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Valdosta, GA, United States
Welcome to: A Book or Two: Children's Literature Reviews, a blog site that offers information on new, classic, and favorite children's literature, reviewed by university professors, classroom teachers, librarians, and those studying to become teachers. We hope you will find "just the right book" to share with others. Our goal is to keep the site updated with information about children's authors, book awards, and new releases. Each entry will include the book cover picture, a brief overview, bibliographic information, and suggested uses for families, librarians, and teachers. We will categorize books in several different ways, to facilitate searching.

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Showing posts with label Social Studies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Social Studies. Show all posts

10/23/14

Jackie's Bat

AUTHOR: Marybeth Lorbiecki
ILLUSTRATOR: Brian Pinkney
PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster PUBLICATIONS DATE : 2006
GENRE: Fiction READING LEVEL: 3rd Grade
BRIEF OVERVIEW: A bat boy in 1947 meets the first professional black baseball player, Jackie Robinson. In watching Jackie, the bat boy learns what it really means to be a man and not judge one by the color of their skin.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will integrate this with their social studies and research ways the Bill of Rights has affected both women and black people in America.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Serena Martin, Valdosta State University ECSE
LABELS: History, Sports, Heroes, and Social Studies

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10/22/14

Madeline at the White House

Author/ Illustrator: John Bemelmans Marciano
Copyright 2011
Genre: Picture Book
Reading Level: 7 and up+
Activity Grade Level: Second Grade

Book Description: It is about a young girl who visited the white house, on this journey she made a new friend in the presidents daughter and went on a magically trip around DC. The trip goes into details and shows the different monuments and places that you can visit around DC. 
Integrated Idea: Have the students draw a picture and write a summary of what they would do if they got to visit DC, and the White House. Include who they think would be there, and why?

Reviewer's Name & Affiliation: Jordan Rackley, Valdosta State University 

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The Librarian of Basra


AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Jeanette Winter
PUBLISHER: Harcourt Books PUBLICATION DATE: 2005
GENRE: Non-Fiction READING LEVEL: 3rd Grade
BRIEF OVERVIEW: This is a true story about the heroic efforts of a woman who is passionate about saving her town’s precious books during war.
    INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Design and decorate book covers to     demonstrate the importance of reading, taking care of books, and sharing kindness.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Rhonda Herb, Valdosta State University ECSE
LABELS: Reading, War, Heros, Books, Social Studies, Art

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A New Year's Reunion


AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Yu Li-Qiong /Zhu Cheng-Liang
PUBLISHER: Hsin Yi Pulbications PUBLICATION DATE: 2008
AWARDS: New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book 2011
GENRE: Fiction READING LEVEL: 2nd grade
BRIEF OVERVIEW: Maomao’s father works far away and only comes home for Chinese New Year.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Explain that the dragon dance scares away the evil spirits and ushers in a happy new year.
Make dragon masks and make up a dragon dance.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Rhonda Herb, Valdosta State University ECSE
LABELS: China, Family, Fine Arts, Social Studies
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10/21/14

Moonstick: The Seasons of the Sioux

TITLE:  Moonstick: The Seasons of the Sioux
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Eve Bunting/John Sandford
PUBLISHER: Baker & Taylor, CATS    PUBLICATION DATE:  2009
GENRE: Fables                       READING LEVEL:  2nd grade.
BRIEF OVERVIEW: A young Indian boy describes the changes that come both in nature and in the life of his people with each new moon of the Sioux year.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students can make their own Moonstick and decorate it using provided crafts. They can then write about their moonstick and give it a specific name.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Katie Prescott, Valdosta State University ECSE
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10/19/14

Count the Monkeys

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Mac Barnett/ Kevin Cornell
PUBLISHER:  Disney Hyperion              PUBLICATION DATE: 06/25/2013
GENRE: Fiction PB or Concept Book                     READING LEVEL:  (Pre-k)
BRIEF OVERVIEW: The monkeys have been scared off by a chain of people and animals that the readers can count across the country.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students with help of teachers, will research monkeys and share what they found with a think out loud discussion.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: (Jasmine Rozier, Valdosta State University ECSE)
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12/5/13

My Fellow Americans: A Family Album

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Alice Provensen
PUBLISHER: HMH Books for Young Readers
PUBLICATION DATE: 1995
GENRE: History/Social Studies Biography
READING LEVEL: Sixth
BRIEF OVERVIEW: Various biographies telling about the exploits of well known Americans throughout history. 
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY:  Use this to review several different Americans briefly to introduce them for things such as research papers and projects.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION
: Nicole Stuart- Valdosta State University



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11/22/13

THE REVOLUTIONARY FIELD TRIP


AUTHOR: SUSAN KATZ
ILLUSTRATOR: R.W. ALLEY 
PUBLISHER: SIMSON AND SCHUSTER CHILDREN'S PUBLISHING                         PUBLICATION DATE: 2004
GENRE: POETRY-POEM
READING LEVEL: 4TH-5TH GRADE
BRIEF OVERVIEW: THIS IS ABOUT A CLASS THAT TAKES A FIELD TRIP TO THE REVOLUTION. THEY DISCOVER WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE IN THE REVOLUTIONARY ERA. 
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: 5TH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES- HAVE THE STUDENTS WRITE ABOUT WHAT LIFE IS LIKE TODAY IN COMPARISON TO WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE IN THE REVOLUTION. 
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: MYRA CERECERO, VSU STUDENT


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11/18/13

Nine for California

Title: Nine for California
AUTHOR:Sonia Levitin
ILLUSTRATOR: Cat Bowman Smith
PUBLISHER: Orchard Books              
PUBLICATION DATE: 1996
GENRE: Historical Fiction              
READING LEVEL: Ages 5-8
BRIEF OVERVIEW:A family travels twenty-one days across the United States to California to be with their Pa. The family experiences robbers, Indians, buffalo, and other things along the way.
 INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Teach students about the gold rush to California. Discuss what times were like during the gold rush. Have students write three things they learned about the gold rush and traveling by wagons.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Shayla Samaras Valdosta State University
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Who was Thomas Alva Edison?

 










Title: Who was Thomas Alva Edison?
Author: Margaret Frith
Illustrator: John O'Brien & Nancy Harrison
Publisher: Grosset and Dunlap
Publication Date: December 29, 2005
Genre: Biography
Reading Level: Eight years old
Brief Overview: This book is a biography of Thomas Edison. The book discusses many of Edison's inventions. The book also discusses Edison's life as a creative child.
Integrated Activity: The students will write a one page paper using beginning, middle, and end about Thomas Edison. The paper should focus on his key inventions.
Reviewers name and affiliation: Brittany Hutchins, VSU
Labels: History, Social Studies
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Johnny Appleseed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Title: Johnny Appleseed

Author: Jodie Shepherd

Illustrator: Masumi Furukawa

Publisher: Cartwheel Books

Publication Date: July 1, 2010

Genre: Biography

Reading Level: Five

Brief Overview: This book is a biography of Johnny Appleseed. The book goes through when he was a young boy to spreading apple trees all over the United States.

Intergrated Activity: Have the students puta timeline of printed pictures together. The teacher will provide the pictures. After they have successfully put the pictures in order, they will be stapled, then colored. They will then have built their own educational book.

Reviewers Name & Affiliation: Brittany Hutchins, VSU

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