Tuesday

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: David Weisner

PUBLISHER: Haughton Mifflin Harcourt         PUBLICATION DATE:  1991

AWARDS:  Caldecott Award

GENRE: Picture Book                     READING LEVEL:  N/A Wordless PB

BRIEF OVERVIEW: On what the reader knows is a Tuesday, frogs begin to float on Lilly pads and fly from their swamp into the city. Then, at the end of the night, their magic Lilly pads stop flying. The reader is left to wonder what will fly next Tuesday. (Maybe pigs?)

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: This would be a great for a science unit that describes characteristics of frogs. (Can frogs really fly?)

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Serena Martin, Valdosta State University ECSE

LABELS: Frogs, Flying, Science

Space

Author: Sarah Powell Illustrator: Nicola Friggens Copyright:2011
Genre: Non-Fiction
Reading Level: 8 and up+
Activity Grade Level: Fifth Grade
Book Description: This book tells the reader all about the solar system and each planet. It has descriptions about the climates, size, and location, of each planet.
Integrated Idea: Making a model of one or more plants based off of the descriptions uses in the book. (Color, relative size, name, location, atmosphere, .. etc)
Reviewer name and Affiliation : Jordan Rackley, Valdosta State University

Things That Float and Things That Don’t

TITLE: Things That Float and Things That Don’t
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: David A. Adler/ Anna Raff
PUBLISHER: Holiday House, Inc. PUBLICATION DATE: 2013
AWARDS: Booklist 2013 Lasting Connections, Science; NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12: 2014; AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prizes for Excellence in Science Books, 2014 Finalist, Children’s Picture Books
GENRE: Nonfiction/ Informational READING LEVEL: age 8
BRIEF OVERVIEW: Book introduces the science concept of Density through exploration and activities that allow a hands and visual approach with simple experiments. This book will help children understand why large objects such a boat can float and a penny as small as it is can sink.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will practice the scientific method by conducting experiments. They will predict if an object will float or sink using a clear container with water. Teacher can use objects like pennies, pencils, marbles, foam, rubber duck, ping pong ball, etc. To add a challenge to some students teacher can also have the students predict if an orange with a peel will sink or float and if an orange without a peel will sink or float. Students are to record data on a data table.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: ( Nancy Guerrero, Valdosta State University ECSE)
LABELS: Science, nonfiction, educational

Flotsam

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: David Wiesner
PUBLISHER: Clarion/Houghton Mifflin PUBLICATION DATE: 2006
AWARDS: 2007 Caldcott Medal
GENRE: Fiction READING LEVEL: Wordless picture book
BRIEF OVERVIEW: A beachcombing boy finds an interesting item washed ashore while collecting beach artifacts.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Write the backstory for one of the scenes in the pictures the boy has developed. Write a story about the boy on page 25. (Who is he? Was this his camera? How did it get into the ocean?)
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Rhonda Herb, Valdosta State University ECSE
LABELS: Science, Writing

The Tree Lady

TITLE: The Tree Lady: The Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: H. Joseph Hopkins/Jill McElmurry
PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster               PUBLICATION DATE: 2013 
AWARDS:  Booklist 2013 Top 10 Books for Youth, Science & Health; Booklist Top 10 Books for Youth 2013: Crafts and Gardening; 2014 Irma Black Award Finalist; Booklist Top 10 Books for Youth 2014, Sustainability; 2014 Amelia Bloomer Project List, Early Readers Nonfiction; Booklist 2014 Top 10 Books for Youth, Biography
GENRE: Nonfiction/informational picture book READING LEVEL: Third grade
BRIEF OVERVIEW: Tells the story of green-thumbed pioneer and activist Kate Sessions, helped San Diego grow from a dry desert town into a lush, leafy city known for its gorgeous parks and gardens.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Use this book to lead into a lesson about plant life cycle. 
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: (Jasmine Nall, Valdosta State University ECED)
LABELS: nature, nonfiction, science, biography

The Animals Who Changed Their Colors

TITLE:  The Animals Who Changed Their Colors

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR:  Pascale Allamand , English version by Elizabeth Watson Taylor

PUBLISHER:  William Morrow& Co      PUBLICATION DATE:  1979

GENRE:  Fiction Picture Book                           READING LEVEL:  Eight Year Old

BRIEF OVERVIEW:  A polar bear, whale, tortoise, and crocodiles want to have the same beautiful colors as the parrot.  Each of these animals discover that it made no sense to change their colors.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY:  While working in groups of four to six, students will write the physical traits of an assigned animal, that help to protect it in its environment and what may happen without these traits.  For language arts, students will follow up with a creative writing  about their own individuality.  

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION:  (Kimberly Hansen,  Valdosta State University ECSE)

LABELS: ( animals, science, writing, environment )

Freddy the Frogcaster

TITLE: Freddy the Frogcaster

AUTHOR: Janice Dean             ILLUSTRATOR: Russ Cox

PUBLISHER: Regnery Kids     PUBLICATION DATE: August 26, 2013

GENRE: Realistic Fiction          READING LEVEL: 3^rd grade  

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Freddy loves weather and everything that it entails. When the regular weather forecaster is out on maternity leave, Freddy predicts the weather and helps save the town picnic.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Have students make replicas of Freddy’s weather instruments. Start learning about different types of clouds and weather patterns. Have them make and label different clouds and explain what they mean.  

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

LABELS: science, weather, realistic fiction

Solar System

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Gregory Vogt

PUBLISHER: Scholastic Paperbacks

PUBLICATION DATE: 2003

GENRE: Nonfictional/Informational Picture Book

READING LEVEL: Ages 6-8

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Tells about the sun, moon, and planets. Shows readers pictures of each planet and shows comparison between the sun and moon.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Give students foam balls and have them create their favorite planet using provided decorations.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Courtney Taylor, Valdosta State University ECSE

Astronaut Living in Space

ILLUSTRATION JPEG:

TITLE:  Astronaut Living in Space

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Author: Kate Hayden

                                             Illustrator: Peter Dennis

PUBLISHER: DK Publishing                      PUBLICATION DATE: 2000

GENRE: General Nonfiction                      

READING LEVEL: Grades K-2

BRIEF OVERVIEW: This book tells the story of an astronaut living on a space shuttle. It discusses the steps and required training to becoming an astronaut. It describes the space shuttle and it talks about the daily routines in the life on an astronaut in space.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Have students imagine they were the first kid chosen to spend a week in space. Ask them to write a short story about what they think their experience would be like. Ask them to include information about the food they would eat, the clothes they would wear, and what they might do for fun.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: (Devin Jones, Valdosta State University ECSE)

LABELS: (science, picture book, space).