Fables

Lobel, A. (1981). Fables. Harper Collins: New York.

Traditional/Folk Literature
Caldecott Award Winner

Fables by Arnold Lobel is a book that is filled with fables from cover-to-cover. Each of the fables in the book teaches a valuable lesson that can be discussed and/or learned from. Students find this book captivating because it includes many characteristics, such as personified animals, that make it entertaining and larger than life.


This book is a MUST HAVE for all teachers. Not only is it a book full of fables, it is a book full of running record, fluency, and comprehension assessments. Each fable is only a page long, therefore teachers can meet with small groups of students to assess them while they read. Questions can be asked after reading in order to see if students comprehended the plot and the lesson of the fable they read. When preparing for the 3rd grade EOG, it would be beneficial for students to pinpoint the main characters, the problem, and the solution of these fables.

Holes

Sachar, L. (1998). Holes. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux: New York.

Realistic Fiction
Chapter Book
Film

Holes is/was my favorite book from my childhood. I personally own 3 copies and have read it multiple times. Holes follows a boy named Stanley Yelnats who believes he is affected by a family curse and ends up in a detention center (Camp Green Lake) for "stealing" a pair of shoes. Juveniles at this camp dig holes all day in order to "build character". It is determined that the Warden of the camp actually makes the kids dig holes because he is looking for a buried treasure. Stanley and his new friend, Zero, go looking for the treasure on a mountain and eat onions in a field to curb their hunger. Upon finally finding the treasure, the boys find themselves face to face with yellow spotted lizards (venomous lizards). The lizards do not attack the boys because of the onion odor they are producing. Finally, Stanley is released from Camp Green Lake and leaves with treasure that belonged to his great-great-grandfather.

When I was in elementary school, my 3rd grade teacher used this novel for a read-aloud. She would read a chapter everyday and ask us to predict what we thought was going to happen next. We would confirm or revise these predictions daily.
I also read this book in 5th grade and proceeded to watch the movie version, also. For a project, I made a Venn Diagram comparing the book to the movie on a piece of poster board. Both of these activities would be fun and effective ways to use this novel.

George Washington: Our First President

Jackson, C. (2000). George Washington: Our 1st President. Scholastic: New York.

Historical Fiction

Just as one might assume, George Washington: Our First President describes the life of Mr. Washington and gives the history of his presidency in a "kid-friendly" way. Though most of the information is factual, I would not label this book nonfiction due to the fact that it is told in a story form that is easy for children to understand.

This book is an easier read, but I feel it is important to include books in 3-5 classrooms that are "easy" reads in order to meet the needs of struggling readers. I have observed that students have a harder time reading historical books because it is harder to relate to, yet this book is broken down in a way that makes it a smooth and fun read for students. I would use this book before celebrating President's Day in order to inform my students about the man who essentially started it all. I would even use this book during a social studies unit when learning about our nation's presidents.

Thunder Cake

Polacco, P. (1990). Thunder Cake. The Putnam and Grosset Group: New York.

Realistic Fiction

Throughout the duration of this blogging assignment, I have fallen so in love with the books of Patricia Polacco. They are realistic, funny, and are easy to relate to. I have read many of her books while completing this project, and Thunder Cake was one of my favorites. This story addresses Patricia Polacco's fear of thunderstorms when she was growing up in Michigan. Thunder Cake tells the story of how Patricia's grandmother helped her conquer her fear of thunderstorms by encouraging her to go out during the storm to collect ingredients for Thunder Cake: the perfect recipe for a rainy day. Patricia's grandmother succeeded in calming Patricia's fear of thunderstorms and it is made evident when Patricia welcomes a thunderstorm with a warm slice of Thunder Cake.

Not only is this book a must-have in a classroom library, it would be a wonderful book to use in a morning meeting or just for a fun read. Students can discuss what they are scared of and how they have conquered their fears. Discussions such as these can bring the class closer together and create a positive sense of classroom community.

Hansel and Gretel

Rylant, C. (2008). Hansel and Gretel. Hyperion Books for Children: New York.

Folk Literature

Retold by Cynthia Rylant, Hansel and Gretel is a classic Grimm Brothers tale that is a prime example of folk literature. Siblings, Hansel and Gretel, lived with their father and stepmother. The family was very poor and the mean stepmother plotted to get rid of the children. Hansel and Gretel played along with their stepmother's plan to leave them in the woods, but they left a trail of bread crumbs behind in order to be able to re-trace their steps back home. The children stumble upon a house made of candy and a witch who promises them a life that includes everything they did not have back home. However, Hansel and Gretel actually put themselves in a house made of candy with a witch who plans on having them for dinner. Read to find out what happens to this famous brother and sister duo.

This book would be great to have in a classroom library. It also would be a terrific book to use when teaching a mini-lesson on making predictions while reading.

Italy

Petersen, Christine and David. (2001). Italy. Children's Press: Canada.

Nonfiction
Chapter Book

Italy is a nonfiction book about, well, Italy! This book will provide students with information on the land and population of Italy, early Italian history, The Roman Catholic Church, and how people live in Italy today.

This book is an example of a book that children can read so that teachers can take running records, as well as conduct fluency and comprehension tests. It can also be used when introducing students to nonfiction literature. Students can use post-it notes to label parts of the book that make it a nonfiction work.

Rumpelstiltskin

Zelinsky, P. (1986). Rumpelstiltskin. Penguin Books: New York

Folk Literature
Caldecott Honor

Paul Zelinsky brings this popular Grimm Brother's tale to life through his vivid illustrations. Rumpelstiltskin is a tale about a miller's daughter who is locked in a room spinning straw into gold for the king. A little man who is rather odd agrees to help the miller's daughter spin straw in exchange for her first-born child.

This tale would be great to use when introducing students to different types of literature. Rumpelstiltskin is a prime example of folk literature and would also be useful when discussing medieval times or alchemy.

Of Thee I Sing

Obama, B. (2010). Of Thee I Sing. Random House, Inc: New York.

Nonfiction
Biography

Of Thee I Sing is a powerful book written by our current President, Barack Obama. Obama wrote this story as a letter to his two daughters to provide them with a look into the lives of Americans who have made this country what it is today. It includes powerful leaders, such as George Washington, as well as American icons such as Jackie Robinson and Georgia O'Keeffe.

This would be a wonderful book to include in a classroom library or to use in a social studies lesson. It is not only written by a person who has made history in America, but it also gives brief biographies of many important Americans that will be informative to students.

The Polar Express

Modern Fantasy
Caldecott Award Winner

Van Allsburg, C. (1985). The Polar Express. Houghton Mifflin Company: New York

The Polar Express
by: jdlipsco

Skellig

Almond, D. (1998). Skellig. Random House: New York.

Modern Fantasy
Chapter Book


Skellig is a novel about a boy named Michael who is struggling with the emotions of having a very sick baby sister. He becomes friends with a home-schooled girl named Mina. Their friendship blossoms over a man that Michael found in his garage named, Skellig. Read Skellig to figure out who/what Skellig is and how he helps Michael's family.

Skellig would be an ideal novel to use when teaching students how to recognize different themes that are composed in a story. There are also several writing prompts or debates that could be used. (Home school vs. regular school, What is Skellig?) Skellig makes a nice connection to William Blake and poetry and could be used nicely in a history or poetry unit.

Z is for Zookeeper

Smith, Marie and Roland. (2005). Z is for Zookeeper. Sleeping Bear Press: Michigan

Nonfiction

Z is for Zookeeper may seem like a book for younger grades, however it has some very mature elements to it. Z is for Zookeeper is a zoo alphabet in which each letter of the alphabet is represented by an animal or object that is important to a zoo. Words such as quarantine and incubator are used for the letters "Q" and "I". Each page offers cute illustrations with a poem about the word being used, as well as a paragraph that explains each animal/concept/object scientifically.

This book would be great to use as a whole-class read aloud before a field trip to the zoo. It would also be a useful tool to have in a classroom library due to the fact that it could be used as a scientific dictionary. This is a fun book and it offers enough nonfiction detail to where any K-5 student would find it useful and enjoyable.

The Cay

Taylor, T. (2002). The Cay. Yearling: New York.

Historical Fiction
Chapter Book

This novel is set during World War II in the Dutch West Indies. 11-year old Phillip loses his sight after being aboard a freighter that is struck (torpedoed) by a German submarine. Phillip wakes up on a raft with a West Indian man named Timothy. The two characters end up on an island where the story becomes a tale about friendship, survival, and overcoming racism that may have been a part of one's upbringing.

When reading this novel in 4th grade, I did not realize that it was historical fiction. Having read it at the college level, I can easily see the historical information that it provides and the lessons that it has the capability of teaching. This would be a great book to use in a 4th or 5th grade upper-level reading group. It would also be a nice novel to use as part of a social studies lesson about WWII. Students would also benefit from determining what makes this novel fiction despite its historical facts.

Thank You, Mr. Falker

Polacco, P. (1998). Thank You, Mr. Falker. Philomel Books: New York.

Realistic Fiction
Book about disabilities

Patricia Polacco wrote this story in order to inform readers about her learning disability as a child that made reading a huge personal struggle. Little Trisha's caring teacher, Mr. Falker, begins to clearly see why Trisha is struggling with reading and stays after school with her to help her learn and discover the magic of reading. Read this story to find out the exciting achievement/goal that Trisha meets!

Thank you, Mr. Falker would be a wonderful book to share with students when discussing learning styles. All students learn differently and and in unique ways and it is important for students to understand and appreciate that. This book will contribute to increasing classroom community and respect of fellow students.

The Small One

Walsh, A. (1995). The Small One. Disney Press: New York.

Multicultural Literature

The Small One would be a fantastic book to use in the classroom around Christmas time. This book has an underlying theme of Christianity and I believe it is important for children to be exposed to different religions and groups of people and how they celebrate specific holidays. This book is set in Nazareth and the culture of these people and this time period could be discussed in a deeper manner.

The Hunterman and the Crocodile

Diakite, B. (1997). The Hunterman and the Crocodile. Scholastic Press: New York.

Multicultural Literature

A West African Folktale, The Hunterman and the Crocodile, teaches readers the

"importance of living in harmony with nature and the necessity of

placing Man among-not above-all living things." Donso, the Hunterman 

encounters a crocodile, Bamba.Donso carries Bamba and his friends 

to a river and is almost tricked into beingeaten by the crocodiles.

As Donso begs for his life, a cow, a horse, and a mango tree give

the crocodiles full permission to eat Donso because of how cruely 

Man treats them. (Man eats mangos, Man uses horses for labor, etc). 

A rabbit passes during this commotion and asks to see Donso carry 

Bamba and his friends on his head. This was a trick used to save Donso 

and help bring him to his sick wife. 

The Hunterman and the Crocodile was a fabulous read and 

is a must-have in any classroom library. 

It could be used in a mini-lesson to learn 

about folktales, West African culture, or even the 

importance of making predictions while

reading stories. 

The Guardian Project

 Lee, S. (2011). The Guardian Project. POW! Entertainment: New York.

Modern Fantasy
Graphic Novel
Chapter Book

This graphic novel centers around the mascots of every team in the NHL (National Hockey League). Each mascot has a chapter in the novel in which they are portrayed as a Super Hero.  Each chapter also is set in that specific hockey team/mascot's home town. The illustrations are captivating and the mascots come to life in unique forms.

This book would be great to have in a classroom library. It would be a favorite of boys who love sports. Due to the fact that it has a "Super Hero" feel to it, I also believe that it would be a good and interesting read for boys. Not to mention, it is a terrific read at a 3-5 reading level.

A Day's Work

Bunting, E. (1994). A Day's Work. Clarion Books: New York

Multicultural Literature

Fransisco is a Hispanic boy who is helping his grandfather (abuelo) try to find work. They enlist under the services of a man named Ben. Fransisco tells Ben that although his abuelo may not speak English, he is a terrific gardener. This is a lie due to the fact that abuelo is actually a carpenter. Ben gives Fransisco and his abuelo a gardening job in which they manage to mess up completely. After a very nice apology from the pair, Ben forgives Fransisco and his abuelo and gives them new jobs.

This story addresses the stereotype that Americans have about Hispanics. It labels Hispanics as hard working males. Though this book could cause some controversy, I think it would be a good book to use when having to address the issue of stereotypes and the danger that they may cause in the classroom.

The Giver

Lowry, L. (1993). The Giver. Bantam Books: New York

Modern Fantasy
Newberry Winner
Chapter Book

Jonas, an 11-year old boy, lives in a futuristic society in which all things we know as "bad" (suffering, hunger, war) have been eliminated. At the Ceremony of Twelve, children are assigned jobs based on their abilities and interests and Jonas is given the highly honorable job of Assignment of Receiver of Memory. He will be the keeper of the society's collective memory. The previous Receiver of Memory, a wise, old man who now becomes The Giver, passes memories, good and bad, down to Jonas. This job completely changes the way Jonas views the world and leads to he and The Giver's idea to devise a plan in order to stop the corruption that is happening in their community.

I read this book as a 5th grader in a upper-level reading group at Willow Springs Elementary School. It is one of the few I remember reading in elementary school due to how engaging and exciting it is. As a college student, I found it to be just as good as I remembered it to be when I was in 5th grade. I would suggest using this book in upper-level reading groups in a 4th or 5th grade classroom. There are many historic and new vocabulary words/ideas that may need to be discussed in depth (Utopian society, the idea of memories, futuristic qualities of the story) and those would be best discussed/learned in a small, higher-level reading group. Another activity that could be used with this novel is a writing assignment in which students put themselves in Jonas' shoes. How would they escape to Elsewhere? Do you wish our society today was similar to the society that Jonas lived in? What job do you think The Elders would assign to you?

Cinderella

Brown, M. ( 1997). Cinderella. Simon and Schuster: New York

Folk Literature
Caldecott Winner

This story is the classic version of Cinderella that we have all grown to know and love. Cinderella is left to live with her evil step-mother and step-sisters after the death of her father. She gets invited to a Royal Ball where she meets the Prince. They fall in love with one another, yet Cinderella must rush home before he even gets the chance to learn her name. She leaves behind a glass slipper and the Prince searches the whole town until he finds that the shoe fits none other than Cinderella herself. The author, Marcia Brown, makes the story come to life through her award-winning illustrations.

I would use this story when evaluating literature with a class or learning the characteristics of a fiction book or fairytale. It is important for grade 3-5 students to understand the defining characteristics of different types of literature. Cinderella by Marcia Brown would be a great story to use as a read aloud in which the students could raise their hands when they have identified a characteristic that makes this story a piece of fiction/fairytale and add it to a classroom chart.

No Talking

Clements, A. (2007). No Talking. Simon and Schuster: New York.

Realistic Fiction
Chapter Book

This story follows the fifth grade class at Laketon Elementary School as they compete in a "boys-against-girls no talking contest." Dave Packer, the ring leader of this contest, was reading about Mahatma Gandhi in social studies class and was fascinated by the idea that Gandhi did not talk for one day every week so that he could bring order to his mind. Becoming more and more aware of how loud others are while taking a day of silence, Dave bets Lynsey Burgess, the loudest fifth grade girl, that girls talk more than boys. This leads to the infamous two-day long contest in which the fifth grade girls and boys of Laketon Elementary School are to say as few words as possible. While many teachers are puzzled by this contest, it ends up being a wonderful lesson for the students and staff at Laketon Elementary School.

I would use this book when teaching students about the importance of making predictions while reading. The author, Andrew Clements, ends paragraphs and chapters by leaving the reader wanting more information. This book left me wondering "what will happen next?" quite often, therefore I believe it would be a great book for a whole-class read aloud in which predictions could be made daily.