April and Esme Tooth Faries
Written and Illustrated by: Bob Graham
Candlewick Press, 2010
40 Pages
I chose this book because it is whimsical and fun t read. In this fun-filled book, we meet April and Esme Underhill, two sister fairies that are ready to go on their first tooth collection all by themselves. They begged their parents and finally the two were set free. But will they make it in the human world? Or will the giant roaring cars be too much for the little sassy fairies? Will they wake their sleeping customer and have to get help from their parents!?
The illustrations in this book are filled with wonder. The pictures capture the spunky story with creative and quirky paleinks and watercolor paintings. If the intriguing words don’t capture your attention, the humorous pictures surely will. The festivities of the very first tooth collection are brought to life. Everything from the wild haired fairy dad to the cozy tooth cottage is sure to make you feel like you are a part of this story.
I would read this story to children anywhere from 4- 9 years old. For a younger grade (K or 1st), I would use this book in a small group counting math lesson. Because there are so many teeth throughout the book, I would have them count them all, record the amount they find, and then compare their answers with the rest of the children in the group. I would also use this book during a health lesson for older children (2nd or 3rd). It would be a fun book to incorporate into the lesson about keeping your teeth clean. I would have the students look at the teeth in the book and determine if they are well kept or not. Lastly, I would use this book in a writing lesson. There are so many quirky images in this book. I would have the students look through the book for their favorite picture and write a new story based off of it. I would do this with an older grade, such as 3rd or 4th.
The Runaway Princess
Written by: Kate Coombs
Published by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008
288 Pages
Meg is not the normal princess. Her parents are trying to marrying her off by hold a competition for the best prince around. But Meg doesn’t want to stay living under her parent’s noses for the rest of her life either. With the help of her best friend, a maid, a witch, a wizard, and other magical friends, she sets out to win the competition herself. Will Princess Meg be able to change her fate? Or will she be forced to marry a prince and live ‘happily ever after’?
There are not very many illustrations in the chapter book. The cover of the book is done with oils and inks. The cover is very whimsical and enchanting. It truly captures the essence of the magical story. The cover illustration is extremely eye catching and draws you to pick up the pick and uncover all the excitement on the inside.
I would use this book for a writing lesson. I would have my student write their own fairytale, but with a twist. Instead of being the princess looking for a prince, write about what they wish they could do in the kingdom! I would have an older grade compare and contrast this story to the story of another princess book or fairytale of their choice. As a history lesson, I would have the student’s research royals from earlier time eras to determine how often the princesses actually had no choice inwhom they were going to marry.
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind: Young Reader’s Addition
Written by: William Kamkwamba
Illustrated by: Bryan Mealer and Elizabeth Zunon
Published by Dial Books for Young Readers, 2012
32 Pages
This book follows the authors amazing journey in the hard living situations of Africa. William’s family was like much of the other families living all throughout the Malawi in 2002. The families were without running water, electricity, and because of the famine occurring in the country, they were extremely low on food. William was forced to drop out of school because his family could not afford it. But this didn’t stop William from dreaming of a better life. When he discovers a library book, it leads him to amazing discoveries, and ultimately, a life he had always hoped for.
The illustrations of this story are a perfect addition to the words. Using a mixture of collage and paints, she captures an almost realistic portrayal of William. While some images are extremely detailed, others are simple and clean with sharp lines, like the windmill. The colors used are those found in the dirt, with a lot of reds and browns. With every page, you get a small glimpse of what life was and is like in Malawi, Africa.
I would use this story in a history lesson to not only share about the drought in Malawi in 2002, but to also share with the students how different these people’s lives are than ours in the United States. This would be a wonderful motivational book as well. This young boy practically changed the world in the eyes of his family and other natives to the land. It just goes to show that age is not a fault, that no matter how old someone is, they can strive to make a difference. Lastly, I would use this book in a science lesson about environmental technology. The world of ‘green’ technology truly changed these people’s lives by simple windmills.
America Is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell
Written and Illustrated by: Don Brown
Published by: Flash Point
64 Pages
September 11, 2001 is a day that changed America forever. Most children in Elementary school now in 2014, do not even remember this day because most weren’t even born yet. In this book, Don Brown takes us back to the terrifying and tragic day. He writes in a ‘kid friendly’ manner so that the children can understand what happened on that day. Some of it is very straight forward, but honest and truthful. The story takes us through the events of the day, from the hijackings into the Towers, Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania to the rescues and after thoughts as we all watched the beautiful towers fall to the ground and Patriotism rise to the sky.
The illustrations in this story are drawn and painted with cool watercolors and pencil. The images hold nothing back. They show the sadness that was on all of our faces that morning, as well as the planes crashing into the side of the towers. The pictures capture some tough rescues as the towers fell. While some may say this book is too graphic, it truly shows the events of the day in a factual way.
First, I would definitely use this book in a history lesson when teaching about September 11, 2001. Of course, I would ask parents beforehand because it is an awful story, but it must be told just like any other war or event in History. I would also use this story to read on the actual anniversary of the event. I would create a KWL chart for the students to fill out before, during, and after the reading. I would allow students time to share their thoughts and any questions with the class. I would use this book for a writing exercise. I would have the student’s interview someone that remembers the day the towers fell, thenthe students would write a story about their interviewees feelings and thoughts.
Redwoods
Written and Illustrated by: Jason Chin
Published by: Flash Point
40 Pages
In this fun-filled picture book, a boy imagination takes him on a wild adventure through the redwood forest. The boy is reading a fact book about the monster trees, and some of the facts have him thinking about the giants in their beginning times. This book is filled with endless facts about these beautiful creations. As the information spills out from the pages of his book, his imagination takes him deeper and deeper into the Redwood Forest.
The images in this book make the facts come to life, even prehistoric life. Jason Chin uses cold and vibrant colors to create these paintings. I love how Chin incorporated the different elements from the facts into the pictures. For example, having roman guards sitting with the boy on the subway train while he was reading about the tree’s old age was a sure way to get the young readers to understand how old the trees really are. Upon leaving the subway station, the boy enters into the actual redwood forest. The comparison of the tall trees to the skyscrapers is a wonderful detail that allows the children to understand how large these trees actually are.
I would use this book in a science lesson about the life cycle of a tree. I would use this story as an opener before explaining to the children their assignment to find a tree stump (real or a picture) and determine the number of rings to figure out the tree’s age. The facts in this book are true, however there are some aspects of the story, such as him going from place to place, is not. I would how my students determine which parts of the story to fictional, and which parts a real! Last, I would use this story to compare and contrast the redwoods forests to the large city the boy is actually in. The skyscrapers transform into the huge trees, and vise-versa. I would have the students write about all the difference and find a few comparisons as well.
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