Magicblox.com

When I found this website I was very excited. It was inviting, kid friendly and had an amazing selection of picture books! I went to read a book and it only showed my the first eight pages, so I decided to create a free account like the site suggested. When I made a free account I was then offered options to upgrade my account so I could have access to more books. I eventually found out that with the free account I could have access to only one picture book a month. You choose a book that stays in your personal library until the completion of the month. It then resets and you can choose a new book. Since this is the case it really limits the number of books children can read from this site, however there are some positives. If a teacher creates an account on this site and they choose one book a month they could have it as another option for students to use during independent reading time or the teacher could use it as a whole class read aloud. I know it is frustrating that you are limited to only one book a month, but if it isn't the only website or app you're using for digital picture books, having
access to this amazing selection of books could provide useful for your students. This site is also helpful because it provides a rating for the books as well as comments from people who have read them. This can be useful when selecting a book each month.

Website Link: http://magicblox.com/books/most-read

Magickeys.com

 

I was not a big fan of this website that specialized in children's storybooks online. However, a positive of the website was that they provided a large selection of picture books for both young and older students. I wish that more than a couple of books for the young readers had the read aloud option. Many young readers prefer this when they read books online and it helps develop their fluency. Some of the books that are under the category for young readers are pretty challenging and without the read aloud option they become useless for readers in younger grades. I find that on this website the children would spend too much time trying to find an appropriate book for their reading level. Another part of this website that I didn't really like was the illustrations. Many of the books had sketches for illustrations that didn't really enhance the story in any way.

Overall, I would not recommend this website for teachers to use in their classroom. The site has many ad's on it that children can click on that will link them to other places and/or cause spam on the classroom iPad or computer.

Website link: http://www.magickeys.com/books/

Starfall.com

Starfall is a website supported by the Starfall Education Foundation which is a public charity. This website is geared towards students in K-2 since it is focused on learning to read. Most of the content is free on the website so it is very useful to teachers. Depending on the grade teachers can choose between ABC's, Learn to Read, It's Fun to Read, and I'm Reading. In the I'm Reading section students can choose between various genres such as comics and poetry. This website is helpful for young readers because they have the option to have the words read aloud to them. As the website reads the story the words are highlighted to help the children follow along. Another part of this site that I liked was the animation effects included in some of the stories.


I think this is a really great website for teachers to use in their K-2 classrooms. It is child friendly and easy to use. I would definitely bookmark this on the iPads or computers that students in my class use.

Link to website: http://www.starfall.com

Love That Dog

Author: Sharon Creech
Publication Date: 2008
Type of Book: Poetry Novel

This novel shares the story of a boy named Jack who is a student in Miss Stretchberry's class. The story is written in the form of mini poems. Each poem is written by Jack as an entry in his writers notebook. The only character you hear from in the story is Jack. All of the other characters are mentioned only through Jack's writing. Throughout the book Jack shares his thoughts on various poems his teacher has read in class, poems he has written himself and about his dog Sky.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I had read it before when I was younger and I remembered loving it then as well. I think part of the reason is because I am a big dog person and this story shares the story of Jack's dog Sky. The poem about his dog getting hit by a car is so heartbreaking, but it also shows how writing can be an outlet for people. This book is beneficial for teachers because they can realize the importance of a writers notebook and just how much they can learn about their students from using one continually in the classroom.

I would recommend this story for students in third grade and up. This would be a fantastic book to read during a poetry unit so students can see that writing poetry isn't as scary as some people think. It can also be used to help teach students about using a writers notebooks in the classroom. The teacher can talk about how Jack used his notebook to responded to various poems from class and  to write to his teacher. The author also wrote another book called Hate That Cat that can be used to do a literary comparison. One half of the class could read Love That Dog and the other half could read Hate That Cat and they could discuss the similarities and differences between the two.

Image References:
http://www.amazon.com/Love-That-Dog-Sharon-Creech/dp/0064409597

Shout! Little Poems That Roar

Author: Brod Bagert
Publication Date: 2007
Type of Book: Poetry Picture Book

This poetry book is a compilation of poems about various aspects of a child's life. Some of the topics for the poems are school, senses, weather, and play time. The poems range from one to two pages and most of them have rhymes.

I enjoyed reading this poetry picture book. Each poem was very cute and kid friendly. Children would find some of the poems silly and could relate to what was written in them. The pictures went along great with the poems and helped bring the writing to life. I would purchase this poetry book to have in my classroom for students to enjoy. I also like how the poems aren't written the same way. Some poems are written in the middle of the page, others are to the side. Throughout the poems some words are in bold, others are larger than the rest of the text. Each poem has it's own personality that engages readers.

I would recommend this book for students in all grades. Teachers in lower elementary school could read the poems aloud to their class daily as a way to teach about poems. Students in upper elementary school could use this book to learn about poetry and help gather ideas for their own poem they're going to write. They can share what they like and dislike about the poems and discuss what makes a poem inviting and exciting for readers.

Image References:
http://www.amazon.com/Shout-Little-Poems-Bagert-Hardcover/dp/B01071AOR0/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1448165792&sr=1-3&keywords=Shout%21+brod+bagert

Dogku

Author: Andrew Clements
Publication Date: 2007
Type of Book: Poetry Picture Book

This picture book tells the story of a stray dog written as a Haiku poem. A dog is found outside of a house one night and the mother takes him in. He gets a bath and fed some food. In the morning he meets the family and the children are so happy to see him. When the kids go to school he goes on errands with the mom and then entertains himself while he waits for everyone to get home. When the dad leaves the house he is afraid that he will be sent to the pound. After he walks through the door with a dog bed, he is so happy and knows that he has found his new home.

I really enjoyed reading this heartwarming story. It was really interesting how the author told the story through the use of a haiku. I was so happy a the end of the story when the dad walked into the house carrying all of the dog stuff instead of taking him to the pound. Seeing what the dog did to entertain himself while the kids were at school was one of my favorite parts.

This story could be used in any grade level. During a poetry unit this story would be really great to use in the classroom to teach about haikus. Students can see that there are different ways to write poetry including picture book form.

Image References:
http://www.amazon.com/Dogku-Andrew-Clements/dp/068985823X

A Primer about the Flag

Author: Marvin Bell
Publication Date: 2011
Type of Book: Poetry Picture Book

This book shares a poem about flags. Each page is one part of the poem. At the end of the story is the completed poem titled, A Primer about the Flag. Readers learn about the different uses of flags through this poetry picture book.

I wasn't a huge fan of this picture book. Even though the full poem is written at the end of the story I didn't think this story provided readers with a lot of information. This book is only a primer to flags but it could have provided just a little bit more information. I also was very confused at the ending of the poem and had to read it a few times to try to understand it. I am still not 100% sure what the ending means.

This isn't the first book I would use in my classroom. If I were to recommend the story for a grade I would say 4th or 5th grade. The teacher could use this book as a read aloud as an intro to a unit about flags.

Image Resources:
https://books.google.com/books/about/A_Primer_about_the_Flag.html?id=fbZJ8ApXbVUC&source=kp_cover&hl=en

The Perfect Present

Author: Fiona Roberton
Publication Date: 2012
Type of Book: Picture Book

This book is about a young boy named Henry. Henry is very excited for his birthday and all of the presents he is going to receive. Spot, Henry's pet duck picked out the perfect present for his friend. Spot's perfect present is ruined when Henry opens up a box from his grandparents and finds a puppy. Spot feels that he is no longer wanted since Henry has a new pet that he can love. Spot packs up his belongings and starts the journey back to his old house. It isn't until Spot is caught in a storm and Henry comes to his rescue with the new puppy that he realizes, maybe Henry can love both of them after all. In the end Spot is excited because he has a pet of his own and Henry did love the perfect present that he had bought him.

When reading this story I felt so bad for Spot. You saw how excited he was to give his present to Henry and then how things changed instantly. Henry was so caught up in his new puppy that he didn't even open his present from Spot. The picture where Spot was packing up his belongings and looking at a picture of him and Henry was so sad! I also liked how in the end Henry told Spot that the puppy could be their perfect pet together instead of just his.

I would recommend story for younger students. The illustrations are very kid friendly and the story is one that they would enjoy. I think student's would think it was funny that a pet had a pet of his own. A teacher could also use this story to teach students about predictions. Even though this is a picture book the author broke it into three little chapters. The students could predict what was going to happen within each chapter by using the title alone.

Image References:
http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Present-Fiona-Roberton/dp/039925773X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1448134176&sr=1-2&keywords=The+Perfect+Present 

Journey

Author: Aaron Becker
Publication Date: 2013
Type of Book: Picture Book

This wordless picture book shares the journey one little girl takes after she finds a red marker. This red marker is magic and whatever she draws comes to life. Her journey begins after she draws a door and goes through it. She goes all over the place, traveling by foot, boat, flying carpet, and hot air balloon. During her journey she saves a purple bird that ends up helping her later on. The bird leads her to a purple door that resembles the red door she drew earlier. After going through the door she is taken back to where she began but she meets a young boy who has a magic pen just like her. The two of them take their magic pens and continue their journey together.

My favorite part of this book is that everything the girl creates is bright red. The colors throughout the story are very muted and the red always pops on the page. Each page is also illustrated with incredible details. Since the illustrations are so well done there was never a point where I didn't understand what was happening even though there weren't any words. This story also promotes creativity which I love. It also shows readers the benefit of being kind and helping those in need. If the girl wasn't kind and didn't help the bird escape she would never had made a new friend.

I would recommend this book for students in upper elementary school. The story told through the illustrations may be difficult for younger children to interpret, unless it is used during small groups with an adult to help scaffold student's thinking. Students in upper elementary school could use this as a part of a wordless picture book genre study. They can gather ideas for their own wordless picture book from this story. Students can also do an activity where they put dialogue into the story.

Image References:
http://www.amazon.com/Journey-Aaron-Becker/dp/0763660531/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1448132920&sr=1-1&keywords=journey

Lucky Ducklings

Author: Eva Moore
Publication Date: 2013
Type of Book: Picture Book

This picture book shares the true story of a family of ducks from Long Island, NY. The mother duck and her ducklings were taking a walk through town one day. The mama duck crossed over the storm drain and closely behind were her babies. The only problem was that her babies were a lot smaller than her and because of these each of them fell into the drain. Someone from he town saw what had happened and called the Fire Department. With the help of people from the town the ducks were rescued and taken back to their home in the park.

I really enjoyed reading this story. The illustrations were fantastic and really helped tell the story. The author included dialogue to represent what they thought the duck was saying. This was a really cute addition to the book and helped personify the characters that weren't human. Suspense was also another aspect of this story that was unique. The author made it so you had to continue reading in order to find out what happened next. I also liked how the author repeated the phrase, "That could have been the end of the story. But it wasn't, because..." throughout the story. Then at the end the author finally said, "And that is the end of the story".

This is a fantastic book to use in the classroom. You can use it for students in all grades. Since this book is based on a true story the teacher could find the news article from the day it happened. Students could read this article and take notes. They then can read the picture book and compare it to the informational text they had read. This book can also be used to teach students how to figure out unknown words using different reading strategies. The teacher can do this by covering up various words within the story and students have to determine what the words could be. Since the illustrations are so well done students could rely a lot on picture clues to help them.

Image References:
http://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Ducklings-Eva-Moore/dp/0439448611

Fairy Tale Comics

Editor: Chris Duffy
Publication Date: 2013
Type of Book: Graphic Novel

This book was a compilation of classic fairy tales. Each fairy tale was told using cartoons. Even though many of the fairy tales are well known they still had their own twist to them. There is a total of 17 fairy tale comics in this book.

I did not like this book at all. I am a huge fairy tale fan so I thought I would enjoy it but I was wrong. Many of the fairy tales were just plain odd. I was familiar with some of the stories and others I had never heard before. Some of the fairytales were written in a very dark and not kid friendly manner which I didn't like. I also did not enjoy reading the fairy tales in the graphic novel form. I felt that the stories didn't flow as nicely as they do when written in a traditional format. I will say that the cartoonists did do an amazing job with the illustrations. I wouldn't read this book again and it isn't one I would buy for my classroom library.

I personally wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. I think that there are better examples of graphic novels out there that students can read. This book wouldn't be the best to use during a fairytale unit since many of the fairytales are altered in ways that wouldn't be appropriate for young children.

Image References:
http://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Tale-Comics-Extraordinary-Cartoonists/dp/1596438231/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447366743&sr=1-1&keywords=fairy+tale+comics

Owly & Wormy Bright Lights And Starry Nights!

Author: Andy Runton
Publication Date: 2012
Type of Book: Peer Recommended Picture Book

This book is about two friends, Owly and Wormy who want to see the stars in the night sky. They encounter many problems preventing them from seeing the stars. They go on an adventure to a big hill where they hope they can use their telescope to see the stars. Once at the hill they have some unforeseen circumstances that once again prevent them from seeing the stars. In the end with the help of some unsuspecting friends Owly and Wormy are finally able to see the beautiful nighttime stars.

I absolutely love the illustrations in this book. The cartoonish way in which the characters are drawn makes them so lovable. Even the bat was drawn in a way that made it look so cute and friendly. The thought bubbles throughout the pages really helped tell the story. Having the illustrations be set against a purple background was helpful in setting the nighttime scene. In the end I was happy that they finally got to see the stars because they had been through so much just to look at them.

I would recommend this story for students in all grade levels. Since it is a wordless picture book students in younger grades have the ability to read it regardless of reading level. Both younger and older students can use text features to help tell the story. This book can even be used as a way to prompt students to write their own wordless picture book.

Image References:
http://www.amazon.com/Wormy-Bright-Lights-Starry-Nights/dp/1416957758

Jack and the Night Visitors

Author: Pat Schories
Publication Date: 2006
Type of Book: Peer Recommended Picture Book

This wordless picture book shares the story of a young boy named Jack who one night encounters some out of town visitors. While laying in bed Jack saw a light shining outside of his bedroom window. Curious as to what was causing the bright light he went over to take a look. From there he saw a little space ship that was packed with aliens. They hopped out, came inside Jack's room, and started exploring. They were hungry so Jack went downstairs to grab some food for them. Everyone was having a great time until Jack took one of the aliens and trapped him inside of a glass jar. The alien in the jar was scared and so were the others. Jack was scared as well because everyone started panicking. He didn't realize that what he did was wrong and how his actions came across as scary to the aliens. When he let the alien go he quickly ran away and they left on their spaceship to return home.

I thought that this was a really adorable story. Since it was wordless I liked how I was able to interrupt what happened using the illustrations to help me. The illustrations were well done and did a fantastic job in telling the story. I didn't expect Jack to capture one of the aliens because he seemed to really like them. I then realized that he wasn't being mean by capturing one. He liked the alien so much he wanted to keep it but didn't take into account how this would make the alien feel.

This would be a great story for younger children. Since it is wordless they wouldn't encounter problems with not knowing the words. Students can create their own story based on the illustrations. The teacher can also use this story to teach them about nature/wildlife. Many children love playing with creatures they find outside such as butterflies and caterpillars. When they capture these creatures they end up dying because that is not their natural habitat. Students can learn that they can play with these creatures as long as they let them return to where they came from in the end.

Image References:
http://bookcarousel.blogspot.com/2006/04/jack-and-night-visitors-by-pat.html

The Dot

Author: Peter H. Reynolds
Publication Date: 2003
Type of Book: Peer Recommended Picture Book

This story is about a young girl in art class who refuses to work because she claims she can't draw. The art teacher suggested she make any mark and then she can work from there. Vashti make one dot on her paper and called it quits but her teacher still had her sign it. When she came into art the following day she saw her dot framed and hung up behind her art teachers desk. She couldn't believe her art teacher had hung up her silly little dot. She then realized that she knew she could make an even better dot. From there Vashti created a ton of dots of all different sizes and colors. Her artwork was eventually displayed in the schools art show. When a little boy came up to her and said how much he loved her artwork and he wishes he could draw, Vashti knew just what to do. She asked him to draw a line for her and then had him sign it.

I really enjoyed this story and the idea that it only takes one little idea to create something wonderful. Many times people are afraid to start something because they don't believe they're good enough or know how to do it properly. By allowing someone to start small you provide them with the potential to create something they didn't know they could. My favorite part of the story was the ending when Vashti helped another little boy who didn't have confidence in himself, just like her teacher had helped her.

I would recommend this story to children in any grade level. Students in younger grades may need this story shared as a read aloud or they could read it themselves if it is at their reading level. Teachers in upper grades could use this story as well to show students the important message it shares. They could create a project where they draw a series of dots of varying sizes. Each dot could represent an idea that they have and as they add onto their idea the dot can get bigger. Students could sign their work in the end and the teacher can display it for everyone to see.

Image References:
http://www.thedotclub.org/dotday/get-inspired/making-a-mark

Seedfolks

Author: Paul Fleischman
Publication Date: 1997
Type of Book: Novel

This book shares the story of a local community in Cleveland who builds a garden in an abandoned lot.  Each chapter of the book shares the story of a different member of the community who is somehow tied to the garden. You learn the unexpected ways in which this garden ties the people who once lived separately together. The story takes readers through the gardens journey showing it as an empty lot in the beginning, to slowly being transformed into a small garden, to its final form of a huge community garden that ends up positively impacting the local community in ways they couldn't have imagined.

I still do not know how I feel about this story. It was an easy read and the I kind of liked the way the book was set up. I liked how each chapter shared the story of a person from the community, but at the same time I wish there was deeper character development and I could read more about certain characters. However I did like that throughout the story you learned the significance of the garden by reading the different stories. This isn't a story that I would elect to re-read for the fun of it.

I would recommend this story for older students. The content and set up of the story is too challenging for young readers. Teachers could use this story as a way to teach students how separate pieces of writing can be tied together for a larger purpose. The class could do a project where they have a topic and each student works on writing one chapter of the book. In the end they could have a book that is written in the same unique style at the book Seedfolks.

Image References:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/seedfolks

Me Gustaria Tener...

Author: Alma Flor Ada
Publication Date: 1989

This is a Spanish story that shares the narrators desire to have something difficult to believe. Each page of the story is another unbelievable thing the narrator would like to see such as a bird with a pocket watch, giraffes with glasses, or rats buying pants.

I had a slightly difficult time reading this story because it was all in Spanish. I knew some of the words from taking Spanish in middle and high school, but I was still uncertain on some words. Using the illustrations helped me better understand the story even without knowing each word. I then had my roommate who studied abroad in Spain to help me figure out the parts of the story I didn't know. Reading this story was an interesting experience because it isn't very often I read books in a foreign language but I still enjoyed the challenge.

This story would be a good addition to a classroom library. All students could have the opportunity to look at and and try to read this story, not only those students who know how to read in Spanish. A foreign language teacher could easily incorporate this story into their class. Since students may not understand the words in the text this book can be used to help them use other textual clues, such as illustrations to help develop meaning.

References:
http://www.delsolbooks.com/howhappyiwouldbe.htm

The Rooster Who Went to His Uncle's Wedding

Author: Alma Flor Ada
Publication Date: 1996
Type of Book: Author Study Picture Book

This story is about a rooster getting reading for his uncle's wedding. On his way to the wedding he realizes how hungry he is. He notices a kernel of corn on the ground but it is in a muddy puddle. The rooster tried to resist the kernel because he didn't want to get his beak dirty but his hunger won the battle. The rooster ate the kernel and his beak became very dirty. He asked a piece of grass if it would clean his beak for him The grass said, "No I won't. Why should I?" so he continued on his way. When he saw a lamb he asked if the lamb would scare the grass to clean his beak. This pattern continued until the rooster asked the sun to dry out the water that would eventually result in the grass cleaning his beak. The sun was the only one to say yes to his request. Each morning the rooster sings his song and the sun finds that as a good enough reason to help him out. The suns agreement to help out was enough to convince everyone else to help out as well and in the end the rooster made it to his uncles wedding with a very shiny and clean beak.

When reading this story I personally got bored with the repetition but I still enjoyed reading it. I loved the bright colors present throughout the illustrations. As I was reading I also didn't understand why the Rooster didn't just clean his beak himself. Instead he asked everything he saw to help him when he could have just done it himself and continued on his way. After reading the authors note in the beginning of the story I learned that this story was based on a tale that her grandmother used to tell her. She chose the character of a Rooster because the first time she heard the story that was the character her grandmother used, despite the fact that her grandmother changed the character each time she told the story. I was surprised that no one would help the rooster out until the end of the story when he asked the sun. Everyone then changed their mind and decided to help the Rooster.

This story is great for younger readers because of the reputation. It can be used to help them practice with story structure and notice patterns within texts. Some of the pages are very wordy so for young or struggling readers this book would probably be best used as a read aloud. Older students could use this book during a study of folktales.

Image Resources:
http://almaflorada.com/the-rooster-who-went-to-his-uncle’s-wedding/

In the Cow's Backyard

Author: Alma Flor Ada
Publication Date: 1996
Type of Book: Author Study Picture Book

This story is about an ant enjoying a beautiful day outside, while lounging in a shaded hammock in the comfort of his friends backyard. One by one different animals come along and the ant invites them to join. When the hammock is so full that no one else could possibly fit their friend the elephant comes along. The ant still tells the elephant to join them because there is always room for one more. Even though the elephant couldn't fit on the hammock the elephant carried the hammock on her back with all of the animal friends on it.

I enjoyed reading this story. It was really cute and it was only after reading the authors note in the beginning of the story did the plot line make even more sense. At first I thought it was just a simple story about animals all hanging outside together. When I read the note from the author I realized that this story was based off of her own experience growing up. She spent Thanksgiving each year with her family and extra guests would always show up throughout the night. Her mother took them in with open arms always saying, "There was always room for one more." It was unique to see how Alma Flor took her childhood experience and weaved it into this book. I personally loved the message presented in this simple yet meaningful story.

I would recommend this story for younger students. The writing is very simple so they could read it on their own, in groups or listen to it as a read aloud. The message presented in the story is very important and one that students should be exposed to. Since the characters are animals they're very appealing to young children. It also a great story to use as a review of different animals and the sounds that they make.

Image References:
http://almaflorada.com/in-the-cow’s-backyard/

Esperanza Rising

Author: Pam Muñoz Ryan
Publication Date: 2000
Type of Book: Multicultural Novel

This novel was about a young girl named Esperanza who lived on a beautiful ranch in Mexico with her mother, father and all of their workers. When tragedy struck and her father ended up dead her life changed dramatically. They were forced to leave their ranch after his evil stepbrothers took it over. Esperanza, her mother and their former workers took the long journey to California where they were able to work and live at a camp. Conditions at the camp were no where near what Esperanza was used to. She had to learn how to work and take care of herself and help others around her instead of always being weighted on. During her time in America, Esperanza had to deal with her mother becoming very ill and trying to save up enough money to bring her grandmother to America to live with them. Through her perseverance Esperanza was eventually able to see the bright future they could have in America, even though she couldn't see it in the beginning.

This was a fantastic story. I enjoyed reading about Esperanza and her story about going from being seen as a queen of her fathers ranch to being a worker who lived in less than desirable conditions in America. Esperanza Rising reminded me a lot of the story I read when I was younger called The Little Princess. I really thought that Esperanza's mother was going to die and that she would never see Abuelita ever again, so I was really happy at the end of the story. I loved how this story combined determination, perseverance, sadness, strength and hope all in one.

I would recommend this story for older children because the book is longer and the material is too mature for younger audiences. Students in older elementary school could use this book during shared reading groups. This story could be used to teach about different ways people live their lives, and about the idea that things always change and the only way to get through is to be strong and keep hope in your heart.

Image References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanza_Rising

Sawdust Carpets

Author: Amelia Lau Carling
Publication Date: 2005
Type of Book: Multicultural Author Picture Book

This book shares the story of the Lau family who traveled to Antigua, Guatemala to celebrate Holy Week and Easter with their family. Even though the Lau family is Chinese and Buddhist they still go to Guatemala and participate in Antigua's Easter celebration. They learn all about the sawdust carpets that are created for the parade that takes place in town. The young girl in the story even gets to create her own sawdust carpet that ends up being a part of the celebration.

I truly enjoyed reading this story. I was very fascinated learning about Holy Week and Easter traditions that take place in Antigua. The information from this book is based off of real events so I was interested to learn about ways other places celebrate. I also didn't understand what a sawdust carpet was and what it was used for when I first saw the book. From reading the story, I was able to learn the purpose behind the carpets and see how much time and effort people put into their carpets only to have them destroyed during the parade.

Students would really enjoy this book because of the bright colors and the kid friendly illustrations. If this story was shared with younger students, it would be best to have it as a read aloud. It would be beneficial to have it as a read aloud, because each page contains a lot of text that may be too challenging for younger students to read on their own. The information presented is very interesting and this story would be a great way to teach students about holidays and traditions around the world.

Image References:
http://www.amazon.com/Sawdust-Carpets-Amelia-Lau-Carling/dp/088899625X

Little Eagle

Author: Chen Jiang Hong
Publication Date: 2007
Type of Book: Multicultural Author Picture Book

This book told the story of a young orphaned boy who was found by Master Yang one night. Master Yang took the boy in and raised him as his own. They lived in a small house just the two of them and Master Yang's pet eagle. One night the young boy snuck out of his bed to find Master Yang practicing Eagle boxing outside of the house. The young boy was so interested in Eagle boxing that he continued to watched Master Yang and would practice the moves he saw on his own. It wasn't until he was being bullied and he used the techniques he had been practicing that Master Yang found out about the boys secret. From that day on Master Yang decided to take the boy as his disciple. The boy grew mentally and physically throughout the course of his training. The boy was able to put his training to the test on the night that General Zhou came to their house to try and steal the secrets of Eagle boxing. It was a tough fight and in the end the boy learned that General Zhou couldn't seize the secret to Eagle boxing because it wasn't written down. The secret was inside of Master Yang and it was now inside of him.

I enjoyed reading this story about the young boy who's life was transformed because of the kindness from a stranger. If Master Yang didn't take the young boy in that one night, then he would never have received the Eagle boxing training and his life wouldn't have the same meaning that it did in the end of the story. I liked how the story showed how long it took for the boy to become a master in Eagle boxing and even when the boy wanted to give up he didn't. There were many times that the boy felt that he was a master but he was reassured by Master Yang that he still had much to learn. This story relates a lot to life because when you have a goal you have to work long and hard to achieve it. There are times you want to give up or feel that you know all that you can but you just have to keep going. In the end the reward is worth the time and effort.

I would recommend this story for upper elementary aged children because the information presented is too mature for younger audiences. The content presented wouldn't be understood by younger students. A teacher could use this story to teach students about General Zhou or it could be used to talk about goals and persistence. There are multiple uses for this story and teachers could use it in small groups or as a read aloud.

Image References:
https://lexile.com/book/details/9781592700714/

Pizza for the Queen

Author: Nancy Castaldo
Publication Date: 2005
Type of Book: Multicultural Author Picture Book

This story was about Raffaele Esposito, a pizza maker in the city of Napoli. It was a normal day for the pizza maker until one of the queens messengers arrived in his pizza shop ordering a pizza for the queen. The queen had heard her servants bragging about Raffaele's delicious pizza and she wanted to try it for herself. Rafaele tried to decide what type of pizza he would make for the queen. He went around town and collected the freshest ingredients he could find for the queens pizzas. The queen wanted to try the pizza the people of Napoli loved and that is what he was going to give her. He made three different pizzas. Two of them he had made previously but when the plan for his third pizza didn't go as expected he came up with an idea that was fit for the queen. When the queen was delivered her pizzas she couldn't believe how delicious they were. The last pizza that Raffaele had created for the queen became a staple in his pizza shop and he named it after the queen.

I thought that this was such a cute story. I enjoyed reading about the different pizzas Raffaele was going to make for the queen and his adventures he took trying to find the ingredients. I also thought it was creative how in the back of the book there is a recipe for Pizza Margherita, which is the pizza he made for the queen.

Students would definitely love this fun story. For younger students the teacher could use it as a read aloud and for older students it can be used as a read aloud or used in small groups. This book can be used to teach students about life in a different country or it could be used to introduce the genre of informational texts because it includes the recipe in the back.

Image Resources:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/pizza-queen

All Different Now

Author: Angela Johnson
Publication Date: 2014
Type of Book: Multicultural Author Picture Book

This book shared the story of a young girls personal experience with the first Juneteenth. Juneteenth was the day the last slaves in the South were officially freed. It seemed like a normal day when she woke up in the morning. The routines were still the same and everyone acted like they always did. It wasn't until word came that all slaves were officially free that people started acting differently. People began crying, singing, gathering and talking amongst each other. The people in the book celebrated their new found freedom and the next morning when the girl woke up she realized that this was the start of a new life for her and her family.

I thought that this book did a good job in sharing an important event in history, but it wasn't my favorite picture books i've ever read. I wasn't a big fan of the illustrations. They were drawn with what looked like water colors and I tend to like books that have very clear and crisp illustrations. The colors used were also very muted and plain which didn't do anything to enhance the story.

I think that this story would be best read as a read aloud because it is so short. Teachers can use this story to introduce students to the topic of slavery or use it during a lesson about the day slaves were officially declared free. I would recommend this story for older elementary aged children because the topic is something that they have to be mature enough to understand and handle.

Image Resources:
http://www.amazon.com/All-Different-Now-Juneteenth-Freedom/dp/068987376X

I Was Here

Author: Gayle Forman 

Publication Date: 2015

Type of Book: Choice Novel 

This novel told the story of a girl named Cody, who recently lost her childhood best friend after she committed suicide. Cody can't come to terms that her best friend would do such a thing and not give her any warning signs. She takes things into her own hands and tries to figure out the truth behind her friends death. By the end of the story Cody only comes to discover that maybe she didn't know her best friend so well after all. 

I really enjoyed reading this story. I was hooked by the first chapter. I was very curious to find out why Meg decided to kill herself and the reason why she never told her best friend how she was feeling. The more Cody investigated her best friends death the more interested I became in figuring out the truth as well. The characters were developed really well in the story and I felt like I knew who they were. I felt bad for Cody because she truly was unhappy with her life. She wanted to escape the small town she grew up in and always was jealous of Meg's life. I like that throughout the story Cody learns that maybe having everything doesn't make you happy. What really is important is being a strong person who knows they can overcome any obstacle life throws their way. I also thought that the author did a good job in ending the story. I felt like I wasn't left with a million questions and everything was wrapped up nicely in the end. 

I would recommend this story to older students in high school and above because of the content in the book. I believe that this story is meant for a more mature audience who can handle and understand the topic of suicide the way it is presented in this story. 

Image Resources: 

http://disabilityinkidlit.com/2015/05/20/review-i-was-here-by-gayle-forman/

Coral Reefs

Author: Jason Chin
Publication Date: 2011
Type of Book: Informational Picture Book

This picture book shares a young girls experience learning about coral reefs from a book she borrowed from the library. The story begins with the girl picking up a book off the shelf in the library and her walking around reading it. There are illustrations and text on each page that provides readers with information about coral reefs. The little girl is a silent character and doesn't say anything during the story. The story is told as a narrative about coral reefs.

My favorite part of the story was the illustrations that accompanied the text. I loved how you saw the little girl reading in the library and as she was reading more information about coral reefs those elements became present on the page. It started with a few pieces of coral coming from the library floor to water rushing through the windows filling the place with many species of animals. The story provided a lot of information about coral reefs in a way that was different than many informational books. Readers were taken on a journey inside a book about coral reefs with the character in the story. The characters imagination was present in the illustrations which I thought was unique. It was also cool how the author included information at the end of the story about the threat to coral reefs, the partnership between algae and corals and additional facts about coral reefs.

I would recommend this story for students of any grade level. The story is a fun way for students to learn about coral reefs. For younger grades I would use it as a read aloud. Students in younger grades could also write one thing they learned about coral reefs. Older students could choose one aspect of coral reefs to research in further detail.

Image References:
http://jasonchin.net/books/coral-reefs/

Marsupials

Author: Nic Bishop
Publication Date: 2009
Type of Book: Informational Picture Book

This informational book educates readers about the different marsupials that live in Australia. Readers will learn about bettongs, bailies, potoroos, pademelons, kangaroos, koalas and others. The book is set up with a picture on one side and text on the other. There are usually four pages per marsupial.

I learned so much about marsupials from reading this book. Many of the words were new to me so I wasn't sure on their pronunciation. I loved how this story incorporated images captured by the author who is also a photographer. It was interesting how a sentence on each page was highlighted in an another color and was written in larger bold font. I think that the author chose what he thought was the most important piece of information from each page to highlight. This could be helpful if readers don't have time to read the whole story, but just want some quick information. I also found it interesting how the author included his story about his time spent in Australia learning about the marsupials.

I would recommend this book to older elementary school students. The book contains a lot of information and is longer than most picture books, so students have to have the stamina to read it. The words are also very challenging because they're scientific names. Students could make a list of words that they don't know while reading and look them up later if their definition isn't in the book already. Even though this is a challenging read it is full of great information for students.


Image References:
http://www.amazon.com/Nic-Bishop-Marsupials/dp/043987758X

Desert Elephants

Author: Helen Cowcher
Publication Date: 2011
Type of Book: Informational Picture Book

This picture books shares information about the last remaining herd of desert elephants living in West Africa. You learn about the elephants migration that begins when the dry season starts and ends when the rain returns in June. The people indigenous to the Mali area respect and care about the elephants. You see this respect through the Tuareg nomads saying: "We live with the elephants, and the elephants live with us."

I enjoyed reading this story. The illustrations are fantastic and include a lot of detail. I also loved the colors used in the story. Before reading the story I didn't know anything about the desert elephants. I learned a lot about the migration these elephants take and what their homeland is like. I found it so interesting that you have these groups of people who just live among the elephants. It has been that way for years and they have a mutual understanding of this. It also brought up the concern of tourists coming in and wanting to see the elephants, which causes them to be aggressive. I know people want to observe these animals in the wild but they have to be considerate of the animals and understand how they must feel when people invade their home. At then end of the story in the authors note she included different questions based on the book such as, "Why is finding water a problem for the elephants?" She then provides a small summary explaining the answer. This could be used as an activity for older students. The students could be assigned a question and have to attempt to answer it  using the story. They could then check their answer to the one written in the story.

I would recommend this story as a read aloud for students in first grade and up. I think that students in kindergarten would not understand the concept of the story and the vocabulary words would be too challenging for them. This story contains some difficult vocabulary words so that is why reading the book as a class could be helpful. The students and teacher could discuss what is happening in the story together and help clarify challenging parts. Together the class could also map the migration of the elephants.

Image References:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10675253-desert-elephants

Wonder

Author: R.J. Palacio
Publication Date: 2012
Type of Book: Realistic Fiction Novel

This novel tells the story of a boy named August. August was born with a facial deformity that has caused many problems for him throughout his life. He has had countless plastic surgeries to try to correct his facial features but people are still in shock when they see him. August has been homeschooled by his mother his whole life, but decided after convincing from his parents to start school for the first time this year. August had a rough start due to the comments, games, and lack of understanding from his peers and the parents of the children at the school. Throughout the story you see August's journey through fifth grade and all the bumps he faces along the way. This is a very inspiring and uplifting story that shows readers that it is not what's on the outside that matters, it's what's on the inside.

I really enjoyed reading this novel. I personally liked how the chapters were short. The short chapters motivated me to read more of the book at one time. I never got to the point of reading a chapter where I became disinterested and wanted to stop reading. I liked how I could easily stop reading after a full chapter instead of stopping in the middle. Another aspect of this book that I really liked was that the story was told from the perspective of the various characters. This made the reading very interesting because it showed the same events but from different points of view. While reading the story I tried to picture in my head what August's face looked like based on the various descriptions from the characters in the book. I also thought that the title of the book was wonder because the reader is supposed to wonder what August's face looks like. It was only until I got to the end of the story that I realized the title of the story is wonder because August's mother said that August truly is a wonder. Another part of the book that I really liked was Mr.Browne's Precepts. I enjoyed reading all of the precepts at the end of the story in the appendix.

I would recommend this story for children in upper elementary school and any adult. This story has a wonderful message that anyone could benefit from. It is pretty lengthy so students have to have the stamina required to read longer books. Children in fourth grade could benefit from hearing the story, but depending on their reading levels the teacher could choose to read the story aloud to the class and then have students participate in whole or small group discussions.

Image References:
http://www.amazon.com/Wonder-R-J-Palacio/dp/0375869026

Bad Bye, Good Bye

Author: Deborah Underwood
Publication Date: 2014
Type of Book: Realistic Fiction Picture Book

This picture book tells the story of a family that is moving from one place to another. They have two children, a boy and a girl. The children are sad and don't want to move. They had to say goodbye to their house and their neighbors. You see their journey to their new home and what they see along the way. When they get to their new home you see everything that is now new to the the family. In the end you see that the little boy made friends with the neighbor next door and he realizes that moving maybe wasn't so bad after all.

I personally was not a fan of this story. I didn't like how it was written using incomplete sentences that contained two or three words. These words were all very easy and must be geared towards beginning readers. I have always been told that the best way to teach students to read is in context. This book to me doesn't use the text to create a story. Instead the text provides fragments of information that the reader has to piece together to create the story. I would have liked it better if the text was an actual story instead of just words describing what is on each page.

I would recommend this story to children who are in kindergarten or first grade and just learning how to read. This story uses very basic and simple words that describe the illustrations. This book would be too simple for students any older than first grade. The author also doesn't include proper punctuation such as periods, so students shouldn't use this text to help them learn about proper sentence structure.

Image References:
http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Bye-Good-Deborah-Underwood/dp/0547928521/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443583823&sr=1-1&keywords=bad+bye%2C+good+bye

Even Aliens Need Snacks

Author: Matthew McElligott
Publication Date: 2012
Type of Book: Science Fiction Picture Book

This picture book tells the story of a little boy who loves to cook. The only problem is that his creations are a little unique. His sister always tells him that no one would ever eat the things he cooks. So he sets up a snack stand and waits for people to come try his treats. When no one comes he decides to head inside and go to bed. Later that night he sees something outside of his window. Aliens have decided to make a stop at his snack stand before continuing their journey. The aliens all enjoy the different treats the boy makes for them. In the end the boy creates Galactic Pudding using ingredients from all the other recipes he made. None of the aliens like the pudding and the only one who eats it is his sister.

This science fiction picture book is a cute read. I thought that the drawings of the aliens were very creative. I also liked how the treats the boy made for them corresponded to how they were drawn. The illustrations of the aliens capture the readers eye because their colors stand out against the plain colored background.

I would recommend this story as a read aloud for students in any grade level. Some of the words may be too hard for younger students to read independently, but if it is used for a read aloud the whole class could enjoy the story. The teacher could use this book to introduce the genre of science fiction to the class. Students could get ideas from the book to help them create their own science fiction story.

Image References:
http://www.amazon.com/Even-Aliens-Snacks-Matthew-McElligott/dp/0802736521/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443582833&sr=1-1&keywords=even+aliens+need+snacks

Baloney (Henry P.)

Author: Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith
Publication Date: 2005
Type of Book: Science Fiction Picture Book

This picture book tells the story of an alien named Henry P. Baloney. Henry loves to tell wise tales especially to his teacher. When he is late to school again his teacher says that he better have a very good excuse this time. Henry then goes off on a tangent about this crazy story that happened to him causing him to be late. In the end the teacher said that his story wasn't very believable, but he lucked out since the assignment for the day is to create a tall tale.

The coolest part of this book is that is uses words from different languages around the world. When reading the story you can guess what the different words mean but sometimes you just don't know. To help readers the author provided a word decoder in the back of the book. This story did a good job in incorporating science fiction and teaching students about the literary genre tall tales. The story was also written in a way that is fun for readers. Words and pictures move all around the pages and the font is in different sizes. Some of the words that aren't english are in a different color. I thought that overall this was a very cute story that students would find very entertaining to read.

I would recommend this book to upper elementary school students because the author incorporated words from different languages. Students in lower elementary school would have difficulty comprehending the story and would struggle with decoding some of the words. Teachers could use this book to have students practice using context clues to help with their reading. On the pages that contain words from the different languages students can try to see if they can decode the words using clues from the text. At the end they can use the decoder in the back of the book to check how well they did. Teachers can also use this as an instructional tool for teaching about tall tales and students can create their own tall tale after reading the book.

Image References:
http://www.amazon.com/Baloney-Henry-P-Jon-Scieszka/dp/0142404306

Rules

Author: Cynthia Lord
Publication Date: 2008
Type of Book: Award Winning Novel

Rules tells the story about a girl named Catherine who deals with the difficulty of not really knowing where she fits in. Catherine feels torn between two different worlds that in her mind don’t mix. She has a brother with Autism so she has that world, where she takes care of him and has to handle his quirks that she often times finds annoying. Her other world is where she wishes to be a normal girl who goes to school, has friends and doesn’t have to worry about what things her brother is going to do next that will embarrass her. Through this story you see Catherine befriend a boy from the same occupational therapy office that David goes too. Her new friend has a handicap and is bound to a wheelchair and only communicates through picture cards. Catherine deals with the pressure of wanting to fit in and not caring what other people think. In the end you finally see Catherine realize that "normal" is just a word and what other people think isn’t always true. Sometimes have to forget the rules and just dance.

I really enjoyed reading this story. It was one of those stories where I couldn’t believe how quickly I got through it. The chapters flowed very well together and I wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen next in the life of Catherine. The author did a good job in making the characters personable and interesting to read about. The story line felt very real and was easy to connect to. I think that everyone during their life deals with the issue of being afraid to do or say something because of what others might think. In the end you have to decide what’s really important to you and just go for it.

I would recommend this story to upper elementary age students and up. This story had a great message and does a wonderful job with educating readers about living with disabilities in a way that everyone can understand.  I think that this book would help those students who may not understand a lot about living with disabilities. This book would be especially helpful for students to read if they’re in an inclusion classroom.

Image References 

http://disabilityinkidlit.com/2015/04/12/review-rules-by-cynthia-lord/