Snowmen at Night

Snowmen at Night was written by Caralyn Buehner and illustrated by Mark Buehner. The genre of the book is fictional picture book. The theme of the book is friendship. The primary characters are the snowmen. The book has not received any awards. It was published by Phyllis Fogelman Books in 2002.

This book is about what a boy who finds his snowman the next morning looking a little droopy. The boy tells of what he imagines the snowmen doing at night, such as sliding, drinking ice cold coco, and having a snowball fight.
I would use this as story time with early elementary students. Young students would have fun thinking of what their snowmen might do at night when everyone else is asleep. These students could create a short story or draw pictures of what they imagine snowmen do at night.

The Greatest Snowman in the World

The Greatest Snowman in the World was written and illustrated by Peter Hannan. The genre of the book is fictional picture book. The theme of the book is creativity and friendship. The primary character is Charles and the secondary characters are his friend. The book has not received any awards. It was published by HarperCollins in 2010.

The book is about a young boy who wakes up to find snow outside. He plans, with his friends, to get very creative and make the world's greatest snowman. His friends come across many problems along the way, but they always find a way to solve them. At the end of the book the end up with ice cream.
I would use this book as story time before winter break. Younger elementary students would really enjoy this book. It would just be a fun story share.

Sarah Plain and Tall

Sarah Plain and Tall was written by Patricia Maclachlan. The book is a fictional chapter book. The primary and secondary characters are Sarah, Jacob, Caleb, and Anna. The theme of the book is love. The book was published in 2004 by Harper Collins. The book is a Newberry Award Winner.

Sarah Plain and Tall is about two young children, Caleb and Anna, whose mother dies during childbirth. Their father discovers Sarah through an add in the paper. Caleb and Anna eventually love Sarah. However, Sarah is homesick for Maine. When she goes on a trip to town, the two children are worried that Sarah will not return. Sarah does come back and tells the children that she loves them much more than her other home.
I would use this book as part of an upper elementary classroom library. This is good literature for students to read and I think they would enjoy the book. The characters are close to the same age, so although the book was set in a different time period, students can still relate.

Heaven

Heaven was written by Angela Johnson. It is a realistic fiction chapter book. The theme of the book is that things are not always what they seem. The primary and secondary characters are Marley, Uncle Jack, Momma, Pops, and Shoogy. The book was published in 1998 by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers. It is a Coretta Scott King Award winner.

 This book is about a 14 year old girl, Marley, who lives in Heaven, Ohio. Marley has lived in this town since she was 2. Her Uncle Jack sends her mail regularly. Although she has not seen him since she was a baby, she tries to create an image of him in her head. Marley discovers that her parents have adopted her, and she feels that she can no longer trust them. Marley soon discovers that her real father is Uncle Jack. Through her discovery, Marley finds her new self.
I would use this book as part of an upper elementary classroom. This book could also be used as a classroom wide read. Students could write a short essay after reading the book about what discoveries they have made in their own lives that lead them to look at things differently.

Self Defender

Self Defender was written by Jane West and illustrated by Lee Wildish. The genre of the book is realistic fiction. The primary and secondary characters of the book are Tess, Mandy, Val, and Ellie. The theme of the book is treat others the way you want to be treated. Self defender was published in 2006 by Stone Arch. The book has not received any awards.

Self Defender is about a new girl in school, Tess. Mandy and Val offer to show Tess around her new school and they quickly become friends. Ellie, the school bully, decides she does not like Tess. Tess begins taking a self defense class and becomes very good! Ellie doesn't stop bullying Tess, but Tess is not afraid of her anyway. When Ellie tries to hurt Tess, Tess is able to get away and embarrasses Ellie which teaches her a lesson.
I would use this book as part of my classroom library. Middle elementary students would be able to easily read this book and relate to the characters.  The book would also help students be aware that bullying is not a good thing to do.

Country Road ABC: An Illustarted Journey through America's Farmland

Country Road ABC was written and illustrated by Arthur Geisert. The genre of the book is childrens picture book. The theme of the book is enjoying everyday life. There are no primary and secondary characters. The book has not received any awards. It was published in 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

This book takes children through farm life in America by the ABC's. The book offers children full page illustrations and gives a short description of the object that corresponds to the letter.
I would have this as part of my early elementary classroom. Young children would really enjoy learning their ABC's through these pictures of country life.

Do Buses Eat Kids: Poems About School

Do Buses Eat Kids is written by Laura Purdie Salas. The genre of the book is poetry. The theme of the book is children and school. The book has no primary or secondary chacaters; it is a collection of poems. It was published in 2008 by Capstone Press.

This book is a collection several poems about school. The poems would be appropriate for all elementary school children. The topics of the poem vary over several things school age children see, touch, think, or use.
I would use this as part of a poetry lesson. Children would really enjoy this book because it is funny and something they are a part of daily. Children would have fun reading poems that are funny and relevant to them.

The Blue Hill Meadows

The Blue Hill Meadows was written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Ellen Beier. The genre of the book is realistic fiction, chapter book. The book was published by Sandpiper in 2001. The book has not received any awards. The main characters of the book are the members of the Meadow family and the secondary characters are their dogs and the teacher. The theme of the book is family bonds.

This book contains four chapters. It walks through different seasons with the members of the Meadow family. The book really illustrates how the different members of the family relate to one another and enjoy spending their time. In the book, the Meadows welcome a new dog and then puppies to their family. They really enjoy adding new members, they even keep one puppy. The book also describes a yearly trip the father takes the boys on to go fishing. This chapter shows the bond between father and son. Before they return home they bring the other members a gift, which shows the appreciation they have for all members. Another chapter talks about the blizzard that came to Blue Hill. Willie was left at school and was taken home by his teacher. Then he family came and they sat together and rode out the blizzard.
I would include this book as part of my middle-upper elementary classroom. Both boys and girls could relate to the characters and the lives they lived. The book is a quick, enjoyable read. Many students could really get into this book and enjoy it.

The Lemonade Club

The Lemonade Club was written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco. The genre of the book is realistic fiction. The theme of the book is to make the best of every situation. The primary and secondary characters of the book are Traci, Marilyn, and Ms. Wichelman. The book was published in 2007 by Penguin Group.

This book is about two girls, Traci and Marilyn, who are best friends in Ms. Wichelman's class. Ms. Wichelman always kept a bowl of lemons on her desk to remind students that when life gives you lemons, add water and sugar to make lemonade. Marilyn is an overweight girl. Once she begins to lose weight, she collapses in the garden with Traci. Traci is worried that this happened because Marilyn is teased so much by other kids at school. Once Marilyn goes to the doctor, she finds she has leukemia. Ms. Wichelman tells the other classmates that Marilyn is very sick and she will miss school for a few weeks. While Marilyn is fighting her cancer, Traci and their teacher often come to visit her at her home. Marilyn feels like no one else understands what she is going through. Ms. Wichelman says that she does understand and asks the two girls to be in her wedding and wear yellow dresses. When Marilyn is finally able to return to school, she has no hair because of her treatments. When she goes in she finds that her whole class is wearing hats because they too have shaved their heads, even the teacher. Traci, Marilyn, and Ms. Wichelman create the Lemonade Club. When everyone's hair begins to grow back, Ms. Wichelman remains bald. At a meeting with the Lemonade Club, the two friends discover that their teacher has has breast cancer and her hair will still not grow.  Ms. Wichelman is able to beat breast cancer and when she marries, Marilyn and Traci are there in the yellow dresses.


I would have this book in my class in case a student in our room becomes sick with cancer, or some other serious medical problem. When young children are able to relate, through books, with other children their age going through bad problems they are much more understanding. This book could also be used if a student came to me because they had a friend to family member dealing with a situation like this. Patricia Polacco's books are wonderful to have in case you need to help students relate with a serious problem

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly was written and illustrated by Simms Taback. It is a fictional picture book. The book was published by Viking Juvenile in 1997. The primary character was an Old Lady and the secondary characters were the animals she swallowed. The theme of the story is there are consequences to events. This book is a Caldecott award winner.

This book is a sequence book. The old lady in the book swallows various things, for no apparent purpose. The old lady finally swallows a horse which kills the old lady. This books offers a lot of rhymes for children.
I would use this as part of story time or at the end of the class day. Children would really love this book and think that it was halirious. The children could also get involved with the book because of the rhyming. This book could also be used while studying nouns because many nouns are mentioned throughout the book.

All You Need for a Snowman

All You Need for a Snowman was written by Alice Schertle and illustrated by Barbara Lavallee. The book is children's fictional picture book. The theme of the story is creativity and teamwork. The primary character is the snowman and the secondary characters are the children. The book has not received any awards. It was published by Harcourt Children's Books in 2002.

All You Need for a Snowman is about a group of children who begin to see snowflakes falling down, and more, and more. The decide to make a snowman. The story walks through the different steps the children take to prepare the snowballs and then add the eyes, nose, buttons, and so on to the snowman. Once the snowman is complete, the children see more snow falling. They decide to create another snowman to be a friend to the first snowman.
This is a really cute book. I would use this as part of the end of the fall semester. I would allow my students to do a fun craft with this book. As I read the book I would have children create their own snowman out of marshmellows and mm's. I would choose this book for this activity because it fits the season without celebrating a specific holiday.

Raindrop, Plop!

Raindrop, Plop was written by Wedny Cheyette Lewison and illustrated by Pam Paparone. It is children's fictional story book. The book was published in 2004 by Penguin Group. The primary character is a young girl. The theme of the book is to enjoy everything, even when it seems like you can't. The book has not received any awards.

The book is about a young girl who wants to play outside in the rain. She begins to count the raindrops. When it starts raining too much the girl goes back inside and counts objects around her house. The girl is able to have fun outside in the rain and inside her house.
I would use this book in an early elementary classrooms. Kindergarten students would enjoy this book because of the large illustrations and they could easily relate to the things the little girl does. Raindrop, plop would be a good way to teacher students about counting and numbers. They could see how the book counts different objects and then work together to count different items around the classroom. 

Pet Your Pet

Pet Your Pet was written by Dana Meachen Rau and illustrated by Jeffrey Scherer. This book is a children's picture book. It was published by Compass Point Books in 2002. The main character of the book is the pet. The theme of the book is loving and taking care of your pet. The book has not received any awards.

The book is about teaching children to pet their pets and show them love. The book is for young readers and tells them ways to love their pets. The book discusses different ways to love different pets.
I would use this book as part of an early elementary classroom library. Children would enjoy reading about how to love their pets and they could relate to the story very easily.  The book also offers rhyming and word similarities so this book would be a way for children to learn words they may not be very familiar with.

Martin's Big Words

Martin's Big Words was written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Bryan Collier. It was published by Hyperion Books for Children in 2009. It is a biography. The theme of the book is to stand up for what you believe in the most just way. The primary character is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The book is a Caldecott and Coretta Scott King award winner.

This book describes the impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement. This book talks about how segregation effected him when he was younger and what made him decide to make a change. The book walks through his childhood and the many important times that he really became aware that he was treated unfairly. The book describes how his mother and father encouraged him, through their love and the Christian love, to make a change without creating violence. The book also discusses the important events through the Civil Rights Movement and leads to Dr. King's death in 1968.
I would use this book as a part of our history lesson. This book is a good way for students to learn about the major events of the Civil Rights Movement. Because this book is written for their audience, the students would really learn more and have a better understanding of what really happened. The book discusses Dr. King's childhood which would allow the students to relate more to how Dr. King felt as a child going through this terrible time. This book would also offer students with ways to solve problems without creating anger and violence.

Sequoyah

Sequoyah is written and illustrated by James Rumford. It is part of the realistic fiction genre. Sequoyah was published by Houghton Mifflin Company Boston. The primary character was Sequoyah. The theme of the book was to never give up. The book received the Robert F. Sibert Award in 2004.

This book is about the life of a Cherokee Indian named Sequoyah.  Sequoyah did not know how to read. He was scared that the Indian people would fade with the white people. He made up his own symbols so that the Cherokees could read. People began to believe he was going crazy, but he did not let it stop him. He continued to carve symbols into the wood. Someone wanted to stop him and tried to burn his house down. Sequoyah thought that everything happened for a reason, so started over, creating markings for individual letters instead of creating symbols for words.  Soon the Cherokees could read and were proud of what Sequoyah had given them.

 

This book could be used as part of our history lesson. This book would be a good way to give students an idea of the life of Cherokee Indians while teaching them a good lesson. Students could also do a craft with this story by creating their own symbols for writing.

Lulu and the Brontosaurus

Lulu and the Brontosaurus was written by Judith Viorst and illustrated by Lane Smith. The book is a fictional chapter book. The main characters are Lulu and the brontosaurus and the secondary characters are her mom and dad. The theme of this book is treating others how you want to be treated. It has not received any awards. This book was published in 2010 by Antheneum Books for Young Readers. The book is about Lulu who has horrible manners and is very spoiled by her parents. For her birthday she decided she was a brontosaurus. When her parents tell her no, for the first time, she leaves on her own to the woods to find the brontosaurus. After walking through the woods and being mean to many animals, Lulu comes across the brontosaurus. But the brontosaurus wants Lulu to be his pet instead. Lulu discovers that you cannot always be bossy. After using her manners for the first time she returns to her parents, with much better manners.

I would use this book as a fun read for students. The language would be very easy for them to read and children would find this book very funny. I like this book because it is humorous but it has a good lesson behind it. Children would also like the illustrations in the book. The book would be easy for students to read since there is not much text on one page and the text is broken up with illustrations.

Safe Return

Safe Return was written by Catherine Dexter. The genre of the book is historical, realistic fiction. Safe Return is a chapter book. The main character in the story was Ursula and the secondary characters were her Aunt Dana and her Uncle Josef. The theme of the story is family and hope. The book was published by Candlewick Press in 1996. The book has not received any awards. The book is about a young girl, Ursula, whose parents have been killed. She now lives with her aunt and uncle in a new place. In this coastal town, the women knit sweaters and leave every late fall/early winter to sell the sweaters. They must travel on dangerous waters for 3 days. Ursula must stay behind with her uncle. The story is about how she copes without her aunt, new things she learns, and how the town deals with the ship being over a month late coming back. Finally on December 24th, the women return just in time for Christmas.

I would use this book as part of my classroom library. I think many girls would enjoy reading this book because the main character is the same age. The book was a fast, easy read. The vocabulary was not difficult for this age group. The book also deals with bullying which many children this age face at school.

June and August

June and August was written by Vivian Walsh and illustrated by Adam McCauley. The genre of the book is fictional picture book. The main characters are August and June. The theme of the story is friendship. It was published by Abrams Books for Young Readers. It has not received any awards. The book was about an elephant, June, and a snake, August, who meet each other at night. It is too dark for the animals to see their physical differences and they have so much fun together. They agree to meet the next day. In the daylight, it is hard for June and August to find each other. Once they do they have a hard time finding things to do together. Finally the elephant carries the snake to the top of the hill and they watch the stars, the thing they had so much fun doing the first night they met.

I would use this book with younger elementary children. This book would be a good way for students to realize that it is not about physical traits they have in common when finding friends, but rather it is about what they enjoy doing together. The book also talks about how the other animals looked at them strangely because a snake and elephant were friends, this would be a good way to show students not to care what other people think of how your friends look.

Andy Shane and the Queen of Egypt

Andy Shane and the Queen of Egypt was written by Jennifer Richard Jacobson and illustrated by Abby Carter. The book was a children's chapter book. It was realistic fiction. The theme of the book is teamwork. The main character was Andy and the secondary character was Delores. This book was published in 2008 by Powell. It has not received any awards.The book was about a boy named Andy who wanted the country of Egypt for his project. However, Delores also wanted Egypt. The book talks about how Delores tries to be very helpful and always hint to Andy how the two of them could work together on the project. At first Andy is resistant. But once he is asked to stand in front of the class to describe what his project will be, he decides that Delores is very helpful and that they would be a great team.

 

I would use this book with higher elementary students. Its a fast reading book. I think students would really enjoy just having this as part of the class library. Through this book students could learn how sometimes working with people you really don't want to work with can turn out to be really great! This book would be good for older elementary students because it is easy for this age to relate to this book as they are the age of really starting group projects and presentations.

Horrible Harry's Secret

Horrible Harry's Secret was written by Suzy Kline and illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz.  The genre of the book is realistic fiction. The theme of the book is friendship. The main character in the story is Doug. The secondary characters are Harry, Song Lee, and Sidney. The book was published by Scholastic in 1990. It has not received any awards. This book is a chapter bok. The book is about a young boy, Doug's, friend Harry. Harry falls in love with Song Lee when she feeds her pet frog liver. Doug does not like Harry falling in love because he doesn't want to fight anymore. One day Harry comes to school and does not even smile at Song Lee. Everyone knows something is wrong. They finally find out that Harry has lost his prize possession, his front teeth! Everyone becomes friends again.

I would use this book as part of a classroom library. The book discusses many things that elementary students face, falling in love, losing teeth, dealing with bullies. The book would be fun for students and they would really enjoy it. Students would be able to relate to all of the topics presented.

Rattletrap Car

Rattletrap Car is written by Phyllis Root and illustrated by Jill Barton. The book is fictional picture book. The theme of the book is teamwork. The primary characters are Junie, Jakie, Poppa, and the baby. The book was published by Candlewick Press. It has not received any awards.  Rattletrap car is about a family who wants to go to the lake on a hot, hot day. Poppa is worried the car cannot make it. But the family packs their stuff. The car breaks down many times along the way, but the family works together to fix it and finally makes it to the lake.

I would use this book with younger children. The book is very fun with lots of expression and sounds that young children would absolutely love! I would read this book them at the beginning of the year since it is about hot weather and the lake. Children would easily be able to relate. This book may also help children feel more comfortable in the classroom the first of the year since it is so fun.

Absolutely Not

Absolutely Not was written and illustrated by Matthew McElligott. The book is a fictional picture book. The theme of the book is friendship. The primary characters are Gloria and Frieda. It was published by Walker and Company. It has not received any awards. The book is about two friends who are completely different. Gloria is brave and likes adventure. Frieda is terrified and thinks everything is out to get her. The two friends decide to go on a walk and the whole time Gloria has to comfort her friend so she won't be scared. Once the friends go into the woods, Frieda thinks she sees a bird, and she is right! The girls have to run away. Frieda has so much fun that she forgets her fear she asks Gloria to take her on a walk again the next day.

I would use this book with younger grade children. The book would be a great way to discuss friendship and explain to the students that differences are okay. Children would be able to see through this book that we can be friends with people even if they are not exactly like us and our other friends.

Story County: Here We Come

Story County was written and illustrated by Derek Anderson. The genre of the story is fictional picture book. The theme of the story is friendship and working together. The primary character was the farmer and the dog. The secondary characters were their farm friends. The book was published by Scholastic. Story County has not received any awards. The book is about farmer and dog who want to build a farm with their friends pig, miss cow, and chicken. The friends work together and create a farm with all the colors and foods they love. At the end of the story, the friends do not want to sleep but chicken tells them they must rest and play tomorrow.

This story would be so much fun for kindergarteners. I read the book to my kindergartener and he loved it. This could be used to get children's imaginations flowing. It could be read to the children and they could then create the kind of place they would make with their friends. It would be a very creative activity for students.

There Was An Old Man Who Painted the Sky

There Was An Old Man Who Painted the Sky was written by Teri Sloat and illustrated by Stefano Vitale. The genre of the book is children's picture book based on history. The theme of the book is how beauty can be found everywhere. The primary character of the book is the man who painted the sky and the young girl in the cave. The book has not received any awards. It was published by Henry Holt and Company. The book talks about the man who painted the sky and created the world with all the animals and people. Then the old man sent the people into the world to create their brothers and sisters and children. The young girl who sees all of this in the sky is amazed at how beautiful it is and wonders how the old man could reach the sky thats up so high.

I would use this book as a way for children to see beautiful art. The illustrations in the book are very absract and covers the entire page. Chidlren would love to look at the pictures and colors on the pages throughout the book.

King Bidgood's in the Bathtub

King Bidgood's in the Bathtub was written by Audrey Wood and illustrated by Don Wood. The genre of the book is children's picture book. The theme about finding a way to do anything. The primary characters are the Page and King Bidgood. The book was published by Harcourt, Inc. It has received the Caldecott Award. The book is about a King who does not want to get out of the bathtub all day and night. The Page tries to get the townspeople to help get the king out but no one can, instead the King brings the people into the tub with him. At the end of the day the Page finally gets the King out by pulling the drain stopper and the King has to run out of the tub.

I would use this story as a fun story time for children. They would find the book very humorous and because of the repetitiveness it would be easier for them to interact. The students could also use this book as a model and create a similar story. Or the students could talk about how they have tricked someone into doing something they should.

Snow

Snow was written and illustrated by Uri Shulevitz. The book is a children's picture book. The theme is how people cannot control nature. The primary character of the book is the boy. Snow has recieved the Caldecott Award. It was published in 1998 by Farrar Straus Giroux. The book is about a young boy who lives in a gray town. He thinks it is going to snow. When the first snowflake falls all of the townspeople say there will be no snow, but still the boy says snow. The book says that snow will not listen to people, or tv, or the radio. Within a short time the whole town is covered in snow.

I would use this book with children to discuss winter. Young children would enjoy this book because it is repetitive which makes it easier for them to interact with the story.

There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves

There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed Some Leaves was written by Lucille Colandro and illustrated by Jared Lee. It is a fictional picture book. The theme of the story is fall. It has not received any awards. It was published in 2010 by Scholastic. The book is about an old woman who swallows a whole list of stuff. The narrator says through the whole story that maybe the old woman will sneeze. In the end the old woman does sneeze and all the things she swallows comes out to make a scarecrow.

I would use this book with young children to get them excited about fall. I think students would have a fun time with this book because of the repetition and rhyme. They would be able to easily interact while having this read to them. I could also use this as a promt to getting students to write about things they would swallow and what would happen while they sneeze.

Keeping the Night Watch

Keeping the Night Watch was written by Hope Anita Smith and Illustrated by E. B. Lewis. It is a chapter, poetry book. The theme of the book is the importance of family and trust. The primary character is C.J. and the secondary characters are his family, especially his father. The book was published in 2008 by Henry Holt and Company.

C.J. is the oldest child in his family. His father walked out on them and he took the father role in the family. Once his father comes back, everyone else is quick to trust him, but C.J. resents his father and does not want him back. C.J. writes about how his family handles his dad leaving and returning and the struggles he has about trusting him again. I would use this book to introduce older students to how poetry can be used in every day life. The author of this book wrote about his feelings towards his father. By reading this story, students could use it as a model to write a book about their own life or feelings.

Goin' Someplace Special

Goin' Someplace Special was written by Patricia McKissack and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. It is in the picture book genre, with realistic fiction and history. The theme of the story is that in order to get to where you want to be you will have to do hard work and overcome challenges and setbacks. The primary character in this story is Tricia Ann and her grandmother. It was published in 2001 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers. It is a Coretta Scott King Award Winner.

The story takes place in Nashville in the 1950's. Tricia Ann is a young girl who lives in a segregated community that is filled with Jim Crowe laws. Tricia Ann talks her grandmother into allowing her to go to "Someplace Special" all by herself. Tricia Ann starts on her trip very excited. However, as she comes across many incidents due to the Jim Crowe laws she finds herself more discouraged. She stumbles across an old lady who encourages her to keep on working to get to that place. Once Tricia Ann is able to finish her journey, she arrives at the public library and reads the sign: "All Are Welcome." I would use this book in many ways. This book could be incorporated into a black history lesson. Students could discuss the similarities and differences they have with Tricia Ann and how different their lives would be if they had these laws. Students would really love the story and could easily relate to it by living close to Nashville and being the same age as the young girl.

Pa Lia's First Day

This book was written by Michelle Edwards. It is a children's chapter book that is realistic fiction. The theme throughout the book is friendship. The primary character of the book is Pa Lia and the secondary characters are her friends, Howie and Calliope, and her teacher, Mrs. Fennessey. This book has not received any awards. It was published by Harcourt Books.

This book is about a young girl who is about to have her first day in second grade at a new school. Pa Lia is very nervous about finding her classroom. Her brother leaves her all alone and then she meets Calliope. The two girls discover they are in the same classroom. Calliope is very excited to introduce Pa Lia to Howie. When they get to the classroom, Howie does not like Pa Lia. The girls are assigned to sit with each other. Pa Lia is determine that Howie will like her so she writes her a note. Howie laughs and Mrs. Fennessey scolds the girls. Pa Lia confess to the teacher that she was the one who wrote the note. She is worried that the girls will really not like her anymore. But at recess she finds that Howie thinks she is very brave. The girls have a great rest of the day.
I would use this book at the beginning of the school year to encourage the students to make new friends. This book is a very good way to comfort children about first day jitters. I believe all children could relate and enjoy this book.

The Extreme Team: Rock On

This book was written by Matt Christopher and illustrated by Michael Koelsch. The genre of this story is realistic fiction and children's chapter book. The major theme through the book was bullying and overcoming fears. The primary character of the book was X and the secondary characters were Jonas, his friend, and Frank, the bully. This book has not received any awards. It was published by Little, Brown, and Company.

The book was about a teenage boy, X, who seems to be good at any sport. While snowboarding he runs into a bully, Frank, who wants to challenge him to a race. X wins the race. Then the girl who is in charge of the slops invites the boys to go on a trip with them to rock climb at the mall. All of X's friends are excited, but X seems unsure. That night at home he discovers he has a serious fear of heights. This makes X even more nervous about rock climbing. He is so scared that his friends will make fun of him that he goes on the trip anyway. When he begins to rock climb he does very well, until he looks down. Then the instructor has to help him down. X is very embarrassed. He is worried his friends will not like him anymore because he was a "coward." After talking with his mom, X goes and explains what happens to his friends, and finds out they did not think twice about it. At the slop the next day, X runs into Frank again. Frank makes fun of him for being scared and once confronted by X, everyone discovers that Frank is scared of heights, too.
I would use this book in my classroom to address bullying. I think it shows in a fun way that students can relate to. I think all children, around 2nd grade, would enjoy reading this book as a group of independently.

Soccer Cats: Hat Trick

This book was written by Matt Christopher and illustrated by Daniel Vasconcellos. The genre of this story was realistic fiction and children's chapter book. The theme throughout the book was teamwork. The primary character of the book was Stookie and the secondary characters were Lou, his friend, and Greg, his brother. The book has not received any awards. It was published by Little, Brown, and Company.

The book begins with Greg telling Stookie about how he made the paper because he was able to do a hat trick at his soccer game. Greg continues bragging about the hat trick to Stookie. Then stookie goes to tell his teammates that he will get a hat trick, which is three goals, in their next game. At the game, Stookie is so worried about getting three goals that he keeps the ball all to himself and will not pass to the other players. His coach finally sets him out of the game for the second half. Stookie winds up losing his friends. At their next practice, his friend Lou does not want to be his partner. The coach keeps the two boys after practice to talk about the importance of teamwork. Stookie realizes he needs to listen to his friend and coach. At their next game Stookie is much better about being part of a team. They win the game because Stookie assists so many of his fellow teammates!
I would use this book as part of my classroom library. I think the athletes, especially boys, would like to read this book. They could easily relate to the story and could learn the important lesson of teamwork.

Martin and the Giant Lions

By Caron Lee Cohen and illustrated by Elizabeth Sayles. The genre of the story is fantasy and picture book. The theme of the book was exploration. The primary character was Martin and the secondary characters were the giant lions. The book has not received any awards. It was published by Clarion Books.

The story is about a young boy, Martin, who is curious about what is at the top of the jungle gym. But his mom always takes him down before he can find out what is up there. Martin dreams about giant lions that he believes lives there. The book discusses his adventure with the lions. The Martin returns home before daylight. The next day at the playground he finds his pail with the cloud he found the giant lions still in it. I would use this book with young students as a writing prompt. I would read this story to the children and then have them write about what they would find in their dream on the top of the jungle gym and the type of adventure they would have. This book would be a good way to spark their imagination and creativity.

One Winter's Day

By M. Christina Butler and illustrated by Tina Macnaughton.

The genre of this story was animal fiction. The theme was the importance of giving to others and how it can benefit you. The primary character was the Little Hedgehog and the secondary characters are the other animals in the forest. The book has not received any awards. It was published by Good Books.

This book is about a Little Hedgehog whose house gets blown over in the winter storm. He wraps up and heads to Badger’s house. On the way there he passes many animals that need help to keep warm. So Little Hedgehog gives his winter clothing to them to keep them warm. He finally arrives to Badger’s house with no more winter clothing. The next day he worries about how he will ever build his home back, but to his surprise all the little animals he helped have already worked together to rebuild him a cozy home and returned his winter clothes. One Winter’s Day would be a great way to introduce children to a good character trait. By reading this story the children would be able to see the benefits of helping others and how it can benefit them in the long run. The book is also a touch and feel book which children would enjoy.

A Ladder to the Stars

By Simon Puttock and illustrated by Alison Jay.

The genre of this story was fiction picture book. The theme of this story is that you are only as old as you allow yourself to be. The primary character in this book was the young (old) girl and the secondary characters were the Star, Sun, and Moon. This book has not received any awards. It was published by Henry Holt and Company.

This book is about a young girl who wishes on a star. She wished that she could dance with the star. So the star hears her and tells the moon who decides they should tell the sun. Then the winds work together to plant a special seed which grows for 100 years into a huge, tall tree that brushes the sky. Then the little girl is awaken by the star when she is 107 years old and asked to climb the tree. Finally the woman is convinced and climbs all the way up to finally dance with the star. I would read this story to younger elementary children. It would be a fun way for them to learn about fantasy stories. And also for children to learn about science, with the sun, moon, and stars and the winds work together and how plants grow.

The Higher Power of Lucky

Written by Susan Patron and illustrated by Matt Phelan. This book was realistic fiction. The book has two major themes, the search for a "higher power" and friendship. The primary character in the story is Lucky Trimble and secondary characters include Miles, Lincoln, HG Beagle, and Brigitte. The Higher Power of Lucky won the Newberry Medal in 2007. It was published by Aladdin Paperbacks.

This story is about a young girl, Lucky, who lives in a small town in California. The town where she lives is very poor. Her mother was electrocuted and killed two years ago. Lucky does not know her father, but his previous wife, Brigitte, comes to take care of her. Lucky has two friends, Miles and Lincoln. She has three jobs in the town, one of which is to clean up where the Anonymous meetings take place so that no alcohol, cigarettes, or candy is left behind. While cleaning up for these meetings, Lucky hears the people refer to a "Higher Power" several times and decides to search for what one is. The rest of the story takes her through her journey for this. At the end of the story, a dust storm is coming through the town and Lucky is preparing to run away (because she believes Brigitte is planning to  return to Paris). While Lucky gathers her bag to run away, Miles comes to her house and Lucky makes him leave. As the storm worsens, everyone realizes Miles is gone. Then Lucky runs away with her dog and they come across Miles as they are heading to the dugout. Shortly after they get to the dugout, Lincoln shows up to tell them that the townspeople are looking for them. When everyone arrives, Lucky covers for her and Miles by welcoming everyone to her mother's memorial service and she releases her ashes from the urn. When they all return to town, Lucky discovers that Brigitte was not leaving her, instead she was going to adopt Lucky and open her own restaurant.
I would use this book with children ages 9-11. I believe children would just enjoy reading this book because it has adventure and is written from a view that children can relate to. This would be a wonderful way to introduce this age group into more lengthy chapter books because it is a fast read. The book does mention "scrotum" which could be offensive to some parents, but other than that it was a great book.

Otis

Otis was written and illustrated by Loren Long. The genre was fiction. The theme of the story is friendship. The primary character in this story is Otis, the tractor, and the secondary character is the calf. Otis has not received any awards. Penguin published this book.

This book is about a small tractor, Otis, who loves his farm. One night a calf is born and Otis soothes her to sleep. After that night they become best friends and play on the farm all day. Then the farmer gets a big tractor and pushed Otis out behind the barn. The calf misses his friend. One day the calf gets stuck in the mud and the farmer cannot get her out. Then Otis comes to the rescue. The calf gets out of the mud and they become best friends again on the farm. I would use this book with early elementary school students to show them the importance of friendship. This book also sends the message that the biggest and best of something isn't always the best.

Officer Buckle and Gloria

Officer Buckle and Gloria was written and illustrated by Peggy Rathman. The genre is fictional picture book. The theme of the story is safety. The primary character is Officer Buckle and the secondary character is Gloria, his dog. This book received the Caldecott Metal in 1996. It was published by Putnam Publishing Group.

In this book, Officer Buckle goes around the schools and gives speeches about the importance of safety. When he starts taking Gloria, the dog, with him the students begin paying much more attention to the speech. Officer Buckle believes it is because of him. Then one night he watches the news and sees Gloria acting out the safety tips behind him. Officer Buckle becomes upset with Gloria and decides to stop giving his speeches. Once the children from the schools start writing him letters he decides to begin the speeches again. I would use this story with early elementary students. The book would be a good way for the children to learn about safety and friendship.

Mine-O-Saur

Mine-O-Saur was written by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and illustrated by David Clark.
The genre of Mine-O-Saur was fiction and a sub-genre of comedy. The theme of this children's book was sharing. The primary character was the Mine-O-Saur and secondary characters were his friends. The book has not received any awards. It was published by Putnam Juvenile.

This story is about a young dinosaur who doesn't want anyone to play with his toys. He takes all his toys away from the children while saying, "mine, mine, mine!" The other children decide they do not want to play with him anymore. Then the mine-o-saur decides it is best to share the toys with everyone. I would use this book with young children. It is a great way to show them the importance of sharing. After the children see what happens to the mine-o-saur they will be much more willing to share and play with everyone.

Owl Moon

Own Moon by Jane Yolen.
Illustrated by John Schoenherr.
The genre of Owl Moon was picture book and the subgenre was realistic fiction. The theme of the story was anticipation and the good that comes from waiting patiently. The primary character was the little girl and the secondary character was Pa and the owl. This book received the Caldecott award in 1988. The publishing company was Philomel.

This book tells the story of a young girl who has been waiting for a long time to go owl hunting with her Pa. In this story the girl talks about how she must be quiet and still while they wait. In the end her father calls to an owl and they find one. She was able to see the owl in the tree staring at her. I would use this story with students to help them understand that when they wait patiently good things will come.

Scarecrow Pete

Scarecrow Pete by Mark Kimball Moulton.
illustrated by Karen Hillard Good.
Scarecrow Pete can be classified in the fiction genre with a subgenre of the joy of reading. The theme in this story was how joyful reading can be when it sparks your imagination. The primary character was Scarecrow Pete and the secondary character was the little boy. This book has not received any awards but it is a wonderful fall book for children to read, especially you want children to learn how much fun reading is. The publishing company was Ideals Publication.

This story was about a young boy who was in the field. He heard someone talking to him and found out it was Scarecrow Pete. He thought it was a dream. The scarecrow told him how much he loved to read. The two of them became close friends and read together everyday. I would like to use this book with children to help them read. It would be wonderful at the beginning of the year to get students excited about reading, especially with the time of the year the book is in.