Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf

Author/Illustrator: Lois Ehlert

About the Author:
http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/education/kidlit/aom/janaom.html
Lois Ehlert was born on November 9, 1934, in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. She grew up in a home where everyone always seemed to be making something with their hands. She was always putting things together, cutting, stitching, pasting, or pounding.

Genre: Science
Grade Level: K-2
Theme: Nature

Synopsis:
This story is about leaves and trees. It talks about how trees form from seeds and the tree sprouts are collected by nursery workers. They transport them and they are taken care of year after year and are uprooted again. They are wrapped, labeled and delivered to the garden center where people can come and select trees and plant them in their yards. The end of the book talks about different parts of the trees and why/how they are important and also how to plant a tree.

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:

Have the class collect leaves and different seeds from leaves around your school. Take them inside and help the students figure out what leaves the trees come from and what the seeds will grow into!

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:

After reading the story, plan a time where you can pick up a tree and see if you can plant it near your school and have the students help you.

Reflection:

I think this is a cute book and good to use with children of any age because it has a lot of science information to discuss with students about trees and leaves. It is a good book to use because it will engage students in wanting to learn about them.

What Do You Do, Dear?

Author/Illustrator: Sesyle Joslin/Maurice Sendak

About the Author:
http://www.amazon.com/Sesyle-Joslin/e/B000APIB7E
Sesyle Joslin is a children's literature author. She was born in Providence, RI, on August 30, 1929. She has worked as an editorial assistant and assistant editor in Philadelphia. In 1950, she married writer Al Hine and has three children.

Genre: Fiction
Grade Level: K-1
Theme: Using Manners

 

Synopsis:
This story is about different scenarios that most definitely will not happen the way they are described but it shows children different manners in a silly way. It describes people in different places such as the library and when you are in each place something happens to you that most likely would never happen in real life.  Once this happens they ask what are you to do and you respond with how you should act in that situation.  For example the first is that you are in the library reading a book and all of a sudden you are "lassoed" by someone and he says he has got you and is taking you to his ranch. The book then says "What do you do, dear? You walk through the library quietly!"  This shows students that it is important to be quiet in a library but they can see that you would never be "lassoed" by anyone in a library!

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:

Have the class discuss some things you should do to be polite to other people and show manners.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:

After reading the story, have the students draw a picture of how they use their manners with others and then have them bring you their picture and desribe it for you so you can write it down. Hang the students work in the hall for others to see their good manners!

Reflection:

I think this is a cute book and good to use with younger children so they can see how important it is to use manners. I think this book uses different, but funny ways to show manners for students to be able to understand. You will never be lassoed by someone in the library but it shows the manner is to be quiet when you are entering, already inside, and leaving a library!

Lunch Bunnies

Author/Illustrator: Kathryn Lasky/Marylin Hafner

About the Author:
http://www.kathrynlasky.com/KK/About.html
Kathryn Lasky was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. She has one older sister named Martha and their family was Jewish. She never enjoyed school but she went to the University of Michigan and got many A's. She married Chris Knight whom she met at her second job. After marrying Chris, her parents gave them a sailboat and they sailed across the Atlantic Ocean. When they came back she wrote her first children's book and had her first child Max. Five years later she had her daughter Meribah and she now lives in Cambridge.

Genre: Fiction
Grade Level: K-1
Theme: Helping Others

Synopsis:
This story is about a bunny who is nervous about going to school and having lunch. He practices the night before carrying his tray to the table. His older brother tries to make him nervous by saying that they make you clean up your mess and the food is all mystery goosh. Clyde worries that he will drop his tray or make a mistake. The next day he makes a friend before lunch and stands in line with her. She ends up slipping on juice and spills her Jell-O all over the floor but the rest of her food stays on the tray. Clyde helps Rosemary pick up her Jell-O and the lunch lady comes to help them and gets Rosemary a new container of Jell-O. Gloria, the lunch lady yells at the older kids who are laughing and they stop! Rosemary and Clyde become friends and they forget all their worries!

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:

Have the class look at the cover of the book and predict what might happen.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:

After reading the story, have the students draw a picture of how they felt the first day of school.

Reflection:

I think this is a cute book and good to use on the first day of school with young children. The teachers know how the lunchroom works and will be able to tell the students that they have nothing to worry about when they go to lunch. This book also is good because some students might be nervous on their first day of school and this book will make all their worries go away especially when they see lunch is not that bad after all!

If You Give A Mouse A Cookie

Author/Illustrator: Laura Joffe Numeroff/Felicia Bond

About the Author:
http://lauranumeroff.com/
Laura was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1953 and was the youngest of three girls. She was surrounded by art, music, and books. She enjoys using her imagination to make people laugh!

Genre: Fiction
Grade Level: K-1
Theme: Using Imagination

Synopsis:
This story is about what might happen if you give a mouse a cookie. He will ask for milk and then get carried away and need to trim his hair, sweep it up, clean the house, want to nap but will need a story, draw pictures, sign his name, hang it on the refrigerator, get thirsty, ask for milk and of course want a cookie to go with it!

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:

Have the class look at the cover of the book and share ideas of what they would do if they had a mouse to do different things with.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:

After reading the story, have the students write what a mouse might ask for if you brought him to school!

Reflection:

I think this is a cute book because you can let students predict what will happen and they can use their imagination to come up with many different things. This book also lets students enjoy the silly story and use their imagination to think of different things a mouse would do.

Your Skin and Mine

Author/Illustrator: Paul Showers/Kathleen Kuchera

About the Author:
http://www.amazon.com/Paul-Showers/e/B000AP5F3M/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Paul Showers wrote twenty books for the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series, including favorites such as What Happens to a Hamburger? and Where Does the Garbage Go? Mr. Showers worked on the Detroit Free Press, the New York Herald Tribune, and for thirty years, the Sunday New York Times.

Genre: Non-fiction
Grade Level: K-2
Theme: Understanding differences/Health

Synopsis:
This story is about different children and their skin. It talks about how some children have different colored skin and how their skin is different. It talks about hair follicles, fingerprints, hair, sweat, epidermis/dermis, cuts, sunburns, melanin and keeping clean.

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:

Have the class look at different Crayola color selections, see what color their skin actually is and have them write it down.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:

After reading the story, have the students draw and write ways they can protect their skin. Have the younger students (K/1) tell you what they drew so you can write it down for them.

Reflection:

I think this is a good book to use in a younger classroom because it shows students how to take care of their skin, what happens when you get cuts and bruises, and why it is important to make sure you take care of your skin.

The Giving Tree

Author/ Illustrator: Shel Silverstein

About the Author:

http://shelsilverstein.com/indexSite.html

Shel Silverstein grew up in Chicago and started writing when he was twelve years old. He did not set out to draw and write for children. He would have rather spent time playing baseball but he was not good at it so he decided to draw and write. He did not have any other poet to look to for inspiration so he developed his own style. He was a GI in Japan and Korea in the 1950s and served in the Korean War. While he was in the military, he worked as a cartoonist for "Pacific Stars and Stripes." In 1963, he was convinced to begin writing for children. Where the Sidewalk Ends, Light In the Attic, Runny Babbit, and The Giving Tree are a few of his popular pieces.


Genre: Fiction
Grade Level: 1-4
Theme: Sharing and Giving

Synopsis:

This story is about a tree who loved a little boy. This boy would always visit the tree, eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk and this made the tree very happy.

However, as the boy grew older, he wanted more from the tree each time and the tree gave him what he wanted. The tree would always give the boy what she could because she wanted him happy. When the boy was happy, she was happy. The last time he came to see her, she was sad because she had nothing left to give him. However, the boy said he didn’t need much now.  He just needed a place to rest, so the tree gave him a place to rest.

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:

Have the class each write a few sentences about what they would want a giving tree to give to them if they had one. Have them describe what their giving tree would look like and draw a picture to go with it.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:

After reading the story, have the students brainstorm and think of people who have given them something or have done something for them. Have the students write a thank you letter to someone who has given them something or helped them in some way.

 

Reflection:
The Giving Tree is a wonderful story. Sometimes people do not realize what someone or something gives them unless it is material things. The Giving Tree gives all of herself to the little boy, and he takes it without ever saying thank you. I think in real life this happens many times, someone gives so much of themselves or even so much of what they have and it often goes un-noticed.  I beleive this topic is relevant in today's world even though it was published in 1964.  It shows that people still take things for granted and do not think about saying two words that can make all the difference!

Curious George Visits the Library

Author/Illustrator: Margret & H.A. Rey/Style of H.A. Rey by Martha Weston

About the Author:
http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/cgsite/history.shtml
Hans Augusto (September 16, 1898) and Margret (May 16, 1906) were both born in Hamburg, Germany. They met when Margret was a young girl and reunited in Rio de Janeiro in 1935. They married in Brazil on August 16, 1935 and moved to Paris after their honeymoon. H.A. published his first chilren's book there called Raffy and the Nine Monkeys (Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys in the British and American editions). This marked the beginning of Curious George! They began working on the manuscript for Curious George but the publication was stopped in the late 1930s and early 1940s because Hitler and the Nazi party were trying to take over Paris. H.A. made bicycles for the two of them and they took only warm coats, a bit of food, and five manuscripts one of which was Curious George. The Nazi's arrived in Paris hours later but the Rey's were long gone! Curious George was published in 1941! Both have passed away but Curious George lives on in the Curious George Foundation.

Genre: Fiction, Language Arts
Grade Level: K-1
Theme: Library Visits

Synopsis:
This story is about Curious George visiting the library for the first time. He sees all the books he likes and wants the librarian to read the one about the dinosaurs. Unfortunately George gets impatient and just takes the book and walks away with it. Soon he is searching through shelves collecting books that he wants to take home and read. He finds a cart to put them on and thinks he can roll the cart home until he crashes into the section of encyclopedias. He helps put the extra books back, then receives a library card of his own, checks out his selected books and enjoys them at home with his friend, the man with the yellow hat.

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:

Have the class look at the cover and ask them what they think might happen in the story. Then ask if they have been to a library and know any rules of the library.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:

After reading the story, have the class draw pictures of what they should do in a library. Contact the local public library and schedule a time to go with the class and see if they can hang the pictures they drew in the children's section of the library.

Reflection:

I think this is a cute book to use in a classroom because it allows students to see what they should do in a library and what steps they need to take in order to take out library books. It is important for children to visit a library at a young age to be familiar with the rules and how to check out books as well as having a library card. I got a library card when I was six years old and still have it today. I use the library quite often and I feel like kids should go there at least once a week to check out books to read.

Book Fiesta

Author/Illustrator:  Pat Mora/Rafael Lopez

About the Author:

http://www.patmora.com/
Pat is a popular national speaker at conferences, campuses, libraries and schools.  She is a former teacher, university administrator, museum director, and consultant. She has three children, who are now all adults. She is married to anthropology professor Vern Scarborough and currently lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

Genre: Non-Fiction
Grade Level: K-2
Theme: Exploring different cultures/celebrations

Synopsis:
This is a story celebrating Children's Day/Book Day.  This shows that children are special and books are special and it is important for children to read books!  The books shows that children do not need a special place to read books because books can and should be read anywhere!

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:

Have the class write about what their favorite book is and why it is their favorite.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:

After reading the story, have the students create posters celebrating Children's/Book Day and have students brainstorm ways they could celebrate this special day in their school.

Reflection:

I think this is a very special book. It discusses celebrating children and books they like to read on April 30.  It is important to get children interested in other cultures and read about them and one way to do that is to incorporate different celebrations in your own classrooms.

Stone Soup

Author/Illustrator: Ann McGovern/Winslow Pinney Pels

About the Author:
http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/professional-development/childlit/mcgovern.html
Ann McGovern grew up in New York City where she currently lives today. She has visited EVERY continent and started writing when she was 8 years old. She has been writing children's books for over 35 years and has written over 50 books! In 1970 she married her husband and has four children. In 1992 her husband passed away but she learned to do so many exciting things with him and continues the vacations with her family that they started with their children!

Genre: Language Arts

Grade Level: K-3
Theme: Helping Others

Synopsis:
This story is about a hungry man who makes soup from a stone. He starts out by asking an old lady for food but she tells him she has nothing for him. He finds a stone and she asks him how he can make soup from a stone. He tells her once the soup starts boiling what ingredients would make the soup taste good and she quickly gets the ingredients from the garden or makes them herself. Finally the soup is ready to eat and they enjoy themselves. The hungry man takes the stone with him to cook with it again.

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:

Have the class write and share a time they have made something special either with family or friends.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:

After reading the story, have the class make their own stone soup!

Reflection:

I think this is a cute book to use in a classroom because it allows students to predict what might happen as well as repeat what is in the soup because eat ingredient is said after a new ingredient is added. This is a fun book for young ages because each group can make their own stone soup with their own ingredients. I remember making stone soup when I was in elementary school!

Each Orange Had 8 Slices: A Counting Book

Author/Illustrator:  Paul Giganti, Jr./Donald Crews

About the Author:
http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/16630/Paul_Giganti_Jr/index.aspx
Paul teaches mathematics to teachers at the University of California at Berkeley where he graduated with a degree in mathematics. He taught in the public schools for fifteen years and now lives with his family in Albany, California.

Genre: Math

Grade Level: K-3
Theme: Adding/Multiplying

Synopsis:
This story talks about a child walking to different places talking about what he sees on his way there.  Each page has a picture of different images where students can count, add, or multiply their way to find the answers!

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:

Have the class look at the cover and ask them how many oranges, how many orange slices and how many seeds in all?!

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:

After reading the story, have the students look around the room and see if they can find things around the room they can use to make questions of their own.

Reflection:

I think this is a very good book to use in a classroom because it allows students to practice counting, adding, and multiplying depending on the grade level you are working with.  This book is repetitive so students as young as Kindergarten will be able to predict what comes next and how they can answer the questions themselves. It is a good book for math practice!

Family Pictures Cuadros de Familia

Author/Illustrator:  Carmen Lomas Garza

About the Author:

http://www.askart.com/AskART/artists/biography.aspx?searchtype=BIO&artist=101344

Carmen Lomas Garza was born in Kingsville, Texas. At 13, she made a commitment to pursue a career in art and taught herself elements of drawing. Her works of art depict childhood memories of family and friends in a wide range of activities from making tamales to dancing to Tejano music.

Garza has a bachelor’s degree in science from Texas A&I University (currently Texas A&M University, Kingsville) where she studied art education and studio art. 

Genre: Non-Fiction, Foreign Language
Grade Level: K-2
Theme: Family Traditions

Synopsis:

This is the story of Carmen Lomas Garza's childhood and different things that she remembers. Some of these include celebrating birthdays, making tamales, finding a hammerhead shark on the beach, picking cactus, going to a fair in Mexico, and talking to her sister about her dreams of becoming an artist. This story is told through pictures that show daily activities in the life of a traditional Hispanic community through the perspective of a child.

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:

Have the class draw a picture of their family.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:

After reading the story, have the students write about some special things they do with their family and draw a picture of something they like to do with their families.

Reflection:

I think this is a cute book!  It talks about different things that families do together and shows how families are different.  I think the Spanish and English versions in the book are very beneficial because as teachers we can teach children different words in different languages.

Are You My Daddy?

Author/Illustrator:  Carla Dijs

About the Author:

Carla Dijs is a published author and illustrator of children's books. 

Genre: Fiction
Grade Level: K-1
Theme: Animals

Synopsis:
This is a story about a baby tiger in search of his dad.  In this pop-up book, baby tiger asks every animal he sees if he is his daddy and each animal responds no, states what type of animal they are and gives him a reason why he is not his daddy.  Baby tiger finally finds his daddy and when he asks, his daddy says yes and asks him where he has been?!

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:

Have the class make predictions of what might happen and who the baby tiger might ask is his father.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:

After reading the story, have the students make up other animals that baby tiger could ask that were not in the story and give a reason why they could not be baby tiger's father.

Reflection:

I think this is the cutest book!  It shows different types of animals you could introduce to younger children and the pop up features make it look realistic.  It is a quick read for young children to sit and listen to and they could try and predict what animals might be in the story.

My House Mi Casa

 

Author/Illustrator:  Rebecca Emberley

About the Author:

http://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-Emberley/e/B001H6W1N0

Rebecca Emberley is the author and illustrator of numerous books for children, including a bestselling bi-lingual series. She comes from a family of artists, including her father Ed Emberley, her brother Michael Emberley, and sister in law Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, who are all children's book illustrators. Her daughter Adrian Emberley and her husband Peter Black, are both singer-songwriters and sometimes they work on projects together. Because of this, Rebecca is constantly very busy. When she is not creating books for children, she does some graphic design, travels, and looks for opportunities to work with her family. She now lives in Maine with her husband, but will soon be traveling for a while, to look for new and exciting ideas.

Genre: Non-Fiction, Foreign Langauge
Grade Level: K-2
Theme: Building vocabulary through a different language

Synopsis:
This is a bilingual story about different things you can find in someones house. It uses English and Spanish to describe different people in their family, different toys in the rooms, different items that are connected with certain rooms and other places people can live.

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:

Have the class draw a picture of their house and describe it to the class.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:

After reading the story, have the students draw a picture of any room inside their house and write different items they have in the room. Have them also write down the name of the item in Spanish with your help to learn new ways to say these different items.

Reflection:

I think this is a very good book to use in a younger classroom because it allows a student to learn words in Spanish and be able to remember them.  It also helps students to talk about what type of building they live in and be able to describe different things using different ways to say them.