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Author: Carole Linstrom

Illustrator: Michaela Goade

Publisher: Roaring Book Press

Date: March 17, 2020

# of Pages: 40

Grade level: Ages 3-6

Genre: Lyrical nonfiction

Theme: Convey important life understanding

Aristic media: watercolor

Synopsis: This book tells the story of an Ojibwe girl and her people as they take on the "black snake" of an oil pipeline threatening their way of life. It conveys a powerful message about the interconnectedness of all living things. There is an emphasis on the teaching of clean water which empowers the reader to take action to protect water as it is a sacred resource. A prophecy tells us that there is a black snake that will destroy the land, poisoning the water and killing plants and animals. The main character, the girl, wants to fight the black snake and save the water. It essentially shows us how she is fighting for plants and animals that can not protect themselves.

About the Author: Michaela Goade is an enrolled member of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. This experience connects to the characters and setting of the book as the book is also based on an indigenous family/culture. She actually won the Caldecott medal and was the first indigenous illustrator to do so. Possible connections for students to the author's books may be the idea that it is wise and normal to want to protect their people and homes. This is an instinctive feeling that not only the girl in the book feels but everyone.

Artistic media: The illustrator uses beautiful watercolor paintings to create pictures within the book. The pictures offer more in-depth detail of the situation at hand and give the reader an image to hold in their head as they read the text. It allows the reader to further understand what different characters, lands, and events actually look like rather than creating our own image in our heads.

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Author: Nicola Edwards and Luisa Uribe

Illustrator: Luisa Uribe

Date: January 1, 2018

Publisher: Kane Miller Books

Genre: non-fiction

Theme: Creativity

Grade level: 9-12 year olds

Pages: 64 pages

Artistic media: drawing

Summary:

This book celebrates language as it portrays hand picked words in which are paired with super nice artwork. each word comes with an explanation of what it means as well as where it came from in terms of culture.  Each word is presented on a two-page spread as it comes with originating language, definition, and additional context, history, factoids, and all manner of tidbits to enhance our understanding. It is super informational and fun while providing education on different backgrounds.

Type of literature: Multicultural

Evaluation: I believe this book does a great job at representing a multicultural perspective. It offers information pertaining to many different cultures and allows the reader to gain a sneak peak into each one while portraying it through super neat art work.  It is extremely inclusive and can be used in a classroom that promotes inclusivity and awareness as many students may feel seen and represented through this piece of literature. It is an extremely accurate book, provides differing perspectives, and poses as a quality piece of literature.

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Author: Melanie Florence
Illustrator: Gabriel Grimard
Publisher: Second Story Press

Date: September 5th, 2017

# of Pages: 24 pages

Grade level: ages 6-9

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Life is a journey across many kinds of pathway

Aristic media: Drawings

Synopsis: The story of the beautiful relationship between a little girl and her grandfather. When she asks her grandfather how to say something in his language, Cree, he admits that his language was stolen from him when he was a boy. The little girl then sets out to help her grandfather find his language again.

Personal Connections: I thought this book was very sad but also very heartwarming and sweet at the same time. Hearing the grandpa's story was heartbreaking, especially the way that he was describing it, however, the granddaughter's attempt to help him find his words was so innocent and sweet. In my visual, I included a dream catcher as this was something his grandaughter made and gave him to help find his words again. I also have a book that is Introduction to Cree which the granddaughter also gave him to find his words and re-learn the language that was stripped of him. I also included a visual of people in black clothing asking a child to come with them as this is the experience that the grandfather had. Lastly, I included the school that was cold and lonely, where the grandpa was punished until he forgot all of his language and roots. I think a visual activity such as this is great as it allows the reader to ensure that they are storing information in their long-term memories parining concepts with visual, meaningful images helps with this. It helps students make sense of the content and direct attention, increasing the possibilities that the learners will remember the material.

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Author: Ashley Bryan

Illustrator: Ashley Bryan

Date: January 1, 2003

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Type of traditional literature: Folktale

# of pages-:40 pages

Grade level: Preschool to 2nd

Summary: This book is about a bunch of beautiful, colorful birds. They are all sorts of colors, however, none of them are black. It isn't until the blackbird comes alone with all black feathers that they are astonished by how beautiful he is. They never believed black could be beautiful like this until they saw him and soon enough everybody wanted to be him. They begged and pleaded to allow the blackbird to paint them with his black and share the beauty as he was seen as the most beautiful bird now.

Evaluation: I did think that the tale reflects a storytelling style. It sounded as though it was being told and it was very fun. I don't necessarily think that the tale preserved the sound or feel of distinctive speech patterns of the culture or country of origin. I feel as though this could have been incorporated more. The illustrations surely match the tone of the text and help capture the essence of the culture as there were beautiful colors and designs on the bird that allowed me to feel the culture in the art. I do not think the literary style was very rich as it didn't have chants or colorful vocabulary. I do think it was a very great book and the visuals were beautiful.

What I learned: I learned that the culture values and believes that all individuals are beautiful and that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think that this book allows us to understand that what is traditionally beautiful is not all that can be beautiful. The colorful birds are obviously very pretty, however, a blackbird is also absolutely capable of being just as beautiful as everyone/everything can be beautiful in its own way. I feel as though this book teaches us a lesson that black is beautiful and that it represents something that is powerful, envied, and powerful.

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Author: Phillip C. Stead

Illustrator: Erin E. Stead

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Date: 2010

# of Pages:32

Grade level: Preschool- 2nd

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Friendship

Artistic media: Drawing

Synopsis: This book tells the story of an elderly zoo keeper who made time each day for his animal friends like racing a tortoise, reading stories to an owl, and spending time with a shy penguin. When Amos is home sick, his animal friends return the favor, going to his home to cheer him up. The result of his kindness that his animal friends rushed to his side when he's sick is a nice reminder to kids that they create caring friendships thru the way they treat others.

My Response: I think this book portrays how to treat peers which is a great lesson for any student. It shows us how far kindness takes us and what healthy, reciprocated relationships look like. I think this book was a great read.

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Title: The Rainbow Fish

Author/Illustrator: Marcus Pfister

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Date: 1992

# of Pages: 32

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Sharing is caring

Topic: Kindness

Artistic Media: interactive textures and mixed media

Synopsis: The rainbow fish is a fish that has iridescent scales and is the most beautiful fish in the whole ocean. But since he is also vain and proud, he becomes more and more lonely over time. Then he realizes that you can't win friends through his looks and that they care more about what is inside than outside. He overcomes his focus on his beauty and shares his beauty with the other fish.

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Author: Maragaret Wise Brown

Illustrator: Clement Hurd

Publisher: Harper

Date: 1942

# of Pages:48

Grade level:Preschool- 3rd

Genre:Fiction

Theme:Relationships

Artistic media: Mixed media

Synopsis: This book is about a little bunny tells his mother that he is going to run away, becoming variously a fish, a rock on a mountain, a crocus in a hidden garden, a bird, a sailboat, a circus acrobat, and finally a little boy, until he resigns himself to stay where he is and remain her little bunny.

My Response: I absolutely loved this book. It was always one of my favorites. My mom and I would always read it and it would make us full of love and appreciation for one another. I think this would be a great book for any mother to read to their child.

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Author:Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault

Illustrator: Lois Ehlert

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Date: 1989

# of Pages:40

Grade level: Preschool-1st

Genre:Fiction

Theme: Learning the Alphabet

Aristic media: Mixed media

Synopsis: This book is about alphabet letter climbing a coconut tree. It discusses upper case an lower case letters and makes it very entertaining and engaging.

My Response: This book is a classic. I love the colors of this book and the illustrations. I think it is a great read for children who are learning the alphabet.

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Title: El Deafo

Author/Illustrator: Cece Bell

Publisher: Amulet Books

Date: September 2, 2014

# of Pages: 245

Grade Level: 3-6

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Acceptance of being different

Topic: Individuality & True Friendship

Artistic Media: Digital Media

Summary: This book is about a bunny names Cece who is deaf and self conscious about her ear piece. She makes up her own super power and becomes a super hero to herself and others, celebrating the beauty of being different from your peers.

My response: I think this book is super inspiring and is so perfect for children who are acknowledging their differences as it teaches them to celebrate it and make it a positive thing rather than becoming self conscious about it.

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Author: Alison Hughes

Illustrator:  Helen Flook

Publisher: ‎Orca Book Publishers

Date: November 3, 2015

# of Pages: 80

Grade level: 1st- 3rd

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Gaining perspectives

Artistic media: drawing

Synopsis: This story is about a little girl who is extremely organized and requires that everything be nearly perfect. Her sister is quite literally the opposite of this and the book portrays how this along with moving in a new house in a new area creates a problem for Beatrice.  She learns that not everything can always be in her control and this is not the end of the world.

My Response: I thought this book has a good message and could be good for children, like me, who are perfectionists and think they must always be in control for things to go right. Things will not and can not always be in our control so it important to learn young.

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Title: Charlotte’s Web

Author: E.B. White

Illustrator: Garth Williams

Publisher: Harper Collins

Date: October 15, 1952

# of Pages: 192

Grade Level: 4-6

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Theme: Friendship

Topic: Friendship

Artistic Media: Drawings

Synopsis: This story is about Fern who ois a little girl who lives on a farm and when one of her piglets is about to be slaughtered for being too small. She does everything she can to keep him and then grows a very close connection with.

Personal Response: This book has always been one of the best books. I also love the movie. I think it is a great story about the importance of friendship and companionship. I think it can be very relatable for many of its readers. It's super entertaining and makes you feel good.

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Author: Shel Silverstein

Illustrator:Shel Silverstein

Publisher:Harper and Row Publishers

Date: 1974

# of Pages: 192

Grade level: 1st-3rd

Genre: Fiction, suspense

Theme: Growing up

Aristic media: drawings

Synopsis: This book is about the adult world and how harsh and demanding it can be. It emphasizes that the journey is typically much better and more exciting than getting wherever you want to be literally and figuratively

My Response: This book was always one of my moms favorites. I feel as though it is almost like a right of passage for children to read. It gives a new perspective and really makes you think. I love it!

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Author: Herman Parish

Illustrator: Lynne Avril

Publisher: Harper & Row

Date: 2013

# of Pages: 160

Grade level: Grades 1-5

Genre: humor, fiction

Theme:

Aristic media: Mixed media

Synopsis: Amelia's dad gets an extra week of vacation from work, they go on a special family vacation which was all recorded in Amelia Bedelia's faithfully kept journal.

My Response: I loved Amelia Bedelia books growing up so I thought this was super cute and fun. Its so entertaining and the illustrations are entertaining.

Curricular Connections

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Author: Peter H. Reynolds

Illustrator: Peter H. Reynolds

Publisher: ‎Candlewick

Date: 2003

# of Pages: 32

Grade level: Kindergarten-4th

Genre:Fiction

Theme:being creative

Aristic media: drawings

Synopsis: This book is about a child in this story that dislikes art class because she is convinced, she can't draw. Her teacher gently encourages her to begin with a single dot and her creativity takes off. The story celebrates how everyone has the power to be creative if they just have a shift in perspective.

My Response: I think that this book was very cute and can be very inspiring for the reader. It allows children to acknowledge and use their creative abilities. It was an easy read and the illustrations were very satisfying and cute!

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Author: Jane Yolk

Illustrator: John Schoenherr

Publisher: Philomel Books

Date: 1987

# of Pages: 32

Grade level: Preschool-2nd

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Patience, acceptance for nature

Aristic media: Mixed Media

Synopsis: This book is about a story of an adventurous winter night when a father and a daughter go out in a snowy dark meadow to find an owl. The story builds up anticipation till finally the daughter is able to see her father communicate with a great horned owl and she sees it up close.

My Response: I thought this book was super calming and good. It creates a sense of appreciation for nature and this would be a great read during lessons about animals, nature, birds, or patience.

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Author: Ludwig Bemelmans

Illustrator:Ludwig Bemelmans

Publisher:The Viking Press

Date:1967

# of Pages:64

Grade level: 1st- 4th

Genre:Ficiton

Theme:Growing up, being a woman

Aristic media: drawing

Synopsis: This book is about twelve little girls who live together in a Paris orphanage. The smallest one is Madeline who is brave and adventurous. One night, the girls’ teacher, Miss. Clavel, senses something is wrong. Madeline is in tears and a doctor is called. He discovered that the problem is with her appendix and rushes her to the hospital. She wakes up a few hours after surgery fully recovered. Ten days later all the little girls from the orphanage visit Madeline. They discover that she has been treated well with toys and candy. A few nights later Miss. Clavel is awoken again after fearing a problem. She finds all the little girls in tears, wishing that they too could have their appendices removed. However, she reassures them that they are lucky to be healthy.

My Response: This book is a classic. The illustrations are so entertaining and detained, which is something that I think children value most. I remember liking books that had the most to look at and I feel like this book falls under that.

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Author: Ashley Spires

Illustrator: Ashley Spires

Publisher: Kids Can Press

Date: August 1, 2023

# of Pages: 32 pages

Grade level: ages 3-6

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Perseverance

Artistic media: digital media

Synopsis: This story is about a little girl who is trying to do the most magnificent thing with her "assistant", her dog. She tries and tries to make it exactly how she envisions it, however, she just could not seem to get it right. She does not give up until she is successful and content with her creation.

My Response: I thought this story was super great as it showcases perseverance and a growth mindset. While the little girl was getting extremely frustrated and upset with her lack of success, she did not give up until she reached success. This is a great message for children to not give up on whatever they are working towards.

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Author: Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton

Illustrator: Liz Amini-Holmes

Publisher: Annick Press

Date: 2010

# of Pages: 156

Grade level: 4th-7th grade

Genre: nonfiction

Theme: resilience, hope, and dream

Aristic media: Mixed media

Synopsis: This book is about a little girl who goes away to religious school as she was very determined to learn how to read. She faces trials and tribulations but still finds her way back to her family with a perspective change.

My Response: I thought this book was sad, but very inspiring. The main character is very brave, persistent, and smart. She is extremely eager to learn and she is a very hard worker. The main character has a lot of traits that I believe would be a great role model for its readers. She also stands up to bullying which sets a great example for its readers as well. I think that other children seeing her desire to learn can be encouraging for their own desire to learn which may aid their success in class.

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Authors/Illustrators: Steve Jenkins & Robin Page

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Genre: Nonfiction

Grade Level: 5-7

Theme: Brotherly & Sisterly Relationships

Pages: 32

Publication Date: April 14, 2008

Summary: This book is about siblings across all types of people and animals. It talks about sibling relationships and is very entertaining for animal lovers.

My response: I think this book would be super fun and engaging for children that love animals during lessons about family dynamics and siblings.

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Author: Don Freeman

Illustrator: Don Freeman

Publisher: Viking Press

Date: 1968

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Self love

Grade level: 1-4 years

Number of pages: 32

Theme: Being happy with who you are

Synopsis: This book is about a bear in a compartment store who awaits the day that somebody chooses him to take home. When a little girl wants to take him home, the mother notices a button missing from the bear and says no. The bear goes on an adventure to find the button. When he can not find the button, he goes back and the little girl comes back to buy him with her own money and takes him home. He realizes that he never needed to try to change.

My response: I vividly remember this book from my childhood so it was interesting being able to read it now as an adult. I remember absolutely loving it and the illustrations are very satisfying and comforting. I think it is a great lesson about accepting being yourself and not needing to change.

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Author: Christian Robinson

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Date: June 2, 2020

# of Pages: 44

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Everyone has a purpose

Topic: Self-esteem

Artistic Media: Paintings

Synopsis: This book is about how everyone matters and that our differences should be valued and that respect others. It shows multiple perspectives and gives the reader their own shift in perception about valuing everyone's differences.

My response: I thought this book is extremely important as it immediately makes the reader, regardless of age feel good. I feel as though it would make a child feel extremely seen, valued, and knowledgeable about the beauty behind differences.

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Author: Patricia Polacco

Illustrator: Patricia Polacco

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

Date: 2012

# of Pages: 40

Grade level: Kinder+

Genre: fiction

Theme: Difference is a resource not a problem

Aristic media: drawings/paintings

Synopsis: This book is about a little girl who is bullied for being a little behind educationally. The book unravels that the little girl actually is dyslexic so her lack of ability to read and write is because of this. Her teacher gives her courage and pushes her to believe in herself and suddenly she becomes much more successful in her studies.

My Response: I think this book is extremely sweet and a great read for young children. They get to observe a student's experience with bullying, dyslexia, and just being different in general. The girl is very determined and wise and does not give up so it also showcases perseverance. All of which I believe to be great lessons for children.

Curricular Connections:

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Author: Sara Levine

Illustrator: T. S. Spookytooth

Genre: Science Picture Book

Grade Level: 3rd grade

Themes: Learning about teeth

# of pages: 32

Published date: 2016

My evaluation: I thought this book was a super engaging way to teach children about teeth. Not only does it teach us about our differing kinds of teeth but it also covers the teeth that are found in animals. The pictures are super fun to look at as they are bright and very humorous. As a child, I would have loved to look at these illustrations as it allows for a fun and engaging way to learn about teeth.

Summary: This book essentially discusses human teeth and how they are similar or different from the teeth that animals have. It explores comparative anatomy and gives readers the chance to find out how their skeletons, teeth, and eyes match up with a wide variety of animals from the past and present.

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Author: Drew Daywalt

Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers

Publisher:Philomel Books

Date:2013

# of Pages: 40

Grade level: Preschool-2nd

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Switching perspectives

Artistic media: Drawings

Synopsis: This book is about a little boy named Duncan and his box of crayons, which one day decide to go on strike because they are not satisfied with how they are used. Duncan tries to find a way to solve this problem, in order to keep his crayons happy and be able to paint again.

My Response: I think this book was super entertaining and funny. I really liked the illustrations as they felt very relatable as if the reader would have drawn them. It also teaches a good lesson about walking in another's shoes which can be a great lesson for many children.

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Author:  A.H. Benjamin

Illustrator: Fabiano Fiorin

Publisher: Crabtree Publishing

Date:  (September 19, 2014)

# of Pages: 31

Grade level: Reception-3rd

Genre: Fantasy

Theme: Courage for taking action
Artistic media: Digital/mixed media

Synopsis: This story is about a princess who is searching for her prince charming. She attempts to find true love through different people but doesn't seem to find the right person. In the end, she is daydreaming about who will become her prince charming, and then a pig appears. She kisses the pig and turns into a pig herself. She was okay with being a pig if it meant that she finally found her prince charming.

My Response: I thought this book was super cute. It is totally something that I would have enjoyed as a little girl because I adored anything princess-themed. I think it was funny, entertaining, and great for reading comprehension.

Curricular Connections

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Author: Julia Donaldson

Illustrator: Axel Scheffler

Publisher: Macmillan

Date: 2001

# of Pages: 32 for paperback

Grade level: preschool to second grade

Genre: Fiction

Theme: teamwork, helping others

Artistic media: artistic media

Synopsis: This book is about a witch's journey on her broomstick. Her journey consists of losing her hat, bow, and wand. Throughout the journey, she also makes friends and these friends help her find all of her lost items. The friends also save her from being eaten by a witch-eating dragon. They all work together to support and protect one another. It uses repetitive rhyming which is super fun and catchy for thee reader.

My Response: I think this book showcases the importance of teamwork and friendships. With these two aspects, we can accomplish what we want to get done much more efficiently and easily. It also makes journeys that may be very lonely and difficult more eventful, fun, and creative. I think that it is important for the reader to understand teamwork as this is something that will be relevant in our every day lives forever. Learning how to work as a team is critical for our success not only within school but also in our future careers.

Curricular Connections: Art- children can create a road map to showcase the witches journey.

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Author: Norman Feuti

Illustrator: Norman Feuti

Publisher: Scholastic

Date: 2019

# of Pages: 48

Grade level: pre-k to first grade

Genre: Fiction

Theme: friendship

Aristic media: digital and mixed media

Synopsis: This book is about a hedgehog that loves his new bike. He is trying to find his helmet so that he can ride it and begins looking all over. He eventually finds it in the easiest place it could have been. The hedgehog makes a guinea pig friend and wants him to ride the bike with him but the guinea pig is scared and still uses training wheels. This makes the hedgehog believe he does not like his bike when in reality he is just embarrassed of his inability to ride the bike without the training wheels. The hedgehog accepts his friend for who he is and his inability to ride a bike but they ride bikes together anyway. They have a snack together and bond, creating a sweet and innocent friendship.

My Response: I thought this book was absolutely adorable. I think that it teaches its readers to allow anyone the chance to be friends even if they do not have the same interests or abilities as you. It provides the idea that being different from your friends and peers is okay and that it is still possible to be friends regardless of these differences.

Curricular Connections: art- students can draw a picture of their favorite things to do on a play date with a friend.

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Author: Anna Dewdney

Illustrator: Anna Dewdney

Publisher: Viking

Date: 2005

# of Pages: 34

Grade level: Kindergarten through second grade

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Independence as child grows older

Aristic media: drawings

Synopsis: This book is about a llama that is trying to sleep, however, he instantly starts worrying as soon as his mother leaves his room to go downstairs. The Llama essentially showcases the bedtime struggles that many young children may experience as he is struggling with being independent around bedtime which makes his mother continue to come back upstairs. With a little reassurance of his mother's love for him, he is able to stop the drama and go to sleep.

My Response: I think this book is super cute, I feel as though many children likely experience the horror of going to bed alone without their mothers. I know that my niece and nephews would be able to relate to this book as bedtime has always been a nightmare for them. They are terrified to sleep alone and always wind up in bed with their mom and dad. I feel as though it showcases part of growing up and the independence that comes with this which is important for children to understand.

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Author: Anna Llenas

Illustrator: Anna Llenas

Publisher: ‎Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Illustrated edition

Date: 2018

# of Pages: 40 pages

Grade level; preschool to 3rd grade

Genre: Fiction

Theme: gaining perspectives

Artistic media: cardboard art-drawings

Synopsis: This book summarizes all of the feelings and emotions that a human experiences. It uses monsters to represent each emotion through color and a description of what each emotion is and what it may feel like. It uses relatable examples and allows the reader to identify their emotions and feel more in control.

My Response: I think this book is great for children to gain an idea of the various emotions. It can allow them to normalize the idea that feeling these emotions is okay and that what they are feeling is felt by everyone around them too as they are not alone. I think the pop-up art was beautifully done and that it used engaging colors, drawings, and ideas to catch the readers' attention.

Curricular Connections: Art- students can create their own pop up books.

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Author: Barbara Park

Illustrator: Denise Brunkus

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition

Date: 2007

# of Pages: 128

Grade level: 1st grade and up

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Exploration and Curiosity

Aristic media: digital and mixed media

Synopsis: This book is about Junie B. Jones and her journey on her family vacation to Hawaii. Her teacher gave her an assignment to do while on the trip which was to write down what she did each day as well as take pictures. It walks us through her many adventures while on the trip such as getting a float stuck around her body, getting scared of jelly fish, making a flower hat on a hike, and a bird flying into her hair.

My Response: I thought this book was so cute and fun. I vividly remember reading it when I was a child and absolutely loved it. It is super entertaining for young children as it is funny and showcases real life experiences. Junie B. Jones is very sassy and knows what she wants which makes the book that much more entertaining.

Curricular connections: arts- children can draw a picture of them on their favorite vacation.

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Author: Ali Bejamin

Illustrator: Terry Fan and Eric Fan; design by Marcie Lawrence

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Date: 2015

# of Pages: 352

Grade level: 5th and up

Genre: Realistic fiction

Theme: exploration and curiosity

Aristic media: Watercolor

Synopsis: The main character Suzy loses her best friend to a jellyfish sting. She becomes very sad and her parents arrange for her to see a therapist. She becomes heavily invested in a theory that led to the death of her friends and starts researching and learning all about the science of jellyfish. She was looking for closure and I believe that it worked as some sort of distraction to the harsh reality of her life that was grief and loss.

My Response:I thought this book was extremely sad and realistic, however, I thought it could be extremely relatable to a lot of its readers. It deals with loss and heartache which is something that we all have to go through at one point or another in our life and for me personally, I am dealing with the loss of someone in my immediate family so it felt extremely relatable. I like how it outlines grief and processing death as this is the most difficult part of the process so I think it was super important to highlight. It also normalizes counseling which I thought was really awesome as I think everybody can benefit from this as many people do not believe that idea. I thought it was super inspiring how she had a desire to prove her theory and was willing to do whatever it takes to do so. This shows bravery and perseverance which are great themes for a children’s book.

Curricular connections: science

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Author: Suzanne Collins

Publisher: Scholastic

Date: 2008

# of Pages: 374

Grade level: 7th grade and up

Genre: Science fiction

Theme:Courage for taking actions

Synopsis: A society is divided into 12 districts. On the day that is called the reaping, 2 people from each district are chosen to fight in "the hunger games." The hunger games are essentially a fight to the death until one person is announced the winner. The winner gets to go home to their families and is showered in gifts. One of the main characters sister was chosen and instead of allowing her to join the hunger games, she volunteers as tribute. It ends with two people from the same district winning the hunger games and a confusion of who the main character's love life is, the one who helped her win the hunger games or her love life that is stationed at her home.

My Response: I think this book is super entertaining and allows the reader to put their mind in unrealistic settings. It takes all reality out of the picture and creates a suspenseful and mysterious picture that showcases bravery, love, loyalty, and hardwork.

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Author: Dr. Seuss

Illustrator: Dr. Seuss

Published date: August 12, 1960

# of pages: 72

Grade level: k-3

Genre: fiction

Theme: Bravery, trying new things

Artistic Media:  drawing

Synopsis: This book is about a picky eater who doesn't want to try any new foods. When his friend wants him to try green eggs, he denies trying them until the end of the book when he tries them and to his surprise, likes them.

My response: This book is a classic to me and I loved all Dr. Seuss books. This one was extra relatable to me because I was an extremely picky eater growing up. After growing up, I learned to like everything. This book can be relatable to many children and give them courage to try new foods or even new things!

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Author: Roda Ahmed
Illustrator: Stasia Burrington
Published by: HarperCollins
Date: January 9, 2018
# of Pages: 40
Grade level: Prek-3rd grade
Genre: Nonfiction

Artistic media: Mixed media

Synopsis: This book is about Mae who has a dream. She wants to see Earth from space. Her mom tells her she'll have to become an astronaut, says anything's possible if she believes it and works hard for it, and takes her to the library for books about space and astronauts.

My response: I thought this book was super cute as it showcases the importance of encouraging and supporting children to follow their dreams. I think this is a good message for everyone, not just children, but parents too.

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Author: Jane Yolen

Illustrator: Mark Teague

Publisher: ‎Scholastic Inc

Date: January 1, 2003

# of Pages: 6

Grade level: Preschool-kindergarten

Genre: Fiction/humor

Theme: The character’s internal journey through the plot and resonates with the readers

Artistic media: digital and mixed media

Synopsis: This book uses rhymes and illustrations to portray the ways in which "dinosaurs learn to read". It uses funny writing and illustrations to portray that reading can be fun. It follows different dinosaurs and their journey with reading before bedtime.

My Response: I think the message that the message of the idea that reading can be fun is super important and could be very helpful. Especially at this age group, children need to get familiar and comfortable with the idea of reading and how to enjoy it because it is something they will have to do for many years to come.

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Author: Kyla Steinkraus

Illustrator: David Ouro

Publisher:Rourke Educational Media

Date: August 2015

# of Pages: 55

Grade level: 3rd-6th

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Main and explicit subject matter of the book-pets

Aristic media: Drawing

Synopsis: This book explains the tale of a child at school who has to find Coco the turtle. It is a mystery book as there are many clues and it also includes a message where the main character, Tully, becomes confident and content within herself regardless of the bullies, she finds that her style makes her unique and that she has nothing to be ashamed of.

My Response: I thought this book was entertaining for children. It is super mysterious and also has a super powerful message for students to be confident in who they are.

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Title of the book: Won Ton: A Cat Tale in Haiku

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Title of the book: Won Ton: A Cat Tale in Haiku

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publication date: February 15th 2011

poet/illustrator: Lee Wardlaw and Eugene Yelchin

genre: Poetry

themes:Character’s internal journey through the plot
and that resonate with the readers

short summary: This book explains the life of a cat who was in a shelter and then is adopted by a family. He explains all of his concerns, fears, and worries as he tries to settle into his new home and life. He shows toughness and vulnerability as he explores and figures out how to cope with his new and scary life. This book would be great for children who are adopted or have experienced something similar to the cats experience of being scared and vulnerable.

grade level: Preschool to second grade

type of poetry: Haiku

Three facts about the poet:

Her favorite authors are J.K. Rowling, Ray Bradbury, Ayn Rand, Dave  Barry, Dick Frances, her favorite actors are Sean Connery, Katharine Hepbur, and she claims that the best thing that ever happened to her was selling her first book and giving birth to her son.

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Author: Shel Silverstein

Illustrator: Shel Silverstein

Publisher: HarperCollins

Date: 1964

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Helping others

Grade level: 2-3

Number of pages: 64

Summary: This book is about the life of a boy as he goes through different stages and his relationship with a tree. The boy is always taking from the tree without appreciation. When the tree has nothing more to give, it still gives the boy a stump to sit on whcich leaves them both happy.

My response: I loved this book as a child. I think the illustrations are engaging and I think it's a great read about greed, being generous, and saying thank you. I think it can be a great book to read when learning about giving or being thankful.

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Author: David Shannon

Illustrator: David Shannon

Publisher: Scholastic

Date: 1998

Genre: Fiction

Theme: appropriate behavior

Grade level: Preschool-3

Number of pages: 32

Artistic Media: Drawings

Summary: This book is about a little boy who has difficulty being told no and making good decisions. The main storyline of the book is that no matter how much David behaves inappropriately, he will always be loved.

My response: I remember this book from elementary school and loved it. I think its a great lesson when teaching students about appropriate behavior and listening when told what to do, especially from parents.

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Author: Arnold Lobel

Illustrator: Arnold Lobel

Publisher:Harper & Row

Date: 1971

# of Pages: 64

Grade level: Preschool-3rd

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Friendship

Artistic media: drawings

Synopsis: This book is about two friends who have differing personalities. It gives different scenarios and how each person would view the situations which allows the reader to consider differing perspectives and acknowledge differing personalities.

My Response: I think this book can be great for children who are dealing with differing personalities in comparison to their peers, siblings, etc. I feel as though this lesson is relevant as some children may wonder why their friends do not view a situation the same or act the same. Learning that this is due to personality differences and accepting this is very critical to the long run of life.

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Author: Michele Spirn

Illustrator: Robert Alley

Publisher: HarperCollins

Date: 2001

# of Pages: 48

Grade level: grades 1-3

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Knowledge of thanksgiving

Aristic media: drawings

Synopsis: This book talks about many different holidays but specifically covers Thanksgiving and all of its traditions. For example, Boris, Morris, and Norris to help her find a turkey, arrange a parade, and prepare a proper Thanksgiving dinner.

My Response: I think this is a super cute holiday read for younger children. It talks about thanksgiving and the many traditions that people do around this holiday. It can be very relatable to the readers and entertaining.

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Author -Jory John
Illustrator-Pete Oswald
Publisher-HarperCollins Publishers
Date-2017
# of Pages-40
Grade level-Kindergarten
Genre-Fantasy
Theme- The character’s internal journey through the plot and that resonates with the readers

Artistic media-drawings
Synopsis-This book is about a sunflower seed who has a really bad attitude. He never puts things back, he's always late, and he cuts in line. This seed's behavior started after he was plucked from his sunflower, put in a bag, and almost eaten by a human which made him very bitter. However, now he wants to change his nature and be a good seed. It ends with the seed saying that although he still sometimes does bad things, he tries his best to do good such as saying thank you, please, opening the door for people, etc. Other seeds started liking him more and realized he wasn't such a bad guy.
My Response - I think this book portrays the message that you can change other people's opinions by being nice to them. It Describes ways of being a bad person while also explaining how to be a good person and how these nice gestures can gain friendships and the respect of others.
Curricular Connections- I think this can be a general lesson about how to be a good person and how to show respect to others and how this can gain the respect of others as well.

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Author: Drew Daywalt

Illustrator: Molly Idle

Publisher: Philomel Books

Date: September 7, 2021

Number of pages: 40

Grade level: 4-8 years old

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Friendship

Artistic media: mixed media

Synopsis: This book is about a kid who makes a wish on a star. The star comes down to the kid's room and they form a bond. The story essentially focuses on friendships and how important they are in comparison to material items that someone might wish for.

My response: I think this book was super sweet. It showed two individuals finding common ground and learning to appreciate one another and gradually build a friendship. I think this book would be great for teachers to read during lessons about respecting others, building friendships, etc.

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Author-Jane Yolen
Illustrator-Mark Teague
Publisher-Scholastic
Date-2000
# of pages-40
Grade level-Pre-k to 3rd
Genre-Fantasy
Theme-good and bad bedtime behavior
Artistic media-digital media
Synopsis-The context of the book generally consists of differing ways that dinosaurs may go to bed. Whether it be naughty ways or appropriate ways, it gives many entertaining scenarios of how a dinosaur might go to bed. It ends with saying that dinosaurs do not do all of the above naughty scenarios and that instead they give a big kiss, tuck in their tales, and whisper goodnight.
My response- I think that this book is very entertaining for young children as I know that Dinosaurs are a big interest for younger kids. It is funny and very playful. I believe that it could definitely keep students entertained and invested,.
Curricular connections-I think arts can be applied to this as students can create their own dinosaurs.

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Book award: Odyssey Award

Author: Paul Galdone
Illustrator: William Stobbs
Publisher: ‎Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Illustrated edition
Date: (May 9, 2017)
# of pages: 32
Grade level: Pre-K
Genre: Mythology/Folktale
Themes: Overcoming obstacles

This story is about three billy goats who are trying to get across a bridge in order to reach a meadow full of grass so that they can eat. They soon find out that this bridge belongs to a mean troll who is trying to eat them. Each goat has to individually make their way across the bridge successfully as they do not let fear or anything get in its way. The story ends with each goat successfully making it across the bridge where they all make it to the meadow happily ever after. I thought this story was definitely good for much younger children, however, I don't think it is intriguing enough for children older than 5. It seemed like the storyline was extremely short and repetitive, which I know is good for younger students, however, not very beneficial for older children which is good to know. Something I found interesting within the reviews was that the story sort of portrays a way to stand up to bullies by being mean and physically back. This is not something I really considered, however, now after reading reviews, I can see how this would be taken from the context which isn't the best message to children. I like that I was able to see the story from a different perspective by hearing other readers' take on the book.

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Author: Kate and Jol Temple

Illustrator: Terri Rose Baynton

Date: 2018

Punisher: Kane Miller Books

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Courage

Grade level: Preschool-Kindergarten

Number of pages: 32

Artistic media: Mixed media

Summary: This book is about a mother and baby seal who live on a rock. The book shows both the point of view of the mother as well as the point of view of the calf. ers. The story's message can be used to demonstrate inclusion or exclusion as an everyday experience for a child when they interact with other children or as an allegory for the worldwide rejection or acceptance of refugees.

My response: I think this book represents differing perspectives very well and can be an eye opening idea for children. The reader also learns how to reject or welcome someone and the ways in which to do so.

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Author: Donna W. Earnhardt
Illustrator: Andrea Castellani
Publisher: Flashlight Press
Date: September 26, 2012
# of pages: 32
Grade Level: Kindergarten - 2nd grade

Genre: Fiction

Theme: being honest

Artistic media: Mixed Media

Synopsis: this book is about a kid named Frank who is always honest with people, however, his delivery can use some work. After misspeaking enough times, he has a conversation with his grandpa about how to be truthful in the right and wrong way.

My response: I think this book is very cute and can be very informational and relatable for a lot of its readers. I feel like younger children oftentimes come off as veru blunt, so teaching them delivery as well as the right/wrong way to go about situations can be a great lesson.

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Author: Maurice Sendak

Illustrator: Maurice Sendak

Publisher: HarperCollins

Date:1963

# of Pages: 48

Grade level: K-3

Genre: fiction

Theme: Punishment and dreams

Aristic media: Mixed Media

Synopsis: This book is about a little boy who wants to escape to where the wild things are as he feels misunderstood and not comfortable at home. He goes there and meets all kinds of creatures. This ends uo being all a part of the little boys imagination.

My response: I think that this book opens up creativity within the reader's mind. It would be great for younger children whose imagination runs wild. It is a great read and the visuals are awesome.

My Response:

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Author: Giles Andreae

Illustrator: Guy Parker-Rees

Publisher: Scholastic

Date: 2021

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Accepting differences

Grade level: Preschool-3

Number of pages: 32

Artistic Media: Mixed media

Summary: This book is about a Girraffe who just wants to dance. He has crooked knees and thin legs which makes his dream very difficult. When a friend gives him encouraging words, he can finally dance at last.

My response: I think this book is super cute. I think it shows a lot about not giving up on your dream, perseverance, and the effect of being supported/supporting people and their dreams. I think it's a great lesson for children to observe how much simple words of encouragement can be helpful to their peers.

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Author:Ezra Jack Keats

Illustrator:Ezra Jack Keats

Publisher:Viking Press

Date:1962

# of Pages:32

Grade level: kindergarten

Genre: Fiction

Aristic media: Mixed Media

Synopsis: This book is about a little boy who is celebrating snowfall in his home town. He does all of the typical snow fun activities and the book takes us on his journey in doing so.

My Response: I think this book was super cute. The illustrations have so many different forms of media so it is super engaging and entertaining. I think that students would love this book.