Annotated Bibliography Childrens Literature Dr. Burke 04/04/2015
Picture Books
Author: Maurice Sendak
Title: Where The Wild Things Are Publisher and Year: Harper Collins 1963 Type of Book: Picture Book Reading Level: Grade 4 or Grade 5 o This picture book is a wonderful story of a boy named max and his adventure that he takes. Max gets in trouble and is sent to bed without dinner. While he is in his room, Max uses his imagination to take an adventure with the wild things. This book has wonderful pictures that really do the story justice. It was the winner of the Caldecott Award and is over fifty years old but is still being published.
Author: Jon Klassen
Title: This Is Not My Hat Publisher and Year: Candlewick Press 2012 Type of Book: Picture Book Reading Level: Kindergarten through Fourth Grade o This book is the story of a fish that goes through the ocean with a hat. The hat just so happens to not belong to him. The story of the fish with the hat has a lot of underlying humor and the pictures really help bring this humor to the surface. It was the winner of the Caldecott Award in 2013.
Author: Ludwig Bemelmans
Title: Madeline Publisher and Year: London: Hippo 1989 Type of Book: Picture Book Reading Level: Grade 2 o Madeline is a story of a little girl that lives in an orphanage with twelve little girls. The girls go on outings and have many fun filled adventures. Madeline is by far the most adventurous of all the girls, but she is also the one that is always getting into trouble. This book is full of laughs and wonderful pictures to supplement this great story.
Author: David Shannon
Title: A Bad Case Of Stripes Publisher and Year: Scholastic 2004 Type of Book: Picture Book Reading Level: Grade 2
o A Bad Case Of Stripes is the story of a little girl named Camilla.
Camilla loves lima beans, but she doesnt eat them because she wants to fit in with the other kids from school. This causes Camilla to break out in a very bad case of stripes. By breaking out in a bad case of stripes, Camilla learns that she doesnt have to fit in, she can stand out and be her own person. This book is such a wonderful book about being yourself and not caring what others think of you.
Author: Jonathan London
Title: Froggy Goes To Bed Publisher and Year: Puffin 2002 Type of Book: Picture Book Reading Level: Grade 2 o This book is a funny and very cute story about a frog that does everything he can to avoid going to bed. His mother is constantly hollering his name. This book is fun to use in a classroom because you can show a lot of expression when reading it.
Non Fiction Books
Author: Meghan McCarthy
Title: Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum Publisher and Year: Simon and Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books 2010 Type of Book: Non Fiction Reading Level: Grade 3 o This book talks about the invention of Double Bubble, bubble gum. This book takes you through the process of making the bubble gum to how it came about. There are plenty of illustrations that are entertaining and engaging to students. This book could be used for a fun science lesson that teaches the scientific method through experimentation with bubble gum.
Author: Betsy Maestro, Loretta Krupinski
Title: Why Do Leaves Change Colors? Publisher and Year: Harper Collins 1994 Type of Book: Non Fiction Reading Level: Grade 3 o This book teaches children the process behind the leaves changing colors in the fall. I thought this would be a wonderful book to use, especially because we live in an area where we always get to see the leaves change. This book could be used to teach a science lesson on the process of leaves changing.
Author: Brian Floca
Title: Locomotive Publisher and Year: Antheneum Books 2013 Type of Book: Non Fiction Reading Level: Grade 4 o This book takes place during the summer of 1869 when trains were becoming a popular way of travel and the railroads were being built. This book is all about the trains and how the operate. Brian Floca does a wonderful job of describing each aspect of the train. He won the Caldecott Medal and Locomotive was on the New York Times Bestseller List.
Author: Nikki Giovanni
Title: Rosa Publisher and Year: Henry Holt and Co. 2005 Type of Book: Non Fiction Reading Level: Grade 5 o This book tells the story of young Rosa Parks. The story tells of a woman that did not want to give up her seat in the neutral section of the bus for a white man. This story is empowering and shows the true strength of an African American woman that we are all familiar with. This book does a great job of telling this story in a way that students can understand and maybe even relate to.
Author: Steve Jenkins
Title: How to Clean a Hippopotamus: A look at unusual animal partnerships Publisher and Year: HMH Books for young readers 2010 Type of Book: Non Fiction Reading Level: Couldnt find an exact reading level but looks to be about grade 5. o This book is about relationships between different types of animals. The bonds that form between these animals are strong and atypical. This book could be used for a science or language arts lesson.
Poetry Books
Author: Shel Silverstein
Title: Where the Sidewalk Ends Publisher and Year: Harper Collins 1974 Type of Book: Poetry Reading Level: Grade 3 o This book is full of poems that bring imagination to mind. They are outrageous and unrealistic but extremely engaging and fun to read. As a teacher I would use these poems during morning meeting or just to get our day started.
Author: Jack Prelutsky
Title: The New Kid on the Block Publisher and Year: Greenwillow Books 1984 Type of Book: Poetry Reading Level: Grade 3 o This book is full of poems that are hilarious and fun to read. These poems could be used during transition time or during a language arts lesson. These poems could be used to help students with characterization because of the multiple characters in the poems.
Author: Sid Farrar
Title: The Year Comes Round: Haiku Through the Seasons Publisher and Year: Albert Whitman & Company 2012 Type of Book: Poetry Reading Level: I could not find a grade level, but I would use this book for kindergarten or first grade. o This is a wonderful book to use when teaching seasons to kindergarten or first grade. It uses haiku poems to describe seasons. This book could also be used to introduce haiku poetry because it does a great job just showing students the basics behind reading and writing Haikus.
Author: Douglas Florian
Title: Poetrees Publisher and Year: Beach Lane Books 2010 Type of Book: Poetry
Reading Level: I could not find a reading level for this book, but I would use it for upper elementary school. Third through fifth grade. o This book of poetry describes and teaches children about trees. It goes over the many different types of trees. I could use this book to teach science or language arts. But I would probably use it to teach a science lesson on trees or plants. Author: Nikki Grimes Title: Shoe Magic Publisher and Year: Scholastic 2000 Type of Book: Poetry Reading Level: Grade 3 o This book is a fun book full of poetry about childrens dreams and how they can be fulfilled. In the poems, the childrens dreams are fulfilled and determined by the types of shoes they wear. I think that this book could be beneficial when talking to students about their dreams and what they want to be when they grow up.
Childrens Novels
Author: JK Rowling Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone Publisher and Year: Arthur A Levine Books 1998 Type of Book: Childrens Novel Reading Level: Grade 5 o This novel is full of the adventures of a boy named Harry Potter. Harry is an orphan that lives with his begrudging aunt and uncle. Then Harry gets letters delivered by owls. These letters invite Harry to Hogwarts School of wizardry. This is where Harry meets Ron and Hermione and has all of his amazing adventures.
Author: Sharon M. Draper
Title: Out of my Mind Publisher and Year: Antheneum Books for Young Readers 2010 Type of Book: Childrens Novel Reading Level: Grade 4 o This novel is about a student with a disability that is in fifth or sixth grade. She is a very smart girl, but no one knows because she cant talk. She gets frustrated because she cant communicate and be normal. This book is a good novel for children to read because I think it opens their eyes to how students with disabilities feel.
Author: Cynthia Lord
Title: Rules Publisher and Year: Scholastic 2008 Type of Book: Childrens Novel Reading Level: Grade 4 o This novel is about a girl named Catherine that has a brother with Autism. Catherine thinks that her whole family revolves around her brother and she feels that she does not get enough attention. Catherine and her brother have a specific set of rules that they established. Catherine developed these rules so she isnt embarrassed by her brother. This book is a wonderful novel that tells about brother and sister relationships, and how these relationships can be affected by a child with special needs. It is a wonderful story and is very eye opening for students.
Author: Kate DiCamillo
Title: Because of Winn Dixie Publisher and Year: Candlewick Press 2000 Type of Book: Childrens Novel Reading Level: Grade 4 o This novel is a wonderful story of a girl and her dog. Opal, the little girl in the story, has to move to Florida. While in her new town in Florida Opal finds a stray dog and he becomes her friend. She also meets many characters throughout the novel that teach her many lessons about life.
Author: Jeff Kinney
Title: The Diary of a Wimpy Kid Publisher and Year: Amulet Books 2007 Type of Book: Childrens Novel Reading Level: Grade 5 o This novel tells the story of a boy named Greg that begins middle school. The story is narrated by Greg and goes through all of his accounts of how terrible middle school is. He addresses the hazards of growing up. This novel is hilarious and a book that upper elementary students and middle school students will love.
Author: Robert Dahl
Title: Matilda Publisher and Year: Penguin Young Readers Group 2007 Type of Book: Childrens Novel Reading Level: Grade 5 o This novel tells the story of a mischievous little girl named Matilda. Matilda is the queen of practical jokes. Matilda is misunderstood, but she is determined to pull a practical joke on her awful teacher Ms. Trunchbull. This book is funny and such a great read.
Author: CS Lewis Title: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe Publisher and Year: Harper Collins 1950 Type of Book: Childrens Novel Reading Level: Grade 6 o This novel tells the story of four siblings that go through a wardrobe and end up in this wonderful land called Narnia. Narnia is a place of fairytale creatures and evil queens. This novel is a great book for teaching students about characterization and plot.
Author: EB White Title: Stuart Little Publisher and Year: Harper Collins 1945 Type of Book: Childrens Novel Reading Level: Grade 3 o Stuart Little tells the story of an extraordinary mouse that goes on adventure after adventure. He goes down a river on a boat and drives toy cars. This book is a fun novel and could be used as a read aloud novel or something that you have your students do independently.
Author: Beverly Cleary
Title: Ramona the Pest Publisher and Year: Random House Childrens Books 1981 Type of Book: Childrens Novel
Reading Level: Grade 4
o This book tells the story of Ramona Quimby. Ramona is going to Kindergarten, but miraculously is left out of all the games on the playground. Ramona just doesnt understand why she is sitting while the other kids play. This book is a great and funny story that many children would definitely enjoy.
Author: EB White Title: Charlottes Web Publisher and Year: Turtle Back Books 2001 Type of Book: Childrens Novel Reading Level: Grade 4 o This book tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a pig and a spider. This friendship is one that is based on survival and love. This book could be used to help students with plot and theme. This is also a novel that could easily be read and discussed as a class.
