https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru A collection of powerful stories for all kinds of readers. en-us 2019-02-07 17:09:24 UTC 2025-11-25 06:37:43 UTC hello@padlet.com bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153657 Wonder is a touching story about a boy with a facial difference who teaches others to see that friendship empathy, kindness, compassion, love and uniqueness are born from within. The theme of this book is largely implicit, and the story is told from multiple perspectives, enhancing the book's complexity. However, this book can be impactful to a wide variety of readers, young and old. ]]> 2019-02-12 01:08:59 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153657 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153701 Matt De La Peña's story reminds young children that love exists all around us, and it is love that binds all of us together-regardless of race, class, gender, or religion. Because the characters of this book are diverse, and the theme is universal, this book could resonate with a wide audience of readers. ]]> 2019-02-12 01:09:13 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153701 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153738 This sweet story about Alma, a little girl with a long name, teaches readers the importance of celebrating one's heritage. This book is slightly complex and follows a simple and sweet story line. It would be a powerful read for young children, especially Hispanic children who might not see themselves regularly represented in literature. ]]> 2019-02-12 01:09:20 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153738 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153760 Pam Muñoz-Ryan tells the story of a girl who must give up her life of luxury in Mexico to work in a Mexican farm labor camp during the Great Depression. This book is moderately complex and the main character, Esperanza changes dramatically throughout the book. Esperanza's story helps upper elementary-middle grade students understand the plight of Mexican workers during a critical part of American history while encouraging them to remember the humanity and culture of immigrants-making it extremely relevant for today's society. ]]> 2019-02-12 01:09:29 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153760 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153814 Freedom in Congo Square is the story of slaves who found hope and joy in New Orleans's Congo Square. The sentences and words in this book are slightly complex, but this book would require some discussion about what slavery is and its function in America. This piece of work would be very powerful when teaching young students about the effects of slavery and how slaves like those at Congo Square never stopped fighting for freedom.]]> 2019-02-12 01:09:46 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153814 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153843 Bao Phi tells the story of a family of immigrants from Vietnam who fish for food each morning to feed their family. The theme of the text is not explicitly stated, and the structure is moderately complex. This book would be useful for young readers to talk about how others live and what their cultural backgrounds are like.]]> 2019-02-12 01:09:54 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153843 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153872 Jessie Oliveros's touching tale about a young boy and his grandfather who keeps losing his "remember balloons" helps bring clarity and sensitivity about Alzheimer's Disease to young children. This story is very concrete and does not require prior knowledge to understand. Young readers (and old) can connect to this story. ]]> 2019-02-12 01:10:01 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153872 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153940 Jon Klassen's Pax is a coming-of-age story set during wartime about a fox who must learn to be wild and a boy who must learn to grow up. Their story reminds readers that compassion and kindness helps overcome the devastating effects of war. The vocabulary is moderately complex, but the story and characters are slowly developed making this book most appropriate for upper elementary readers. ]]> 2019-02-12 01:10:16 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153940 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153996 One Crazy Summer is a tale about three kids who spend the summer with their mom in California-under the care of the Black Panthers. Their story gives readers a glimpse into a powerful storyline in America's history and reminds readers to connect with their roots. This book requires that students have some knowledge of the Civil Rights Movement and would be a great way to introduce upper elementary to middle grade readers to the complexities of this time in American History. ]]> 2019-02-12 01:10:31 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330153996 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330167768 Kate, Who Tamed the Wind is a touching story about a girl who saved a man from wind by planting trees. Her story points readers towards the underlying theme about the importance of trees to life and the need for sustainability. This story is easy to follow and the illustrations enhance the storyline. This book is a great read for young readers!]]> 2019-02-12 02:17:06 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330167768 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330614842 Carmela Full of Wishes is about Carmela, whose only birthday with is running errands with her big brother. The text structure is simple and is easy to follow, and the story features a Hispanic family in a working class neighborhood, making the book a great resource to help young readers connect with their culture or learn about a new one. ]]> 2019-02-13 00:01:52 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/330614842 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331048716 David Shannon's story about Camilla Cream, who wants to be like everyone else, would be useful to talk to students about the importance of remembering who they are, especially when they want to be like everyone else. The theme of the book is largely explicit and the story is easy to follow. Students of all ages can relate to this story! ]]> 2019-02-13 21:00:23 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331048716 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331049557 Wishtree deals with intolerance and overt racism through the perspective of a community tree. The themes in this book are inferred and the structure of the text is more complex. Additionally, this book relies on prior knowledge about the history of immigration in America and some of the cultures that found homes here. This book is best suited for students in middle to upper elementary grades. ]]> 2019-02-13 21:02:56 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331049557 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331052334 Mo Willems's charming story about a pigeon who will not take "no" for an answer is both hilarious and engaging for young readers (and old). This text has short words and sentences with lots of pictures, making it slightly complex. It would be a great resource for young readers to talk about the difference between right and wrong. ]]> 2019-02-13 21:10:52 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331052334 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331052861 Finding Winnie is a non-fiction story about the bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh. The story is set during World War I in Europe, and could be a good introduction to teaching students about World War I. The story is complex because it has two story lines and complex text structure. It could be read aloud for children of all ages. ]]> 2019-02-13 21:12:39 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331052861 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331053320 This touching story about unlikely friends, inspired by the story of a true captive gorilla named Ivan, can teach valuable lessons about the restorative power of friendship and creativity. This text is fairly complex in vocabulary, syntax, and text structure and but has more deeply developed themes. This text would be appropriate for read aloud for most elementary grades and work work best for intermediate elementary readers. ]]> 2019-02-13 21:14:03 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331053320 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331053879 This story about a Little House, told from the perspective of the Little House sends a message about the drawbacks of mass industrialization. This book is a great read for young readers, but because it was written several years ago, there are some concepts that might not be familiar to students now that would need further explanation. ]]> 2019-02-13 21:16:06 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331053879 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331053954 The Fan Brothers' piece of work about a mysterious gardener who sculpts the trees of a small town at night teaches readers that one person can make a real difference. The story is largely carried by pictures which depict a wide variety of characters, and the vocabulary and syntax are easy to read, making this book great for most young readers! ]]> 2019-02-13 21:16:23 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331053954 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331054235 Deborah Hopkinson's story about Clara, a young slave girl, to detail Freedom Quilts, a part of history of the Underground Railroad. This book is a great resource for students to learn about the history of slavery and slaves' escape to freedom. This text is complex but has illustrations that help carry the story. It brings clarity to the practice of slavery but is not incredibly graphic, making it appropriate to share with middle elementary readers. ]]> 2019-02-13 21:17:21 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/331054235 bjacks48 https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/332211332 Wolf Hollow confronts injustice through the story of Annabelle and a war vet named Toby. This is a complex text in which the theme and characters are gradually built throughout the book. The book deals with things like bullying and war, but it can be used to help students understand the devastating effects of the war and remind students to stand up for what they believe in. It would be best used with mature 5th graders and above. ]]> 2019-02-18 02:35:42 UTC https://padlet.com/bjacks48/uyqvgbr64aru/wish/332211332