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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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!

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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!

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.

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.

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!

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. 

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!

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. 

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! 

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!

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.

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.

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! 

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.

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.

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.