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.