Nutcracker

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Emma Helbrough/Anna Luraschi
PUBLISHER: Usborne Publishing Ltd. PUBLICATION DATE:2004
GENRE: Traditional Euro Fiction READING LEVEL: Ages 5-8
BRIEF OVERVIEW:It is about a girl who goes on an adventure with a nutcracker prince.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will be given construction paper and markers. They will make an illustration of an adventure they have been on. When they all finish students will swap illustrations and another student will try to put the illustration they got into words.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: (Elizabeth Pearce, Valdosta State University ECSE)
LABELS: Fiction, Fairy tale, adventure

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

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

Boxes for Katje

AUTHOR: Candace Fleming ILLUSTRATOR: Stacey Dresses-McQueen

PUBLISHER: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux     PUBLICATION DATE:  9/12/2003

AWARDS:  Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2003, Washington D.C. Capitol Choice Book Award Nominee

GENRE: Historical Fiction        READING LEVEL:  7 to 8 years old

BRIEF OVERVIEW: A young girl living in Holland receives packages from a girl living in the USA. They become pen pals and the entire town is affected. The book looks at the war from a different perspective than why and who is involved. Students can see themes such as suspense, different cultures, and giving to others.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: FINE ARTS: Have students begin collecting items to send to another country for Christmas; candy, small toys, tooth brushes, and tooth paste. Use some sort of organization such as Operation Christmas Child to send the items to other boys and girls. 

ENGLISH: Write a letter to Katje and her community telling them items you would send. Have the students tell her a little bit about themselves and their families. 

SOCIAL STUDIES/GEOGRAPHY: Discuss where Holland is on the map. Look at climate, surrounding countries, and customs. Discover how far away Holland is from the classroom using Google Maps.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Heather Ganas, Valdosta State University ECSE

The Dumpster Diver

AUTHOR: Janet S. Wong ILLUSTRATOR: David Roberts

PUBLISHER: Candlewick Press         PUBLICATION DATE:  2/13/2007

GENRE: Adventure Comedy Fiction   READING LEVEL: 2^nd Grade

BRIEF OVERVIEW: One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Mr. Steve and three kids from the apartment dumpster dive to find treasures they can reuse and make into new creations. When Mr. Steve gets hurt they have to stop. They find ways to work together and help solve the problem.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: FINE ARTS: Bring in assorted “trash” items and have the students work in groups to create treasure that can be used to help someone out. Perhaps encourage the students to bring in unwanted items, examples would include egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, and non perishable items. Can be set up as a free center activity.

ENGLISH: Have the students create a name for the item they created with the “trash” items. Have them examine the letters they used, count the letters, and see what other words they can make from these letters.

SCIENCE: Discuss landfills and how the garbage system works in your town. Find out where exactly all our trash goes and who has to deal with it. Look at the effects of garbage on the environment. Have the students research ways to conserve items and reuse and recycle things.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Heather Ganas, Valdosta State University ECSE

Big Black Bear

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Wong Herbert Yee

PUBLISHER: HMH Books for Young Reader

PUBLICATION DATE: March 3, 1996 

GENRE: general fiction picture book  READING LEVEL: Kindergarten

BRIEF OVERVIEW: A bear barges into a girl’s house. He is rude and does not listen. Then bear’s parent comes in and stops the madness.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: 

FINE ARTS: Draw the girls house or give students a template or blue print of the house. Have them draw different features in the girls house, such as the bear, the girl, couches, and chairs. Give them labels to mark their items for the house.

ENGLISH: Write all the words that you can think of that start with the letter B. Give every student a different letter and have them come up with a three word title for a book. The catch is they must make every word begin with their letter.

SCIENCE: Begin a lesson about bears and their natural habitat. What they need to survive and how they are needed in the environment. Play the live web cam for black bears at the zoo. www.bear.org/website/live-cameras/holly-bears-den-cam-live.html

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Heather Ganas, Valdosta State University ECSE

LABELS: black, picture book, friendship 

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

The Rainbow Fish

TITLE:  The Rainbow Fish

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Marcus Pfister

PUBLISHER: North-South Books                        PUBLICATION DATE: 1992

GENRE: Fiction/ Picture Books                 

READING LEVEL: Grade 3

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Rainbow Fish is exceptionally beautiful. However, he is also vain, which, in turn, makes him a very unhappy fish. In order to become happy, he is advised by the wise Octopus to give away his shiny scales. At first, Rainbow Fish says he cannot do such a thing, but in the end offers one to each fish trying to befriend him. He became a very happy fish.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Have a pre-cut construction paper fish, each with multiple scales drawn on. Have the children color the fish any way they want, then allow them to apply glue and glitter (with help from the teacher) to ONE scale.  

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

LABELS: Friendship, Beauty, sea creatures, Fiction, picture book,