Toy Boat

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

The Little Green Pea

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

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

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 

May I Bring a Friend?

Author: Beatrice Schenk De Regniers

Illustrator: Beni Montresor

Publisher: Macmillan

Publication Date: 1964

Award: Caldecott

Genre: Picture Book and Fantasy Fiction

Audience: Gr. Pre-K-3

Overview: The King and Queen ask a little boy to multiple eating functions and each time the boy is asked to join, he asks if he can bring a friend. By the end of the story, you realize where the boy is getting his friends from and then the boy and his friends ask the King and Queen to join them for tea.

Activity: Have each child discuss a place that their best friend and them went to. After each child has discussed their event, have them draw and color in a picture of what their friend and them did.

Reviewer’s Name: Traci Daelemans

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Author/Illustrator: Eric Carle

Publisher: Philomel Books

Publication Date: 1969

Genre: Picture Book and Fantasy Fiction

Audience: Gr. K-2

Overview: A very hungry caterpillar eats a little bit each more every day for a week and by the end of the week he is very full. Watch, and read, as this tiny caterpillar turns into this beautiful creature.

Activity: Have the students discuss all of the foods that the caterpillar ate. As they are mentioning them post on the chalkboard each food. (Have a picture of each food already drawn out on separate pieces of paper) After all the foods have been mentioned, ask students by sections to initial under their two favorite foods. Once everyone has gone help them create a bar graph with the given data.

Reviewer’s Name: Traci Daelemans

There's an Alligator Under My Bed

Author & Illustrator: Mercer Mayer

Genre: Picture Book, Fantasy Fiction

Publisher: Penguin Group

Publication Date: March 19887

Grades: Gr. k-2

Overview: There’s an Alligator Under My Bed is the story of a little boy who is convinced that there is an alligator under his bed.  He tries to get the help of his parents but they try to tell him that he is mistaking.  Finally, after not being able to fall asleep, the boy bribes the alligator out from under the bed using a trail of ‘alligator’ snacks and locks him in the garage.  This is a humorous story with simple and clean-cut drawings that will appear to young children.

Activity: Brainstorm other fun ways in which students could have lured the alligator out from under the bed.

Reviewer’s Name: Sarah Garretson

Hot Air: The Mostly True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride

Author: Majorie Priceman

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Publication Date: 2005

Genre: Fantasy Fiction, Picture Book

Audience: Gr. Pre-K-3

Awards: Caldecott Honor Book

Overview: This picture book ingeniously puts a twist on an historical event, by accounting the first hot air balloon ride, based on a rumor that a sheep told her, but who heard it originally from a sheep, who heard it from a rooster. Kids will laugh and be impressed by this silly story and the descriptive illustrations that at times in the book, are displayed to have wordless meaning.

Activity: This is a great lesson to jumpstart a lesson or unit on transportation and aviation!

Reviewer’s Name: Nadeline Fleischer

The Rainbow Fish

Author: Marcus Pfister, translated by J. Alison James

Illustrator: Marcus Pfister

Publisher: North-South Books

Publication Date: January 1999

Genre: Picture Book, Fantasy Fiction

Grades: Gr. Pre-K - 3

Overview: The Rainbow Fish is a great story about selfishness and greediness. It is a story about a fish that had rainbow scales that were so beautiful that all the other fish were in awe. However, the Rainbow Fish was aware of the fact that he was so much different from the other fish, and loved his beautiful scales. He had so much pride in them, that it turned into cockiness and made him lose all of his friends. With the help of the wise octopus, he realized that the only way to get his friends back was to be more down-to-earth about his scales and share them with all his friends. Finally, he realizes that he only has one of his rainbow scales left, but is happier than ever before he realized the importance of sharing and being friendly. Great illustrations, full of detail and color.

Activity: Using colored construction paper, have each child make their own special scale.

Reviewer’s Name: Sarah Garretson

Charlie Cook's Favourite Book

Author: Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler

Publisher: Penguin Group

Publication Date: 2006

Genre: Fantasy Fiction, Picture Book

Audience: Gr. Pre-K-2

Awards: Smarties Gold Prize, the WH Smith Children's Book of the Year, the Blue Peter Best Book to Read Aloud and Children's Audio Book of the Yea

Overview: Charlie Cook's Favorite Book is a great picture book to read to your students to jumpstart a lesson on the fiction genre of literature. This story within a story reveals a young reader who becomes so engulfed in the stories he is reading, that he actually becomes a part of them! Our favorite tales of Goldilocks, pirate adventures, and Sir Pearcy and the Dragon intertwine with this young boys imagination as he encounters exciting characters and stories in fiction literature. Friendships and adventures are to be had in this very original picture book.

Activity: Have the children brainstorm, draft, and staple together their own fantasy fiction booklet including complete sentences and of course, colorful pictures!

Reviewer’s Name: Nadeline Fleischer

That's What Friends Are For

Author/Illustrator: Valeri Gorbachev

Publisher: The Penguin Group

Publication Date: 2005

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Audience: Gr. K-2

Overview: Goat notices his friend, Pig, crying and does not know why. He begins to think of all the possibilities as to what would make Pig upset. He runs around trying to fix all of the things that could of upset Pig and in the end, Goat finds out what made Pig cry. 

Activity: Discuss with your students the things they have done for a friend or family member in need.

Reviewer’s Name: Traci Daelemans

Dad, Are You the Tooth Fairy?

Author: Jason Alexander

Illustrator: Ron Spears

Publisher:  Orchard Books

Publication Date: 2005

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Audience: Gr. K-2

Overview: Gaby loves the incentives of loosing a tooth but one day when he overhears a group of older kids talking about the doubts of all these different people, he begins to question his beliefs. He asks his dad if the tooth fairy is real, and his dad has a magical, reassuring answer for him.

Activity: Show the students pictures of what fairies look like. Then have them draw a picture of what they think their tooth fairy looks like and give their fairy a name.

Reviewer’s Name: Traci Daelemans

The Polar Express

Author/Illustrator: Chris van Allsburg

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company

Publication Date: 1985

Genre: Fantasy Fiction, Holidays

Audience: Gr. Gr. K-5,

Awards: The Caldecott Medal

Overview: This is a timeless tale of Christmas that will excite any child and spark imagination. Warm illustrations catch the reader’s eye and are a positive addition to the story. Vivid descriptions and rich language tell the tale of a young boy regaining his faith in Santa Claus on his late night train ride to the North Pole.

Activity: While reading the book have students sit in their chairs as if they were on a train, give them a ticket and have them board the train. Ask students to describe the sights they see as they ride to the North Pole. After reading, have students design their own bell on paper.

Reviewer’s Name: Alison Jakovics

The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash

Author: Trinka Hakes Noble

Illustrator: Steven Kellogg

Publisher: Penguin Group

Publication Date: 1980

Genre: Fantasy Fiction, Picture Book

Audience: Gr. Pre-K- 3

Overview: Follow a young girl as she revives her dull field trip to the farm by retelling the day’s events to her mother. Suddenly the boring field trip is full of chaotic and imaginative events. Crying cows, destructive boa constrictors, and food throwing, adds to the silliness of this book. This picture book proves that the ordinary can really become extraordinary.

Activity: Describe something you do in your life that you feel is boring, and paint it with your imagination to make it extraordinary!

Reviewer’s Name: Nadeline Fleischer

 

Go Away, Big Green Monster

Author/Illustrator: Ed Emberle

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Publication Date: 1993

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Audience: Pre-K- 1

Awards: Caldecott Medal

Overview: This is a fun read-aloud story that entertains young children and helps them deal with common fears. The book is filled with different die-cuts and boldly colored pages that eventually reveal scary features of a big green monster. Ed Emberley created an imaginative original work that is a friendly way for children to take control over their own monsters or nightmares. The ending phrase, “And don’t come back until I say so,” allows children to be interactive while reading, but also feel confident.

Activity: After reading the book to the class, have the students choral read with you and then have them write and illustrate what their big green monster would look like.

Reviewer’s Name: Corri Deegan 

Corduroy

Author/Illustrator: Don Freeman

Publisher: Viking Press

Publication Date: 1968

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Audience: Gr. Pre K-2

Overview: This is a story of a teddy bear in a toy store that has never been bought. One day a girl named Lisa sees Corduroy and wants to buy him. However, the mother thinks he doesn’t look new because he is missing a button. When the store closes Corduroy searches the department store for a button. Although he does not find a button that night he finds a home with the little girl Lisa. The pictures are compelling and the story is heartwarming.

Activity: Have the students draw a picture of a teddy bear or one of their favorite animals.

Reviewer’s Name: Alex Corbutt

Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!

Author: Dr. Seuss

Publisher: Random House, Inc.

Publication Date: 1975

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy

Audience: Gr. Pre-K – 2

Overview: Imaginative, inspirational, and unlimited. The possibilities are endless, if you can think it, you can do it. From Schlopp to Peter the Postman crossing the ice once every day and on Saturdays twice, the illustrations and text in union create the perfect story to spark creativity.

Activity: Before reading the book, ask students to write down what they would do if they could do anything. After reading the book, relate this to the student’s can do anything if they put their mind to it.

Reviewer’s Name: Kate Williams

Jumanji

Author/Illustrator: Chris Van Allsburg

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Publication Date: 1981

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Audience: Gr. 3+

Awards: Caldecott Award

Overview: This absorbing book is a story about two bored siblings, Judy and Peter, who discover a board game outside of their house called Jumanji. The directions clearly state that once they have started the game they cannot stop until they reach the golden city of Jumanji. Throughout the book Judy and Peter encounter lions, monkeys, snakes, and even a volcano. Will they make it to Jumanji?

Activity: Have the students think of other obstacles Judy and Peter could have gone through in order to finish the game.

Reviewer’s Name: Alex Corbutt

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: 1997
Age: Gr. 3+
Genre: Fantasy
Awards: ALA Notable Book, Booklist Best book of the Year 1998, Publishers Weekly Best Book of 1998

Overview: Harry Potter finds out he is a wizard and is about to attend his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. Harry and his friends uncover a hidden secret within Hogwarts walls. The problem is Harry’s not the only one looking for the secret! This is the first of seven books.

Activity: Have the students draw a picture of your favorite scene in the book. Use as many details as possible.

Reviewers Name: Sarah Bademan

Parzival: The Quest of the Grail Knight

Author: Katherine Paterson
Publisher: Puffin
Publication Date: 2000
Genre: Folklore
Audience: Gr. 4+

Overview: Parzival is the story of a young prince who did not know he was a prince. He sets out, innocent and naïve, to become a knight in King Arthur's court and undergoes many of the usual trials and tribulations along the way.

At one point he is brought to the castle of a wounded king and witnesses the splendors of the Holy Grail; but, having been taught not to ask questions, he fails to ask the one that could heal the dying king, and leaves the castle in shame. Once Parzival realizes what he has done, he knows he must go back — but the castle is not so easy to find the second time around.

One of the many stories revolving around Britain's legendary King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, Parzival was originally penned by a medieval German poet named Wolfram von Eschenbach. Katherine Paterson's retelling is a quick and easy read, and an excellent introduction to British mythology for kids and adults alike.

Reviewer's Name: Preety Sidhu