# data[].attributes.body
Title: Grow Grateful

Author: Sage Foster-Lasser & Jon Lasser

Illustrator: Christopher Lyles

Publisher: Magination Press

Date: October 2018

# of Pages: 34

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Always look for the good

Topic: Gratitude

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: Kiko is a happy camper who is very grateful. Kiko found the good in everything, she was always thankful for something. When they went camping Kiko was grateful to help her friend Camille out. Kiko was thankful that her teacher, Mrs. Cooper, was there to help her when she needed it. When the day was nearing the end, the class shared what they were thankful for. Everyone was grateful for different things, which made Kiko so happy.

Personal Response: This story portrays such an important message that readers young and old should listen to! It is easy to get caught up in the midst of everything happening, but we should remember to always be grateful for what we have in life. I am so grateful for my family and friends, the ability to go to college, and my dog Guinness.

Curricular Connections: The class can complete an activity revolving around what they are grateful for. Expressing gratitude is so important, and this activity can serve as a practice for students.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Last Day Blues

Author: Julie Danneberg

Illustrator: Julie Love

Publisher: Charlesbridge

Date: February 1, 2006

# of Pages: 32

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: School is fun!

Topic: School

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: It was the last day of school. Mrs. Hartwell knew she would miss all of her students. The kids agreed, they would miss each other and everything about school. The students decided they should get Mrs. Hartwell a present to cheer her up. They brainstormed and continued to reminisce on what they will miss about school, and even their plans for summer. The class decided on a present, they wrote Mrs. Hartwell a poem on a big poster board. It was very thoughtful of them.

Personal Response: I have never read this book before but the cover looked appealing. I know they say don’t judge a book by its cover, but that is exactly what I did. The cover looked appealing and the book was just that! This cute story can be enjoyed by students and teachers alike.

Curricular Connections: Reading this book on one of the last days of school would be very fun for students to reminisce about the year. Students could brainstorm their favorite memories over the year and discuss this with their peers.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Scaredy Squirrel has a Birthday Party

Author/Illustrator: Melanie Watt

Publisher: Kids Can Press

Date: March 1, 2014

# of Pages: 34

Grade Level: K-1

Genre: Fiction

Theme: The more the merrier

Topic: Friendship

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: Scaredy Squirrel was a guy who never had big parties because he was too scared. This year, he takes a risk and throws himself a party. He carefully prepares everything in advance, making sure everything is planned out perfectly. Suddenly, party animals appear! This wasn’t a part of his plan! Scaredy Squirrel quickly panics, he doesn’t know what to do. But, Scaredy Squirrel had a great time, so he makes a birthday invitation for next year, but invites all of his new friends.

Personal Response: I loved reading this cute little book! I did not read these books when I was younger, so it was interesting to see what the rave was all about. I would recommend this book to young readers and plan on including this in my future classroom library, as I feel like it is a hit among young readers.

Curricular Connections: Students can learn about what happens when you take risks. Sometimes risks are good, and can turn out similar to what happned to Scaredy Squirrel. But sometimes risks are not worth the reward. Students can participate in an activity that studies this concept more.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: I Need My Monster

Author: Amanda Noll

Illustrator: Howard McWilliam

Publisher: Flash Light

Date: 2009

# of Pages: 34

Grade Level: 1-3

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Never Settle

Topic: Monsters

Artistic Media: Digital Media

Literary Elements: Ethan is a young boy who loves his monster, Gabe, underneath his bed. When the monster leaves for a week, Ethan doesn’t know what to do! Until another monster arrives, this one is named Herbert. Then, Herbert leaves and this time Ralph comes. So many monsters came through, but none of them compared to Gabe. Gabe came back early from his trip because he scared away the fish. When Gabe returned, everything was back to normal.

Personal Response: This was a fun, cute book to read! I like how it normalizes friendly monsters, because most children are afraid of monsters, especially the ones underneath their beds. Surprisingly I was never scared of monsters underneath my bed, as it seems like something I would be afraid of. However, I recommend this book to other readers.

Curricular Connections: A lesson about how not all monsters are scary can be tied to this book. As I mentioned earlier, it is safe to say most children are afraid of monsters. I think it is important for children to realize that monsters can be our friends!

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Chomp

Author: Carl Hiaasen

Publisher: Random House Children’s Books

Date: March 27, 2012

# of Pages: 290

Grade Level: 3-6

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Be the kind of friend you would like to have

Topic: Heroism & Friendship

Artistic Media: N/A

Literary Elements: Wahoo and Mickey Cray, his father, are animal lovers. The duo is put on a reality show called “Expedition Survival!” per Wahoo’s choice because his father unfortunately got hurt by an iguana and wasn’t all there in the head. They join Derek Badger on the show, along with a girl named Tuna, who’s father is abusive. Derek is notoriously clumsy and experiences many different catastrophic events. But, Derek saves Tuna from her father after a crazy event in the Everglades.

Personal Response: I remember reading this book in elementary school and I was always a little bit confused by the plot. However, after reading the book again as a better adult reader, I was able to fully understand the story. The book has lots of twists and turns and readers are always on their feet! I probably would not reread this book for a third time, but I am glad I got clarity on the plot.

Curricular Connections: Education about different types of climates and what animals are found there could stem from this. For example, alligators are found in the Everglades, as shown in this book. Encouraging readers to be mindful of animals and other concepts surrounding this idea can be taught alongside this book.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Wonder

Author: R.J. Palacio

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

Date: February 14, 2012

# of Pages: 363

Grade Level: 3-7

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Beauty is on the inside

Topic: Kindness

Artistic Media: N/A

Literary Elements: August (Auggie) Pullman is a young boy who experiences a facial deformity. Due to his condition, he receives care most children won’t ever have to receive. After being homeschooled for his whole life, he attends Beecher Prep. He is anxious about what his peers will think of him. Auggie quickly makes friends at his new school, but is bullied by one boy named Julian. Julian’s mom expressed her concern to the principal about Auggie’s appearance and how this may impact other students at the school. Auggie faces many trials and tribulations throughout the story that is told through multiple perspectives. Auggie shows his true, wonderful character in various events throughout the story, such as standing up for his peer against a bully. At the end of the book, Auggie receives a major award while Julian transfers to another school.

Personal Response: This book was one of my favorites in elementary school, and still is! I remember reading this book in 5th grade. It took me a while, because I was a slow reader, but I loved the story from start to finish. The message of this book is very powerful and gives readers lots of courage and confidence to do what their heart desires. This book serves as a reminder to never judge a book by its cover, and that beauty is found within.

Curricular Connections: This novel can be connected to an activity relating to bullying prevention, and how important it is to not make judgements prior to knowing someone. Both of these concepts are very important for young readers to understand.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Pinkalicious

Author: Victoria & Elizabeth Kann

Illustrator: Victoria Kann

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers

Date: May 23, 2006

# of Pages: 44

Grade Level: K-1

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Listen to what your parents have to say

Topic: Pink!

Artistic Media: Paintings

Literary Elements: Pinkalicious and her Mommy decide to make pink cupcakes on a very rainy day. She ate many cupcakes, and got very upset when her mom said she couldn’t have another one. She had more cupcakes after dinner, but her dad was not having it and told her no more, go to bed! When she woke up the next day, she was pink! Her parents were concerned and tried removing the pink. Pinkalicous loved it though, she pretended she was Pinkerbelle and wanted even more cupcakes. When she went to the doctor, the doctor told her she had Pinkititis and ordered no more pink for one week. She blended in with the flowers because of how pink she was. That night, she had yet another cupcake. Pinkalicious woke up red the next morning, so she decided to eat all things green. The next morning she woke up and was all back to normal.

Personal Response: I remember reading this book as a kid, but did not remember the whole story until I read it again. This is such a sweet book and I recalled everything that happened once I started reading it. I love the message of the book, and think the author does a great job portraying the message in a fun and humorous way for children to understand.

Curricular Connections: Children should learn that vegetables are good for them! Just because something is green does not mean it doesn’t taste good. Greens are good!

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Fancy Nancy Tea Parties

Author: Jane O’Connor

Illustrator: Robin Preiss Glasser

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers

Date: June 23, 2009

# of Pages: 40

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Be creative!

Topic: Parties

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: Nancy is oh-so fancy. In this book, she gives all her tips and tricks to hosting the best tea party. She goes over fancy French words that can be used at her party, fun beverages, snacks, games, and more!

Personal Response: This book is super cute! I loved Fancy Nancy books as a young reader, and looking back, I just know this was one of my favorites in the collection. I would have loved to try out Fancy Nancy’s recommendations and host a tea party of my own! Nancy inspires her readers to be creative and use their imagination as well.

Curricular Connections: Students can learn more about tea parties using this book, and maybe even host one of their own!

# data[].attributes.body
Title: The Kissing Hand

Author: Audrey Penn

Illustrator: Ruth E. Harper & Nancy M. Leak

Publisher: Tanglewood Publishing Inc.

Date: June 1993

# of Pages: 38

Grade Level: K-1

Genre: Fiction

Theme: You are loved.

Topic: Family relationships

Artistic Media: Paintings

Literary Elements: Chester Racoon did not want to leave his mom, Mrs. Racoon, to go to school, he wanted to stay home with her. Mrs. Racoon reminded Chester of all the fun things at school, but also gave Chester a kiss on the hand. She reminded him that whenever he feels lonely to press his hand on his cheek, as it’s just like his mom giving him a kiss. Chester had no problem going to school. That night, he asked his mom for her hand, and gave her a Kissing Hand in return. Chester then went off to play.

Personal Response: This book has the sweetest message that can be applied to many people’s lives. Leaving for school can be hard for both the child and the parent, but this story reminds readers that love is forever.

Curricular Connections: Lots of students struggle with going to school because they have to leave their parents. I struggled with this, and a girl in my fieldwork class does too. Using the Kissing Hand as a tool to help students adjust can be very valuable and beneficial.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: The Berenstain Bears Get the Gimmies

Author: Stan & Jan Berenstain

Publisher: Random House

Date: October 22, 1988

# of Pages: 38

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Don’t be greedy

Topic: Greed

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: Mama and Papa Bear love to spoil their cubs. But only until Brother and Sister Bear got the Gimmies. They always wanted candy and quickly became brats. Even if they got some, they always wanted more. Mama and Papa Bear were unhappy with how they acted when Brother and Sister Bear didn’t get what they wanted. They had a conversation about their behavior and Papa Bear explained why it’s so important not to be greedy. But, when Gramps and Gran came over, the cubs asked, “what did you bring me?!” Papa Bear immediately sent them up to their room. At the end, the family came up with a solution- if the cubs were good, they would decide on one treat before they went to the store. If the cubs got the gimmies, they wouldn’t get a treat. The cubs quickly realized that it is not okay to be greedy and to appreciate what they have.

Personal Response: The Berenstain Bears collection was one of my favorite TV shows and books growing up. I remember watching the TV show with my little brother after school, and I remember reading the books with my parents. This is a classic collection of great stories that people of all ages should read and enjoy!

Curricular Connections: A lesson about not being greedy can stem from this book. Often, children get caught up in what they don’t have versus realizing what they have. It is important for children to be grateful for what they have!

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Snow Globe Wishes

Author: Erin Dealy

Illustrator: Claire Shorrock

Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press

Date: 2019

# of Pages: 28

Grade Level: K-1

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Dream big

Topic: Winter

Artistic Media: Drawings & Paintings

Literary Elements: When the power goes out, the young girl’s family comes together. Nobody has a connection, everyone heads home, and the roads are no longer seen since they are covered in snow. When the girl's family is home safely, they are all gathered closely having a candlelit dinner and building a fort. When it is time for the family to go to sleep, the little girl makes a wish upon a snow globe. In the morning, the family wakes up and it’s a winter wonderland! Everyone goes out to play, strangers and family alike. Everyone is smiling, and having a great time. The book ends with the quote, “Peace on earth. Right now. Right here. Peace for all throughout the year!”

Personal Response: This book is short and sweet! Every kid dreams of waking up in a winter wonderland. I remember the joy of waking up to snow covering the roads, no grass to be seen, and the thought of building a snowman immediately after breakfast. I loved snow days as a kid, and believe every child should experience a fun snow day! The memories I made were definitely core memories I will never forget.

Curricular Connections: This book can be used to teach a lesson about weather. Students can learn more about snow, a weather condition that is not seen as often as others in most parts of the world.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: A Bad Case of Stripes

Author/Illustrator: David Shannon

Publisher: The Blue Sky Press

Date: 1998

# of Pages: 32

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Fiction

Theme: It doesn’t matter what others think of you

Topic: Be yourself!

Artistic Media: Paintings

Literary Elements: Camilla Cream loves lima beans. It was the first day of school, and she couldn’t decide what to wear. Oh no, she was covered in stripes! Her mother ordered that she couldn't go to school today. The next day, Camilla broke out in red, white, and blue stars and stripes. The whole class started making fun of her, and she was so embarrassed. The principal asked if Camilla could stay home because there was a possibility that she was contagious. So, Camilla stayed home and went to the doctor. Even the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her. Camilla’s illness made the news, and nobody knew what was wrong! No treatments were even working. In the end, Mr. Cream had a solution. Camilla just had to eat lima beans, and her stripes were gone! The kids at school thought she was crazy for eating lima beans, but she embraced it! She loved her lima beans!

Personal Response: I remember reading this book when I was little, so it was interesting to read it again. I love the message of this book, it reminds young children that it’s okay to like the foods they like, even if other children might not. I loved broccoli when I was younger, and all of my friends thought I was crazy. But, I loved it and knew it was a healthy food, so I didn’t really care what they thought. Overall, I love this book and will include it in my future classroom library.

Curricular Connections: Encouraging students to try new foods they might have never even heard of could stem from this book. Camilla loved lima beans, and in fact, lima beans cured her stripes. Readers should be aware of the many benefits vegetables have!

# 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
Title: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Author: Judith Viorst

Illustrator: Ray Cruz

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Date: June 16, 1972

# of Pages: 38

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Bad days happen, and that’s okay.

Topic: Frustration

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: Alexander is having a bad day. Not just any bad day, a “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.” So many things didn’t go his way. The elevator closes on his foot. There were lima beans for dinner. His bath was too hot, and he also bit his tongue. Alexander was so incredibly frustrated. But, at the end of the book, he realizes some days are like that, and that’s okay.

Personal Response: This book serves as a great reminder to readers that bad days do indeed happen, and that’s okay. My favorite reminder is you can’t have a bad day without a good day. Otherwise, there would be no difference in days, and every day would be the same. I also like how there is a movie of the same story, but it has some different elements.

Curricular Connections: I would do a lesson comparing and contrasting the book and the movie of “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”. There are similarities but also differences, and I think it would be good for students to recognize connections between the two modes of the same story.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

Author/Illustrator: Dr. Suess

Publisher: Random House Children’s Books

Date: January 22, 1990

# of Pages: 56

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Life is full of great things- great things YOU can and will do!

Topic: Self-Confidence

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: You, the reader, have so many places you’ll go! You have all the right resources to go anywhere you dream. You can go anywhere, and it’s all up to you! Wherever you end up going, you will do great. Sometimes things will happen that might set you back or maybe sometimes you’ll be confused. Don’t let that stop you! There’s no time to wait, you have great places to go! You will do great things, wherever you go.

Personal Response: I absolutely adore this fun, rhyming, and repetitive book. Such a great message promoting self-confidence and encouragement is portrayed. I know a lot of parents get this book for their children upon graduating high school, and I love this idea. It is so important for readers to know that they have a bright future ahead of themselves, and even when things may be tricky, things will be okay and you will do great things!

Curricular Connections: I would love to read this book at the beginning and end of the school year to my students. I would love for my students to set goals for themselves at the beginning of the year, and then look back at these goals at the end of the year to see how far they have come.

# data[].attributes.headline
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

# data[].attributes.subject
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Author: Bill Martin Jr.

Illustrator: Eric Carle

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company, Inc.

Date: 1967

# of Pages: 32

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Awareness of the world!

Topic: Animals

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: What does the brown bear see? He sees a red bird looking at him! The bird then sees another animal, who sees another, and so on. The use of rhyme and repetition is very strong in this book.

Personal Response: This was my all-time favorite book when I was little, so much so I would cry when it was over! I love the illustrations and the ideas behind this book. Even though this is a book for younger children, I think all students should read this book, despite their age.

Curricular Connections: Classroom discussions and activities about animals can be stemmed from this book. Students can talk about what animals they are familiar with that were introduced in the book and also what animals they may not know of. Children typically love animals!

# data[].attributes.body
Title: The Outsiders

Author: S.E. Hinton

Publisher: Viking Press

Date: April 24, 1967

# of Pages: 192

Grade Level: 7-8

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Family is forever, no matter what

Topic: Family & Relationships

Artistic Media: N/A

Literary Elements: Ponyboy is a young boy, a Greaser, along with his two brothers Sodapop and Darry. Ponyboy’s older brothers come to help him when a group of Socs attacks him. Throughout the book, Ponyboy struggles with a multitude of things, one of these things being how Ponyboy’s parents died. Ponyboy meets a girl named Cherry and they quickly hit it off. Another one of these struggles includes him and Johnny, his friend, getting into a fight with the Socs. Johnny kills a Soc, Bob, which causes even more friction between the two groups. Soon after, there is a fire at the local church, which leaves Ponyboy in the hospital. Cherry and Ponyboy face troubles in their relationship when Cherry does not want to see Ponyboy and Johnny because of what happened with Bob. Then, there is a rumble and the Greasers take down the Socs while Johnny is dying at the hospital. Ponyboy is faced with the legal punishment of Bob’s death. Because of this, Dally becomes very upset, and Ponyboy passes out when Dally and the police get into a fit and then dies. Towards the end, Darry, Ponyboy, and Sodapop become close again. Finally, Ponyboy writes a paper for one of his classes, and the paper ends up being the entirety of the book.

Personal Response: I remember reading this book in 7th grade. I loved reading it then, and I loved rereading it now! It was very interesting to read the novel with a different lens than the first time I read it, and I was able to notice new details I didn’t catch the first time I read it. I would recommend this book to all, as I believe it is an American classic.

Curricular Connections: This book can be connected to how society has changed over the years. In today’s world, actions like these are unheard of and very unnecessary. But, years ago, these actions were how children kept busy and were considered much more acceptable than today.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Author: Bill Martin Jr. & John Archambault

Illustrator: Lois Ehlert

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Date: 1989

# of Pages: 40

Grade Level: K

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Concepts relating to the alphabet

Topic: Alphabet

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: Letters of the alphabet race to get up to the top of the coconut tree. The constant question, “Will there be enough room?” is asked. When all the letters get up, boom! The letters come falling down.

Personal Response: Using rhyme and repetition, this story gets readers excited about the alphabet! I remember reading this book when I was a young girl, and even to this day I’ll recall some rhymes from this book. “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, will there be enough room? Here comes H up the coconut tree!” I remember listening to this book on tape, they made it into a song! I really love this book!

Curricular Connections: Print concepts and the beginnings of the alphabet can be presented alongside this book. Both uppercase and lowercase letters are included in this book helping young readers get familiar with the 26 letters of the alphabet.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Words Are Not for Hurting

Author: Elizabeth Verdick

Illustrator: Marieka Heinlen

Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing

Date: 2004

# of Pages:

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Think before you speak

Topic: Thoughtfulness

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: This book brings readers on a journey about how words have meaning, which can be good or not so good, depending on what the words mean.

Personal Response: I enjoyed reading this book. It discussed ideas of how words have meaning- a lot of meaning. Children should choose to use kind words, but they also may encounter a time where they may be feeling frustrated or upset and may use words where they hurt others. I remember a lesson my class did on the 1st day of sixth grade. We hit tubes of toothpaste and the toothpaste came out very fast. Then, my teacher wanted us to put the toothpaste back in the tube. This activity showed how words can be said, but not unsaid- toothpaste can come out easy, but when it is tried to put back in, it is nearly impossible. I plan on doing this with my students because it shows how much power words have.

Curricular Connections: This book can be connected to a social-emotional lesson, which are always important in the elementary classrooms. I would love to encorporate the lesson I did in sixth grade that I mentioned above into my classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: The Gingerbread Man

Author: Eric Suben

Illustrator: Joe Boddy

Publisher: ‎McClanahan Book Co

Date: February 1995

# of Pages: 24

Grade Level: K-3

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Trust with caution

Topic: Trust & Trickery

Artistic Media: Paintings

Literary Elements: The Gingerbread Man says the infamous words, “run run run as fast as you can, you can’t catch me I’m the Gingerbread Man!” The Gingerbread Man runs throughout the town while people and animals are chasing him. When the Gingerbread Man encounters a body of water that he has to cross, he is met eye to eye with a fox. The fox says he will help the Gingerbread Man get across the water. They began swimming, but the fox ate the Gingerbread Man. He was the only one clever enough to eat the Gingerbread Man!

Personal Response: This classic story never gets old! I remember going on a Gingerbread Man hunt in Kindergarten, it is definitely a core memory of mine. If I end up in a Kindergarten classroom, I will for sure be doing this activity with my students. I love this story!

Curricular Connections: Like I mentioned earlier, when I was in Kindergarten, we went on a Gingerbread Man hunt around the school. During this, students were encouraged to use their problem-solving skills and reasoning abilities to solve the problem of where the Gingerbread Man went.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Margo and the Moon Landing

Author: A.C. Fitzpatrick and Erika Medina

Publisher: Annick Press

Date: April 14, 2020

# of Pages: 38

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Emotions

Topic: Feelings

Artistic Media: Paintings

Literary Elements: Margo loves outer space, and always talked about everything outer space. Margo would always pretend she was an astronaut and respond as though she was one. But, this wouldn’t make any sense to the people she was around because Margo was in an alternate universe thinking she was in space. Margo was incredibly frustrated, so she wrote all of her feelings out. Margo’s mom saw all of her frustrations, and began to paint things related to outer space with her. Margo’s mom hung up big pieces of paper for Margo to write out her feelings and express herself when she needs to. Margo finally felt heard.

Personal Response: This book was very enjoyable to read! I have a little cousin who is really into outer space, so it was fun to make connections with that. Additionally, this book teaches readers that feelings happen and feelings are okay. The story illustrates the fact that it is important and okay to deal with emotions, they are normal.

Curricular Connections: This story can be tied to a social-emotional lesson on anger management and how to recognize and deal with emotions. Emotions are very normal, everyone has them, but not everyone handles them the best way. Teaching readers how to handle emotions after reading this book could be very beneficial.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: The Tray of Togetherness

Author/Illustrator: Flo Leung

Publisher: Owlkids Books

Date: 2022

# of Pages: 33

Grade Level: K-3

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Family

Topic: Celebrations

Artistic Media: Paintings

Literary Elements: The main character of the story is a little girl, and her family is hosting a Lunar New Year party. She is so excited! Her whole family is coming together to celebrate. They have eight parts of the Tray of Togetherness to fill up. The little girl goes off to get the lucky treats. With each treat comes a wish, and each treat is shared to pass on the wish.

Personal Response: I enjoyed reading this book related to the traditions of Lunar New Year. My family loves to celebrate and we have a lot of traditions that are special to us. It was very interesting to compare our traditions to the traditions of this book! I learned about the Tray of Togetherness, something I had never heard of before. I really like the meaning behind the Tray!

Curricular Connections: Students can learn about Lunar New Year through this story!

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Kindness: A Celebration of Mindfulness

Author: Katie Wilson

Publisher: Flowerpot Press

Date: April 6, 2021

# of Pages: 23

Grade Level: K-1

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Be Kind

Topic: Kindness

Artistic Media: Paintings

Literary Elements: The story shows readers the importance of being kind. “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”

Personal Response: This book holds such an important message that readers of all ages should hear. Being kind is so important, kindness makes the world a better place. Simple acts of kindness can make a person’s day, a little bit goes a long way and it is so important for everyone to remember this.

Curricular Connections: A social-emotional lesson could be tied to this story. Students would learn about the importance of being kind to others and how spreading kindness can make the world a better place. Students can practice spreading kindness to their classmates.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: I am Human: A Book of Empathy

Author: Susan Verde

Illustrator: Peter H. Reynolds

Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers

Date: October 2, 2018

# of Pages: 35

Grade Level:

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Nobody is perfect, we are all individually unique

Topic: Empathy

Artistic Media: Paintings

Literary Elements: The main character of this story is human. He makes mistakes, he dreams big, he is curious, and sometimes, he accidentally hurts others. But he shortly realizes that he is human, he can make big decisions, and something bad can easily be turned around into something good. He can say sorry when he’s in the wrong, and he can treat others with kindness and compassion. At the end of the day, he is human, and so are we all.

Personal Response: This book is full of truth: nobody is perfect, people make mistakes, and at the end of the day, we are all human. This book highlights the importance of human connectivity and how powerful that is. I will definitely be including this book in my future classroom library.

Curricular Connections: A lesson on the importance of empathy can be found in this story. Teaching children to “walk a mile in their shoes” is a very important lesson to learn at a young age. I remember learning about this phrase in elementary school, and I want to ensure my students learn and remember this lesson forever.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Where Did Momo’s Hair Go?

Author: Stephanie Boyer

Illustrator: Caroline Hamel

Publisher: CrackBoom Books

Date: August 29, 2023

# of Pages: 44

Grade Level: K-4

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Humor

Topic: Friends

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: Momo is a clown who loses his hair at the beginning of the book. Momo’s hair lands on multiple different dogs around the town including Mrs. Strudel’s poodle, Mr. Salvador’s labrador, and Mr. Joshua’s chihuahua. At the end of the story, Momo’s hair finally lands back on his head!

Personal Response: This book was entertaining and fun to read! I like how different breeds of dogs were incorporated into the story. I also like the repetition in the book. This is a very new book, it’s only a few months old! I will be including this fun short story in my future classroom library.

Curricular Connections: I could connect a lesson on animals, specifically dogs, to this book because of the many different types of dog breeds mentioned in the story. Children could learn more about dogs during this lesson, and if they have a dog at home they can make connections between the story, the lesson and their experiences with their dog at home.

# data[].attributes.body
****POP UP BOOK

Title: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Author: Roald Dahl

Illustrator: Quentin Blake

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Inc.

Date: September 1, 2011

# of Pages: 20

Grade Level: K-3

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Treat others how you want to be treated

Topic: Good/bad behavior

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: Charlie is a little boy who has big aspirations. When he sees that the owner of a chocolate factory, Willy Wonka, puts out a competition to find five golden tickets around the world to win a tour of the infamous chocolate factory, he immediately jumps on the opportunity. After trials and tribulations, Charlie finds a golden ticket in a chocolate bar and tours the chocolate factory. But, the other children who also found golden tickets to tour the factory are bratty, but Charlie is not. The kids meet characters like the Oompa Loompas during their tour. The Oompa Loompas do not like the behavior of the other children. In the end, Charlie gets gifted the chocolate factory by Willy Wonka.

Personal Response: I loved reading this classic book! The book provides readers with a great story that contains a great message that is important for children to hear. I grew up watching the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory movie, which I learned was based on this book by Roald Dahl. I would recommend this book to readers of all ages!

Curricular Connections: Behavior and its consequences, good or bad, are really prevalent in this book. Good behavior results in good consequences, and bad behavior results in bad consequences. This can be tied to a lesson on promoting good behavior in the classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: The Napping House

Author: Audrey Wood

Illustrator: Don Wood

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Date: 1984

# of Pages: 36

Grade Level: K-1

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Love

Topic: Family & cause and effect

Artistic Media: Paintings

Literary Elements: The napping house starts off with everyone sleeping. The cozy bed then quickly becomes full of people, pets, and things, like the granny, the child, the dog, the cat, and more. Then, the flea starts the chain of events and eventually wakes everyone up, and there is a napping house where no one is sleeping.

Personal Response: I remember reading this book when I was little! It was a fun book that concepts of predictability and repetition could be applied. This book is simple but fun and can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

Curricular Connections: A lesson about cause and effect can be stemmed from this book. There is a lot of repetition and readers can predict what will happen next in the book, a skill all readers should have.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Goodnight Moon

Author: Margaret Wise Brown

Illustrator: Clement Hurd

Publisher: Harper Collins Publisher

Date: September 3, 1947

# of Pages: 36

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Bedtime Routine

Topic: Repetition

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: This book takes readers through a night time routine of a bunny. He wishes many objects in his room a ‘goodnight’. The author uses rhyming words to help with the flow of the story.

Personal Response: I love this book! I remember reading it when I was a child, so it was fun to reread it as an adult. I will definitley be including this in my classroom library, no matter what age I teach. This book is a classic that every single person should read despite how old they are!

Curricular Connections: This book can be connected to a lesson on the benefits of having a routine. Routines can be very beneficial to all people and help people get in the rhythm of doing something. I can name several routines that I have and do daily.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky

Author: Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond

Illustrator: Daniel Minter

Publisher: Random House Children’s Books

Date: February 15, 2022

# of Pages: 22

Grade Level: K-3

Genre: Nonfiction

Theme: Blue is beautiful

Topic: The color blue

Artistic Media: Paintings

Literary Elements: This book takes readers through a journey of the color blue, and how it has been viewed in history. Blue rocks called lapis lazuli were rare and luxurious, everybody wanted these rocks. Indigo dye also became popular overtime, and it was used for clothing, makeup, and medicine. Then, scientists discovered that “blue wasn’t so cruel”, and made a blue chemical. The book talks about sayings using the term ‘blue’ like ‘out of the blue’ or ‘feeling blue’. Blue is a very amazing color with meanings beyond the surface.

Personal Response: I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It takes readers through historic events revolving around the color blue. I really liked how the author took a color and was able to build so much off of it. The message of this book is very deep and informative, and should be taken into consideration by all people.

Curricular Connections: This book can be connected to an art lesson about the usage of the color blue. Students can use multiple different types of media that is blue to make a piece of artwork based on this story. It is important for students to have the opportunity to express themselves through art.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: All Thirteen

Author: Christina Soontornvat

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Date: October 13, 2020

# of Pages: 188

Grade Level: 3-7

Genre: Nonfiction

Theme: Never Give Up

Topic: Perseverance

Artistic Media: Real photographs

Literary Elements: In 2018, twelve boys and their soccer coach went exploring in a cave. Shortly after they entered the cave, there was heavy rainfall and the rain ended up blocking the exit of the cave and trapping them inside. The boys were trapped inside the cave with little water and no food for over a week. After many had lost hope, the boys were rescued!

Personal Response: I really enjoyed reading this book. I remember when these boys were lost and were all over the news until they were found. I was optimistic that they would be found, but I was not full of hope. Needless to say, I am so beyond happy these boys were found. I could not imagine what it would be like to be trapped for so long with so little food and water. These boys are so strong and resilient, as proved in the novel. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Curricular Connections: This book can be connected to a current world issues lesson, as this incident only happened about 5 years ago. It can also be connected to a lesson about safety, and what you could do if you were to get lost with no food or water for a long period of time.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Sisters & Brothers

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 discusses sibling relationships that many different types of animals share, like elephants, cheetahs, and beavers.

Evaluation: This book is written clearly, and is easy to understand. The information the book provides is accurate and authoritative. The book avoids personification and provides readers with distinct facts about certain animals. This book is visually appealing to children and adults alike. Lastly, the artistic medium and format is highly appropriate for readers. Overall, this is a great book.

Activity: An activity used to tie this lesson together could be a "Show and Tell" about students' brothers and sisters. Students could bring in something that reminds them of one of their siblings, like a stuffed animal, a picture, or even just a memory. Students then can use what they learned about animal relationships and apply that to the relationships in which they share with their siblings. If a student does not have a sibling, they can make this assignment about their cousins, or even a friend.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: The Breadwinner

Author/Illustrator: Deborah Ellis

Publisher: Groundwood Books

Date: 2020

# of Pages: 79

Grade Level: 5-9

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: “Challenging Injustice through Social Action”

Topic: War, Gender Roles & Bravery

Artistic Media: Digital Media

Literary Elements: Parvana is a young girl living in the Middle East. Her father gets taken by the Taliban, and she is forced to step up and help her family stay afloat. But, that means she must disguise herself as a boy because women and men are treated very different in that part of the world. The book takes readers through a journey as Parvana faces hardships during the war. Parvana’s father returns home, but is unhealthy. The book ends with the family escaping.

Personal Response: The author provided readers with a very realistic story about living during a war. I liked how the graphic novel's pictures contributed to the text's overall understanding. The author took real-life issues and used them in a book where readers who may not have experienced anything like this story can imagine what it would be like to live in these circumstances. It provided readers with an insider view, which I appreciated.

Curricular Connections: This book can be connected to a world issues lesson. There is a lot going on in the world, specifically the Middle East right now, and these events affect civilians and normal people, just like me and you, on the daily. It is important for children across the world to recognize something is happening, and understand that what’s going on is likely vastly different than what they have ever experienced before.

# data[].attributes.body
***ANIMATED PICTURE BOOK

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: Holographic foil for scales & paintings

Literary Elements: Rainbow Fish is the prettiest fish in the entire sea. All of the other sea creatures admire his beauty. When a fish asks for one of his scales, he selfishly says no. But then, all the other fish do not like Rainbow Fish and do not give him the time of day. Rainbow Fish talks to the octopus, and the octopus tells him that he should give his scales to other fish in the sea, even though he will no longer be the most beautiful fish in the sea, other fish will see through his outside beauty and into his inside beauty because he shares. Soon enough, Rainbow Fish gives his scales to other fish in the sea, and Rainbow Fish feels a feeling he has never felt before, but loves it. He soon realizes that sharing is very important, and is friends with the other creatures once again.

Personal Response: I loved reading this book as a child, and again as an adult! It spreads such an important message about the importance of sharing, and how beauty is found within.

Curricular Connections: A lesson on the importance of sharing can be tied to this book. Rainbow Fish is not liked and is sad when he doesn’t share, but when he does share, he is happy and has lots of friends. Children should be reminded of these concepts to encourage them to share inside and outside of the classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: The Day You Begin

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Illustrator: Rafael Lopez

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen

Date: August 28, 2018

# of Pages: 32

Grade Level: 1-4

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Celebrate diversity!

Topic: Uniqueness & Differences

Artistic Media: Paintings

Literary Elements: Angelina is a young girl who feels different from the rest of her classmates. She notices other students in her class have differences too, but the children as a whole do not realize that their differences are what make them unique. This book takes readers on a journey allowing them to recognize that diversity is amazing, and our differences are what make us unique. Readers discover that there is only one of them, and they are special and valued.

Personal Response: In this book, I feel like I related to Rigoberto a lot during my freshman year of college. It was the first time I had ever lived on my own and been away from my parents for an extended period of time. When I was a freshman, I was building my confidence, while also remembering my culture: my family life, my background, and my Scottish culture- all of which are unique to me. I was meeting new people and stepping out of my comfort zone. All of these characteristics shape who I am, and also who Rigoberto is. I really enjoyed reading this book!

Curricular Connections: This book has a phenomenal message that I believe all young students should read. Celebrating diversity and inclusion is imperative in today’s society, and helps people feel a sense of belonging. In my future classroom, I plan on celebrating diversity every day, and making sure all of my students feel safe, welcomed, and included in the classroom, every day.

# data[].attributes.body
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: Companionship

Topic: Friendship

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: Fern is a little girl who lives on her parent’s farm. She immediately begins caring immensely for a pig, who she named Wilbur after her father tried killing him because he was the smallest. Fern’s father insists they sell Wilbur to the Zuckerman’s farm, but because Fern is not there, Wilbur finds himself bored and missing his friend. Shortly after, Wilbur finds himself a spider friend named Charlotte. The other animals on the farm keep hearing Wilbur may be slaughtered in the near future, though. Charlotte does not fear, and ensures that Wilbur will be okay. Charlotte writes words in her web for farm owners to see. Then, Wilbur is taken to the fair and Charlotte joins him. Charlotte lays spider eggs but doesn’t think she will be alive to see her babies. Charlotte dies before they make it home, but Wilbur ensures her that he will take good care of her babies. Wilbur wins the prize! Not all the spider babies survive, but three of them do and quickly become Wilbur’s newest companions.

Personal Response: This book is such a classic- a book I believe everyone should read! The book has a great story line and portrays many themes that are prevalent for readers to apply to their everyday lives. Charlotte’s Web allows for readers of all ages to explore the world of fantasy and use their imaginations. Overall, I really enjoyed this book!

Curricular Connections: This book can be connected to a lesson about social-emotional learning- specifically what true friendships may look like and how they can last a lifetime. Teachers can use this book as a model to promote quality and true friendships in the classroom among their students, that they can then take with them after the year ends.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: The One and Only Ivan

Author: Katherine Applegate

Illustrator: Patricia Castelao

Publisher: Harper Collins

Date: January 17, 2012

# of Pages: 336

Grade Level: 3-7

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Theme: Companionship

Topic: Friendship

Artistic Media: Paintings

Literary Elements: There is only one Ivan. He is a gorilla who lives in a mall. He was captivated at a young age since he was the only one left of his kind. Ivan was placed in a mall in Tacoma, Washington where he resided for a long time. Ivan lives with an old elephant named Stella and Bob, a stray dog. Ivan also becomes companions with Julia, the owner of the shop’s daughter. Ivan was given materials to paint to pass his time. Ivan paints pictures that the shop then sells to shoppers. Stella does not make it much longer, unfortunately. Ruby is placed in the mall. Ruby and Ivan quickly become close and develop their bond while sharing the hardships they both faced in their lives. Ivan made the connection that his cage at the mall is similar to the cage he was transported in. Ivan paints images relating to a zoo after seeing an ad about a zoo. He even includes “HOME” on one of his zoo paintings. Mack, the owner of the shop, is rude to Ruby, and Ivan becomes defensive of his little companion. Ivan and Ruby are taken to the zoo! Ivan was first placed in a cage but was then released to an enclosure with other gorillas. Ivan makes friends with other gorillas, one named Kinyani. Ivan still paints with mud! Ivan spots Ruby from an exhibit nearby, meaning they still can be together.

Personal Response: I absolutely love this book, it is one of my favorite books of all time and will definitely be in my classroom library. I remember reading this book as a child and it was one of my favorites then, just as it is now. I really connected with this story because the real mall that Ivan was in was in Tacoma, Washington, about 45 minutes away from my hometown. My mom remembers going to see Ivan in the mall when she was younger, which I thought was fascinating.

Curricular Connections: This book can be connected to a lesson about animals and the companionships animals make. Animal companionships are similar to human companionships.

# data[].attributes.body
***AUDIOBOOK

Title: The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!

Author: Jon Scieszka

Illustrator: Lane Smith

Publisher: Viking Children's Books

Date: 1989

# of Pages: 32

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Fiction

Theme: There are at least two sides to every story.

Topic: Perspectives

Artistic Media:

Literary Elements: The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs offers readers an alternative perspective on the traditional story of The 3 Little Pigs. The book starts out with the wolf, Alexander T. Wolf, needing sugar to make his grandma’s birthday cake because he ran out. He went around looking for sugar- not to mention he had a little bit of a cold. When he went to two different pigs’ houses, he sneezed and blew their houses down. And well, he was hungry so he decided to eat the pigs for dinner, they were just sitting there! In the end, the news reporters framed the wolf to be “the big bad wolf”, which wasn’t really the case.

Personal Response: I really enjoyed reading this book, as it was a twist on the traditional The Three Little Pigs. It was interesting to read an opposite perspective on a story most people grew up reading, and it offers students the chance to compare and contrast stories, but also learn to see multiple perspectives of a single story, which can then be applied to their everyday lives. There are multiple sides to every story!

Curricular Connections: This book can teach students about two differing perspectives and the importance of hearing and understanding both sides before making assumptions. This is a life skill that we should teach students beginning at a young age because they will often encounter situations where they may need to differentiate two perspectives.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: You Matter

Author: Christian Robinson

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Date: June 2, 2020

# of Pages: 44

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: YOU matter, no matter what!

Topic: Self-Confidence & Self-Esteem

Artistic Media: Paintings

Literary Elements: This book takes readers through a journey that displays people and things of all shapes and sizes, and reminds them that no matter what is going on in life, they matter. When something is out of reach for a t-rex, if you feel lost and alone, or if you’re old or young, you matter- no matter who you are or what is going on around you.

Personal Response: Not only did this book embody all six qualities of what makes a good children's book, but it also was easy to connect to. I loved the overall message- everyone matters, despite whatever may be going on in life. This is a great message for all people. No matter what may be happening, no matter the situation, you matter. I enjoyed this book because it took a very important life concept and made it appropriate and easy for children to understand, while still making it entertaining. The message in this book expands awareness for children, as it is "broadening their understanding of the world". It is an enjoyable book, as it does not overdo the message. This book tells the truth, as it introduces the idea of feeling lost or alone, when a loved one passes away, or even when you are last in line. These are real-life concepts that happen to almost everyone, and it is important children are aware of these things at a young age. This book embodies quality and has integrity because of its remarkable rhythm and incredible illustrations. Lastly, this book embodies originality because it shows the world from multiple points of view, and allows children to think about new possibilities. All in all, this book was very enjoyable and spread a great message.

Curricular Connections: This book can be connected to a lesson regarding social-emotional learning. This book can serve as a reminder to all students, regardless of their age, that they matter no matter what! This is an important lesson for all students.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Forever Cousins

Author: Laurel Goodluck

Illustrator: Jonathan Nelson

Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing

Date: October 4, 2022

# of Pages:

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Historical Fiction

Theme: Family is forever

Topic: Friendship

Artistic Media: Digital media

Literary Elements: Amanda and Kara are cousins, they are inseparable. But, Kara’s family is moving away, meaning the cousins will have to separate until the following summer. Both girls are saddened by this news but keep in touch throughout the year. Finally, it’s time for the girls to see each other again! They both are nervous to see each other again, but pick up right where they left off. Kara’s family goes back home but the cousins decide that despite the distance between them, they will be cousins forever.

Personal Response: This book served as a great reminder that family is forever, no matter the distance that separates us. I am away from my family at college right now, but I know that they are just a phone call away! Many children may experience something similar, just being away from their parents while at school may be challenging for some. But, we must remember that family is forever, no matter what.

Curricular Connections: This book can be connected to multicultural education because the characters are of Native American descent and the book mentions many Native American practices- powwows and sacred ceremonies.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Baseball Saved Us

Author: Ken Mochizuki

Illustrator: Dom Lee

Publisher: Lee & Low Books

Date: March 1993

# of Pages: 32

Grade Level: 3-6

Genre: Historical Fiction

Theme: Look for the good in times of bad!

Topic: World War II & Perseverance

Artistic Media: Paintings

Literary Elements: The book starts off with a family in an Internment Camp during World War II. The family faced many hardships while living in the camp. The father and Teddy, the little boy, decided they needed something fun to do because they kept butting heads. They decided to build a baseball field! With resources around the camp and lots of help from the people around them, they made the field. Everyone at the camp was able to play ball together! It was the championship game, and Teddy scored the winning run! His teammates lifted him up and all started cheering. Teddy and his family go home, but Teddy is very lonely. The baseball season at home started and Teddy’s friends made fun of him and called him names. During one of the last games of the season, Teddy was up to bat, the other team’s pitcher gave him dirty looks, and Teddy was very nervous. But, Teddy hits a home run and proves how important it is to persevere!

Personal Response: I loved reading this book. The message of this book was very powerful- it is so important to find the “good” in times of hardship, and the importance of persevering. Teaching students this at a young age and incorporating it into a historical fiction story is very valuable. I loved how it connected a sport many children know and love to an important message and lesson about World War II.

Personal/Academic Values: This book can help teach students the vitalness of perseverance and how important it is to look for the good amidst the bad. Likely, children will have to face hardships in their lives, and likely, they won’t know how to deal with them. Teaching students that life has ups and downs and will get better is imperative, and teaching students that it is important to find good things, big or small, amidst hard times.

Curricular Connections: This book can be connected to a Social Studies lesson on World War II or even a Physical Education lesson about baseball. It could also be connected to a social-emotional lesson on the importance of persevering and never giving up. All of these lessons would be of value to students.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Beautiful Blackbird

Award: Coretta Scott King Book Awards

Author: Ashley Bryan

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Date: 2003

# of Pages: 42

Grade Level: K-2

Theme: Beauty is found within

Topic: Beauty

Type of Traditional Literature: Folktale

Plot Summary: This book beautifully represents how beauty is found within and how “Black is beautiful”. In this book, colorful birds want to be like the “Beautiful Blackbird”. But, the Blackbird told them, “Color on the outside is not what’s on the inside.” The Blackbird said that different birds do different things, so they may have different appearances. The Blackbird reminded the colorful bird that “whatever I do, I’ll be me and you’ll be you”. Then, the Blackbird painted the colorful birds with a blackening brew. Everyone was decorated, and black was beautiful on all the birds.

Evaluation: I loved the message this book portrayed. It is crucial for not just young readers, but for all people of all ages, to understand that beauty is found on the inside, not just the outside. Teaching students that beauty can be found within may inspire students to be better people. In my opinion, teachers should teach students the curriculum, but also educate them on the importance of being good human beings. As for the criterion provided, this tale reflected a narrative storytelling style. It sounded like this book was being told. The piece of literature had specific terms related to the culture, which added to the overall quality of the story. The illustrations also add to the quality of the story and the bright colors and detailed drawings capture readers’ attention. Lastly, there were ample examples of a rich literary style represented in the story. Overall, I would classify this book as a good, quality piece of traditional literature.

What I Learned: I learned about the importance of valuing all people, no matter what. This book reiterated the essentialness of the idea that beauty comes from within, which like I stated earlier, is an important message for people of all ages to hear, appreciate, and apply to their daily lives.

# data[].attributes.headline
Junie B. Jones Is (almost) a Flower Girl

# data[].attributes.subject
Junie B. Jones Is (almost) a Flower Girl

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Junie B. Jones Is (almost) a Flower Girl

Author: Barbara Park

Illustrator: Denise Brunkus

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Date: 1999

# of Pages: 92

Grade Level: 1-4

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Be kind to everyone, even if it is hard

Topic: Kindness & Empathy

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: Junie B. Jones is grown up, despite what others may think. After her boyfriend Ricardo breaks up with her, Junie is very upset. Later on, she is reminded that her Aunt Flo is getting married. She wants to be a flower girl to prove she is a grown-up. Junie is stoked to be a flower girl at her Aunt Flo’s wedding, so she calls up her aunt and invites herself to the wedding. But, Aunt Flo breaks the news to Junie that Bo is already the flower girl- that makes Junie the backup. Junie makes a big wish that Bo gets sick so she can be in the wedding instead. At the wedding, Junie misbehaves and tries to steal two flower petals from Bo. Shortly after, Junie and Aunt Flo talk and work things out. Bo and Junie end up getting along at the wedding and having a good time together.

Personal Response: I loved reading this book from an adult’s perspective. I read a lot of the Junie B. Jones books as a child- these books were some of the first chapter books I ever read! I think this book provides readers with a great message of the importance of being kind to all, despite the circumstances. Sometimes, it can be hard to be nice to someone- maybe they really upset you! Many readers will be able to relate to this or may encounter something similar in the future. But, this book emphasizes the importance of being nice to everyone, no matter what. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect.

Curricular Connections: After reading this book, students could retell the story in their own words. Practicing summarizing a story is a crucial skill for students to acquire in the younger grades. It is our responsibility as teachers to provide students with the opportunity to do so.

# data[].attributes.body
***GRAPHIC NOVEL

Title: El Deafo

Author/Illustrator: Cece Bell

Publisher: Amulet Books

Date: September 2, 2014

# of Pages: 245

Grade Level: 3-6

Genre: Fiction

Theme: It’s okay to be different!

Topic: Individuality & True Friendship

Artistic Media: Digital Media

Literary Elements: Cece is a bunny who becomes deaf after being very sick. She receives a Phonic Ear to help her, but is made fun of by others and quickly loses confidence in herself. Finally, she finds a true friend named Martha. Cece begins to build her confidence and see herself as a superhero. Cece and Martha get along wonderfully and Martha does not care that Cece is deaf. She sees past that and recognizes that Cece is a great person, despite her disability.

Personal Response: I loved reading El Deafo. It was a very heartwarming and inspiring book that I feel all students should have the opportunity to read. This book highlights the idea that it is okay to be different, and our differences are what make us unique, in a fun, engaging way. It is important to shed light, especially to young children, on the fact that everyone has a unique set of traits and characteristics to offer to the world, and how it is very important to celebrate our differences and diversity!

Curricular Connections: A connection between literature and social-emotional health can be made with this book. El Deafo offered readers an inside look at what bullying can look like, and how it feels to be bullied- not good! Empathy and antibullying are two huge topics that should be discussed in all elementary school classrooms. I believe it is also important to teach students what a good friend looks like, using Martha as an example.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: The Crossover

Author: Kwame Alexander

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers

Date: March 18, 2014

# of Pages: 382

Grade Level: 3-7

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Hardships can help people become stronger and more resilient.

Topics: Strength & Resilience

Literary Elements: Josh and his family live and breathe basketball. Josh's dad gets sick and his brother and him slowly drift apart after his brother finds a girlfriend. Josh struggles to navigate his new normal. At the end of the book, Josh and his brother make amends while they are shooting free throws together, which ties the main events in the book together.

Personal Response: The book "The Crossover" was a very entertaining and intriguing book. The main character Josh experiences many hardships throughout the story that shape him into the character he is at the end of the book. The message of this book is recognizing how hardships build a person's strength and resilience. This message is important for all readers to understand and apply to their own lives.

Curricular Connections: This book could be connected to a PE class about basketball. After reading this book, students might be more inclined to try out this sport for themselves. Alternatively, a basketball player might read this book and be inspired to play even more basketball. This book may encourage students to get active in PE class, at recess, and more.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Room for Everyone
Award: Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children- 2023 Notable Poetry Books and Verse Novels
Publication Date: November 9, 2021
Poet: Naaz Khan
Illustrator: Merce Lopez

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Themes: Everybody matters- the more the merrier!

Short Summary: Young boy Musa and his father are driving through the streets of Tanzania when they pass several people who appear to be struggling. One man had a bike with no seat, and Musa’s father offered him to hop on the dalalala, a minibus. They passed more people alike, vendors carrying fruit, sugarcane, coconuts, and more. Musa was hesitant to let these people in the dalalala. However, his father was adamant they join the fun and hop in for a ride. Soon enough, everyone who hitched a ride made it to the beach and had tons of fun.
Grade Level: K-2
Type of Poetry: Narrative

3 Facts about the Poet:

1. “Room for Everyone” is the first picture book she wrote.

2. Khan spent much of her time learning in a school setting. Her first degree is a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology of Religion from the University of California, San Diego. She has a diploma in Refugee Studies from the American University of Cairo, and finally, she has her Master of Arts in International Educational Development from the Columbia University Teachers College.

3. If Khan were to be an animal, she would be a bird, specifically a finch.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: We Believe in You

Author: Beth Ferry

Illustrator: Molly Idle

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Date: October 27, 2020

# of Pages: 19

Grade Level: K-1

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Believe in Yourself

Topic: Confidence

Brief Summary: Each page presents the reader with a different animal believing they can do something meaningful to that particular animal. Giraffes believe in "standing tall" and koalas believe in "lots of hugging". Hummingbirds believe in "drinking sunshine" and lions believe in "having courage". The author promotes believing in happy endings and dreams coming true, as well as believing in yourself.
Connection to Webinar: Ferry and Idle discussed many topics related to their book "We Believe in You". They talked about how they had to change up the animal to make a particular rhyme, and how drawing animals can be trickier than you would think. Ferry said she started writing because she loved to read. Idle said she started drawing when she was very young, and fell in love with the feeling of making art. The authors came up with this book when they heard a song on the radio called "I Believe in You", and then shaped the plot of the book on the concepts of believing in yourself and believing in others. The authors took important characteristics we should encourage children to support and apply to their lives, and incorporated animals to make the concepts more appealing to young children. Idle learned about what the animals looked like while Ferry learned about what the animals do. Together, they created this book that I believe all students should read.
Artistic Media: Idle used drawings and paintings in this book. In the webinar, she was drawing more animals which I thought was very interesting to see her go about her unique process. Idle's artistic style appears to be realistic, as the animals she drew look real. The illustrations in this book contribute to the story in more ways than one. An example of this is when the lions believe in "having courage", the illustration shows the lion standing proud looking down on his baby lion who is looking up to him. The illustration shows the relationship between the lion and baby lion and I think about how children should apply this to their own lives and look up to their parents, or whoever may be important in their lives. The illustrations really tie this book together, in my opinion.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop

# data[].attributes.subject
The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop

# data[].attributes.body
Title: The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop

Author: Carole Boston Weatherford

Illustrator: Frank Morrison
Date: January 9, 2018
Publisher: Little Bee Books

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 46

Artistic Media: Paint

Short Summary: This book is very informal about the concepts of rap. It introduces readers to a genre of music that is very influential across the world starting from when it was first developing to how it has evolved into what we know rap and hip-hop as now. This book also presents readers with well-known names in the rap industry, like Eminem and Tupac, and well-known places like Manhattan.
Type of Literature: Global
Evaluation: I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The artistic elements were very impactful to the text. Additionally, the incorporation of rhymes into a book about a genre of music was also very clever and thought-provoking. The rhymes made the book fun and enjoyable to read. This book also meets my expectations of an authentic book. I targeted the literary qualities, accuracy of the book, and the audience. This book is a quality piece of literature in my opinion, as mentioned previously in the art and rhythm of the book. The book is accurate, as it represents rap and hip-hop culture in a detailed precise manner. Lastly, this book was intended for young children, and it was written to help readers understand another culture that may be slightly different from what they know.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Powwow Day

Author: Traci Sorell

Illustrator: Madelyn Goodnight

Publisher: Charlesbridge

Date: February 8, 2022

# of Pages: 34

Grade Level: K-3

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Stay hopeful

Topic: Family & Culture

Artistic Media: Digital

Literary Elements: River is a young girl who loves her culture and loves to dance. On the morning of the Powwow, she wakes up but remembers she can't dance that day. Nevertheless, she attends the Powwow with the rest of her family. While the rest of her family participates in the event, River sits back and watches, with tears in her eyes. She is incredibly upset she can't join them, but knows she will be back dancing with them soon enough.

Personal Response: I really liked this book! I did not know much about Powwows before reading, so I got to learn more about the tradition that people hold near and dear to them. I am very involved in my Scottish culture, in fact, I grew up dancing for 15 years of my life. It was interesting to relate my Scottish dancing and cultural experiences to the Powwow in this book.

Curricular Connections: This book could be connected to a Social Studies lesson about Native Americans and how Powwow events are so special and important to people of Native American descent. Children could also learn more about Native American tribes, like the Cherokee Nation, which the author states she is a part of in her Author's Note. I remember learning all about tribes in my elementary school classrooms.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: Lucy Tries Baseball

Author: Lisa Bowes

Illustrator: James Hearne

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers

Date: April 2023

# of Pages: 36

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Try new things!

Topics: Courage & Perseverance

Artistic Media: Drawings

Literary Elements: Lucy is an active girl. One day, Coach Al invites her to join his baseball team. Lucy learns all the basics of the game, like how to hit, field, and catch fly balls. When it is Lucy's turn to hit, she gets scared, she doesn't want to get hit by the pitch. Lucy swings and misses the first time, but tries to not let that discourage her. After taking a few deep breaths, she hits a line drive into the gap on her next swing, bringing the runner ahead of her home! Lucy loves playing baseball!

Personal Response: I loved reading this book. Baseball is one of my favorite games to watch, so I loved reading a children's book about the game. I also loved how it was a rhyming book. Rhymes always make a book more fun to read, and children usually seem to enjoy them as well. Overall, I really liked this book!

Curricular Connections: This book could be connected to PE class because of the baseball elements it has. Children may enjoy reading about baseball and see how much fun the characters are having and want to try it out for themselves. This book may help promote active lifestyles among students, which is very important.

# data[].attributes.body
Book Award Studied: Teachers' Choices Reading List

Title: "The Babysitter from Another Planet"

Cover Images: House and UFO

Author/Illustrator: Stephen Savage

Publication date: February 12, 2019

Publisher: Neal Porter Books

Grade level: K-1

Genre: Fiction

Themes: Discovery

Pages: 30

Plot Summary: The parents of two children leave their kids for the night with a babysitter. But the babysitter isn't just a regular babysitter, it is an alien babysitter! They get to do lots of fun things together.

Personal Responses: This is a very cute book that lets a child imagine what it would be like if an alien was taking care of them for the night. It allows children to use their imagination and put themselves into a different perspective, which is important as a child is developing.

Comments: A review describes this book as E.T. meets Mary Poppins, which I believe is the perfect way to describe the book. It has the outer space elements of E.T. but the fun babysitter aspects of Mary Poppins.

Activity: I would do a lesson on outer space. I could incorporate science into this piece of literature. I would ask students what they would do if their babysitter were an alien, and ask them to write that in a complete sentence. I would also have a coloring sheet where students could color an alien and practice their colors and fine motor skills. If the students are ready, I could weave the connections between E.T. and Mary Poppins into the lesson.

# data[].attributes.body
Title: What Riley Wore
Author: Elana K. Arnold
Illustrator: Linda Davick
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Date: August 27, 2019
# of Pages: 40
Grade Level: K-3
Genre: Fiction
Theme: Be Yourself
Topic: Confidence & Kindness
Artistic Media: Drawing
Literary Elements: Main character Riley wears whatever Riley wants. One day, Riley wears a cape to the dentist to feel like a superhero, the next day, Riley wears outer space pajamas to Universe Day at school. Riley wears whatever makes Riley feel comfortable and confident. Riley was a huge help to Dad one day and was given a sticker, but Riley kept the sticker safe because it would make a great gift. When asked if Riley is a girl or a boy by a friend on the playground, Riley replied with whatever Riley was wearing that day, which meant she was a firefighter, a dancer, a monster hunter, a pilot, and a dinosaur. Riley gifted the sticker to the friend, and felt very good not only because Riley was confident in what Riley had on, but because Riley made a friend happy.
Personal Response: This book has a great message that all children should hear. It is my goal as a teacher to make all students feel welcomed and appreciated at all costs. I believe reading this book to my students will help them feel this way.
Curricular Connections: This book connects a lot to the outside world, where it really doesn't matter if a person is a boy or a girl. It is important for children to recognize and acknowledge this concept beginning at a young age.