Illustrator: William Steig
 Genre: Traditional Fantasy
Reading Level: K - 3
 Lexile: AD700L
Summary:  Sylvester the donkey was out collecting pebbles when he found a rather unusual one.  The pebble he found could grant any wish.  He used to help many people along the way, but then came across a lion.  He quickly wished he was a rock so that he would not be harmed by the lion.  But then he could not use the pebble to turn himself back into a donkey.
Interdisciplinary Uses:
Science: Because it takes the parents many years to find their son and change him back, the students can learn about the different seasons in relation to the Earth's orbit. 
Language Arts:  Students can write about any wish and what they would do if that wish became true. 

Illustrator: Evaline Ness
 Genre: Picture Book
 Reading Level: K - 2
 Lexile: 510L
Summary: Sam is a little girl that loves to live in a world of fantasy her father calls "moonshine."  Her father warns her that her moonshine will get her into trouble and she should learn to tell the truth.  One day her friend believes her moonshine and it puts him in danger.  She realizes that her father was right and she should tell the truth.
 Interdisciplinary Uses:
Language Arts:  Teachers could use this book to teach students the difference between fiction and non-fiction.  The class could also take a trip to the school's library to see where the different sections are kept. 
Science:  This book could also introduce natural disasters.  Students can research and learn about different natural disasters the occur all over the world. 

Illustrator: Uri Shulevitz
Genre: Multicultural Picture Book
Reading Level: 3 - 5
Lexile: 810L
Summary: The Czar promises to marry his daughter to the man who will bring him a flying ship, so the Fool of the World sets out to change his luck.  He ends up meeting interesting people along the way.
Interdisciplinary Uses:
History:  This book can teach students different political systems throughout the world.  Students will learn how other countries function. 
Language Arts-  Have students create an invention of their own.  Students should draw and explain their invention and why it is useful.  Afterwards, they can share and compare each other's inventions.

Illustrator: Barbara Cooney
Genre: Historical Fiction
Reading Level: PreK - 3
Lexile: AD1130L

 Summary: A man and his family work hard all year to  create goods to sell at the market.  Then once a year, the father packs everything they made and sells it all.  With the money he buys each of his family members a small token to use for next year's harvest.
Interdisciplinary Uses:
Social Studies: Students can learn the different ways a farm functions.  Students will learn how farmers must consider seasons and weather in order to produce the greatest crops. 
Language Arts: Have Students 

Illustrator: Ezra Jack Keats
 Genre: Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: K - 2
Lexile: AD500L
Summary: On a cold winter day, young Peter finds himself excited for another snow day.  With great snowfall comes great adventure.
Interdisciplinary Uses:
Math: Students learn different ways to measure precipitation and wind. Student should know the instruments and units used to calculate weather. 
Science: Students should learn the different types of precipitation.  Students should understand the different forms of matter.

Illustrator: Dorothy P. Lathrop
Genre: Nonfiction
Reading Level: 3 - 5
 Lexile: 920L
Summary:  This book goes through the story of every animal in the Bible.
Interdisciplinary Uses:
History: This book offers a great understanding of early animals.  Students will learn how animals were used to tend to farms, pull wagons, and other functional tasks.  
Math: The events in the Bible took place a very long time ago. Students should understand how to calculate time. Students should also understand terms such as millennium, century, and decade. 

Illustrator: David Small
Genre: Biography
 Reading Level: 3 - 5
 Lexile: 730L
 Summary: This book includes many fun facts about our presidents. You get to go inside the White House to see a unique view of our nation's history.
 Interdisciplinary Uses:
History: This book would be perfect to teach students about the presidents in an interesting and fun way.  They can research specific presidents and their different accomplishments throughout their presidency.  Students can present what they have learned and share it with the class. 
Language Arts: Students could create their own rule/law that they would implement if they were president.  They should discuss how their rule would be beneficial to society, and who it would benefit.  

Illustrator: Will
 Genre: Picture Book
 Reading Level: K - 2
 Lexile: 540L
 Summary: Two dogs find a bone and have a hard time figuring out who's bone it is. They seek the opinion of other animals to help solve the problem.
Interdisciplinary Uses:
History:  As they try to solve a problem, we can relate that to our judicial branch of government.  Students will also learn about the different levels of courts. 
Language Arts: Have students write about a time when they were faced with a conflict, and how they resolved it. 

Illustrator: Jon Klassen
Genre: Picture Book
 Reading Level: K - 3
 Lexile: AD340L
Summary:  A fish finds a hat in the ocean and takes it.  The proper owner eventually catches up to the little fish and takes back his hat.
Interdisciplinary Uses:
Science: Students will research goldfish and what they need to survive.  Then they will write instruction for taking care of a goldfish as if they were explaining it to someone else. 
Math: Compare the size of the big fish and the little fish in the story using the greater than and less than sign.

Illustrator: Nonny Hogrogian
 Genre: Picture Book
 Reading Level: K - 3
 Lexile: AD1080L
 Summary: A fox drinks a woman's milk so she cuts his tail off.  The fox then has to go to great lengths to get his tail back, meeting many new people along the way.
Interdisciplinary Uses:
Math: Students will create a graph of their activities each day.  They will separate their day into eating, school, sports, tv, and any other category they come up with.  They then will see a visual representation of their day. 
Language Arts: 
Students will be able to write a cause and effect paper. They can choose a time where they had to make a decision and write about what happened because of the choice they made. 
 

Illustrator: Chris Raschka
Genre: Realistic fiction
Reading Level: PreK - K
Summary:  This is a story of two friends accepting each other.
Interdisciplinary Uses:
Language Arts: Because Yo! Yes! has few words, this gives the students great opportunity to interpret the story in their own way.  They can write their own dialogue for the story based upon their own understanding. 
History:  This book is also a great introduction into Civil Rights.  Students will learn about major Civil Rights leaders and movements. 

 

Illustrator: Stephen Gammell
 Genre: Realistic fiction
Reading Level: K - 2
 Lexile: 780L
Summary: A grandfather remembers his time on the stage as a dancer.  He performs a dance for his grandchildren.
Interdisciplinary Uses:
Language Arts: Have students write about a special talent they have.  Have them write as if they are professionals in their field. 
History: Because the Vaudeville performers were popular around the time of the industrial revolution, this book would be the perfect introduction to the main contributors to the industrial revolution.  

Illustrator: David Wiesner
 Genre: Modern Fantasy
Reading Level: PreK - 2
Summary:  At night, the frogs seem to gain the ability to fly.  They fly around the deserted town until the sun rises.
 Interdisciplinary Uses:
Language Arts: This book has very few words, so it leaves a lot up to the imagination.  Students will write their rationale for why the frogs fly and how the story ends. 
Science: The students will learn the difference between amphibians and reptiles. 

Illustrator: David Macaulay
Genre: Picture book
Reading Level: K - 3
Lexile: 610L
Summary: Black and White contains four separate stories in one book.  There is a group of people waiting for a delayed train because there are cows on the tracks.  Another story includes the burgelar that released the cows onto the tracks. And finally, the young girl and her brother are dealing with their negligent parents. They are all connected somehow.
 Interdisciplinary Uses:
History: Trains, planes, and automobiles are all major modes of transportation.  Students should be familiar with them and understand how the technology to travel has changed.
Science: Students will learn about farm animals and how they affect the production of milk and other food. 

Illustrator: Taro Yashima
 Genre: Multicultural books
 Reading Level: 3 - 5
 Lexile: AD760L
Summary: The little boy feels like he does not fit into his class. The other students think he is a little weird and do not play with him. But when he performs at the student talent show, he performs the many different crow sounds that he hears daily. The other students are impressed and henceforth includes him in games.
 Interdisciplinary Uses:
History: Students will learn the traditional Japanese costumes and traditions. 
Language Arts: Students will write about any traditions their family does for holidays of special events. 
 

Illustrator: Lynd Ward
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: PreK - 2
 Lexile: 690L
Summary: A little boy befriends a bear while on a hunting trip with his father.  When he brings him bakc to the village, everyone wants to kill the bear but the boy would not let them.  Eventually the bear grows too large to live with the boy anymore so he takes him to live at the zoo.
 Interdisciplinary Uses:
Science: This book is a good introduction into using maps.  Students will learn the cardinal directions and how to use a map key.
Math: Students will learn how to measure weight using different instruments and units of measurement. 

Illustrator: Diane Dillon and Leo Dillon
 Genre:  Multicultural Books
Reading Level: K - 2
 Lexile: 770L
 Summary: When a mosquito buzzes in a iguana's ear which sets the entire forrest into chaos.  When in the chaos a little owlet dies, the animals start to wonder what started the chaos.
 Interdisciplinary Uses:
History: Students will learn about the different continents and the countries within the continents. The students will learn about different cultures and customs besides their own. 
Science: Because mosquitoes are more prominent in humid, hot climates, students will learn about the different seasons and climates of different regions of the world. 

Illustrator: Marcia Brown
 Genre: Multicultural book
 Reading Level: 3-5
Summary:  The narrator discusses the meaning and origin of shadows.
Interdisciplinary Uses:    
Science: Students will learn and practice the scientific method.  They will practice asking questions and creating hypothesis. 
Language Arts: Students will observe their own shadow and take note of their observations.  They will learn to write objectively and scientifically. 

Illustrator: Chris Van Allsburg
 Genre: Fantasy
 Reading Level: PreK - 3
 Lexile: AD580L
Summary: When a little boy is asked to watch a dog for a weekend, he takes him on a walk.  While on his walk, the dog breaks loose and enters Abdul Gasazi's garden which does not allow pets.  Out of revenge, Abdul Gasazi turns his dog into a duck.
 Interdisciplinary Uses:
Language Arts: Students will write whether or not they believe Abdul Gasazi actually turned the dog into a duck or not.  They will explain their position. 
Science: Students will learn about photosynthesis and the life cycle of plants.  They will explore different types of plants. 

Illustrator: David Pelletier
 Genre: Informational books
Reading Level: 3 - 5
 Summary:  This book goes through each letter of the alphabet with a picture to help students learn each letter.
Interdisciplinary Uses:
Language Arts: Students will learn the different sounds of letters and how they are used to create words. 
Math: Students will be able to count the number of vowels and consonants in the alphabet. 
 

Illustrator: Ludwig Bemelmans
Genre: Picture Book
Reading Level: K - 3
 Lexile: AD460L
 Summary: Madeline finds a dog, which her foster parents do not approve of.  They made her get rid of him, but later that night all the girls in the foster home went searching and he came back.
 Interdisciplinary Uses:
Math: Students will be able to calculate the amount of time the dog went missing. They will be able to add two times together. 
History: Students will learn a brief history of France and the Eiffel Tower.

Illustrator: Chris Van Allsburg
 Genre: Fantasy
 Reading Level: K - 3
 Lexile: AD620L
 Summary: When two young kids find a mysterious game, they soon realize the game is not what they expected at all.
 Interdisciplinary Uses:
Science: This book is the perfect introduction to different animals. Students will learn about basic farm animals and wild animals.
Math: Students will learn basic addition and subtraction as if they were adding tiles during a game. 

Illustrator: Ed Young
Genre: Multicultural books
 Reading Level: K - 2
Lexile: 670L
Summary: Lon Po Po is a Chinese version of "Red Ridding Hood"
Interdisciplinary Uses:
History: Teachers could teach students main traditions and customs of Chinese culture. 
Language Arts: Students will take a nature walk and descriptively write what they notice and see using adjectives. 

Illustrator: Marcia Brown
 Genre:Fantasy
 Reading Level: K - 2
Lexile: AD530L
 Summary: A hermit gains magical powers and notices a small mouse in danger from predators.  He graciously changes the mouse into larger, more fierce animals until the mouse is no longer grateful for the hermits help.
 Interdisciplinary Uses:
History: Have students locate the Indus River in India.  
Language Arts: Have students write about one wish.  Have them explain why they would choose that wish, and how that wish would change their life. 

Illustrator: Nicholas Sidjakov
 Genre: Historical Fiction
Reading Level: 3 - 5
 Lexile: 580L
 Summary: When a great child is born, three kings travel very far to meet him.  Along the way they stop at Baboushka's house for shelter.  When Baboushka realizes what they are searching for, he joins them.
Interdisciplinary Uses:
History: Students will learn basic geography as well as early traveling patterns. 
Math: Students will use a map to determine the distance between two points. 

Illustrator: Erin E. Stead
 Genre: Picture Book
Reading Level: K - 2
 Lexile: AD760L
Summary: A zookeeper becomes good friends with the animals in the zoo.  He often cares and plays with him.  One day when Amous is sick, the animals leave the zoo and go to his house to comfort him as he would to them.
Interdisciplinary Uses:
Science: Introduction to zoo animals.  The students will identify the different categories of animals in the zoo.
Language Arts: Students will create their own unique animal, and describe their animal.  

 

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Allsburg, Chris Van, and Chris Van Allsburg. The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1979. Print.

 

Allsburg, Chris Van. Jumanji. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1981. Print.

 

Bemelmans, Ludwig. Madeline's Rescue. New York: Viking, 1953. Print.

 

Brown, Marcia. Once a Mouse- -: A Fable Cut in Wood. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1961. Print.

 

Burton, Virginia Lee. The Little House. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1942. Print.

 

Cendrars, Blaise, and Marcia Brown. Shadow. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

 

Will, Nicolas, William Lipkind, and Fritz Eichenberg. Finders Keepers. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1951. Print.

 

George, Judith St., and David Small. So You Want to Be President? New York: Philomel, 2000. Print.

 

Hall, Donald, and Barbara Cooney. Ox-cart Man. New York: Viking, 1979. Print.

 

Hogrogian, Nonny, and Nonny Hogrogian. One Fine Day. New York: Macmillan, 1971. Print.

 

Keats, Ezra Jack. The Snowy Day. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

 

Klassen, Jon. This Is Not My Hat. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

 

Lathrop, Dorothy P. Animals of the Bible. London: n.p., 1938. Print.

 

Macaulay, David. Black and White. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1990. Print.

 

Ness, Evaline. Sam, Bangs, and Moonshine. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1966. Print.

 

Pelletier, David. The Graphic Alphabet. New York: Orchard, 1996. Print.

 

Peña, Matt De La, and Christian Robinson. Last Stop on Market Street. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Ransome, Arthur, and Uri Shulevitz. The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship: A Russian Tale. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

 

Raschka, Christopher. Yo! Yes? N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

 

Robbins, Ruth, Nicolas Sidjakov, Mary Clement. Sanks, and Edith Matilda Thomas. Baboushka and the Three Kings. Berkeley, CA: Parnassus, 1960. Print.

 

Sendak, Maurice, and Maurice Sendak. Where the Wild Things Are. New York: Harper & Row, 1963. Print.

 

Stead, Philip Christian, and Erin E. Stead. A Sick Day for Amos McGee. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

 

Steig, William. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. New York: Windmill, 1969. Print.

 

Ward, Lynd. The Biggest Bear. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1952. Print.

 

Wiesner, David. Tuesday. New York: Clarion, 1991. Print.

 

Yashima, Tarō. Crow Boy. New York: Viking, 1955. Print.

 

Yolen, Jane, and John Schoenherr. Owl Moon. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Young, Ed, Ed Young, John Stevens, and Nanette Stevenson. Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China. New York: Philomel, 1989. Print.