Picture Book 26 --- Buster Goes to Cowboy Camp

Title: Buster goes to Cowboy Camp
Author: Deniese Fleming
Illustrator: Deniese Fleming
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Picture Book
Characters: Buster, Brown Shoes, Betty, Mrs. Pink Slippers
Themes: Friendship, lonely,
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date: 2008
Publishing Company: Henry Holt and Co.
Summary: This book is so cute. The book is told from the dogs perspective. His owner brown shoes is going away on a weekend trip and he doesn't get to come along. He knows he is going to have to go somewhere because Ms. Pink slippers doesn't like dogs. He gets sent to Cowboy Camp. He is nervous about having to go to the kennel but he is excited when he gets there and sees all the new friends he can make and all the fun things there is to do at the kennel. He then becomes one of them and is a little cowboy dog by the end. I would use this book as circle time reading or for independent reading in the reading corner of my classroom. The book is funny and cute and will appeal to all different types of readers.

Picture Book 25 --- Good Night, Good Knight

Title: Good Night, Good Knight
Author: Shelley Moore Thomas
Illustrator: Jennifer Plecas
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Picture Book
Characters:
Themes: protection, friendship, bravery
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date: 2002
Publishing Company: Penguin Readers
Summary: The book is about a young knight who stands watch and one night he hears a mighty roar. He just knows its going to be something big and scary. He rides his horse to the scary sound and its at the mouth of a cave. He goes in and finds three little dragons that are all sleepy and ready for bed. The little dragons have nobody to read them a story and put them to bed. Then they find out that they have a good friend in the good knight. He will hopefully help the little dragons out. The book could be used in my kindergarten classroom to read to them will they lay down to take a nap or during quite time. It is so calming and relaxing and it will be enjoyable for them to read.

Picture Book 24 --- Baseball Hour

Title: Baseball Hour
Author: Carol Nevius
Illustrator: Bill Thomson
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Picture book
Characters:Classmates and coach
Themes: teamwork, baseball, sports, friends
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date: 2008
Publishing Company: Amazon Publishing Company
Summary: The book talks about a class that goes outside and begins to warm up for a baseball game. The kids perform all of the activities that take place during a baseball game. They do the exercises together and some of the separate. Then after the class has warmed up the game begins.The team has little spatters about how the game is going but have to work together to win the game. In the end of the game the team realizes that teamwork is important and that it is what makes all of them better players. I would use this book to again interest boys in reading. Boys are always harder to interest in independent reading. Most boys love sports and this will really appeal to them.Boys need to understand how important reading is too, and this may just do the trick.

Chapter Book 14 --- Holes

Title: Holes
Author: Louis Sachar
Illustrator:N/A
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Chapter Book
Characters: Stanley, Armpit, Zero, The Warden, Zig Zag, Mr. Sir, Elya, X-Ray
Themes: Hard work, Truthfulness, Friendship
Awards: 1999 Newberry Medal
Publishing Date: 1998
Publishing Company: Farrar, Stratus, and Giroux
Summary: The book is about a boy named Stanley and how he is wrongly accused of stealing a pair of shoes because of a family curse. Stanley is convicted and sent to a juvenile detention center known as Green Lake. There is actually no lake there and Stanley is made to dig big deep holes out in the hot weather with horrible conditions. Stanley makes many new friend s there that help him to uncover what has really happened with his family and how he can escape the curse and punishment, but will this work out in Stanley's favor? I would use this book as a class read and then once we have finished reading the book a s a class the class will get into groups and perform book talks and then present what they learned and got out of the book to the class.

Chapter Book 13 --- We are the Ship: Story of Negro Baseball League

Title:  We are the Ship: The story of Negro League Baseball
Author: Kadir Nelson
Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Genre: Historical
Subgenre: Chapter Book
Characters: Players of the Negro Baseball League
Themes: baseball, discrimination, determination, social change
Awards: 2009 Coretta Scott King Award, and 2009 Robert F. Sibert Award
Publishing Date:
Publishing Company:
Summary: The book is about the history of the Negro Baseball League. It starts at the beginning in the 1920s and continues all the way up until 1947 when the famous Jackie Robinson swapped over to the major Leagues. The story is told from a baseball player. The book tells about all of the hardships that the negro ball players had to go through just to play baseball like other people were doing but it was because they were African American. It tells about how they were discriminated against by others like they were not good enough to play baseball. The story is really touching and it really makes you feel for them and like you were really there to witness these events that have now made history. I would use this book when discussing things in history class that pertain to this time period and I would use this because it will fit into Black History Month and it discusses multiple players during that time and they were all hero's.

Chapter Book 12 --- Are you there God, its Me Margaret?

Title: Are you there God?, It's me Margaret.
Author: Judy Blume
Illustrator: N/A
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Subgenre: Chapter Book
Characters: Margaret,Herbert, Moose, Sylvia, Barbara, Evan, Janie, and Phillip
Themes: Friendship, puberty, growing up, love
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date: 1991
Publishing Company: Laurel Leaf
Summary: The book is about a girl named Margaret who has grown up in an awkward household of one parent being Christian and the other being Jewish. The book also addresses many other female related issues of growing up and being in the sixth grade. It addresses all the facts of puberty for girls and then there is the whole other issue of getting boyfriends. Margaret gets all crazy and confused about how to be a teenage girl and what religion to go with. She just has to find her way in the boy crazy world of sixth grade. I would use this book as an independent reading assignment for my class if they were in fifth or sixth grade. It may help them to discover whats happening top them or whats coming up.

Picture Book 23 --- Roberto the Insect Architect

Title:  Roberto the Insect Architect
Author:Nina Laden
Illustrator:Nina Laden
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Picture Book
Characters: Roberto
Themes: Dedication, dreams, friends, success
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date: 2000
Publishing Company: Chronicle Books
Summary: The book is about a small termite named Roberto. He has always had this dream of becoming an architect. He never thought he would get to become an architect because he was a termite and all him and his family did was est through wood. Roberto decided to be different and move to the big city and chase his dream. He meets several different bugs while in the city and they help Roberto to achieve his dream and build a city for all of them to live in. This makes Roberto so excited to go after his dream but can he accomplish this big task. I would use this book in the classroom to help get boys excited about reading and maybe spark their interest by reading about bugs and building things.

Picture Book 22 --- Ella takes the Cake

Title: Ella takes the Cake
Author: Carmela and Steven D'amico
Illustrator: Carmela and Steven D'amico
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Picture Book
Characters: Ella, Mr. Banjo, Belinda, Ella's mom
Themes: hard work, determination, helping
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date: 2005
Publishing Company: Arthur A. Levine Books
Summary: The story is about a little elephant named Ella. Ella and her mom lived in a small village and her mom ran a bakery. Ella always wanted to help her mom but she never felt like she was old enough or good enough to help. Ella was getting upset because she really wanted a place in the bakery to help. Well one day a cake needed to be delivered to the captain house and Mr. Banjo couldn't deliver the cake to the captain. That only left Ella to deliver the cake. Ella does her best to deliver the cake to the Captain but some things pop up on her adventure. What will happen and will Ella deliver the cake? I would use this book for independent reading time for my students.

Picture Book 21 --- Rotten Richie and the Ultimate Dare

Title: Rotten Richie and the Ultimate Dare
Author: Patricia Polacco
Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Picture Book
Characters: Richie, Mom, Trisha
Themes: Siblings, Family, Compromise
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date: 2006
Publishing Company: Philomel Books
Summary: The book is about the two siblings Richie and Trisha. Trisha does ballet and Richie plays hockey. Richie starts in teasing Trisha about her ballet class and older big brother stuff, but Trisha has had enough of Richie and challenges him to be in her ballet recital with her. Richie agrees but he tells Trisha that she has to get in gear for his big hockey game. What will happen in the ballet recital and the hockey game? i would use this book for independent reading in my classroom. This book is intended for older grades than the younger ones in elementary school. The book could be used to read if they have completed work early or just have free time.

Picture Book 20 --- Momma, Will You?

Title: Momma, Will You?
Author: Dori Chaconas
Illustrator: Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher
Genre: Nursery Rhyme
Subgenre: Picture Book
Characters: Momma, little boy , and sister
Themes: Family, Directions, Siblings
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date: 2004
Publishing Company: Viking Juvenile
Summary: The book is about a little boy and his little sister. He wants to show his little sister all of the great new things out in the world, but before he does any of these things he always asks his momma. She always answers him with yes, no, or maybe. The brother mainly wants to show his little sister about all the farm animals they have around their house and the things that the animals will do. I would use this book in class during class reading circle time and it would help to explain to students that they must always ask permission to do things and how to follow directions. The book would also be one to read at the beginning of the school year to establish to younger students the importance in asking first then doing.

Picture Book 19 --- Little Monkey Lost

Title: Little Monkey Lost
Author: Keith DuQuette
Illustrator: Keith DuQuette
Genre: Fantasy
Subgenre: Picture book
Characters: Little Monkey, Various other monkeys
Themes: Family, Friends, Adventure
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date: 2007
Publishing Company: Putnam
Summary: The book is about a little monkey that gets bored by doing the same old things with his troop. So one day little monkey decides to hop on a lily pad and go down the river. He meets all these different troops of monkeys who do different things than his own troop. He has fun doing these things but eventually he gets tired of them and some of them begin to hurt him to do them any longer. So he eventually decides to go back to his troop because he misses them. He does find his way back to them and he is so happy because that is home to him. I would use this book during circle reading time in younger grades because the book is meant for younger students. I would also let them read the book individually in the reading corner for free read time.

Chapter Book 11 --- Out of the Dust

Title: Out of the Dust
Author: Karen Hesse
Illustrator:N/A
Genre: Historical Fiction
Subgenre: Chapter Book
Characters: Billie Jo, Averly Wanderdale, Bayard, Polly, Louise
Themes: Depression, Dust Bowl, Family, Resentment, Forgiveness
Awards: Newberry Winner, Scott O'Dell Winner
Publishing Date: 1997
Publishing Company: Scholastic Press
Summary: The book is about a little girl that is growing up during the great Depression in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl. The family is that of a wheat crop farmer and the crops are not producing like they should and so times are stressful for the family. The family consists of Billie Jo, Ma and Pa. Ma is pregnant though with a little boy that pa had been wishing  for. There is a terrible accident in the book that changes everything in the families dynamic. Everything just seems to go wrong for all family members from that point on. Then there comes a time in the book where everything starts to become resolved since Ma has passed and so did baby brother. In the end of the book there is a happy ending for Billie Jo and Pa. I would use this book in my classroom for older grades like middle school history classes when they are learning about the great depression or the dust bowl to help the students to really relate to what was going on back then and how it affected children of that time. The students will discover a sense of empathy and they will learn facts of the dust bowl and depression.

Chapter Book 10 --- A Time of Miracles

Title: A Time of Miracles
Author: Anne- Laure Bondoux
Illustrator: N/A
Genre:Historical Fiction
Subgenre: Chapter Book
Theme: exile, bravery, politics, adventure
Characters: Blaise and Gloria
Awards: 2011 Mildred Batchelder
Publishing Date: 2010
Publishing Company: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Summary: Blaise is a young boy who is unaware of his identity completely. He understand only what he hears from the lady who has raised and taken care of him and her name is Gloria. he understand that he came to be with Gloria after a train wreck where his mother gave him to Gloria. Then as Blasie and Gloria struggle with all of the political turmoil in Georgia they decide to escape from Georgia and head toward France. The two of them go on this journey with other refugees and take on this journey on foot. The journey takes five years for them to complete over Europe and they experience unwelcome issues and problems. This journey turns Blaise into a man and he tries to untangle the mystery of his past. What all will Blaise uncover of his past and how he came to be where he is and with Gloria? I would use this book in my classroom as a independent novel for the students to pick and write a book report on for extra credit in history. I would choose history to be the subject because it is historical fiction and it deals the So0viet union Collapsing and other events in history.

Picture Book 18 --- Raindrop Plop

Title: Raindrop Plop
Author: Wendy Cheyette Lewison
Illustrator: Pam Paparone
Genre:Informational Literature
Subgenre: Picture Book
Theme: Counting, Rainy Days, Play
Characters: Little Girl
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date: 2004
Publishing Company: Viking Books
Summary: The book is about a little girl that was playing outside and it rains. The book is counting with every step she takes and it gives a little rhyme after every count in the book. It follows her from playing out in the rain to when she comes in and takes a bath and has snack. I would use this book in lower grades since it is on their reading level and interest level. I would mainly use this book in kindergarten when learning and reviewing counting and it would also transition well into discussion of weather. Then it would be being used across the curriculum with science and math.

Chapter Book 9 --- Bud Not Buddy

Title: Bud, Not Buddy
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
Illustrator: N/A
Genre: Historical Fiction,
Sub Genre: Chapter Book
Theme: African American, Bravery, Sadness, Family, Orphans
Characters: Bud Caldwell, Lefty Lewis, Herman C. Calloway, The Amoses
Awards: 2000 Newbery Medal Winner, Coretta Scott King Award
Publishing Date: 1999
Publishing Company: Delacorte Book for Young Readers
Summary: The story is about a young boy named Bud Caldwell and he is an orphan because he doesn't know who his father is but has an idea because of a flyer his mother left behind when she passed away. He also has an old bag of rocks that she left him when she passed. He has been passed around to several foster homes and the last one he goes to is the one that sets the whole story in motion. He is treated badly and decides to runaway to find his father. He them gets picked by a railroad worker named Lefty Lewis who decides to help him out. He takes him to his house and feeds him and cares for him and then takes him to a restaurant where the man on the flyer he has performs named, Herman C. Calloway. Herman denies being the boys father and then when Bud spots Herman doing the same thing to current rocks as is done to the ones bud has he confronts Herman. Herman then believes that Bud stole them from his house. After much talking and debate it is come to be known exactly who Herman is to Bud. It works out for the both of them in the end and they are family but what relation. I would use this book in my classroom as independent reading material for my students. It could also be read if we were studying a unit on African American literature. The book would help them to understand the bravery of the boy to go in search of his father, and especially when he had nobody.

Picture Book 17 --- The Moon over Star

Title: The Moon over Star
Author: Dianna Hutts Aston
Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney
Genre: Diverse literature, Informational Literature
Sub genre: Picture Book
Theme: African Americans, Dreams, Space, Culture
Characters: Mae,Grandpa, Cousins, Astronauts
Awards: Coretta Scott King
Publishing Date: 2008
Publishing Company: Dial Books for Young Readers
Summary: The book is about a young girl who has always dreamed of growing up and going into space. She has been told that space is a joke and waste of money and that she should keep her dreams more realistic. Then one day she gets to watch the very first astronauts land on the moon but her grandpa is not interested and has had to work hard all his life and that is what he is use to, but Mae changes his mind and he learns to dream and then begins to encourage Mae to dream and dream big. I would use this book in my classroom to start a chapter on space exploration or to give information on Neil Armstrong because he is the main astronaut talked about in the book. it will hook the students in by displaying all the pictures of men on the moon and by the suspense of what happened that day.

Picture Book 16 --- The Faithful Friend

Title: The Faithful Friend
Author: Robert San Souci
Illustrator: Brian Pinkley
Genre: General Fiction
Subgenre: Picture Book
Theme: Character, Values, and Friendship
Characters: Clement, Hippoltye, Pauline, Master Zabocat
Awards: Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Winner
Publishing Date: 1999
Publishing Company: Simon & Schuester Publishing
Summary: The book is about two friends that are as close of friends as if they were brothers. Clement falls in love with a girl named Pauline. he wants to court her and marry her but he needs help from his friend Hippoltye. She is ward of teh Master Zabocat whom is very dangerous and tends to be left alone. So they set out to capture Pauline and escape from the master until their is a turn of events and a dangerous incident occurs that really defines their relationship. I would use this book as part of my class library and as independent reading material. It could also be a book that is used as part of a group read in younger grade since it is easy to read and relate to because friends are important from early in life.

Picture Book 15 --- Hello Goodbye Window

Title: The Hello, Goodbye Window
Author: Norton Juster
Illustrator: Chris Raschke
Genre: Realistic fiction
Subgenre: Picture Book
Theme: Granparents, family, viewing the world
Characters: Poppy and Nanna
Awards: Caldecott Winner
Publishing Date:
Publishing Company:
Summary: The book is about a little girl who spends time with her grandparents. she then while spending time with them realizes many different views of ways to look out the kitchen window. She realizes it is not only a way to look out but a way to see into other things that happen and go on in the world. It is a very sweet book and would be a great read between young children and their families. I would use this book in my class as  a interesting activity to be read on Grandparent's day in class. This book could also be used as independent reading material.

Chapter Book 8 --- HIgher Power of Lucky

Title: The Higher Power of Lucky
Author: Susan Patron
Illustrator: Matt Phelan
Genre:General Fiction
Subgenre: Chapter Book
Theme: Character, Values, Friendship, Fear
Characters: Brigitte, Lucky, Miles,Lincoln, Lucky's Dad
Awards: Newberry Winner
Publishing Date: 2006
Publishing Company: Simon and Shuester
Summary: The book is a bout a lonely little girl named Lucky. She lives in a very small town in a California Dessert with her only two friends and her dad. Her mother is deceased and so her dad calls his ex wife to come and take care of Lucky for him. Brigitte comes all the way from France to care for Lucky, but Lucky fears that Brigitte is going to abandon her and want to go back to France. So Lucky decides to take a stance and take care of herself and find her higher power. Lucky sets out and goes on a wild adventure for herself. I would use this book as independent reading material for my class or it could be used as a group read book if the group was only girls because I do not really see boys enjoying this book as much.

Picture Book 14 --- I love Saturdays y domingos

Title: I Love Saturdays y domingos
Author:Alma Flor Ada
Illustrator: Elivia Savadier
Genre: Informational , General non fiction
Subgenre: Picture Book
Theme: Culture, diversity, Spanish
Characters: Grandparents, Taffy
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date:2002
Publishing Company: Atheneum Books
Summary: This book is about a little girl who loves Saturdays and Sundays ( domingos). She gets to spend her weekends with her grandparents and abuelos. She has a set of grandparents that are American and a set that are Hispanic. The book tells about how she does things with her grandparents and it tells both sides of the story in their language. I would use this book to engage students in learning other languages and accepting other cultures. The little girl celebrates a birthday and the traditions are different. It will help teach cultural tolerance.

Chapter Book 7 --- Elijah of Buxton

Title: Elijah of Buxton
Author:Christopher Paul Curtis
Illustrator:N/A
Genre: Historical Fiction
Subgenre: Chapter Book
Theme: Slavery, African Americans, Freedom, Trust, Bravery
Characters: Elijah, Mr. Leroy, Zephariah Connerly, Cooter, and Ms. Chloe
Awards: Newberry Honor and Coretta Scott King
Publishing Date: 2007
Publishing Company: Scholastic
Summary: This book is about a young boy named Elijah. Elijah was the first child born into freedom in Buxton. He has made a big impression on the people of Buxton by puking on famous slave Fredrick Douglas. Elijah has been considered to be very fragile and scared of things in his life. Elijah works with Mr. Leroy and comes very close with him and Mr. Leroy is trying to save up money to free his family from slavery in the south. There is also a strange character the Right Reverend Doctor Zephariah Connerly the Third. He is the preacher in the community and he acts quite strange. Elijah seems to trust everyone in the community and that turns out to be a huge mistake. He tells Mr. Leroy to trust the Reverend to take the money and fee his family, but as it turns out the Reverend wasn't so trustworthy. Elijah must really step up his courage and make a big adventure to right the wrong that he feel responsible for and free Mr. Leroy's family and bring them back to Buxton. I would use this book in my classroom as a class read while learning of slavery or to use this book to hook them at the beginning of the unit and really interest them. It also provides information on the underground railroad for that lesson if it is in the curriculum.

Chapter Book 6 --- The Giver

Title: The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry
Illustrator: N/A
Genre: Science Fiction
Subgenre: Chapter Book
Theme: Compassion, Utopia, Authority, Courage
Characters: Jonas, The giver, Jonas's Family, Asher, Gabe
Awards: 1994 Newberry Award Winner
Publishing Date:1993
Publishing Company: Bantam Books
Summary: The book is about a young boy named Jonas, and the community in which he lives in. In this community everything is already planned out and everyone has a specific job or duty that is assigned to them. Jonas gets his assignment and it is to become the receiver of memory. Jonas gets to experience receiving some of the memories and he learns of some things that he has never experienced and never will  get to in the community he lives in. Jonas wants to experience some of these things in life but how will he get to do this and will Jonas ever escape this Utopian community. I would use this in my class as a group read or as a class read. It would also be a good book for a book report. I would also keep this book in class library and accessible for independent reading.

Picture Book 13 --- When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry...

Title: When Sophie Gets Angry- Really, Really Angry ...
Author: Molly Bang
Illustrator: Molly Bang
Genre: Fiction,  Bedtime Stories
Subgenre: Picture Book
Theme: manners and conduct, feeling and emotions, families
Characters: Sophie, her sister, and her parents
Awards: Caldecott Honor
Publishing Date: 1999
Publishing Company: Blue Sky Press
Summary: Sophie is a little girl with a big temper. Sophie is playing with a stuffed gorilla when her sister takes it and says my turn. Sophie gets very upset because she is having to share the toy with her sister. To deal with her anger Sophie gets upset and leaves the house. She runs and walks for a good while, and then she begins to cry, but eventually Sophie gets to the big Beech tree and climbs up it. She can then see the whole world it feels like to her up in the tree. So once Sophie sits up there and watches the world around her she calms down. Once Sophie calms down she returns to her home, and everyone is excited to see her and everything is back to normal. I would use this book in my class as a book for independent reading in younger grades, and this book could also be used to have students read if they get upset or angry. It will help them to calm down and realize that it is not necessary to get so upset.

Picture Book 12 --- What Do You Do With a Tail Like this?

Title: What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?
Author & Illustartor: Steve Jenkins & Robin Page
Genre: Informational Book
Sub Genre: Picture Book
Themes: Animals, Science, Nature
Characters: Various Animals
Awards: Caldecott Honor, 2000
Publishing Date: 2003
Publishing Company: Houghton Mifflin Comapny
Summary: The book gives information on all different types of animals and the way the survive in nature. It names the different senses and shows all the different animals and the way that they use their body parts and senses in nature. I would use this book in my class to help explain the different senses and the body parts that are used when using those senses. I would also use this book when exploring different types of animals and how they live in nature and what helps them to function.

Chapter Book 5 --- The Case of the Bicycle Bandit

Title: The Case of the Bicycle Bandit
Author: James Preller
Illustrator: Jamie Smith
Genre: Mystery and Suspense, Series
Sub Genre: Chapter Book
Theme: Detectives, Friendship, Family
Characters: Jigsaw, Ralphie, Mila, Justin, Snarkster, Geetha, David Chang, Mr. Pickles
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date: 2001
Publishing Company: Scholastic, Inc.
Summary: This book is about a couple of friends who love to ride their bikes together and ride them to school everyday. Two of them have new bikes and one of them, Ralphie, has a old hand-me-down bike from his brother Justin. Then something awful happens and someone steals Ralphie's bike from school. Ralphie is really upset about his missing bike, but he is in luck because his two best friends are detectives. Now can Jigsaw and Mila find Ralphie's missing bike? They are going to go an adventure to find Ralphie's missing bike, but lets just hope they find Ralphie's bike. I would use this book in my class to read to my class as a whole. We would read only a few pages or a chapter a day. I would use this bike to get the students attention. I would do this because almost all kids have bikes and would hate for someone to take their bike and most kids like mystery and trying to solve problems. I really feel like the book would appeal to them and interest them. I would also keep this book in my classroom library.

Picture Book 11 --- Buzz Boy and Fly Guy

Title: Buzz Boy and Fly Guy
Author: Tedd Arnold
Illustrator: Tedd Arnold
Genre: Comic Books and Graphic Novels
Sub Genre: Picture Book
Theme: Superheroes, Comic Books, Pirates, Super Powers
Characters: Buzz Boy, Fly Guy, Dragon Dude, and Pirates
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date: 2010
Publishing Company: Scholastic Inc.
Summary: This book is funny and its fun to see how children's imaginations work. The book is written form a child's point of view and it is like you are inside his imagination. Buzz boy has a pet fly named Fly Guy and they get these names from the comic book that Buzz Boy writes about how the two of them turn into superheroes. They go on a wild adventure to save their house and they make a friend and add him to their superhero team. I would use this book in my classroom if I had boys who were struggling to stay interested in reading and may find some of these themes interesting. It could also interest boys who do not like to read books but like to read comic books.

Picture Book 10 --- Max and Mo's First Day at School

Title: Max and Mo's First Day at School
Author: Patricia Lakin
Illustrated: Brian Floca
Genre: General Fiction
Sub Genre: Picture Book
Theme: Class pets, Art Projects, Friendship
Charcters: Max & Mo and the big ones
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date:2007
Publishing Company: Aladdin Paperbacks
Summary: Max & Mo are two class hampsters taht get placed in the art room and they realize that the big ones are calling them by other names because they do not know their names. So Max and Mo go on an adventure to create something that will help the big ones to know who they are. I would use this book in my classroom when we were going to start a project and it also gives directions in the book to make ur own name tag just like Max and Mo did in the story. That could be a fun ice breaker game at the beginning of the year.

Picture Book 9 --- My Best Friend Is Out Of This World

Title: My Best Friend Is Out of This World
Author: Sarah Albee
Illustrator: Nate Evans
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Sub Genre: Picture Book
Themes: Friendship, Family, Aliens
Characters: Maddy, Victor, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date:1998
Publishing Company: Golden Books Publishing Co., Inc.
Summary: This book is short and easy for readers who may just be starting out. The book is about  Maddy a little girl whom wants to invite her best friend over for dinner with her family. The only thing is that her friend is really out of this world. His name is Victor. Victor arrives to the Wilson's house in a strange and unusual way and he brings Mrs. Wilson some strange flowers and he does some strange things will visiting. The important thing is that Victor is very important to Maddy because that is her best friend. You will just have to read the book to see why Victor is out of this world! I would use this book in my classroom for younger readers to explain to them the idea of friendship and how its only important if you like the person and not what everyone else likes for you. This book would also be just a book that I would keep in my classroom collection for down time reading because it is cute and funny.

Picture Book 8 --- So you want to be President

Title: So you want to be President
Author: Judith St. George
Illustartor: David Small
Genre: General Non Fiction
Sub Genre: Picture Book
Theme: American History, Leadership
Characters:The first 42 Presidents of the United States.
Awards: 2001 Caldecott Winner
Publishing Date: 2000
Publishing Company: Scholastic Inc.
Summary: This book explains all of the different things about how cool it is to be the President. It explains the different and  weird things of each President til the current one( of this time) and explains the different things that happened to each while they served their term. It has humor mixed into the book. Like about how President Taft got stuck in the White House bathtub. I would use this book in my class when were going over the Presidents of the United States. It will help the children to learn them, and some may stick because some of the things about the Presidents are funny. It also in the end explains how important the Presidents job is to our country.

Picture Book 7 --- I have Feelings, Too!

Title: I have Feelings, Too!
Author: Nancy Parent
Illustrator: Ron Cohee and Brent Ford
Genre: Motivational
Sub Genre: Picture Book
Theme: Friendship, Consideration, Character
Characters: Audrey and Jessie
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date:1999
Publishing Company: Paradise Press
Summary: The book is really short and sweet. Audrey and her friend Jessie are playing and she is upset because Jessie doesn't consider anything that Audrey may want to do that day. She explains to him that she has feelings too. After this Jessie apologizes and they are going to do things that they both want to do. after reading this book i realized that it may not be acceptable for public schools because the two characters are made out to be angels, but in a private school this may be acceptable. I would use the book to help build character and to maybe solve conflict in a situation if it was related to this issue.

Picture Book 6 --- John Henry and His Mighty Hammer

Title: John Henry and His Mighty Hammer
Author: Patsy Jensen
Illustrator: Roseanne Litzinger
Genre: Legend
Sub Genre: Picture Book
Theme: steel driving, hammer, strong babies, marriage
Characters: John Henry, Polly Ann, Captain Tommy, Mom
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date:1994
Publishing Company: Troll Associates
Summary: This book is about a baby named John Henry who was very miraculous from the start. He was speaking right when he was born and eating enough food for a village at ten minutes old. He always said that he was a steel driving man and that he would die with a hammer in his hand. His mother did not want John Henry to drive steel, but he wanted too. He married Polly Ann who accepted John Henry as a steel driving man and they moved to work on the railroads. John Henry worked very hard on the railroads and he used a thirty pound hammer versus a ten pound hammer. One day John Henry took on a bet and it led to a terrible end but John Henry was right about his life. He was a steel driving man who would die with a hammer in his hand. I would use this book in my classroom when we began to discuss all the different types of traditional literature. It is kind of crazy but it explain in a sense that you can be whatever you want to be and nobody can or should stop you.

Chapter Book 4 --- Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus

Title: Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus
Author: Barbara Park
Illustrator: Denise Brunkus
Genre:Realistic Fiction
Sub Genre: Chapter Book
Theme: School days, School bus, Kindergarten, Friends
Characters: Junie B. , Mrs., Janitor, Mr. Woo, Mom, Lucille, Nurse, Jim, Principal
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date: 1992
Publishing Company: Random House
Summary: The book is sop adorable. I am starting to think that the whole series of Junie B. Jones books are adorable and funny. This particular book is about Junie B. and riding the stupid smelly bus. It is Junie B.'s first day of kindergarten and she isn't scared of school but she is a little scared of the bus. She gets on the bus and people are rude to her and then she gets to school and hears even worse things about the bus.  She takes a stand and does something to avoid riding the bus. Junie B causes Mrs. a lot of anxiety with what she does but it wouldn't be Junie B if she didn't do something outrageous. I would use this book in my classroom if I had some students who had anxiety about riding the bus or to just bring humor into the classroom. Whether the students have to ride the bus or not they will enjoy the book.

Picture Book 5 and Poetry Book --- Giant Children

Title: Giant Children
Author: Brod Bagert
Illustrator: Tedd Arnold
Genre: Poetry and Rhymes
Sub Genre: Picture Book
Theme: Life experiences and relationships, School life, Siblings, Animals, Family and social structure
Characters: Multiple Character for each poem
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date: 2002
Publishing Company: Dial Books for Young Readers
Summary: This book was absolutely adorable. It has been my favorite book so far. It is looking at the world through children's eyes and seeing how they think and communicate. The poems are all about how children view the world and form relationships. The poems in the book are very funny to read. There are several poems in the book about sibling rivalry and boogers and food. It is just really cute and almost all of the poems rhyme. The books pictures are also very vivid and they really add to the enjoyment of the poems. The pictures really lure the reader in to reading the poems. I would use this book to introduce poetry to my class.I would use this book because after reading the book I do not see how anyone would not enjoy poetry. The poems are also something that I believe my students would be able to relate too.

Chapter Book 3 --- Snow Valentines

Title: Snow Valentines
Author: Karen Gray Ruelle
Illustrator: Karen Gray Ruelle
Genre:  General Fiction
Sub Genre: Chapter Book
Characters: Harry, Emily, Mom, and Dad
Themes: Culture and diversity, snow days, Valentine's day
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date: 2000
Publishing Company: Holiday House
Summary: The book is about Harry and Emily and how they want to do something special for their parents for Valentines day. They try many different things but cannot come up with a good idea because they think it's to original or their parents say something negative about their ideas. They finally come up with a good idea after they have a snow day and build a snow family and all different things in the snow. They come up with a very cute idea for their parents. I would use this book in my class to read to my students around Valentines day before we make a craft for their parents. This would help to get them excited about the craft and giving it to their parents.

Picture Book 4 --- The Pirate of Kindergarten

Title: The Pirate of Kindergarten
Author: George Ella Lyons
Illustrator: Lynne Avril
Genre: General Fiction
Sub Genre: Picture Book
Theme: disabilities, doctors, vision, elementary school
Characters: Dr. Clare, Ginny, Ms. Cleo, Frank, Nurse, Mom
Awards: N/A
Date Published:2010
Publishing Company: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Summary: This book is a bout a little girl named Ginny who has problems reading. She then later in the book explains how she reads and she has double vision. She sees two of everything. Ginny then has to go and get her eyes checked by Dr. Clare. He tells her that she needs glasses and a eye patch. Ginny makes the best of her disability and calls herself the pirate of kindergarten. Ginny then has no more problems reading or seeing just one of things. I would use this book in my class to explain to my students how important it is to not feel bad because they are different from the others. I would also use it to teach my students that it is never okay to make fun of other students like some of the children in the book. Everybody is different but still special.

Chapter Book 2 --- Minnie and Moo The Night of the Living Bed

Title: Minnie and Moo The Night of the Living Bed
Author: Denys Cazet
Illustrator: Denys Cazet
Genre: Fiction
Sub Genre: Chapter Book
Theme: Halloween night, Domestic Animals, Candy
Characters: Minnie, Moo, Hamlet, Farmer, Old Lady, Madge, Bea Holstein
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date:2003
Publishing Company: HarperCollins
Summary: This book is about a bunch of farm animals who try and help out their friend after she has a bad dream. In her bad Minnie dreamed that all the chocolate was eaten by a giant mouse.In her bad dream she moves around and her bed rolls down the hill and scoops up her friends and rolls into town. Once they get into town the friends go trick or treating and get candy and Minnie doesn't have to worry about all the chocolate being gone. I would use this book in my classroom as a book to read aloud to the class around Halloween. I would use this book because it is about Halloween and the material is very cute for kids to read.

Chapter Book 1 --- Junie B. Jones and her Big Fat Mouth

Title: Junie B. Jones and her Big Fat Mouth
Author: Barbara Park
Illustrator: Denise Brunkus
Genre: Comedy Humor, Realistic Fiction, Series
Sub Genre: Chapter Book
Theme: Cleverness, Creativity and Imagination,Changes and New Experiences
Families and Social Structures ,Friends and Friendship,School Life, Job Day
Characters: Junie B., Janitor, Mrs., Mr. Woo, Grace, Lucille, William, Ollie, Mom and Dad, Cop, Dr. Smiley
Awards: N/A
Publishing Date:1993
Publishing Company: Random House
Summary: This book was so much fun to read. It was written from Junie B.'s perspective and she is in kindergarten. The book is about how she is in class and she gets told that they are going to have career day in room nine. She gets upset because she doesn't know what she wants to be for career day but she has an incident and then she realizes what she wants to be. The other kids all already knew what they wanted to be but it took Junie B. a little while to figure hers out. She finally does decide and its not the most prestigious job but she loves all the things that she will get to do at her job.I will use this book in my classroom as fun reading material and to discuss different things that my students may want to be when they grow up no matter what the job may be.

Picture Book 3 --- Dave The Potter

Title: Dave  The Potter
Author: Laban Carrick Hill
Illustrated: Bryan Collier
Genre: Biography, General Poetry
Sub genre: Picture Book
Theme: African American, Visual arts, Slavery, Visual arts
Characters: Dave
Awards:Coretta Scott King Winner, Caldecott Honor Book
Publishing Date: 2010
Publishing Company:Little, Brown and Company
Summary: This book is about an African American slave who worked all day and when he got done he would escape away to work at his pottery wheel. Dave used his pottery to escape from the harsh life that he had to live as a slave. He made all kinds of pots and he would  use his pots for many uses. He really uses the pots to store food in  and supplies. The book really goes into detail about how he works so hard on his pottery and how it all comes together just like he knew it would. I would use this book at a talk during Black History Month, and it show how he overcame his slavery and found something he loved to do to pass the time.. It could also be used to explain slavery to students.

Picture Book 2 --- Snowflake Bentley

Title: Snowflake Bentley
Author: Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Illustrator: Mary Azarian
Genre: Biography Non-Fiction
Sub genre: Picture Book
Theme: snowflakes, winter, photography
Characters: Wilson Bentley, His parents
Awards: Caldecott Winner
Publishing Date: 1998
Publishing Company: Houghton Mifflin
Summary: This book is about a young boy named Wilson Bentley. He loved the snow and all the snowflakes. He was so interested by all the snowflakes different designs that he wanted to photograph the m. He asked his parents to get him a very expensive camera. His parents spent all their savings to get the camera. snowflake Bentley began to photograph all the different designs of snowflakes and made beautiful pictures of them. He was able to sell these pictures for money and a university bought his collection of photos and made a book of them and used his findings of snowflakes. I would use this book in class when I was teaching my students about the different types of weather. This is a really good book and it will help them to learn of the winter weather months.

Picture Book 1 -- The Secret World Of Walter Anderson

Title: The Secret World Of Walter Anderson
Author: Hester Bess
Illustrator: E.B. Lewis
Genre: Biography, Non-Fiction
Subgenre: Picture Book
Theme: Art, determination, secret work, nature
Characters: Walter Anderson, his wife
Awards: 2010 Orbis Pictus Winner
Publication Date: 2009
Publishing Company:Random House Publishing
Summary: This book is about the famous author Walter Anderson. It tells of how he would venture out on many adventures to capture just the right photos of nature. He would row his old boat out to Horn Island and camp there for several weeks to months to capture the most beautiful paintings. He would also keep his small room in his cottage locked up and let no one in there. After he passed away his wife went in the room and saw all of his beautiful paintings from his days at Horn Island. He kept these to himself but drew many other works for people all his life. I would use this book in my class to show my students that it takes determination and patience to draw and get something beautiful accomplished. I would also use this book to teach my students that everyone has their own opinion about what type of art is beautiful and what is not beautiful. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.