Illustrator: Marissa Valdez

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 

Date Published: 1/19/2021

Page count: 40

Awards: Recent Book Award Winner and Honorees Selection 2022, Jane Addams Children's Book Awards Finalist 2022

Synopsis: This book is about an ambitious girl who is learning that no one can tell her she is "too that" or "too this". She is not going to let anyone tell her who she can be.   She is trying to spread a message to all girls to be ambitious and get stuff done. She wants to use her voice and be heard by everyone. 

Theme: Self-worth, Girl Power 

Genre: Fiction

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning- This can help students who may be struggling with realizing how important their voice is and to help them realize they should never let someone tell them otherwise. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book because it can show young girls that they can do anything they set their minds to. It shows them that they should not let anyone tell them they are "too this" or "too that". It spreads a good message about the importance of not being afraid to be who you are. 

Teaching resource: Activity idea- Having my students create a poster where they write down all the things that they believe they are, such as confident, brave, strong, etc. to teach a lesson on believing in yourself no matter what 

Illustrator: Jon Klassen

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Date Published: October 9th, 2012

Page count: 40 pages

Awards: Caldecott Medal

Synopsis: This book is about a little fish who steals a hat from the big fish. He thinks that he was able to get away from the big fish while he was sleeping and hide in the tall and big plants. But he actually does not get away with stealing because the big fish finds him. 

Theme: Stealing

Genre: Children's Literature, Fiction 

Artistic Media: Painting (watercolor)

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning- This book can teach kids that stealing is bad and to be aware of how their actions can make others feel

Personal Response: I liked this book, because it was trying to be a little funny while trying to spread a good message about how stealing is bad. I liked how it showed that even when the little fish thought that he got away, he didn't and the big fish still found him. This spreads a good message about why stealing is bad and you should not do it. 

Teaching resource: Lesson Idea- Teaching kids that you should never steal and that there will be consequences if you steal, because even if you think no one saw you do the action, they probably did. It is a lot harder to get away with something bad than you think. 

Illustrator: Nabi H. Ali

Publisher: Sourcebooks Explore

Date Published: March 10th, 2020

Page count: 32

Awards: 2021 Schneider Family Book Award Young Children's Honor Book (American Library Association)

Synopsis: This book is about a girl named Jennifer. She is not treated fairly at school because she is in a wheelchair. Other students do not usually see students in wheelchairs so they are not very accepting of her. The school tells her she is not allowed to come to kindergarten the whole day and she cannot eat in the lunch room with everyone else. She takes a stand with an activist group as she gets older and helps to try to make her voice heard and stand up for people with disabilities all around the United States. When she is 8 there is a new law proposed named ADA. But it does not pass at first, so she crawls the US Capitol steps to make her point seen that there needs to be a change. Congress sees the news about Jennifer and hear the activists and decided to pass the ADA. 

Theme: Perseverance, Equal Rights

Genre: Non-fiction biography picture book

Artistic Media: Digital and Mixed Media

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning- This is a great story to teach kids how important it is to never treat people badly because they look different and to always stand up for yourself when you are being treated unfairly. Or Social Studies- Learning about the history of ADA

Personal Response: I really liked this book a lot. I think that it is a great book for all students to listen to to show that no matter what other people say or who tries to stop you from achieving what you want to do you should never give up. She climbed the steps of the US Capitol in order to get her point across with how serious she was about having there be a change made, that they finally passed the ADA soon after. This can teach kids such a good message about always using your voice no matter what age you are.  

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmM8Ns1DOb0 (Read aloud)

Illustrator: Jeanette Winter

Publisher: Beach Lane Books

Date Published: November 4th, 2014

Page count: 40 pages 

Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2015-2022, Junior Library Guild Selections 2012-2022, CCBC Choices 2015, Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Books 2013-2022

Synopsis: This is about a boy named Iqbal who was taken to work for countless hours on end at a carpet factory. He then realized that the loans that he had owned were forgiven and bondage was outlawed. He spread a message to bonded children all around the world about freedom.

Theme: Justice, Freedom

Genre: Nonfiction

Artistic Media: Painting

Curricular Connections: Social Studies- It can give you a look into what other children have to go through in other countries. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book. I think it can give students a look into how other countries work and the unequal treatments there are of people, forcing them to do work they should not have to do. It has a good message about fighting for what is right even when there are risks involved. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILdlqxNmnsc (Book itself)

Illustrator: Cece Bell

Publisher: Amulet Book

Date Published: September 2nd, 2014

Page count: 248

Awards: Read for Empathy Collections, Eisner Awards, Charlotte Huck Awards, ALSC Notable Children's Books, CCBC Choices, Great Graphic Novels for Teens, John Newberry Medal 

Synopsis: This book is about Cece who gets sick when she is little and becomes deaf. She uses something called a phonic ear, which helps her to hear. It is nice because she can hear everything her teacher does when she wears it so she thinks she can have super hearing, but at the same time it makes it so she stands out from her peers and feels different. 

Theme: Deaf-culture, self-confidence, living with a disability 

Genre: Children's literature graphic novel autobiography 

Artistic Media: Digital and Mixed Media

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning- This book is good for teaching students how to treat people when they may be different and to know that just because you may have a disability that does not mean that you are any lesser than any of your classmates. 

Personal Response: This is such a cute book, because it tells the life of Cece and how she has to overcome challenges that most people would not have to deal with. I think it can be a good book for students to be exposed to, for them to see how many times people with disabilities do not want to be treated any differently. Yet a lot of the time they are because people are not educated on the proper ways to go about addressing their disability. I thought it was a good story that gave good insight into what it is like living with a disability and how people treated her. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cnj5STG0SZo (the author Cece Bell talks about her book and her life)

Illustrator: Shrija Jain

Publisher: Kids Can Press

Date Published: October 5th, 2021

Page count: 40

Awards: Outstanding International Book 2022, Junior Library Guild Selections 2022, Recent Book Awards Winners and Honorees 2022

Synopsis: This story is about a young girl whose family moves from their country. They are trying to navigate life in a new place and learn the new language. The girl makes a friend who helps her to learn more words since it was very overwhelming at first for this young girl to understand English. 

Theme: Friendship

Genre: Fiction Picture Book 

Artistic Media: Pen, ink artwork, with airbrushed digital art (Digital and Mixed Media)

Curricular Connections: ELA or ELL (This could be English language arts to show like a student learning a new language and the vocabulary and conversational speech involved, as well as English Language Learners learning a new language)

Personal Response: I really enjoy this book, because I felt like it did a good job at showing what it is like for people to come to the United States and be trying to learn English and communicate. It can be very overwhelming at first with how fast people talk and it can be hard to make friends. I thought it was a sweet story about a young girl making a friend and having the friend help her to learn more words. 

Teaching resource: Have your class learn "Hello, how are you?" and "Nice to meet you!" in a different language to see how other places say those greetings. 

Illustrator: Stina Wirsen

Publisher: Eerdmans Books For Young Readers

Date Published: April 13th, 2021

Page count: 32

Awards: Outstanding International Book List 2022, Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2022

Synopsis: This book is about a girl named Hedi living during the Holocaust and Hitler's rule. Her dog waits for her while she is gone at the concentration camps. She does survive and she comes back to see her dog has waited for her. 

Theme: Hope, Loyalty, Strength

Genre: Children's Historical Fiction

Artistic Media: Painting- Watercolor 

Curricular Connections: Social Studies- It does give you a look into what the life was like of a Jew who was separated from their family 

Personal Response: I really liked this book because it shows the loyalty of dogs and how they will do anything for their owners and wait for them. This book was so sweet because it showed that when someone is going through something so hard, to try to think of something that makes you happy. It had a good message about how even in a horrible time, Hedi was able to think about her dog and having that hope was good, since she was reunited with her dog later on. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvW4zo_GrKY

Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Date Published: October 22nd, 2019

Page count: 48 pages

Awards: Robert F. Silbert Award, Best Books of the Year, Kirkus Reviews Editor's Choice, NPR Best Book of the Year, Publishers Weekly Best Books Of the Year 

Synopsis: This book is about a Native American family and how they make fry bread together. It shows the importance of how food can bring friends and family together. Food also gives us a look into people's cultures and what kind of food they may eat. It shows all the different times that foods brings people together, just on weekdays, weekends, normal days, and holidays. It has a good message that no matter where you are from you can enjoy the same foods with people from all over the world. 

Theme: Community, Culture

Genre: Children's Literature

Artistic Media: Colored Pencil 

Curricular Connections: The curricular connections this book has is social studies, since it can give a look into the kind of foods that different cultures enjoy. It can also show that no matter how you look you can be friends with everyone and be accepting of everyone. Food should bring people together even if its for a certain culture. 

Personal Response: I really enjoyed this book, because I think it gives people a look into how everyone can come together to enjoy food and share about their day. You can have a nice meal with your family and friends for a holiday or just because you want to spend time together. It was a great book that showed the Indigenous culture as well as just the importance of friends and family. 

Teaching resource: https://wowlit.org/event/imagination-friday-with-kevin-noble-maillard-and-juana-martinez-neal/ (webinar of Kevin and Juana discussing the meaning of the book) 

Illustrator: (cover artists) Zdenko Bašić, Mauel Šumberac, Ray Shappell

Publisher: HarperCollins

Date Published: January 2nd, 2013

Page count: 288

Awards: National Book Award for Young People's Literature, John Newberry Medal 

Synopsis: This book is about Ha, her three brothers, and her mother and their life they have in Vietnam. Her mother is constantly waiting for some kind of news about her father who went missing when Ha was only one year old. It shows the challenges they face in Vietnam with communism just around the corner and poverty. They then move to the United States but they have to learn to overcome language barriers and being treated unfairly because of where they are from. 

Theme: Resilience

Genre: Novel, historical fiction 

Artistic Media: Mixed Media (for the cover)

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning- It will give students a look into what its like to go through moving to a new country and not fitting in, and ways to be brave, resilient, and deal with bullying. 

Personal Response: I really enjoyed this book. I felt like it gave a good look into what Ha's life was like when she was in Vietnam and how she lived when she was there. But then it also gave you a look into what it was like for the family to move to the US and how they had to adapt to life there. I always enjoy books that show people moving somewhere new and how even though they face hard times they learn to be resilient and overcome the challenges. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u875mgwB7I (first section of the book read aloud)

Illustrator: Susan Gal

Publisher: Scholastic

Date Published: 10/4/2022

Page count: 40

Awards: Nerdy Nonfiction winner for 2022, the Sydney Taylor book award and the Sibert Honor awards 

Synopsis: This book is about a young girl named Yaffa who lives in hiding through the Holocaust with her family. Then once she moves to the USA later in life she dedicates her life to trying to collect pictures from people who were part of the Eishyshok community in order to have them be apart of the Holocaust museum. 

Theme: Celebration of Life, Remembering Lives Lost

Genre: Children's non-fiction literature 

Artistic Media: Watercolor painting

Curricular Connections: Social Studies-It can give students a look into what life was like for people who lived during the Holocaust and all that they had to go through. But also what life was like for all the Jews and good times they had, before Hitler. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book it was a good story about how even though this girl and her family went through a tough time they found the joy in life and leaned on each other during this time. I think it was such an inspiring story, about ways to bring awareness to what happened during the Holocaust and how to represent people’s memories from before the bad times. It was nice that the girl went through so many obstacles to make sure that she could find pictures of people that had lived in her town and all the happy memories they had before the bad times. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc4_mybVPBQ (The author talks about the story of Yaffa)

Illustrator: Harmony Becker

Publisher: First Second GN; Bilingual Edition

Date Published: November 9th, 2021

Page count: 384

Awards: Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, Recent Book Award Winners and Honorees, and Kirkus Prize for Young Readers' Literature 

Synopsis: This book is about three young foreign exchange students named Nao, Hyejung, and Tina navigating life in Tokyo, Japan. They learn what its like to live in a place where they do not know the primary language and try to figure out how to live their life in a new environment. Its a nice book about how even though they all have different goals and motivations, they find a way to connect with each other and become good friends. 

Theme: Friendship

Genre: Young adult fiction, graphic novel 

Artistic Media: Digital and Mixed Media

Curricular Connections: Social Studies-Since it can give students a look into what it is like living in another country and what the culture of Japan is like. But also social emotional learning since it can give students a look into what its like to be a newly independent adult living on your own. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book, because it was nice to be able to see what it might be like for someone when they are trying to adapt to an environment where they do not speak the native language. I have never been in a place where I live and do not know the native language, so that must have been hard. It was a sweet book about friendships and connecting with people from different backgrounds. 

Teaching resource: Asking students if they have ever been in a place where they did not know the language that was being spoken and how that made them feel?

Illustrator: Corinna Luyken

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Date Published: August 30th, 2022

Page count: 48

Awards: A New York Times Best Children’s Book of the Year, A Kirkus Best Book of the Year, A Kids' Indie Next List Pick, A NCTE Notable Poetry Book Award Winner 

Synopsis: This poetry book is a sweet ode that talks about how unique every child can be. It explains that you can grow up to be someone that you as a child were no where near similar to. For example, just because you played basketball you can also become a poet. That everyone is unique and that you deserve to do what makes you happy. It talked about how you are a combination of all that you have gone through throughout your life and it comes together to be a kind of patchwork that is stitched together which is how the book got its name. Everyone should be celebrated and know that they are beautiful and unique was the message this book was trying to spread. 

Theme: Uniqueness 

Genre: Children's literature, fiction, Poetry 

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning because it teaches kids that they can be more than one "single note". Just because you were the class clown that liked to disrupt the class doesn't mean you can't be a teacher who loves school and teaching her students. Or that you were a great basketball player but also a poet. You don't just have to be one thing. Students should learn to love who they are and who they become. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book a lot because I felt like it teaches a good lesson about how you can be multiple things in life and that you do not have to let one thing define you. Growing up I think many kids feel like the sport they play defines them, or the one thing they are good at. But everyone is still growing their whole life into the person they are, and they can like multiple things. 

Teaching resource: A good activity I think that would be very good to go along with this book, would be for students to write down all that they are interested in on scraps of paper, so maybe baseball, cooking, soccer, the color pink, makeup, etc. as well as future career ideas they may want to have when they are older, and paste all the scraps together onto one big page to show their "patchwork". 

Illustrator: Melissa Sweet

Publisher: HarperCollins

Date Published: June 18, 2019

Page count: 32

Awards: Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award

Synopsis: This book is about finding a love for reading and getting into the book you are reading. It has a great amount of sensory detail and describes everything in a book and how you can "pop the words out page by page". You can read at night and see a huge world in front of your eyes. It talks about how you can enjoy reading and ways to do so. It is a great book that uses a lot of descriptive words to talk about ways that you can read a book and the ways words fall from the pages, and how there is magic in every line. 

Theme: Finding a Love for reading 

Genre: Children's literatrure, fiction, poetry  

Artistic Media: Collage 

Curricular Connections: ELA- since it is talking about reading and ways that students can enjoy reading. Also it is a great example of a poem and poetry book. It has many metaphors in it as well which can be good examples for your students to see for creating metaphors of their own. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book, because I feel like it gave a twist to reading that I had not really thought about before. It made reading come to life in a sensory way. This would be a good book to show to students who may not be that interested in reading, to show them how fun it can be. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApqmXmaVGOE (read aloud of the book)

Illustrator: Marcia Brown

Publisher: Alladin

Date Published: 1947 (originally) then again August 1st, 1997

Page count: 48

Awards: Caldecott Medal

Synopsis: This book was about three soldiers who entered a town and were asking people for some food. Everyone seemed to say that they didn't have any. Which seemed valid with the responses that they gave. But then when the soldiers started to make a soup from stones and water everyone seemed to have some kind of food to contribute. This just shows that they were lying about what they had just because they did not want to give it to someone else who did not have anything to offer to them. The story ended with people offering them a place to stay since they made them all soup. 

Theme: Honesty

Genre: Fiction, Traditional Literature 

Artistic Media: Drawings 

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-It teaches a story about how you should not be greedy and not give to people when they really are in need and you can give. These townspeople waited to give their food until they realized the soldiers had something they wanted. They should have just been good people and offered up what they could originally to the hungry soldiers fighting for them. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book. It gave a look into life in France for soldiers when they were hungry and trying to find a place to sleep and some food to eat. I thought it had a good message about the importance of not being greedy and keeping all the food for yourself. People who you may think have nothing can have knowledge that can help a lot of people, like these soldiers and their soup idea. It was a good book that spread a good message and told a good story. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZdhZdmvsuk 

Illustrator: David Shannon

Publisher: Puffin Books 

Date Published: April 13th, 1998 

Page count: 32

Awards: NE Golden Sower Award, Georgia Children's Book Award, Virgina Readers' Choice Awards, ORA Patricia Gallagher Children's Choice Picture Book Award

Synopsis: This book is about a girl who have two sisters who are so mean to her. They make her sit by the fire and the sparks make her skin rough after they have landed on her so many times. A lot of the people call her ugly, especially her sisters. Her two older sisters want the Invisible Being to want to marry them, but because they cannot see this being, they are not allowed to marry him. But then the youngest daughter can see the Invisible Being and they end up getting married. He has seen her beauty this whole time. 

Theme: Beauty Lies Within 

Genre: Folklore, fiction

Artistic Media: Painting 

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-It taught a good message about how you should not judge someone based on how they look. It also can show students that you should never treat someone badly just because they look different. Another curricular connection is-Social Studies because you can get a look into what it's like living in a Native American village 

Personal Response: I really liked this story because it showed that the importance of beauty is actually who someone is on the inside. Someone can be very beautiful and attract so many people, yet if they are not a good person then they really aren't very beautiful. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvRfy_EoY9A 

Illustrator: John Steptoe

Publisher: FBA Powersetup 

Date Published: January 1st, 2008 

Page count: 32

Awards: Caldecott Medal, Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrators 

Synopsis: This book was about a father who had two beautiful daughters wanting to marry the king. One of the daughters named Nyasha was so kind, generous, and caring. While the other daughter named Manyara was just greedy, jealous, and rude to people. It turned out that all the things and people that Manyara was mean to on her way to the king actually was the king in different bodies. This means that the way she treated these people and things, the king saw, which made it so he did not want to be with her. He ended up picking Nyasha to be his wife and Manyara was their servant. 

Theme: Kindness 

Genre: Fairytale, Children's Literature 

Artistic Media: Painting-watercolor and Drawing-pen and ink

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This is a great story that could teach students how they should treat their peers. Trying to be greedy and be better than someone else is never going to end well. You need to make sure you treat everyone you come across with respect and kindness and you will be rewarded. 

Personal Response: I really enjoyed this story. I felt like it had a great message about kindness and how even if you are so beautiful, being rude can ruin your beauty. My students in the future I think would benefit from listening to this story and seeing how it turned out for the one sister who was mean and did not treat people with respect because she thought she was better than them. I think this version of Cinderella is a great one that I could share with my future students. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP9cQkS8p2Q

Illustrator: Melissa Iwai

Publisher: Norton Young Readers

Date Published: June 1st, 2021

Page count: 48 pages 

Awards: NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Recommended Book, A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year 

Synopsis: This book is about Lili making baos with her Nai Nai. But then they realize they are out of cabbage so Lili goes to ask her Babcia for some. But then she needs some more ingredients to make her food, and then that becomes a domino effect of everyone asking for some other ingredient. This is a nice book about family, sharing, and helping one another out. 

Theme: Family, Friendship 

Genre: Fiction, Children's Literature

Artistic Media: Painting

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning- This can teach students the importance of family and sharing
Grade level: K-3

Personal Response: I really liked this book, because it shows how nice it is for family to live so close to one another where they can share ingredients with one another. It also makes it so it is easy for them to have family gatherings and dinners like they did at the end of the book outside their apartment building. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCjUs8mQjNo 

Illustrator: Daniel Egeus 

Publisher: Dial Books

Date Published: March 5th, 2019

Page count: 32 pages 

Awards: Charlotte Huck Award, Margaret Wise Brown Prize in Children's Literature, Notable Books for a Global Society, Outstanding International Books, Read for Empathy Collections

Synopsis: This book is about a girl named Lubna and her favorite thing in the world a pebble. Lubna would share everything about her life with pebble. She was very careful with her pebble. Then a boy arrived at the place that Lubna was staying at. But Lubna and her family were leaving not long after the boy arrived. She decided that she was going to give the boy the shoe box with the pebble in it to remember her even though the pebble meant so much to her. 

Theme: Friendship, Sharing

Genre: Fiction

Artistic Media: Painting- Watercolor 

Curricular Connections: Social Studies- It could give students a look into what its like for someone to have to move around and be a refugee not knowing where their new home will be OR Social Emotional Learning- Since its a kind story about sharing and being a good friend
Grade Level: K-3

Personal Response: I really enjoyed this book because it showed how something as simple as a pebble could make all the difference in a little girl's life and make her so happy. She wanted to be kind and have the boy remember her so she shared her pebble with him and let him keep it even though it meant so much to her. This shows that when you want to be kind to someone you are willing to give something else up that may mean a lot to you. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sepAuxRIrZE

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Date Published: January 7th, 2001

Page count: 40 pages 

Awards: Caldecott Medal

Synopsis: This book is about Henry and how he lives his life being a slave. He gets married to Nancy and has kids yet then they are sold to the slave trade and they are never reunited. But he wants to be free so he gets shipped to Philadelphia in a box with three holes in it and finally is free. He gets a middle name and birthday once he gets to Philadelphia. 

Theme: Freedom, Racism

Genre: Historical fiction

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Social Studies- This can give students a look into what it was like for slaves and not having freedom during these times. It can show what they had to go through to be able to gain their freedom. Such as being shipped off in a small box. 

Personal Response: I really enjoyed this book because I felt like it gave a look into what it was like for slaves to live during that time and how they were separated from their families. I liked how it was based off a true story because it made the story seem even more real. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx9KI8jB7g8

Illustrator: Kana Urbanowicz

Publisher: Little Bee Books

Date Published: March 5th, 2019

Page count: 40 pages 

Awards: 2022 Iris Award Picture Book Nominee

Synopsis: This book is about Ando and how he did not want people to go hungry. He spends a whole year trying countless times to make a ramen recipe where people would be able to have ramen instantly. He kept thinking back to that long line of cold and hungry people he had seen who all had to wait so long in order to get some food. After trying many things he was finally able to create the perfect instant ramen aka magic ramen.

Theme: Perseverance, Kindness

Genre: Children's nonfiction literature 

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning- This teaches about how someone can work really hard and still fail, but with persistence you can achieve whatever you would like. This can teach kids about hard work. Or Social Studies- It can show how many people were living after World War 2 in Japan.

Personal Response: I really liked this book. I thought it was very sweet and had a good message behind it. It was nice how hard working Ando was and how he really wanted to succeed in creating a cheap and easy option for people to be able to have. I can teach kids a good lesson about the importance of trying your best and perseverance even when you fail. 

Teaching resource: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gnIqmHer3KE

Illustrator: Chapter Book-cover artist: Violet Tobacco

Publisher: Kokila

Date Published: August 17th, 2021

Page count: 364 pages

Awards: New York Times Best Children’s Books of 2021,
2021 New York Public Library Best Books, 2021 School Library Journal Best Books, 2021 Center for the Study of Multicultural Literature Best Books

Synopsis: This book is about a girl named Meilan and how her family and her move to Redbud, Ohio after her Nai Nai passes away. She gets renamed at school to Melanie which is a name that she does not relate to since she has never been called this name before. She decides that she is many Meilans each with a different Chinese character but they have the same pronunciation as her name. But then her family and their culture is treated badly by the school she attends and she wants to fight for justice.

Theme: Finding peace within ourselves, injustice, grief

Genre: Realistic Fiction  

Artistic Media: Cover page-painting 

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning- This can teach students to stand up for yourself and what you believe in.

Personal Response: I really enjoyed this book. Just recently I wrote a name poem in my class and it showed me how important my name was. I think that this book shows how important your name is and the meaning that comes with it. I liked how it showed that she knew how she was being treated was wrong and wanted to fight the injustices.

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqP3U_8eFLw

Illustrator: Hyewon Yum

Publisher: Neal Porter Books

Date Published: May 24th, 2022

Page count: 40 pages 

Awards: 2023 Floyd's Pick Book Award Winner 

Synopsis: This book is about Luli and how she did not know how to speak English but all the other kids in the class did not know how to speak English either. Luli decided to bring tea to school and have a tea party with her class. Everyone said tea in their own native language. It was a way for them all to connect even when they spoke different languages. 

Theme: Friendship

Genre: Fiction

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning- This teaches students how they can connect with their classmates and practice social skills even when they do not speak the same language. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book because it can show anyone how just finding a common interest can help people communicate even when they do not know the same language. It has a sweet message about how you can make friends and have a good time even when there is a language barrier. I really liked this story it was cute and I think it can teach good communication skills.

Teaching resource: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=natSDU4N9m0 

Illustrator: Pamela Zagardenski

Publisher: ‎Clarion Books

Date Published: October 4th, 2016
Grade level: K-3

Page count: 40

Awards: Two Caldecott Awards

Synopsis: This book is about a boy named Henry and his stuffed animal named Leo. Henry loved Leo so much. It talked about how everyone thought that Leo was just a toy and not real. But Henry knew that Leo was just as real as everyone and everything else that was alive. But he lost Leo in the woods and was so worried about him. Luckily Henry found Leo and everyone was wondering how Leo got to the place he was at. 

Theme: Stuffed animal becoming real  

Genre: Fantasy, fiction 

Artistic Media: Mixed Media

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning- This can teach students the importance of relying on a stuffed animal for emotional support. It can show how creative children's brains are and how they are very imaginative. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book. It was a cute story about how important Leo the stuffed animal was to Henry. It was cute how worried he was about him when he lost him and the excitement in his eyes when he finally found him again. He knew that Leo was real even when his family did not believe him, which was cute. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZe7DKOi7xo 

Illustrator: Cover artist- Allied Integrated Marketing

Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons

Date Published: May 7th, 2013
Grade Level: 

Page count: 457

Awards: New York Times Bestseller, Carnegie Medal Nominee (U.K.), Red House Children's Book Award Winner (U.K.), Notable Children's Books, The New York Times, Best Books for Young Adults, The Washington Post, Best Books, YA books for adults, The Library Journal, Best Young Adult Books, Bookish.

Synopsis: This book is about Cassie who lives in Ohio. There is an alien invasion and through different waves everyone is getting killed. Then a boy named Evan rescues Cassie and helps her. She wants to rescue her brother, where Sammy is tested to see if he is human or an other. It is then found out that humans killing humans is going to be the 5th wave. It was found out that Evan was actually an other and human. Cassie does end up finding Sammy, but they are captured. They are saved by Evan and Ben and his squad. 

Theme: Survival of the fittest

Genre: Science fiction

Artistic Media: None- chapter book

Curricular Connections: Science- It can give students into what life could be like if there is a ton of diseases or aliens/creatures from other planets that come and try to infect earth. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book. I have seen the movie as well. I think its an interesting concept about how the world could end and all this horrible stuff could happen and you would just have to see if you could survive it. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SX0fSuTDIU

Illustrator: Dan Santat

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Date Published: September 27th, 2012

Page count: 40 pages 

Awards: Junior Library Guilds Selection

Synopsis: This is about three pigs who all learn different forms of martial arts to be able to go against the bad wolf. The first two pigs did not practice enough so they go running to their sister the third pig who had her black belt in karate from all the practice she had done. 

Theme: Hard Work Pays Off

Genre: Fantasy, fiction 

Artistic Media: Digital and Mixed Media 

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This can teach kids the importance of not letting someone bully you. It can show that you should stand up for yourself. As well as when you practice and work hard at something you will get good at it like pig #3 did with karate. 

Personal Response: I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a good story about the importance of perseverance and working hard to be able to achieve what you want. As well as standing up for yourself and not letting someone bully you or your friends. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc3AjcFSDdc

Illustrator: Cartoon Saloon

Publisher: Groundwood Books 

Date Published: January 1st, 2018 

Page count: 80 pages 

Awards: Junior Library Guild Selections 

Synopsis: This book is about a young girl named Parvana. Her father is taken by the Taliban. Parvana’s mother becomes very depressed because of her father being taken away. Parvana and this girl named Shauzia become friends and they start a business together. They decide to dig of bones to earn some money. Then Parvana meets Mrs. Weera and she helps her family since Parvana’s mother is struggling. Parvana’s sister wants to leave to go to college in a new place yet Parvana cannot because she still looks like a boy. But then Parvana’s father comes back home later in the story and he goes with Parvana to look for their family in Mazar E Sharif. 

Theme: Courage

Genre: Fiction, Novel

Artistic Media: Digital and Mixed Media 

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This can teach students about finding the courage to do something that may be risky and dangerous. It can teach the importance of doing whatever it takes for your family and people you love. 

Personal Response: I really enjoyed this book because it had a good message that Parvana was wiling to do whatever it took in order to save her family and make sure they were safe with food on the table. It showed how during hard times people who barely knew one another were willing to come together and become friends and work together. This is such a nice thing that people will do for one another in times of need. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjg8Okbd9Xg 

Illustrator: LeUyen Pham

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Date Published: January 5th, 2021

Page count: 48 pages

Awards: Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book of 2021 ,Evanston Public Library 101 Great Books for Kids List of 2021, A Shelf Awareness Best Children's Book of 2021, A 2022 Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts List 

Synopsis: This is a book about what happened during the COVID pandemic when it first started. It described how everyone just went inside and waited. But then it showed that there was certain people that could not just stay home such as garbage men, police, nurses, doctors, etc. It described how there was a lot of cooking and baking going on. As well as some people working a ton and some people not being able to work at all. It made sure to touch on the topic of loneliness that a lot of people felt during this time. The world was becoming a different place than it had been before. 

Theme: Community coming together

Genre: Fiction

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This can teach students what emotions many people felt during the pandemic. It could also teach social studies later in life to people who did not know what Covid-19 was and what life was like during the lockdown. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book because I felt like it was relatable to what had happened during the start of the pandemic. It made me think back to how everyone around me was not working and that there was people baking and cooking at their house constantly to pass the time. The part of how many people felt loneliness could connect to many of the readers which I thought was very important to add in. As well as how many first responders had to work more than ever before. It really painted the picture well of what it was like during this time. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odYlqOZsg_g 

Illustrator: Michael Hall 

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Date Published: February 3rd, 2015

Page count: 40 pages 

Awards: Irma Simonton Black and James H Black Award, CCBC Choices, Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts Award, Junior Library Guild Selections, Lasting Connections 

Synopsis: This book is about the canyon red and how he did not feel like he really was "red". It showed how all the other crayon colors would talk about red and if he was really red or how he would catch on later. It talked about how the masking tape thought that he was broken inside so they put tape on him to hold him together and how the scissors thought his label was too tight. But finally this one crayon asked if he could make a blue ocean for her. At first red canyon did not think he would be able to because he was red, but then he realized he actually can draw a blue ocean, blueberries, and blue pants. Everyone realized that he is actually blue and so did he.

Theme: Finding your true Identity

Genre: Fiction, Children's literature 

Artistic Media: Drawing 

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This can teach kids that it is okay to find your true inner self and be whoever you want to be. 

Personal Response: I really enjoyed this book and felt like it had a good message about finding yourself and not letting other people define who you are. It showed how many of the people around red canyon tried to fix him to be a certain way and have there be an explanation for why he was the way he was. But in the end it showed the importance of embracing who you really are. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytZ2fhuj6kA

Illustrator: Alan Gratz

Publisher: Starscape

Date Published: August 29th, 2017

Page count: 256 pages 

Awards: 2018-2019 North Carolina Battle of the Books, 2019-2020 White Nile Award, 2020 Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award Winner

Synopsis: This book is about Amy Anne and what she does when her favorite book gets banned. She starts the BBLL which is a library in her locker with banned books. She has help from her friends, but when she gets caught she doesn't throw them under the bus, she just doesn't say who was helping her. She has a lot of courage to stand up for what is right. 

Theme: Standing up for what is right 

Genre: Fiction, novel 

Artistic Media: None-chapter book

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Leaning-This can teach students the importance of standing up for what you believe is right and not letting someone tell you what you can or cannot read. But it could also be English Language Arts-This could be read in an English class about how you should be allowed to read the books you would like to read.

Personal Response: I really liked the book Ban This Book. It was a very good story about how you should stand up for what you believe in and not let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do. This includes what books you can read. Many books are being banned right now, so I think this book is very relatable to the times we are living in right now. I thought the way Amy Anne created her own library was kind of clever. I liked how she was able to stand up for herself and be courageous enough to not just let everything go and not do anything about it. I think this book would be great to have in my future classroom to teach my students how they should not let other people tell them what they can or cannot read. 

Teaching resource: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K8XAeO5zNro 

Illustrator: Vivien Mildenberger

Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers

Date Published: August 9th, 2022

Page count: 48 pages 

Awards: Orbis Pictus Award 2023, Recent Book Award Winners and Honorees 

Synopsis: This book is about a girl named Judith who was used to hearing no and everyone telling her what she can and cannot accomplish. As well as what she was allowed to do or not do. So she was able to stand up for her rights in section 504, which was a huge part of the Americans with Disabilities Act. She held a sit in until section 504 was signed into law. She proved that you can accomplish so much when you stand up for what is right. 

Theme: Standing up for your rights, Justice, Equality 

Genre: Children's non-fiction literature, biography 

Artistic Media: Drawing-colored pencil 

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This can show students that they should stand up for what they believe in and their rights. They should not lets others stop them from accomplishing their goals or their rights. OR Social Studies- This book can be read when studying some of the acts that have been passed throughout history.

Personal Response: I really enjoyed this book because it had a good message that nothing should stand in your way of getting what you want to accomplish. Many people in your life may try to knock you down and more barriers may be put up, especially for people with disabilities, but that should not stop you from trying to get whatever you set your mind to. This book is a perfect example of this. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvnV30TAc6o

Illustrator: Deborah Melmon

Publisher: Two Lions

Date Published: January 29th, 2013

Page count: 32 pages 

Awards: None

Synopsis: This book is about animals trying to save themselves from the drought and find water. Whoever can find the water can become the chief. The Gecko tries after everyone to get to the water and everyone tells him to give up because he is little and they do not believe in him. But they should have because he is the one who finds the water for them all. 

Theme: Perservance 

Genre: Folktale 

Artistic Media: Painting

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This can teach students that they should never judge someone by their appearance because that has nothing to do with them as a person and their abilities. As well as that perseverance and trying hard is very important in life. 

Personal Response: I thought this book was very cute and had a good message about not letting others drag you down or tell you what you should or should not do. Gecko kept trying even when everyone told him to stop which I think can show students a great message for trying your best even when people try to knock you down. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY39DEzw_CY

Illustrator: Micha Archer

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books

Date Published: February 6th, 2018

Page count: 32 pages

Awards: Red Clover Award 2019—2020 Nominee, 2019 Golden Kite Award Honor, Non-Fiction for Young Readers,
Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens - 2019,
CCBC Choices 2019 Choice: Historical People, Places, and Events

Synopsis: This story is about a girl named Bobbi Gibb who loves running. She starts preparing for the Boston Marathon and runs many many miles at a time. She requests to run in the Boston Marathon, and they tell her that women are not allowed to run in the Boston Marathon. She runs and runs and realizes that she will run the marathon. She gets new running shoes since she doesn’t have any as well as a baggy sweatshirt to help her blend in. She hides and then runs from the bushes into the race. The people she was running next to support her and tell her to take her sweatshirt off because they won’t let her get kicked out. She crosses the finish line ahead of 291 men.  

Theme: 

Genre: Non-fiction, autobiography

Artistic Media: Painting

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This can show students that you should stand up for what you believe is right and what you want to do. 

Personal Response: I really liked this story because it shows that you should not let other people tell you what you should or should not be allowed to do with your life. If you want to be able to run in a race then you should be allowed to run in the race. It can teach a good message to students for doing anything not just being allowed to run in a race. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2VZeKkcQ0s 

Illustrator: Suharu Ogawa

Publisher: Orac Books Publishers 

Date Published: May 16th, 2023 

Page count: 96 pages 

Awards: None

Synopsis: This book is about cities and the different aspects there are that go into making a city a city. There is a historical view to it that shows how cities have been made throughout time, as well as all the different things that make a city. 

Theme: Informative 

Genre: Informational

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Science-I think this book could go along with science because it has to do with the design features, and all the aspects that go into how a city runs and is made. Which seems very scientific to me. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book because it gives students a good look into all the information they need to know about cities. It can open their eyes up to all the different aspects of cities and make them appreciate where they live. As well as help them to think about ways they may want to design a city. 

Teaching resource: I think that a good activity that could go along with this is for students to design their own city and write a story about it and why they included what they did in it. 

Illustrator: Rebecca Green

Publisher: Kids Can Press

Date Published: May 1st, 2018 

Page count: 32 pages 

Awards: None

Synopsis: This book is about a boy named Iqbal and he is trying o come up with an idea for his school’s environmental project for their science fair. But Amma and his sister were getting sick from the smoke of cooking inside. He was trying to come up with ideas that would be good for his science project, and he thought maybe he could build a stove that doesn’t produce smoke. He thought of something called a solar cooker, which saves money, is safer, and helps with pollution as well as other things. Iqbal won first prize. Then he was able to use his prize money to get his family a new gas stove. This way his Amma and sister were not getting sick either. 

Theme: Hardwork, Perseverance 

Genre: Fiction 

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Science-This can teach students how a school science fair can turn into a lot more than just a fair. It can help kids to come up with cool inventions that could really help other people. 

Personal Response: This book is about a boy named Iqbal and he is trying to come up with an idea for his schools environmental project for their science fair. But Amma and his sister were getting sick from the smoke of cooking inside. He was trying to come up with ideas that would be good for his science project, and he thought maybe he could build a stove that doesn’t produce smoke. He thought of something called a solar cooker, which saves money, is safer, and helps with pollution as well as other things. Iqbal won first prize. Then he was able to use his prize money to get his family a new gas stove. This way his Amma and sister were not getting sick either. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmdRLv1ihiM 

Illustrator: Wendy Mass

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Date Published: October 5th, 2010

Page count: 446 pages

Awards: National Homeschool Book Award

Synopsis: The book is about four kids who are competing in this competition to see who could make the best candy. But then as the book goes on there is all these rules that change about the competition so that they have to change their way of thinking. Each one of the characters has their own strengths that they can do that others are astonished by that help them in the candy factory.

Theme: Friendship

Genre: Fiction, Novel

Artistic Media: Digital and Mixed Media (for the cover only)

Curricular Connections: Science- In a way this could relate to science because it is about candy and the different ways that it is made. But it could also relate to social emotional learning-because the people in the book are trying to navigate friendships while also trying to win a competition. 

Personal Response: This was my favorite chapter book ever when I was in elementary school. So I really think it is a fun book about candy and kids being able to compete in a competition for who can make the best candy. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w93va4PThU4

Illustrator: David Messing

Publisher: Bucket Fillers

Date Published: August 1st, 2008

Page count: 24 pages

Awards: 2008 -Top 10 Children's Books, Best You Can Be Foundation, 2009 - Gold Medal, Children's Picture Books, Developing Social Skills, Mom's Choice Awards, 2013 - Honorable Mention, Family Matters Books, Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, 2013 - Honorable Mention, Picture Books - 5 and younger, Purple Dragonfly Book Awards
Synopsis: This book is about how everyone is born with an invisible bucket. These buckets are a very important part of everyone. It holds all the love that you get everyday. This means that when your bucket is full you are going to feel happy, yet when it is empty it will make you feel sad. Other people fill your bucket just like how you fill other people's bucket. 

Theme: Kindness

Genre: Fiction

Artistic Media: Painting

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning- This is a great way to teach students how they should give others compliments and be kind to people in order to fill people's bucket. This way other people will fill your bucket as well. I think it can teach student's such a great message since it taught me one when I had it read to me in elementary school. 

Personal Response: I really love this book. It reminds me of my childhood because back in elementary school my counselor would actually come to my class every year to read this same book. She would teach a lesson on how important it is to fill others bucket. When I decided to do a text set for my project I immediately thought of this book and the good message it can spread about kindness.

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IuxnV1PEEk

Illustrator: Denise Brunkus 

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers 

Date Published: April 14th, 1996

Page count: 96 pages 

Awards: None

Synopsis: This book is about a kindergartener named Junie B. Jones. Jim a kid in her class invited everyone to his upcoming birthday except for her. She was very upset about this, so decided she wanted to have a party that was 6 months before her actual birthday and not invite Jim. Junie's parents make her still go to school and tell her the birthday plan idea she has is not a good one. Junie tries to steal an invitation but gets in trouble and also gets sent to the office for physically turning Jim's head around. She decides she doesn't want to go to his party anymore and has to return the tool belt she got him. 

Theme: Life is not always fair 

Genre: Fiction, Chapter Book

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This story should be an example of why when you have a birthday party and invite your whole class you cannot just leave one person out because that will really hurt their feelings. But this can also show that you can't take everything so personal because sometimes people are just mean and don't want to invite certain people. 

Personal Response: I have always loved the Junie B. Jones series ever since I was a little kid. I think they spread a good message about the importance of growing up and that life cannot always be fair. There are going to be people who treat you unfairly and that is just life. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smmBHdiwNtg

Illustrator: Jen Hill

Publisher: Roaring Book Press

Date Published: February 6th, 2018

Page count: 32 pages

Awards: New York Times Bestseller Picture Book List

Synopsis: This book is about a girl who is trying to think of the different ways that you can be kind or how you should be kind to people. She comes up with some examples of what it means to be kind. Her mom tells her the easiest way to be kind is just to use someone's name when you talk to them. But it also shows that the girl realizes that being kind can be very difficult as well. She realizes that being kind even in small ways can grow into something big. 

Theme: Kindness

Genre: Fiction

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This book can teach your students the importance of being kind. It can show them examples of what they can do when someone is new, when something embarrassing happens to someone, etc. They can see the many ways that you can do things to be kind to someone.

Personal Response: I think this book is a great story about how you should always try to be nice to people and treat everyone with kindness. Its hard to be the new kid or get made fun of by people, but having people who treat you with kindness can make all the difference.

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAo4-2UzgPo 

Illustrator: Todd Bright

Publisher: WorthyKids

Date Published: April 7th, 2020

Page count: 32 pages

Awards: None

Synopsis: This book is about a girl named Amera and how she needed to learn how to taste her words when she was saying mean things to her friends and family. First her and her best friend were arguing and calling each other names. When she got home her mom said that she needed to think before she spoke because she would have to taste her words. Every other time that day after that she would taste bad foods and things whenever she would say mean things. Then she realized that if she talked kindly then she would taste good foods. 

Theme: Kindness

Genre: Fiction

Artistic Media: Painting

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This can teach students about the importance of kindness and how your words can make all the difference. When you say bad words and mean words then you will taste bad foods and when you say nice words then you will taste good foods. This is how students should think, so then they can learn to taste their words before they speak. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book. I think it had a good message about how even though in real life you would not actually taste your words but it is a good example of how you should think before you say anything. This way you don't say things that are bad and hurtful to people that "taste bad". 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT4hLzocWb8

Illustrator: Brad and Kristi Montague

Publisher: Dial Books

Date Published: May 18th, 2021

Page count: 32 pages 

Awards: None

Synopsis: This book is about how you can just draw a circle for yourself but that would be lonely. So you should draw more circles to represent more loved ones coming to stay. Also adding more for all of your friends. It is about expanding your circle and all the circles that are created around us. Such as making a difference and showing love to the people in your circle. But then there is more people you don't know and you will always need be expanding your circle. 

Theme: Kindness, Love

Genre: Fiction

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This can teach students the importance of creating relationships or "circles" with many people. There are so many people we can create these relationships with and we can make a difference in the lives of these people. Students can see the importance of opening up their circles to all their family and friends that they love and care about. 

Personal Response: I thought this book had a cute message about the importance of relationships and expanding your circle to people who are around you. It can show students that when you meet someone who you may not know, that if you become friends with them they can be apart of your always expanding circle. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp7viQaaUOg

Illustrator: Gordon Korman

Publisher: Scholastic Press 

Date Published: May 30th, 2017

Page count: 256 pages 

Awards: 2019 Isinglass Teen Read Award Winner, 2019 Buckeye Children's Book Award Winner, 2018-2019 Keystone to Reading Book Award Winner, 2019 Colorado Children's Book Award Runner-Up, Junior Book Indian Paintbrush Book Award 2018

Synopsis: This book is about Chase who fell off the roof of his house and loses his memory. He realizes that he was not one of the nicest people and tries to build better relationships with people. But many people are skeptical  because of his actions before the accident. Chase tries to figure out what kind of life he wants to have now since he used to just only be friends with the football kids but now he wants to be apart of the video group. He has to complete community service because of a crime he completed before his accident. He becomes friends with one of the older people at the assisted living home he goes to. He has to go through many struggles with his friends that he has now and from his past before his accident. 

Theme: Kindness

Genre: Novel, Fiction

Artistic Media: Digital and Mixed Media (for cover)

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-I think this book can teach students the importance of second chances and being kind. That it is never too late to change the ways you have been acting for the better. This can show students that sometimes you may not realize how horrible you are being to someone, until it is put into a new perspective for you. But when it is and you can see how horrible you have been acting to try to change your ways and become a better person. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book. I think it is a good story about second chances. If this accident had not happened then who knows what kind of life Chase would have continued with. But because he was able to see how he had been acting and how that affected people when he was recovering from his accident he was able to change his life for the better. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaIXsqy9Xd4

Illustrator: Laura Cornell 

Publisher: HarperCollins

Date Published: January 1st, 2002 

Page count: 32 pages 

Awards: None

Synopsis: This book is about liking yourself no matter what you wear, how you look, or what you are doing. It shows that you are going to have self-confidence in yourself no matter what happens. Rather you are sharing your lunch, sharing in front of the class, get an answer wrong, or jump up in the air so high. Liking yourself even when you don't run fast or when you are chosen last. 

Theme: Self-confidence 

Genre: Fiction

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning- This is such a good book to teach students that they should like themselves even when they don't do the best at something or when they are embarrassed. It can teach them to like themselves for all the kind things they do as well. I think this book can teach a great lesson on trying to find self-confidence in yourself. 

Personal Response: I think this book is so cute. My mom used to always read this book to me when I was little. It has such a good message about how important it is to like yourself even when you aren't so sure about how you will do with it and when you aren't the most successful. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY4LLgfHL6U

Illustrator: Michael Wright 

Publisher: Square Fish

Date Published: July 20th, 2010

Page count: 48 pages 

Awards: None

Synopsis: This is about a boy named Jake. He is starting school and nervous about it. He would not let his parents leave him and they had to stay at school with him. It showed how he could not do anything with the other kids cause he was just clinging onto his parents the whole time. It showed how bad and hard everything at recess was to do with his parents and him trying to do it all together. That was until the teacher read a book about a dog named Fred and Jake had a dog named Fred. Finally Jake felt better and was able to leave his parents. He had fun in her classroom after that. 

Theme: Fear of starting school

Genre: Fiction, Children's Literature

Artistic Media: Painting

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning- This can teach kids that it is okay to feel nervous when you are starting school. Many of your peers may feel the same way that you do, so you don't need to feel alone. When you find something you have in common with someone or even a book it can make all the difference. 

Personal Response: I LOVED this book when I was a kid. When I was in the 6th grade I actually went and read it to the 1st grade classroom. I have always thought it was a sweet and funny book about Jake not wanting to let go of his parents all day long. But I think many kids would be able to relate to feeling like they don't want their parents to leave them at school when they were younger. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07ikhov5xEg

Illustrator: Patrice Barton

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Date Published: October 8th, 2013 

Page count: 40 pages 

Awards: School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, Illinois State Library Monarch Award, Georgia Children's Book Award, Kentucky Bluegrass Award, Missouri Show Me Reader Master List, Nebraska Golden Sower Master List, Tennessee Volunteer State Book Master List, Virginia Young Readers Program Master List, Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award, IRA Teachers' Choice 

Synopsis: This book is about a boy named Brian who feels like he is just an Invisible Boy. His teacher doesn't even really notice him since she usually is busy paying attention to the loud students in the class. Brian feels left out of conversations and doesn't get invited to anything. That was until a new boy named Justin comes to the school. The other kids were not very nice to Justin. Then Justin and Brian become friends because Justin has Brian work in a group project with him.

Theme: Kindness

Genre: Fiction 

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This book can teach the importance of being kind and being inclusive of everyone. Making fun of people because they are different is not okay and makes people feel bad. Students can see an example in this book of why you should not treat people that way or make them feel invisible. 

Personal Response: I really enjoyed this story because it shows how important being kind to people is and making people feel included. Brian felt so alone and even invisible before he finally made a friend who wanted to hang with him.   It had a good message about trying to make sure everyone was feeling included and didn't just feel like no one wanted to be their friend. Being nice to your peers is so important and this book can show why. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNHc2XCultQ 

Illustrator: Alicia Ortego

Publisher: My Superpower Books

Date Published: July 27th, 2020

Page count: 38 pages 

Awards: MCA Gold Award

Synopsis: This book is about a boy named Lucas. He was in a bad mood and he was mean to one of his friends and made her cry. He talked to his mom about it and asked what kindness was. She explained all the different ways that you can show kindness. Such as helping someone in need, respecting your friends and elders, and doing a good deed. Lucas decided that he was going to become kind and help others whenever it was needed. 

Theme: Kindness

Genre: Fiction

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning- This story can help students see all the good you can do when you are kind to people. The importance of realizing when you are wrong and saying your sorry. Kindness can really impact the lives of people, so it is important to be kind to others. 

Personal Response: I really enjoyed this story about kindness. It was nice to get to see a little boy realize what kindness was and ways for him to be able to become more kind and do good deeds for others. This book can teach students many lessons on why kindness is important and beneficial. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P-Y_M9q7RM

Illustrator: Shelley Johannes

Publisher: Love and Logic Press

Date Published: February 19th, 2013 

Page count: 30 pages 

Awards: None

Synopsis: Emily is someone who does not know what empathy is. Her old sister explained it to her. Emily wondered if people would notice if she noticed how they felt. Emily decided that she was going to help her dad out when she noticed he was feeling stressed about a presentation. She started to try to talk to and help people in a way that she felt she would want others to do to her. She notices all the nice things other people do for her as well as trying to be nice and understanding of all others are going through. She tried to notice how people may be feeling. 

Theme: Kindness, Empathy 

Genre: Fiction 

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This book would be a good one to teach kids about empathy. Many times kids do not understand how other people may be feeling about things, so this book can show them that others may be sad about something and that not everyone feels the same way that you do. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book. I think that it had a good message about how we should try to be understanding of what someone else may be going through and show them that we are here for them. It is good to try to help people out and make sure we are spreading kindness. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS4p-7JVs00

Illustrator: Taeeun Yoo

Publisher: ‎Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

Date Published: October 27th, 2015 

Page count: 32 pages 

Awards: Charlotte Huck Award, CCBC Choices 

Synopsis: This book is about a little boy and his pet elephant. He takes him on walks and does a lot with him. He even picks him up over the cracks in the sidewalk because he does not like to step on those. They are supposed to go to Pet Club Day, but when they get there it says "strictly no elephants". He meets a girl with a pet skunk who also felt like she was not allowed into the club. They come up with the idea to start their own club. They let everyone play and are inclusive to all animals with the sign "all are welcome". 

Theme: Kindness

Genre: Fiction

Artistic Media: Drawing

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This book can help students to see how it really hurts people's feelings when you don't invite them to things or include them in your clubs. It's important to teach students how to manage their emotions when people may exclude them from events and how to deal with those feelings. 

Personal Response: I really liked this book. I think it can teach kids how they should try to include everyone and why it is important. Being a good friend and doing things for others because you want to help them is a great message this book tells.

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9eov6_7hxg

Illustrator: Kelly O'Neill

Publisher: Albert Whitman and Company 

Date Published: March 23, 2021 

Page count: 32 pages 

Awards: None

Synopsis: This book is about how hard it is to be nice all the time. It gives examples of all the different times you may not want to be nice but that its better to be nice. Or when you may get mad at your younger sibling but they are younger so they don't understand so you still play with them and help clean up the mess they made. Sometimes being nice takes practice since originally you may not be nice, but the next time the same thing happens you will be nicer. 

Theme: Kindness

Genre: Fiction

Artistic Media: Painting

Curricular Connections: Social Emotional Learning-This book is a great example of how all the time it can be hard and scary to be nice. But it also shows how important it is to be nice and try to make a difference in the lives of others who are around you. It can teach students that maybe their brother did something annoying, or their best friend at school, but instead of being mean and getting mad at them to be understanding of where they are coming from and be nice instead. It can also teach them that being nice does take practice. 

Personal Response: I really enjoyed this book. I think that it has a good message that not everyone can be nice all the time with ease. That sometimes it takes a lot of bravery and courage to do the nice thing. As well as to control your annoyance or anger about something and chose to be nice instead. 

Teaching resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6dTYDRm8ZY