Love You When You Whine

Title: Love You When You Whine
Author: Emily Jenkins
Illustrator: Sergio Ruzzier
Publisher: Frances Foster Books
www.fsgkidsbooks.com
Genre: Picture book, Family
Audience: K-1st grade

Overview: This is a very cute book about a story from a mother and her love towards her child. The mother lists over fifteen things she loves her child for. The list goes from pouring cereal on the floor to loving him for irritating her.
Activity: An activity for this book would be to make a writing assignment. After reading how much a mother loves her child, have the students write a letter telling a parent or relative why they love them so much.
Reviewer: Katy Ulrich

We're Making Breakfast for Mother

Title: We're Making Breakfast for Mother
Author: Shirley Neitzel
Illustrator: Nancy Winslow Parker
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
www.scholastic.com
Genre: Picture book, Family
Audience: K-1st grade

Overview: This story is about two young kids wanting to make breakfast for their mother. With the help from their dad they create a wide variety of foods for her. The mother was of course very thankful for her breakfast in bed. This book is very unique in that after a new food or drink item that is added, the story repeats everything else that is on the tray. The twist is that in place of the word there is a picture. For example in place of the word jelly, they place a picture of jelly.

Activity: This is a good book to read around Mother's Day. The class could also create their own story changing out the words with pictures of their choice.
Reviewer: Katy Ulrich

Tough Time: Moving

Title: Tough Times: Moving

Author: Patricia J. Murphy

Publisher: Heinemann Library

http://www.heinemannlibrary.com/

Publication Date: 2008

Genre: Concept Book

Audience: PreK-Grade 2

Overview: This book explains moving in ways that younger students will understand and discusses the process of moving. This book also talks about different suggestions on how to deal with the hard times of moving and suggestions for making an easier transition into a new neighborhood and school.

Activity: I thought that this book would be a good book to use in a classroom if one of the students is moving to another school or if there is a new student that had just moved into the school district. I thought that the teacher could read the book to help the class, especially if they were younger understand the concept of moving. After reading I thought the teacher could have the class make either "Good Luck Cards" wishing the student luck in their new school district or "Welcome Cards" welcoming the new student into the classroom. In the welcome cards students can write some of their favorite things to do in the neighborhood or school to help the new student learn about the area and school district.

Reviewer's Name: Jennifer Senkevich

A Bad Case of Stripes

Title: A Bad Case of Stripes

Author: David Shannon

Illustrator: David Shannon

Publisher: Scholastic, The Blue Sky Press

http://www.scholastic.com/titles/nodavid/davidshannon.htm

Publication Date: 1998

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Gr. PreK-2

Overview: This is the story about a girl named Camilla who is very concerned about what others think. Even though Camilla loves lima beans she never eats them and pretends to dislike them because all of her friends do not like lima beans. On the first day of school she is worried and unsure about what she should wear because she is concerned about what people will think of her. All of her worrying causes her to break out in stripes of many colors, patterns, and shapes. Before Camilla's case of stripes gets better it gets much worse. However, she is eventually cured when she is finally able to admit that she loves lima beans despite what all of her friends and peers think.

Activity: After reading this book to students one possible activity I would do with the class is an activity that stresses the importance of being an individual and being proud of who you are. The activity I would have the students do is to first draw a picture of themselves, and next either around their picture or in their picture draw things that help represent them.

Reviewer's Name: Amanda Scocco

Never Smile At a Monkey

Title: Never Smile At a Monkey: And 17 Other Important Things to Remember

Author: Steve Jenkins

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

http://www.hmhbooks.com/

Publication Date: 2009

Genre: Picture Book, Nonfiction

Audience: Gr. Pre K-2

Overview: This book tells a few facts about what animals you should be careful of even if they do look cute and friendly. It includes a species of monkey that view the showing of teeth as a sign of aggression. It also discusses the poisonous platypus, a threatening hippopotamus, and scary cobras, among many other creatures. The story is told with some alliteration and then at the end more extensive information about some of the animals discussed offers a lot of follow up information for children to read.

Activity: To expand what children read about in this book, everyone in the classroom could choose one of the creatures to write a report on. If each child reads the fact in the book, looks in the back of the book for additional information, and then looks at a few reliable websites online they could write up a nice little page about the animal and draw a picture as well.

Reviewer's Name: Meghan O'Leary

Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue

Title: Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue

Author: Julius Lester

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

http://www.hyperionbooks.com/

Publication Date: 2005

Genre: Historical Fiction

Audience: Gr. 6-8

Awards: Coretta Scott King Award

Overview: This story is told through the view of various characters as a dialogue (as the title suggests) or as internal thoughts and small notes about the scene. It could almost be read as a play at times, while there isn't many specifics about actions going on. The story follows the story of slaves being separated from each other as they are sold from a major Southern plantation to different places around the country. There is a few point of views told by the slave owners, slave-sellers, and children who have different views on slavery. The tale is very thought-provoking and includes a lot of insight on different views of slavery from slaves and slave owners alike.

Activity: An activity for this book could be to begin to introduce the ideas of slavery into the classroom and how there were so many different opinions across the country as to the pros and cons of slavery. Students could have a discussion or classroom debate based on different viewpoints and understandings of the roles of slavery.

Reviewer's Name: Meghan O'Leary

Red, White, Blue, and Uncle Who?

Title: Red, White, Blue, and Uncle Who? The Stories behind Some of America's Patriotic Symbols

Author: Teresa Bateman

Illustrator: John O'Brien

Publisher: Holiday House

http://www.holidayhouse.com/

Publication Date: 2001

Genre: History

Audience: Gr. 6-8

Overview: This book is set up in different chapters offering historical information of many of the symbols in America. This includes concrete places such as Mount Rushmore, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial, was well as the Stars Spangled Banner, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the bald eagle. Data is provided as far as dates, costs, and decisions go as well as thoughts and ideas that were discussed before the final project was reached. This book would be excellent for children to become informed, and I even learned a few things along the way!

Activity: After reading this, students may be interested in thinking of some other national, state, or local symbols that have a deep meaning to them as a member of the nation or their own community. Students could draw the symbol (or a representation of) and write a few sentences as to why it is important. This would get students thinking about what is important and why.

Reviewer's Name: Meghan O'Leary

Jalani and the Lock

Title: Jalani and the Lock

Author: Dr. Lorenzo Pace

Illustrator: Dr. Lorenzo Pace

Publisher: The Rosen Publishing Group- http://www.rosenpublishing.com/

Publication Date: 2001

Genre: Nonfiction

Audience: Pre K - 2

Award: Skipping Stone Honor Award

Overview: Jalani is a young African boy who disobeys his mothers warning and goes to play in the woods. He gets kidnapped by a strange man and shipped off to America in locks and chains. He gets little food and works all day and has no playtime. Years later, a man in a tall hat ended slavery. Jalani kept the lock and key that kept him in slavery and passed it on to his son and told him to pass it on to his son.

Activity: This book could be a great introduction to a history lesson about slavery. This could help teach the issue of slavery to young children and get it across in a less harsh way. It is a perfect leeway into a lesson on civil rights and or slavery.

Reviewer's Name: Gina DeBartolome

When Lightning Comes in a Jar

Title: When Lightning Comes in a Jar

Author: Patricia Polacco

Illustrator: Patricia Polacco

Publisher: Philomel Books- http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/publishers/yr/philomel.html

Publication Date: 2002

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Audience: Gr.2-4

Overview: This tells a story of a great big family reunion. Trisha recalls one of the last reunions, with the games of baseball and croquet, the big feast with millions of different kinds of Jell-o and of course, storytelling, when all the great aunts pull out old photo albums and try to top each others memories. But this particular reunion, Trisha's grandmother taught her how to catch lightning in a jar. As she finishes her flashback, it comes back to the present and the next family reunion is that day. Only her "Gramma" and great aunts and uncles are not there and Trisha and her brothers and sisters and cousins are the old ones. She is surrounded by her grandchildren and shares the secret of catching lightning in a jar, knowing this family reunion ritual will be passed on to many generations after her.

Activity: The children could write a story based on their family reunions or family "get togethers". They could explain what games they play, the foods they eat, any traditions their family's may have and then share with the class. We would be able to see who's families have things in common

Reviewer's Name: Gina DeBartolome

The Son of the Sun and the Daughter of the Moon

Title: The Son of the Sun and the Daughter of the Moon

Author: Holly Young Huth

Illustrated By: Anna Vojtech

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Publication Date: 2000

Genre: Folktale

Audience: PreK-2

Overview: The son of the sun wants to marry the daughter of the moon. But the moon does not want her daughter to marry him. The sun gets very angry so the moon hides her daughter and she grows up and falls in love with someone else. The sun finds out about the relationship and goes after the daughter. The story sadly ends...

Activity: This would be a good book to read when talking about old folktales. The characters are simply symbolic and mythical and may help children to use imagination and think of the moon and sun as people. The story could be used for a simple class discussion of old stories/cultural and what kinds of stories and how they were made up a long time ago.

Reviewer's Name: Emily Trees

Changes For Kit

Title: Changes for Kit

Author: Valerie Tripp

Illustrator: Walter Rane

Vignettes: Susan McAliley

Publisher: Pleasant Company Publishers

http://store.americangirl.com/agshop/static/books.jsp

Publication Date: 2001

Genre: Historical Fiction

Audience: Grades 3- Grades 5

Overview: The story takes place during The Great Depression in 1934. Kit and her family are struggling during this time and have turned their house into a boardinghouse to help make money for the family to survive. Kit's irritating uncle comes to live with the family after he fell and broke his wrist and ankle. Her uncle is a demanding person who is very opinionated and has Kit write his letters to the editor of the local newspaper for him. Kit's views are different from her uncle's and her experience with him leads her to write a heartfelt letter of her own.

Activity: This book talks a lot about the hardships during The Great Depression. After reading the teacher could have the students research The Great Depression through the internet, books and also even through a guest speaker that grew up during The Great Depression. Many students might have family members that have lived through The Great Depression, and they could interview their family members to hear live accounts of what they went through. The students could write their own newspaper article like when Kit wrote a letter to the editor, talking about The Great Depression either through what they have researched or through the stories that they have heard.

Reviewer's Name: Jennifer Senkevich

Title: The Biggest Bear

Author: Lynd Ward

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston www.hmhco.com

Publication Date: 1952

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Prek-2

Awards: The Caldefott Medal

Overview: Johnny Orchard was embarrassed because his barn was the only barn in the whole valley that did not have a big bear skin hanging on it. With no help from his father he decided to take the matter into his own hands and went off to find himself a bear that he could kill and hang on his barn. Although he was in search of the biggest bear in the forest he returned with a small cub. He kept his new friend until he got big and his family made him set him free yet he kept returning to the barn. This book is filled with detailed illustrations which bring the text alive as you read.

Activity: In the classroom this book could be used by having a class discussion about friendships that people make throughout their life. Young students could hold a discussion about why they think that the boy befriended this bear even though everyone around them were afraid of him. This could help them learn valuable lessons on friendships that they may or will be coming in contact with soon.

Reviewer's Name: Kalli Parrish

Title: What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?

Author: Steve Jenkins & Robin Page

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston http://www.hmhco.com/

Publication Date: 2003

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: PreK-2

Awards: Caldecott Honor Book

Overview: This picture book introduces different types of animals and how they use different parts of their bodies like their noses, ears, tails, eyes, feet, and mouths. It asks "What would you do with a nose like that?" and then gives examples of different types of animals and how they use their senses. The illustrations are cut out collages and they discribe and show the different types of the body on each animal while giving fun facts about each animal. This book does a really good job of showing with the illustrations exactly what the words are saying which can help students visualize what they are reading.

Activity: After reading this book, as a teacher I would have each student pick a physical feature of an animal and explain what it is and why they would want it. For example, sticky feet like a lizard so they can climb up walls. To take it a step more they could make a self portrait with the new trait and share it to the entire class.

Reviewer's Name: Kalli Parrish

Title: Kitten's First Full Moon

Author: Kevin Henkes

Publisher: Scholastic INC

Publishing Date: 2004

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: PreK-1

Awards: The Caldecott Medal

Overview: This book is about a little kitten who thinks that the moon is a big bowl of milk and it wants to get to it. It discribes her night while she is trying to get closer to the moon but just cant find a way. Finally she decided to go back home and an acutal bowl of milk was waiting for her there. The illustrations are all black and white to depict the setting at night and show in detail the kittens adventures throughout the night.

Activity: If used in the lower grades, this book could be a great tool in learning new vocabulary words that the students may not have seen before. Words like inquisitive or persistent could be highlighted and could be used as new terms for the students.

Reviewer's Name: Kalli Parrish

Title: Many Moons

Author: James Thurber

Illustrated: Louis Slobodkin

Publisher: Harcourt, INC. http://harcourtbooks.com/ChildrensBooks

Publication Date: 1943

Genre: Fairy Tale

Audience: 1-3rd grade

Awards: The Caldecott Medal

Overview: This is a story about a little princess named Lenore, who wanted the moon. She was sick and when her father, the King, told her he would get her anything that she wanted, she said she wanted the Moon. This is a funny tale of how the King tried to hire anyone and everyone that he could but no one could get the moon for his daughter. The illustrations are very bright and vibrant however they are not very detailed which leaves it up to the reader to imagine the pictures themselves.

Activity: I think that a fun activity for a class would be to first read this book and then ask them each to come up with one thing in the world that they would want. The could do a writing prompt of what it is and how they would go about trying to get it and then draw a self portrait with their item.

Reviewer's Name: Kalli Parrish

Anansi the Spider

Title: Anansi the Spider

Author: Gerald McDermott

Illustrator: Gerald McDermott

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company (http://us.macmillan.com/holtyoungreaders.aspx)

Publication Date: 1972

Genre: Folktale

Audience: Grades PreK-2

Awards: Caldecott Medal of Honor

Overview: This story relates a tale from the African tribe Ashanti about a spider with six sons. Each son is named after a special talent that he possesses. One day Ashanti gets into trouble on a journey. Each of his sons uses their talent to help rescue him. Ashanti wants to reward the son who saved him with a big light that he finds. Unable to decide which son is the most worthy, he gives it to the god Nyame to keep safe for him. Nyame places the light in the night sky. This story explains the origin of the moon. It's a great multicultural story, which was adapted using "authentic Ashanti language rhythms".

Activity: After reading this story to the class, in pairs, have students write their own "folktale" to explain the existence of something. Have the pairs illustrate their stories attempting to mimic the tribal art from this book. Students can share their work with the rest of the class.

Allison Parsons

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Title: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Author: Eric Carle

Publisher: Philomel Books http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/publishers/yr/philomel.htm

Publication Date: 1969

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Prek-2

Overview: This is a book about the journey of a caterpillar into a butterfly. It starts off as an egg and goes through the phases until it becomes a beautiful butterfly. This book teaches the days of the week as well as counting to ten, through its discription of the caterpillars daily routine until he becomes a cocoon. Carle's collage like illustrations bring out the vibrant colors which will keep children engaged in the text.
Activity: This book could be used as a introduction to the metamorphosis process in science class. The students could have a discussion on this book before they take a closer look at these stages of life in their science classes. The author uses collaged pictures throughout the book, students could create their own page to be put together to create their own class book about caterpillars. Becasue this book uses the days of the week and counting, this could also be brought into a lesson on counting and learning the days of the week by setting up a timeline of what happened on each day of the story.

Reviewer's Name: Kalli Parrish

Love You Forever

Title: Love You Forever

Author: Robert Munsch

Illustrator: Sheila McGraw

Publisher: Firefly Books Ltd.

Publication Date: 1986

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Gr. Pre K-2

Overview: Love You Forever is a story of a mother and son relationship. It starts with the Mother holding her little baby boy, rocking him to sleep. Every night before he goes to bed she says the same words:

"I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."

The story continues as the son grows older and older. And every night she says those words. When the man is old enough he gets married and has a child of his own and his mother becomes ill. He goes to see her, holds her in his arms and says the same words she said to him all those years. When he goes home, he says those words to his own baby as well. This is a great story to read to show parent love and appreciation.

Activity: After reading this story, I would have my class write a letter to one of their parents letting them know how much they love them and why. This could happen around Mother's Day, since the book is primarily about a mother. And the letter would be a great Mother's Day present.

Reviewer's Name: Gina DeBartolome

With a Whoop and a Holler

Title: With a Whoop and a Holler A Bushel of Lore From Way Down South

Author: Nancy Van Laan

Illustrator: Scott Cook

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division

http://kids.simonandschuster.com/

Publication Date: 1998

Genre: Poetry & Fables

Audience: Gr. 3-5

Overview: With a Whoop and a Holler is a collection of poems, fables and superstitions from the southern states, Louisiana in particular. It is a great book with colorful characters and different morals and values to be learned.

Activity: There is so much culture within this book. It could be used in relation to learning about the different regions of the United States. It gives examples of some of the language used down there, foods they eat and things they believe in. We could also do a lesson on superstitions and what they are. Each student could go home and talk to their families about different superstitions their grandparents or parents may have.

Reviewer's Name: Gina DeBartolome

Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken

Title: Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken

Author: Kate DiCamillo

Illustrator: Harry Bliss

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers (http://www.harpercollins.com/)

Publication Date: 2008

Genre: Animals

Audience: Grades 3-5

Overview: This book tells the stories of an adventurous chicken in four short chapters. Each chapter tells about one of Louise's crazy adventures, however she always winds up missing the warm, safe farm and returns home. This book makes a great read aloud because it isn't too wordy and has great illustrations!

Activity: After reading this book as a class, students could create additional chapters in small groups telling about more adventures that Louise goes on. Students should each be responsible for at least a page of the chapter and will have to work together to make sure the pages coordinate with the story that they want to tell. Illustrations should be drawn for each page as well.

Reviewer's Name: Allison Parsons

Talkin' About Bessie

Title: Talkin' About Bessie

Author: Nikki Grimes

Illustrated By: E.B. Lewis

Publisher: Orchard Books

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/search?query=talkin%27+about+bessie&x=0&y=0

Publication Date: 2002

Genre: Non-fiction history/biography

Audience: 3-5 grade

Overview: Bessie (Elizabeth Coleman), was the first female, African American to fly a plane. She had to leave the country to have flying lessons. She learned tricks, put on shows, and lived her childhood dream. Each page of the book is a different person that Bessie knows, discussing how they knew her and describing her personality and life events. Each person in the book was influenced by Bessie and they describe her life as they saw it.

Activity: This book could be used for a history activity. A study of African American individuals that made a difference and did things that people weren't expecting them to do. The book could be used as a biography. An activity with simply group discussion of discrimination and the struggles or African Americans.

Reviewer's Name: Emily Trees

The Seven Chinese Sisters

Title: The Seven Chinese Sisters

Author: Kathy Tucker

Illustrated By: Grace Lin

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company

http://www.albertwhitman.com/content.cfm/bookdetails/The-Seven-Chinese-Sisters

Publication Date: 2003

Genre: Fiction Picture Book

Audience: 1-3 grade

Overview: Seven Chinese sister each have their own special talent. When the littlest sister is kidnapped by a dragon, the other six girls are in a hurry to rescue her. They each use their talents to save their baby sister.

Activity: This book could be used to talk about diversity and talent. Draw yourself doing your special talent, show it to the class explaining what makes you different.

Reviewer's Name: Emily Trees

Title: Knockin' on Wood

Author: Lynne Barasch

Publisher: Lee & Low Books Inc.

Publication Date: 2004

Genre: Nonfiction Picture Book

Audience: 2-4 grade

Overview: This story is about a "Peg Leg" Bates, a famous tap dancer of the twentieth century. Bates, an active, dancing child lost is leg in an accident when he was young. That stopped him from dancing all day and night. His uncle made him a fake leg (peg leg) in which he began to walk on. After he became more comfortable he began to dance again, letting nothing get in his way. However, Bates danced during the times of segregation. He could only dance in certain shows, which did not allow him to be seen by many. As "Peg Leg" got better and became more popular he began to travel, and slowly worked his way into performances with white dancers. He never stopped dancing even though he had lost his leg.

Activity: This book could be used for several activities. Because "Peg Leg" was a real person, a lesson involving the discussion of life in the twentieth century and times of segregation and racism. The book could also be used in an activity of overcoming obstacles. Do you know anyone that has been injured on stopped from doing something they love? Did he/she find a way to get back to it?

Reviewer's Name: Emily Trees

Freight Train

Title: Freight Train

Author: Donald Crews

Publisher: Scholastic Inc. www.scholastic.com

Publication Date: April1989

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Gr. Prek - 2

Overview: It is a simple story of a train. It describes each one of the different cars of the train and how the train follows the truck till it disappears

Activity: The kids should draw their own train with complete liberty to add as many cars they want and as many different as they want, then they can compare the differences between each train and explain why they are how they are.

Reviewer's Name: Luis Jar

The Moon Book

Title: The Moon Book

Author: Gail Gibbons

Publisher: Scholastic Inc. www.scholastic.com

Publication Date: 1997

Genre: Science & Nature

Audience: Prek - 2

Overview: The Moon Book is an compilation of all the visions of the Moon, since the explanation of the formation till the relation with the ancient myths or how it affects the tides. Everything is explained in a easy and catchy form

Activity: it could be interesting to divide the class in groups where they could draw their different visions of the moon, subjective and objective ones, and then discuss with the class what are their feeling about the Moon

Reviewer's Name: Luis Jar

And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?

Title: And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?

Author: Jean Fritz

Ilustrator: Margot Tomes

Publisher: Coward - McCann. Inc.

Publication Date: 1973

Genre: Biographical

Audience: Gr. 3 - 5

Overview: The book tells the story of Paul Revere, an American Silversmith and patriot, well known in history for his rol as a messenger in the battles of Concord and Lexington durind the Revolutionar War. The story, despite it is based in historical facts, tends to simplyfy the reality and focuses on the character as a hero for children.

Activity: This book could be a good introduction to explain the children what was the Revolutionay War, as well as to do a rol game in class using characters as Samuel Adams and others.

Reviewer's Name: Luis Jar

Buffalo Hunt

Title: Buffalo Hunt

Authoer: Russell Freedman

Publisher: Scholastic, www.scholastic.com

Publication date: 1992

Genre: History

Audience: Gr. 3 - 5

Overview: Th book Buffalo Hunt goes over all the world in relation to the Buffalos and their importance for the Native Indian Americans. It explains how the native americans considered the Buffalo a religious animal, not only because they were supposed to have common ancestors but also how they considered their hunt as a celebration and how they used all the parts of the body for different purposals.

Activity: Doing this reading before going to the National Museum of Indian Americans could be a good activity to introduce a lesson about the traditions of native americans and their culture.

Reviewer's Name: Luis Jar

Life in a Longhouse Village

Title: Life in a Longhouse Village

Author: Bobbie Kalman

Ilustrators: Barbara Bedell, Margaret Amy Reiach, Bonna Rouse

Publisher: Crabtree Publisher Company, www.crabtreebooks.com

Publication date: 2001

Genre: History

Audience: Gr. 3 - 5

Overview: Life in a Longhouse Village is a histoy book that explains how was the life of the indigenous people that lived in the northeastern woodlands of North America: the Iroquois. The book explains in how they used to build their homes, the longhouses, how was life in them, the social structure, their food, their jobs, clothes and belifs.

Activity: It could be interesting to ask the children to compare their life with the life of the children of their same age in that period of time. Also discuss which elements of nowadays life are better or worst and in third place they could design in groups their own native society.

Reviewer's Name: Luis Jar

If You Give A Mouse A Cookie

Title: If You Give A Mouse A Cookie

Author: Laura Joffe Numeroff

Illustrator: Felicia Bond

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers http://www.harpercollins.com/

Publication Date: 1985

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: 1st or 2nd grade

Overview: A classic children's book. Numeroff tells a story of a young boy who offers a cookie to a young mouse. It's all downhill from there. After the cookie, the mouse asks for, what else, a glass of milk. The mouse continues to ask for all different things because one thing makes him think of another and so on. A chain reaction which eventually begins again. It is a silly, fun read that many kids will enjoy.

Activity: One activity that could be done could be writing/illustrating a class story. As a class, we would choose the title of the book. For example, "If You Give a Snake a Sandwich". Working with a partner, one could each draw a picture and write a line or two of text of what the snake may be given and what he may ask for next.

Reviewer's Name: Gina DeBartolome

Cal and the Amazing Anti-Gravity Machine

Title: Cal and the Amazing Anti-Gravity Machine

Author: Richard Hamilton

Illustrator: Sam Hearn

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

http://www.bloomsbury.com/

Publication Date: 2005

Genre: Fiction

Audience: Gr. 3-5

Overview: Cal’s neighborhood is frequently disrupted by his noisy neighbor Mr. Frout, who is an avid inventor of strange machines. Cal and his talking dog Frankie see Mr. Frout stuck suspended by magnets, and are forced to help him land safely. Cal then becomes an assistant of sorts to Mr. Frout, who is misunderstood by Cal’s family and neighbors. Eventually, Mr. Frout invents a machine that actually creates a space of zero gravity, and Cal is so intrigued he sneaks over at night to try it out. Not understanding how it works, Cal accidentally breaks the machine, and instead of causing a small area of zero gravity, he creates an ever increasing anti-gravity zone, causing everything in the surrounding are to lift off into space. Cal eventually climbs down a tree and across his yard against the forces of the anti-gravity and turns the machine off. Mr. Frout gives up inventing and decides to take up gardening instead.

Activity: At one point in the story, Cal creates a journal and blueprints of his on ideas for inventions. The students could be asked to write about, draw, and share their own strange and unique inventions. The students could also be given a prompt asking them how they would deal with the noisy and disruptive Mr. Frout. This book may also help to explain the concept of gravity, and explain that zero-gravity occurs in space, which could then lead to a science lesson.

Reviewer’s Name: Zack Zajaczkowski

Psychic Pets

Title: Psychic Pets, supernatural true stories of paranormal animals

Author: John Sutton

Publisher: Scholastic Inc. www.scholastic.com

Publication date: March 1998

Genre: Animals

Audience: Gr. 6 - 8

Overview: Psychic Pets is a compilation of different stories of animals that have done unusual actions or saved their owners lives across the world. It also explains how different animals have been seen along the history by humans. The book also includes explanations about some behaviors and offers tests and open discussion questions for the readers.

Activity: It could be suitable to let the children do the test on the book and compare results within smalls groups. Also, in groups of three of four they could read a story to the rest of the class and discuss their feelings about it within them and show them to their mates, also using the questions provided in the book. It could be interesting also if they could espress their personal feelings about pets and their experience with them to their mates.

Reviewer's Name: Luis Jar

Humble Pie

Title: Humble Pie
Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Illustrator: Stephen Gammell
Publisher: A Richard Jackson Book http://www.cis.drexel.edu/arbuthnot/index_files/page0001.htm
Publication Date: 2002
Genre: Fable
Audience: Gr. 305
Overview: Humble Pie is a story about a young spoiled boy who is unknowingly forced to change his selfish and rude ways. The story explains that his grandmother is the only person who believes that this young boy, Theo, needs to change his behavior, thus she decides to teach him a lesson. As Theo leaves his home, upset that he was not able to eat the dessert of his choice, and heads to his grandmother's house who is in the midst of baking a giant pie. Out of pure selfishness, Theo climbs to the top of the pie and continues to each for more and more of the pic and accidentally falls in, as his grandmother closes the crust over top of him. Throughout his quest to be released from the inside of the pie, he observes that there are people around him that are starving for food, which strikes an emotional reaction from him. Ultimately, Theo gets released from the pie because it feeds a whole land of people and changed his foolish ways for good, which shocks his parents and friends.
Activity: This would be a great book to teach children not to act spoiled or selfish because it teaches a lesson. It would be fun for a teacher to read this story to the class and have them all participate in baking their own "humble pie" which can be made with special ingredients and eaten by the students after wards.
Reviewer's Name: Moira Schafle

I Love Bugs!

Title: I Love Bugs!

Author: Philemon Struges

Illustrator: Sheri Halpern

Publisher: Harper Collins

http://harpercollins.com/

Publication Date: 2005

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Gr. PreK-2

Overview: In “I Love Bugs!” a boy shows us around the world if bugs all around his house. As we see different bugs, the boy tells us about some of their characteristics while using a simple rhyme scheme.

Activity: This book would be useful in a science lesson with a very early grade level class, or even with English language learners. Students could also be asked to write about some of the bugs in the story, or write some other observations about bugs they have seen themselves.

Reviewer’s Name: Zack Zajaczkowski

The Amelia Bedelia Treasury

Title: The Amelia Bedelia Treasury

Author: Peggy Parish

Illustrator: Fritz Siebel and Barbara Siebel Thomas

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers http://www.harpercollins.com/

Publication Date: 1965

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Audience: Grades 1-3

Overview: This is a compilation of 3 different Amelia Bedelia books. Amelia Bedelia is a maid with all the right intentions but she is easily confused. Her silly antics lead to even sillier situations. All three stories are about Amelia's encounters with the dreaded list of chores. She interprets her list of things to do totally different than anyone else. But she always figures out a way to make things better in the end.

Activity: In the story, Amelia's employers get fed up with her mistakes but they handle it very well. I think this story could be a good lesson as to how to handle frustration and how important it is to have patience. I would pick different situations that Amelia gets herself into and hand a different one to each student. Then i would have them write about what they would do if they were Amelia's boss.

Reviewer's Name: Gina DeBartolome

Huggly's Pizza

Title: Huggly's Pizza
Author: Tedd Arnold
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
www.scholastic.com
Publication Date: 2000
Genre: Picture Book
Audience: Grades 2-4

Overview: Huggly's Pizza is an exciting story about a Monster and his love of pizza. The main character Huggly tells his other monster friends about a flat kind of food called pizza that the people world has. They all set out in search of some pizza. They look high and low and finally make their way to a pizza parlor. They can not be seen by people and end up hopping in the back of the pizza delivery car along with all of the pizzas. After much struggle they end up back in their secret slime pit stuffed from the pizza they found.

Activity: A good activity for this book would be to have the students make a sequence of events chart. There are a lot of different events throughout the book and this would help the students comprehend everything that happend. Another activity would be to have the kids look at the pictures before they read the story. They then would write what they think the story is about by just looking at the pictures. The end of the activity can be to read the book and compare their stories to the actual story.
Reviewer: Katy Ulrich

Zee Adventure One: Borrowing China

Title: Zee Adventure One: Borrowing China
Author: Marcie Gilbert
Illustrator: Patricia Krebs
Publisher: Librujas http://www.librujas.com/
Publicaton Date: 2005
Genre: Picture Book
Audience: Gr. Pre-K -2nd
Overview: This story is about a young girl named Zee who loves to seek adventure with the help of her "friends." She is a sweet girl who loves to help out her mother, however, she sometimes misunderstands the things that she asks. For example, in this particular story, Zee hears her mother say that she needs to borrow china for a party she is hosting which she immediately assumes the country, China, as opposed to the cutlery. Zee uses her imagination to transport herself to China and upon realizing the entire country would be too large to bring back home, she decided to bring back some of the Chinese citizens, and quickly learns when she returns home that her mother did not mean the country, but the cutlery.
Activity: This would be a great book to introduce a lesson about China because it involves different cultural elements about the country.
Reviewer's Name: Moira Schafle

Frog and Toad Are Friends

Title: Frog and Toad Are Friends

Author: Arnold Lobel

Illustrator: Arnold Lobel

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers http://www.harpercollins.com/

Publication Date: 1970

Genre: Animals

Audience: Grades 1-3

Awards: Caldecott Honor

Overview: Frog and Toad are best friends. They do everything together, everything from going on adventures to sitting and waiting for the mail. This book is five different stories about friendship and what friends can learn from each other.

Activity: As a class, we could make up a different pair of animals who are best friends. Each student could then write a short story about one of their adventures. We'd compile everyones short story and make a book.

Reviewer's Name: Gina DeBartolome

The Billy Goats Gruff

Title: The Billy Goats Gruff
Retold By: Jane Bingham
Illustrator: Daniel Postgate
Publisher: Usborne Publishing Ltd. http://www.usborne.com/
Publication Date: 2004
Genre: Fables
Audience: Gr. Pre-K - 2nd
Overview: The Billy Goats Gruff is a popular fable that has been told for years. It tells the story of three billy goats who are all brothers who run out of food at home and set out on a search for more food in a faraway land. However, the three billy goats are wary of traveling to that particular land because of a cruel troll that lurks under the bridge. Throughout their journey, they are warned by other animals not to cross the bridge because the troll will eat the, but the billy goats continue on for what they set out for. Once they arrive at the bridge, the first two billy goats come up with an effective tactic to distract the troll until the third one arrives. He quickly outsmarts the evil troll and the three brothers are free to collect food from the land and make it safe for all other animals to join them there.
Activity: This would be a great story to have students role play and practice problem-solving skills. It could also be used to talk about bullying.
Reviewer's Name: Moira Schafle

Uncle Andy's

Title: Uncle Andy’s

Author: James Warhola

Publisher: G. P. Putnam’s Sons (part of the Penguin Group)

http://us.penguingroup.com/

Publication Date: 2003

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Gr. PreK-2

Overview: “Uncle Andy’s” follows a young boy as he makes a trip from his country home to New York to visit his uncle, who happens to be the famous artist Andy Warhol! During their visit, some of Uncle Andy’s most famous works are shown and admired from the view of the young boy (including the soup cans). The young boy and his family observe Uncle Andy at work and during art dealings. Eventually the family has to return home, although Uncle Andy had given them plenty of gifts, and the young boy was inspired to become an artist himself.

Activity: The students could be asked to write a brief response to a time they visited a family member, or even a time that they were inspired by someone else take up a hobby or skill. This could also be used to introduce the idea of art history and the study of artists, or to inspire students in creating their own art.

Reviewer’s Name: Zack Zajaczkowski

The Dragon Machine

Title: The Dragon Machine

Author: Helen Ward

Illustrator: Wayne Anderson

Publisher: Puffin Books (part of the Penguin Group)

http://us.penguingroup.com/

Publication Date: 2003

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Gr. PreK-2

Overview: George begins to see dragons all around him. No one else can see them, but they are always around George wherever he goes. The dragons begin to cause havoc that George is blamed for, so he builds a huge mechanical dragon and leads all of the dragons away to a place where they will not bother anyone. George takes the dragons away and his machine crashes, but his parents pick him up and return home, without any dragons.

Activity: Students could be asked after reading this story to write or discuss why the dragons acted in such a way, and why George had to send them away. They could also be asked to relate how George solved his problem to a way that they solved problems in their lives. As the dragons in this story are not particularly scary in any way, it could be used as an introduction to other books with dragons and other mythical creatures.

Reviewer’s Name: Zack Zajaczkowski

Drumheller Dinosaur Dance

Title: Drumheller Dinosaur Dance

Author: Robert Heidbreder

Illustrator: Bill Saven and Esperanca Melo

Publisher: Kids Can Press

http://www.kidscanpress.com/US/

Publication Date: 2004

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: Gr. PreK-2

Overview: At night, all of the dinosaur fossils in Drumheller come back to life, reassemble themselves, and have a raucous celebration dancing and playing drums. The children of Drumheller all awake and join them, while the adults think it is just a storm. When morning comes, the children return to their beds and the dinosaurs return to the ground, waiting for the next night and the next dance.

Activity: This book would be perfect to use for a lesson relating to dinosaurs, whether in conjunction with other dinosaur based books or with a science lesson. There is so much personality that it would be easy and enjoyable for students to write their own Drumheller Dinosaurs stories about other things the dinosaurs could do when they are not dancing and playing drums. There is also a simple rhyming scheme with a few inventive rhymes, so this book could be used to further a student’s ability with rhyming and creating their own rhymes.

Reviewer’s Name: Zack Zajaczkowski