The Tiger Rising

          CHAPTER BOOK # 8

          AUTHOR:  Kate di Camillo

          ILLUSTRATOR: Book cover by Chris Sheban

          GENRE: Chapter Book

          SUB GENRE: Realistic Fiction

          THEME: Grief, anger and isolation

          PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CHARACTERS:

          Rob, Sistine, his Dad and Willie Mae the maid.

DATE OF PUBLICATION AND PUBLISHER:  

 2001 by Candlewick Press

SUMMARY:  Rob Horton moved to a new city and school after the death of his mother to cancer.  He’s having trouble fitting in and is the target of 2 bully brothers.  Rob lives in a hotel in Florida with his Dad and life is not that great.  After the death of his mother, Rob started to put his feelings away in an imaginary suitcase, so he wouldn’t get hurt again.  Rob befriends a new girl to town called Sistine as in the Sistine Chapel in Rome.  Sistine comes from a home where her parents have separated and she is still very angry.  Rob discovers a tiger in the woods behind the hotel and he and Sistine conspire to set it free.  To find out what happens next…read the book!

HOW WOULD YOU USE THIS BOOK AS A TEACHER:  This book was very touching and there are students that could relate to this story.  This book could be used to discuss the many metaphors contained in it.  There is also a lot of symbolism.

Franny K. Stein. The Invisible Fran

             
        CHAPTER BOOK #3

          AUTHOR: Jim Benton

          ILLUSTRATOR: Jim Benton

          GENRE: Chapter Book

          SUB GENRE: Science fiction

          THEME:  Science and humor

          PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CHARACTERS: 
          Franny K. Stein, Ms. Shelley and classmates.

DATE OF PUBLICATION AND PUBLISHER: 
          2004 by Scholastic Inc.

SUMMARY:  This is the third book in the series and Franny’s antics do not disappoint!  The book starts off with Ms. Shelley the teacher asking the students to display their talents.  Franny sets out to convince her classmates that being a mad scientist is the best idea!  The two headed robot she creates does not impress her classmates.  But when she creates an invisibility potion, her classmates are bitten with the mad scientist bug!!  Her robot goes crazy and what happens next?? You’ll have to read the book to find out…
 

HOW WOULD YOU USE THIS BOOK AS A TEACHER:  What impressed me about this book is that the main character who love, love, loves science is a girl.  She’s not grossed out by eyeballs and guts and brains.  She finds them all fascinating.  So this series could be used to inspire young girls.  It is suitable for ages 9 – 12.

Buckley and Wilberta

      

         Chapter Book # 6

         AUTHOR:  Hope Slaughter

         ILLUSTRATOR:  Susan Torrence

         GENRE: Chapter Book

         SUB GENRE:  Juvenile Fiction

         THEME:  Friendship

         PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CHARACTERS:

         Buckley the Hedgehog and Wilberta the Rabbit

DATE OF PUBLICATION AND PUBLISHER: 

1996 by Red Hen Press

SUMMARY: I don’t normally use the word cute but this book really is cute!  It made me smile and it was touching.  The friendship between Buckley the Hedgehog and Wilberta the Rabbit is precious.  The book is made up of four chapters which tell four stories of a true friendship and all that it entails. 

HOW WOULD YOU USE THIS BOOK AS A TEACHER: This book is a perfect early reader for the ages of 4 – 7.

Jazmin's Notebook

         Chapter Book #  5

         AUTHOR:  Nikki Grimes

         ILLUSTRATOR:  Eric Velasquez (jacket)

 

         GENRE:  Realistic Juvenile Fiction

         SUB GENRE:  Poetry

         THEME:   Urban Life, Family

         PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CHARACTERS:

         Jazmin and  her sister Cece

AWARDS: 

A Coretta Scott King Honor Book
A Book list Editors' Choice Book
Bank Street College Book of the Year 

DATE OF PUBLICATION AND PUBLISHER:   

1998 by Dial Books

SUMMARY:  Jazmin’s Notebook was most enjoyable.  It can be read by both adults and children.  It is about a 14 year old girl Jazmin who faces much adversity in her young years and chronicles theses experiences in a diary.  Each entry starts with a poem, and they are all touching.  Jazmin lives in Harlem and has faced the death of her father and her mother’s alcoholism.  She and her sister Cece are wise beyond their years.  This book is a “must read” and although it will pull at your heart strings, it will leave you feeling hopeful for them both.

HOW WOULD YOU USE THIS BOOK AS A TEACHER:  Some of the experiences that Jazmin faces will be easy to relate to as adolescents.  We could turn this into a lesson on identifying poetic terms like personification, simile, metaphor, assonance and alliteration.

Snowflake Bentley

          Picture Book # 16

          AUTHOR:  Jacqueline Briggs Martin

          ILLUSTRATOR:  Mary Azarian

          GENRE:  Picture Book

          SUB GENRE: Biography

          THEME:  

          Follow your dreams in spite of adversity.

          PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CHARACTERS:   

          Willie Bentley, Charlie and his mother.

AWARD(S): Caldecott Medal 1999

DATE OF PUBLICATION AND PUBLISHER: 

1998 by Houghton Mifflin.

SUMMARY:  Born in 1865 in Vermont, Wilson Bentley loved snow.  As a young boy he loved to keep a record of the weather and he went onto experiment with raindrops.  One day he decided to study snow crystal under a microscope.  It is here that he discovered that each snowflake has its own shape and design.  His neighbors and friends had fun of him but he persevered.  He introduced the world to the perfection of snow crystals.

HOW WOULD YOU USE THIS BOOK AS A TEACHER:  We could use this book to teach about geometric and symmetrical shapes.  We could also discuss the spirit of kindness and of determination.

Bebe goes Shopping

         Picture Book # 15

         AUTHOR:  Susan Middleton Elya

         ILLUSTRATOR:  Steven Salerno

         GENRE:  Juvenile Fiction

         SUB GENRE:  Picture Book

         THEME:  Rhyming and learning basic Spanish words.

         PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CHARACTERS:    

         Bebe and Mama

DATE OF PUBLICATION AND PUBLISHER: 

2006 by Harcourt Inc.

SUMMARY:  This is a very colorful book about a visit by a girl and her mama to the supermercado.  It is a rhyming book sprinkled with some Spanish.

HOW WOULD YOU USE THIS BOOK AS A TEACHER:  I would teach my students the Spanish words and their meanings.

Shhh!

         Picture Book # 14  

         AUTHOR:  Jeanne Willis

         ILLUSTRATOR:  Tony Ross

         GENRE: Juvenile Fiction

         SUB GENRE: Picture Book

         THEME: Social Issues

         PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CHARACTERS: 

         The shrew

DATE OF PUBLICATION AND PUBLISHER: 

 2007 by Hyperion Books for Children

SUMMARY:  This is a story about a little shrew who has great news to tell the world but the world is too noisy.  Do you want to find out what the great news was???  You will have to buy the book!

HOW WOULD YOU USE THIS BOOK AS A TEACHER:  This book would be great to start a discussion on world peace.

Bunny and the Beast

         Picture Book # 13
    
         AUTHOR:  Molly Coxe

         ILLUSTRATOR:  Pamela Silin-Palmer

         GENRE: Picture Story Book Fiction

         SUB GENRE:  Fairy Tales

         THEME: Love

          PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CHARACTERS: 

          Bunny and the Beast

DATE OF PUBLICATION AND PUBLISHER: 

 2001 by Random House

SUMMARY:  This book is a spin off of Beauty and the Beast.  The Illustrations are whimsical and beautiful.  As the jacket of the book states, it is “a truly sumptuous picture book.”  A rabbit merchant has three daughters, Thistle, Thorna and Bunny.  The father experiences a round of bad luck and through a twist of fate has to bow to the wishes of the Bull Terrier Beast!

HOW WOULD YOU USE THIS BOOK AS A TEACHER: 

This is a perfect read aloud book.  I would read it to my students for pleasure.

The Lion and the Mouse

        Picture Book # 12

         AUTHOR: Jerry Pinkney

         ILLUSTRATOR: Jerry Pinkney

         GENRE:  Picture Book

         SUB GENRE: Fable

         THEME: No act of kindness is ever wasted.

          PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CHARACTERS: 

         The Lion, the Mouse and the Poachers.

AWARD(S):  Caldecott Award 2010

DATE OF PUBLICATION AND PUBLISHER: 

 2009 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. 

SUMMARY:  This unique book is based on one of Aesop’s Fables.  There are very few words in the book and the words that there are all the sounds that the animals in the illustrations make.  The illustrations are magnificent and do an awesome job of telling the story of the lion and the mouse.  We discover that both animals are mighty in their own way.  I LOVE this book.  I was really surprised at how this book spoke volumes with so few words. 

HOW WOULD YOU USE THIS BOOK AS A TEACHER:  This book would be perfect to illustrate kind deeds and  teach morals to your students.

Lilly's Big Day

          Picture Book # 11

         AUTHOR:  Kevin Henkes

         ILLUSTRATOR:  Kevin Henkes

         GENRE:  Picture Book

         SUB GENRE:  Friendship Fiction

         THEME: Kindness, Friendship and Perseverance.

         PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CHARACTERS: 

         Lilly the Mouse, Ginger and Mr. Slinger.

          AWARDS :

School Library Journal Best Book

Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor Book

ALA Notable Children’s Book

ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice 

 

DATE OF PUBLICATION AND PUBLISHER: 2006 by Harpers Children.

SUMMARY:   What a cute story!  It’s all about a little girl who finds out that her teacher is about to be married.  Lilly longs to be a flower girl and is crushed when she finds out that her teacher’s niece Ginger is the chosen one.    You must read the book to find out the ending!  It’s touching! 

HOW WOULD YOU USE THIS BOOK AS A TEACHER:  I would read it to my students and then I would explain to them that there will be days where things don’t go your way and you should be gracious because you never know who is watching and what is in store for you.

The Hello, Goodbye Window

Picture Book # 10

AUTHOR: Norton Juster

ILLUSTRATOR: Chris Raschka

GENRE: Juvenile Fiction

THEME: Family and relationships.  

Love between a child and her grandparents.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CHARACTERS:

The young girl and her Nanna and Poppy.

AWARDS:

Caldecott Medal winner, 2006

ALA Notable Children's Book, 2006

NY Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year winner, 2005

DATE OF PUBLICATION: Michael Di Capua Books-Hyperion, 2005.

SUMMARY:  This is a very simple book written through the voice of a little girl.  She describes her daily visits to her Nanna and Poppy’s house when her parents go to work.  Their kitchen window is not just any ordinary window; it is a magical place where you never know whom or what you might see.    Even though the story describes what may be everyday events, they are turned into an imaginative and exciting time with family.

HOW WOULD YOU USE THIS BOOK AS A TEACHER:   This book would be great to teach students about the different types of fiction.  This is a perfect example of realistic fiction.  The little girl’s Grandparents are an example of extended family.   Emotional realism is evident in this book as the feelings portrayed by the characters are very believable and real.

The House in the Night

        

         

           Picture Book # 9

           AUTHOR:  Susan Marie Swanson

           ILLUSTRATOR:  Beth Krommes

           GENRE: Picture Book

           SUB GENRE: Fiction

 THEME: Bedtime, sleep and dreams.

 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CHARACTERS: 

 A boy, his mom and dad

AWARD(S): Caldecott Medal 2009.

DATE OF PUBLICATION AND PUBLISHER: 2008, Houghton Mifflin Company.

SUMMARY:   The beautiful scratch board illustrations in this book are what first drew me to it.  The colors used throughout the book are black, white and yellow.  It is a comforting bedtime story all about bedtime and everything it encompasses.   I think it is the perfect book for children who are afraid of the dark.  A concise explanation is given about how sunlight reflects off the moon at night and comes into the little boy’s room.  The book explains that even though the lamp is turned off, the home is filled with other sources of light. I enjoyed the simplicity of this book.

HOW YOU WOULD USE THIS BOOK AS A TEACHER:  This is a perfect read aloud book.  I would read it to my students simply for pleasure.