Diary Of A Wimpy Kid

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Written and Illustrated by: Jeff Kinney

Age Group: 3^rd and 4^th Grade

Published: 2007

The story Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a novel in cartoon characters and a #1 New York Times Best seller. The story follows the life of a middle school boy Greg Heffley and his best friend Rowley. They are dealing with the older cooler boys in school, parents just not understanding and just trying to fit in. When his best friend Rowley starts hanging out with the cooler boys, Greg needs to figure out a way of getting him back. In the end of the book Greg helps out Rowley and they are back to hanging out everyday after school.

This story deals with situations that all children at this age deal with and have to make it through. The connection of friendship is huge in this book. Greg and Rowley are such good friends and they are always there for each other. The thing about this book that isn’t helpful is that yes it is nice that the author goes by months and clearly labels it, but since he labels each day of the week he needs to have one after the other. While reading he goes from Tuesday and skips Wednesday, and Thursday and goes directly to Friday, this could be confusing for some students.

I think what makes this book so popular is the way the author, Jeff, writes the novel with the pictures and font. He uses paper in the book that have lines, like an actual diary would, so the reader doesn’t feel like they are just reading a regular book. He has cartoon pictures that children get really into because they love to draw cartoons and make up stories. The font he uses is just like the writing of a child; it clearly looks written and not typed out at all. The pictures in the novel don’t happen in any certain order, it seems that when the illustrator has something he wants a picture for, he just writes it in the middle of the page whenever he feels like it. Which makes the book so original and unique.

I would definitely have this book in my classroom for students to read. I would love to have everyone in the class read this book. All students love this book, students are different reading levels, and boys and girls with completely different interests enjoy it.  When they are done reading the book, they can make their own story, where I can see into the lives of my students through writing and art. It can be an ongoing assignment where they write in their diaries each night.

Green Eyes

Green Eyes

Author and Illustrator: A. Birnbaum

Age Group: Kindergarten

Published: 1953

Green Eyes is the story of a young kitten’s experiences through his first year of life. Green Eyes was born on a farm and the year is documented through the animal friends he meets during the four seasons of the year. When Green Eye’s is born he is so small that he lives in a small box. After a year of life, he is moved to a bigger box.

I don’t know that I can say that there is any real lesson that is taught through this story. The author has created a lot of opportunity for teaching and learning using, animals, seasons, number, colors the transformation from a kitten to a cat.

The illustrations are very simple and child like. There isn’t a lot of detail, which makes it easier for a young child to understand and absorb. The colors the Birnbaum chose are primary colors that again cater to the young child. The animals, seasons and colors provide the opportunity for a lot of dialogue and questions with the young child.

I recommend this Caldecott Honor Book for the early childhood classroom. Whether in large or small groups there are a lot of teaching and learning opportunities. The teacher can use this book for a weather unit, farm unit, number unit, color unit or teaching about seasons. Through this book the teacher can ask the children a lot of questions about the various topics and can use it as an assessment tool to see  what the children know or are interested in.

Where You Are My Love Will Find You

Where You Are My Love Will Find You

Author and Illustrator: Nancy Tillman

Ages Group: All ages

Published: 2010

This is a sweet, short story that follows a child through a variety of adventures in life reminding the child there where ever he is, whatever he does his mother’s love will always follow him. When he is feeling down all he needs to do is “lift up your face, feel the wind in your hair…” .

This is a story that is a gentle reminder for all of us that we are loved. In this particular story it is a mother’s love, but if you are reading it with your class you can talk about all of the love that surrounds us along with all the different kids of love. A friends love, a spouse’s love, God’s love etc. That wherever you are and whatever you are doing you are never alone, someone, somewhere loves you.

The illustrations in this book are as soft, gentle and beautiful as the message. Some of pictures are so beautiful they could almost look like an actual photograph. I really liked how on almost every page, the illustrator shows the child with a different kind of animal. The fun, animal adventures makes for an interesting picture book that even the youngest child would enjoy looking at.

I would recommend this book as a read loud around Valentines’s Day of maybe even during a time of a death or tragedy in the classroom, community or world. The message is one that we can never be reminded of enough. The words and pictures are very calming. The book is short but may contain some challenging words, could be read and enjoyed by first or second graders.

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Author and Illustrator: William Steig

Ages Group: 3rd-5th Grade

Published: 1969

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is the story of a young donkey who collects pebbles. One rainy day he found a beautiful red pebble, as he was holding it he wished that the rain would stop. The rain stopped.  He made a couple of more wishes and they came true. He then encountered a lion, he wished that he were a big rock to protect himself from the lion, he was turned into a big rock and the lion walked right by him. He stayed a rock because he couldn’t hold the pebble to wish him back to himself. Sylvester’s parents were very worried because their son didn’t come home. They waited and looked for him and he could not found. They finally gave up thinking something horrible had happened. One summer afternoon, a year later Sylvester’s parents were on a picnic and missing him. The father found a beautiful red pebble and showed it to his wife saying that Sylvester would have loved that pebble. Holding the pebble, Sylvester’s mother wished that he would return to them. HE appeared. His parents were so happy! The parent’s pl aced the pebble in an iron safe until they day that they needed a wish to be honored. Until then, they lived happily with everything that they needed.

The lesson in this book is a good topic to be reinforced in all classrooms, The difference between greed and  wishing for more than you have. We should all be happy with what we have and if we aren’t, then we need to change something within ourselves or something that we are doing to make it happen. We are responsible for our ourselves and our future. We should never let greed get the best of us. We need to learn to be happy with what we have.

The illustrations are harsh and dark, when I look at them, I don’t have a sense of positive feeling or emotion. The black outline around the drawings creates a sketch feel, more of a drawing than a painting or photograph. The art supports the words of the story and follow what the author is trying to tell us, they just don’t appeal to me.

I remember my parents reading this book to me when I was a kid and I didn’t like it. Now that I’m older, I still don’t. I can’t put my finger on it, it has a good lesson that can be used in a classroom about wishing for more than you have and being selfish. I just don’t care for it. I know that this book is a Caldecott Medal winner, but I can’t recommend it.

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus

Written by: Barbara Park

Illustrated by: Denise Brunkus

Age Group: 2^nd Grade

Published: 1992

Junie B. Jones is a huge series of books for children to read. They are all hilarious and about the same little girl. This book is about Junie Beatrice Jones and her first day of Kindergarten and she hates the school bus. Her friend Lucille tells her that she is going to get chocolate milk poured all over her head. At the end of the day instead of leaving school and going on the school bus she hides in the teachers room and when everyone is gone, she leaves her hiding spot and starts exploring the school. A janitor finds her and calls her mother and Junie goes home and explains to her mother why she did this.

All of the lessons in the Junie B. Jones books are lessons that all children this age go through and have to handle, especially in this book. Most kids are afraid of there first day of school and are especially scared to take the bus. The bus has many older students on it, so to the younger students they feel so little and scared of how they are going to be treated, especially if they are hearing stories. This is a great lesson of what to do and what not to do, and if you are afraid of something you need to speak up and actually tell someone the feelings you are having.

The book doesn’t have many pictures in the book, but when there are, they are very funny. They are just sketches of pictures and they are very detailed. In my opinion I think that this book would be just as great even if it didn’t have any pictures at all. My favorite part of the pictures are that they make Junie B. Jones look kind of rough sometimes, they have one of her socks always squished down on the side which is so funny.

I would have many of the Junie B. Jones book in my classroom. Since these books are very leaning from books, the students can always relate. In my classroom I would want the students to write about and draw pictures of something they are afraid of when it comes to school, or something they were afraid of. We could have a lesson of each of the things the children say, and I bet that some will overlap. Then the students will realize that some of their classmates are also afraid of the same thing as them, so they know that they are not alone. In my classroom I would try to have as many of these books as possible on my shelf so the students have options of many kinds. 

Magic Tree House: Dinosaurs Before Dark

Magic Tree House: Dinosaurs Before Dark

Written by: Mary Pope Osborne

Illustrated by: Sal Murdocca

Age Group: 2^nd Grade

Published: 1992

This book is the fist in a large series of Magic Tree House books. The main characters Jack and Annie find a mysterious tree house filled with lot of books. Jack really wants to see a Pteranodon in real life after looking at all the pictures, so him and Annie travel through time to the land of dinosaurs. They see so many dinosaurs like a T-Rex and Triceratops. They travel through and learn all about dinosaurs.

This book has lessons for students. Especially since this book about Dinosaurs, it has great vocabulary that the students in the class can learn about and memorize. Information about dinosaurs are so interesting to children, because no one has actually seen dinosaurs before or have footage of them, it is such a slightly unknown thing. The ways we discover dinosaurs are so cool for students to learn about. They have great websites and museums where students can really get into the

The pictures in this book are very realistic. They are beautifully drawn with pencil and have excellent detail; it makes you feel like you are actually in the book itself. The pictures in the book aren’t just on one page, they continue on some pages back to back The font and writing on the pages fit around the pictures so make the book more fun for students to read.

I would love to have a bunch of the Magic Tree House book series in my classroom. The Magic Tree House website has so many options for students to work on with each chapter and vocabulary that they learn for each. The vocabulary in each is so great and relates to what the students enjoy. At the end I would love to have the students in my classroom create their own dinosaurs either making them all up on their own, or taking many different parts of dinosaurs and creating a whole new one with an original name. 

How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You?

How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You?

Written by: Jane Yolen

Illustrated by: Mark Teague

Age Group: Preschool and Kindergarten

Published: 2009

The book How do Dinosaurs say I Love You? Is a very creative book telling the readers that even when dinosaurs make mistakes they are still loved. The different dinosaurs will not take naps, not eat what is put in front of them, and throw sand in the sandbox outside, flood the house when playing in the sink. But looking past all of that, they hold the parents and in the grocery store, always say I love you and blow kisses, so that makes up for all the bad that they do.

Before I introduce this book, I would want to ask the children in the class how they think dinosaurs say I love you? I would say well we would find out about all the different ways. At the beginning of the book it also gives the names of all the dinosaurs that the book will include and talk about. A great activity for the students to look up is information about the different dinosaurs so they can be familiar with them before reading. For review on each page while reading, they also have the names again of the dinosaurs on the page under the picture of them.

The pictures in this book are great and so vibrant. The colors are just so bright and crisp and it makes me really get into the story. Since the book doesn’t have many words on each page, the pictures are what really do the trick for the book and for students to learn. The pictures are very funny and get the children reading it to laugh at the different expressions on the faces of the parents and the dinosaurs.

I would have this book in my classroom and I would definitely make it more than just a read aloud and do things for the students to get involved with a lesson. I would definitely want them to learn about the dinosaurs, and I would make this one of the book that they bring home to read with mom and dad. It is great how they show the dinosaurs doing both bad things that they know are wrong but then also good things where they get praised for them. 

Fancy Nancy

Fancy Nancy

Written by: Jane O’Connor

Illustrated by: Robin Preiss Glasser

Age Group: Kindergarten and 1^st Grade

Published: 2006

The Fancy Nancy books are a smaller series of books about a little girl named Nancy. She loves to have everything fancy and is always bedazzling everything around her house. From the beginning they show her room just plain and the next page it is so fancy filled with all colors and pretty objects. Her family isn’t as fancy as she is, so she tries so hard to make them fancy and understand the kind of person that she is. In the end of the book she makes a mistake out in public that doesn’t make her fancy in her mind anymore. Her family gets back to the house and they tell her that she is always going to be Fancy Nancy to them and nothing can change that.

The lesson in this book is to always be you. Throughout the book Fancy Nancy is always trying to have her parents be just like her and all fancy. She finally is able to convince her parents and younger sister to be fancy just like her. The language in this book is very descriptive, so in my classroom I would love to include a part of the lesson talking about all the descriptive words that fancy Nancy uses and how when she makes the word in her words “fancy” there is always another meaning.

The pictures in this book are wonderful. They are so colorful and have so much going on, on each page. Nancy in this book is a lot like the way that many little girls like to picture them if they were in Nancy’s words a “fancy girl”. The font that the author uses is great with curvy letters in way that is very fancy. The cover of the book has sparkles and really grabs the attention of children.

I would recommend for teachers to have this book in their room. I think that it is a great read-aloud for a class. It is also a great book for students to be able to choose on their own to read. It does have a great meaning behind it, but I think that there are better books out there for students to learn about being original in their own skin with. 

A Chair For My Mother

A Chair For My Mother

Author and Illustrator: Vera B. Williams

Age Group: 3rd Grade

Published:1982

This story is about a young girl who lives with her mother and grandmother in what seems to be a big city. The mother is a waitress in a little diner where the young girl sometimes helps by washing salt and pepper shakers and peeling onions. The mama comes home every night from work and the young girl helps her mom count her tips and they place the coins in a big jar. They are saving for a new, comfy chair. One day the girl and her mother are walking home and they notice the fire trucks in front of their building and that their apartment has burned. Luckily grandma was safe. The three of them moved in with her aunt and eventually rented the apartment below her. The apartment was empty they didn’t have much furniture. They continued to save mom’s tips and after a year they went and bought their new chair…it was just right!

There are many lessons to be learned from this story. This Caldecott Honor book shows love and family loyalty. After a fire destroys their home and possessions, Rosa and her mother and grandmother continue to work hard to save their money to furnish their new apartment, they don’t give up. This book shows not only a racially diverse family but also a many-generational, economically diverse family who have to work hard and save for all they have. They are not angry or bitter, they keep staying positive and moving forward. There continue to be many cultures who live together and support one another and this story is no different.

I would not recommend this book not for struggling readers, but as a class read aloud. The lessons learned need to be shared and would create some good class discussions. It may help some of the children who live in economically diverse homes feel better and more comfortable about who they are and where they come from. I believe that it is important for all of us to work for what we receive and that we should never take anything for granted. Any of us could loose our belongings in a fire or weather disaster at any time.

When I first looked at this book I was not impressed with the pictures. They felt sloppy and lie they were created with pastels. After reading the book, the illustrations seemed appropriate for the story, very simple and not one-sided. I am thinking more and more that the pictures should not only represent what the story is about but also feelings that the author wants you to come away from the story with. You feel that this is a poor, diverse family who work for all they have. 

Skippyjon Jones

Skippyjon Jones

Author and Illustrator: Judy Schachner

Age Group: Kindergarten-3rd Grade

Published: 2003

Skippyjon Jones is a funny book about a hyperactive kitten, Skippyjon Jones, who has a head and ears that are too big for his body. Skippyjon is too has a crazy imagination and is too wild for his mama.  Skippyjon always wakes up and eats worms with the birds. His mom sends him to his room where he thinks he is a Chihuahua. Skippy’s adventures and imagination make a fun story.

This is a very fun book to read and to listen to. The rhyming words, choice of words, and phrasing combined with the Spanish language makes for an enjoyable sounding story. The Lesson from this book is just as enjoyable, it is important to have an imagination and to dream about who you are and who you can be. Children will not only dream about realistic ideas but also fun and adventurous.

The fun and colorful cartoon art matches the crazy text perfectly. You not only enjoy listening to the story but the pictures are fun to look at and help you visualize Skippy and his adventures. The pictures are very colorful and the images are just as imaginative as the story. The animation is fun and childlike.

I recommend this book for all K-3 classrooms. Older classrooms may also enjoy this fun story just as much. Spanish-speaking children will be especially delighted by the words and humor. Skippyjon Jones is a good multicultural offering that nor only integrates the Spanish and English languages but also the multi-cultural phrases, customs, clothing, food, and songs.

The 39 Clues: The Maze Of Bones

The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones

Written by: Rick Riordan

Age Group: 5th and 6th Grade

Published: 2008

The story The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones is about two children Amy and Dan Cahilll. They are given a choice when they can get all her things: to find the 39 clues, which makes the winner the most powerful person on the planet, or they can walk away and take the million dollars. Dan and Amy decided to accept the challenge and Aunt Beatrice disowns them because of it. The first part of their clues lead them to realize that they are related to Benjamin Franklin, where they have to travel to Paris, France to find out more information. To travel they need an adult to come with them so they choose Nellie and they end up telling her about the clues so she can help out. The book doesn't end, it continues throughout the series.

I think that this book has a great meaning for student to read about. It talks a lot about culture of old people that are well know and have had importance in the world by inventing things. It is cool, how the writer ties those in with the story, so it seems so real. You could go back into time and look at dates of these people and be able to understand real historic dates. The importance of really going after what you believe and fighter for what you think is important is a key issue in this book. The children in the book never give up.

The book doesn't have any pictures, but it does have the physical clues that the readers can hold in their hands like they are actually playing the game. This gets the readers so involved and into the book that they can't put it down (well in my case it did at least). The descriptions in the book are also so detailed that you can make your own picture with it.

I would recommend this book and have it in my classroom. I would definitely want students who do not find an excitement in reading to read this book. It is great for getting those ADD readers a chance to hold something in their hands and they can look and play with besides with book itself. I want to continue reading the series and know that I will, because I am super interested to see what happens.

Just Me In The Tub

Just Me in the Tub

Written & Illustrated by: Gina and Mercer Mayer

Age Group: Preschool

Published: 2001

The book Just Me in the Tub is Little Critter book about a little boy taking a bath and telling us all of the things that he has to do. He gives us step by step instructions of what we should do before we get in the bath, when we are in the bath, after the bath and what we do not do. Little Critter starts telling us that he always gets his pajamas out before the bath, so they are clean and ready for him to get right into. He gets in the bath and as the pictures intend he makes a mess, but his impression is that he is super clean and doesn't make a mess in the tub. He washes all his body parts and tells us about it, he gets out of the tub, making puddle after puddle so he can get his toys. He has his stuffed animals watch him while he is taking a bath since they aren't able to join him like his plastic ones. He has so much fun playing till his mom tells him to get out and finish up. He gets dressed but then has to clean up after himself. He reads with his dad and sister in the end of the story before he goes to bed.

This book makes me laugh so hard, the little boy telling us about his bath routine is just too cute and it describes all the adventures that children have for the process of taking a bath. When you grow up, it is such a quick thing, but to little children, it is a huge deal that they either love or hate. In the classroom this book would be a great instructional book for students to learn about the importance of staying clean. The mom doesn't show up in the story till towards the end of the book, so when children are reading, they can realize that they can do these things on their own and be very grown up. In the end when his mom comes in the story, she reminds him to be responsible and clean  up when he is done, which is a great lesson for students that they need to clean up after themselves and someone else shouldn't do it for them if they are capable. 

The pictures in the book are amazing in my opinion. They give a great way of showing the readers (since the book is intended for younger children) the whole exact process of taking a bath. In the part of the book when it is talking about the different parts of his body he needs to clean, they give individual bubbles for those, with mini bubbles that form in baths connecting them. These have great illustrations for children that are bright and exciting. The whole he is telling us what he is doing, and each picture goes right along. In the end of the book, it has a comforting feeling showing the father and his two children sitting down and reading a book before they go to bed, which is the process that most children have before they go to bed each night.

I would definitely recommend this book. It is so funny and a great story for all children to read while teachers and parents love to read it as well. If I was the teacher of a preschool classroom, I would include this in a lesson about staying clean and definitely not just read it but have activities that go along with them. My absolute favorite part is that what he says like "I step on a bath towel so I don't get water everywhere" is just hilarious because we see in the pictures (no the words, since the words are him telling a story) that he has a huge mess around him, but since he is doing his job of being clean he hardly notices.

Amelia Bedelia

Amelia Bedelia

Written by: Peggy Parish

Illustrated by: Fritz Siebel

Age Group: 1st and 2nd Grade

Published: 1963

The book Amelia Bedelia is an I can Read Book that makes reading fun. Amelia Bedelia is a housekeeper for the Rogers family who takes the how to directions very literally. For example, when the Roger’s asked her to “dust the furniture” she placed dusting powder everywhere. When she was asked to draw the drapes, she actually took paper and crayons and drew a picture of the drapes instead of closing them. Through all of the mistakes that Amelia Bedelia made, Mr. Rogers was happy that she was there. The one thing that she did absolutely right was making lemon meringue pie and the Roger’s were going to keep her just for that.

I feel that Amelia Bedelia teaches us the importance of how we must communicate effectively. Especially in this word, and this includes classrooms, of English language learners, we need to be sure that what we ask or what we say is taken the way that we mean it.  It is so easy to say something and have it taken the wrong way.

The pictures in the book do an excellent job of displaying the author’s thoughts and humor. It is fun to understand what is being said but to see pictures of what the literal meaning is actually funny for both the person who is reading, but also the person who may be being read to. Amelia Bedelia’s facial expressions, which never really change, are especially funny when it comes to understanding her simple self.

I recommend Amelia Bedelia. It is a book that is very popular among many readers. It contains simple words for the beginner readers and the adult humor is funny for the parents who read with their children. The book also allows for fun and interesting dialogue for the reader and the listener.

Miss. Rumphius

Miss Rumphius

Written and Illustrated by: Barbara Cooney

Age Group: 3rd - 5th Grade

Published: 1982

Miss Rumphius is an American Book Award Winner. It is the story of a young girl named Alice, who lived in a city by the sea.  Alice’s grandfather was an artist who created figureheads for the prows of ships and also carved Indians for the front of cigar shops. Alice’s grandfather was also a painter. He painted pictures and told Alice stories of beautiful far away places. Alice decided that when she grew up she would go to faraway places, live by the sea in her old age, and do something to make the world a more beautiful place. As Alice gets older she travels around the world and meets many people. After this, she settles down in a little house by the sea. She wonders how she can make the world more beautiful place when she stumbles upon the idea scattering Lupine flower seeds across the town. The next spring there are lupines everywhere and she is referred to as the "Lupine Lady" from then on.

I believe that there is a very strong lesson to be learned from this story. No matter who you are, young or old, living in an American City or a European countryside, you can do anything to make the world a more beautiful place. Miss Rumphius teaches us to take care of and to respect our world.

The pictures in this book are as beautiful as the story. Barbara Cooney’s art is vibrant and realistic. I can picture myself sitting along the sea or in the colorful field of flowers. She does an excellent job of putting her words into pictures.

I highly recommend this book. The story is important for young or old and can be used as an excellent lesson in a classroom. It can be integrated along side a science lesson or a geography lesson. It not only teaches about world but also the heart.

Pinkalicioius

Pinkalicious

Written by: Victoria Kann & Elizabeth Kann

Illustrated by: Victoria Kann

Age Group: 1st Grade

Published: 2006

The book Pinkalicious is about a little girl who on a rainy day decides to make pink cupcakes with her mother. When they were done, she didn't just have one, she kept on eating them and stopped listening to her parents. The next morning she wakes up and she is ALL pink. Her parents tried washing it off her, but it wasn't working so they took her to the doctor and the doctor said she had an acute case of Pinkititis. The doctor told her that for the next week, she is not allowed to eat anything that has pink in it.  On her way home she was in a garden and getting attacked by animals and insects because she was blending in with the flowers. Despite of what the doctors and her parents were saying, she got another cupcake and the next morning she woke up and she was all red. From there on she decided to only eat green things and the next morning she was normal. The dad asks where the last cupcake went and the brother peeks around the corner all pink and says "Pink-A-Boo".

This book has a great meaning for kids to know that they cannot only eat one thing, they have to have a balanced diet. Even though kids know that they will not turn a certain color because of the foods they eat, it gives them a "hidden" message that they won't forget deep down. This book is very similar to the "A Bad Case of Stripes". In both books the child eats a certain amount of food, and has a bad reaction to it. The impression of the book though that I don't like, is that in the end she is told he has to eat green food to be better. To children I don't want to give them an impression that eating food that is good for  you is a chore, they should want to eat it and know that it is good for you.

I absolutely love the pictures in this book. They are a little cartoonish, so some students might not enjoy them, but I think that are great. Some of the things in the picture are oversized. At one part of the book the mother is talking on the phone, and the phone is like double the size of her mothers head, so some of the pictures give a unrealistic size of objects around the house. My favorite picture is when the little girl is at the doctor getting her check up, and the doctor tells her the food items that she cannot have. In that picture, they show the objects and put an "X" through them so the reader knows that they are not suppose to eat those. It gives a great illustration for understand all the food she can't have and not just naming one things. 

I would recommend this book for girls, I fee like boys would enjoy it. Even the title and front cover of the book is centered about a little girl dressed in a big pink dress with sparkles. The font on the front cover is also very girly and something boys probably wouldn't enjoy. I would definitely have this book as an optional reading in my classroom. 

Ramona Quimby, Age 8

Ramona Quimby, Age 8

Written by: Beverly Cleary

Illustrated by: Alan Tiegreen

Age Group: 4th Grade

Published: 1981

The book Ramona Quimby, Age 8 is about a little girl in the 3rd grade who is known as a nuisance. She is always doing things in school to make her teacher and fellow teachers in the school agree with this comment. Ramona has an older sister named Beezus, who is the complete opposite of her. She is so enthusiastic and is starting junior high. Ramona and Beezus have a hard time getting along sometimes. One of the events in the book is Ramona trying to do the same trick as her dad and cracking a hard boil egg on her head, but instead it isn't hard boil so it cracks on her head and makes a huge mess. Another event in the book is when Ramona does the most embarrassing thing ever and throws up in front of everyone in her class. The whole book Ramona makes it through because of her relationship with her teacher and her family.

Ramona Quimby is a Newbery Honor Book. The book is hilarious and gets children with so many different interests wanting to read it. You keep waiting to see what Ramona does next that makes her  life so entertaining. In our culture today, we always point out kids with ADD and ADHD and say that they need to be told that they can not act a certain way and that there is a time and place, I agree that children have a time and place to act a certain way, but we can not take the creativity out of some kids because that is what is so amazing. Each kid is so different and the way that Beezus and Ramona are so different is what makes this great is that each girl is successful in their own skin. The way the parents are so supportive of both children is also what makes it good for children to know.

This book doesn't have that many pictures in it, but that is good because it is an older elementary students chapter book. At that point in their school, they are more into the words and not looking at the pictures. What also is great about this book not having pictures is that students are able to make own images in their mind and get the brain moving while also reading the words. Sometimes when students get older, they don't get a chance to be as creative, and reading books with pictures is a great way for them to be. This book just had a movie come out, with a pretty famous actress that children recognize while, so if I was a parents and the students wanted to see the movie, I would have them read the book before they get the chance to see it.

I would completely recommend this book for students. It is such a fun read that is quick but can be challenging for some. It is a fun book for parents to also read along with their children with and they will definitely get a hoot out of it as well. I myself had a fun time re-reading it, because I remember reading it when I was in the third or fourth grade.

The Snowy Day

The Snowy Day

Written and Illustrated by: Ezra Jack Keats

Age Group: 1st and 2nd Grade

Published: 1962

The book The Snowy Day is about a little boy named Peter waking up and all he could see was snow outside his window. Like any other little boy, all  he could think of is how much he wants to go outside and play in it. While walking the snow Peter is very observant to his footsteps and the sounds they make, he goes across the snow making different designs. He collects a stick and notices what he can do with that stick, like knock the snow off the tree. He does everything possible in the snow,  has a snowball fight, makes a snowman, makes snow angels. Peter uses his imagination to pretend he is a mountain-climber going up and down the huge pile of snow. He decides to save a snowball for tomorrow and takes it in his house. Peter was so excited to tell his mother about the adventures he had for the day, while she was taking off his wet clothes and taking a bath. When he is about to get in bed, he looks in his pocket for the snowball he had saved and became very sad because it wasn't there anymore. He dreamed that all the snow was going to melt by the morning from the sun, but woke up in excitement to see that new snow was falling from the sky. He ventured out that day with his friend and started his journey again. 

This book is a Caldecott Medal winner. This whole book is about the adventures a little boy had using his imagination. This book was written a long time ago, so it came to my interest that this book is about a black family, what I also noticed was that only the little boys mother is mentioned in this book, which I don't know is on purpose. Our culture today relates single mothers to being black women, and this book just fits that status unfortunately. Some people ask the question, would the book have a different meaning if it was a little white boy, I had to take time to think about that. I honestly at first didn't notice the color of his skin at first, but if Peter was a different race it might make a difference since he is a little boy living in what is an low income apartment with only his mother. Peter imagination takes over and he doesn't need any toys or anything to make him happy, which might give the impression to some people that he is from a poor family, then also relating to it in the end of the book when he is talking about his friend living across the hallway so Peter and his mother live in an apartment building and not a house. 

The pictures in this book are very simple, but at the same time so effective. The pages are full of bright colors that grab the readers attention. The pictures go with the words perfectly when describing the emotions and thoughts that Peter is having. On each of the pages, you see exactly what Peter is doing, which helps young children who have maybe never seen snow before understand for instance what a snow angel, what it looks like and how you make it. The page that has only the image of Peter walking in the snow leaving footprints behind in his bright red snowsuit is more effective to me, it gives me full impression that he is in a place completely covered with snow, even though the illustrator just left the page white. 

I would read this book to the students in my class. It is a nice simple book about a kid with great imagination and he really explores with that. The descriptive words that they use in this book are great when talking about snow, since some kids might have never seen it before. 

The Hat

The Hat

Written and Illustrated by: Jan Brett

Age Group: 2nd Grade

Published: 1997

The book The Hat is about a little girl who is preparing for the winter and snow ahead of her, so she is getting all her warm clothes out and ready to hang outside for fresh air, a strong wind came and blew all of them around and off the line. A little hedgehog found a stocking that he was curious about, he put his head in it and it got stuck on his prickles. Throughout the day little Hedgie was being asked by all his friends in the forest what he had on  his head, he was embarrassed so acted like it was suppose to be there and he replied a hat to get ready for winter and the cold. The little girl finally ran after Hedgie with her stocking and got it back, during that time all the other animals found clothing items of the girls and put them on to get ready for winter.

The learning lessons in this book are not as obvious as most children's books. In this book little Hedgie is ashamed to ask for help when he got the stocking stuck on his head. Children need to learn and understand that you don't need to be afraid to ask for help from your friends, family and people around you. Little Hedgie was also being defensive and rude to some of his friends, which is not the way you treat them. The same goes for the friends in the forest, instead of helping their friend they just decided to laugh at him, which is not the way you treat your friends either. 

The pictures in this book are really interesting to me. Besides the fact that the pictures are sketched and look very alive, aach page has a main picture in the middle, but then on the sides it has descriptions describing what is happening or will be happening on the next page. On one of the sides it shows what the little girl is doing at the time that little Hedgie is talking to his friends, and how she is going about her daily routine. On the opposite side, it has a picture of the animal friend that little Hedgie will be talking to on the next page. These pictures are foreshadowing the book and helping children understand that concept of what is to come. Along the top of the page is the items of clothing along the stocking line hanging outside. 

I would read this book in my classroom. I think that this story is very cute, with wonderful pictures. The way the friends in the story interact with each other would be a great concept to bring up and talk about. Children love animals and talking about them, and the animals in this story take on people roles and act like humans with talking and having conversations. I would definitely read this book around winter and talk to the children about wearing warm clothes in the winter (ie. hats, gloves, etc.). All in all, I really enjoyed this book.

My Travelin' Eye

My Travelin' Eye

Written and Illustrated by: Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

Age Group: 2nd and 3rd Grade

Published: 2008

The book My Travelin' Eye is about a little girl who has a lazy eye and how she sees the world differently because of it. Her teachers say that she really need to get it fixed, so with her mother she goes to the doctor. She knows that because of her lazy eye she is unique and cool, and she doesn't understand why they are making her change who she is. The doctor told her that she needed to wear an eye patch, at first she was hesitant, but then she realized how cool she could make them look so she had a different design for each day. She went back to the doctor for a check up and her eye was fixed and now she only needed to wear glasses, and luckily she was able to fashion those things up as well.

This book has a wonderful lesson about being okay with who you are and excepting that we are all born with different things. So many kids have to wear glasses and this book proves that you can be okay with it and even make your glasses pretty and fun to wear so other classmates are jealous. The confidence that Jenny has in the book is great for children to learn from and observe for themselves. 

I absolutely love the pictures in this book. They are so creative. Some are made from painting and drawing, while others are made with paper and cut to form the pictures and objects. The font in this book changes as well, if a character is speaking loudly or if they are going in circles when talking, the font will as well. It is such a creative way to get the children involved with understanding the text. At one point in the book it talks about the world being blurry for her, and the objects on on the page are watercolor and they are blurry painted, which is a great effect. 

I would completely recommend this book. I would have kids read it themselves and I would read it to them. They have a great time looking and learning from all the pictures and the struggles that the main character went through and would be able to understand with her. 

Every Cowgirl Needs A Horse

Every Cowgirl Needs A Horse

Written by: Rebecca Janni

Illustrated by: Lynne Avril

Age Group: Kindergarten and 1st Grade

Published: 2010

The book Every Cowgirl Needs A Horse is about a young girl who considers her self to be a full cowgirl and the only thing she needs is a horse, so she decides to ask for one for her birthday. She doesn't get a horse, but she does get a new pink bike. At first she is upset because it is clearly not a horse and in her mind is nothing like it. She soon realized though, that this bike is exactly what she needed to be a real cowgirl. She rides it day and night, and is very happy.

The lesson of this book is to not be upset if you haven't gotten exactly all that you ask for on your birthday. Nellie Sue is very disappointed at first, but realizes that she got exactly what she asked for just in a different form. It gives a great lesson to kids for them to be satisfied with what they have and not to complain. The book does have grammer that forgets the 'g' at the end of some words, so the girl and her parents are talking in a cowgirl way of talking.. (barkin', yellin'...) So that would have to be something i would have to talk with the kids about so they know it isn't correct. 

I absolutely loved the pictures in the book, they are great at showing what the little girl in the book is doing at all times and her thoughts. In the beginning she draws an outline of her house and how exactly she wants it to look like when she gets a horse of her own, which a great thing for kids to see. Some of the words on the pages are surrounded by horse rope so they are able to see what horses use. 

I would recommend this book for all children, boys and girls. It is so funny, with great pictures and has a great meaning behind it. It shows the uniqueness of one certain girl and how she takes what she loves and goes with it. She wants something and gets her wish. This book was just so cute and each page made me smile.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Written by: Rick Riordan

Age Group: 4th and 5th Grade

Published: 2005

The Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a series of action books for children. The first one is about the main character Percy Jackson, who is accused of taking the lightning bolt, and if he doesn't return it then a war will be started as the result. Percy like any other fighter has to go through training to get all of his powers. Along the way him and his friends need to locate these three pearls in order to keep moving on. I don't want to give away the ending, but Percy has to go through a lot of struggles and hard times if he wants to be reunited with his family and friends together again.

The main lesson of the book is just a character fighting and having to come through in the end for what he believes in. He is a strong character that doesn't want to give up. Since Percy has dyslexia and ADHD, it is a great way for readers who also struggle with this able to understand what he is going through. I feel like this book also talks about the importance of family and having people there for you. 

This book does not have any pictures. If it did, some of them might be too graphic for kids at such a young age. They would look really cool though with all the mythical creatures he faces throughout the story. They have just recently made a movie out of this story, that I know a lot of children really liked. The next movie of the series is set to be released in 2012.

I would recommend this book for older elementary grades to read. Younger grades, would understand some of the words and different concepts of the book that they reference. I don't know if I would recommend boys and girls to read it, girls might not find complete interest and might not get into it as much as boys would. It has a lot of missions that Percy needs to get through, so the reader really wants to see how he does and if he wins. 

Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters

Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters

Written by: Barack Obama

Illustrated by: Loren Long

Age Group: 2nd and 3rd Grade

Published: 2010

The book Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters is story being told from the view of President Barack Obama telling his daughters about all the important people that have made America such a wonderful place. Starting out he tells the girls how they are unique and what makes them special. He talks about the creativity of Georgia O'Keeffe, the intelligence of Albert Einstein, the bravery of Jackie Robinson, the voice of Billie Holiday then ending it saying how America is made up of every kind of people. 

The main lesson of the book is to show that our country, America, has been made by so many types of people and everyone leaves a mark to make it special. The lesson is that each of these people faced hard times, and in the end they came out better than when they began. They are hard working, which pays off to make a difference. It shows students that  you can do anything no matter what you look like, where you come from, etc. if  you sent your mind to it. 

The pictures in this book are great. Each of the images that talk about someone who has made a difference has a picture of the previous page of the backs of children's heads looking at what made that individual important. It is great illustrations showing how each person has made an impact and we should all learn from them in different ways. They are cartoon pictures, but very detailed cartoon pictures. 

I would definitely recommend this book. It does a great job informing the reader about all the great people that has made our country into what it is today. In the back of the book it has another paragraph of more detailed information about each person that book references. 

Guess How Much I Love You

Guess How Much I Love You

Written by: Sam McBratney

Illustrated by: Anita Jeram

Age Group: Kindergarten and 1st Grade

Published: 1994

The book Guess  How Much I Love You is about a little Nutbrown Hare and a big Nutbrown Hare. Throughout the book the little Nutbrown Hare tells the big Nutbrown Hare how much he loves loves her. He starts out having the big hare guess who much he loves her, with the big hare responding that she doesn't think she can guess that. The little hare starts naming things that go from little to bigger and bigger, and each time the big hare is able to take it to the next level and being able to beat what the little hare says. At the end of the book the little hare is about to go to bed and says to the big hare "I love you to the moon" and then falls asleep. The big hare responds whispering in her child's ear, whispering "I love you to the moon and back".

This book has a great main lesson to children telling them the importance of love. Everyone needs love in their life, and you need to tell and be able to receive it. It also reminds children that they don't always need to be the one who has to win, because when it comes to showing your love to your friends and family, you don't have a winner or a loser. 

This book has great pictures. The pictures are just as sweet as the words in the book are. The watercolors that Anita uses, makes the words that Sam writes just even more meaningful. The words in this book aren't hard to read, they are easy for young children to learn and read by themselves, or with an adult. The words in the book are very repetitive, so children can easily memorize the words and say them back. The reason I love this book so much is because of the beautiful words with amazing pictures. 

This book is very well known, and it seems that everyone has at least read it or has heard of this book. Children love this book, because it gives them a good feeling inside, and adults love this book for the exact same reason, that it makes them happy. I recommend that everyone reads this book, you can read it over and over again and never get sick of it and just find it cuter each time. 

Olivia

Olivia

Written and Illustrated by: Ian Falconer

Age Group: 1st Grade

Published: 2000

The book Olivia is the first in a series of books about a pig named Olivia that has a lot of energy and is good at lots of things that she tends to wear out everyone around her and herself. Olivia starts out telling us w ho she lives with and her family members. She goes through her daily routine of getting ready, including getting dressed and trying on various outfits that for all different weather conditions. She goes to the beach with her mother and brother, and instead of just making a plain sand castle she makes a really big and detailed castle that looks like a real building you would see in New York City. Olivia does all these activities and never seems to get tired. At the end of the day though, Olivia goes to bed and tells her mother that she loves her even though she knows she wears her out and makes her tired at the end of the day.

Throughout this book Olivia gives lessons about following yourself and what you enjoy. Olivia also has to deal with consequences from her mother and father if she doesn't follow instructions and do what it is right. When her parents tell her to do something, she always listens, which shows children reading the book that it is important to listen to your mother and father and the people in your life that care and want to take care of you. The book shows  Olivia making smart choice, that children can learn from, example, when in the sun and getting burnt, to leave and get out of the sun. Olivia has a great imagination that can make the children reach and learn.

The text that the author uses in this book, i don't think is too hard for children to understand. The pictures in this book do a great job telling the story, so with the words really helping children understand the book. The author only uses 4 colors when making the pictures for this book, black, white, grey and red, which is really effective. They only use the color red when talking about things that Olivia does or wears. 

Overall I would recommend this book. All the children that I know love this book because of all the activities that Olivia is involved in, that they feel they can do anything too. This book has so many funny parts, that children love to laugh at and read over and over again.

A Bad Case of Stripes

A Bad Case of Stripes

Written and Illustrated by: David Shannon

Age Group: 3rd and 4th Grade

Published: 1998

The book A Bad Case of Stripes is about a girl named Camilla Cream and she loves lima beans, but doesn't want to eat them because she wants to fit in at school. She wakes up one day and discovers that she has stripes all over her body, but since she isn't contagious the doctor says that she can still go to school. At school, all the other kids start making fun of her and saying different colors, making the stripes on her body change colors, which the disturbance has the faculty send her home. The family has other doctors to come and check her condition, giving her pills that will hopefully help. The next morning she wakes up and is a pill. The media and newspaper now get involved, and Camilla's case gets worse and worse. The family has an old woman come and visit her and offers her Lima Beans. At first Camilla wants nothing to do with them, but then she accepts. and suddenly she becomes all back to normal. Camilla learns her lesson and is never self conscious again.

This book has a great lesson for the kids, it teaches them to never be self conscious, and that if you love something (just as much as Camilla loves lima beans) then you should show that and be proud. At young ages, kids tend to be self conscious of different things about them, like skin color, if they wear glasses, what kinds of toys they have and many more. This book teaches children that they should be proud of who they are and we all have different things we love, and no one's is any stranger than someone else's. 

This book, has very complicated words and language use that would be tough for young children, so I gave this book about a 3rd or 4th grade level of reading. Children at young ages would love to have this book be read to them, because the illustrations in the book are great and go along with the story line perfectly. All of the colors in this book make it what it is. I enjoy reading this book more and more, because of all the pictures that bring me into the book and make me want to hear more of the story.

Overall, I would recommend this book. I think that it is a great story for children, they learn a very valuable lesson that they will use for the rest of their lives, while looking at the great pictures and reading the funny story.