Caldecott

1. A Sick Day for Amos McGee

12. My Friend Rabbit

2. Dont Let the Pidgeon Drive the Bus!

13. No, David

3. First the Egg

14. Owen

4. Have You Seen My Duckling?

15. Peppe the Lamplighter

5. Henrys Freedom Box

16. The House in the Night

6. Interrupting Chicken

17. The Polar Express

7. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

18. This is Not My Hat

8. King Bidgoods in the Bathtub

19. Tuesday

9. Knuffle Bunny

20. What Do You Do With a Tail Like

10. Madeline
11. Make Way for Ducklings

This?

Title: A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Author: Philip C. Stead
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: Amos McGee goes to the zoo every day to take care of his friends. He plays chess
with the elephant, races the tortoise, sits with the penguin, gives a handkerchief to the rhino, and
reads stories to the owl. One day Amos is sick and does not go to the zoo. His friends get on the
bus and go to Amoss house to take care of him.
Activity: Have the students write about what they do to help their parents when they get sick.
Review: 5 out of 5. This is a cute book that teaches children that when the people who take care
of them are sick, the best thing that they can do is reciprocate.

Title: Dont Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Author: Mo Willems
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: A pigeon tries to persuade the reader to let him drive the bus even though he knows he
is not allowed to.

Activity: Have the students create an argument as to why they should be allowed to do
something they know that they are not allowed to do such as driving the bus, skip brushing their
teeth, or watching a scary movie.
Review: 5 out of 5. I love this book. It makes an argument that many kids have made to their
parents. The pigeon is cute and funny and I love the illustrations that accompany the words.

Title: First the Egg

Author: Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: This book is a clever play on the age old question which came first, the chicken or
the egg. It teaches children about the order of things. First the egg, then the chicken.
Activity: Have the students list some things that come before other things.
Review: 4 out of 5. This book has cute pictures to accompany the words. I liked how the shape
of whatever comes first is cut out and forms into what comes next.

Title: Have You Seen My Duckling?

Author: Nancy Tafuri
Grade Level: K-1

Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: A duckling wanders off and its mother and her other ducklings go looking for it.
Activity: Have the students write about what it feels like to be lost or separated from his or her
family.
Review: 3 out of 5. I thought this book was a little strange. It had several pages without words
on them; however, the pictures and the message of the book were cute.

Title: Henrys Freedom Box

Author: Ellen Levine and Kadir Nelson
Grade Level: 2-3
Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: Henry grows up as a slave. He marries another slave and they have two children. His
wife and children are sold and Henry is very sad. He and some friends decide to mail Henry to
where Henry can be free and not a slave. Henry is in a very large box and gets mailed to friends
in Philadelphia where he is now a free man.
Activity: Study about the Underground Railroad and then have the students imagine and write
about where they would mail themselves.

Review: 5 out of 5. This a book filled with emotions. Happy, sad, happy again, sad again. This
book is a good way to teach students about the Underground Railroad. It talks about a very hard
to understand subject in an easy to understand way.

Title: Interrupting Chicken

Author: David Ezra Stein
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: Chicken wants his father to read him a bedtime story, but he keeps interrupting!
Chicken interrupts all of the bedtime stories that his father reads him. His father finally tells
Chicken to read him a story. Chickens father falls asleep and his snores interrupt Chickens
story.
Activity: Have the students rewrite one of their favorite stories.
Review: 5 out of 5. This is a great book. I love the character of Chicken. I love how he interrupts
to give the stories a better ending. He thinks that he can keep the characters from suffering if he
interrupts and warns them about the danger.

Title: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

Author: Simms Taback

Grade Level: K-1

Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: Joseph started with an overcoat. When it became worn out, he made it into a jacket.
He kept making new things out of his old things until he had nothing, so he made a book.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw different ways they could use their favorite toy or
clothing item to make it last longer.
Review: 5 out of 5. This is a cute book to teach children that they can turn old stuff into new
stuff if they use their creativity. Joseph got his moneys worth out of that overcoat and more than
his moneys worth with everything he made from it.

Title: King Bidgoods in the Bathtub

Author: Audrey Wood and Don Wood
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: King Bidgood will not come out of the bathtub. Everyone from knights, to dukes, to
members of the court try to get him out of the bathtub but they all fail. The Paige is the only one
who is smart enough to get the King out of the bathtub. He pulls the plug.
Activity: Have the students write about what they would do in the bathtub if they stayed in there
all day.

Review: 5 out of 5. This is a humorous book that teaches children that there is more than one
way to accomplish a task. It also teaches them that the simplest answer is sometimes the best
answer.

Title: Knuffle Bunny

Author: Mo Willems
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: Trixie goes to help her dad do the laundry at the Laundromat. She forgets Knuffle
Bunny there and cries the whole way home. Trixies dad does not know what is wrong. Trixies
mom realizes that Knuffle Bunny is missing and the whole family ruses to the Laundromat. They
find Knuffle Bunny and Trixie says her first words.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw their favorite stuffed animal as a child.
Review: 5 out of 5. I wish there were more stars to give. I love the animation of the characters
over the black and white photographs. The story is also very adorable.

Title: Madeline
Author: Ludwig Bemelmans
Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: Madeline goes to a school for girls. One night she screams and the doctor says that her
appendix will have to be removed. The girls come and visit Madeline in the hospital. They play
with her toys and see her scar. That night Miss Clavel senses that something is not right. All of
the girls are crying that they want their appendixes out too. Miss Clavel wishes them good night
and reminds them to be grateful that they are well.
Activity: The pictures in the book contain many famous places in Paris. Assign students into
groups to learn about the various landmarks and have them present to the class.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book combines clever rhymes with imaginative pictures and interesting
characters to create a fantastic book.

Title: Make Way for Ducklings

Author: Robert McCloskey
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: A new family of ducks is going to meet their father in the park across town.
Policemen assist the ducks in crossing the dangerous roads.
Activity: Write about a time that someone has helped you or how you have helped someone.

Review: 5 out of 5. I love this book. I love how concerned the duck parents are at finding the
perfect spot for their children. I love how the policemen take time out of their busy day to help
the ducks cross the road. It is a great book to teach children to be considerate of others.

Title: My Friend Rabbit

Author: Eric Rohmann
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: Mouses new friend Rabbit means well, but wherever he goes he causes trouble, like
the time Mouse decided to let Rabbit play with his new toy airplane. It gets stuck in a tree. Dont
worry! Rabbit has a plan oh dear.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw a person who tries to help but only makes things
worse.
Review: 5 out of 5. Rabbit is a funny character. He reminds me of the children who always want
to help but they make everything worse instead of helping. This is a good book to teach about
patience and having a good attitude when things do not quite go your way.

Title: No, David!

Author: David Shannon

Grade Level: K-1

Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: David keeps getting into trouble from his mother. Her favorite phrase is no, David!
Activity: Have the students make a list of things that they would get in trouble for doing. Draw a
picture of one of the ways they would get in trouble from the list.
Review: 5 out of 5. This is a cute book. I love how David just keeps getting into trouble. I also
like the message the mom gives at the end - that she loves him and will no matter what he did.

Title: Owen
Author: Kevin Henkes
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: Owen loves his blanket. He refuses to part with it despite all of his neighbors
suggestions and his parents efforts. Owens mother finally comes up with the idea to turn his
blanket into handkerchiefs so Owen can take his blanket with him wherever he goes.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw their favorite childhood item.
Review: 5 out of 5. I love this book. I love how Owen got to keep his blanket with him in the
end, but in smaller pieces. I think that this is a good book to teach children that it is okay to be
attached to something as long as the something does not interfere with everyday life.

Title: Peppe the Lamplighter

Author: Elisa Bartone
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: Peppes father is sick, his mother is dead, and he has seven sisters to look after. He
gets a job lighting the street lamps at night. His father disapproves of Peppes job and
discourages him from doing it. One night, Peppe does not light the street lamps and his youngest
sister is left out in the dark. Peppes father tells Peppe to light the lamps. Peppes father is proud
of him when Peppe brings his youngest sister home.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw a job that is an important job even though some
people might not think so. Ex. Garbage men, roofers, etc.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is a good example to teach children how to step up and take the
initiative to help their parents. This is a great story with great illustrations.

Title: The House in the Night

Author: Susan Marie Swanson
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Caldecott

Synopsis: The book starts with the key to the house, in the house there is a light, and so on. It
goes all the way down to the song in a bird and then it works its way backwards to the key to the
house.
Activity: Have the students start with something large and work down to something small.
Review: 1 out of 5. This was a weird book. I read it several time and I am still not sure where the
book was about or how it justified the path that it followed. It bounced around a lot. If it is
confusing for me, what would it do to a child?

Title: The Polar Express

Author: Chris Van Allsburg
Grade Level: K-3
Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: A boy is taken by train to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. He is chosen by Santa to
receive the first gift of Christmas. He chooses a bell from Santas sleigh. The bell can only be
heard by people who really believe in Santa.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw what they would have asked for if they were
chosen to receive the first gift of Christmas.
Review: 5 out of 5. This is a cute book. It has a great message about believing in the magic of
Christmas.

Title: This is Not My Hat

Author: Jon Klassen
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: A little fish steals a hat from a big fish and thinks that he will get away with it.
Probably.
Activity: Have the students write about how the big fish got his hat back from the little fish
because the ending was left ambiguous.
Review: 4 out of 5. I like how this book teaches kids that assumptions are wrong. It uses the
word probably with pictures that contradict the assumption. This is a very cute book.

Title: Tuesday
Author: David Wiesner
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: One Tuesday around 8:00 pm all of the frogs lily pads start to hover. The frogs hover
all around town for the entire night! Then about 4:30 in the morning, all of the lily pads stop

hovering. The frogs go back to the pond and the police are puzzled as to why lily pads are
everywhere.
Activity: Have the students write about where they would go if they could fly.
Review: 2 out of 5. I thought this book was really strange. The story is mainly told through
pictures. The pictures, while cute, do not adequately tell the story without close inspection.

Title: What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?

Author: Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Caldecott
Synopsis: Discover what amazing things that different animals use their tails, eyes, and noses
for.
Activity: Have the students pick an animal that was mentioned in this book, read about it, and
tell the class what they discovered.
Review: 4 out of 5. This book was very repetitive in the way that it said things. I thought that the
pictures and facts were interesting and cute, but I was bored by the end of the book and ready for
it to end.

Seasonal/Holiday
1. Hooray for Fall!
2. How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas?
3. The Night Before Christmas
4. The Night Before St. Patricks Day
5. The Parable of the Lily
6. The Pine Tree Parable
7. The Pumpkin Patch Parable
8. The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy
9. The Smallest Gift of Christmas
10. The Sunflower Parable

Title: Hooray for Fall!

Author: Kazuo Iwamura
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Seasonal/Holiday
Synopsis: A family of squirrels prepare for the coming winter in the fall. The children receive
matching red sweaters and go around finding all of the red items in nature, like red leaves.
Activity: Have the students color what their house looks like in the fall.
Review: 3 out of 5. For a book that is supposed to be about fall, it sure did talk about winter a
lot. It was a cute book but it just seemed like it was trying too hard.

Title: How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas?

Author: Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Seasonal/Holiday
Synopsis: This book tells children how dinosaurs behave on Christmas Eve through saying what
dinosaurs do not do.
Activity: Have the students pick their favorite dinosaur from the book, research it, and present it
to the class.

Review: 5 out of 5. I loved how the book rhymed and the pictures were illustrated. I thought that
it was a great idea to put the names of the different kinds of dinosaurs on the page. This book not
only teaches children about the different kinds of dinosaurs, it teaches them how to behave as
well.

Title: The Night Before Christmas

Author: Clement C. Moore
Grade Level: K-3
Genre: Seasonal/Holiday
Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, a man sees Santa Claus come to his house.
Activity: Have the students write about or draw about what happened when Santa Claus came to
their house.
Review: 5 out of 5. There is a reason certain books are timeless. This book is fun to read no
matter what age you are.

Title: The Night Before St. Patricks Day

Author: Natasha Wing
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Seasonal/Holiday

Synopsis: Tim and Maureen set traps for a leprechaun as they prepare for St. Patricks Day.
They catch one and get him to tell them where he hid his gold. He tricked them and wished them
better luck next year.
Activity: Make crafts for St. Patricks Day.
Review: 4 out of 5. This book is very cute, but it lacks some originality. The whole book is
based off of The Night Before Christmas but changed for St. Patricks Day.

Title: The Parable of the Lily

Author: Liz Curtis Higgs
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Seasonal/Holiday
Synopsis: Maggie received a present from an unknown person. It was a box of dirt with a bulb in
it. She received instructions to water it every day and keep it in a dark place. Maggie was sad
that her present was not a toy so she put it in the cellar and forgot about it. In the spring, she
accidentally broke the box and threw the bulb outside. It bloomed into a beautiful lily. Maggie
realized that the present was from her father and she asked for forgiveness for being ungrateful.
Activity: Have the students plant seeds and watch them grow into flowers. The students can
keep a log of how the flower is growing. They can compare which flower is growing faster,
which flower has more buds, and which flower blooms first.

Review: 4 out of 5. This is an adorable book to teach about being grateful for what we are given,
being patient is important, and that true beauty is not always seen at first glance.

Title: The Pine Tree Parable

Author: Liz Kurtis Higgs
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Seasonal/Holiday
Synopsis: The Farmer grows Christmas trees to sell every winter. The Farmers Wife has a
perfect tree that she loves and will not sell. A poor family comes for the broken, free trees. The
girl wants to get the perfect tree. The Farmers Wife gives it to her as a gift.
Activity: Make and decorate Christmas trees or ornaments to give to others as gifts.
Review: 5 out of 5. I love this book. It teaches how joy comes from giving to others, not keeping
for ourselves.

Title: The Pumpkin Patch Parable

Author: Liz Curtis Higgs
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Seasonal/Holiday

Synopsis: The Farmer plants the pumpkins in the summer and they grow into big pumpkins by
the fall. The Farmer harvests the pumpkins; then he chooses one to carve. He gives the pumpkin
a big smile so the pumpkin can spread the smile to all of the people that see it.
Activity: Make Jack-o-lanterns out of paper. Have the students tell/write about why they gave
their pumpkins their different features.
Review: 3 out of 5. It was cute, but I have read better books. It was very descriptive which I
enjoyed, but it lacked an overall message or plot.

Title: The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy

Author: Jane Thayer
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Seasonal/Holiday
Synopsis: A puppy really wants a boy for Christmas. His mother looked all over but she could
not find him one. The puppy sets out to look for a boy. He looks for a long time, walks very far,
and nearly gives up. Then he comes upon a boys home. The puppy did not just get one boy for
Christmas, he got fifty!
Activity: Have the students write about/draw their ideal pet.
Review: 5 out of 5. This is a heart-warming tale of finding where you belong. This is a good
example of how with a little effort anyone achieve their goals.

Title: The Smallest Gift of Christmas

Author: Peter H. Reynolds
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Seasonal/ Holiday
Synopsis: Roland wants the biggest Christmas gift that he can get. When none of his presents are
big enough, he gets into his rocket and searches for his gift. When he misses his home and his
family, he realizes that he has the biggest gift of all.
Activity: Have the students write about their favorite Christmas present and why it was their
favorite.
Review: 5 out of 5. I loved the message that this story taught and I thought that the illustrations
were very cute. I liked how Roland realized what he had himself instead of someone else having
to tell him.

Title: The Sunflower Parable

Author: Liz Curtis Higgs
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Seasonal/Holiday

Synopsis: Logan wants to plant something in the garden that will grow taller than his brother or
sisters plants. He plants sunflower seeds. He becomes upset at the end of the summer when they
die. His father explains that the seeds from the sunflowers will feed the birds and people, they
will spread in the wind and grow new sunflowers the next summer.
Activity: Make sunflowers out of paper putting real sunflower seeds in the middle of the flower.
Have the students write a story about where the wind would carry their sunflower seeds.
Review: 4 out of 5. I thought that this book is cute and well-illustrated. It teaches about how God
has a plan for everything even if it is not the plan that you intended.

Math/Number/Counting
1. Bears on Wheels
2. One Bear Lost
3. One Hungry Monster
4. Ten Apples Up on Top
5. Ten Creepy Monsters

Title: Bears On Wheels

Author: Stan and Jan Berenstain
Grade Level: 1-2
Genre: Math/number/counting
Synopsis: Various numbers of bears on various numbers of wheels. Some bears are added to the
wheels and some bears are subtracted from the wheels through crashes.
Activity: Write several new pages with a different number of bears on different numbers of
wheels. OR write a book with other items that can be added or subtracted.
Review: 2 out of 5. It was a confusing book the first time I read it through. It does attempt to
teach about addition and subtraction. It might also be hinting at fractions. I appreciate the effort,
but I feel like more elaboration through text is necessary.

Title: One Bear Lost

Author: Karen Hayles and Jenny Jones
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Math/Numbers/Counting
Synopsis: As ten bears play the day away, their numbers dwindle until one is left all alone. He is
one lost bear.

Activity: Have the students make up stories where they start with ten items/characters then lose
one item/character until they get down to one.
Review: 4 out of 5. This book is cute. I like how it teaches children to count backwards from ten
instead of the traditional counting up to ten.

Title: One Hungry Monster

Author: Susan Heyboer OKeefe
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Math/Number/Counting
Synopsis: A boy has to deal with an increasing number of hungry monsters who are invading his
house and demanding food. When the number of hungry monsters gets to ten, the boy finds food
for the monsters. They are rude and make a mess. The boy demands that they leave. The
monsters leave and the boy eats a muffin that the monsters did not get.
Activity: Assign each student a hungry monster to feed. Then have them feed the monster with 1
of this food and 2 of that food all the way to 10. Then color a picture of the monster eating the
food.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is a very cute way to learn how to count to ten. It also deals with
standing up for oneself through standing up to the hungry monsters.

Title: Ten Apples Up On Top

Author: Theo. LeSieg
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Math/number/counting
Synopsis: A lion, dog, and a tiger see who can balance more apples on top of their head. They all
get to ten apples. The other animals rally to stop the lion, dog, and tiger from being so silly and
try to knock the apples down. Everyone crashes into an apple truck and all the animals have ten
apples on top of their heads.
Activity: Number some plastic apples, see if the students can stack them in different ways: in
order, in reverse order, only even or odd numbers.
Review: 5 out of 5. I love the antics that the animals get up to in this book. I like how the
counting was integrated into the story. Instead of having a story about learning how to count, I
felt like I was learning to count while reading the story.

Title: Ten Creepy Monsters

Author: Carey F. Armstrong-Ellis
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Math/Number/Counting

Synopsis: Ten creepy monsters begin the night together. Their numbers dwindle down one-byone until there is only one monster left.
Activity: Have the students create a number line counting backwards from ten. Have them
include an illustration of the monster that corresponds with the number.
Review: 5 out of 5. This is a cute book that has cute illustrations, imaginative words, and
adorable monsters. It teaches children to count backwards from ten while engaging their
imaginations with the different monsters.

Science/Animal/Nature
1. Bennys Animals
2. Diary of a Spider
3. Fossil
4. Jangles: A Fish Story
5. Little Blue Planet
6. Our School Garden
7. Picture a Tree
8. Some Bugs
9. The Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth
10. The Magic School Bus: On the Ocean Floor

Title: Bennys Animals and How He Put Them in Order

Author: Millicent E. Selsam
Grade Level: 2-3
Genre: Science/Animal/Nature
Synopsis: Benny loves to put things in order. One day he cuts pictures of animals out of
magazines and outs them into piles according to their outward appearance. He goes to a museum
and he meets a professor who helps Benny organize his animals according to the scientific class
system.
Activity: Have students go through magazines and cut out animals. Then have them organize the
animals according to the scientific class system.
Review: 3 out of 5. This book, while a creative way to teach children about the scientific class
system, was very cheesy at points and the dialogue was unrealistic.

Title: Diary of a Spider

Author: Doreen Cronin
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Science/Animal/Nature
Synopsis: Spider keeps a diary just like a human would. Spiders adventures are similar to a
humans, but they have elements that would only exist in the life of a spider.

Activity: Have the students add another entry or two to Spiders diary.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is so creative! I love that spider has friends who are not spiders of
whom he must be considerate. I love the illustrations and how human elements weave their way
into Spiders home like how spider webs end up in our homes.

Title: Fossil
Author: Bill Thomson
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Science/Animal/Nature
Synopsis: A boy and his dog are walking on the beach when they discover that breaking open
fossils brings the fossil to life! Surely this wont bring the boy any trouble wont it?
Activity: Have the children color a fossil. Possibly bring in real fossils for them to touch.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book, though it has no words, is a wonderful book. It is full of
imagination and excitement. I appreciated the extra detail in the drawings.

Title: Jangles: A Big Fish Story

Author: David Shannon
Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Science/Animal/Nature
Synopsis: There is a fish that is a legend among fishermen. It is named Jangles because of all of
the fish hooks that it has in its jaw. One boy tells the story that his father told him about catching
Jangles.
Activity: Have students write about/draw a very big fish.
Review: 4 out of 5. This started off as a really cute story. Then it became very weird very
quickly. I do like the idea of the story and if the story had not gotten so weird and hard to follow,
it would have received five stars. There are a lot of books about playing sports and going on
adventures but there are not many fishing stories for children.

Title: Little Blue Planet

Author: Jon Riggs
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Science/Animal/Nature
Synopsis: Little Blue Planet is sad and lonely. The Sun sent a friend to play with the Blue Planet.
Activity: Have the students draw/create a model of the solar system.
Review: 3 out of 5. This book is very cute and it teaches children about how the Earth and the
Moon came together. The rhymes in the book seemed forced and the story line seemed like it
was trying too hard to resemble a fairy tale.

Title: Our School Garden

Author: Rick Swann
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Science/Animal/Nature
Synopsis: Michael is new to the school and is nervous about being in a new place with new
people. His nerves vanish when he sees the schools garden. Michael quickly learns new things
and makes new friends.
Activity: Have the students plant a mini garden in the classroom or even outside. If that does not
work, there are several garden-related activities that are mentioned in the book.
Review: 3 out of 5. While this book had cute illustrations, it left me confused. It tried to do too
much. It tried to tell a story, be an instruction book, and to be a fact book. The intentions of the
book are good, but the delivery of t content left much to be desired.

Title: Picture a Tree

Author: Barbara Reid
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Science/Animal/Nature

Synopsis: If asked to picture a tree, everyone would imagine a different kind of tree. Old trees,
young trees, trees covered in snow, trees covered in green leaves. The possibilities are endless.
Activity: Have the students picture a tree in their head and draw it. This should be done before
reading the book so that no one copies a tree out of the book.
Review: 5 out of 5. I was skeptical of this book because of the cover, but I loved it. I thought that
the illustrations were fabulous. I loved all the different kinds of trees and the creative take on
each different kind. I thought that the words were very cute and imaginative.

Title: Some Bugs

Author: Angela DiTerlizzi
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Science/Animal/Nature
Synopsis: Go on a bug-seeking adventure through your backyard! From stink bugs to lady bugs,
this book has them all.
Activity: Have the students pick their favorite bug from the book and write about/draw it.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is so cute! The illustrations are adorable. The words are creative
and engaging. It is a fun read.

Title: The Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth

Author: Joanna Cole

Grade Level: 1-3
Genre: Science/Nature/Animal
Synopsis: Mrs. Frizzles class failed to bring in rocks for their homework assignment, so they
have to go on a rock collecting field trip. They end up drilling right through the center of the
Earth! They come out on the other side through a volcano which erupts sending the bus flying
back to the school. It is just another day of learning with Mrs. Frizzles class.
Activity: Collect different kinds of rocks and see sort them into categories like Mrs. Frizzles
class did.
Review: 5 out of 5. I love the Magic School Bus. It teaches through adventure. It is a great way
for children to learn about rocks and inside the Earth while having fun and laughing at the timid
Arnold and the new kid who cannot believe her eyes.

Title: The Magic School Bus: On the Ocean Floor

Author: Joanna Cole
Grade Level: 1-3
Genre: Science/Nature/Animal
Synopsis: Mrs. Frizzle takes her class on a field trip to the ocean to learn about the ocean first
hand. They go all over the ocean from the intertidal zone to volcanic vents and beyond. They
learn about the ocean life in various parts of the ocean and make learning fun and interesting.

Activity: Have the students pick an area of the ocean that was covered in the book and then have
them create a presentation for the class about the area. The presentation must include information
that was not included in the book.
Review: 5 out of 5. I love the Magic School Bus. It teaches through adventure. It is a great way
for children to learn about the ocean while having fun and laughing at the timid Arnold.

Social Studies/Historical Fiction

1. At The Same Moment Around the World
2. How I Learned Geography
3. I, Too, Am America
4. Just in Time Abraham Lincoln
5. Levi Strauss Gets a Bright Idea
6. Mama, and Me, and the Model T
7. Queen Victorias Bathing Machine
8. Salt in His Shoes
9. The Soccer Fence
10. Yesterday I Had the Blues

Title: At the Same Moment Around the World

Author: Clotide Perrin
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Social Studies/Historical Fiction
Synopsis: The book tells what 24 different people are doing at the same moment around the
world.
Activity: Have the students write out a schedule and see what other children would be doing in
different time zones. Have them write about or draw about what would be happening to the other
children.
Review: 4 out of 5. This is a cute book that teaches children about time zones. I loved the
illustrations. The words could have had more creativity. The text was very repetitive and seemed
unoriginal.

Title: How I Learned Geography

Author: Uri Shulevitz
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Social Studies/Historical Fiction
Synopsis: A little boy and his family are exiled to a Middle Eastern country during WWII. They
are eating very little. One day his father spends the family bread money on a map of the world.

The boy spends his days studying the map, making rhymes out of the names on the map, and
drawing pictures on the map.
Activity: Have the students make rhymes out of the names of places and draw sections of a map.
Review: 5 out of 5. This is a cute book. I love that the boy used the map to escape from his bad
situation. The fact that this is based off of a true story makes the story even better.

Title: I, Too, Am America

Author: Langston Hughes
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Social Studies/Historical Fiction
Synopsis: The words of this book are pulled from a speech by Langston Hughes. The pictures
are drawn by an award winning artist.
Activity: Have the students write about or draw what makes them American.
Review: 2 out of 5. I have no idea what was supposed to be happening in this book. The words
did not make sense with the pictures. The way the speech was broken into phrases was
confusing. I just felt lost reading this book.

Title: Just in Time, Abraham Lincoln

Author: Patricia Polacco

Grade Level: 1-3

Genre: Social Studies/Historical Fiction
Synopsis: Two boys from the modern time are sent back in time to right after the Battle of
Antietam. They help Mathew Brady take battlefield photographs and meet Abraham Lincoln.
Activity: Have the students write about what they think it would have been like to be in the Civil
War.
Review: 4 out of 5. This is a cute book that teaches children that war is not a game and it is not
fun. It is very wordy and confusing in some points.

Title: Levi Strauss gets a Bright Idea

Author: Tony Johnston
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Social Studies/Historical Fiction
Synopsis: Levi sees a need for durable pants for the miners in the Gold Rush. He tries several
different types of material. Then it comes to him! He could use the material of which tents are
made.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw an invention to fix a problem.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book tells the origin of blue jeans in a very cute way that kids will love.
I loved the cute illustrations and the story was witty and funny.

Title: Mama and Me and the Model T

Author: Faye Gibbons
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Social Studies/Historical Fiction
Synopsis: The narrators large family and stepfamily are in for a surprise when her stepfather,
Mr. Long, brings home a Model T. Mr. Long starts to teach the boys how to drive but not the
girls. That aggravates Mama Searcy so she takes the car for a wild drive. When she returns, Mr.
Long consents to teach the girls how to drive too. The Model T belongs to the whole family, not
just the boys.
Activity: Have the students write about or draw something that both boys and girls can do.
Review: 5 out of 5. This is a cute book that teaches children about treating boys and girls the
same. This would be a good book to read if students were fighting over if boys or girls were
better.

Title: Queen Victorias Bathing Machine

Author: Gloria Whelan
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Social Studies/Historical Fiction

Synopsis: Queen Victoria wants to go swimming in the ocean, but it would be a disgrace if any
of the commoners saw her in a bathing suit. Her husband, Prince Albert, decided to think of a
way to get Victoria to the ocean without being seen. He invented the bathing machine for
Victoria.
Activity: Have the students come up with different ways to get Queen Victoria to the beach
unseen by the commoners. Have them share with the class.
Review: 5 out of 5. This adorable book tells the story of how Queen Victoria got her bathing
machine. It teaches children about how royalty had to live by certain rules and how with a little
effort, the rules can be overcome.

Title: Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream

Author: Deloris Jordan and Roslyn M. Jordan
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Social Studies/Historical Fiction
Synopsis: Michael wants to be taller so he will be better at basketball. His mother tells him that
if he puts salt in his shoes, says his prayers, and is patient then he will be taller. Michael did all
of those things and he was not an inch taller, but his practice helped him win his basketball
game.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw a time when they had to be patient.

Review: 5 out of 5. This book tells a great story of patience and perseverance. I thought the
illustrations were cute and the story was well-worded.

Title: The Soccer Fence: A Story of Friendship, Hope, and Apartheid in South Africa
Author: Phil Blinder
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Social Studies/Historical Fiction
Synopsis: A boy living in Apartheid South Africa dreams of playing soccer on a real field like
the ones he sees in the other Johannesburg township.
Activity: Have the students write letters to Nelson Mandela asking about apartheid and how he
ended it.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is a great way to teach children about the apartheid in South
Africa. I love how it was sports that brought the two boys in this book together. The illustrations
are cute and the message is great.

Title: Yesterday I Had the Blues

Author: Jeron Ashford Frame
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Social Studies/Historical Fiction

Synopsis: A boy had the blues. Today he had the greens. His family feels in a range of colors too
and he describes how each family member is feeling with a variety of colors.
Activity: Have the students write about how they feel using colors.
Review: 5 out of 5. The pictures in this book were different but likeable. The words were clever
and imaginative. This book teaches children how to express their emotions in a different way.

Multicultural
1. A Dance Like Starlight
2. Coming Home Soon
3. Moses
4. My Uncle Martins Big Heart
5. Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote
6. Rap a Tap Tap
7. Rubys Wish
8. Skippyjon Jones
9. Stone Soup with Matzoh Balls
10. This is the Rope

Title: A Dance like Starlight

Author: Kristy Dempsey and Floyd Cooper
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Multicultural
Synopsis: A young African American girl lives in Harlem and wants nothing more than to be a
ballerina. Her mother works at the ballet studio and the girl knows every dance move to every
song. The teacher allows her to attend the classes with the white girls but the girl is not allowed
to perform on stage. The girl and her mother get tickets to see Janet Collins the first African
American prima ballerina perform and the girl knows that one day she will dance onstage like
Janet Collins.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw what they want to be when they grow up.
Review: 5 out of 5. I love the message of this book. It tells that through hard work, dreams can
come true. The book has a rhythm that is inescapable to fall into.

Title: Coming on Home Soon

Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Multicultural

Synopsis: Ada Ruths mother left to go find work in Chicago. She and her grandmother keep
busy without her mother but they still miss her. One day their prayers are answered when they
get a letter saying that Ada Ruths mother is coming home soon.
Activity: Have the students imagine that their parent has to leave to find work. Tell them to write
about how to react to being without their parent for a long period of time.
Review: 4 out of 5. This book really captured how a small girl would feel if her mother left for a
little while. This was mostly the thoughts of Ada Ruth and it was a little different for a childrens
book.

Title: Moses
Author: Carole Boston Weatherford
Grade Level: 1-3
Genre: Multicultural
Synopsis: This is the story of Harriet Tubman from how she ran away as a slave to how she
decided to return to lead other slaves to freedom.
Activity: Have the students do research about the Underground Railroad and share with the
class.
Review: 4 out of 5. This book is very good, but the constant prayer and answer between Harriet
and God got confusing at times. The illustrations were magnificent and I liked how the text
flowed on the page and was not constricted to a text box.

Title: My Uncle Martins Big Heart

Author: Angela Farris Watkins, PhD
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Multicultural
Synopsis: This story tells about a side rarely seen of Martin Luther King Jr. Told from the
perspective of his niece, the story shows a different side to the man behind the famous speech
and the MLK holiday.
Activity: Have the students write letters to the niece of Martin Luther King Jr asking questions
about her uncle.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book made me see a person in a way that I have never thought of
before. I enjoyed seeing a different side to Martin Luther King Jr. I think that this is an important
book for children to read in helping understand what was lost in order to gain civil rights.

Title: Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote

Author: Duncan Tonatiuh
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Multicultural

Synopsis: Pancho Rabbits father had to leave Pancho and his family to go work to earn money
for the family. When Panchos father did not return home when he was supposed to, Pancho
hired a coyote to take him to where his father was supposed to be working. When the coyote and
Pancho were almost there, the coyote was so hungry that he planned on eating Pancho. Panchos
father heard Panchos cries for help and rescued him.
Activity: Have the students write about what they would have done if they were in Panchos
situation. Is there anything that they would have done differently than Pancho?
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is cute. The illustrations are reminiscent of old Mexican drawings.
I liked that this book echoed the process of immigrants coming to work in America. I also liked
how Panchos journey to find his father is similar to what illegal immigrants go through to cross
the border.

Title: Rap a Tap Tap: Heres Bojangles Think of That!

Author: Leo and Diane Dillon
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Multicultural
Synopsis: Bojangles dances everywhere. He makes others want to dance. He spreads his dancing
feet all over town.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw someone that they admire.

Review: 4 out of 5. This book is cute. The rhythmic feel of the words and the illustrations were
very cute.

Title: Rubys Wish

Author: Shirin Yim Bridges
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Multicultural
Synopsis: Ruby loves to go to the school classes that her grandfather provides for his
grandchildren. Ruby tells her grandfather that she does not want to be married when she grows
up, she wants to go to the University and keep learning. Her grandfather surprises her and sends
her to the University making her one of the very first female students.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw a dream that they have.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is great! I loved the illustrations and the story. I feel like this is a
good book for everyone to read. Dreams come true with hard work and perseverance.

Title: Skippyjon Jones

Author: Judy Schachner
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Multicultural

Synopsis: Skippyjon Jones gets sent to his room by his mother. He goes into his closet and
imagines that he is Skippito Friskito a Chihuahua and a sword fighter. He rescues the other
Chihuahuas from the Bandito.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw themselves as a different person.
Review: 4 out of 5. I thought that Skippyjon was cute and imaginative. I thought that at some
points the switching between English and Spanish was a little confusing.

Title: Stone Soup with Matzoh Balls: A Passover Tale in Chelm

Author: Linda Glaser
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Multicultural
Synopsis: This is a Jewish take on the folk tale of Stone Soup. A man tricks the people of the
Jewish village of Chelm into fixing stone soup for the entire village for Passover.
Activity: Have the students write about or draw their favorite holiday meal.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is a cute way to tell the story of stone soup. I like how it
incorporates the Jewish tradition of Passover. I could see reading this book in class.

Title: This is the Rope: A Story from the Great Migration

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Multicultural
Synopsis: A rope is a useful tool. This particular rope is passed down through the generations of
one family and is always there when it is needed.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw something that has been passed down through their
family or something that they want to pass down to their children.
Review: 4 out of 5. This book is cute and tells a sweet story. I liked the book overall, but it was
not fabulous enough to deserve a 5.

Issue
1. A Bad Case of the Stripes
2. Desmond and the Very Mean Word
3. Each Kindness
4. Forty-Four Freckles
5. I Have Two Homes

Title: A Bad Case of the Stripes

Author: David Shannon
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Issue
Synopsis: Camilla Cream loves lima beans, but she is worried about the other children laughing
at her. She woke up one morning with a bad case of the stripes. She was made fun of at school
and was sent home for disturbing the classroom. All of the doctors, experts, and scientists tried to
figure out what was wrong with Camilla. One little old woman showed up at the door one day
and told fed Camilla some lima beans. Camilla was instantly cured and never was embarrassed
about liking lima beans again.
Activity: Draw or write about something that you like that others might not. Share with the class.
It is ok to like different things.
Review: 4 out of 5. I love this book. It tells a funny story and delivers a powerful message about
how you should accept the person who you are even if everyone else thinks that it is weird or
different.

Title: Desmond and the Very Mean Word

Author: Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Carlton Abrams
Grade Level: K-1

Genre: Issue
Synopsis: Desmond is riding his new bike to show Father Trevor when some boys shout a very
mean word to him. Desmond is very upset and Father Trevor tells him to forgive the other boys.
Desmond yells a mean word to the other boys instead. Desmond feels bad about yelling at the
boys so he apologizes to one of the boys and forgives them.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw how they would feel if someone called them a bad
word.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book has such a good message to it. The illustrations are cute and the
words are easy to understand while still giving an important message.

Title: Each Kindness

Author: Jaqueline Woodson
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Issue
Synopsis: When a new girl named Maya comes to school, Chloe and her friends will not let
Maya play with them. They will not even smile back to Maya. One day, when their teacher was
talking about kindness, Maya stops coming to school. Chloe feels horrible that she was not kind
to Maya.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw what they could do to be kind to one another.

Review: 5 out of 5. The message this book sends is wonderful. I like how Chloe realized on her
own how unkind she and her friends were to Maya.

Title: Forty-Four Freckles

Author: Peggy Heinrich
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Issue
Synopsis: Lizzy and Jenny were look-alike twins. They did everything the same. Then one day,
their parents told them that they were leaving the city and moving to the country. Lizzy was very
excited and Jenny was sad. Lizzy loved the country she played sports and climbed trees. Jenny
was sad and missed the city. Lizzy and Jenny realized that they were different even though they
had been the same for so long. It was good that they were different; they were two different
people not one.
Activity: Make a list or Venn-Diagram of similarities and differences between a sibling or a
friend.
Review: 4 out of 5. As a twin, I love this book. I am different from my sister and I like for others
to see that twins are not the same person. I think that the book could be a little better written; it
seems unrealistic in some of its writing.

Title: I Have Two Homes

Author: Marian De Smet
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Issue
Synopsis: Ninas parents got a divorce. She has two houses. Her parents act differently. Nina
realizes that although her parents do not love each other like they used to, her parents love her
even more. They will always be there for her.
Activity: Have the students draw a family tree.
Review: 4 out of 5. While this was a cute book, I thought that the story line was lacking and the
writing was bad. The pictures and the message that the book contained made the book better.

Favorite Character/Series
1. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
2. Chrysanthemum
3. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
4. Curious George
5. Green Eggs and Ham
6. Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble
7. Nate the Great
8. Paddington
9. Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes
10. The Cat in the Hat

Title: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Author: Judith Viorst
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Favorite Character/Series
Synopsis: Alexander is having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Nothing can go right
for him. He does not get a window seat in the car, he does not get desert in his lunch box, and his
bath water is too hot. His mother says that some days are like that though.
Activity: Have students write about a bad day that they had or make up a bad day of their own.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is so cute. It perfectly captures how sometimes nothing goes right.
It teaches children to just accept that fact and hope that things will be better tomorrow.

Title: Chrysanthemum
Author: Kevin Henkes
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Favorite Character/Series
Synopsis: Chrysanthemum thinks that her name is perfect. She goes to school and her classmates
make fun of her. It is not until Chrysanthemum and her classmates meet Mrs. Twinkle, who
loves Chrysanthemums name, that everyone thinks that Chrysanthemum has a beautiful name.
Activity: Have the children write letters to Chrysanthemum to cheer her up.

Review: 5 out of 5. This book is so cute. It teaches children about how teasing other people hurts
their feelings. It also teaches children to be proud of their differences even if they are being
teased.

Title: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Author: Judi Barrett
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Favorite Character/Series
Synopsis: In a town called Chewandswallow, it rained food instead of rain. The residents of
Chewandswallow got food from the sky three times every day. One day, the food started getting
bigger and bigger. The food was out of control! A ginormous pancake covered the school! The
residents of Chewandswallow decided to leave. They made boats out of giant toast and pizza and
settled happily somewhere else.
Activity: Have the students write about what they would do if it started raining food. Would they
share, keep it, build houses out of it?
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is filled with such imagination. I love how the words are perfectly
mirrored in the pictures.

Title: Curious George

Author: H. A. Rey
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Favorite Character/Series
Synopsis: George is a curious monkey. The Man with the Yellow Hat captures George and takes
him far away from his home. George is scared at first, but then he gets curious. He gets into one
troublesome situation after another.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw what they would do with a pet monkey.
Review: 5 out of 5. I love this monkey. He reflects the good-natured curiosity in everyone. I love
the illustrations and the words are wonderful. It is no wonder that this book has been loved by
generations.

Title: Green Eggs and Ham

Author: Dr. Seuss
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Favorite Character/Series
Synopsis: A character is harassed by Sam-I-Am to try green eggs and ham. He refuses
repeatedly. He finally agrees to try green eggs and ham so Sam will stop pestering him. He
discovers that he likes green eggs and ham.

Activity: Eat green eggs and ham while reading the book. Give children homework to try
something new, not necessarily food, and write about if they liked it or not.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is amazing. It allows children to see that it is good to try new
things because they might like what they try.

Title: Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble

Author: Cynthia Rylant
Grade Level: 1-3
Genre: Favorite Character/Series
Synopsis: Henry and Mudge get into a variety of springtime situations from Mudge eating a
flower, to playing in puddles, to protecting kittens from a mean dog. Henry and Mudge learn
about patience and remembering to ask a parent for permission to play outside.
Activity: Have the student write and illustrate what they like to do with their pets or friends in
the springtime.
Review: 5 out of 5. Henry and Mudge is imaginative and tells the most ordinary stories in a way
that makes them seem like huge adventures.

Title: Nate the Great

Author: Majorie Weinman Sharmat

Grade Level: 1-3

Genre: Favorite Character/Series
Synopsis: Nate was eating his favorite breakfast, pancakes, when Annie called him because she
cannot find her painting. He goes to her house to look for it. Nate interviews several people
while looking for the painting. He solves the case and finds the painting.
Activity: Create a mystery for the students to solve. It will have them think outside the box, pull
information from multiple sources, and teach them to use what they know to solve their
problems.
Review: 5 out of 5. I love this book. It is written like an old-timey detective story. Nate is quick
witted and seriously loves pancakes.

Title: Paddington
Author: Michael Bond
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Favorite Character/Series
Synopsis: A family finds a bear at Paddington Station. They name him Paddington and take him
home with them. Paddington gets into some trouble, but through the kindness of the family, he
makes it through and falls asleep in a comfortable arm chair.
Activity: Pick a favorite stuffed animal and write and illustrate a story about that animal.

Review: 5 out of 5. This is a cute book about finding a home and people who accept you for who
you are. I love how polite and innocent Paddington is in this book. He sets a good example for
the children who read it.

Title: Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes

Author: Eric Litwin
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Favorite Character/Series
Synopsis: Pete the Cat is going to school but he is not worries because he is rocking in his
school shoes. If Pete gets into a different or new situation he keeps calm and sings his song.
Activity: Have the students write a simple song about something they like.
Review: 5 out of 5. I love how confident Pete the Cat is throughout the uncertainties of the day.
He is a good example of how to stay calm and focus on the positive of any situation.

Title: The Cat in the Hat

Author: Dr. Seuss
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Favorite Character/Series

Synopsis: The Cat comes to the house of the narrator and his sister Sally and causes trouble. He
messes up the house aided by Thing 1 and Thing 2. Just when it seems like the narrator and Sally
are going to get in trouble from their mother, the Cat cleans up all of his mess.
Activity: Have the students write a story about what they would do if their mother went away.
Review: 5 out of 5. I love this book. It is cute, original, and easy to read. It is no wonder why it
is still loved after so long.

Folk Tale/Fairy Tale

1. Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs
2. Puff the Magic Dragon
3. Puss in Boots
4. Rapunzel
5. Stone Soup
6. Strega Nona
7. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
8. The Princess and the Peas and Carrots
9. The Three Pigs
10. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs

Title: Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs

Author: Mo Willems
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Folk Tale/Fairy Tale
Synopsis: Three dinosaurs are not setting a trap for Goldilocks. No they are not. They just went
Somewhere Else and left chocolate pudding sitting out
Activity: Have the students write Goldilocks a letter telling her why she should not wander into
strange houses.
Review: 5 out of 5. This take on the classic story is brilliant! It is oozing with sarcasm. I love it.
It matches the wit and humor that children today spurt off.

Title: Puff the Magic Dragon

Author: Peter Yarrow and Lenny Lipton
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Folk/Fairy Tale
Synopsis: Puff the Magic Dragon lives near the land of Honalee where he plays with his friend
Jackie all the time. Then Jackie grows up and goes away and Puff is sad until he meets a new
friend to play with.
Activity: Have the children write about/draw what they would do if they could play with Puff.

Review: 5 out of 5. This book is so cute. Puff is the nicest dragon I have ever met. Children and
grownups will enjoy this book tremendously.

Title: Puss in Boots

Author: Charles Perrault
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Folk/Fairy Tale
Synopsis: A father dies and leaves his third son only his cat, while the other two sons received
items that they could use to make money. This cat, named Puss, asks his master for a pair of
boots and a sack and then he would make his master money. Puss uses his sack and his brains to
win his master the heart of the princess and they all lived happily ever after.
Activity: Have the students to write about/draw what their pets would do if they could talk.
Imaginary pets can also be used.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is great. The pictures were cute and the story was well told. It
teaches children to not judge things on their appearance.

Title: Rapunzel
Author: Paul O. Zelinsky
Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Folk/Fairy Tale

Synopsis: A sorceress takes a baby in payment for a man stealing from her. She raises the baby
until she is twelve and then puts the girl in a tower. A prince hears the girl singing one day and
he decides he must see her. They fall in love and get married but Rapunzel never left the tower.
One day the sorceress finds out that Rapunzel is pregnant and sends her to the wilderness. The
prince is blinded by the sorceress. The prince wanders into the wilderness and finds Rapunzel by
accident. The princes tears of joy allow him to see again and they live happily ever after.
Activity: Draw Rapunzel in the tower. Use yarn as her hair.
Review: 5 out of 5. This is a great version of the fairy tale. I like how the story was both detailed
and brief. While it is a longer story it was written very well and would hold a small childs
attention.

Title: Stone Soup

Author: Ann McGovern
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Folk/Fairy Tale
Synopsis: A young man is hungry and tired from walking all day. He stops at a cottage but the
little old woman will not help him. He asks for a stone; he tells her that he can make soup from
it. He convinces the little old woman that the soup would taste better with different vegetables

and some spices. The woman makes the young man very good soup without realizing what she
was doing.
Activity: Have the students write about and draw ingredients that they would include in their
stone soup.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is so cute and the young man is very smart. The young man uses
what is available to him to get the old woman to help him. It shows how smart and creative
people can get the help they need even from unkind people.

Title: Strega Nona

Author: Tomie dePaola
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Folk/Fairy Tale
Synopsis: Strega Nona needs a helper because she is getting old. She hires Big Anthony. One
day while Strega Nona is out, Big Anthony disobeys her and touches her magic pasta pot. Big
Anthony almost covers the entire town with pasta! Strega Nona arrives just in time to stop it. As
punishment, Big Anthony has to eat all of the pasta that he made from the pasta pot.
Activity: Have the students write about a time when disobeying got them into trouble.
Review: 5 out of 5. I think that this book is a cute and funny way to teach children the
importance of obeying. Strega Nona is a great character and Big Anthony is a curious boy who
did not mean to cause trouble.

Title: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Author: Robert D. San Souci
Grade Level: 1-3
Genre: Folk/Fairy Tale
Synopsis: Ichabod Crane is a school teacher who loves to hear scary stories. He wants to marry
Katrina who is the daughter of a wealthy farmer. When he asks Katrina if she would marry him,
she laughed at him. Ichabod was riding home that night when he heard the Headless Horseman
riding behind him. Ichabod ride for the Church Bridge because the Horseman cannot cross the
bridge. The next day, Ichabod had disappeared and all that they would find was a pumpkin on
the bridge.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw something scary.
Review: 3 out of 5. This story was very well told, but it was very long. There were too many
words per page. I feel like I kept getting lost on the page. I liked the illustrations.

Title: The Princess and the Peas and Carrots

Author: Harriet Ziefert
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Folk/Fairy Tale

Synopsis: Rosebud is good most of the time, but she is fussy when thing are not how she likes
them. One night at supper her peas and her carrots are TOUCHING! She pushes her plate off of
the table and makes a mess in her room. Once Rosebud calms down her father tells her about the
Princess and the Pea. When Rosebud cannot sleep because her bed is lumpy, her father discovers
a marble under her mattress.
Activity: Have the students write about/draw what they would do if they were a prince/princess.
Review: 5 out of 5. I can imagine that all princesses have tantrums when they are young. The
important thing is that they apologize and learn from their mistakes. This book is a great way to
share that lesson to all of the little princesses out there.

Title: The Three Pigs

Author: David Wiesner
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Folk Tale/Fairy Tale
Synopsis: The three little pigs run right out of their stories and start visiting others. Soon, they
gather enough friends to go back to the brick house of the third pig, take down the wolf, and live
happily ever after.
Activity: Have the students write about which fairy tale character they would most like to burst
out of their story book to meet them.

Review: 5 out of 5. This is a cute book. I was fooled into thinking that this was a mere retelling
of the same old story. I was wrong! The pigs bursting through the pages of the story book was
brilliant. I loved how the author incorporated other fairy tales into this one.

Title: The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!

Author: Jon Scieszka
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Folk/Fairy Tale
Synopsis: The story of the three little pigs that people know is wrong! The wolf tells all about
how he was given the title of the Big Bad Wolf. All he wanted was a cup of sugar to make his
grandmother a birthday cake.
Activity: Have the students make a Venn diagram of the similarities between the original story
of the Three Little Pigs and this version of the Three Little Pigs.
Review: 5 out of 5. This version of the three little pigs is adorable. I think that the storyline is
cute and the illustrations are great. The old-timey newspaper look to the illustrations make the
story feel like it was published long ago in the newspaper.

Fantasy/Other
1. A Mink, A Fink, A Skating Rink
2. Hairy, Scary, Ordinary
3. Lesters Dreadful Sweaters
4. Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same Thing
5. Swim! Swim!
6. The Mysteries of Harris Burdick
7. The Day the Crayons Quit
8. The Kissing Hand
9. The Loch Mess Monster
10. The Short Giraffe

Title: A Mink, a Fink, a Skating Rink: What is a Noun?

Author: Brian P. Cleary
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Undecided
Synopsis: This book lists nouns in a fun and creative way. It combines rhymes and imaginative
pictures to help the reader remember the nouns long after the book is closed.
Activity: Find words within books, the classroom, and the school that are nouns.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is a cute way to learn or review what nouns are.

Title: Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What is an Adjective?

Author: Brian P. Cleary
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Undecided
Synopsis: This book lists adjectives in a fun and creative way. It combines rhymes and
imaginative pictures to help the reader remember the adjectives long after the book is closed.
Activity: Find words within books, the classroom, and the school that are adjectives.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is a cute way to learn or review what adjectives are.

Title: Lesters Dreadful Sweaters

Author: K.G. Campbell
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Fantasy/Other
Synopsis: Cousin Claras house gets eaten by a crocodile so she comes to live with Lesters
family. She did not touch any of Lesters things, but she did knit Lester a dreadful looking
sweater. His parents make him wear it to school where he gets teased for it. There was an
accident and the sweater was destroyed. Luckily Cousin Clara is a fast knitter and had another
one ready. Will Lester ever be free of the ugly sweaters?
Activity: Design some dreadful sweaters for Lester to wear.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is so cute! I love all of the different sweaters! The illustrations are
adorable, the words are great, and the message of good manners is wonderful.

Title: Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same!

Author: Grace Lin
Grade Level: 1-3
Genre: Fantasy/Other
Synopsis: This book has six different stories about Ling and Ting. They are twins who are alike
but are not the same.

Activity: Have the students make a chart or venn diagram listing similarities and differences
between themselves and a sibling or a friend.
Review: 4 out of 5. I love this book. I love books about twins because I can relate to them. The
message of this book is great. It teaches children that even though two people may be identical
physically, they are still two different people. The words of this book seemed strained. I felt like
it tried to focus on too many stories at once. It would have been better if the author had focused
on one or two stories instead of six.

Title: Swim! Swim!

Author: Lerch
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Fantasy/Other
Synopsis: A lonely goldfish is looking for a friend in his fish tank. The pebbles wont be his
friend, the scuba diver wont be his friend, and the bubbles wont be his friend. The only person
who seems to like him is the big cat.
Activity: Have the students write a story about how they met their friend or make up a story
about how two people become friends.
Review: 5 out of 5. This book is so cute. It teaches children that friends are out there if you keep
looking. The pictures are cute and the text is big and bold.

Title: The Mysteries of Harris Burdick

Author: Chris Van Allsburg
Grade Level: K-1
Genre: Fantasy/Other
Synopsis: A series of pictures with a series of questions. All of the questions are left
unanswered. The reader must use their imagination to try and answer the mysteries.
Activity: Have the students write some possible answers to the mysteries in the book.
Review: 3 out of 5. This book is very confusing to read the first time through. It was not until I
read a review on the back that I realized the nature of the book and the mysteries. I think that
once the concept of the book is understood, the book is very cute. I like how it requires children
to use their imagination. I also like how it leave the mysteries unanswered.

Title: The Day the Crayons Quit

Author: Drew Daywalt
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Fantasy/Other
Synopsis: Duncan loves to color. One day, he opens his crayon box and finds not crayons but
angry letters from his crayons. His crayons all have different reasons for quitting their job. In the
end Duncan colors a picture that uses all of the crayons in his box and in a variety of ways.

Activity: Have the students color a picture with all twelve crayons that wrote Duncan letters.
Review: 5 out of 5. This is such a cute book. I love the idea of crayons being over-worked or
under-used. The illustrations looked like they were hand drawn with crayons.

Title: The Kissing Hand

Author: Audrey Penn
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Fantasy/Other
Synopsis: Chester the raccoon is nervous about going to school. His mother teaches him an old
secret. She kisses the palm of his hand so that her kiss would stay with him always and remind
Chester of his mothers love for him.
Activity: Have the students write down/draw a favorite memory of their parents.
Review: 5 out of 5. This is a precious book. It teaches children that even if they are not with their
parents, they still love them.

Title: The Loch Mess Monster

Author: Helen Lester
Grade Level: K-2

Genre: Fantasy/Other
Synopsis: Angus and his family live at the bottom of Loch Ness. Angus is a very messy monster.
His parents send him to his room and will not let him out until he has cleaned up his mess.
Anguss mess gets bigger and bigger until it is poking out of the top of the Loch. Angus sees the
frightening creatures on the surface of the Loch and cleans his room at once.
Activity: Have the children write about what would happen if they decided to ignore one of their
parent rules.
Review: 5 out of 5. I love this book. I love the Scottish language used in the book, I loved the
artwork, and I loved Angus and his family. I think that this is a good book to teach children
about why parents set the rules that they do.

Title: The Short Giraffe

Author: Neil Flory
Grade Level: K-2
Genre: Fantasy/Other
Synopsis: Geri is the shortest giraffe that ever lived. He is too short to be in the picture with the
other giraffes. They try several different ways to get Geri to their level, but none of them work.
The caterpillar suggests that instead of getting Geri up, the other giraffes should come down.
They took a great picture.

Activity: Have the students draw their family picture and write about what it takes to get their
whole family in the picture.
Review: 5 out of 5. This is a great book! I loved the pictures, the words, and the imagination of
the giraffes to get Geri in the picture.