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By: Kimberly Dean, James Dean

Publisher: Harper Collin’s

Date: 02.25.2014

Pages: 32 pages

Grade Level: ages 3-5 (any)

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Be Yourself

Summary: This book follows Pete the cat as he decides what to wear to school. He asks and follows everyone’s opinion and ends up with a crazy outfit. At the end he chooses to pick his own outfit and the message is to stay true to who you are and be yourself

Personal Connection: The kids I babysit love Pete the Cat books. I find that young kids have an easy time memorizing these books which helps with remembering positive themes like this one.

Curricular Connection: Being Yourself and not worrying about what everyone else is doing or thinks about you.

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Title: The Egyptian Cinderella

By: Shirley Climo

Publisher: HarperCollins

Date: 02.28.92

Pages: 32

Grade Level: 2nd +

Genre: Fantasy Retelling

Theme: retelling

Summary: The story follows Rhodopis in Egypt. There are girls who are very unkind to her and she was not allowed to go to the court that Pharaoh was hosting. The mean girls went. Rhodopis had these beautiful slippers but the girls got them dirty and a falcon stole one. The bird flew it all the way to Pharaoh and he decided that it belonged to his queen and he would search for her. Everyone tried on the shoe until he found Rhodopis and it fit.

Personal Connection: reminds me of the original Cinderella I grew up with.

Curricular Connection: have students do compare and contrast activities, every group has a different Cinderella retelling and they make posters about the one they read, they compare and contrast at the end

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Cedric The Shark Gets A Toothache

By: Kay Carter

Publisher: Kate Carter bedtime stories for children

Date: 04.26.2013

Pages: 35 pages

Grade Level: ages 2-6+

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Dentist, Good Choices, Hygiene

Summary: This book is about Cedric the shark. He eats lots of candy one day and gets a toothache. He goes to the dentist and learns the importance of brushing his teeth regularly. He enjoys the time at the dentist as she helps him to feel better and he says thankyou when he leaves. He will brush his teeth from now on.

Curricular Connection: Brushing teeth, not eating to much candy

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The Happy Hedgehog

By: Marcus Pfister

Publisher: North-South Books

Date: 02.01.2000

Pages: 32 pages

Grade Level: ages 5-8*

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Enjoying life, being yourself

Summary: this book focuses on Mikko the hedging. His grandfather is upset with him for sitting in his garden all day. He goes out trying to find something to do. But everything he tries is not for him. Finally he returns to his garden and finds that maintaining it and spending time there is what he truly enjoys. His grandpa is sick and because of his knowledge is able to make him a tea proving to his grandfather that what he is doing has importance to.

Personal Connection: I remember reading this book as a kid with my family and I truly have this mindset in the things I do as an adult. I think my parents always nurtured this mindset in me.

Curricular Connection: Being yourself, finding what you love to do even if it’s different from what someone else is doing.

Students could do an assignment on what they want to become someday and how it benefits the world.

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The Good Egg

By: Jory John, Pete Oswald

Publisher: Harper Collin’s

Grade Level: ages 5-8

Genre: Fiction

Theme: School Behavior

Summary: this book follows an egg that is very good and he lives in a carton of bad eggs. The good egg always is trying to keep the others on track and finally he cracks under pressure. So he leaves for a while and finds things that make him happy. When he is ready he returns. He learns that nobody is perfect, including himself and he is also not going to put so much pressure on himself.

Personal Connection: I remember finding these books on TikTok and reading all of them. I think the messages are great and the story lines are so sweet. I love these books.

Curricular Connection: Nobody is perfect, finding things that help you to calm down, not putting to much pressure on yourself.

Students could research and find hobbies to try out.

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Little Taco Truck

2020 ILA Reading Lists

By: Tanya Valentine

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade

Date: 04.02.2019

Pages: 40 pages

Grade Level: preschool-1st grade

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Comparison

Summary: This book is about a taco truck that starts to compare themselves to the other food trucks that are starting to fill the street. He waits up one night so that he could claim a spot before everyone else could. The other trucks are kind the next day and work to make space for everyone. All the trucks began learning to make space for one another so they all had a chance to be on the busy street

Personal Connection: I related to this story as I have struggled with comparison before and it can be extremely intimidating. However when you can overcome it and become a team with those around you the opportunities grow.

Curricular Connection: This book could lead into discussion on not comparing to others and how working as a team betters the classroom environment

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By: Alexis O’Neill

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Date: 02.01.2002

Pages: 32

Grade Level: preschool-1st grade

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Kindness

Summary: this book starts of telling about a girl who is not very kind on the playground. One day a new girl starts at the school and does not know that she is supposed to let the other girl go to the playground first, use the equipment, etc. the first girl is mean and tells her that she can not play before she does. Instead of being unkind in return the new student asks if she would like to play with her. This kindness transforms the girl and she decides to be kind and there is a happy ending.

Personal Connection: I remember a lot of drama occurring on the playground and I think a reminder like this could help students especially students new to a school environment understand recess and the expectations.

Curricular Connection: This could be a great way to explain the expectations of recess to students and set the guidelines for kindness.

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By: Cece Bell

Publisher: Harry N. Abrams

Date: 09.02.2014

Pages: 245 pages (on epic)

Grade Level: grades 3-6

Genre: Graphic Novel

Theme: Overcoming challenges

Summary: This book tells the story of Cece a young girl who has hearing aids to do an illness. At the beginning she is discouraged but by the end is able to learn to appreciate her differences and how to turn her struggles into something positive.

Personal Connection: this story meant a lot to me as I think about the differences it could make in kids understanding of others disabilities

Curricular Connection: discuss differences and the importance of being kind to everyone. Could do character studies with the characters of this book or discuss the art of graphic novels.

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By: Yona Zelda’s McDonough

Publisher: penguin workshop

Date: 12.23.2010

Pages: 112

Grade Level: elementary

Genre: biography

Theme: history and civil rights

Summary: this is a biography that goes over the life of Rosa parks. I really liked how it included pictures and was easily able to walk us through her life while also sharing some other influential people as well such as Claudette who gave up her seat as well.

Personal Connection: I read a ton of these as a kid so I was actually very excited to pick one up for the Padlet assignment!

Curricular Connection: connect to history, have children use it as a source in essays, show them how a biography is formatted, etc.

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Abdul’s Story

By: Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow

Publisher: Salaam reads

Date: 03.29.2022

Pages: 40 pages

Grade Level: P-3

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Writing to tell a story

Summary: This story is about Abdul’s. He loves to tell stories. However, even though he loves to write he struggles with some of the writing concepts such as spelling, silent e, neat handwriting, etc. he notices his writing doesn’t sound like the academic writing he reads, so he decides his stories are not for books. One day a writer came to talk to the class. Abdul is so worried about perfection that he doesn’t get the chance to tell his story. The writer came to talk to him and he encourages him in his writing. Overtime he starts to grow in his writing.

Personal Connection: I have experienced kids being so frustrated with their spelling that they never got to tell the story. It is important to not focus on perfection.

Curricular Connection: teach kids about writing and not striving purely for perfection.

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By: Jeanne Birdsall

Publisher: Yearling

Date: 03.2007

Pages: 262 pages

Grade Level: 6th grade

Genre: Fiction

Theme: adventures and self growth

Summary: This little chapter book goes through the story of these 4 sisters that go on a bunch of adventures while on a family vacation lasting the summer. They are at Arundel which is the estate their family is at for their vacation. They go through many adventures while meeting Jeffery who is the son of the estate owner. The girls come to befriend Jeffery however his mother disapproves of this friendship because of the wildness and adventurousness of the girls.

Personal connection: my friend recommended I read this one!

Curricular Connection: could be used for book reports or recommendations for children to read

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I Survived Series

By: Lauren Tarshis

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Date: 02.02.2013

Pages: 112

Grade Level: 2-4th grade

Genre: historical fiction

Theme: educating on d-day

Summary: I survived is a series that is able to tell historical events through fictional characters. This one in particular told the story of D-Day where we follow Paul’s family as they are caught in the event of D-Day when the forces stormed Normandy beach. We get to see the perspective of someone dealing with the impacts of war first hand, the challenges, fears and struggles that come from way.

Personal Connection: I have always had an interest in history. I think as a child I would have loved these books if I had read them.

Curricular Connection: Great for learning about historical fiction, book reports or studying D-Day/ a historical event.

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Goodnight Gorilla

By: Peggy Rathmann

Publisher: Ediciones Ekare

Date: 03.01.2013

Pages: 36

Grade Level: ages 0-4

Genre: Picture book

Theme: picture books

Summary: this is a picture book that through question and comprehension students will be able to walk through the story with the teacher as the gorilla follows the zoo keeper around at night releasing all the animals from the cages. They all end up at his house as he goes to sleep, the wife wakes up to find the animals and takes them back to their cages, but at the end we see the gorilla has the keys and has escaped again.

Personal Connection: As a child I loved picture books and I love how you can ask students questions to piece the story together.

Curricular Connection: Get students beginning to understand picture relations to storytelling. Comprehension questions.

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By: Sara Greenwood

Publisher: Random House Studio

Date: 10.11.2022

Pages: 40

Grade Level: K-2nd

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Family, siblings, incarceration

Summary: this book is about a little girl who’s brother is incarcerated. The kids at school are mean and she doesn’t know much about the situation but that she loves and misses her brother. When he is released she worries he won’t remember her. But they are able to hug and continue their family relationship and start fresh.

Personal Connection: this book seems like it could really help many kids feel seen and understood

Curricular Connection: can be used to help a student feel seen or help students to understand the various family dynamics and the lesson that people are going through all sorts of different things

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By: Megan McDonald

Publisher: Atheneum/Richard Jackson Book

Date: 10.01.2005

Pages: 40

Grade Level: PreL-1st

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Exploration/Play

Summary: this story follows a lion, crab and a rabbit as they explore through a library. They wonder around finding many things and having fun together. It is like a little adventure.

Personal Connection: I thought it was cute and could show the fun of exploring new things

Curricular Connection: could come up with their own map for exploration

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By: Ron Roy

Publisher: Scholastic

Date: 12.2002

Pages: 83 pages

Grade Level: 2-4th

Genre: Mystery

Theme: Mystery Book

Summary: The Missing Mummy follows Josh and Ruth as they go to the museum to see a new Egyptian Exhibit. But, the mummy is stolen and we follow as Ruth and Josh search for clues to figure out what happened to the mummy. This book had pictures as well which I felt made the story fun and engaging and could help early readers piece together text with the image. In the end the museums owner had hidden the mummy.

Personal Connection: as a child I loved mystery books. They were what got me into reading

Curricular Connection: students could use this to study mystery books or to do a book report.

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By: Doreen Cronin

Publisher: Harper Collin’s

Date: 08.14.2003

Pages: 40

Grade Level: preschool - 1st

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Worms

Summary: This story is written like little diary entries from the perspective of a worm. He talks about how the pros and cons of being a worm and how people tend to forget about them. He talks about the impacts worms have on the earth and how the earth never forgets about worms.

Personal Connection: I thought it was a cute story and I enjoyed the perspective of the worm.

Curricular Connection: explore new perspectives

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Kristy’s Great Idea

By: Ann M. Martin

Publisher: Scholastic

Date: 12.2.2021

Pages: 132

Grade Level: 9-12 year olds

Genre: Fiction / Comic Book

Theme: babysitting, club, fiction

Summary: this book follows a few girls who start a babysitters club. Together they start to pick up more families to babysit for and the 4 girls start to become overwhelmed with their business and school. There are many parts about the different kids they babysit and interactions amongst the girls as well. They also get to make notes of their babysitting adventures together.

Personal Connection: I feel like I would have loved this book as a kid! I liked it since I babysit as an adult.

Curricular Connection: Could be used for a book report or exploring comic book style books.

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David Goes to School

By: David Shannon

Publisher: The Blue Sky Lress

Date: 01.01.1999

Pages: 32 pages

Grade Level: ages 2-6+

Genre: Fiction

Theme: School Behavior

Summary: this book walks through a story focused on David experiencing school. He seems to get into trouble frequently. He is reminded to walk, keep his hands to himself, stay quiet and more. At the end we see that he colors on the desks so the consequence is to stay after school.

Personal Connection: I remember reading this book as a kid on many back to school days when learning what the expected classroom behavior was.

Curricular Connection: School behavior

This could lead into a class discussion on the classroom rules.

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By: RoseMary Wells

Publisher: Puffin Books

Date: 07.01.2000

Pages: 32

Grade Level: preschool-1st

Genre: fiction

Theme: school

Summary: This story is about Timothy who does not like school because he is comparing himself to the boy he sits by. He feels as though this boy is better than him. He meets a girl who feels the same way about the girl she sits next two. The two end up becoming friends in the end.

Personal Connection: back to school story

Curricular Connection: can be told to encourage students to be kind and make friends at the start of a school year.

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All Different Now Juneteenth - 1st Day of Freedom

By: Angela Johnson

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books

Date: 05.06.2014

Pages: 40

Grade Level: ages 5-9

Genre: historical fiction

Theme: historical retelling of Juneteenth

Summary: This story tells the day the slaves found out they were free through the perspective of a young girl. Word spread as she was working in the fields and that night they all celebrated together as free people.

Personal Connection: This is important because lately Juneteenth has become a holiday and making people aware of what it is, is important.

Curricular Connection: To educate students on Juneteenth in a way that is engaging and tells the story in a way that draws our empathy and emotion. Students can use this for learning of a historical event.

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By: Claire A, Nivola

Publisher: Farrar

Date: 04.01.2008

Pages: 32 pages

Grade Level: ages 5-8

Genre: Biography

Theme: Story of Wangari

Summary: this book tells the true story of Wangari and her push to plant more trees in Kenya. Because of her persistence and desire to teach the woman in her town she was able to make a huge difference and be recognized for it globally.

Personal Connection: I have never heard this story before and I always love to read stories based on real people and true events.

Curricular Connection: Students can use this book for reports. Students can also dive deeper into why planting trees was so important.

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The Rough Face Girl

By: Rafe Martin

Publisher: Puffin Books

Date: 04.13.98

Pages: 32

Grade Level: 2nd grade +

Genre: fantasy retelling

Theme: retelling, Cinderella retelling

Summary: In this Native American Cinderella retelling there are two girls whose father gives them very nice things and tried to say they saw the man that could not be seen. The sister of this man called them out for lying. Then the rough face girl decided to try since she knew she had seen him. The sister let her try and she did. She ended up marrying the invisible being.

Personal Connection: connects to the original story of Cinderella that I grew up with.

Curricular Connection: compare and contrast activities or culture activities to dive into studies on other cultures

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By: Nancy Carlson

Publisher: Puffin Books

Date: 05.1990

Pages: 32

Grade Level: preschool-kindergarten

Genre: fiction

Theme: self love

Summary: this book talks about our main character (a pig) and how their best friend is themselves. They love their tail and their feet. They encourage themselves and love to do art and paint. It just talks about the message of being your own best friend and being okay doing things alone sometimes.

Personal Connection: I think this book is sweet to encourage kids that they don’t always have to have a friend to do something they enjoy.

Curricular Connection: this can be taught with classroom rules and understanding that we need to be kind to ourselves.

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Ban This Book

By: Alan Gratz

Publisher: Starscape

Date: 08.29.2017

Pages: 256

Grade Level: upper elementary

Genre: fiction

Theme: banned books

Summary: this book is about a girl who goes to the library one day to find that her favorite book has been banned. At first so is not sure what this means but quickly realizes that there are many banned books. She wants to take action, she ends up starting a banned book collection in her locker so that other kids can read the banned books.

Personal Connection: I like many books that are on the banned books list

Curricular Connection: teach kids about banned books and standing up for what they believe in

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Miss Mingo & the Fire Drill

By: Jamie Harper

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Date: 07.28.2009

Pages: 40

Grade Level: K-4th

Genre: Fiction

Theme: fire drills and animals

Summary: miss Mingo is a teacher and she is helping her kids to be prepared for the fire drills. She explains the plan and what to do as well as brings a fireman into the class to talk about it. Throughout the story we learn facts about animals.

Personal Connection: I really enjoy the animals facts through this book

Curricular Connection: for a quick read you can use it for the topic of fire drills but to go in depth you can read the animal facts that go along with nearly every page.

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The Gingerbread Man Loose On the Firetruck

By: Laura Murray

Publisher: G.P Putnam Sons Books

Date: 06.27.2013

Pages: 32

Grade Level:

Genre: Fiction/Comic

Theme: Fire station field trip

Summary: the book walks through a gingerbread man who is going on a field trip with his class to a fire station. It is in a comic book format. The gingerbread man ends up jumping into the firetruck and was able to ride even though he was not supposed to. He ends up helping the fireman and saves the day.

Curricular Connection: Can be used to discuss the comic genre and how to read a comic style book or to talk about the fire station.

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By: Caroline Lindstrom

Publisher: Harry N. Abram’s

Date: 03.21.2023

Pages: 48

Grade Level: 1st-5th

Genre: fiction

Theme: Native American culture

Summary: the story is about a girl that wants long hair. She talks about what the ancestors say about growing out their hair. It connects them to the earth. They talk about how their hair is a celebration of their lives. She talks about the memories associated with the length of hair she had at various times.

Personal Connection: I have always loved learning about Native American culture

Curricular Connection: can be used to talk about different beliefs of cultures with students. They could use this to compare the value of hair in our culture to this culture.

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Stars of the Night

By: Caren Stelson

Publisher: Carolrhoda Books

Date: 02.07.2923

Pages: 40 pages

Grade Level: 2nd-6th

Genre: historical retelling

Theme: Historical telling of Czech kinder transport

Summary: talked of the Czech children and their perspective as things began to change around the start of world war 2. They talked about escaping as they began to be hated for being a Jew. The mother had to send the kids away alone, saying goodbyes. Their escape is called “the ticket of life”. Their mothers had to say goodbye to their kids as they left on the train. The kids were then arriving in London, meeting the strangers taking the kids into foster homes.

Personal Connection: I learned alot about ww2 as a kid and the different perspectives is important. Nicholas Winston was the one who saved these children.

Curricular Connection: to discuss the various people groups and perspectives involved during world war 2.

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Clifford’s Busy Week

By: Norman Bridwell

Publisher: Demco Media

Date: 05.01.2002

Pages: 20

Grade Level: preschool and pre k

Genre: fiction

Theme: narrative story about Clifford

Summary: Clifford lost his mouse Mr squeaky and is oooking for it. He re traces his steps from every place he went thought the week, in order and at the ends he finds he left it at grandmas house.

Personal Connection: I used to watch the Clifford show on pbs kids

Curricular Connection: could be used for story time or to talk about the days of the week.

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By: Kristen Nordstrom

Publisher: Charlesbridge

Date: 07.13.2021

Pages: 48

Grade Level: 2nd-5th

Genre: science, nonfiction

Theme: science, inventions

Summary: this book is all about different inventions and the people who made them happen. It tells of many different things and gives kids a glance at all the impactful people in engineering and science.

Personal Connection: could be helpful to start research projects and give ideas

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Tooth by Tooth

By: Sarah Levine

Publisher:

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Genre: science nonfiction

Theme: teeth, fangs, tusks, animal chompers

Summary: this book is all about the different teeth or as the author puts it, chompers, that animals have and why they help that specific animal. It is a book of facts and information well organized to communicate and entertain kids.

Personal Connection:

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By: Maurice Sendak

Publisher: Red Fox

Date: 2000

Pages: 38

Grade Level: k-3

Genre: fiction

Theme: imagination

Summary: this book is about a boy that goes on a trip to the wild things. He lives there until he decides he no longer likes it and wants to return home. This is all his imagination as he is thinking about where he could go, as he is mad at his mom because he got in trouble.

Curricular Connection: we could use this book to begin teaching the idea of when we can tell something is imagined or really happening

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By: Maurice Sendak

Publisher: Red Fox

Date: 07.01.2001

Pages: 40

Grade Level: k-3

Genre: fiction

Theme: imagination

Summary: a boy wake up in the middle of the night to get some milk but when he goes to the kitchen there are 3 chefs there. They are backing. The boy helps and goes on an adventure to fetch the milk before falling asleep.

Curricular Connection: I found that I would not use this book in a classroom due to the art and images that are in the book.

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By: Maurice Sendak

Publisher: Harper Collin’s

Date: 03.1991

Pages: 32

Grade Level: k-3

Genre: fiction

Theme: poetry

Summary: this book is about a boy that has a bowl of chicken soup with rice. The story goes through each month of the year with fun rhymes and poems about the bowl of soup based on the month they are in.

Curricular Connection: great for discussion on the traits of each month of the year and seasons. Could also be used to start talking about poetry and rhyming.

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By: Michael Garland

Publisher: Puffin Books

Date: 06.21.2005

Pages: 32 pages

Grade Level: 2nd grade

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Story telling/imagination

Summary: there is a teacher who had a storybook where the characters can really come out of the book. One day the teacher is late and the students all start reading from the book. Students are reading through the stories but not finishing them so all the characters are popping out and flooding the school. The teacher showed up and began to solve this problem.

Personal Connection: makes me think about what it means to be a good story teller

Curricular Connection: could be used to talk to kids about imagination and the power of stories

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By: Maurice Sendak

Publisher: Harper Collin’s

Date: 02.05.2013

Pages: 31

Grade Level: 1-4th

Genre: fiction

Theme: poetry

Summary: this book is about his brother who passed away and their meeting again. It is told in a whimsical poetic way full of figurative language and meaning.

Personal Connection: this books is a sweet gesture to his brother and I think gives our story so much deeper meaning

Curricular Connection: we could dive into the meaning behind each page as it is a harder text to get through. It could be a good book to analyze

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By: Maurice Sendak

Publisher: Harper Collin’s

Date: 1991

Pages: By: Maurice Sendak

Grade Level: k-3

Genre: fiction

Theme: ABC’s

Summary: this book follows a family of alligators going through each letter of the alphabet with a catchy or silly phrase and action.

Curricular Connection: could be used to teach the alphabet with catchy phrases however the letter I would not be able to be used in the classroom so I would not use this book for a read aloud.

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By: Jerry Pinckney

Publisher: Little Brown Books

Date: 09.01.2001

Pages: 40

Grade Level: prek-1

Genre: fiction

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By: Arnold Lobel

Publisher: Harper Collin’s

Date: 2.18.2003

Pages: 64

Grade Level: 2nd

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By: Ronnie Schotter

Publisher: Anna Schwartz Books

Date: 03.29.2006

Pages: 36

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By: Demi

Publisher: Square Fish

Date: 09.15.1996

Pages: 32

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By: Karma Wilson

Publisher: Mcelderry Books

Date: 01.01.2002

Pages: 34

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By: Mo Willems

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

Date: 09.01.2007

Pages: 64

Grade Level: pre k - 1st

Genre: Fiction

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