Picture Book #26 The Steel Pan Man of Harlem

Author:  Colin Bootman

Title: The Steel Pan Man of Harlem

Illustrator:  Colin Bootman

Readability: 4.3

Genre: Picture Book

Sub genre : Historical Fiction

Characters: Steel Pan Man, Mayor, the people of Harlem

Theme: Doing the right thing and keeping one's word

Award(s) and date of publication: 2009

Publisher: Carolrhoda Books

ISBN:  978-0-8225-9026-2

Summary:

In Harlem there was a rat problem, wherever people would look they would find a rat. They tried to get an exterminator and they tried to use traps but the rats were all too smart for that. They finally went to the Mayor about their problem with the rats but he did not have answer for them. One day a man pampered in a subway with a red bag and begin to play a steel pan for the people. The people star dancing and forgot all about the rats.
The next day the Steel Pan Man went and talked to the Mayor about getting rid of the rats. He told him it would only cost him a million dollars and all he had to do was shut down the city for the night. The mayor agreed and the Steel Pan Man went to work that night playing a tune on his pan. All the rats fleed the city. The people were happy but when the Steel Pan Man when to collect his money the Mayor said no. Therefore, the Steel Pan man cast a spell on the city where the people could not stop dancing not even the Mayor. Finally, the Mayor gave in a gave the man his check,but he still could not stop dancing so he danced out the city to be never seen again, and the Steel Pan Man left too.

Use in the Classroom:
This story is a retelling of The Pied Piper of Harlem, I think it would be great to read both stories and describe the differences and similarities of the two.  Students could also talk about their favorite musical instruments and maybe do an arts and craft activity along with it.

Picture Book #25 Thank You, Mr. Falker

Author:  Patricia Polacco

Title:  Thank You, Mr. Faulk,

Illustrator:  Patricia Polacco

Readability: 4.8

Genre: Picture Book

Sub genre : Realistic Fiction

Characters: Trisha, Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Eric, Mr. Faulk, Miss Plessey

Theme: Do not be afraid of asking questions

Award(s) and date of publication:1998

Publisher: Philomel Books

ISBN: 0-399-23166-8

Summary:

Trisha's family loved to read and they would all make a promise that they would read to their grandfather. When Trisha finally enters Kindergarten she was looking forward to reading but could not do it as well as the rest of her classmates. Her classmates began to read harder books but Trisha stayed on the first grade read book but she just draw even though she felt dumb. Trisha grandmother gave her some encouragement and not soon after went to be with the stars,her and her grandfather.

School became even harder for Trisha, it was hard for her to read and to do math. One day her mom told her that she got a teaching job in California. She thought at the new school people would not know that she was dumb although the teacher still helped her read. One day a boy called Hey dummy to her. Own the playground she cried. But when she went to the fifth grade she got a new teacher Mr. Faulk and a bigger issue Eric. Eric was mean to Trisha for no reason.

Mr. Faulk one day kept Trisha after school and found out that she had a problem but not a horrible problem but one that made her special. Mr. Faulk and Miss Plessy helped Trisha how to read everyday after class. She went home that day and read the book that her grandfather put the honey on and was proud of herself.

Use in the classroom:

This book can be used to break the ice with students when they are learning a new subject. Showing students that everyone does not learn at the same pace but it is not right to pick on people that do not learn as fast as them. Students could imagine that they are Trisha themselves and write Thank You laters to Mr. Faulk.

Picture Book #24 When It's Six O' Clock in San Fransico

Author: Cynthia Jaynes Omololu
Title:  When It's Six o' Clock in San Fransico

Illustrator:  Randy DuBurke

Readability:5.3

Genre: Picture Book


Subgenre: Informational; Diversity

Theme:  We (as children) can really be doing the same things a differnet times.

Primary and Secondary Characters: Jared,Genevieve, MAria, Elena, Oliver, Nkosi,Rashida,Min- You, Alkira,Keilana

Award(s) date of publication: 2009

Publishing Company: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN number: 978-0-618-76827-1

Summary:

When It's Six Clock somewhere is a story that goes into detail what children are doing around the world when it is six clock in San Fransico. The story tells what children are doing Montreal, Santiago, London, Cape Town, Lahore, Bejing, Sydney, Honolulu, and New York. Allowing students to understand that when we are getting ready for bed people there same age is just waking up. The story also shows how differnet countries does things just a little bit different then us.

Use in the classroom:

I would post a world map and have students help me drive the time lines across the map. Then I would have students pick to places and have students write about what they would be doing at both places at a specific time.

Picture Book #23 Me & Neese

Author: Eloise Greenfield

Title: Me & Neesie

Illustrator:Jan Spivey Gilchrist


Readability: 4.2

Genre: Picture Book


Subgenre: Realistic

Theme: You will always have a friend no matter if everyone else can see them or not

Primary and Secondary Characters: Neesie, Janell, Mom, Dad, Aunt Bea

Award(s) date of publication: 2005

Publishing Company: Harper Collins

ISBN number: 0-06-000702-8

Summary:

Me and Neesie is about janelle and her imaginary friend Neeise. The story opens with Janelle getting her hair cornrolled by her mother while Janelle is making silly face making Janelle laugh and where her mother could not. After her mom gets done with her hair her mom ask her does she want to help fix lunch for her Dad and Aunt Bea who were on there way, Janelle declines saying she wants to with Neesie. Her mother says that find but she was not allowed to talk about Neesie once Aunt Bea came because it would frighten her.
Sadly Neeise did what she wanted and almost was sat on by Aunt Bea, Janelle screamed to distract Aunt Bea from sitting down. She thought Neeise was a ghost and swung her walking stick trying to hit Neesie she barely missed her.  The next day Janelle went to class and Neeise waved as she walked away.  When Janelle went to school she had and when she returned back home  Neesie was gone. She told her momma, she was kind of glad, her mother said sorry and said she would read her a book. Neesie laid her head on her lap and listen.

Use in the classroom:

Students could write about where Neeise went, why she left, and how did she became Janelle friend in the first place. Students can write about there first day of school for the first time ever and describe the day and great detail.

Picture Book #22 A Gift

Author:Yong Chen

Title: A Gift

Illustrator: Yong Chen


Readability: 3.2

Genre: Picture Book


Subgenre: Multiculturalism

Theme: Even when your not close to your family there are ways to feel them close

Primary and Secondary Characters: Amy, Mom, Uncle Zhong, Uncle Ming, Aunt Mei

Award(s) date of publication: 2009

Publishing Company: Boyds Mill Press

ISBN number: 978-1-59078-610-9

Summary:

A gift is a story about a girl named Amy and her mother who are Chinese and lives in America. Amy begins to explain to the reader that her mother is homesick from China because it is Chinese New Year and all her family will be celebrating without her. Amy has never met her mother's brothers and sisters  but knows a lot about them from letters and her and her mother's stories.
 One day package came with a letter and a small box. The letter read  that Uncle Zhong was working the field when he found a stone, like the ones you find by the river side. That night he brought the stone to town to Uncle Ming who saw a dragon inside the stone. Ming worked through many days carving and polishing the stone until the dragon was free. Uncle Ming showed Aunt Mei the dragon and she turned it into a  necklace for Amy. It was Amy's New Year present from China.

Use in the Classroom:

Students could research about New Year customs from around the world and how they differ from the ones in the United States.  Also, the students could also research what animals symbolizes what in China. Students could write about how they communicate with family that does not live close enough to visit.

Picture Book #21 The Apple Pie that Papa Baked

Author: Lauren Thompson

Title: The Apple Pie that Papa Baked

Illustrator: Johnathan Bean



Readability: 5.2

Genre: Picture Book


Subgenre: Informational; Realistic

Theme: Everything in the world works together to create something

Primary and Secondary Characters:

Award(s) date of publication: 2007

Publishing Company: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Reader

ISBN number: 978-1-4169

Summary:

The Apple Pie that Papa Baked is a story about an apple that a little girl and her Papa, the little girl was not given a name but the illustrator brought her alive throughout the pictures in the book.  The book is all about in apple pie. The author describes the pie from the apples, to the clouds, the sun, the ground, the rain and the water, and the world as an whole. Many of the pictures throughout the book speaks unwritten words to the reader. There is a picture of the girl looking out the window and you can see her Papa walking up the hill to the apple tree, yet the author does not write it on the paper. This book has excellent detail from the beginning to the end.

Use in the classroom:

This book would be great to show students how everything outside the classroom in the environment has a cycle to keep our body nourished. Students could write about what family recipes are handed down in their family around Thanksgiving time. Also, Lauren Thompson does a wonderful job describing these apples and trees and other items that help make the apple pie throughout the book. Allowing this book to be a great book to show detail in students writing.

Picture Book #20 Those Shoes

Author: Maribeth Boelts

Title: Those Shoes
  
Illustrator: Noah Z. Jones

Readability: 3.2

Genre: Picture Book

SubGenre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: There is a difference between a need and a want; Giving to others that is less fortunate then you is always a good deed.

Primary and Secondary Characters: Grandma, Jeremy, Mr. Alfrey, Antonio

Award(s) date of publication: 2007

Publishing Company: Candlewick Press

ISBN number: 978-0-7636-2499-6

Summary:

Those Shoes is story about a boy named Jeremy and like all boys he wanted the cool pair of shoes he saw in the shoe store window. They were black high tops with two white strips, the more he wanted the more people he saw at school with them on. He told his Grandma that he wanted these shoes but he response was that there was no room for a want only a need. The next day at school Jeremy shoes came apart after a game of kickball. He had to go Mr. Alfrey, the schools guidance counselor, to get another pair of shoes. He had to get a pair of shoes that had Velcro on them like a little kid. Everyone in his class laughed at him. The next day his Grandma said she might have a little extra money and took him to the shoe store. After Grandma sees the price of the shoes, she is sad to see that the shoes are out of her budget. Once they leave shoe store Jeremy asks his grandma can he go to the thrift store to see if he could find the shoes. Luckily for him the shoes where there just not in his size. He buys the shoes anyway hoping that one day they would stretch but there was no luck the shoes did not budge at all.  One night Grandma comes in and places a new snow boots in his closet for the winter. In school Jeremy sees one of his classmates,Antonio, at the bored writing and notices that the sole of his shoes are coming off his shoes. Antonio comes over to Jeremy's house after playing at the park, he spies the shoes and falls in love with them too. The next morning as the snow begins to fall Jeremy runs to Antonio's house and leaves the shoes on his doorsteps. The next day at school at school Antonio thanks Jeremy for the shoes and the play in the snow in their snow boots.

Use in the classroom:

This is an excellent book on character building skills for younger grade levels. It will teach students how it feels to get picked on or talked about by other students. Students could write about a time where they felt out of place in class because of the clothes he or she wore. Since this book talks about money this book could be used in math class, how to add and subtract money, and if a person has enough money to buy what he or she wants.

Chapter Book #12

Chapter Book #11

Chapter Book #10

Chapter Book #9

Picture Book #19 Silent Movie

Author: Avi

Title: Silent Movie

Illustrator: C. B. Mordan

Readability: 2.4

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Historical Fiction

Theme: Have faith and destiny will always follow through

Character: Papa, Mama, Gustave, A Thief, A friend from the Old Country, Bartholomew Bunting

Award(s) date of publication: 2003

Publisher: An Anne Schwartz Book

ISBN: 0-689-84145-0

Summary:

Silent Movie is a story about a family fleeing Sweden to go to the “Promise Land”  of America. The first person to go over to the The Promise Land was papa in 1909. Later Mama and Gustave came to join Papa, once they had made the journey and arrived they looked for Papa around the dock but could not find them and Papa the same. Mama and Gustave ponder on was coming to America really a good idea. After three days they were out of money and had to depend on begging to have money and to eat. During this time there were thieves who took from the poor to make himself rich. An old friend found Mama and Gustave and took them to shelter. Mama began working getting paid a dollar a week. Around the same time movies were being made and it only took five days.  A man by the name of Bartholomew Bunting was a famous movie director and was looking for a child actor for his action movie. One day when Bunting sees Gustave he says that he was the perfect kid for the movie. He offered Gustave a dollar a day to be in his movie. The movie was a hit and was offered to be in the next movie for a hundred dollars a week. Papa sees Gustave in the movie and runs down to the studio were the movie were recorded and was reunited with his son and his wife. They became the new American Family.

How to use in the classroom:

Silent Movie can be a very fun book to use across the curriculum in the classroom. Students could use this book in English and Reading by creating their own stories with only pictures then on the back of the pictures right the words to the story. With older grades teachers can have students use technology to record and tell a story.

Picture Book #18 The Librarian Who Measured The Earth

Picture Book #17 Dave the Potter

Author: Laban Carrick Hill

Title: Dave the Potter

Illustrator: Bryan Collier

Readability: 9.4

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Historical Fiction

Theme: Work with your hands will leave a legacy forever

Character: Dave

Award(s) date of publication: Caldecott Illustrator Awards, Caldecott Honor Book, Orbis Pictus Recommended 2010

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

ISBN: 978-0-316-10731-0

Summary:

Dave the Potter is a set of poems about a man who was an artist, poet, and also a slave. Different pieces of pots and dirt meant something different to Dave. The book is a story told by poems explaining how Dave would work with his hands day to day and how he would put in the poems into the pots. At the end of the story the author would tell stories about Dave and gives Reponses on how people appreciated Dave’s work

How to use in the classroom:

Using the story to inspire the children I would have them bring a piece of pottery to class but create their own poems and do a DIY project and have the poem on the piece of pottery. I would have students write how a hobby they have inspires them to keep pushing on

Picture Book #16 Night Boat to Freedom

Author: Margot Theis Raven

Title: Night Boat to Freedom

Illustrator: E. B. Lewis

Readability: 920L

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Historical Fiction

Theme: Working through fear and following your hear

Character: N/A

Award(s) date of publication: 2006

Publisher: Farrar Straus and Giroux

ISBN: 0-374-31266-4

Summary:

Night Boat to Freedom is set in Kentucky on a Plantation. Granny Judith had raised Christmas John since birth. One day Granny Judith  ask Christmas John to take Molly in the boat and meet the man at the Ohio Station . When Granny Judith was taken from her home in Africa she was leered  from her home in Africa by a beautiful red piece of cloth. Therefore she was wearing when they arrived to freedom upon Christmas John return home he would tell Granny Judith what color the passagener was wearing. Granny Judith would take each color and make a quilt out of each color of cloth, wishing one day it would cross the waters. After taking many to freedom one day Granny Judith decided it was time for Christmas John to go to freedom for himself. Christmas John wanted to take Granny but she did not want to go but Christmas John would not leave her. He turned back around and took Granny Judith with him. The blood hounds were on their track the whole way but they made it together. Christmas John looked back with admiration in his heart for the boat that brought so many to freedom.

How to use in the classroom:

For the young students I would have them design the outfit they would wear to freedom. I would have older students write a story from Christmas John perspective but also from the slave’s perspective describing how they felt but also what they saw. Also for younger students I would have them take the colors they decided they would wear and make a class quilt of freedom.

Picture Book #15 A Drop of Water (Orbis Pictus Award Winner)

Author: Walter Wick

Title: A Drop of Water: A book of Science and Wonder

Illustrator: Walter Wick

Readability: 5.4

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Informational

Theme: Water can do many things

Character: N/A

Award(s) date of publication: Robert F. Sibert; 1997

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Summary:

This book deals with the different characteristics of water and what water can do. The book deals with water vapor, water elastic surface, how steel floats and why the water waves, why when in water the paintbrush  is in the water it spreads out  then  comes back together. This book explains the different definitions that comes along with water such as adhesion, capillary attraction, to name a few. Soap bubbles, bubble shapes, and molecules in motion to name a few. Throughout the book there are mind blowing pictures of water and what it can do.

How to use in the classroom:

This book would be a great to use along with the text book.  The students can break down different of the book to develop their own understanding about water. Also, Walter Wick has different Science experiments for students to do in the back of the book that would be great do with students. For an English students could do a writing activity imagining they were a water drop and the things they see during the day.

Picture Book #14 Balloons Over Broadway (Caldecott Honor Winner)

Author: Melissa Sweet

Title: Balloons Over Broadway

Illustrator: Melissa Sweet

Readability: 5.4

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Biography/ Informational

Theme: Hardwork will always pay off

Character: Anthony “Tony” Frederick Sarg, R.H. Macy

Award(s) date of publication: Caldecott Honor Winner, 2011

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Summary:

Balloons over Broadway is the true story of the marionette maker from London who moved to New York City for the Tony Sarg Marionettes to begin performing on Browadway.  When R. H. Macy’s heard about the marionettes they decide to ask him to make puppets based on the holiday storybook stories and make them move for the windows for the holiday season. Then Macy’s decide they wanted to have a huge parade for all the immigrants to celebrate the American holiday like they do in the native countries. Since the Thanksgiving parade was such a success with made costumes and built horse drawn floats, and Macy’s even arranged to bring in bears, elephants, and camels from Central Park Zoo. Tony tried to replace the animals with puppets with something that was strong enough to hold up in bad weather yet enough to move up and down the streets. He used rubber material from a blimp company out of Ohio. He used the idea from Indonesia rod puppets and put the rods on the puppets and made them come to life. The next year he decided that he wanted the puppets to be controlled for the bottom instead of the top.  He filled the balloons with air and helium. He tied them down with sandbags the night before the next day the balloons filled the air. The balloons moved down the street ending in front of Macy’s at Tony’s  Wondertown windows. It was said that it was a parade New Yorkers would never forget. From that day on the sidewalks of New York are filled for the Macy’s famous parade every Thanksgiving morning.

How to use in the classroom:

I think it would be great for students to do a webquest over the Macy’s day parade.  Finding which balloons are the favorite for the world, which parade was the largest, and other facts about the parade. Then I would have the students make their own puppets or even do different science experiments dealing with different types of air.

Chapter book #8 It's a Fiesta, Benjamin

Author: Patricia Reilly Giff

Title: It's a Fiesta, Benjamin

Illustrator: DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan

Readability: 2.3


Genre: Chapter Book


SubGenre: Diversity and Realistic


Theme:

Character: Benjamin, Adam, Sarah, Anna, Eric, Thomas, Senora Sanchez, Mrs. Halfpenny, Ms. Munoz

Award(s) and date of publication: 1998

Publisher: Gareth Stevens Publishing


ISBN: 0-8368-2054-1

Summary:

Use in the classroom:

  

 

Chapter Book #7 The Several Lives of Orphan Jack

 

Author: Sarah Ellis

Title: The Several Lives of Orphan Jack

Illustrator: Bruno St-Aubin

Readability: 5.1

Genre: Chapter Book

Subgenre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Follow your heart and you can achieve anything you believe in

Character: Jack (OtherJack), Lady Duff, School Master Bane, Dr. Keen, Mr. Ledger, Cook, a herdsman, Abe, Lou, The Mayor of Aberbog

Award(s) date of publication: Mr. Christie's Book Award and the IODE Violet Downey Book Award;2002

Publisher: Groundwood book Douglas & McIntyre

ISBN: 0-88899-529-6

Summary:

The story starts off in a classroom with OtherJack (his name because when he arrived to the school there was already a child named Jack there) watching his classmates getting grilled for not knowing the answer to School Master Bane questions about snow. In the middle of Mr. Bane question there was a knock on the door requesting OtherJack presence in Dr. Keen office, the head master of Opportunities School for Orphans and foundlings. Since OtherJack was twelve he was able to make the decision to either stay in school or go out and learn a trade. Jack was offered an apprenticeship working for Mr. Ledger working as one of his bookkeepers. When Jack began to work for Mr. Ledger the numbers drove him crazy. When he was almost done Jack began to eavesdrop on a near by co-workers conversation and was startled by Mr. Ledger and spilled ink over his book of numbers. After that Mr. Ledger told him that he was worthless, to never come back, and Jack owed him eleven weeks worth of wages.

Upon Jack’s return to school he laid in the bed and got the bright idea that he should run away to the sea to see what the Cook always talked about. Jack did knowing what could happen if were to get caught. He took a shirt and used it a bundle and decided to run away at dawn. As he ran away he could her the hooves of horses and jumped into bushes to hide but once he came out the horse returned and Jack had to hide in a flock of sheep. The herdsmen name was Gabriel and he called Jack Bleatincheat another name for a goat. Once he knew that Jack was good he told him not to go north because that’s the way they people looking for him was going.

The next morning a man traveling by the name of Abe saw Jack and asked did he want a ride to the fair. Not knowing what a fair was Jack decided that he would take the ride anyway. Once he arrived in town he thanked Abe for the ride and began to look around, he saw a loud girl, name Lou, yelling about buns. Lou introduces herself to Jack and asked him what did he do and of course he did nothing and had no money for a bun. As he was sitting down a young girl asked Jack what was he selling, he answer the girl and said a whim for an apple. Next Jack sold a thought to a woman for a penny and was able to buy a bun. He now had the title of Patch Minder. Later that day Lou found him a job with a Ferrier holding his horse while he was putting on their new shoes.

The next morning Jack was selling his thoughts and the Mayor of Aberbog appear and said that his thoughts should not be sold and that his thoughts would just make problem arise in Aberbog. That night the mayor held a meeting and decided that Jack should be thrown in jail for selling his thoughts. At that moment Jack became a fugitive, Gideon, a Miller, took Jake to his home were they threw Jack a party. Gideon allowed Jack to stay at his house that night. He fed Jake, gave him clothes to sleep in even offered Jack an apprenticeship with him. The next morning Jake decided that he would not accept the offer instead he decided to take his thoughts and continue to travel seaside.

Use in the classroom:

This book would be a great book to use in a literature circle for students in the fourth or fifth grade. The main character in this book is a twelve-year-old boy in which the students would be able to relate to. The themes of hardwork and perseverance would be great for the students to be able to pull out of this book and relate it back to there everyday lives. There are many words in this book that students may have to look up and enlarge their vocabulary with. Teachers could incorporate this book into math lesson with heading lectures with bookkeeping and balance checkbooks as well.

Chapter Book #6 The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide

Author:  Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

Title: The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide

Illustrator: Tony DiTerlizzi and Dan Potash

Readability: 3.1

Genre: Chapter Book           

Subgenre: Fantasy

Theme: Curiosity could kill the cat, Magic, Moving to a new place is not always bad

Character: Jared Grace, Simon Grace, Mallory Grace,

Award(s) date of publication: 2003

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 978-0-689-85936-6

Summary:

 The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide is the first part of a three series tale. Jared, Simon, and Mallory Grace moved into their Mom’s old house due to their dad leaving and Jared getting into trouble at school. The house was very old and looked like multiple shacks stacked upon each other. Jared was the most ungrateful out of the three children understanding why they had to move into the house but not wanting to. As the children begin to unpack the car and bring their belongings into the house Jared stopped at the doorway and called for his mom but received no answer just heard rattles in the walls. His sister Mallory and his brother Simon said it was probably just a squirrel.

Once they began to unpack their mom stayed in a room, Mallory had her own room, and the boys shared a room. Simon had many pets and Jared could not sleep well due to all the scratching and noises from the tanks around the room.  Suddenly their sister was telling them to wake up to see what the sounds were. Once they found the place where they were hearing the sounds they listened closely and then saw a weird object. The removed the objects and Jared crawled in the dumbwaiter and rode it up to a room that they had never seen before. Jared found a poem with a mysterious saying and as soon as he finish reading it their mother returned from the store. Then he heard ticking and another letter appeared. After Jared had told everyone about the note Simon believed him although Mallory did not. When Mallory woke up the next morning her hair was knotted to her brass headboard and there were bruises on her arms. Later Jared went exploring looking for another way to get to the room he followed the riddle he found on the latter. He discovered a chest with a hidden compartment, in this compartment was brown leather book that said Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You.  It was full of watercolor sketches; this book was full of information about faeries. 

Jared began reading the book; it talked a lot about catching boggart. Jared began to try to catch this boggart, while preparing the kitchen to catch the boggart his mother called out to him and told him to go to bed. When Jared was awaken the next morning his mother told him to get a broom and begins to clean the kitchen. The boggart had attack the kitchen and there was stuff everywhere!  In the freezer Simon found both of his tadpoles, Jared was immediately yelled at by their mother, after cleaning the mess their mother said to Jared if had another outburst she was taking him to see someone.

 Jared and his siblings hung up a small house for the boggart to live in and stop messing with them. Once the house was hung the house Simon said they should leave a note, then Jared saw a watercolor painting of a man and little girl. Mallory wrote a note telling the boggart that they were sorry for messing up its first house and hope he like the new one, and hoped he would not pinch them anymore. The story ends with the kids going up stairs and finding a little person that resembles a mouse who tells them to throw the book away.

Use in the classroom:

This is a great book to introduce a class into fantasy literature. This story shows the characters going and trying to solve a problem and see the story unfold with each page turn. Students could evaluate each character; decide which character they would want to be. Students could also make up stories on how they would catch the boggart or describe the house in their own words.

Chapter Book #5 The Magic Box

Author: Barbara Brenner

Title: The Magic Box

Illustrator: Manuel Boix

Readability: 2.9

Genre: Chapter Book

Subgenre: Realistic

Theme: Do not forget about your daily life because you find something new.

Character: Towns People, Marvin, Mayor

Award(s) date of publication: 1998

Publisher: A Bryon Preiss Book

ISBN: 0-8368-1764-8

Summary:

There was a small tourist town in a valley that was very busy and had travelers and peddlers passed through all the time. One day there was a rock slick and rocks rolled onto the roads and train tracks. Since the rocks cover the trained tracks the people of the town could not come and go and they knew nothing what was going on outside of their town. As the years passed grass grew over the roads and train tracks and they did not see travelers and peddlers anymore. Sadly they did not know about jet planes, television, computers or the new kind of toothpaste. They were still happy, they read books, made quilts, and still tended to their beans. They smiled and did not mind people did not visit anymore. One day a cargo plane was lost in a snow storm drop of its cargo, in the middle of town, to save gas.

Once the town’s people saw the box, everyone gathered around it in town square. They whispered trying to figure out what was in the box, thinking what was inside could hear their whispers. A young boy named Marvin was the one that finally said open it. The mayor was the one who finally opened the box and the crowd was quiet. They guessed what it was, the thing that looked like a mirror, a table, and even said it was another box or a safe. Once Marvin found the electric plug they plugged it in the mayor’s office and began to watch the box, known as a television. When they turned the knobs and the T.V. came on they thought it was magic, a magical gift.

Slowly the town’s people began to change; they would watch the T.V every morning. They watch cartoons, game shows, singing, crying, eating, and chewing, they did not know what it was but they watched all the time. The only person that did not watch the box was Marvin. They watched so much they had picnics, slept on cots, and made the room home. Since everyone stayed and never left and did not think to clean up the floor became nastier and sticker. Sadly the normal life of the town’s people was not normal anymore. They forgot about the crops, playing ball, and even reading. One day the Mayor was sick of what she saw in her town and told the people she wishes the box never came. Marvin tells people that the box is just a machine. He tells the Mayor the box is not really magic just a little magic. He then turns the television off and the town began to turn back to normal. When the town people decided they wanted to come inside they would turn on the magic box.

Use in the classroom:

 This book would be great to introduce children to the realization that there was not always television. They could write about what they did if they could not watch television. I would even challenged them to not use it for a full a week and write what they would do instead.

Picture #13 Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter



Author: Diane Stanley

Title: Rumpelstiltskin’s Daughter

Illustrator: Diane Stanley

Readability: 5.5

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Fantasy

Theme: Do not be greedy ( money and treasure wise) and always share and care about others.

Character: Hope, Rumpelstiltskin, Meredith, The King, The townspeople, guards, and the grannies.

Award(s) date of publication: 1997

Publisher: Morrow Junior Books

ISBN: 0-688-14327-X

Summary:

This is a funny fantasy story from the old traditional story Rumpelstiltskin’s. It follows the same plot about the Miller who told the king he had a daughter that could spin straw into gold and Rumpelstiltskin would come and spin the gold for her but in this story instead of marrying the King she married him. Rumpelstiltskin takes the straw and builds a gold ladder and escapes from the castle to the country side were they got married and lived. They had a daughter together who would take pieces of gold coins and go into town to buy things for her parents. One day when the king heard about these coins and had his guards wait for the girl to buy something else so he could kidnap her and bring her to his castle. The king demanded her to tell him how she did it and she said her grandfather planted the gold and it grew. Once fall approached and things beginning to grow, the king went around the kingdom looking for his gold but there was not any just food. The next day Rumpelstilskin’s daughter took the king to town and gave all the grannies yellow yarn and gold needles to produce gold. Once again the king did not receive gold in return just saw everyone in yellow clothes. Rumpelstiltskin’s Daughter told the King there was no gold but his people will have warm clothes all winter. The grannies brought the king presents and gifts and new clothes as well. He was excited she told him to remove his guards and the crocodiles too because the people loved him. He did just that and married her too. The King built them a large house; the people never went cold or hungry, and the story end by telling Rumpelstiltskin’s daughters name Hope.

Use in the classroom:

I would personally use this book in the classroom to help children understand how to treat others. I would have them make a list of what they would do to make the people love them if they were the King of this village. I would also ask had they ever met someone that was greedy like the king and ask what would they have done if they were Hope.

Picture Book #12 The Pea Blossom



Author: Amy Lowry Poole

Title: The Pea Blossom

Illustrator: Amy Lowry Poole

Readability: 2.2

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Fantasy

Characters: Five peas, A boy, A girl and her mother.

Theme: Everything happens for a reason and everyone has their own destiny.

Award(s) date of publication: 2005

Publisher: Holiday House, Inc.

ISBN: 0-8234-1864-2

Summary:

The Pea Blossom is an Eastern folktale retold by Amy Lowry Poole. This story is set in Beijing, China and was written and illustrated on rice paper. There were five peas inside a shell that thought the world was green because that was all they knew. As the seasons changed the peas began to grow and would talk about what each one would do, all except the fifth pea. One day as the pea shell began to turn yellow it was ripped open by a boy. He took the first pea and put it in his pea shooter and shot it in the air, he was finally going to the sun until it dropped in the gutter and was eaten by a pigeon. The second pea was tossed in a well and swallowed by a frog. The third and fourth peas were put in rice for the emperor. The fifth pea flew into the sky and landed on a window sill. Little did the fifth pea know that he landed on a window sill of a poor woman with a very sick little girl.  As winter came the pea went to sleep under moss and leaves. The mother feared that the daughter would die soon and moved her bed away from the window. Once spring arrived the little girl, who was still weak, spouted the green tendrils from the pea plant. The little girl decided that the pea would start her own garden. As the pea began to grow so did the little girls strength and faith. A month later the girl was able to sit up as the plant began to blossom with blue flowers. As the plant blossom small pea shells formed and the girl became healthy again. The fifth and smallest pea was happy and content and knew that what was meant to happen.

Use in the classroom:

I loved the moral of this story! Everyone has their own planned for the life and do not be anxious for anything. Teachers could have students write on those topics. They could write a continuation story on the other peas. Teachers could even use this story during the time plant life is being taught in Science and student could grow their own peas and write a story where the peas will go after they are grown.

Picture Book #11 The Upside Down Boy

 

Author: Juan Felipe Herrera

Title: The Upside Down Boy

Illustrator: Elizabeth Gomez

Readability: 2.9

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: With time in patience you will find your place

Primary and Secondary Characters: Mama, Papi, Ms. Sampson, Amanda, Ms. Andasola, Juan(ito)
Award(s) and date of publication: 2000

Publishing Company: Children's Books Press

ISBN number: 0-89239-162-6

Summary and how the book will be used with students:
 This book is about a boy named Juan who moved from the mountains to Mrs. Andasola's house to go to school in the city. Juan could not believe that he was beginning to start a new life in a new place as the seasons began to change. When he arrived to school there was no one in the hallways and no one on the playground. When he arrived to his classroom and sat down at his desk he stuck his nose in his brown paper bag and the students laughed. Juan felt so out of place. When the school bell rung for the first time Juan ate his lunch instead of going to recess. He had to ask his new friend Amanda what was recess. When he was supposed to go to lunch he went to the baseball field to play. He felt so upside down doing everything opposite of then the rest of his classmates. He finally found what he was good at when it came to music class. Once Juan was introduce to music the transition to school became easier. He found his niche, he even conducted the choir for the class performance at open house.

This would be a great book for teachers to use when talking about different cultures or for ELL students because the book is written in Spanish and English. Teachers could connect this to writing by having students write about a time when they felt out of place or when they had to have help or help someone transition to a new place. Teachers could even teach students how to count in Spanish as well.

Picture Book #10 The Field Beyond The Outfield

Author: Mark Teague

Title: The Field Beyond The Outfield

Illustrator: Mark Teague

Readability Score: 2.8

Genre: Picture Book

SubGenre: Fantasy and Realistic

Theme: Everyone will have their time to shine, in their own light and way.
Award(s) and date of Publication: 1992

Publishing Company: Scholastic

ISBN: 0-4439-81215

Summary and how it can be used in the classroom

This is story about a boy named Ludlow Grebe who had complained about monsters that lived in his closet and the sharks that swam around outside when it rained to his parents. Therefore his parents thought it would be a great idea to make him play a sport to get Ludlow mind of the scary things happening around him. His parents signed him up to play baseball. Ludlow loved playing baseball and he put all his time and energy in to studying the game. When Ludlow was finally asked to play in the outfield he was ready. Ludlow said a good ballplayer was already to play in the game. The coach and players told him to play far back in the outfield until Ludlow was almost in the weeds. He was so far back that he was in another baseball field one that was filled with monsters. Since Ludlow was a good baseball player he watched as they played until he was flown to the batters mound. When he stepped up he swung and made a home run. Everyone cheered and then returned to his own game, after the game his parents said he would get more playing time next time. Only if they really knew he did get some playing time, after that day he did not complain about the monsters he was just ready for the next day to begin, because a good ball player is always ready.

Teachers could use this book to introduce their students into fantasy literature. Even have children talk about times they had daydream about being in a different place other then the place they were when they were day dreaming.

Picture Book #9 The Man Who Tricked a Ghost

Author: Laurence Yep

Title: The Man Who Tricked a Ghost

Illustrator: Isadore Seltzer

Readability: 4.9

Genre: Picture Book

SubGenre: Fantasy, Diversity

Theme: Do not trust everything you hear and see

Primary & Secondary Characters: Sung, his friend, and a ghost

Award(s) and date of Publication: 1993

Publishing company: Bridgewater Books

ISBN: 0-8167-3030- X

Summary and How I would use it in the classroom.

A brave young man named Sung was not afraid of anything because he said they were all created from the same thing therefore they are cousins. One day he went and visited his good friend until night fall. His friend tried to convience him to stay because people who walk through the forest a night usually disappear. Of course Sung being so brave decided that he was still going to walk through the night as he walked through the night he actually ran into the warrior who was actually the ghost. Sung then tricked the ghost to thinking he was a ghost, he then aquired all the ghost secrets, and even found out what he was afraid of. After finding out this information he used against the ghost and once they made it into the town he had the ghost captured.

This would be a great book for teachers to use to talk about conflict and resoultion. Teachers could have students write about if they were Sung how would they have tricked the ghost differently, who they have spat on him earlier, or would they have told early he was actually sung.