# data[].attributes.body
By: Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman
Rating * * * * *
This book is the perfect first day of school book! It welcomes all children no matter their differences and teaches acceptance of those who are different from us. As a teacher, our goal should be to create a safe learning environment where all students are welcome and accepted for who they are and where they come from. This book is great because it not only encourages acceptance of others but it also helps you to accept and be proud of who you are. The pages of this book are filled with beautiful bright illustrations of children from many different places and backgrounds. Beyond outward appearances, it also depicts diverse family structures, cultures and traditions. The artwork in this book is wonderfully detailed and makes you as the reader want to take your time to absorb every bit of it. The author makes you feel proud to have such a diverse community where we can all teach one another and be loved for who we are. Overall, this book is a must have for teachers and parents.

# data[].attributes.body
Rating * * * * *
By: Shana Corey
Illustrated by: Rebecca Gibbon
This is story of the first-ever All-American Girls Professional Baseball League and the determined women who followed their dreams even though society told them not to. This piece of history is not widely known and I believe that it is important to share this with students. We should always look to empower girls with the history that we teach. They need to be told about women who did not take "no" for an answer. This story is filled with determination, passion and drive. Though it is not as prevalent today as it was in the 1940's, girls need to know that they can be more than housewives and mothers. This book teaches about stereotypes and that women are capable of success in jobs that they weren't "meant" to have. Players In Pigtails contains great vocabulary and use of adjectives. The illustrator did a fantastic job at portraying the 1940's. Every illustration is detailed and makes the reader really look at each picture. I enjoyed looking at the smaller pictures within the whole illustration . There is detail even in the acknowledgements page. The colors are vibrant and each illustration fills the pages from top to bottom. The illustrations also add another level of understanding to the text rather than just mirroring it.

# data[].attributes.body
Lesa Cline-Ransome
Rating * * * * *
Harriet Tubman exemplifies an American hero. This book is remarkably written and illustrated. It exceeded my expectations. The words were carefully selected and they touched my heart and soul. Harriet Tubman paved the way for so many people. She stood up for what she believed in and took action to help those who needed a voice. Her influence knows no bounds. This book does a brilliant job encompassing who she was with impactful adjectives. The illustrations are exceptionally done with vibrant but warm water colors. Each illustration consumes its page from one corner to the other. Though the illustrations completely occupy each page, the text is just as impactful and there is symmetry between the two. This book does more than inspire, it makes you believe that you too can be the change the world needs. I would read this book to my class every year no matter what age they are. She inspires both men and women, boys and girls alike.

# data[].attributes.body
By: Yangsook Choi
Rating * * * * *
The Name Jar begins with a young Korean immigrant who wants to choose an American name so that she isn't teased at school. She is new and just wants to fit in with her new classmates. She believes that her name is too difficult to pronounce and intends to abandon it all together. Her classmates do not know what her actual name is but they immediately decide to help her choose a name by submitting names in a jar. We learn that choosing a name in Korea is important and there is a great deal of meaning and culture behind it. With the help of a caring and accepting friend, Unhei decides that she is going to keep her own name. Her entire class accepts this and happily work to understand the pronunciation of Unhei. This book is great because it teaches students to be true to themselves and their culture. It encourages students not to hide where they came from or what is important to them. It also teaches the importance of learning about others and acknowledging that other cultures are beautiful, should be embraced and seen positively. Unhei makes a wonderful friend who really cares about her and wants her to feel welcome. He goes out of his way to learn a nickname that Unhei can call him in Korean. This welcoming gesture is exactly what I want my students to strive for. This type of behavior can make all the difference for those who are new to this country. The illustrators use of primary colors in this book really makes the illustrations pop. The pages are simplistically beautiful and full of emotion. Its simplistic artwork makes the expressions on each student's face easy to read and form a connection to.

# data[].attributes.body
By: Astronaut Mark Kelly
Rating * * * * *
This is an informative book that tells the story of a mouse who goes to space. Though it is fiction, we learn in the Afterword that mice did go to space with the astronauts on the shuttle Endeavour. Mousetronaut is the perfect book to begin a science lesson on space. The included afterword makes this book even better. It includes a multitude of information from the author who is an astronaut. This added information will excite children and prepare them to learn more about space and NASA. The illustrations are rich and highly pigmented. The illustrations give you a perspective that you have never had before and it makes you feel as if you too are in space. Every page is completely covered with detailed art. This story teaches children that even an unlikely candidate can make a difference and is worthy despite what others think. We learn that size is merely a number and it does not measure heart.

# data[].attributes.body
By: Gerald McDermott
Rating * * *
This folktale left me feeling unfulfilled. After I read it, I was disappointed by the fact that Tim O'Toole did not learn a lesson or moral in this story. He is a poor man that is asked to find work by his wife. Instead of finding work, he threatens the "wee folk" into giving him riches. He loses the riches that he received because he didn't listen to the only instruction he was given. After losing his riches twice, he demands that the Wee folk still give him more. In the end, he gets more riches and the Wee folk punish the thief that stole from Tim. This man did not work for his riches and after making several mistakes that he did not learn from, he still got a happy ending. Though this doesn't sit well with me, on a positive note, this book is abundantly filled with vocabulary. That makes this a good book for the classroom. I did also enjoy the illustrations. The overall feel of the book was perfectly depicted with soft lines and gorgeous cheery illustrations. Ultimately, Tim lived happily every after so this cheery tone fit the overall nature of the book. However, Tim was angered by the fact that he lost his riches and the illustrations did not depict the mood of those specific situations. I would have loved to see how the colors and lines change when Tim is upset. Finally, the book did include a bit of violence that I'd be wary of showing my students. Though I did not appreciate this book's lack of a lesson or moral, this could be used to our advantage in the classroom. We can talk about how this is not reality and in real life we must work for the things we want.

# data[].attributes.body
By: Parragon Books
Rating * * * *
This fairy tale was adorably illustrated. Its illustrations are geared towards small children but it includes details that every adult would enjoy. The illustrator does a great job at depicting size and textures in this book. Everything about the illustrations screams delicate and sweet, however, there is a lesson to be learned. Goldilocks made a mistake just like all children do when they do not know any better. She violated the privacy of others and clearly did not realize it until the end of the story when she saw the angry bears. This story teaches us to respect others and their things. It will teach children to respect their classmates and the belongings of others in school. It is a wonderful book to introduce in Kindergarten. This book can begin a discussion on classroom rules. Goldilocks and the Three Bears will also assist in teaching perspective and understanding through hypothetical role reversal.

# data[].attributes.headline
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

# data[].attributes.subject
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

# data[].attributes.body
By: Judith Viorst
Rating * * * * *
This book is perfect for every child and adult. It encompasses what we have all gone through at some point or another; a "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day". This book is wonderful for the classroom because it teaches children perspective and shows them that everyone can have a horrible day, "even in Australia". This is also a great book to read when learning about describing words. The adjectives title and text give children an greater understanding of what can be done with describing words and how we can use them to emphasize what we are trying to say. At first, I did not like that the pictures were solely in black and white. However,  the more I looked at the illustrations, the more I appreciated the affect it gives the illustrators remarkable use of lines.  As much as I love the very last line in the book, a part of me really wanted the last page to be of Alexander on the following day. On this day, he would be having an "amazing, wonderful, good, very great day!"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No good Day

# data[].attributes.body
By: Emily Winfield Martin
Rating * * * *
This sweet book begins with a child's birth and is written from a parents perspective. It is a great book to read to young children in the first few years of school. It shows them that they can be anything that they want to be and that the options for their futures are endless. The emotions that stem from this book will hit a children in a positive way. It will inspire and spark thoughts of their future. This book could be used to begin a lesson on who the children are and what they want to become. The artwork in this book is beautifully done with soft lines. These soft lines pair very well with the feelings the author is trying to inspire. The illustrations are colorful but sweetly muted to give the sense of childlike wander. The rhymes help the reader move smoothly through the book. The grand illustrations add a great deal to its simple and straight forward text.

# data[].attributes.body
By: Dr. Seuss
Rating * * * *
This little book is perfect for young children in Pre-K or Kindergarten. The book teaches a variety of different sounds with a fun and rhyming rhythm. This book can be used for young children and is great for teaching listening skills. Mr. Brown can Moo! Can You? can also be used to introduce poetry and how to rhyme. The artwork in this book is bright, lively and cartoonish, which makes it attractive for younger readers. Its bright illustrations pair well with the mood the author is conveying. The illustrator does a great job at making his characters pop due to the use of bright contrasting colors.

# data[].attributes.body
By: Maurice Sendak
Rating * * * * *
The illustrator brilliantly uses color, lines and space in his illustrations to convey mood. The colors he chose to use pair perfectly with the text and tone of the book. Where the Wild Things Are is perfect for children of all ages and adults. The impact this book has on the reader goes beyond words just as the author does by not using text on six pages. The classroom uses of this book seem endless. It can be used to prompt journals, discussions on emotions such as anger, critical thinking, perspective, reality verses imagination and coping with our emotions. This book serves to teach students that books and imagination can help them cope with their problems and how we can grow from our problems and feelings. The reversed perspective that the boy got at the end of the book and the reconciliation with his mother teaches us to value our relationships and learn that sometimes we need to change our point of view.

# data[].attributes.body
By: Arthur Dorros
Rating * * * * *
Abuela is a wonderful diverse book that highlights Latin American culture, gives the reader cultural perspective and teaches a variety of Spanish phrases. This book is wonderful for the classroom because it touches the reader's heart with nostalgic feelings of family, our own cultures and togetherness. The author touches on immigration a various times in the book and that also makes it a great book for the classroom. The art in this book is warm and perfectly pairs the mood of the text. The illustrations and color combinations mirror Latin American design and adds an overall authenticity to the book.

# data[].attributes.body
By: David Shannon
Rating * * * * *
A Bad Case of the Stripes is a fabulous first day of school book. Teachers can use this book to teach respect, acceptance of differences and acceptance of ourselves. Bullying is another lesson that can be taught with this book. Bullying is such an important issue to combat as a teacher and this book will jump start this often difficult conversation. This book has the power to impact its readers and comfort those who have felt the way Camilla Cream feels. Its vivid illustrations saturate its pages with color and emotion that ties in with the text. The illustrations are rich and cover full pages with stylistic art. The reader can spend just as much time looking at the art on this book's pages as they will reading. Though the illustrations cover a great deal of the book's pages, it isn't done in a crowded or busy way.

# data[].attributes.body
By: Berkeley Breathed
Rating * * * *
Mars Needs Moms teaches us to value our mothers or caregivers. It teaches that sometimes its easy to overlook how much others do for us and what love inspires us to do in difficult situations. The illustrator does a great job at setting the mood in this book. The boy does not understand why moms are so great and sees only the negative things about his mother. During this time in the boy's reflection, the illustrations are dark and shadowy. On the very last page, the illustration is bright and sunny because the boy finally sees the value of mothers and is just so happy to be with his mom. This book teaches children that many times adults have to be the "bad guys" in order to do what is in the child's best interest. This greatly applies to the teacher/student relationship. The only pitfall I found in this book is that it is all about moms. In some cases, students may not have a mother figure in their lives. Due to that, I would be hesitant to share this book with my class.

# data[].attributes.body
By: Jennifer Berne
Rating * * * * *
This book inspires us to think, ponder and question everything around us. Albert Einstein's story is beautifully inspirational. His parents and teachers worried about him but he overcame whatever obstacle was in his way and showed the world that despite how different he was, he was a genius. This book teaches us to embrace our differences and stay true to ourselves. Einstein did not care to follow and instead he paved a way for scientists and left a huge mark in science that inspired further observation and theories. This book pushes feelings of ambition, triumph and believing in yourself and your capabilities. The illustrations in this book are simple and imperfectly stylized. This style matches perfectly with the book and Albert Einstein. The artwork is simple but draws the eyes with well placed lines and color.

# data[].attributes.body
By: Ken Mochizuki
Illustrated by: Dom Lee
Rating * * * * *
Baseball Saved Us covers and teaches us about diversity, bullying, overcoming challenges and hardships and finding peace during a not so peaceful time in history. Baseball Saved Us hit close to home because my husband and daughter are Japanese. I found myself very emotional while reading it. This book is essential for the classroom as students can learn and take so much from it. Students will learn that our government has made mistakes, recognized the mistake and took action by making amends. This book is written from the point of view of a Japanese American child who was placed in an internment camp during World War II. The characters in the book teach us that we can overcome hardships as a community. The book teaches us that it is possible to find light, even in the darkest places. The only pitfall of this book is the use of a derogatory word but overall, I believe the benefits of using this book trump one negative element. The illustrations were well thought out and encompass a dark and sad tone. The colors used are deep earth tones and black. The color in the illustrations only change when the characters are playing baseball. During those times, the colors are a bit brighter and finally on the last page, the sky is blue. This is the only time that a vibrant color is used throughout the book and it drives the message home.