A Bad Case of Stripes

Title: A Bad Case of Stripes

Author: David Shannon

Illustrator: David Shannon

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Sub-Genre: Social issues/ Emotions/ feelings

Theme: Nutrition, Illness

Primary Characters: Camilla Cream

Secondary Characters: her mother, Dr. Bumble, the experts

Awards:

Publisher and Date of Publication: Blue Sky Press; 1998

Summary:

A Bad Case of Stripes is a book about Camilla Cream who loves lima beans. But Camilla won’t eat them! She wants to fit in with her friends who don’t eat lima beans. From her lack of eating lima beans Camilla becomes sick and has a bizarre case of stripes! All of the doctors don’t know what’s wrong or what happened to poor Camilla. This book is so creative and could easily fit in a classroom. This book is imaginative and can encourage children to think outside of the ordinary.

Detective Blue

Title: Little Boy Detective Blue

Author: Steve Metzger

Illustrator: Tedd Arnold

Genre: Fiction

Sub-Genre: Mystery

Theme: nursery rhymes; searching and finding

Primary Characters: Detective Blue (little boy blue)

Secondary Characters: dish and spoon, Mary and her lamb, Jack Sprat, Little Bo Peep, Humpty Dumpty, Jack Corner, Goldilocks

Awards:

Publisher and Date of Publication: Orchard Books; 2011

Summary:

Little Boy Blue runs a detective agency now. He calls himself detective Blue. He then utilizes his friends (other characters from popular nursery rhymes) to help solve the mystery of the missing Miss Muffet. This book would be perfect in a 3^rd grade classroom after a lesson or unit on nursery rhymes or new stories that are based on old or original stories. Since this book is written as a comic strip, there is humor that only older children would understand. You could use this book as a new spin on the classic nursery rhymes. Also, this book has a “You be the detective” activity on the first page where the students can help find all of the nursery rhyme characters!

8 First Part Last

Title: First Part Last

Author: Angela Johnson

Illustrator:

Genre:  Young adult

Sub-Genre: Fiction

Theme: Growing up; accepting the consciences

Primary Characters: Bobby and Nia

Secondary Characters: K-Boy and J.L. along with Bobby's parents

Awards: Coretta Scott King Award; Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature

Publisher and Date of Publication: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; 2003

Summary:

This book is about Bobby, who is living a care-free life as a teen, becomes a father unexpectedly. He must take care of his new baby who he loves very much. This book is very powerful, and I feel like all teens can relate to this book. The author writes in such a way that will make young readers continue reading until the last page. This book is also great for young boys because the main character is a male. In my classroom, I would use this book as a literary read. Within a classroom setting, you could use this story as a class read. I could  make a whole unit on responsibilities and have them create pictures and complete assignments on growing up. Journaling would be great to use with this book too.

16 Interupting Chicken

Title: Interrupting Chicken

Author: David Ezra Stein

Illustrator: David Ezra Stein

Genre:  Picture book

Sub-Genre: Fiction

Theme: Family love

Primary Characters: Little Red Chicken

Secondary Characters: Papa

Awards: Caldecott Medal Honor; 2011

Publisher and Date of Publication: Candlewick Press; 2010

Summary:  

This book is about Little Red Chicken wanting Papa to read her a bedtime story. Every time Papa begins a story, Little Red Chicken interrupts which ends each tale rather abruptly. This is a wonderful story to read children! In my classroom, I could ask my students to think of a well know story such Cinderella or Snow White. I will then ask them to change one thing at the beginning of the story then think about what that change made, which teaches them cause and effect. I could then ask them to write the story down and illustrate it. This is a great book to read to ages 5 and up.

7 Flipped

Title: Flipped

Author: Wendelin Van Draanen

Illustrator: -

Genre:  Juvinille Fiction

Sub-Genre: fiction

Theme: Taking a closer look

Primary Characters: Bryce, Julianna

Secondary Characters: Bryce's grandfather and Lynetta

Awards:

Publisher and Date of Publication: Random House Publishing; 2001

Summary:

In this book, Bryce and Julianna are two teenagers describe how their feelings about themselves, each other, and their families have changed over the years. One thing that I really liked about this book is that the chapers alternated between Bryce and Julianna, tying in the theme “flipped.” This novel is a great read for all students. I think that students will connect to the feelings that are described in this book. As a teacher, one good idea would be to have students do a free write about their feelings about themselves and others that they know. I recommend this book to students who ages 9 and up.

15 Just One More?

Title: Just One More?

Author: Nancy Alberts

Illustrator: John Butler.

Genre:  Picture book

Sub-Genre: Fiction

Theme: patience

Primary Characters: Mama Bear; Baby cut

Secondary Characters:

Awards:

Publisher and Date of Publication: Handprint Books; 2007

Summary:

In this book a baby cub does not want to go to sleep. Mama bear is patient with her cub and allows him to stay up longer and longer without getting angry. I thought this book us very typical of most children, so it is very relatable. This book would be best served in a designated reading time in the classroom, rather than a read aloud story by the teacher. I think that this book is best used as a bedtime story at home.

14 Full Color

Title: Full Color

Author: Etenne Delessert

Illustrator: Etenne Delessert

Genre:  Non- Fiction

Sub-Genre:

Theme: Colors

Primary Characters: “We”

Secondary Characters:

Awards:

Publisher and Date of Publication: Creative Company ;2005

Summary:

This book, “Full Color,” is about all the colors of the rainbow. It is a larger book, so the pictures are ideal for toddlers who are learning their colors. It goes through each color of the rainbow and illustrates what each color looks like. This is one of those books where if the pictures were not present, the book could be considered a failure. Towards the end of the book, the author and illustrator mix colors and show which colors mix to make what. This book is a great example of literature for 2-4 year olds.