Emily Goes Wild

Author: Betty Lou Phillips
Illustrator: Sharon Watts
Copyright: 2003     Genre:  Fiction-Picture Book       
Reading Level: Age 9    Activity Grade Level: Fourth Grade                                        Book Description: Madame DuBois had a little monkey, Emily that she adored. The monkey started causing trouble so she took it to a zoo. She missed Emily terribly, so she volunteered at the zoo to be with Emily.                                                   Integrated Activity: The students will compare and contrast the point of view from Madame DuBois and Emily after reading the story. 

Reviewers name and Affiliation:  Lexi Simmons  Valdosta State University

Safari

Author/Illustrator: Gail Tuchman Copyright: 2010
Genre: Non-Fiction, Factual
Reading Level: 6 and up+
Activity Grade Level: Kindergarten

Book Description: This book is a short book about what type of animals you will see when you go on a safari.
Integrated Idea: Learning about animals and their features, using the pictures in the book you can focus on safari animals and what they look like. Making a safari animal chart, and putting up pictures of the animals that belong verses animals that are seen daily such as house animals. (dogs, cats, guinea pigs,.. etc)

Big Al

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Andrew Clements/ Yoshi
PUBLISHER: Atheneum Books for Young Readers PUBLICATION DATE:1988
GENRE: Fiction PB READING LEVEL: Ages 9+

BRIEF OVERVIEW: It is about a big fish named Al who looks really scary but is actually very kind and just wants to make friends.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will write about a time when they were trying something new and it seemed scary at first but turned out to be a good thing or they will write about someone they thought was scary but once they got to know them they found out they were really nice and when they finish writing they will make a illustration to go with what they wrote using construction paper, markers, scissors, and glue.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: (Elizabeth Pearce, Valdosta State University ECSE)
LABELS: Fiction, Friendship, Animals

Quick as a Cricket

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Audrey Wood/Don Wood
PUBLISHER: MTwinn PUBLICATION DATE: 1982
GENRE: Fiction PB READING LEVEL: Ages 0-4
BRIEF OVERVIEW: A child describes himself as being quick and slow strong and weak the child makes different comparisons throughout the book
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will be given construction paper, markers, and crayons. They will fold the construction paper in half and on the front they will draw an image of themselves on the back they will write their names. On the inside of the paper they will make a comparison that they think describes themselves like the child in the book did and will draw illustrations to go with the written comparisons (i.e quick as and slow as).
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: (Elizabeth Pearce, Valdosta State University ECSE)
LABELS: Fiction, Comparison, Animals

Albert and Sarah Jane

TITLE: Albert and Sarah Jane
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Malachy Doyle/Jo Parry
PUBLISHER: QEB Publishing, Inc. PUBLICATION DATE: 2007
GENRE: Fiction PB READING LEVEL: 5-8 years
BRIEF OVERVIEW: Albert the dog and Sarah Jane the cat live together and are best friends, until one day when Albert eats Sarah Jane’s cat food. Sarah Jane gets mad and moves into the neighbor’s house until Albert comes and apologizes to her. Sarah Jane then moves back in with Albert.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will be given construction paper, tape, scissors, and markers and will be told to make their own Albert and Sarah Jane book. The book must include a front cover, back cover, and a title page for the book.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Hayley Morris, Valdosta State University ECSE
LABELS: Animals, Fiction, Friendship

The Big Fuzzy

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Caroline Castle/Daniel Howarth
PUBLISHER: QEB Publishing, Inc. PUBLICATION DATE: 2007
GENRE: Fiction PB READING LEVEL: 3rd Grade
BRIEF OVERVIEW: A little Inuit girls goes fishing with her brother strapped on her back. She gives the fish she catches to her brother who feeds them to a grizzly bear. The grizzly bear saves the children in the end of the story.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Give each student a sheet of wax paper and a lot of mini-marshmallows. Then let the students build an igloo. After they show their igloos, they can eat their marshmallows.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Hayley Morris, Valdosta State University ECSE
LABELS: Animals, Fiction, Weather

If Dogs Were Dinosaurs

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: David M. Schwartz/James Warhola
PUBLISHER: Scholastic Inc. PUBLICATION DATE: 2005
GENRE: Fiction PB READING LEVEL: 3rd Grade
BRIEF OVERVIEW: This book gives real examples of relative size. It makes learning about relative size fun and entertaining for children.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: My dog is a dinosaur: Give students a sheet of paper that has an ordinary dog on it. Then let the students paint on their dog and let them turn their dog into a dinosaur.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Hayley Morris, Valdosta State University ECSE
LABELS: Informational, Math, Animals

Princess and the Pea

Adapted from Hans Christian Andersen/illustration: Janet Stevens
PUBLISHER: Scholastic              PUBLICATION DATE: 1982
AWARDS: Booklist Critic's Choice, International Reading Association Children's ChoiceGENRE: Fiction                      READING LEVEL: Grade 2 BRIEF OVERVIEW: A lion prince travels with his mother to find him a wife to make princess with no success. One night a young lady showed at their home and asked for a place to sleep for the night out of the rain. The mother placed a single to test if she was fit for royalty. She passed the test, married the prince and was named princess.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Grade 3
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Shaneiga Prise Valdosta State University, ECSE
LABELS: princess, Animals, Fiction, peas, Folktale, 

Excuse Me, I'm Trying to Read!

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Mary Jo Amani/Lehla Eldridge

PUBLISHER: Mackinac Island Press  
PUBLICATION DATE:  2012
AWARDS: 2011 winner NAESP Children's Book Competition for Picture Books
GENRE: Fiction/Picture Book    
READING LEVEL: Ages 4-8

BRIEF OVERVIEW: A girl keeps trying to read a book, but she keeps getting interrupted by crazy, wild animals. The animals end up joining her and they have their own adventures.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Have the students draw a picture of their favorite animal that was in the book and an adventure that they have been on or would like to go on.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Katie Holliday, Valdosta State University ECSE)

LABELS: Reading, Animals, Fun

Joey's Horse

TITLE:  Joey's Horse

AUTHOR: James Ertel ILLUSTRATOR: Dan Siculan

PUBLISHER: The Southwestern Company       PUBLICATION DATE: 1973

GENRE: Realistic Fiction                     READING LEVEL:6-8

BRIEF OVERVIEW: A boy has to sell his horse, but the horse wants to stay with Joey. After being sold, the horse makes her way back to Joey.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: You can make horses out of playdoh or clay. Another activity could be to make a booklet with your own three short stories.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Emily Lewis, Valdosta State University ECSE

LABELS: realistic fiction, animals, friendship

Pigs Can't Fly

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Ben Cort

PUBLISHER: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. 

PUBLICATION DATE:  2002

GENRE: Fiction/ Picture Book        

READING LEVEL:  Grade 3

BRIEF OVERVIEW: PIG IS BORED! To entertain himself, he tries to find other animals that seem to have more fun and imitate them. In the end, Pig finds out it is always more fun to just be yourself.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will be given a pre-cut pig template (made from construction paper). They will decorate it as one of the animals Pig pretended to be in the story.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Hillary Crosby, Valdosta State University ECSE

LABELS: Comedy, Fiction, picture book, self discovery, Animals, 

The Tenth Good Thing about Barney

AUTHOR: Judith Viorst ILLUSTRATOR: Erik Blegvad

PUBLISHER: Atheneum Books for Young Readers   PUBLICATION DATE: 1987

GENRE:    fiction                    READING LEVEL: 5-8

BRIEF OVERVIEW: This story is about how a young boy copes with the death of his cat, Barney, by listing ten things about it.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: The students can draw a picture of their pet and tell you three good things about that pet.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Emily Lewis, Valdosta State University ECSE

LABELS: fiction, animals, death

Guess How Much I Love You

TITLE:  Guess How Much I Love You

AUTHOR: Sam McBratney

ILLUSTRATOR: Anita Jeram

PUBLISHER: Walker Books                      PUBLICATION DATE:  1994

AWARDS:  ALA Notable Children’s Books (1996)

GENRE: Fiction/Picture Book            READING LEVEL:  Grade 3

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Right before bed time, Little Nutbrown Hare wanted to be sure Big Nutbrown Hare knew just how much he loved him by comparing it to how high he can hop and how wide he can reach. However, Big Nutbrown Hare can hop even higher and reach wider that Little Nutbrown Hare to show his love. 

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Have the children write a show narrative about how much they love someone, whether it be a mother, father, brother, or friend. Then have them draw a picture to match their narrative.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Hillary Crosby, Valdosta State University ECSE

LABELS: bedtime, Animals, award-winning, children's book