Magritte's Marvelous Hat

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: D.B. Johnson

PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster     
PUBLICATION DATE: 2012
GENRE: Fiction READING LEVEL: 1^st Grade
BRIEF OVERVIEW: A painter buys a hat that floats above his head. The hat helps him paint better, but one day flies away. Eventually, however, the painter tricks the hat into returning.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: The children will bring a favorite hat to school and wear it while painting. (Ask: Did it help you paint better?)
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Serena Martin, Valdosta State University ECSE
LABELS: Art, Reading, Dogs, Hats

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

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

Read to Tiger

AUTHOR:  S. J. Fore

ILLUSTRATOR:  R. W. Alley

PUBLISHER: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated              PUBLICATION DATE: 2010

GENRE: Fiction Picture Book    READING LEVEL:  K

BRIEF OVERVIEW:  While Max is trying to settle down and read, Tiger is doing various things to try and get attention.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY:  Have students draw a picture of their favorite place to read.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION:  (Desiree Robison-Juan,Valdosta State University ECSE)

LABELS:  animals, determination, reading

I Still Hate to Read

TITLE:  I Still Hate to Read

AUTHOR: Rita Marshall      ILLUSTRATOR: Etienne Delessert

PUBLISHER: Creative Company              PUBLICATION DATE:  September 1, 2008

GENRE: Fiction Picture Book                READING LEVEL:  3^rd grade

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Victor really hates reading—so everyone thinks. But when he is all alone with his faithful dog, Page, books come alive and all imagination is explored.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Have students write a “diary” entry with a secret of their own.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Faith Summers,Valdosta State University ECSE

LABELS: reading, picture book, children’s book

The Pagemaster

AUTHOR: David Kirschner, Ernie Contreras

ILLUSTRATOR: Jerry Tiritilli

PUBLISHER: Turner Publishing

PUBLICATION DATE: 1993

GENRE: Fictional Book

READING LEVEL: Fifth Grade

BRIEF OVERVIEW: A story about a boy who goes through life afraid to takes chances but when he is pulled in to the adventures of story books, he learns through the characters that life is all about taking chances.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Teach readers that you can learn from books and that taking chances is okay to do. 

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

FANCY NANCY SPECTACULAR SPECTACLES

AUTHOR: JANE O' CONNER 

ILLUSTRATOR: BETSY LEWIN 

PUBLISHER: HARPERCOLLINS                   

PUBLICATION DATE: 2010

GENRE: FICTION                     

READING LEVEL: KINDERGARTEN-1ST

BRIEF OVERVIEW: THIS BOOK IS ABOUT NANCY'S FRIEND BREE WHO IS HAVING A HARD TIME READING BOOKS BECAUSE SHE CANNOT SEE VERY WELL. BREE GETS READING GLASSES TO HELP HER READ, AND NANCY ALSO WANTS TO GET GLASSES BECAUSE SHE LIKES THE WAY THEY LOOK. NANCY ENDS UP MAKING FAKE FANCY GLASSES SO SHE CAN ALSO READ WITH GLASSES. 

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: 1ST GRADE- HAVE THE STUDENTS MAKE FANCY GLASSES OUT OF OLD SUNGLASSES. STUDENTS CAN MAKE INDEX CARDS WITH THE VOCABULARY WORDS IN THE BOOK WHILE WEARING THIER FANCY GLASSES. 

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: MYRA CERECERO, VSU STUDENT 

How Rocket Learned to Read

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Tad Hills
PUBLISHER: Schwartz & Wade              
PUBLICATION DATE:  July 27, 2010
AWARDS:  2010 Parent’s Choice Silver Award, 2011National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) Honors Award
GENRE: Fiction Picture Book          
READING LEVEL: Kindergarten- 2^nd grade
BRIEF OVERVIEW: When Rocket falls asleep under a sign on a tree he finds himself as the only student of a little yellow bird. The bird teaches Rocket his alphabet and how to read. While the bird flies south for the winter Rocket continues to learn.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: There is now an app for iPads based on this book where kids can learn and improve their reading. They can practice letter recognition, and even tap on the words in the story to hear pronunciation.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Kayla Rozier, VSU