Rachyl

= Rachyl's Book Selections =

Picture books:
I Love You Through and Through is a cute book that is written from a mother or father’s perspective to the child. The author wrote out every way the child is loved: when they are sad, when they are happy, when they giggle, when they cry, etc. It also goes through each part that they love: the hair, nose, eyes, etc. This would be an excellent book for early elementary aged students to start reading or have read to them. Not only does it help the child read simple words, but it goes through the body parts as well, which can teach them basic anatomy.
 * 1. I Love You Through and Through (author Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak)**.

Someday is a story of the hopes a mother has for her child. The author writes of how the mother knows that her child will grow up, yet assures her that she will be there the whole time, watching. This is an excellent book to bring up the topic of dreams for students. It would be interesting to do a project after this, asking the students to think of their dreams and how they are going to reach them. The reading level of this book would be about 2nd-4th grade level, and has harder words that would challenge the students
 * 2. Someday (authors Alison MeGhee and Peter H. Reynolds)**.

I Love You So is a book for the middle levels of elementary students, with words that would challenge them without having them get frustrated and give up. This book has a strong Christian theme in it. Essentially, this book could be used to talk to a child or student about Christ’s unchanging love for them, no matter how far they stray or how many bad things they do. However, it would also be a good book to read in a public school setting to start a conversation about how the students interpret what love is, because of the fact that is an emotion they have all felt.
 * 3. I Love You So...(author Marianne Richmond)**.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is the classic tale of how a caterpillar turns into a beautiful butterfly. The book takes the readers through a week of the caterpillar’s life, describing how hungry it gets and what it eats on each day. Then, after getting a tummy ache from making the wrong food choices, it makes a cocoon and soon turns into a butterfly! This book could be used to explain the process that a caterpillar/butterfly goes though, or it could be a lesson on eating healthy since the caterpillar didn’t make good choices and had to face the consequences of eating too much junk food.
 * 4. The Very Hungry Caterpillar (author Eric Carle)**.

This is a very cute book about a boy’s wild imagination. The author takes us through a day in the life of Alexander, and all the different people he pretends to be. He is an explorer, warrior, inventor, dancer, baseball player, the president, and even his daddy for different amounts of time. The reading level of this book would be between 2nd and 3rd grade, and it could be used as a history lesson because all of the people that Alexander pretended to be were from the pages of history. In the end, though, Alexander decides to be himself...until tomorrow.
 * 5. My Name is Not Alexander: Just How Big can a little Kid Dream? (author Jennifer Fosberry)**.

This book tells the story that a grandpa told his two grandchildren before they went to bed one night about a town named Chewandswallow. In this town, the people got their food from the sky. Pancakes, hot dogs, hamburgers, eggs, milk, and even syrup would fall at different times, and that is what the people would eat. However, after a while the weather started getting bad and making the food that fell harmful to the people, and they had to leave Chewandswallow and settle into a new life in a new town where the food didn’t fall from the sky. This book is full of fantasy and imagination, and would keep elementary aged students very interested.
 * 6. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (author Judi Barrett)**.

This book takes the readers through the process of many different animals putting their babies to bed. It would be a good book to use or read when there is a unit on different types of animals, as it has lions, penguins, pandas, whales, monkeys, owls, foxes, etc. It also could teach the children the varying names that animal babies have, such as cub, fawn, or duckling. I Love You, Sleepyhead would be a fun and interesting book for the early elementary aged students, and would allow them a challenge in their reading skills while learning about different types of animals in our world.
 * 7. I Love You, Sleepyhead (author Claire Freedman)**.

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus has won the Caldecott Honor Award, and is a cute little story about a pigeon who is left with an empty bus in front of it and has a very strong urge to drive it. The book begins by the bus driver asking the readers to make sure and not let the pigeon drive his bus. Later, the pigeon argues with the readers, begging, and even bribing them to let him drive the bus. At one point, the pigeon gets very angry with the readers because (he assumes) they keep telling him no. In the end, the bus driver comes back and the pigeon is disappointed. Until, of course, he sees a semi.
 * 8. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! (author Mo Willems)**.

This book is based on the essential points in Ecclesiastes, it explains that there is a time for everything. There is a time to love, a time to hate, a time to plant, a time to harvest, a time to kill, and a time to heal, etc. This book is an excellent way to show students opposites, maybe even having them do their own rendition of the book using opposites. It also is very helpful when something somewhat sad has happened in the school or in one of the students’ lives, as it explains that there is a time for everything, even sadness.
 * 9. To Everything There is a Season (author Jude Daly)**.

This book is a book that celebrates the winter solstice. After explaining in detail what the winter solstice is and what it means for different people (eating dinner in the dark, cold weather, etc.), the author goes on to tell the history of how the winter solstice was recognized and measured. Then the readers find out about the many different ways the solstice is celebrated in different parts of the world. This book is an excellent history lesson, as well as a cultural lesson on how other parts of the world celebrate. The Shortest Day would be a middle elementary reading level book.
 * 10. The Shortest Day (author Wendy Pfeffer)**.

Winner of the Caldecott Honor Book Award, There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly is a funny story about what happens when an old lady swallows many silly things. She swallows a fly, a spider, a bird, a cat, a dog, a cow and a horse. The progression of animals is easy for students to understand, and in the end, the old lady dies, just like the narrative animals have been predicting throughout the whole book. This book is an excellent book when it comes to imagination and rhyming. Using it during a rhyming unit would be a fun and relaxing addition.
 * 11. There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly (author Simms Taback)**.

Hot Air is also a winner of the Caldecott Honor Book award, and it is an easy read for elementary students. It does have some historical facts about the hot air balloon invention and what the first test ride was like, but adds funny non-true facts about the animals’ (as they were the first ones to ride in it) trip through the sky. Hot Air is a refreshing book because it acknowledges that it is a bit silly, but still teaching the readers things about history. Because of the fact that learning should be fun, I think it is an excellent book to us in a classroom.
 * 12. Hot Air (Marjorie Priceman)**.

This book has two stories in it, and the first is about a wolf who falls in a hole and can’t get out. After three days in the hole, Monkey comes along and helps wolf out. However, because Wolf is so hungry, he wants to eat Monkey. Thankfully, Tortoise comes along and helps monkey escape by telling Wolf he must clap three times. Rabbit’s Cup, the second story in the book, is about a witty Rabbit who must drink hot water to win the hand of the rabbit he wants for a wife. He first lets all his brothers and sisters try the water to convince them it is hot, and by the time they are done, the water is no longer hot. These two stories are good lessons on problem solving for elementary aged students.
 * 13. Monkey’s Tail, Rabbits Cup (author Lois M. Turner)**.

A Bird or Two is a story about Henri Matisse, a famous painter. The story takes its readers through all the things that Matisse could paint and all the colors that he would use. He lived in Nice, France, and loved the way the sun there made all the colors seem so vibrant. Though this story may not be as captivating as most for elementary ages students, it is an excellent sample biography of Matisse, and could be used in an art lesson or history lesson. The pictures are colorful and very imaginative, and students who have interest in painting would find it very interesting.
 * 14. A Bird or Two (author Bijou Le Tord)**.

Lyle the Crocodile lives with the Primms and has a very happy life except for the fact that he has attracted the hatred of Mr. Grumps. Through a series of unfortunate events, Mr. Grumps gets Lyle banished to the Zoo. However, an old friend who used to do circus shows with Lyle hears of the crocodiles’ misfortune and rescues him! Because of Mr. Grump, Lyle cannot go back to live with the Primms and plans on staring a show again with his old friend. Luckily, while getting a last look at the Primms house, Lyle is given the opportunity to save Mr. Grump from a fire and is consequently invited back into the neighborhood. This book is very well written and enjoyable for children.
 * 15. Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (author Bernard Waber)**.

This book goes through what the narrator would do if he or she was a variety of different animals, all having the point that they would do something to let the reader know that they are loved. This book is an excellent book to use when there is an animal fact unit, as it has small facts about each animal that is mentioned. Though sometimes the animals do silly things they wouldn’t do for real, the elementary students would have the opportunity to think critically and determine what facts are true about the animals and which ones are made up.
 * 16. If I were a Cricket...(author Kazue Mizumura)**.

This detailed biography about the life of Amelia Earhart would be an excellent book for upper elementary students to read. The book not only talks of her flying career, but of her childhood and about the fact that she grew up in a much different way than most little girls at that time did. The book shows the importance of having an imagination and never letting people say no to your dreams, even if it means you aren’t as popular as you’d like. This book could be used to help the research of a report, or help a student further understand an iconic woman in America’s history.
 * 17. Amelia Earhart: Adventure in the Sky (author Francene Sabin)**.

Little Critter books were my favorite when I was little, and I think that each of them has a valuable lesson to teach children. This book was about Little Critter wanting to do many things, like painting the house or having frogs in the bathtub, but everyone keeps telling him ‘No.’ Little Critter gets very mad and decides to run away, only to be asked by his friends to go play ball. His mom said yes to that one! These books are good beginning readers books and can be used in the classroom to teach manners and simple social skills.
 * 18. I Was So Mad (author Mercer Mayer)**.

This book by a Christian author has an amazing lesson inside of it. It is the story of Punchinello, whose maker, Eli, has told him time and time again that he is special just they way he is. However, all the people in the town are getting their noses painted green, and despite his efforts to fight it, Punchinello decides to do it to in order to fit in. Pretty soon, noses are being painted every different color, just to fit in. Punchinello can’t keep up and gets tired of trying to fit in. He runs back to Eli, and Eli returns Punchinello to his original nose color. This book is a lesson on being happy with who you are for students.
 * 19. If I Only Had a Green Nose (Max Lucado)**.

The Little Red Caboose is sad about him being the last car on the train all the time; the little boys and girls never saved any waves for him. However, one day the train got stuck going up a hill and the caboose stopped it from slipping backwards! Eventually, another train came and helped the caboose push the train back up the hill, and from that day on the little caboose was just as popular with the boys and girls as the rest of the train! This book teaches the lesson that everyone has a special part, even if the think that they are unimportant.
 * 20. The Little Red Caboose (Marian Potter)**.

This book is a classic, and it is very useful in the classroom setting when the students are about to go onto new places; maybe when they move to a new grade, a new school, or even if just one of them is moving away. Dr. Seuss has rhymed his way through a book that tells of all the magical and fantastic things one can do, while still reminding them that sometimes they won’t succeed and they might get lonely. However, they should keep trying. I think it is very important to read this book to students starting at a young age and continuing through each stage of life to serve as a reminder that they can do great things.
 * 21. Oh, the Places You’ll Go! (author Dr. Seuss)**.

Intermediate Books:
The School Story is a brilliantly written book about a young girl’s ambition to get her book published by her mother’s editing company without her knowing. Natalie and her friend Zoe, along with the help of their English teacher, come up with pen names and fake companies on this journey, and in the end their plans work perfectly and Natalie’s book is published. I would recommend this book to students and even make it required reading in a middle school setting because it has a valuable lesson on reaching your dreams and using your resources for the best possible way.
 * 1. The School Story (author Andrew Clements).**

This tale is about two sisters, Meryl and Addie, who are princesses in a land called Bamarre that is marked by its dangerous beasts and cowardly people. The biggest danger is a plague called the Gray Death, and the bravest of the two sisters, Meryl, catches it. This gives Addie the courage to go out and face terrifying feats in order to find the cure. Along the way, Addie falls in love with a good sorcerer, Rhys, and also finds her courage. This fantasy book is appropriate for intermediate readers, and is a great tool to get the imagination flowing. I also think that this book could be a good read aloud book, for it will keep the attention of the students through the whole book.
 * 2. A Tale of Two Princesses (author Gail Carson Levine).**

Girlhearts is a novel about a tragedy. The main character, Sarabeth, must learn how to live and cope when her only family, her mother, dies from a heart attack at a young age. The story tells of Sarabeth’s struggle to find someone to live with where she is truly accepted and loved. In the end, Sarabeth takes the journey to her mother’s family, who kicked her mother out at the young age of 16 when she became pregnant. The family accepts her, and Sarabeth finds a place to call home. This novel would be appropriate for middle schoolers, and is a good reflection on tragedy and overcoming it.
 * 3. Girlhearts (author Norma Fox Mazer).**

I was interested in this book because I had heard so much about the book //Beastly//, and I thought that it would be interesting to read a book by an author that had the same concept as the author of //Beastly// long ago. The book is an enchanting one, and I was instantly drawn in to the story told from Beauty’s point of view, with more details than any other book or movie I have encountered about this story. This book would be excellent for higher level intermediate readers, and would also be a good read aloud book within the classroom.
 * 4. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast (author Robin McKinley).**

This coming of age story is about a girl named Annie, and it tells the story of her journey after the death of her brother. Because of his unexpected and untimely death, she develops a fear of all things potentially dangerous, such as obscure diseases and riding in the car without a helmet on. On this journey, a new neighbor moves into town, and it is through her tea visits with Mrs. Finch that Annie realizes she has been living under an umbrella, not really enjoying the sun that is shining around her. This is a intermediate book, and is an excellent read for students. It tugs at your emotions, and makes you sympathize with Annie.
 * 5. Umbrella Summer (author Lisa Graff)**

Lilly’s Crossing is about a young girl who is caught in the middle of World War II. Everyone around her seems to be leaving for this war, including her father, and she is not really sure how to function in a world that is so marked by sadness. One summer, she meets a boy named Albert who is a war refugee, and they establish a bond that is timeless and cannot be broken. This friendship helps her cope with her changing world. This book would be for fourth grade and above, and is a good book to use during a history unit to describe what the children during that time might have felt and gone through.
 * 6. Lilly’s Crossing (author Patricia Reilly Giff).**

Young Adult Books:
The Hunger Games is a futuristic story that takes place in a land that is controlled by the Capitol. Twelve districts, as the land has been divided up into, must each send a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to The Hunger Games each year. These games have been set up to remind the people who is boss: the Capitol. The main character, Katniss, volunteers to go when her sister’s name is chosen, and along with her is a boy named Peeta. Through a series of dramatic events, Peeta and Katniss end up winning the games mostly due to the fact that Peeta confessed his undying love for Katniss and she played along. The first book of the Hunger Games series was enticing and an excellent read.
 * 1. The Hunger Games (author Suzanne Collins).**

Catching Fire, the second book of the Hunger Games, follows Katniss after she has been victorious over the Hunger Games arena with her friend (and fake lover) Peeta. Things go wrong, though, when the Capitol see them both winning as a defying the Capitol, and rumors of rebelling break out among the districts. Katniss must make hard choices that put those whom she loves in danger. In a strange twist of fate, Katniss and Peeta are thrown back in the Hunger Games arena and must now fight previous victors of the game. The author leaves you hanging and wanting to immediately start the third book, Mockingjay.
 * 2. Catching Fire (author Suzanne Collins).**

Mockinjay is the third and final book in the Hunger Games series, and it follows Katniss as she is thrown through bouts of depression and stages of success against the Capitol. She must chose which man she loves, Peeta or Gale, and do her best to be the rebel leader. Though she often feels like a pawn between the Capitol and the rebels, she does her best to be what she sees as the right representative. The ending of this series is sad, yet conclusive in the effect that the Capitol gets what they deserve. Though she will never be without the horrible effects of the Hunger Games, Katniss finds a way to happiness.
 * 3. Mockingjay (author Suzanne Collins).**