Chapter Book #4- Horrible Harry in Room 2B

TITLE: Horrible Harry in Room 2B
AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR: This book was written by Suzy Kline and illustrates by Frank Remkiewiez.
GENRE: Fiction Chapter Book
THEME: consequences, importance of being a good friend
AWARDS: International Reading Association Children's Choice Awards, 1986
CHARACTERS: Harry, Song Lee, Sidney, Doug, Mary, and other classmates.

PUBLISHING DATE AND COMPANY: Puffin, 1988

SUMMARY: The story is told from the perspective of Harry's best friend, Doug.  Harry is a second grader who is always finding trouble to cause in any situation.  During the story Harry lies, picks, calls for revenge against sSidney, and shoves snakes in children's faces, and so many other intolerable acts. Though he may be a terrible, awful, horrible classmate, Doug shows the reader that Harry is still a good friend.  To find out how and if Harry proves himself as a true friend read the book. 

Chapter Book #3- Frindle

TITLE: Frindle
AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR: This book was written by Andrew Clemenets and the illustrations were done by Brian Selznick.
GENRE: Fiction Chapter Book.
THEME: creativity, consequences, the affects of words
AWARDS: Christopher Award, the Georgia Children's Book Award, the Sasquatch Children's Book Award, the Zyakafoo Children's Book Award, the Rhode Island Children's Book Award, and the Year 1999 Young Hoosier Book Award.
CHARACTERS: Nick Allen, Mrs. Granger

PUBLISHING DATE AND COMPANY: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1996.

SUMMARY: Nick Allen is infamous for developing schemes to distract the teacher and waste time.  However, Nick meets his match with Mrs. Granger, his english teacher.  She then assigns him an assignment that requires him to write why words are put in the dictionary.  He then creates the word "Frindle".  This was a replacement for the word "pen" and every student began using it.  Nick and all other students for using it were being punished, which threaten Nick's citizenship at school.  The use of "frindle" is growing out of Nick's hands, and he loses control of the usage.  In order to find out if "frindle" is a good or bad thing that Nick developed, you must read the story.

Chapter Book #2- Aliens for Breakfast

TITLE: Aliens for Breakfast
AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR: This book was written by Stephanie Spinner and Jonathan Etra.
GENRE: Fiction Chapter Book.
THEME: Science fiction, courage
AWARDS: n/a
CHARACTERS: Richard Bickerstaff, Aric, Ganoob, Dorf

PUBLISHING DATE AND COMPANY: Random House books for Young Readers, 1988.

SUMMARY: While Richard Bickerstaff is enjoying a bowl of "Alien-crisps" cereal, an alien pops out of the breakfast!  The alien's name is Aric, whose goal is to "wipe-out cosmic trouble makers".  Dorf is students in Richard's class.  He is seemingly smart; however, he is a very conniving little boy.  He plans to take over the world; therefore, it is Richard's (and his alien friend's) responsibility to stop him.

Chapter Book #1 The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

TITLE: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR:   This book was written by Kate DiCamillo.
GENRE: Fiction Chapter Book
THEME: love, working for loved ones
AWARDS: Boston Globe-Horn Award
CHARACTERS: Edward Tulane, Abilene Tulane, Pelligrena

PUBLISHING DATE AND COMPANY:   The book was published in 2006 by Candlewick.

SUMMARY: The china-doll rabbit, Edward Tulane, loves himself, very much.  He loves himself so much that he refuses to find any room to love others.  One day Abilene Tulane receives him as a gift from her grandmother.  Though he begins to love the little girl, his love is clouded by his pride.  Later, he is lost from Abilene when dropped off the side of a boat.  The rest of the story describes the different rials and situations Edward goes through to get back to his beloved Abilene.  Throughout the story, Edward realizes what unconditional love is.

This would be a great in the classroom because it is a story about being selfless and loving others.  This topic can be difficult to express; therefore, Edward Tulane is a great assistant in teaching this lesson!

Picture Book #8- Grandpa Green

TITLE: Grandpa Green
AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR: This book was written and illustrated by Lane Smith.
GENRE: Picture Book
THEME: Family and history
AWARDS: Caldecott Award
CHARACTERS: The character is Grandpa green

PUBLISHING DATE AND COMPANY:   Roaring Brook Press 2011

SUMMARY: Grandpa "Shortman" Green did many things in life; such as, get chicken pox, fight in world war II, and artwork (in the shrubbery department).  The reader follows Grandpa Green's great-grandson into Grandpa Green's garden where he created many different shapes and artworks in the shrubs.  Through these artworks the reader and the great-grandson see all the wonderful things his great-grandfather did.


This is a great book for the classroom because it gives retrospection to the reader about generations before us.  It will help children appreciate and understand older generations and family heritage. 

Picture Book #7- A Ball for Daisy

TITLE: A Ball for Daisy
AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR: Written and Illustrated by Chris Raschka.
GENRE: Wordless Picture Book
THEME: Realistic animal actions
AWARDS: Cadlecott Medal
CHARACTERS: The character is Daisy.

PUBLISHING DATE AND COMPANY:   Schwartz and Wade, 2011.

SUMMARY: This book illustrates a puppy playing will a ball and the excitement she shows from it.  
This book would be great for younger children.  The book could be used to express imagination in young readers as well as spark humor.

Picture Book #6- Abuela

TITLE: Abuela
AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR: This book was written by Arthur Dorros illustrated by Elisa Kleven.
GENRE: Picture Book
THEME: Family and heritage
AWARDS: n/a 
CHARACTERS: The characters are Rosalba and her grandmother.

PUBLISHING DATE AND COMPANY:   Puffin Books, 1997.

SUMMARY: While on a bus ride with her Abuela, Rosalba beings to imagine all the places they can go.  She begins to imagine them being able to fly and share many travels together.  This book incorporates Spanish Heritage (such as the language) as well as new cultural habitat.


Excellent book for expressing different cultures and different languages!

Picture Book 5- Love You Forever

TITLE: Love You Forever
AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR: This book was written by Robert N. Munsch and illustrated by Shelia McGraw.
GENRE: Picture Book 
THEME: Parents unending love for their child.
AWARDS: n/a
CHARACTERS: A mother and her son.
PUBLISHING DATE AND COMPANY:   Firefly Publishers published this in 1995.
SUMMARY: This story is about a mother who loves her child from the day of his birth.  Though he gets into trouble and does things she may not like, she always repeats "I will love you, forever".  Even as he grows into a man, she stills repeats the loving words to him.
This book is great for all people!  When reading it I wanted to go home and hug my mom!  This book would be great to read around Mother's Day to a class.

Picture Book #4- The Negro Speaks of Rivers

TITLE: The Negro Speaks of Rivers
AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR: This book was written by Langston Hughes and illustrated by E. B. Lewis.
GENRE: Picture Book and Poetry
THEME: African American connecting to their roots.
AWARDS: This book was awarded the Coretta Scott King award.
CHARACTERS: The character in the poem is the African-American people.
PUBLISHING DATE AND COMPANY:   Disney Jump at the Sun Books published the book in 2009.
SUMMARY: This book is a long poem that  Hughes writes discussing the African American Soul.  Hughes discusses the African-American nation and personifies it as a "river".
This book is excellent for showing poetry and the beautiful artwork!  It also would be great to tie in with History.

Picture Book #3 I Face the Wind

TITLE: I Face the Wind
AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR: This book was written by Vicki Cobb and illustrated by Julia Gorton.
GENRE: Picture Book and Non-Fiction
THEME: Imagination and  Scientific Reasoning
AWARDS: This book is a Robert E Sibert Honor book.
CHARACTERS:  The characters in the story are the readers.
PUBLISHING DATE AND COMPANY: This book was published in 2003 by the HarperCollins Publisher.
SUMMARY: This book is about different science experiments that explain the concept of air(from a scientific perspective) to young children.
This book would be great to put into a classroom in order to tie together reading and science.

Picture Book #2 Free Fall

TITLE: Free Fall
AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR: This book was written and illustrated by David Wiesner.
GENRE: Wordless Picture Book
THEME: Imagination is the most obvious theme throughout the book.
AWARDS: This book received the Caldecott Award.
CHARACTERS: The character in the book is the little boy who dreams.
PUBLISHING DATE AND COMPANY: This book was published in 1991 by HarperCollins.
SUMMARY: This book shows extreme imagination through the use of detailed images.  It starts with a little boy falling asleep while reading.  The reader then journeys with the little boy to a magicall land in which his dreams created.  In this imaginary land, chess pieces communicate and the little boy meets a dragon in a seemingly unpleasant situation.
This book would be great in the classroom to allow children to imagine and work their minds!

Picture Book 1- Click, Clack, Moo

TITLE: Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type

AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR: This book was written by Doreen Cronin and Illustrated by Betsy Lewin.

GENRE: Picture Book

THEME: The themes in the book are humor and collaboration in working together.

AWARDS: This book received the Caldecott award.

CHARACTERS: The characters are Farmer Brown and the Cows.

PUBLISHING DATE AND COMPANY: This book was published in in 2000 by Little Simon.

SUMMARY: This book is about Farmer Brown's cows who learnt to type after finding a type writer.  Their newly learned skills lead them to communicate with the Farmer about hilarious topics!


I would use this in my classroom if I were teaching a younger age.  Children would enjoy the humor as well as the illustrations.