Author: Barbara Park

Illustrator: Denise Brunkus

Publisher: Random House Inc.

Date Published: 1999

Number of Pages: 68

Grade Level: Kindergarten (If read by parents)-Second Grade 

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Never make assumptions

Topic: Growing up and family dynamics 
Artistic Elements: There a few drawings in the book, but each are specific about what they depict. They are all also in black and white. 
Literary elements: Junie B. Jones is disappointed to find out that she is not the flower girl at her Aunt Flo's wedding after her and her friends decided such. Instead, she is made the alternate flower girl. She tries her best to act as a grown up, but ultimately decides that she has more fun as a child. 
Personal thoughts: I thought this book was very cute, but provided little academic or curricular connection. Otherwise, students may be able to make connections to. self and to world, especially with Jones' parents' notion of "never growing up."

Author: Eileen Spinelli

Illustrator: David Slonim

Publisher: Scholastic Inc. 

Date Published: 2009

Number of Pages: 29

Grade Level: Kindergarten-First

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Always be yourself

Topic: Animals
Artistic Elements: The drawings are bright and colorful and look similar to paintings. 
Literary Elements: Silly Tilly is a goose on a farm. She gets made fun of for being so silly, so she stops. Soon after, the other farm animals realize how boring life is without Silly Tilly. She returns back to being silly, which is now appreciated. 
Personal thoughts: This book provides a valuable lesson emotionally, but provides little academic or curricular connections. Teacher should encourage students to make text to self connections and remind them of the theme.

Author: Hudson Talbott

Illustrator: Husdon Talbott

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books

Date Published: 2021

Number of Pages: 32

Grade Level: Kindergarten-2

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Practice makes perfect

Topic: Learning to read

Artistic Elements: Drawings include words, are vivid in color and often depict similar things on each page. They show the drawings of the student, how the student feels and the setting. 

Literary Elements: A young student is learning to read. They already know how to draw, and they love it. They struggle at first, but after some time they realize that they just need practice-just like they did with drawing. Soon, they begin to realize the magic of reading and it becomes less scary to be surrounded by words. 

Personal Thoughts: This book will be a great connection for students to be able to make when learning to read, especially with  the students who have a little more trouble. 

Curricular Connections: I would read this during reading time to encourage students struggling with literature. I would also encourage them to draw if they were ina. younger grade.

Author: Barbara Park

Illustrator: Denise Brunkus 

Publisher: Random House Inc. 

Date Published: 1998

Number of Pages: 67

Grade Level: 1-3

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Listen to your parents 

Topic: Family dynamics and growing up

Artistic Elements: There's a few drawings in the book, but each are specific about what they depict. They are all also in black and white. 

Literary Elements: Junie B. Jones is a young child who goes to the barber shop with her dad. She is inspired by the process of hair cutting and decides that is what she wants to be when she grows up. Luckily, she has her own scissors. She practices on her stuffed animals before trying on her own hair. It turns out poorly and she must return to the beauty shop to get it fixed. 

Personal Thoughts: This book was very cute and will save many children from trying to cut their own hair. 

Curricular Connections: I would encourage them to read this if they were having trouble listening at home.

Author: Mem fox

Illustrator: Helen Oxenbury

Publisher: Harcourt

Date Published: 2003

Number of Pages: 40 (unpaginated)

Grade Level: preschool, ages 2+

Genre: Children's Book

Theme: Everyone has similarities

Topic: Babies

Artistic Elements: Pictures are drawn, with an outline left on them. The colors are vibrant and beautiful.

Literary Elements: The author goes through the story comparing 2 babies at a time, each of which have "ten little fingers and ten little toes."

Personal Thoughts: This book is so cute and a great lesson for young children reading it.

Curricular Connections: This book teaches a valuable, moral lesson that we are all the same at our core. This would be a humanities lesson in my classroom.

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Illustrator:Rafael Lopez

Publisher: Penguin Young Reading Group

Date Published: 2018

Number of Pages: 32

Grade Level: Preschool-2nd grade

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Everyone is different 

Topic: 

Artistic Elements: Pictures are drawn and colors are very vibrant. The pages almost all include a ruler drawing. 

Literary Elements: A young girl goes to school for the first time and is very nervous. She is very different from the other students. After some time passes, all the students realize that there are similarities between all of them and that they aren't that different after all.

Personal Thoughts: This book is going to be very comforting for my students on their first day of school. 

Curricular Connections: This book would be read the first day or week of school to make everyone feel at home in my classroom. 

Author: James Marshall 

Illustrator: James Marshall

Publisher: Dial

Date Published: 1989

Number of Pages: 32

Grade Level: Preschool-1st grade

Genre: Fairytale

Theme: Hard work pays off

Topic: Hard work pays off

Artistic Elements: Pictures are drawn with some vibrant colors and some dull colors to match the tone of the story at the time. 

Literary Elements: During this story, three little pigs are siblings. One makes a house out of straw, one out of sticks and one out of bricks. The big bad wolf blows down the first 2 houses, but then can't blow down the last because the little pig's hard work paid off. 

Personal Thoughts: This book was very cute and a classic fairytale that all kids would enjoy. 

Curricular Connections: I would use this book, along with "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" to teach about perspective and bias.

Author: Jon Schieska

Illustrator: Lane Smith

Publisher: Viking Children's Books

Date Published: 1989

Number of Pages: 32

Grade Level: Kindergarten-3rd Grade

Genre: Fiction, Fairytale

Theme: Hard Work Pays Off

Topic: Neighborly

Artistic Elements: Pictures are drawn with dark colors. High contrast helps the tone of the story.

Literary Elements: The Three Little Pigs as told by the wolf (A. Wolf). The wolf is baking a cake for his grandma when he is short a cup of sugar. He goes to ask his neighbors for sugar when he sneezes and blows their houses down. He eats the dead pigs for dinner as he says is in good nature. He then tries to break down the last house as his grandma is insulted. Cops show up and paint a bad story of him.

Personal Thoughts: This is a very fun twist on a classic fairytale.

Curricular Connections: I would teach this alongside "The Three Little Pigs" to teach perspective and bias.

Author: Drew Daywalt 

Illustrator: Molly Idle

Publisher: Philomel Books

Date Published: 2021

Number of Pages: 40

Grade Level: Preschool - 3

Genre: Picture book, fiction 

Theme: Everyone needs a friend

Topic: friendship

Artistic Elements: Pictures were drawn in colored pencil, but appeared vibrant and luminous. 

Literary Elements: One night, a child named Clyde makes a wish on a star. Later that night, Clyde wakes up to find the star in his room, wishing on him. Both of their wishes remain secret. Both of the characters, in the end, just needed a friend. Their secrets were revealed to be the same. They then play together. 

Personal Thoughts: This book was very cute. It shares a great lesson about friendship and making friends. 

Curricular Connections: I would teach this in the beginning of the year as a warm-up book.

Author: Cece Bell

Illustrator: Cece Bell, David Lasky

Publisher: Amulet Books

Date Published: 2014

Number of Pages: 248

Grade Level: 3-7

Genre: Nonfiction with fictional elements

Theme: hearing loss

Topic: everyone is different

Artistic Elements: Pictures are drawn with what looks like colored pencil and are left with an outline. Most colors aren't too vibrant.

Literary Elements: This book is about a young girl who goes deaf after becoming sick. She discovers that life as a deaf individual is tough and it goes through her navigating life, school and friends.

Personal Thoughts: This book seemed accurate in comparison to what I have previously learned regarding the deaf community.

Curricular Connections: I would use this to teach about people being different as well as how to overcome difficulties in life.

Author: David Shannon

Illustrator: David Shannon

Publisher: Scholastic

Date Published: 2004

Number of Pages: 32

Grade Level: K-3

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Everyone is different

Topic: Everyone is different

Artistic Elements: Colors are bright and vibrant. They are smooth like paint.

Literary Elements: Camilla is ready for her first day of school when she is covered by stripes. Doctors are called when she begins changing to match whatever is brought up in conversation. Finally, a lady from down the street stops by with lima beans and cures the girl.

Personal Thoughts: While this book is entertaining, I would worry that students would be afraid to go to the doctor or take medicine after reading.

Curricular Connections: I would use this in science to introduce different types of sicknesses and what we can do to prevent them.

Author: Shirley Climo

Illustrator: Ruth Heller

Publisher: Harper Collins

Date Published: 1992

Number of Pages: 32

Grade Level: Preschool-3

Genre: fairytale

Theme: everything works out as it should

Topic: princess

Artistic Elements: Colors are bright and realistic

Literary Elements: This book is about a girl, Rhodopis, who is a slave in Greece. She receives a pair of slippers from her master that make her happy. Suddenly, the shoe is stolen by a bird and is dropped in the pharaohs lap. He is detemrined to find the owner of the slippers and make her the queen.

Personal Thoughts: This book is quite entertaining and cute, and it has a strong moral lesson.

Curricular Connections: I would have an older student, maybe third grade, compare this version of Cinderella to another.

Author: RH Disney

Illustrator: Ron Dias

Publisher: Golden/Disney

Date Published: 2005

Number of Pages: 24

Grade Level: Preschool-Kindergarten

Genre: Fairytale

Theme: Everything works out how it should

Topic: Princesses

Artistic Elements: Colors are bright and pictures are cartoon-like.

Literary Elements: This book is about a young girl mistreated by her step-mother. She attends the prince's ball against her step-mother's wishes and a magical godmother. She then goes and loses her shoe, which the prince finds and tests on each young woman in town. The shoe fits her and they live happily ever after.

Personal Thoughts: This book is good for any young reader. It gives them hope for something good without the expectation of something bad.

Curricular Connections: I would have older students compare this to another version of Cinderella.

Author: Melissa Iwai

Illustrator: Melissa Iwai

Publisher: Norton Young Readers

Date Published: 2021

Number of Pages: 48

Grade Level: Preschool-3rd

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Hard work pays off

Topic: Work together for success

Artistic Elements: Pictures are bright in color and look as if they

Literary Elements: Lili is going to make baos with the help of her family. She is out of cabbage, though, so she is sent to ask for cabbage from other family. From there, she is sent to get potatoes from grandma and so forth. She is sent of a goose hunt for all these ingredients when all of the recipes are completed.

Personal Thoughts: This book is great for entertainment and academic purposes.

Curricular Connections: I would read this during science to explain procedural texts as Lili must follow a procedure to make baos.

Author: Judi Barrett

Illustrator: Ron Barrett

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Date Published: 1978

Number of Pages: 32

Grade Level: K-3

Genre: fantasy

Theme: Human environment interaction

Topic: Food

Artistic Elements: Drawings are comic-style, with black pen and colors.

Literary Elements: The story starts at breakfast when a pancake falls on the head of the young boy. Later in the story, it is a bedtime story where food starts to fall from the sky.

Personal Thoughts: This book was so cute! love the way it is told as a bedtime story, but still the book. Very entertaining for littles.

Curricular Connections: We could teach this during a science unit on weather and how to be prepared for different types of weather.

Author: Cynthia Leitich Smith 

Illustrator: Lori Earley

Publisher: Heartdrum 

Date Published: 2001

Number of Pages: 144

Grade Level: 5-9

Genre: Realistic Fiction 

Theme: Coming of Age

Topic: Relationship to family 

Artistic Elements:Cover is drawn like a cartoon. 

Literary Elements: Rain is depressed after her best friend, Galen, passes away. Slowly she recovers, but a part of her remains depressed over the tragedy. She is invited to an Indian Camp, but won't be able to go as a journalist as she had hoped. The book is about her experience. 

Personal Thoughts: I really liked the book. I felt as though there was a good balance between the moral lesson and the entertainment portions of the story.

Curricular Connections: I might read this at a similar time as we talk about American Indians in history as to begin the discussion over Indian erasure.

Author: Alan Gratz

Illustrator: N/A

Publisher: Starscape

Date Published: 2018

Number of Pages: 256

Grade Level: 4-8

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Censorship

Topic: Censorship

Artistic Elements: N/A

Literary Elements:  This book is about little Amy Anne Olinger who is shocked when her favorite book is banned from her school library. She fights to get that book back as well as others by standing up for what she believes in.

Personal Thoughts: I love he idea that this book empowers kids to stand up for what they believe in and shows them that they have more power than they think.

Curricular Connections: I would not teach this along with a subject, but rather just to open up a literature conversation.

Author: Lois Lowry 

Illustrator: N/A

Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks

Date Published: 2012

Number of Pages: 256

Grade Level: 7-9

Genre: dystopian fiction

Theme: Stand for what you believe in

Topic: dystopian society

Artistic Elements: N/A

Literary Elements:  This book is about Jonas, a young boy, who lives in a dystopian society. He is a chosen one, and eventually discovers the world he lives in is actually different from what he thought.

Personal Thoughts: This book is very interesting and asks students to look at their own world in a new way.

Curricular Connections: I would use this book when talking about utopias and dystopian societies in social studies/history .

Author: Jazz Jennings

Illustrator: N/A

Publisher: Ember

Date Published: 2016

Number of Pages: 256

Grade Level: 7-9

Genre: Nonfiction

Theme: Be true to yourself

Topic: Transgender pride

Artistic Elements: N/A

Literary Elements: This book is about Jazz, a young transgender teen, going through her transition and her life.

Personal Thoughts: This book would be very inspiring to anyone, but especially those in a similar situation.

Curricular Connections: This would be a great book to read when studying the nonfiction genre. The youthfulness of Jazz's writing will help it be relatable to students.

Author: Elizabeth Rusch

Illustrator: Teresa Martinez

Publisher: Charlesbridge

Date Published: 2019

Number of Pages: 40

Grade Level: 1-4

Genre: biography

Theme: You can do whatever you pout your mind to

Topic: Chemistry

Artistic Elements: Pictures are drawn with animation-like features.

Literary Elements: This book is about a scientist (chemist), Mario Molina, who finds out there is a hole in the ozone layer. because the ozone layer is important to all humans, he spends his life trying to fix it.

Personal Thoughts: This book was so cute! I definitely would keep this in my classroom.

Curricular Connections: I would use this during science when learning about the ozone layer.

Author: Isabel Thomas

Illustrator: Daniel Egenues 

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

Date Published: 2019

Number of Pages: 48

Grade Level: 1-2

Genre: Picture Book

Theme: Change 

Topic: Change

Artistic Elements: Pictures are drawn non-traditionally, but they are still accurate in shape (i.e. the moths) and color- just not super realistically.

Literary Elements: This book is about the changes undergone by moths as they transition through their life.

Personal Thoughts: This book was very informational, while still being fun and enjoyable to read.

Curricular Connections: I would read this in science when talking about life cycles of animals.

Author: Traci Todd

Illustrator: Christian Robinson

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

Date Published: 2021

Number of Pages: 56

Grade Level: Preschool-3

Genre: biography

Theme: Keep trying

Topic: Resilience

Artistic Elements: Pictures are drawn with bright, contrasting colors.

Literary Elements: This book is about young Eunice who began singing before she could even talk. As she grew, she became more and more into music. She began by [playing in bars until she became Nina Simone!

Personal Thoughts: This book is great! It would teach students so much about resilience and working for what you deserve.

Curricular Connections: I would use this to teach perseverance.

Author: Megan Reid 

Illustrator: Aaliyah Jaleel

Publisher: Balzer and Bray

Date Published: 2021

Number of Pages: 40

Grade Level: Preschool-3

Genre: Biography 

Theme: Keep Trying

Topic: Working hard for what you deserve 

Artistic Elements: Pictures are bright, colorful and drawn. 

Literary Elements: The story is about a young Maryam Mirzakhani who was a "slow" mathematician. She fell in love with geometry in middle school and continued to win several awards in mathematics.

Personal Thoughts: This book is not only great for its content, but it is also diverse in characters! I would definitely use this in my classroom.

Curricular Connections: I would use this book to introduce a geometry lesson.

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Author: Suzanne Collins

Illustrator: N/A

Publisher: Scholastic

Date Published: 1994

Number of Pages: 384

Grade Level: 7+

Genre: Science fiction

Theme: Dystopia

Topic: Stand up for what you believe in

Artistic Elements: N/A

Literary Elements: This book is about a society split into districts. Each year there is a "game" in which one person form each district fights for their life. The main character, Katniss, volunteers to go rather than her sister. This is their story.

Personal Thoughts: This book is so engaging and students would love it!

Curricular Connections: This would not be a curricular story.

Author: Suzanne Collins

Illustrator: N/A

Publisher: Scholastic

Date Published: 2014

Number of Pages: 400

Grade Level: 7-9

Genre: dystopian fiction

Theme: corruption

Topic: sacrifice

Artistic Elements: N/A

Literary Elements:  This book is about the aftermath of The Hunger Games. How were Katniss and her partner, Peta, left to live afterwards? This is the book that explores those questions.

Personal Thoughts: I really like this book and find the topics intriguing. I think students would find this really interesting as I did.

Curricular Connections: I would maybe teach this with literature, but not much else.

Author: Adir Levy

Illustrator: Matt Sadler

Publisher: Elon Books

Date Published: 2017

Number of Pages: 68

Grade Level: 1-3

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Choose your path

Topic: Decisions matter

Artistic Elements: Colors are bright and figures are cartoon-like. 

Literary Elements:  This is a choose your own path story where students get to choose where the story goes and learn the value of their choices. 

Personal Thoughts: I think this is a fun, engaging book that students would love!

Curricular Connections: I might teach this as a humanities lesson and have the class decide together what choices to make. 

Author: Christine Durkin

Illustrator: Mousam Banerjee

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services LLC

Date Published: 2021

Number of Pages: 31

Grade Level: 

Genre: Children's multicultural

Theme: Multicultural

Topic: comedy

Artistic Elements: Colors are vibrant and pictures are life-like

Literary Elements:  This book is about 2 kids, Caden and Nate, who find a frog on their way home from school. They decide to befriend the frog and go on an adventure.

Personal Thoughts: This book is so fun! The kids are life-like and fun, and the frog adds a special touch to the story.

Curricular Connections: I would teach this as a fun, comedy/light hearted story to my students.

Author: Barbara Park

Illustrator: Denise Brunkus

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Date Published: 2003

Number of Pages: 96

Grade Level: 1-4

Genre: fiction

Theme: try your best

Topic: children

Artistic Elements: Pictures, other than the cover, are black and white and look sketched.

Literary Elements:  This book is about a first grade girl who decides she wants to be a professional lunch maker. She decides this and hangs out in the acefteria with her schoo's lunch lady, Mrs. Gutzman. She is amazed by the process, but sadly does not become a professional lunch lady.

Personal Thoughts: This book is so fun, just like the other Junie B. Jones books.

Curricular Connections: I would keep these in my classroom for free reading.

Author: Paul Breau

Illustrator: N/A

Publisher: TKI Productions

Date Published: 2021

Number of Pages: 160

Grade Level: 4-7

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Friendship

Topic: New challenges

Artistic Elements: N/A

Literary Elements:  This book is about a young girl who decides to join choir with her best friend. After people discover her voice, they all ant to be Mia's friend. Mia must decide if she wants to stay friends with her best friend, or decide to ditch her and practice with the popular choir kids.

Personal Thoughts: This book was very enjoyable and I think it would be relatable for kids reading this, especially those entering middle school or going through changes in their life.

Curricular Connections: I would keep this in my classroom for free reading.

Author: Kate Messner  

Illustrator: Valentina Toro

Publisher: Sounds True

Date Published: 2021

Number of Pages: 32

Grade Level: Preschool-2

Genre: Fiction, informational

Theme: Things get better

Topic: Bad days don't have to be bad

Artistic Elements: Colors are cool toned and reminiscent of nighttime. This figures are cartoon-like.

Literary Elements:  This book is about a young sloth who was not ready for bedtime. There are a variety of reasons why throughout the book, but Mama Sloth always knew how to take care of it. This book teaches relaxation skills for kids.

Personal Thoughts: This book is a great way to teach kids without it being overwhelming or lecture-y.

Curricular Connections: This seems like more of an at-home book, but maybe I could read it if I had sleepy students.

Author: Beatrix Potter

Illustrator: David McPhail

Publisher: Scholastic

Date Published: 1999

Number of Pages: 32

Grade Level: preschool-1

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Be careful

Topic: Do not touch other people's stuff

Artistic Elements: Colors are muted and characters are cartoon-like.

Literary Elements:  This book is about a rabbit who explores his neighbor's yard. He almost gets caught several times.

Personal Thoughts: This book is a classic that all kids can and should read. It is fun and whimsical.

Curricular Connections: This would be a good book to remind students of privacy and ownership.

Author: Emily Winfield Martin

Illustrator: Emily Winfield Martin

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Date Published: 2015

Number of Pages: 36

Grade Level: Preschool-2

Genre: children's poetry

Theme: Growing up

Topic: growing up

Artistic Elements: The characters and pictures are drawn in a cartoon style rather than realistic. Colors are vibrant throughout the book.

Literary Elements:  This book is rhythmic in style. It goes through all of the many things that parents see when they look at their child. The book goes through things such as being kind, adventurous and loving.

Personal Thoughts: I love how this book focuses on qualities rather than ideals. It was very entertaining and cute, but most of all I loved the artwork.

Curricular Connections: I would use this to teach alongside something do to with career day. This way students know there is more to life than their job.

Author: Munro Leaf

Illustrator: Robert Lawson

Publisher: Grosset and Dunlap

Date Published: 2011

Number of Pages: 32

Grade Level: preschool-2

Genre: fiction

Theme: Be yourself

Topic: Everyone is different

Artistic Elements: Colors are vivid on the cover, but black and white inside the book. While pictures are drawn, it is more like a sketch with no shading.

Literary Elements:  This book is about a little bull that is different from the rest. He is peaceful and enjoys the land rather than being rowdy.

Personal Thoughts: This book is great, especially for kids who are very unique and out of the norm. This would be a great reminder to them that they are valid in themselves.

Curricular Connections: I would just keep this book as an option for free reading.

Author: Valerie Thompkins

Illustrator: Abira Dias

Publisher: Visionary Press Publishing House

Date Published: 2011

Number of Pages: 32

Grade Level: kindergarten-3

Genre: picture book

Theme: Follow your dreams

Topic: Growing up

Artistic Elements: The cartoon-like characters are drawn with vivid colors and the pages are busy.

Literary Elements:  This book is about a little girl who explores different careers that she can go into as a girl. The idea is to show little girls that they can be exactly who they want to be.

Personal Thoughts: I LOVE this book! It is very nice to see this inspirational book for young girls.

Curricular Connections: I would teach this in small girl groups for things like career day.

Author: Penny Cook

Illustrator: Penny Cook

Publisher: Independent

Date Published: 2022

Number of Pages: 24

Grade Level: preschool-1

Genre: fiction

Theme: Comfort

Topic: Growing up

Artistic Elements: The pictures are simple yet vivid. They are great representations of the words.

Literary Elements:  This book is about a stuffed bear who is always with his grown-up. He is kind, gentle and funny to be around.

Personal Thoughts: This book would be good in kindergarten when students are leaving their own kind bears at home for the first time.

Curricular Connections: This book could be read on the first few days of school to help kids feel at home.

Author: Laura Numeroff

Illustrator: Felicia Bond

Publisher: Harper Collins

Date Published: 2015

Number of Pages: 40

Grade Level: Preschool-3

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Humor/comedy

Topic: animals

Artistic Elements: The cartoon-like characters wear dull colors and accompany the words perfectly.

Literary Elements:  This book goes through a long line of "what ifs." If you give a mouse a cookie, he might want a glass a milk.. and so forth.

Personal Thoughts: I love this book, and have taught it before. It is fun and engaging for students.

Curricular Connections: I would read this book when teaching cause and effect in the younger grades.

Author: Julia Donaldson

Illustrator: Julia Donaldson

Publisher: Puffin Books

Date Published: 2006

Number of Pages: 26

Grade Level: Preschool-2

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Fear

Topic: Animals

Artistic Elements: The animals are not lifelike, but that is for the better as the creature is described as terrifying. The colors are bright and really bring the book to life.

Literary Elements:  This book starts when a mouse tells another animal about the gruffalo, a scary creature who is coming to get them. The rumor spreads, but in the end there is no gruffalo.

Personal Thoughts: This book is super fun, but with too young of students it may be a little scary for them.

Curricular Connections: I would use this not so much for academic purposes, but to teach students about lying and rumors.

Author: James Dean

Illustrator: Eric Litman 

Publisher: Harper Collins

Date Published: 2010

Number of Pages: 40

Grade Level: preschool-3

Genre: fiction, picture book

Theme: Keep moving along

Topic: dealing with hardships

Artistic Elements: The cat is drawn as a cartoon but wears shoes as a human would. This is a fun feature for kids. The colors are vibrant.

Literary Elements: This book is about a cat who keeps stepping in things while wearing his new shoes. He doesn't let it bother him though.   

Personal Thoughts: This book is a favorite among both teachers and students. 

Curricular Connections: I would teach this as a way to tell students to let the little things go.  

Author: James Dean

Illustrator: Eric Litman

Publisher: Harper Festival

Date Published: 2018

Number of Pages: 24

Grade Level: preschool-3

Genre: fiction, picture books

Theme: adventures

Topic: library

Artistic Elements: Colors are vibrant, and while the cat is drawn as a cartoon, he is depicted doing human things.  

Literary Elements:  This book is about a cat going to the library for the first time. He goes through the different activities you can do at the library.

Personal Thoughts: This book is so fun and would be a great introduction to the library.

Curricular Connections: This book would be a fun introduction to the library for kids and the things you can and can't do there.

Author: James Dean

Illustrator: Eric Litman

Publisher: Harper Collins

Date Published: 2012

Number of Pages: 40

Grade Level: preschool-2

Genre: fiction, picture book

Theme: Keep moving along, let the little things go

Topic: cats

Artistic Elements: The colors are vibrant and while the animal is drawn as a cartoon, he does have human characteristics  

Literary Elements:  This book is about a cat who is wearing a coat with 4 buttons. The buttons keep falling off but he did not mind, he just kept moving along.

Personal Thoughts: This book is so fun and engaging. The accompanying song is a nice touch.

Curricular Connections: I would teach this to help kids let go of the little things and move on from them.

Author: James Dean

Illustrator: Eric Litman

Publisher: Harper Festival

Date Published: 2018

Number of Pages: 24

Grade Level: preschool-3

Genre: fiction, picture book

Theme: careers

Topic: firefighters

Artistic Elements: The cat shares human characteristics with vivid colors.  

Literary Elements: This book is about a cat who shares his experience at the fire station. It starts as a tour but then there is an actual call that Pete gets to go on.  

Personal Thoughts: This book is fun and engaging for students.

Curricular Connections: I would teach this for careers/community helpers unit.

Author: James Dean

Illustrator: Kimberly Dean

Publisher: Harper Collins

Date Published: 2019

Number of Pages: 40

Grade Level: preschool-3

Genre: fiction, picture book

Theme: friendship

Topic: pizza

Artistic Elements: The book uses vivid coloring and gives the cat some human characteristics.

Literary Elements:  This book is about a cat who hosts a pizza party. He wants his favorite topping, but his friends want things like pretzels and pickles. He must go along with this.

Personal Thoughts: The alliteration in this book is so fun and unique. The kids would also have a chance to pick their own toppings which would be fun.

Curricular Connections: I would teach this as a way to show students to be flexible.

Author: James Dean

Illustrator: Kimberly Dean

Publisher: Harper Collins

Date Published: 2020

Number of Pages: 20

Grade Level: preschool-3

Genre: fiction, picture book

Theme: friendship

Topic: art

Artistic Elements: The colors are vivid and the cat has human characteristics.

Literary Elements: This book is about a cat who made art for his friends, but they were not fans. This story is about whether he continues to draw or gives up. 

Personal Thoughts: This book is fun and serves as a good reminder.

Curricular Connections: This book would serve as a good reminder that art is what you make of it.

Author: Audrey Penn

Illustrator: Audrey Penn

Publisher: Tanglewood

Date Published: 1933

Number of Pages: 32

Grade Level: preschool-3

Genre: fiction

Theme: it will all be okay

Topic: school, love

Artistic Elements: The pictures depict life-like  animals with bright background color.

Literary Elements:  This book is about a young raccoon that does not want to go to school. Luckily, his mom has a secret called the kissing hand which helps him go to school.

Personal Thoughts: I love this book as it gives students a way to fell more at home at school and gives them the sense of caring.

Curricular Connections: I would use this on the first day of school for kids who are homesick or don't want to come to school.

Author: Shel Silversteen

Illustrator: Shel Silversteen

Publisher: Harper Collins

Date Published: 2014

Number of Pages: 66

Grade Level: preschool-3

Genre: fiction

Theme: Giving

Topic: Take from and borrow

Artistic Elements: The pictures are drawn in black and white and offer cartoon-like features.

Literary Elements:  This book is about a tree who gives apples and love. A young boy uses the tree for such, but as he grows older so do his wants.

Personal Thoughts: I really like this book. It reminds me that people can only give so much before we begin to take from them.

Curricular Connections: I would use this as a free-reading book.

Author: Mercer Mayer

Illustrator: Mercer Mayer

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Date Published: 2001

Number of Pages: 24

Grade Level: preschool-2

Genre: fiction

Theme: listen to your parents

Topic: bedtime

Artistic Elements: The colors are both vibrant and dull, depending on the tone of the page, and the creatures are cartoon-like.

Literary Elements:  This book is about a young creature who does not want to go to bed. He makes a fuss about everything pertaining to bedtime including his bath, getting into PJs and reading a story.

Personal Thoughts: This book is really fun and unique. I think that kids will really relate to it.

Curricular Connections: I would use this as a free-reading book.

Author: Maurice Sendak

Illustrator: Maurice Sendak

Publisher: Harper Collins

Date Published: 2014

Number of Pages: 48

Grade Level: preschool-kindergarten

Genre: fiction

Theme: Dream big

Topic: monsters

Artistic Elements: The pictures in this book are unique. While they are very realistic, the stippling effect adds a lot. Colors are not vibrant, but not unnecessarily muted.

Literary Elements:  This book is about a boy named Max who used a costume to cause trouble around his house. Finally, his mom makes him put it away and he goes into a dreamland where he really is this creature among creatures. This book is about that dreamland.

Personal Thoughts: I really like this story and find that kids can relate to the dreamland aspect. They will use their imagination freely.

Curricular Connections: This would be a fun book to do an art project with.

Author: Eric Carle

Illustrator: Eric Carle

Publisher: World of Eric Carle

Date Published: 1994

Number of Pages: 26 

Grade Level: preschool-kindergarten

Genre: fiction

Theme: growing

Topic: eating

Artistic Elements: colors are vivid and pictures are drawn with a distinctive style.  

Literary Elements:  This book is about a growing caterpillar that eats his way through a whole kitchen worth of food.

Personal Thoughts: This book is fun and inviting for kids to read.

Curricular Connections: I would read this when talking about how food gives us energy and when talking about caterpillar life changes.