Book Lovers' Online Gallery BLOG

2011 Caldecotts

2011-10-02T21:18:00.003-04:00

2011 Honor(s)

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet Slave
illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Laban Carrick Hill and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Interrupting Chicken
written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein, and published by Candlewick Press

Winner:

A Sick Day for Amos McGee
illustrated by Erin E. Stead, written by Philip C. Stead, and is a Neal Porter Book, published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinc Publishers

Book Lovers' Online Gallery BLOG: New Web Page

2010-02-01T13:32:00.000-05:00

Book Lovers' Online Gallery BLOG: New Web Page

New Web Page

2010-02-01T13:31:00.001-05:00

www.deblmarciano.com

ALA 2010 AWARD WINNERS

2010-02-01T13:30:00.001-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TOCHILDREN'S LITERATURE!

Margaret Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement – JIM MURPHY

Virginia Hamilton for Lifetime Achievement – WALTER DEAN MYERS

Arbuthnot Lecturer – LOIS LOWRY

Newbery

WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead (Wendy Lamb / Random House)

Honor Books:

Claudette Colvin by Phillip Hoose

The Evolution of Calpuria Tale by Kelly

Where the Moutain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

Caldecott

THE LION AND THE MOUSE by Jerry Pinkney (Little Brown)

Honor Books:

All the World illustrated by Marla Frazee, written by Liz Garton Scanlon

Red Sings from Treetops illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Joyce Sidman

Michael L. Printz (excellence in literature for young adults)

GOING BOVINE by Libba Bray

Honor Books:

Charles and Emma by Deborah Heiligman

Punkzilla by Adam Rapp

Tales From the Madman Underground by John Barnes

The Monstrologist

Wiliam C. Morris (outstanding first time author for young adults)

FLASH BURNOUT by L. K. Madigan (Houghton Mifflin

Honor Books:

Ash by Melina Lo

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia

The Everafter by Amy Huntley

Hold Still by Nina LaCour

YALSA Award for Excellence in Non-Fiction (for YA)

CHARLES & EMMA by Heligman

Honor Books:

Almost Astronauts by Tanya Lee Stone

Written in Bone by Sally M. Walker

Claudette Colvin by Phillip Hoose

The Great and Only Barnum by Candice Fleming

Coretta Scott King Book Awards (African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults)

BOOK:

BAD NEW FOR OUTLAWS by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson (Carolrhoda)

Honor Books:

Mare’s Ware by Tanila S. Davis

ILLUSTRATOR:

MY PEOPLE illustrated by Charles R. Smith, written by Langston Hughes

Honor: Illustrators:

THE NEGRO SPEAKS OF RIVERS illustrated by E.B. Lewis, written by Langston Hughes

NEW TALENT:

THE ROCK AND THE RIVER by Kekla Magoon

Schneider Family Book Award (books that embody the artistic expression of the disability experience for children and adolescents)

CHILDREN: DJANGO by Bonnie Christensen (Roaring Brook)

MIDDLE SCHOOL: ANYTHING BUT TYPICAL by Nora Raleigh Baskin (Simon & Schuster)

TEEN: MARCELO AND THE REAL WORLD by Francisco X. Stork (Scholastic)

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award (distinguished book for beginning readers)

BENNY AND PENNY IN THE BIG NO NO! by Geoffrey Hayes (Raw Junior)

Honor Books:

I Spy Fly Guy by Ted Arnold

Little Mouse Gets Ready by Jeff Smith

Mouse and Mole, Fine Feathered Friends by Wong Herbert Yee

Pura Belpre Award (Latino authors and illlustrators whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in children’s books)

BOOK:

RETURN TO SENDER by Julia Alvarez (Knopf)

Honor Books:

Diego: Bigger Than Life by Carmen Bernier-Grand

Frederico Garcia Lorca

ILLUSTRATOR:

BOOK FIESTA illustrated by Rafael Lopez, written by Pat Mora, (Rayo)

Honor Books:

Diego illustrated by David Diaz, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand

My Abuelita illustrated by Yuyi Morales, written by Tony Johnston

Gracia Thanks illustrated by John Parra, written by Pat Mora

ROBERT F. SIBERT AWARD (distinguished informational book for children)

ALMOST ASTROMAUTS by Tanya Lee Stone (Candlewick)

Honor Books:

The Day-Glo Brothers by Chri Barton

Moonshot by Brain Floca

Claudette Colvin by Phillips Hoose

Mildred L. Batchelder Award (outstanding children’s book translation)

A FARAWAY ISLAND by Annika Thor, translated by Linda Schenck (Delacorte)

Honor Books:

Eidi by Bodil Bredsdorff, tr. by Kathryn Mahaffy

Moritito II by Nahoko Uehashi, tr. By Cathy Hirano, ills. By Yuko Shimizu

Odyssey Award (excellence in Audiobooks)

LOUISE: THE ADVENTURES OF A CHICKEN (Live Oak Media)

Honor Audiobooks:

In the Belly of the Bloodhound

Peace Locomotion

We Are the Ship

Andrew Carnegie Medal (excellence in children video)

DON’T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS (Weston Woods)

Alex Awards (10 best adult books with appeal to teens)

GOOD SOLDIERS

KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

THE MAGICIANS

MY ABANDONMENT

SOULLESS

STITCHES

TUNNELING TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH

THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND

EVERYTHING MATTERS

BRIDE’S FAREWELL

Mice and Beans

2009-10-26T15:15:00.006-04:00

Author: Pam Munoz Ryan

Illustrator: Joe Cepeda

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publication Date: 2001

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Pre-K-Gr.3

Awards: American Library Association Notable Children's Book (2002)

Overview: In this bilingual conversion of English and Spanish, meet Rosa Maria in her tiny little house and spend every day of the week preparing for a birthday party extravaganza! Learn how to make a birthday cake, fresh lemonade, enchiladas, rice and beans, and a piñata for this family celebration that truly shows how big the heart can be. Be careful, though, not the let the mice get in the way.

Reviewer’s Name: Nadeline Fleischer

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

2009-10-26T15:13:00.005-04:00

Author: Majorie Priceman

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

Publication Date: 1994

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Gr. Pre-K - 3

Overview: Baking warm, sweet apple pie requires many ingredientsBut, OH NO! The market is closed! That’s okay, travel the world to get fresh ingredients! When you come home you will have warm pie and great adventures to share with friends and family!

Activity: If your kids like this picture book, surely they would enjoy Hot Air, which is also written by Majorie Priceman. A template for a picture flip book that illustrates the main events of this book would be a fun activity for the children to do after reading it.

Reviewer’s Name: Nadeline Fleischer

Mrs. Biddlebox

2009-10-26T15:12:00.002-04:00

Author: Linda Smith

Illustrator: Marla Frazee

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: 2002

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Gr. 1-5

Overview: Learn how Mrs. Biddlebox turns her bad day around just in time for a warm supper and a good nights sleep. With a good attitude and a little bit of magic, you too can turn around a bad day!

Activity: Children can brainstorm the “before and after” of this book? What do you think happened that made the day to horrible for Mrs. Biddlebox, and how do you think her next day went?

Reviewer’s Name: Nadeline Fleischer

The Wolves in the Walls

2009-10-26T15:10:00.004-04:00

Author: Neil Gaiman

Illustrator: Dave McKean

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: 2003

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Gr.4+

Overview: From the author of New York Time’s Bestseller, Coraline, this picture book, perfect for Halloween time, combines spooky illustrations with a spooky tale. What happens to the house with wolves in the wall? And the family that lives in it? Read and find out!

Activity: Around Halloween, this book could be read in order to spark imagination to write a spooky story.

Reviewer’s Name: Nadeline Fleischer

Stella Louella’s Runaway Book

2009-10-26T15:02:00.004-04:00

Author: Lisa Campbell Ernst

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Publication Date: 1998

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Gr. K-4

Awards: Bill Martin, Jr. Picture Book award (2000)

Overview: This cumulative story retells the unfortunate events of a little girl who misplaced her library book on the day it is due! All day Stella Louella frantically searches for her book, which has been picked up, read, and placed in many different places! Will Stella Louella find her library book in time to return it to the librarian? Find out!

Activity: This is a great book to read to Kindergarteners before they begin using their school library. Or-jumpstart a discussion about responsibility, and what else in our lives we need to be responsible for.

Reviewer’s Name: Nadeline Fleischer

Iktomi and the Berries

2009-10-26T15:01:00.003-04:00

Author/Illustrator: Paul Goble

Publisher: Orchard Books

Publication Date: 1989

Genre: Folktale

Audience: Pre-K-2

Overview: Caldecott Medalist Paul Gobel re-tells the Plains Indian folk tale of Iktomi, which is a Sioux name meaning spider. In this story Iktomi goes out to hunt for food. He sees red berries in the water, wants to pick them to eat, but can’t figure out how to get them out of the water. Iktomi must continue to try to get the berries to take home to his family. There is a great lesson at the end of the story.

Activity: Students can draw a picture of Iktomi trying to get the berries out of the water.

Reviewer’s Name: Paula Pavon

The Spider and the Fly

2009-10-26T14:57:00.003-04:00

Author: Mary Howitt

Illustrator: Tony DiTerlizzi

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Publication Date: 2002

Genre: Alphabet, Animals, Picture Book, Poetry, Fable

Audience: Pre-K-2

Awards: Caldecott Honor Book, ALA Notable Children’s Books, Beehive Award Master List (UT)

Overview: A haunting tale, based on a 1800’s poem by Mary Howitt, about a devious spider who coerces an innocent little fly into his parlor of no return. The illustrations in black and white provide details about the story that would not otherwise be known.

Activity: This fable could be used around Halloween, as a light horror story. You could then have students write their own horror story. Have students share their stories with the rest of the class.

Reviewer’s Name: Kristen

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

2009-10-26T14:54:00.003-04:00

Author/Illustrator: Mordicai Gerstein

Publisher: MacMillan

Publication Date: 2003

Genre: Biography, Historical

Audience: 3+

Awards: Caldecott Medal, Carnegie Medal

Overview: Paintings in the form of a comic strip, help tell the tale of Philippe Petit, the man who walked between the Twin Towers. He secretly planned his walk despite the odds against him but paid the price for his actions in the end. In this story, Petit is remembered as a legend for his courage to do the impossible.

Activity: Have students pretend they took the walk of Philippe Petit on the wire. Have them write a poem from their perspective, about how they would act and feel on that cable high in the sky.

Reviewer’s Name: Kristen

Squanto’s Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving

2009-10-26T14:53:00.004-04:00

Author: Joseph Bruchac

Illustrator: Greg Shed

Publisher: Harcourt Books

Publication Date: 2000

Genre: Multi-Cultural, Picture Book, Historical

Audience: 3+

Awards: ABA’s Pick of the List, Knickerbocker Award, NCSS-CBC Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies

Overview: A story about Squanto and his interactions with the English settlers. While he encounters hardships and triumphs, he is able to become a peacemaker between Indian tribes and the English, and eventually they are able to indulge in Thanksgiving together.

Activity: Have students write a thank-you letter to Squanto, for keeping the peace and for creating the first thanksgiving. Then have students write cards to others whom they are thankful for.

Reviewer’s Name: Kristen

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses

2009-10-26T14:51:00.004-04:00

Author/Illustrator: Paul Goble

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Publication Date: 1978

Genre: Animals, Fables, Folktale, Picture Book

Audience: 3+

Awards: Caldecott Medal, ALA Notable Children’s Book, CBC/ NCSS Notable Children’s Book in Social Studies

Overview: One day a young native American girl gets lost in the wilderness with a herd of wild horses and loves living with them. A few years later hunters find her, and she goes home to her parents, and realizes that she misses being with the wild horses, so she goes back to live with them. In the end she lives forever among the horses, where she belongs.

Activity: Incorporate this story with a lesson about Native American culture. Have students write their own Native American legend.

Reviewer’s Name: Kristen

The Little Island

2009-10-26T14:50:00.004-04:00

Author: Margaret Wise Brown

Illustrator: Leonard Weisgard

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: 1946

Genre: Animals, Picture Book, Young Adult

Audience: 3+

Awards: Caldecott Medal

Overview: The little island in the middle of the ocean experiences the many changes of the weather and seasons. This little island is quite big to all the creatures that live on it. The beautiful watercolors along side the poetic text, helps to paint a clear picture of the island in the readers mind.

Activity: Have students take a sentence or two from the book and draw a picture to accompany the text. Take the completed work and make a book out of it.

Reviewer’s Name: Kristen

Otis

2009-10-26T14:46:00.004-04:00

Author/Illustrator: Loren Long

Publisher: Penguin Group

Publication Date: 2009

Genre: Animals, Picture Book

Audience: Pre-K-2

Overview: Otis is an old rundown tractor who is replaced by a big new yellow tractor, and is put into misery when he is left outside because he is no longer of use. But when his friend, the young calf gets stuck in the mud, he is the only one that is able to get her out.

Activity: Have students think about how Otis helped out the calf. Have them come up with a list of thing the can do to help out others in the classroom. Post this list somewhere as a reminder of what they can do.

Reviewer’s Name: Kristen

Many Moons

2009-10-26T14:38:00.002-04:00

Author: James Thurber

Illustrator: Louis Slobodkin

Publisher: Harcourt Brace & Company (not on website)

Publication Date: 1943

Genre: Picture Book, Young Adult, Folklore

Audience: 3+

Overview: Princess Lenore was feeling ill and told her father that in order for her to get better he would have to get her the moon. The King sought out many different members of his court to get the moon, but they all claimed that it would be impossible. The princess is tricked into believing that she was wearing the moon around her neck, so now the real moon needs to be hidden from the princess.

Activity: Have students discuss what one thing they would wish for in the entire world. Have them write about how this wish would be granted or why it wont be.

Reviewer’s Name: Kristen

Shiloh

2009-10-26T14:33:00.003-04:00

Author: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Publication Date: 2003

Genre: Fiction

Audience: Gr. 4-7

Awards: ALA Newberry Medal, ALA Notable Childrens Books, Buckeye Award

Overview: Marty Preston lives in rural West Virginia with his parents and sister where hunting is a way of life. One day while walking in the wooded hills Marty sees a young beagle that is slinking along as if he has done something bad. Marty decides to keep the dog but he must keep him hidden from his family or the owner might be found. When Marty finds out who the owner is he goes to great lengths to protect the dog and make him his own. What does Marty do to protect Shiloh? Does Marty get to keep him or does he have to go back to his owner?

Activity: Have students read part of the book and write their own ending to share with the class, and then finish the book to see how the author ended the story.

Reviewer’s Name: Paula Pavon

Gingerbread Baby

2009-10-26T14:32:00.002-04:00

Author: Jan Brett
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Publication Date: 1999
Genre: Holidays

Audience: Gr. Pre-K - 2
Overview: A young boy (Matti) and his mother are baking a gingerbread boy, but Matti peeks too soon and the gingerbread baby escapes from the oven which leads to a long chase. Matti corrects his mistake by baking a gingerbread house, this time following the directions and not peeking, in which he catches the gingerbread baby and saves him from everyone who was trying to catch him.
Activity: Discuss a time that the students did something that they had been warned not to do and what were the consequences of their actions. How did they solve the problem that they had created?
Reviewer’s Name: Kate Williams

Llama, Llama Red Pajama

2009-10-26T14:31:00.002-04:00

Author: Anna Dewdney
Publisher: Viking
Publication Date: 2005
Genre: Fiction/ Animals

Audience: Gr. Pre-K - 2
Overview: Mama Llama tucks her baby into bed, but Baby Llama gets scared after his mama goes downstairs. He whines at first and then hollers when his mama doesn’t immediately come right back into his room. Children relate to Baby Llama’s need for comfort from his mama and the reassurance that she gives him to be able to sleep.

Activity: Have students write about a time that they were scared and what they did to comfort themselves or what a parent did to comfort them when they were upset. Did the same thing happen again? Or did they overcome their fear?
Reviewer’s Name: Kate Williams

Toy Boat

2009-10-26T14:29:00.003-04:00

Author: Randall de Sève
Illustrator: Loren Long
Publisher: The Penguin Group
Publication Date: 2007
Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Audience: Gr. Pre-K - 2
Overview: The little toy boat, which had always dreamed of going on an adventure, breaks off its string during a storm and is tossed about with the larger boats on the lake. After becoming tattered and lonely the toy boat misses the little boy. When they are reunited, they play together and the little boy realizes that the little boat can be let off the string and that their friendship will bring him back.

Activity: Have student’s create their own toy boats and discuss nautical terms in the book.
Reviewer’s Name: Kate Williams

Bedtime in the Jungle

2009-10-26T14:27:00.002-04:00

Author: John Butler

Publisher: Peachtree Publishers

Publication Date: 2009

Genre: Animals/ Counting

Audience: Gr. Pre-K - 2

Overview: It is bedtime in the jungle and each of the different species of animals put their babies to sleep. Throughout the book, the number of babies each mother is putting to sleep increases by one until the elephant puts all ten of her babies to sleep.

Activity: Incorporate this book into a science lesson about different species of animals and their typical number of offspring.

Reviewer’s Name: Kate Williams

The Little Green Pea

2009-10-26T14:26:00.002-04:00

Author: Alison Barber

Illustrator: Paige Keiser

Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press

Publication Date: 2009

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Audience: Gr. Pre-K - 2

Overview: One little pea has dreams of becoming a tree, but all the other peas make fun of him. The little pea begins to lose hope of ever achieving his dreams when fate plays in his favor and with the help of a kind worm he is buried deep into the ground. In the end he achieves his dream of becoming a tree and he grows and grows.

Activity: Have students write in their journals about a dream that they have and ways that they can achieve that dream.

Reviewer’s Name: Kate Williams

The Animals’ Merry Christmas

2009-10-26T14:24:00.002-04:00

Author: Tula Anthony

Illustrator: Lisa Haughom

Publisher: Kids Books Inc

Publication Date: 1995

Genre: Holiday/ Animals

Audience: Gr. Pre-K - 2

Overview: As the animals are eagerly waiting for Christmas, they realize that they forgot to decorate the tree on Christmas Eve. They rush to cram all of the ornaments on the tree, but with their haste they don’t realize that they put all of them on one side and the tree collapses. They must work together to sort the ornaments and delegate the tasks to decorate a balanced tree in time for Christmas morning.

Activity: Have students decorate their own winter wreaths to take home to share with their families.

Reviewer’s Name: Kate Williams

Where the Red Fern Grows

2009-10-26T14:12:00.004-04:00

Author: Wilson Rawls

Publisher: Doubleday

Publication Date: 1961

Genre: Young Adult/ Mystery

Audience: Gr. Young Adult

Overview: As a young boy Billy worked hard to buy two Redbone coonhounds, Old Dan and Little Ann. He raises the dogs and trains them to hunt very well. They go on to win the gold championship in the prestigious coon hunt however when they attempt to tree a mountain lion, Old Dan is killed and Little Ann stops eating out of depression and dies as well. At the gravesite, a beautiful red fern grows which forever serves as a reminder of the true friendship and loyalty the two coons had to Billy.

Activity: Create a list of vocabulary words that students do not know as they read the book. Write a reflection of the emotions evoked from the novel.

Reviewer’s Name: Kate Williams

I Love You the Purplest

2009-10-26T14:08:00.005-04:00

Author: Barbara M. Joosse

Illustrator: Mary Whyte

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Publication Date: 1996

Genre: Fiction

Audience: Gr. Pre-K - 2

Overview: Bestselling author of Mama, Do You Love Me? Barbara M. Joose, writes a warm story about a mother’s love for her two sons. Children often wonder which child parents love the most. This story is a warm explanation by the mother of what she loves about each boy, making them equally loved for their individual talents. When the boys want to know who she loves the most, she assigns a color to each boy when she explains what she loves about them. “I love you the bluest” and “I love you the reddest”, together, she loves them the purplest! The illustrations are beautifully done in watercolor medium. All illustrations are a double page spread allowing the reader to feel a part of the very descriptive story. The detail in the illustrations makes them appear to be photographs painted over with watercolor. This is a wonderful book to give each child in a family to remind them of how special each child is in their own way and that the love of a parent is not divided but multiplied.

Activity: Students could write a poem about who or what they love and why.

Reviewer’s Name: Paula Pavon

Bridge to Terabithia

2009-10-26T14:00:00.006-04:00

Author: Katherine Paterson

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: 1977

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Audience: Gr. 3-6

Overview: This is a story about a boy named Jess Aarons who befriends a tomboy girl who moves in next door, Leslie Burke. Together they create a secret kingdom known as Terabithia where they are the king and queen. The only way to get to it is by swinging on an enchanted rope across a gully. They are able to find a place of sanctuary until a tragic event happens that changes one of the characters lives.

Activity: Have the students come up with their own type of sanctuary. What would they name it? Where would it be? Have them also draw a picture of what their secret place would look like.

Reviewer’s Name: Erin Mazzatta

Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School

2009-10-26T13:57:00.003-04:00

Author: Herman Parish

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Publication Date: 2009

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Audience: Gr. K, 1, 2, 3

Overview: Amelia Bedelia is a great book for beginner readers. Her mishaps make the book enjoyable to read. There are a lot of different books, but this one is about Amelia’s first day of school.

Activity: Have the students think back to their first day of school. How were they feeling? What did they hope would happen?

Reviewer’s Name: Erin Mazzatta

The Jungle Book

2009-10-26T13:54:00.004-04:00

Author: Rudyard Kipling

Publisher: Morrow Junior Books

Publication Date: 1992

Genre: Folk

Audience: Gr. K-2

Overview: The jungle book is a great story about a boy that grows up in an Indian jungle. He goes through many obstacles and makes great friends.

Activity: Have the students write a story about them being raised in a jungle. What kind of animals would raise them and why?

Reviewer’s Name: Erin Mazzatta

Happy, Happy Chinese New Year

2009-10-26T13:52:00.004-04:00

Author: Demi

Publisher: Crown Publications

Publication Date: 1997

Genre: Nonfiction, culture

Audience: Gr. 1, 2, 3

Overview: This book examines the customs, traditions, and foods of the Chinese New Year. The illustrations of this book are very vibrant to show off all the festivities that go on during the Chinese New Year.

Activity: Have the children talk to their parents and see what traditions they have in their family. Have them research it and share with the class. Bring in a poster with a tradition and what they do in their family.

Reviewer’s Name: Erin Mazzatta

You Read Me, I’ll Read You

2009-10-26T13:50:00.005-04:00

Author: Mary Ann Hoberman

Publisher: Little, Brown

Publication Date: 2001

Genre: Poetry

Audience: Gr. K-5, Young Adult

Overview: This is the third series of a book. They retell Mother Goose rhymes. It consists of 14 short stories. Each story is designed for two readers and sometimes they read together if the line calls for it.

Activity: Have the children work in pairs. Each can be assigned to read a part in the story. They can also act out their story to the class.

Reviewer’s Name: Erin Mazzatta

My Very First Book of Numbers

2009-10-26T13:47:00.005-04:00

Author: Eric Carle

Publisher: Philomel Books

Publication Date: 2006

Genre: Concept Book

Audience: Gr. Pre K-2

Overview: This is a book that the pages are divided into halves. The bottom half has the number of fruits that match up with the top half that has the correct number.

Activity: Have cards with numbers on them and cards with pictures of fruit on them. Have the children try to match up the card with the number of fruit with the card with the numbers.

Reviewer’s Name: Erin Mazzatta

The Wright Brothers: Heros of Flight

2009-10-26T13:35:00.004-04:00

Author: Carin, T. Ford

Publisher: Enslow Publishers

Publication Date: 2003

Genre: Biography

Audience: Gr. 2, 3, 4

Overview: This is a book about the lives of two brothers. Their interest in flight led them to build a successful flying machine. This book teaches children to never give up on their dreams and hard work plays off in the end.

Activity: An activity that can be done is having the children pretend to be inventors. What invention would they create? Why did they create it? How would this invention help others?

Reviewer’s Name: Erin Mazzatta

The Red Book

2009-10-23T15:22:00.003-04:00

Author: Barbara Lehman

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Publication Date: 2004

Genre: Wordless Picture Book

Audience: Gr. K-3

Awards: 2005 Caldecott Honor Book

Overview: Wordless picture book about a little girl who finds a red book in the snow on her way to school. She puts the book in her book bag, staring at it and wanting to open it. She picks it up and opens it to find a map of an island. On the island is a boy who is reading a red book! His book has a picture of the city and of a girl reading the same book. When school is over, the little girl rushes out for a great adventure. What adventure does she have when she leaves school? Open your own red book to see! Illustrations are done in watercolor, gouache and ink. There is much detail in the background scenes.

Activity: Have students make their own picture book that tells a story.

Reviewer's Name: Paula Pavon

Age is Just a Number

2009-10-23T15:18:00.004-04:00

Author: Dara Torres with Elizabeth Well

Publisher: Broadway Books

Publication Date: 2009

Genre: Biography

Audience: Young Adult

Overview: Dara Torres is an Olympic Gold Medalist swimmer for the US Swim Team. She became extremely popular in the 2009 Olympics as she launched her Olympic comeback at the age of 41 after being retired for eight years and having a child two years ago. This is an inspirational and motivational memoir about her life, staying fit, aging gracefully, and learning that you are never too old pursue your dreams.

Activity: After reading this book, have the students write a paragraph about a dream or goal they have for their future.

Reviewer’s Name: Corri Deegan

Kapai Goes Whale Watching

2009-10-23T15:16:00.002-04:00

Author: Uncle Anzac

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: 1995

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Pre-K – 1

Overview: This is a fun story about a little kiwi named Kapai. Kapai has a lust for adventure and this story is about his day with a whale named Paikea.

Activity: After reading the story, have the students write three sentences about an adventure they would have with a whale.

Reviewer’s Name: Corri Deegan

On the Field with... Mia Hamm

2009-10-23T15:13:00.004-04:00

Author: Matt Christopher

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Publication Date: 1998

Genre: Biography

Audience: Young Adult

Overview: Mia Hamm is known to many as the best women’s soccer player who has ever played. She became a member of the US National Women’s Soccer Team at the age of 15 and from then on quickly became a household name. Matt Christopher gives an up-close and personal look at Mia Hamm’s complete journey to her success.

Activity: After reading this book to class, have the students write a paragraph about what their biography would be.

Reviewer’s Name: Corri Deegan

The Penguin Who Wanted to Fly

2009-10-23T15:10:00.009-04:00

Author: Catherine Vase

Illustrator: Helen J. Taylor and Benjamin Brown

Publisher: Shadowcatchers

Publication Date: 1993

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Pre-K - 2

Overview: This is an exciting tale about a penguin that is determined to fly despite failing multiple times. He never gives up hope and stays motivated by repeating the same phrase, 'We penguins are birds, we belong in the sky!' This is a wonderful motivational story for kids.

Activity: After reading this book to class, have the students write one goal they have for the school year. Collect each student’s goal and hang up them on a bulletin board so they can constantly be about their goal.

Reviewer’s Name: Corri Deegan

The Smelly Book

2009-10-23T15:09:00.003-04:00

Author: Babette Cole

Publisher: Picture Lions

Publication Date: 1992

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Pre-K – 1

Overview: This is an extremely funny book that describes all the smelliest things that can be found in the world. Hold your nose and find out what have the stinkiest and strongest smells!

Activity: Have the students write five things that they think are smelly.

Reviewer’s Name: Corri Deegan

The Bungarra Five

2009-10-23T15:06:00.003-04:00

Author: Josephine Barrymore

Illustrator: Lauren Wilhelm

Publisher: Little Aussie Pty, Ltd.

Publication Date: 1994

Genre: Concept Book / Picture Book

Audience: Pre-K - 2

Overview: This story takes place in Yardie Creek, which is a real place on the Northwestern side of Australia. It is the story about five Monitor Lizards who are known on the land as the Bungarra Five. It is fun-loving story that teaches readers about manners and morals while exposing them to many interesting creatures found throughout Australia.

Activity: After reading this book to class, have the students write three sentences about a lesson they learned and to write one polite manner that they will try to abide by for the rest of the school year.

Reviewer’s Name: Corri Deegan

One Woolly Wombat

2009-10-23T15:03:00.003-04:00

Author: Rod Trinca and Kerry Argent

Illustrator: Kerry Argent

Publisher: Omnibus Books

Publication Date: 1982

Genre: Concept Book / Picture Book

Audience: Pre-K - 2

Overview: This is a fun, classic Australian counting book which uses numerous Australian animals, including koalas, wombats, dingoes, platypuses, emus and more to count from one to fourteen. The rhyming text and watercolor pictures help bring the beautiful Australian scenes to life.

Activity: Re-read the book to the class and have the children count the numbers with you while you read. Then, give the students other animals and have them count from one to fourteen on their own.

Reviewer’s Name: Corri Deegan

Chadwick the Crab

2009-10-23T15:00:00.003-04:00

Author: Priscilla Cummings

Illustrator: A.R. Cohen

Publisher: Tidewater Publishers

Publication Date: 1986

Genre: Fiction Picture Book

Audience: K – 2

Overview: Chadwick is an adventurous Chesapeake Bay blue crab who loves spending time with his fellow Chesapeake marine animals. Chadwick yearns for something new after talking with his friend Bernie the Sea Gull, who traveled to the US Naval Academy and shared his adventure with him and the other animals. He decides he wants nothing else but to move to the Baltimore aquarium, so he can become a star and start a new life. This is a fun-loving story of a crab that will stop at nothing to follow his dream.

Activity: After reading the book, discuss Chadwick’s journey and the many different marine animals that were mentioned. Then, have the students write 1-3 sentences about a dream that they have for themselves.

Reviewer’s Name: Corri Deegan

What Jamie Saw

2009-10-23T14:56:00.003-04:00

Author: Carolyn Coman

Publisher: Front Street Books

Publication Date: 1995

Genre: Fiction

Audience: Gr. 4-6

Awards: Newberry Honor Book

Overview: Jamie hears a cry and wakes up to see his baby sister Nin being thrown across the room by her father Van. Just in time, Jamie’s mother catches the baby. Jamie, his mother, and baby sister move to a friend’s trailer in a very remote location in New Hampshire where life is hard, but the family gets by. The reader will be interested to learn what life is like for the family in the little trailer. The story is told as experienced by third grader Jamie. The story is a life like fictional story that many children may be able to relate to.

Activity: Have students write a story as it is experienced by them. This could be a fiction or non-fiction story.

Reviewer's Mame: Paula Pavon

Earth

2009-10-23T14:54:00.003-04:00

Author: Kate Petty

Publisher: Franklin Watts

Publication Date: 1990

Genre: Nonfiction Picture Book

Audience: Gr. 1-3

Overview: This informative picture book gives students the opportunity to explore the properties of soil while providing experiments to supplement the material.

Activity: After reading, have students perform an experiment.

Reviewer’s Name: Alison Jacovics

Touch it! Materials, Matter and You

2009-10-23T14:53:00.003-04:00

Author: Adrienne Mason

Illustrator: Claudia Davila

Publisher: Kids Can Press

Publication Date: 2005

Genre: Non-fiction Picture Book

Audience: Gr. K-2

Overview: A colorful and informative book showing children, animals, and adults exploring the different properties of matter. It includes hands on fun experiments to describe different facts. It is easy to understand and suitable for many ages.

Activity: After reading, have student write a reflective paragraph about what this book means to them.

Reviewer’s Name: Alison Jacovics

Yo! Yes?

2009-10-23T14:50:00.003-04:00

Author: Chris Raschka

Illustrator: Chris Raschka

Publisher: Orchard Books

Publication Date: 1993

Genre: Contemporary tale, Picture Book

Audience: Gr. K-2

Awards: Caldecott Medal

Overview: This energetically illustrated book tells the tale of two different boys who decide to chance their friendship despite their differences. Relating to many young children in today’s society this book will warm your heart in only 34 words.

Activity: After reading, have student write a reflective paragraph about what this book means to them.

Reviewer’s Name: Alison Jacovics

The Straw Dog

2009-10-23T14:46:00.003-04:00

Author: Marc Simont

Illustrator: Marc Simont

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: 2001

Genre: Contemporary tale, Picture Book

Audience: Gr. K-3

Awards: Caldecott Medal

Overview: When a little dog appears at a family picnic, the family plays with him all day and captures the family’s heart. When the family has to leave the dog they named Willy, the dog stays on their mind. The following weekend when they go back to find Willy they find that someone else is looking for Willy, a dogcatcher. This is a heartwarming tale of a stray dog that finds a good home.

Activity: After reading, using the ideas of sequence have students draw a picture illustrating beginning, middle and end.

Reviewer’s Name: Alison Jacovics

Our Teacher's having a Baby

2009-10-23T14:44:00.003-04:00

Author: Eve Bunting

Illustrator: Diane De Groat

Publisher: Clarion Books

Publication Date: 1992

Genre: Concept, Picture Book

Audience: Gr. K-2

Overview: Mrs. Neal’s first grade class is excited and anxious when they learn that their teacher is going to be having a baby. Warm illustrations depict the children as they do activities that help them learn about having a baby, while exploring children’s fascination with babies.

Activity: After reading, have students design a baby’s room, and list things that a baby needs.

Reviewer’s Name: Alison Jacovics

New York is English, Chattanooga is Creek

2009-10-23T14:42:00.002-04:00

Author: Chris Raschka

Illustrator: Chris Raschka

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: 2005

Genre: Concept, Picture Book

Audience: Gr. 1-3

Awards: Bank Street Best Book

Overview: New York City throws a party and invites other unique cities from around the United States. An interesting exploration of the derivation of American City names, with colorfully costumed characters dressed in clothing according to their name origins. This is an entertaining and humorous book that teaches the diversity of cultures from which our cities were named.

Activity: Find out what the name of our city means and draw a picture of a person dressed according to the name origin.

Reviewer’s Name: Alison Jacovics

Shibumi and the KiteMaker

2009-10-23T14:37:00.002-04:00

Author: Mercer Mayer

Illustrator: Mercer Mayer

Publisher: Marshall Cavendish

Publication Date: 1999

Genre: Multi-Cultural, Folktale, Picture Book

Audience: Gr. 1-3

Awards: Young Hoosier Book Award nominee

Overview: Princess Shibumi who has only seen the beauty of her palace and garden is shocked to see the poverty stricken town that surrounds her palace. She has the royal kite maker build her a kite and tells her father, the Emperor, that she will not come down until the city is as beautiful as the palace or the palace is as beautiful as the city. When the kite takes Shibumi away her father vows to rebuild the city. This touching story has beautiful computer generated images that draw the reader in.

Activity: After reading the story have children make their own kite and write a brief paragraph on what they would want to see change in their own town.

Reviewer’s Name: Alison Jacovics

Detective LaRue letters from the Investigation

2009-10-23T14:34:00.003-04:00

Author/Illustrator: Mark Teague

Publisher: Scholastic

Publication Date: 2004

Genre: Fiction

Audience: Pre-K-2

Overview: Hilarious antics of Ike LaRue, dog of the LaRue family who gets blamed for cats who have gone missing while his family is on vacation. Letters are written to Mrs. LaRue from Ike while in jail, who has been wrongly accused of having done something with the cats! Clever Ike escapes from jail to prove his innocence and finds the missing cats. The illustration with the text allows the reader to see where Ike is and what he is getting into. Ike is a great dog with a wonderful ability to write humorous tales of his trials and tribulations while trying to prove his innocence.

Activity: Students can write a letter as if they are Ike LaRue to their “owners.”

Reviewer's Name: Paula Pavon

A Loon Alone

2009-10-23T14:30:00.003-04:00

Author: Pamela Love

Illustrator: Shannon Sycks

Publisher: Down East Books

Publication Date: 2002

Genre: Fictional picture book

Audience: Gr. 1-3

Overview: A Loon Alone is the story of a baby loon. After almost being swolled by a giant turtle, he mom scares the turtle off and tells her baby to go hide. The baby loon hides in some cattails. He thinks his mom will be back soon, but she takes a long time. In the time waiting for his mom to get back, he decides to explore and try to find her. This is a good book to teach children the lesson of listening to adults and what might happen if they do not. It also includes factual information about loons.

Activity: Have a lesson about disobeying elders

Reviewer’s Name: Sarah Garretson

John, Paul, George, and Ben

2009-10-23T14:28:00.004-04:00

Author and Illustrator: Lane Smith

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

Publication Date: 2006

Genre: Historical fiction, picture book

Audience: Gr. 2-4

Overview: This is a historical fiction picture book about 5 of our founding fathers and what they were like as children. The book is concluded by adding true historical facts about each one and gives a little insight into American History. It has great illustrations and the different size fonts will keep the reader interested the entire time.

Activity: Have each child draw a picture of themselves and write about the things that they are good at that might help them later on in life.

Reviewer’s Name: Sarah Garretson

Stellaluna

2009-10-23T14:25:00.003-04:00

Author and Illustrator: Janell Cannon

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Publication Date: 1993

Genre: Fiction picture book

Audience: Gr. 2-3

Overview: When being attacked by an owl, fruit bat Stellaluna finds herself separated from her mother and in a nest of birds. She is taken care of by this family of birds and quickly picks up birdlike habits. Stellaluna and her mother finally reunite, but she continues her deep friendship with the birds, exclaiming at the end that they can be friends even if they are so different.

Activity: Have a lesson on the differences between bats and birds

Reviewer’s Name: Sarah Garretson

Summer

2009-10-23T14:22:00.002-04:00

Author: Alice Low

Illustrator: Roy McKie

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: 1963

Genre: Fiction picture book

Audience: Gr. K-1

Overview: Summer is a rhyming story about the funs things you can do in the summer time! Perfect for an end of year read.

Activity: Have each child draw a picture and write a sentence or two about what they will be doing over the summer. Bind the pictures together and make a book for the classroom library.

Reviewer’s Name: Sarah Garretson

Howard

2009-10-23T14:18:00.007-04:00

Author and Illustrator: James Stevenson

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Publication Date: 1980

Genre: Fiction picture book

Audience: Gr. 1-2

Overview: Howard the duck misses the annual migration and ends up in New York City in the dead of winter. He befriends a strange group of friends including a frog and three mice and they live together in an abandoned building and become a family. This is a great story to read to children to teach them that families come in all shapes and sizes.

Activity: Have each child draw a picture of his or her family.

Reviewer’s Name: Sarah Garretson

Chester

2009-10-23T14:16:00.005-04:00

Author and Illustrator: Syd Hoff

Publisher: Harper and Row Publishers

Publication Date: 1961

Genre: Fiction picture book

Audience: Gr. Pre-K-2

Overview: Chester is a story about a wild horse that wants to have someone to love and take care of him. He tries everything he can to find a home and fails at every attempt. Finally, when he is not trying, a group of cowboys find him and take him in as their own. This is a great story about being loved and being a part of a family. The illustrations are drawn with colored pencils and are vibrant and simple.

Activity: Print out a picture of a horse and have the class color it in and name it. They can then create a background story about the horse and where it came from and what it is good and bad at.

Reviewer’s Name: Sarah Garretson

Crab Moon

2009-10-23T14:10:00.003-04:00

Author: Ruth Horowitz

Illustrator: Kate Keisler

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publication Date: 2000

Genre: Fiction, Concept, Science and Nature

Audience: Gr.1-4

Awards: NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) Children’s Book Council Outstanding Science Trade for Children

Overview: 7 year old Daniel is vacationing at the seashore with his family. On a night of the full moon, Daniel's mother wakes him up to take him to the beach to see the Horseshoe crabs spawning. Daniel sees hundreds of crabs on the beach. What does Daniel see the next morning when he walks down to the beach? Readers will learn about horseshoe crabs, their history and spawning in a fictional story. The illustrations are done in oils with beautiful detail. Each page is a two page spread which bring the story to life.

Activity: Have the students write a poem about a horseshoe crab that they found on the beach.

Reviewer's Name: Paula Pavon

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

2009-10-23T14:05:00.003-04:00

Author: J.K. Rowling

Illustrator: Mary GrandPre

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Publication Date: 1999

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Audience: Gr. Young Adult

Awards: National Book Award, Smarties Prize, Children’s Book Award

Overview: This is a book about a boy named Harry, who lives with his aunt, uncle and awful cousin, Dudley. He hasn’t had a birthday in 11 years and lives in a room under the stairs. One day, however, an owl delivers mail to Harry with an invitation to a magical place called Hogwarts. Magic, invisibility, wizards and a game called Quidditch are all things Harry will come across at this place. This is the beginning of the unforgettable experience Harry and his friends will have.

Activity: Have the students write about what one magical power they would like to have and why.

Reviewer’s Name: Alex Corbutt

Thumbelina

2009-10-23T14:00:00.003-04:00

Author: Hans Christian Andersen

Illustrator: Herb Leonhard

Publisher: Dutton Children’s Books

Publication Date: 2005

Genre: Fairy Tale

Audience: Gr. Pre-K-2

Overview: This story is about a woman who wants to have a child but when a witch grants her this wish she has a child who is smaller than a thumb. This tiny little girl is named Thumbelina who is born as a lost little girl and goes through many trials and tribulations and has to marry the son of a frog. Will she get her wings to become a fairy?

Activity: Have the students draw what they think Thumbelina looks like.

Reviewer’s Name: Alex Corbutt

Wackiest White House Pets

2009-10-23T13:57:00.002-04:00

Author: Katherine Gibbs Davis

Illustrator: David A. Johnson

Publisher: Scholastic

Publication Date: 2004

Genre: Nonfiction Picture Book

Audience: Gr. 3+

Awards: Parents’ Choice Gold Award

Overview: How many pets do you think have lived in the White House? 2? 20? 200? This book explores the variety of pets that have lived in the White House. From grizzly bears, dogs, and elephants, this book gives a bright approach to the United States presidents.

Activity: Have the students find a life lesson or motivational quote that has an animal in the quote.

Reviewer’s Name: Alex Corbutt

Black is brown is tan

2009-10-23T13:55:00.003-04:00

Author: Arnold Adoff

Illustrator: Emily Arnold McCully

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Publication Date: 2004

Genre: Multi-Cultural

Audience: Gr. Pre-K-2

Overview: This book is about a family with a brown-skinned mother, white-skinned father, and their two children who celebrate each other and all of the things in nature. The love and happiness that this family shares is contagious.

Activity: Have the students think of something they would do with the members of the family for a day.

Reviewer’s Name: Alex Corbutt

Hansel and Gretel

2009-10-23T13:53:00.003-04:00

Author: Rika Lesser

Illustrator: Paul O. Zelinsky

Publisher: Penguin Group USA

Publication Date: 1996

Genre: Fairy Tale

Audience: Gr. Pre-K-2

Awards: Caldecott Honor Book, ALA Notable Children’s Book, School Library Journal Best Books of the Year.

Overview: This story, which was originally told by the Brothers Grimm, is about two children lost in the forest who stumble upon a house made out of cake, icing and lots of candy. But when they go inside to explore there is an unusual surprise waiting for them. The pictures are mysterious yet very detailed.

Activity: Have the students draw their own version of the candy house.

Reviewer’s Name: Alex Corbutt