicely asks animals if they have seen it and finally remembers he saw a bunny wearing his hat. He attacks the bunny, eats it and gets his hat back.

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Written and illustrated by Katherine Applegate
Feiwel & Friends, September 26, 2017. 224 pages. Grades 3-7. Fantasy science fiction graphic novel.

This is about an Oak tree named Red, who is more than 200 years old. This tree is the wish tree, people tie their wishes to its branches. Samar is a Muslim girl who moves to the neighborhood and faces discrimination. She befriends the tree and the trees friends. She visits the tree but mean kids leave notes saying leave to Samar. When the woman tries to cut down the tree on wishing day, Samar has her read an old diary saying the tree stands for equality and the tradition of standing against bigotry. On wishing day the community leaves notes saying stay, opposing the leave on the tree left by the rude teens. This is the story of community and the importance of support in our communities regardless of background. This new family was welcomed by the kind members of the community while the mean ones were disregarded. It was a great story, emotional and well done.

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Written and illustrated by Jerry Craft. Quill Tree Books. February 5, 2019. 256 pages. 3 - 7. Chapter book. Graphic novel.

I really liked this book. Jordan the main character is a child who is struggling with his parents, race, fitting in, anxiety, moving to a new school, and everything that comes with a new school. Jordan uses art as an escape from his troubles, it’s like his personal journal where he draws his struggles and feelings. His teacher invades this privacy and reads it, accusing Jordan of being ignorant and minimizing his problems. This part of the story evoked the most emotion out of me for a few reasons. Mostly disappointed in the teacher for invading his privacy, and minimizing his problems that she does not face herself. The teacher was an example of a poor teacher who refuses to understand where students are coming from. She was constantly blaming and calling out the African American students. Overall, this was a great story of how it feels to be a minority at school and how difficult it is for students. It was a really great book.

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Written and Illustrated by Abby Hanlon. Two Lions. September 18, 2012. Grades 1-3. 40 pages. Picture book.

This is a book about Ralph who struggles to pay attention in class and write a story. All of his classmates are writing away and Ralph can't seem to keep up. Ralph has ADHD and can not focus or sit still. He is constantly moving around and can not find a way to focus. Once his classmate helps him he feels much better and is able to write and write away! He did it his own way and found ways that worked for his brain. He couldn't have done it without the support of his classmates.

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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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Written and illustrated by Faith Ringgold. Published by Dragonfly Books. December 12, 1995. 32 pages. Preschool-2nd grade. Historical fiction picture book.

This is a book about Harriet Tubman and how she helped free slaves. She tells the story of slavery, war, hardships African Americans faced, and everything a child needs to know about what happened without it being too complex to understand. There is imagery involved and fantasy so the child stays interested. The illustration is well done and interesting to look at. This girl escapes slavery and follows Harriet Tubman to freedom.

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Baseball Saved Us
Written by Ken Mochizuki
Illustrated by Dom Lee
Published by Lee & Low Books, October 16, 2018, 32 pages, Kindergarten-3rd grade. Historic fiction picture book.

This book was really impactful to read. It was the story of a young boy in an internment camp during the war with his family. It is the story of the hardships, heartbreak, discrimination, and racism this young boy faces for being Japanese. He begins to play baseball in the camp and this creates a sense of community and togetherness in the camp. He ends up using his anger to become a better player. This is effective for students to read to understand how inhumane these camps were and how even children faced discrimination. Students can learn about the war, who the war was between, who is impacted, and what happened. This can be a great gateway lesson to teach about the war.

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By Jean Reagan. Illustrated by Lee Wildish. Knopf Books for Young Readers. March 25, 2014. K-3rd. Picture book.

This is the sweet story of the relationship between a grandma and her child. How important it is to spend time with your grandma, and the lessons you can learn from them. It is a great book to encourage students to spend time with their grandparents.

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by Irena Kobald, Illustrated by Freya Blackwood. HMH Books for Young Readers. September 1, 2015. Grades 1-4. 32 pages. Picture book.

This is about moving to a new place and being afraid of the changes, new friendships, leaving old friendships, and how hard moving can be. She is connected to her old blanket from home, so her auntie gives her a new one. Cartwheel makes a new friend who also is from a different place and they connect because they are diverse friends in an unfamiliar place. This can be relatable to students who moved to a new place or who have new students in the classroom. Students can understand how hard it is for students to move to a new place.

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By Linda Sue Park. Illustrated by Ho Baek Lee. Clarion Books. November 10, 2008. Preschool-3rd. 32 pages. Picture book

This is a Korean book about making traditional Korean foods. The title of the book translates Mix mix rice. The story is a little girl helping her mom cook these dishes. It is her learning the traditional dishes of her culture. It is a great story for students to learn about Korean culture. It is a really fun story with great illustrations.

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By Grace Byers. Illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo. Balzer + Bray. March 6, 2018. Pre-3rd. 32 pages. Picture book. Fiction

This is the story of a young African American girl and her life as an adolescent who looks different than everyone. It is her journey to self-love and acceptance. She celebrates herself and her differences by relating to things and people that look similar or different from her. She spreads love and kindness by making others feel good about themselves. Such as the height of a girl to a beautiful big tree. It is a great story for students to relate to and to see the importance of kindness and acceptance. Students can read this and learn the lesson of kindness.

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By Philip C. Stead. Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. Macmillan Young Listeners. May 2, 2017. 32 pages. Grade k-2.

This is about the relationship between the zoo keeper and the animals he cares for. The zookeeper gives his all to care for these animals and one day when he is too sick to care for them, they care for him. This is the story of relationships, compassion, and care giving. How giving to someone for so long, they will eventually give to you. It is a lesson of caring and how important it is to care for the things you love and they will care back. Kindness towards animals is another important theme. It is a really sweet book with great illustrations.

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Written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak. HarperCollins. January 1, 1984. 48 pages. K-3. Picture book, fantasy.

This is a story of a child's wild imagination and how freeing it is. It is the importance of using your imagination. It is the story of Max using his imagination when he goes to bed to play in the wild as the king of all of these amazing animals. This tells children to be creative and use their imagination to go places they did not think they could. It is a classic book, and I loved it as a child

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By Hans Christian Andersen. Illustrated by Bernadette Watts. Published by North South books. January 1, 2008. 32 pages. Traditional literature picture book. Pre-2

This is the story of a little duckling who is born looking different and is awkward. He is different than the other ducklings. He is rejected and made fun of, until he blossoms into a beautiful duck. This is the story of accepting others and giving them time. Students can relate to this, they can understand people grow at different rates and to be accepting.

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Marcus Pfister. Illustrated by J Alison James. North-South Books. January 27, 1999. 32 pages. K-3. Picture book.

The rainbow fish is a well illustrated book about a fish who has beautiful rainbow scales. A regular fish asks for a scale and he says no and the blue fish gets sad. The fish eventually shares and it makes him and others happy. It is the lesson that sharing can make you and others happy.

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Cece Bell. Harry N. Abrams. September 2, 2014. Grades 3-7. 248 pages. Graphic novel comic book.

This is a graphic novel/ comic book written and illustrated by Cece Bell, who is deaf. It is the story of a young girl being deaf and going through school being deaf and the struggles that come along with it. It is about being different than everyone else and not relating to anyone. She turns her disability into a superpower. It is a great story for students to see the struggles of being different than everyone else.

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Monique Gray Smith. Illustrated by Julie Flett. Orca Book Publishers. March 1, 2016. Preschool-up. 24 pages.

This is a picture book with fun bright illustrations about enjoying life. It is about the simple things that can make you happy such as the sun, being outside, nature, etc. It is a fun picture book.

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By Laura Purdie Salas. Illustrated by Merce Lopez.
Published by Millbrook April 2, 2019. 32 pages, K-3rd, picture book Haiku poems.

This is a series of different poems for every season. This poem is about the different seasons of the year and has a Haiku of each season. For example, spring was about a bird and the beauty spring brings. A fun activity would be for students to pick a season, read the poem, analyze it, maybe create their own poem with illustrations or colors that remind them of their season.

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by Yu Li-Qiong , Illustrated by Zhu Cheng-Liang. Candlewick. November 26, 2013. 40 pages. Preschool-2nd. Picture book.

This shows the story of the Chinese tradition, New Year's, and how this family celebrates. The daughter's father works far away but comes home to celebrate New years. The book talks about the traditional foods they make together. It represents the traditions well and the sweet story of this family. Children can relate if their parents work a lot, or have divorced parents. It also shows the tradition of the Chinese New Year.

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By Lynne Kelly. Delacorte Press. February 5, 2019. 320 pages. 3-7th grade. Fiction chapter book

This is the story of a deaf girl named Iris. She finds out about a whale who can not communicate to any other whales. She connects to him because she knows how it feels to not be able to communicate with anyone. She wants to connect to someone who understands her. It is the story of being misunderstood, and how important it is for children to have someone to relate to. All Iris wanted was to relate to someone. It is a great story for students to read.

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Dr Seuss. Random House Books for Young Readers. January 5, 2005. Preschool-2nd. 64 pages. Fiction.

This is a fun book for children to read. It creates imagery and lets children's imagination run wild. There is a hidden meaning as well, it is about how many differences there are in the world. We are all so different from each other and that is okay!

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By Katherine Applegate. HarperCollins publisher. January 6, 2015. 3rd grade and up. 336 pages. Fiction, novel.

This is the story of Ivan, the gorilla who has been held captive for 27 years in the mall. One day an elephant is put with him in captivity and he has a whole new outlook on his life. It is the story of their friendship and hope. Ivan keeps his promise and uses his painting skills to protest him and Stella being held captive. He gets the attention of people and everyone protests his captivity. He gets released along with Stella to a zoo where they have their new lives. It is the story of hope and justice, standing up for what's right and to keep fighting. How animal captivity and abuse is wrong.

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This is my brain in love by I.W Gregorio. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers April 14, 2020. 384 pages. 7th grade and up. Chapter book. Narrative.

This is a realistic story of the struggles young children face in the modern world. Between mental illness, mixed races and cultures, love, heartbreak, family problems, etc. It is the young love story of two teens struggling with their own mental health problems and navigating their relationship. The narrative switches between the two teens, and it is the hardships they face being from two completely different backgrounds. This is a great book for students to read to see everyone has their own struggles.

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B.G Henessey. Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers. Illustrated by Boris Kulikov. 40 pages. K-2.

This is a story about a boy who always says he sees wolves coming after his sheep and the town gets tired of it saying he is lying. One time a wolf is really after him and his sheep, the town doesn't come help because they do not believe him.

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By Sharon Draper. Atheneum Books for Young Readers. May 1, 2012. Grades 4-9th. 320 pages. Chapter book, realistic fiction book.

This is a great story about an 11-year-old girl named Melody, who suffers from being double gifted. She has cerebral palsy and photographic memory. The story is told from her and is the struggles of not being able to communicate or speak with anyone while being brilliant. She struggles with bullying, hardships, frustrations, and worst of all can't speak to anyone about it all. Until she gets a device that allows her to communicate and everyone sees how brilliant she is. This is a story of how hard children with disabilities have it and how important it is to be kind and patient. You never know what someone is capable of or going through.

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Published by Candlewick, October 12, 2010. 256 pages. Grades 6th-9th. Graphic novel chapter book.

This is an amazing graphic novel book written and illustrated by Gareth Hinds. It is based on Homer's epic poem and has amazing illustrations. It almost has a comic book layout to it. It was a really fun story with great illustrations. The story is about Odysseus's fight to return home after the war. It is a spin-off of the epic poem. When trying to travel home after the war he finds himself at war with Poseidon. They battle at sea and he spends years fighting to come home from the hardships the sea gives him. The story is really intriguing and the illustrations make the reader engaged and interested. This was a great book.

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Goldilocks and the Three Bears written and illustrated by Jan Brett

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Goldilocks and the Three Bears written and illustrated by Jan Brett

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Goldilocks and the Three Bears written and illustrated by Jan Brett. Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. 40 pages. April 1, 1992. K-2 grades.
This book is about Goldilocks who sneaks into the bear's home and eats all their porridge, messes up their chairs, then sleeps in their beds. When the bears come home Goldilocks wakes up afraid and runs away. The moral of the story is to respect other's things, even if it is the perfect fit for you. This teaches children to not touch things that aren't theirs because you never know whose they are. With younger children, we could discuss literary elements such as pictures, how the pictures help us understand context, practice reading to each other in groups. Older children we could discuss the moral and meaning behind the message. Maybe write a spin-off with illustrations.

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The Remember Balloons by Jessie Oliveros

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The Remember Balloons by Jessie Oliveros

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Illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte. Simon & Schuster Books for Young. August 28, 2018. K-4, 48 pages.

This story is about two brothers and their grandpa and how their balloons represent their memories. Their grandpa has more memories than them and that grandpa is starting to lose some balloons. This is his grandpa losing his memory and growing old, and how the way for his memories to live on through his grandson. His grandson has the balloon memories to share. This is a hard but good story to share for children to see that their grandparents are getting older, but their memory can live on with their grand children.

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Lee & Low Books. December 15, 2008. Grades K-1. 32 Pages. Picture book

This is about a girl named Kiri who learns about a traditional Japanese art called origami. She struggles to make a butterfly and feels defeated trying to make them. She practiced and practiced folding the origami until she did it perfectly. She kept practicing something that was a part of her culture until she got it right and was so happy in the end and accomplished in her art.

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We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom

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We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom

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Illustrated by Michaela Goade. Published by Roaring Brook Press. March 17, 2020. 40 Pages, Grades Preschool-1. Historic picture book.

This is about the relationship that Native Americans have to their land and to water. It shows the values and traditional beliefs of a Native American tribe and how they stand for nature and are related to it. It has the lesson of protecting our Earth and mother nature and becoming one with it. Rather than destroying it, it needs to be protected.

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Illustrated by Hazel Mitchell. Beacon Publishing, November 23, 2009. 54 pages, grades K-2.

This is a book about a boy named Max who wanted to know what his purpose was. So he asked his Grandpa and his grandpa explained he is here to be himself and he will learn with time. Max goes on to tell his friends, teachers, and parent to just be themselves and their purpose is to be them. It was a sweet story of his relationship with his grandpa and how everyone is here to be themself.

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If You Give A Mouse A Cookie By Laura Joffe Numeroff

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If You Give A Mouse A Cookie By Laura Joffe Numeroff

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Illustrated by Felicia Bond, published by Scholastic INC. October 6, 2015. 40 pages. Preschool- 3rd grade. Picture story book.

This is a fun, short rhyming book about giving a mouse a cookie. It is funny and well illustrated. It has a lesson of giving to others, but understanding when the line is to stop giving. Overall, it is just a fun book to teach students how to read without a really deep meaning

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Don't Let Them Disappear by Chelsea Clinton

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Don't Let Them Disappear by Chelsea Clinton

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Illustrated by Gianna Martino. Published by Philomel Books. April 2, 2019. 40 pages, Preschool-3. Picture book.

This book is about endangered species all over the world. There is information about endangered animals and why they are endangered, and what endangered means. They tell the scale of what endangered is and how it turns into animals being fully gone. The book tells about each unique animal and what they do and how they are endangered. The book will talk about a beautiful special animal and how their everyday life looks, and then give their endangerment status. The book talks about animals we frequently see in the zoo and allows children to connect to the animals. It is a really good book and lets children see how these animals can go extinct if we do not act now.

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Illustrated by Jacqueline Hudon. Published by Clockwise Press. February 1, 2019.  32 Pages. Grades 1-4. Picture book.

This book is about bullying and how important it is to stand up for our classmates regardless of who they are. This book is about how students are targets due to their religion, appearance, background, disabilities, etc. It is about coming together as classmates and protecting one another. It was a sad story, but with a really happy ending about how all these students who were being bullied found each other and stood together for one another.

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Junie B. Jones and The Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park

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Junie B. Jones and The Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park

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Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. Published by Random House Books for Young Readers. July 28, 1992. 80 pages, grades 1-4. Chapter book with illustrations.

The Junie B. Jones series is a popular children's chapter book series. They are fun, illustrated, funny, and good chapter books to start reading. This specific book is about Junie's first day of kindergarten and how she did not want to ride the bus to school. She is nervous and hated the ride there, and a child named Jim was very mean to her. She does not want to ride the bus home so she hides until everyone is gone and wanders around the school. She ends up calling 911 and her mother comes to pick her up, Junie gets in trouble and finds out she will have a friend on the bus tomorrow so she is not scared anymore. The message is that everyone has a scary first day of school, and rather than hiding and avoiding it you should power through and go. You can make friends and it will be less scary. It is something that everyone has to go through and it is important to be confident and do it!

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Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas by Pamela Ehrenberg

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Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas by Pamela Ehrenberg

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Illustrated by Anjan Sarkar. Published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, October 10, 2017. Grades 1-2. 40 pages. Children's picture book

This book was so sweet. It was the story of two step-siblings with parents from two different cultures. The son and dad were Jewish and the mom and daughter were Indian. The story is a combination of two holidays and traditions. Hannukah and cooking dosa and dals, two traditions from separate cultures combined. The boy sings a traditional Jewish song but with traditional Indian food as the lyrics. It was a really unique story of the family combining their cultures so perfectly. I loved the story and think it would be great for students to read and see how religion and culture can be connected.

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Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See? By Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carl

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Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See? By Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carl

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Written and Illustrated by authors. Published by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), September 15, 1996. 28 pages, Pre-K to K.

This is a rhyming poem that can help children associate colors and animals. This was a staple in my childhood of books and I loved the poem and rhyming. I saw a teacher I volunteered with once use this book and poem to have her students write a poem and create an art project. It is a fun book for students to read.

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HarperCollins October 1, 1999. Illustrated by Shel Silverstein, the author. Narrative poem, 64 pages, grades K-3. Picture book.

This is the well known book written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein, I read it as a child and my mom read it to all my siblings. This is the story of a young boy who takes from the giving tree throughout his life. He is constantly asking for things from the tree and leaving the tree with nothing. He takes and takes until all the tree has left is the stump. He returns as an old man and all he wants is a seat and to spend time with the tree. The tree is happy and lets him sit. The message is to always give back, and not just received. All the tree wanted was some quality time or a thank you and only got it once she had given up everything she had. She loved the boy so deeply she just wanted him to be happy.

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Families, Families, Families! By Suzanne Lang and Max Land

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Families, Families, Families! By Suzanne Lang and Max Land

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Random House Books for Young Readers, March 24, 2015. 32 pages, Preschool- 2nd, picture book, digital picture pages

This book is about how every family is different, whether it is family size, how many parents, what gendered parents, stepsisters, adoption. It talks about house size too and the different relationships that can be in a household. The main point is that everyone's family is different, and that's what makes us all unique. Everyone comes from different families but that doesn't matter. It is so inclusive and a unique book I really liked it. The illustrations were fun and abstract and included funny things to engage students. This is definitely an important think to talk about in classrooms because everyone's family life looks different.

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It's Okay To Be Different By Todd Parr
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, April 1, 2009. Preschool-1st grade, Youtube reading, almost poem like.

This was one of my favorite books as a child. It is really easy to read and feels like a poem! It has fun bright illustrations and its message is to be yourself. It talks about how it is okay to be a different color, to have braces, no teeth, blue teeth, be in a wheel chair, and so on. It lists things that are not considered the "norm" of things and says it's okay because our differences make us, us. I really like this book and I think it has a good message and is a fun one to read with children. I loved this book as a child.

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James And The Giant Peach By Roald Dahl 

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James And The Giant Peach By Roald Dahl 

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Puffin Books, April 26, 2000. Illustrated by Quentin Blake. 144 Pages. Children's Novel/ fantasy chapter book including some illustrations. Grades 3-8.

This is a great chapter book about a young boy named James, whose parents died and he becomes an orphan. He lives with his aunts who are very mean to him and he has no friends or social life so he becomes very lonely. He works in the garden and accidentally creates this giant peach from magic crystals. His aunts take credit for it and he becomes sad once again. He decides to explore it at night and crawls inside to make friends, animals, and insects that live inside the peach. The storyline continues as the peach takes off and it is the crazy adventure of the peach and the obstacles the friends have to overcome, such as escaping sharks and pirates out at sea. While all of this is occurring, James is learning about the animals and new things, he forms friendships and grows as a person. They end up in NYC and the entire town celebrates them and they become rich and happy. This is a fun, adventurous book that lets children's imagination run wild.

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The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
Illustrated by Rafael Lopez, Published by Nancy Paulsen Books August 28, 2018
32 pages, picture book, grades K-3

This is an amazing book that will be put into my library. This book is one that any student can relate to because we have all had a first day of school or nervousness about a new place. This is the story of a young girl moving to a new country and feels like she does not fit in. She gets the courage to tell her class that all summer she played with her sister, when her class was traveling and doing amazing things. This courage she had opened up conversations and formed new friendships. It is the story of so many differences in a classroom and how they are similar in some ways. It shows the courage of being you and authentic even if it is scary. It's a great book with great illustration.

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What Do You Do With An Idea? by Kobi Yamada

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What Do You Do With An Idea? by Kobi Yamada

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What Do You Do With An Idea? by Kobi Yamada
Compendium Inc, February 1, 2014
36 pages, picture book, grades K-2, hardcover, fantasy

This is a great picture book about a child who feels an idea but does not want to share it. The more he kept it to himself the more his idea developed and deepened. The child becomes more confident in his idea and the idea continues to grow. Once he shares this idea, it explodes into its full capacity and is shared with everyone. Other students and people love the idea and the student feels confident and happy about sharing. This book is great because it can encourage students to share their ideas and how sharing can expand their ideas so much, all they need is a little bit of courage. Great book!

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Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Knopf Books for Young Readers February 14, 2012
310 Pages, Chapter book, grades 4-7, fiction, hard cover

This is an amazing book about a young boy named Auggie, who has a physical disability causing his face to look "different" than others. It is his life going from being homeschooled to trying to go to school for the first time, when dealing with bullying. It is such an inspiring story about how he overcomes this and although he looks different he is just the same as the rest of the students. It has his hardships with friends and trying to adjust to a new school. It is the story of how looking different doesn't matter, it is on the inside that matters and we shouldn't judge someone based on their appearance. It is the story of kindness and the growth of these young children into more accepting and kind kids. They all grow together. AMAZING book, I cried many times!

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Tricycle Press, December 9, 2008. Illustrated by Carol Thompson.
Preschool- 2nd grade. 20 pages. Picture book, rhyming scheme.

This is a really sweet book about a child with two moms. It is the story of the child's normal everyday activities with her two moms. How each mom does different tasks with her like brushing her hair and holding her. This book is really important because having two moms or two dads is not always common. So, students reading about this can open up their minds to something they might not have seen before. It is a really cute story about this normal life this child lives with her two moms. Good illustruation and the rhyming is really fun too.

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The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
Random House, June 23, 1971
64 pages, picture book hardcover, grades K-4, fantasy storybook

Dr. Seuss was my favorite book as a kid and I always loved this book. This was one of the books I kept from my childhood. This book is not only fun, rhyming, and well-illustrated but it has a good message to it as well. This story is about preserving our environment and nature and we need to protect it. It teaches us to fight for our environment. This story is about a boy taking advantage of the environment and chopping down trees. The Lorax character stands up for the trees and environment. The family was selfish and took all the trees leaving nothing behind, only looking for money. The businessman ruined these beautiful vibrant trees, killing off the animals that live there, and polluting the air. It is a classic book that shows the effect of being selfish and harmful to our environment because it is the only resource we have.

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What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting Our Planet by Jess French

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What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting Our Planet by Jess French

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Teacher’s Choices 2020 reading list for Intermediate Readers (Grades 3–5, Ages 8–11)
DK Publishing. Published April 2, 2019
It is 72 pages, picture book, informational book

This is encouraging children to be more mindful of their actions when it comes to our planet. This book is about how our actions have a huge impact on our Earth and how we can change our impact positively by doing small acts of kindness for our planet. It talks about the waste we produce but also the positives humankind is doing to help the planet. It is educational and easy to read and digest. This is a great book for students to read about our Earth and make personal connections to their actions, it also is illustrated very well so it is enjoyable to read. The storyline was split up into different sections making it easier to comprehend, going from issues we face on our planet to how these things can be improved and how they are being improved. The pictures keep the story engaging and exciting.