Picture Book #16

A Ball for Daisy

 by Chris Raschka

Illustrator: Chris Raschka

Genre: Juvenile Fiction 
Subgenre: Picture Book

Themes: story without word, loss, emotions  

Primary and Secondary Characters: Primary - Daisy 
Secondary - brown dog, girl  

Award(s):  Caldecott Medal (2012)

Date Published: 2011

Publishing Company: Schwartz & Wade Books 

Summary: Daisy the dog loves her red ball. She plays and plays with her ball all day long.  The girl takes Daisy outside to play. Daisy has a happy day playing with her ball. Then brown dog wants to play with Daisy's ball, pop and the ball is no more. Daisy is very sad, but brown dog has a surprise for Daisy.    


How this book could be used to teach students: A Ball for Daisy can be used to teach students how illustrations tell a story. This book can be introduced to very young children that can not read, but can tell the story through it's pictures.  

Picture Book #15

The Very Quiet Cricket

 by Eric Carle

Illustrator: Eric Carle

Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Subgenre: Picture Book

Themes: insects, communication

Primary and Secondary Characters: Primary - quite cricket

Secondary - big cricket, locust, praying mantis, worm, spittlebug, cicada, bumbletbee, dragonfly, mosquitoes, luna moth, female cricket

Date Published: 1990

Publishing Company: Philomel Books

Summary: A little cricket rubs his wings together to communication with other insects he encounters, but each time he does not make a sound. Then one day he meets another cricket and there is sound. 


How this book could be used to teach students: The Very Quite Cricket could be used to teach students about how insects communicate. The students could explore and learn about the insects featured in the book.


A little extra: http://www.eric-carle.com/catexchange.html 
Did you know that only male crickets chirp. 

Picture Book #14

The Three Pigs

 by David Wiesner

Illustrator:  David Wiesner

Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Subgenre: Picture Book

Themes: Friend Ship

Primary and Secondary Characters: Primary -  Secondary -

Award(s):  Caldecott Medal Book (2002)

Date Published:  2001 

Publishing Company: Clarion Books

Summary: 


How this book could be used to teach students:


A little extra:

Picture Book #13

Some Birthday!

 by Patricia Polacco

Illustrator: Patricia Polacco

Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Picture Book

Themes: Family, Birthdays

Primary and Secondary Characters: Primary - Patricia, Dad 
Secondary - Gramma, Rich (Patricia's brother), Cousin Billy

Award(s):  Parent's Choice Honors (1991)

Date Published: 1991

Publishing Company: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 

Summary:  Today is Patricia's special day and her family has forgot all about it. Patricia's Dad decided that tonight would be the night his family would take a photo of the Clay Pit Monster.  


How this book could be used to teach students:


A little extra: http://www.patriciapolacco.com/

Picture Book #12

The Lion & The Mouse

 by Jerry Pinkney

Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney

Genre: Fable, Juvenile Literature
Subgenre: Picture Book

Themes:

Primary and Secondary Characters: Primary - 
Secondary -

Award(s):  Caldecott Medal Book (2010)

Date Published: 2009 

Publishing Company: Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers

Summary: 


How this book could be used to teach students:


A little extra:

Picture Book #11

George Washington's Teeth

 by Deborah Chandra & Madeleine Comora 

Illustrator: Brock Cole

Genre: Biography, Juvenile Non-Fiction 
Subgenre: Picture Book

Themes: Dental Hygiene, Inventions  

Primary and Secondary Characters: Primary - George Washington
Secondary - Martha Washington, the dentist

Date Published: 2003

Publishing Company: Farrar Straus Giroux 

Summary: Behind the scenes of the Revolutionary War George Washington battled tooth lost.   

How this book could be used to teach students: This book could be used to teach students some facts about the first President. 


A little extra: Myth George Washington never had a set of wooden teeth. 

Picture Book #10

The Stray Dog

 by Marc Simont

Illustrator: Marc Simont

Genre: Juvenile Fiction 
Subgenre: Picture Book

Themes: Friendship, Family, Pets 

Primary and Secondary Characters: Primary - the boy, the girl, Willy 
Secondary - the father, the mother, the dog warden

Award(s):  Caldecott Honor Book (2002)

Date Published: 2001

Publishing Company: Harper Collins Publishers 

Summary: During a picnic a family encounters a dog. 


How this book could be used to teach students: 

Picture Book #9

The Firekeeper's Son

 by Linda Sue Park

Illustrator: Julie Downing 

Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Subgenre: Picture Book

Themes: History, Family, Korea, Traditions, Responsibility 

Primary and Secondary Characters: Primary - Sang-hee, Father 
Secondary - Mother

Date Published: 2004

Publishing Company: Clarion Books

Summary:  Sang-hee lives with his family in a village on the coast of Korea. Sang-hee's father is the village firekeeper, he lights a fire signal system every night. Then one night Sang-hee must help his father light a fire. Sang-hee learns the importance of the fire and that he maybe the next firekeeper.    


How this book could be used to teach students: This book could be used to teach about non verbal forms of communication. The students could compare communication today and in history.     

Chapter Book #8

Third Grade Pet

 by Judy Cox

Illustrator: Cynthia Fisher

Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Subgenre:  Chapter Book

Themes: Responsibility, Pets, Friendship 

Primary and Secondary Characters: Primary - Rosemary, Megan, Cheese the rat
Secondary - Brian, Mom, Dad, Mr. Wilder, Spofford

Date Published: 1998

Publishing Company: Holiday House

Summary: Mr. Wilder's third grade class works together to choose and care for the new classroom pet. However, one student, Rosemary is not thrilled about the pet that is chosen. Rosemary overcomes her fears and misconceptions about the class pet. She learns that taking care of a pet is a big responsibility.    


How this book could be used to teach students: Third Grade Pet could be used to illustrate to students the responsibility and care of a pet.  


A little extra: http://www.judycox.net/index.htm

Chapter Book #7

One Crazy Summer

by Rita Williams-Garcia

Illustrator: not illustrated

Genre: 
Subgenre: 

Themes:

Primary and Secondary Characters: Primary -  Secondary -

Award(s):  Coretta Scott King Awards (2011)

Date Published: 2010

Publishing Company: 

Summary: 


How this book could be used to teach students:


A little extra:

Chapter Book # 6

A Year Down Yonder

by Richard Peck 

Illustrator: not illustrated

Genre: Juvenile Fiction 

Subgenre: Chapter Book 

Themes: Country Life, Family, Change, History  
Primary and Secondary Characters: Primary - Mary Alice Dowdel and Grandma Dowdel
Secondary - Mr. Fluke, Mildred Burdick, Ina-Rae Gage, Miss. Butler, Carleen Lovejoy, Royce McNabb, Bootsie the cat, Augie Fluke

Award(s):  Newbery Medal Book (2001)

Date Published: 2000

Publishing Company: Dial Books for Young Readers

Summary: Forced to leave Chicago, Mary Alice Dowdel moves to the small town of Wabash, Illinois to live with her grandma. Mary Alice would soon discover what life was really like in Wabash and learn all about the town's people. She would get to know who fearsome Grandma Dowdel really is.    


How this book could be used to teach students: Entertaining way to show student that change can be a good thing.


A little extra: A Year Down Yonder is a sequel to the Newbery Honor Book A Long Way from Chicago.  I give it two thumbs up. 

Chapter Book #5

Thanksgiving on Thursday
Magic Tree House #27

 by Mary Pope Osborne

Illustrator: Sal Murdocca

Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy 
Subgenre: Chapter Book Series 

Themes: Community, Hard Work, Thanksgiving Day  

Primary and Secondary Characters: Primary - Jack and Annie 
Secondary - Priscilla, Squanto, Governor Bradford, Captain Standish , Pilgrims, Wampanoag Indians 

Date Published: 2002

Publishing Company: Scholastic/Random House Children's Books  

Summary: Jack and Annie travel back in time to Plymouth Massachusetts during the year 1621. They meet Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians and discover that their lives are very different. Jack and Annie trying to help  fish and gather food for the first Thanksgiving Day. They learn that life in 1621 was hard and that even the children worked hard to help out. Jack and Annie discover that words do not have the same meaning back in 1621. With a turkey mishap and a lesson in planting corn the Wampanoag way Jack and Annie learn the real magic of Thanksgiving.     


How this book could be used to teach students: This book could be used to spark students' imagination and introduce historical fantasy. The students will gain historical knowledge from the books setting and be able to contrast two different time periods.      


A little extra: http://www.magictreehouse.com/#home?intro=0

Chapter Book #4

Chapter Book #3

Chapter Book #2

Picture Book #8

Picture Book #7