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Upper-Elementary Chapter Books
Genre: Fantasy, Horror
Review: This story is about a young girl in Kansas with a little dog named Toto. Dorothy has constant trouble with the local neighbor, who always wants to take her dog because he chases her cats. A tornado comes through and she is knocked out for days, when she went to the Wizard of Oz in her mind. The four characters all need something, lion-courage, scarecrow-brain, tin man-heart, & Dorothy wants to go home to Kansas. In her dream, they all get what they want and after tapping her ruby red shoes, she wakes up in her bed in Kansas. Beautiful fictional story!
Likes: I like the realistic fiction characters portrayed in the story and also the make-believe throughout the plot.
Age/Audience: Upper elementary and up. Great book or movie for all who enjoy this genre.
Interests: This book would be interesting to children who enjoy personified characters and also for those who like a distraught plot with a happy ending.
Teaching Points:
1. Fantasy within a plot
2. Humbleness

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Upper-Elementary Chapter Books
Genre: Quest, Coming of Age
Review: This book is about a pig named Wilbur that was about to get turned into bacon until his friend Charlotte the spider saved him by weaving great compliments about him in her webs. All came to see and soon enough, he was taken to the county fair and won a prize! Charlotte had laid eggs and would soon die. Wilbur was saddened; she had saved his life but he could not save hers. He took the eggs back to the farm with him and 100’s of them hatched! His new friends were Charlotte’s babies.
Likes: It is a classic about caring and humbleness. I also love to read books where animals are personified.
Age/Audience: 5th grade thru middle school. Even some ages above that would enjoy this story. Interests: This book would be interesting to kids who like animals that play the main characters with personification.
Teaching Points:
1. Setting and its importance to this story
2. Simplicity of life

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Upper-Elementary Chapter Books
Genre: Science Fiction
Review: This is a story about three men who follow a map that will take them to the center of the earth. The explorer, Lidenbrock, his nephew Axel, and their assistant begin their journey in Iceland. They discover another world with prehistoric animals, a 12-foot man, a sea, and fossils from dinosaurs. They didn’t make it to the center, but they surface in Stromboli, Italy.
Likes: The adventurous Lidenbrock never lost hope in the quest to the center of the earth. I like the fact they had to decode the secret message on the parchment paper from the 16th century.
Age/Audience: Fifth grade and up
Interests: This book would be interesting to kids or adults who enjoy reading realistic science fiction filled with adventure. This story is similar to Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Teaching Points:
1. Theme: In this story perseverance is a theme throughout the entire book. Everything the characters encounter has an obstacle or difficulty. The rewards are phenomenal for these explorers and could be used to teach several points.
2. Science Fiction

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PADLET JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH

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Upper-Elementary Chapter Books
Genre: Quest, Literary Fiction, Tragedy
Review: This story is about a school teacher named Ishmael who decides to go on a whaling voyage. The captain of this ship, Ahab is obsessed with finding Moby Dick, the White Whale, who caused him to lose his leg. In this quest ship and crew are all lost at sea except for Ishmael; he clung to a coffin built for his friend Queequeg until a ship rescued him.
Likes: This is a very adventurous story with a tragic end. It starts with this grand quest to find this great white whale only to turn into a tragedy. Why is Ishmael the only survivor? I do not like how it just ends; there is no ending!
Age/Audience: Fifth – sixth graders and up
Interests: This book would be interesting to kids who like to read about voyages, pirate types of stories, and adventurous quests that take several months however, the tragic ending might deter someone from choosing this book.
Teaching Points:
1. The writing style of Herman Melville, it is elaborate and scholarly for this story to be a tale of average working men.
2. Conflict: The ship is supposed to hunt whales and bring sperm oil back to sell. Ahab was only on a voyage of revenge.

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Upper-Elementary Chapter Books
Genre: Adventure Fiction, Dog Story
Review: This is a story about a dog named Buck whose owner is a judge. He gets kidnapped and thrown into the wild pulling a sled with a pack of wild dogs. He begins to feel an inner struggle of wanting to live in the wild. In the end, he kills the leader of the pack to become the leader and remains in the wild.
Likes: I like his lifestyle in the beginning as a civilized dog. I don't like the decision he makes for himself in the end.
Age/Audience: 5th grade and up
Interests: Animal lovers, mistreatments, sympathy for animals, wild animals and their habitat
Teaching Points:
1. Realistic story of a dog
2. Allegory - This story can be used to reveal a hidden meaning; We all have basic tendencies that reveal themselves out of nowhere.

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Upper-Elementary Chapter Books
Genre: Coming of Age, Romanticism, Realism, Comedy
Review: The story is about an orphan with nothing to offer the family willing to take her in. They are actually expecting a boy when they arrive at the train station. Anne changes the lives of Matthew and Marilla promising everything, which always accidently goes wrong. She grows up with them, becomes the town teacher, and is loved by all, especially her friend Gilbert.
Likes: This novel reminds me of my childhood except that I wasn't an orphan; my son & I watch these movies often.
Age/Audience: 4th grade and up
Interests: A child who enjoys reading a complete life story of someone, growing and maturing, learning to care and love others.
Teaching Points:
1. Tone of the main character
2. Narrative point of view

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Upper-Elementary Chapter Books
Genre: Fiction, Adventure, Romantic Novel, Moral
Review: A story of a man who was betrayed and thrown in jail for many years. He was educated by a mad priest who ended up dying and giving Dantes his fortune if he were to ever able to escape, and he did. He avenged himself in the end of all those who had betrayed him.
Likes: After all the years in prison, this man was able to come out educated and well to do. Dantes was a totally different person after his escape.
Age/Audience: 5th or 6th grade
Interests: For students who enjoy a fiction story based on a real-life and a plot where the main character goes from rags to riches.
Possible teaching points:
1. Compare and contrast

2. Revenge

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Upper-Elementary Chapter Books
Genre: Historical fiction, Coming of Age, Romantic Novel
Review: Pride and Prejudice is a story written in the late 1700’s about a community of people who see family, wealth, and reputation as great importance. The Bennet family, a perfect example of how people allow status to influence their opinions. Likes: I liked the ongoing chase back and forth with Lizzie and Darcy and how they were willing to see past their differences in the end.
Age/Audience: 13 +
Interests: This would be interesting to anyone who enjoys reads from that era and another one would be love stories that begin with contrasting opinions.
Teaching Points:
1. Irony
2. Symbolism

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Upper-Elementary Chapter Books
Genre: Historical Fiction
Review: This story is about a greedy, rich, selfish man with no feelings of compassion towards people. It is Christmas & he has no intention of celebrating. He is visited by 3 ghosts & the last one shows him the future, dead, with people robbing his corpse. He awakens totally changed on Christmas morning, goes out, & donates to charity on his way to his nephew's home for a celebration.
Likes: The old man finally realizes that you can't take money to the grave. He goes out with a changed heart after the ghosts visit him.
Age/Audience: Middle to High School and older
Interests: To students who like a story based on real-life or a Christmas story.
Teaching Points:
1. Symbolism
2. Ignorance

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Upper-Elementary Chapter Books
Genre: Gothic Romanticism
Review: A small quiet town set in a low hollow near the Hudson River in NY City, famous for its ghost stories. After a romantic breakup, Ichabod (town teacher) heads home and never arrives. he disappears and is never found. Afterwards, no one cares, they move on, and get another teacher.
Age/Audience: 5th - 6th grade or above
Interests: A novel within the time era of Post-American Revolution, or to a kid who enjoys a romantic novel with hidden intentions.
Teaching Points:
1. Symbolism of the Hessian Headless Horseman
2. Metaphor - Name of the town "Sleepy Hollow"

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Graphic Novels
Genre: Youth Comics
Review: Four friends have started a baby sitting club and vow to stick it out no matter what comes along!
Likes: I like how the author displays an example of real-life without all the uglies kids experience these days. The four girls become the best of friends in their experiences.
Age/Audience: 8 - 12 years & older teens
Interests: This would be enjoyable to teens who actually do this to make money.
Teaching Points:
1. Real-life examples
2. Drama

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Graphic Novels
Genre: Youth Comics
Review: A middle school student takes on the role of a set designer in a play because she feels like she can't play the part. The drama begins when parts are chosen and two cute brothers make it even worse. This story depicts the daily drama of a middle school student.
Likes: I like how she decides to be a part of an activity even though its not what she wants to be. There is alot of drama but Callie shows her responsible strengths.
Age/Audience: 10 - 14 years
Interests: Any middle school student that is involved in extracurricular activities would like this story.
Teaching Points:
1. Growing up
2. Social situations

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Graphic Novels
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Review: Raina wants to be a big sister but when Amara is born she changes her thinking. A cranky baby makes her wish differently. Later on a baby brother is born and their parents don't seem to be getting along. They learn a valuable lesson about how important their relationship is.
Likes: I like this because I can identify with the exact situation. They realize that sisters are sometimes the closest friend you have.
Age/Audience: 8 - 12 years
Interests: This would be interesting to kids who have lived in the same situations at home.
Teaching Points:
1. Importance of family
2. Relationships

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Graphic Novels
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Review: A cute story about a young girl wearing braces for a short period who falls and breaks out her front teeth. She ends up having to wear head gear & more for four years and finds out who her true friends are.
Likes: The notion of worry about losing her new friends and writing a descriptive story based on real life.
Age/Audience: 12 to 16
Interests: Girls who go through these pains in middle school, and the setting of California.
Teaching Points:
1. Use of texts and images
2. True meaning of friends

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Graphic Novels
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Review: The two are alike as night and day, middle school students, one popular and one shy and unsociable. One day their lives intersect when a letter got in the wrong hands.
Likes: This book was a cute and perfect description of what it is like in middle school. The illustrations with the captions are great about all the chatter that goes on.
Age/Audience: 12-18 or older
Interests: This would be a good book for teen just starting middle school or like to read stories with a school setting.
Teaching Points:
1. Contrasts
2. Standing up for oneself

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Early Chapter Books
Genre: Humor
Review: Nick is a coniving elementary kid who's always in trouble, and then he becomes a hero out of nowhere by a simple aggravation of changing the name of a pen. His annoyance with the teacher leads to national attention and the addition of a word to the dictionary!
Likes: I like the courage he has even though most of the time it is annoying. He shows courage in his pursuit of a new word.
Age/Audience: 8 - 15 years
Interests: This is for kids who feel they are always wrong but once in a while they prove an acceptable point.
Teaching Points:
1. Courage
2. Tenacity

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Early Chapter Books
Genre: Children's Literature, Humor
Review: Amelia wants a new bicycle but her parents tell her they will split the cost, so she must find a way to make money. Something always goes wrong but in the end she earns the bicycle.
Likes: I like the way she always runs into a problem. Amelia always finds a solution to her problem.
Age/Audience: 3rd - 5th grade
Interests: This would be enjoyable to children who are good at problem solving.
Teaching Points:
1. Simple math lesson
2. Structure in the story

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Early Chapter Books
Genre: Sarcasm, Humor
Review: The story depicts two girls who are not meant to be friends. Through their confrontations they get into alot of trouble but always come out shining in the end with minimal punishment.
Likes: I like this story because it mirrors a childhood friend of mine. They always end up with minimal consequences for their actions.
Age/Audience: 7 - 9 years
Interests: Friends who were never meant to like each other and scheme together in daily living.
Teaching Points:
1. Compare & contrast
2. Consequences

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Early Chapter Books
Genre: Adventure and Mystery
Review: Nate goes into a store having left Sludge outside. When he comes out, Sludge is gone. He must follow clues to find him and his dog ends up being in their favorite place, the cafeteria.
Likes: Nate is named after the author's father. This series of books have a cliffhanger making the reader want to read more.
Age/Audience: 1st - 4th grade
Interests: This series is for children who like mysteries with a group of friends that help him.
Teaching Points:
1. Mysteries
2. What are clues

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Early Chapter Books
Genre: Non-Fiction, Drama
Review: Peter Brantwill is a shy, quiet boy in the fifth grade. He tries really hard not to stand out. His father becomes the principal of his school and he hates it. He is paired up with Darren who bullies him. The two have a project to prepare a petition to reinstate recess which turns out to be a real one. Darren backs out and Peter had to decide if he would fold or not. The two end up getting recess reinstated and becoming great friends.
Likes: This is funny how the retired principal comes back protesting and his dad turns neutral on the situation. I like how Peter thinks things out before he acts on his emotions.
Age/Audience: 8-10 years
Interests: Interesting to somebody who enjoys reading a school related settings and likes to work out confrontations.
Teaching Points:
1. Bullying and non-bullying working together.

2. Fighting for a purpose

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National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of the Ocean 

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National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of the Ocean 

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Nonfiction
Genre: Scientific
Reviews: This is a reference that includes sea animals and introduces kids to some of its creatures. It covers more than 100 charming animals, facts, and photos.
Likes: The illustrations are real-life photos. The descriptions are informative for a young reader.
Age/Audience: PreK - 3rd grade
Interests: For a family that may live on the coast or a child who is interested in sea life.
Teaching Points:
1. Science and sea life
2. Differences of Land and Sea Animals

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Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life

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Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life

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Nonfiction
Genre: Biography
Review: This novel is a complete recap of Prince Charles' life from his childhood to becoming an adult.  It follows him through difficult school years, his early love affairs, his intellectual quests, his entrepreneurial pursuits, and his intense search for spiritual meaning. It tells of the tragedy of his marriage to Diana; his eventual reunion with his true love, Camilla; and his relationships with William, Kate, Harry, and his grandchildren.
Likes: The inclusive stories of many present ideas heard and unheard. It reveals his struggles to obey a dictated lifesyle.
Age/Audience: Middle school to High School and above.
Interests: The study of a royal family and the daily struggles to have a normal life.
Teaching Points:
1. Personal struggles
2. Life of a Royal

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Nonfiction
Genre: Memoir
Review: This story is about a woman zookeeper in Warsaw, Poland, who hid Jews & Polish from the Nazis. It describes how she, her husband, and son cool-headedly dealt with oppositions and the bombing surrounding them. The Polish and others finally rescued the 300 + refugees close to the end of the war.
Likes: The scheme of hiding people in an animal habitat was indescribable. The cool-headed acts of a woman in that era are so commendable for saving so many lives.
Age/Audience: Middle to High School and above
Interests: This would be interesting to grandchildren/children of those who lived in that era.
Teaching Points:
1. History stories of WW11
2. Compassion

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An Unseen Angel: A Mother's Story of Faith, Hope, and Healing After Sandy Hook

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An Unseen Angel: A Mother's Story of Faith, Hope, and Healing After Sandy Hook

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Nonfiction
Genre: Tragedy
Review: This story is about the school shooting in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CN. The mother in the story lost her child and learns to cope with her emotions, faith, and advocacy for others who experience the same.
Likes: The author describes what the mother goes through while learning to cope with the loss of a child and leans on her Christian faith.
Age/Audience: Middle to High School & above
Interests: For anyone who experiences the lose of a family member and rests on God's comfort.
Teaching Points:
1. Tragedy
2. Christian faith

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Nonfiction
Genre: Women's Biographies
Review: This book is about 13 women in American history who refused to be quieted and stood up for their purpose or belief. It focuses on the fact that no matter what the obstacle, don't give up especially being a woman. Ex: Harriet Tubman & Helen Keller
Likes: I like the fact that a former President's daughter is the author. Persistance is the key word in each story.
Age/Audience: PreK  - 3rd grade
Interests: For any female with a dream this book would be an inspiration to read.
Teaching Points:
1. Persistance
2. Inspiration

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Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World

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Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World

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Nonfiction
Genre: Inspirational History
Review: This book portrays the works of women in science from an era when they weren't recognized for their achievements simply because they were women. A detailed inclusion of women in this book are those that changed history with their discoveries.
Likes: There are several women in this story that I never knew about. I love the author's inspiration of each depiction and its importance.
Age/Audience: 5th - 10th grade
Interests: This would be interesting to a young lady or anyone with an open mind about the importance of discoveries and not gender.
Teaching Points:
1. Historical figures
2. Time era of characters

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Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909

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Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909

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Nonfiction
Genre: Biography
Review: This is a story about a Ukranian immigrant who couldn't speak English when she came to America and didn't know she was expected to work as a child. She never accepted her plight and with time, learned English, helped support her family, and led the largest strike of women workers.
Likes: The author is the grandchild of this book's main character. The author is sure to include the loving description of her grandmother as well as her accomplishments.
Age/Audience: PreK - 3rd grade
Interests: The story would interest children who have ancestors who lived in this era & may possibly still be alive.
Teaching Points:
1. History lesson
2. Determination

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Nonfiction
Genre: Biography
Review: This is a story about an American citizen from Mexican and Puerto Rican dissent who was denied enrollment in a California school. This is based on the court case Brown vs Board of Education in 1954.
Likes: I like the representation of court transcripts cited and the interview with Sylvia Mendez (the child) who grew up to earn the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Age/Audience: 1st to 4th grade
Interests: This would be interesting to a descendant of family who went through these challenges.
Teaching Points:
1. History lesson
2. Prejudice

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I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark

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I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark

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Nonfiction
Genre: Biography
Review: A powerful story about a girl who lives in an era of an unequal society. She protests her way through many obstacles until she reaches an ultimate destination of being the second woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Likes: The protests of a young girl in an unequal society carry her to a high law degree and profession. I like the accomplishments  of her determination.
Age/Audience: PreK - 3rd grade
Interests: This would be interesting to a girl with ambition and determination to conquer any obstacle.
Teaching Points:
1. Determination
2. Text structure

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Nonfiction
Genre: Narrative History
Review: This is a story who grew up under the Taliban rule and where women were quieted and educated only to certain point. She defied the rules and spoke out for education. A powerful story of how a brave young girl named Malala helped change the world and made a difference.
Likes: The author does a beautiful job communicating emotion. For a child's book, fear, terror, and determination are expressed in the words a child can understand.
Age/Audience: 3rd - 4th grade
Interests: Any child that has had to live through real-life situations (refugees) would enjoy this book.
Teaching Points:
1. Courage
2. Respect

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Nonfiction
Genre: Scientific Based on the Bible
Review: The book had 45 animals and gives a description of each along with its behaviors. It has great illustrations and is followed at the end with biblical scripture about the animal.
Likes: I truly like the biblical aspect here since it's lightly addressed in education. The devotional approach is a fantastic idea for christian students who like to learn about nature and animals.
Age/Audience: 1st - 5th grades
Interests: Great for christian children who love animals with scriptures applied.
Teaching Points:
1. Animals
2. Christian based theories

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National Geographic Kids First Big Book of Space

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National Geographic Kids First Big Book of Space

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Nonfiction
Genre: Scientific
Review: This book introduces the basics of space and the universe to young readers. It begins with basics and leads readers into more detail of things they have not learned.
Likes: This book has beautiful illustrations that engage the reader. The language is easy enough for beginning readers to understand.
Age/Audience: PreK - 3
Interests: Great for kids interested in space facts and displays of real photographs.
Teaching Points:
1. Science/Astrology Lesson

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Nonfiction
Genre: Biography
Review: The story of Abe Lincoln from childhood to the White House. It tells of his love for reading and how this shaped his self-educated life and dreams.
Likes: The humble beginning of a U.S. President and how he self-educated himself through reading.
Age/Audience: K - 2
Interests: For students who like to read about the childhood of great persons and details of a pioneer lifestyle.
Teaching Points:
1. Pioneer life
2. Importance of how words shape ideas & lives

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Nonfiction
Genre: Nonfiction/Facts
Review: The lifecycle of a caterpillar with bright illustrations, that tells the story about his walk in life.
Likes: The simplistic wording that would be easy for a beginning reader. Interesting facts of a caterpillar's life.
Age/Audience: K - 3
Interests: Insects and nature through the voice of the critter.
Teaching Points:
1. Vocabulary
2. Science lesson

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Nonfiction
Genre: Biography
Review: The story of Paula Young Shelton, niece of Martin Luther King, how she grew up watching the struggles between blacks and whites.
Likes: She joined her family in the march from Selma to Montgomery. She was the niece of MLK.
Age/Audience: PreK - 3rd
Interests: A story about hope during the Civil Rights Movement and she is a teacher who used her own life story for a lesson.
Teaching Points:
1. Writing stories
2. Civil Rights

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PADLET CHILD OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

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Picture Book
Genre: Persuasion
Review: Alex is the oldest brother who gets kicked out of his room when his baby sister is born. He has to move in with his younger brother who aggravates him so he begins writing letters to his dad trying to persuade him to build an addition to the house. They end up building a tree house but Alex finds that now he is lonely. He finally writes a letter to his brother Ethan inviting him to come play. The last picture is the two of them coming out of the tree house.
Likes: I can remember the aggravation of my brother, but more times than not we always ended up playing together. I like the way Alex tries to negotiate with his letters.
Age/Audience: K-3
Interests: This would be great for the oldest child in the same situation. It would be interesting to a child trying to find a realistic solution to a problem.
Teaching Points:
1. Structure of writing letters

2. How to make your point

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Picture Book
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Review: Splat goes on a camping trip in his back yard and his two friends are in the tent. He is a little unhappy when he sees someone he doesn’t care for. Anyway, the 3 friends have a great adventure with a few scares and make it through the night.
Likes: I like the bold illustrations, they pull you into the story. I like how the bully gets “got,” after he scares Splat!
Age/Audience: K-2
Interests: This book might interest kids who like to camp; I remember doing exactly that in my backyard.
Teaching Points:
1. Adventure

2. Bullying

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PADLET SPLAT THE CAT GOOD NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT

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Picture Book
Genre: Fable
Review: This is a story about black and blonde cats who cannot get along. A gray cat is born and he befriends both groups as he grows. He becomes the ruler and one day there is a fight. He takes off their ears then sends them away two hours. When they return, he gives back opposite colored ears and then they are able to hear others voices. When you listen to others you can live in peace.
Likes: A great lesson about learning to listen to other’s voices. The gray cat's way of mixing the ear colors.
Age/Audience: 1st to 3rd grade
Interests: Enjoyable to children who like realistic animal characters.
Teaching Points
1. Lesson in listening
2. Cause & effect

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Picture Book
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Review: Pete goes to the beach with his family and plays in the sand and with his mom because he's afraid of the water. He gets so hot, he decides to get wet!
Likes: Pete's busy activities while trying not to think about getting in the water. How he overcomes his fears.
Age/Audience: 4 to 8
Interests: Familiar characters and story for those who like Pete the Cat.
Teaching Points:
1. Overcoming fear
2. Family activities

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Picture Book
Genre: Fiction
Review: Story about a lonely cat who lives under a freeway pass; one day he meets a friend and life gets even better.
Likes: How he collects things he finds in the trash. How he helps the little cat without a second thought when no one else would.
Age/Audience: 4 to 8
Interests: Children who enjoy stories about collecting things and about realistic animal characters.
Teaching Points:
1. Friendship
2. Helpfulness

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Picture Book
Award: Chicago Public Library "Recommended Title"
Genre: Folklore
Review: A boy was not given a name at birth, so he sought a wise man to get a name. He and his friend both received a good dream for the rest of their lives and the boy got his name!
Likes: The story teaches a moral about patience and great expectations for the hopes of two little boys.
Age/Audience: 3rd to 4th grade
Interests: For children who enjoy an enchanted tale or about different cultures.
Teaching Points:
1. Morals of short stories
2. Imagination

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Picture Book
Hottest Seller 09-20-2016
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Review: Story about immigrants moving to a new world, what's really important that you would take with you.
Likes: The importance or insignificance of material things and how you have to decide what to keep.
Age/Audience: 4 to 8 years
Interests: Enjoyable to  children who may have parents or grandparents who were immigrants.
Teaching Points:
1. Immigration
2. What really matters

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Picture Book
Hottest Seller 02-18-2014
Genre: Fiction, Magical Realism
Review: This tree gave all it had to a child, until he grew old, then the tree was content in the end being able to provide its stump for a seat.
Likes: The tree's love for the boy and their relationship throughout life.
Age/Audience: 2nd to 3rd grade
Interests: Interesting to a child that may have a favorite tree (a memory of mine).
Teaching Points:
1. Generousity
2. Unselfishness

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Picture Book
Hottest Seller 04-17-2015
Genre: Advice & Self Help
Review: This book shares words of encouragement and milestones, strength, and friendships.
Likes: I like that this book is so uplifting and it could be a perfect gift for many different occasions.
Interests: This could be a book for graduates of all ages.
Age/Audience: PreK-Kindergarten
Interests: New readers would find this likeable.
Teaching Points:
1. Possibillities

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Picture Book
Hottest Seller 08-25-2015
Genre: Inspirational Review: This book is beautifully written in poetic rhymes with questions to children about what they will grow up to be and do. It is a message saying that your parents love you no matter what you become.
Likes: I love the poetic form, it has an air of hope and dreams. Message how a mother feels the moment a child is born.
Age/Audience: K-2 or a gift for an expecting mother.
Interests: As for a child, the inspiration expressed would be uplifting. You can’t help feeling love from whoever reads this book to you. The illustrations are colorful and eye-catching to any small child.
Teaching Points:
1. Rhyme

2. Inspiration

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Picture Book
Hottest Seller 07-01-2015
Genre: Adventure, Humor
Review: Mr. Wolf, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Snake, and Mr. Shark are thought to be dangerous when really they are going to break 200 dogs out of the Maximum Security City Dog Pound.
Likes: I like the fact that all of the guys were bad and have turned good.
Age/Audience: 3rd to 4th grade
Interests: This would be enjoyable to children who like mischief, animals, and humor.
Teaching Points:
Compare & contrast the characters' differences from beginning to end.

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Picture Book
Award: Winner of the 2017 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
Review: This is a true story about a boy from Brooklyn that dreams about becoming a famous artist. Jean-Michel Basquiat became famous in the 80’s with a style of art like no other. As a boy, he saw art in everything around him expressing it in his vivid and bold artwork. His art style sends a powerful message that art can be beautiful without being neat.
Likes: The author of this book has done an exceptional job echoing Basquiat’s style. The information could have been more inclusive about the influences on his life, such as his mother’s mental state, being poor, and his drug addiction.
Age/Audience: 1st to 3rd grade
Interests: A child with that style of art interests or someone that loves inspirational stories from rags to riches.
Teaching Points:
1. Determination – Would be a great plot to show how one can overcome negativity

2. Oxymoron could be a point in such that it’s a beautiful story coming from poverty, yet ends in poverty from the heart.

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Picture Book
Award: White Ravens    Award
Genre: Fable
Review: This story is about the moon crying, who cannot see her reflection in the lake, and begins to ask her friends how she can do this. The rainbow told her she needed to ask the sea to calm the waters so she could see her reflection. Finally, the moon was able to see herself, and was happy.
Likes: I like how the fable takes the other elements of nature and plays them out to be friends. I also like how each one the elements tried to be of help in their own way.
Age/Audience This book would interest an Emergent Reader (1rst to 3rd grade).
Interests: A child that likes to read fables and for someone who enjoys giving human qualities to objects.
Teaching Points:
1. The moral of this fable: be yourself

2. Personification – Giving human characteristics to something non-human

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Picture Book
Award: Newberry Medal, 2017
Genre: Coming of Age Fairytale
Review: This story is about a girl sacrificed to an evil witch by her people. Xan was truthfully a good witch who always carried children to another village. She nurtured the baby with moonlight on the way, which gave her a great power. Luna was her name and she ends up saving the people who raised her without even having to fight.

Likes: I liked this book because of the fairytale genre, it’s my favorite type of read. Another reason is because the witch is a good and kind character.
Age/Audience: 10 to 14 years
Interests: Any student who likes a science fiction mixed with a fairy tale
Teaching Points:
1. Idiosyncrasies – peculiar or unusual traits of the characteristics

2. Magic – Different forms of how magic is used in a fairytale such as whimsical, playful, or familiar.

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The Clever Boy and the Terrible, Dangerous Animal 

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The Clever Boy and the Terrible, Dangerous Animal 

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Picture Book
Award: The Library of Congress’ Children’s Holiday Program, 2002
Genre: Folktale
Review: The story is about a young boy who is allowed to adventure to the neighboring village. The town’s people are terribly afraid of what they thought was a dangerous animal. The young boy helps them to understand it is only a watermelon, then explains how to plant the seeds and grow them. The people are amazed! Then, their fields become filled with watermelons.
Likes: I like how the mother finally allows him to venture away from home, as my own mother did at a certain age. Also, I enjoyed the delightful nature of the young boy, even when the people called him dangerous and terrible.
Age/Audience: 1st to 3rd grade
Interests: Children who like adventure and also have a helpful nature with people.
Teaching Points:
1. Use of quotation marks for dialogue

2. Fear for something unknown

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The Clever Boy and the Terrible Dangerous Animal