Keeping the Night Watch

Author: Hope Anita Smith
Illustrator: E.B. Lewis
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Publication Date: March 18, 2008
Awards: 2009 Bank Street- Best Children's Book of the Year
Genre: Narrative Verse
Reading Level: Third Grade
Brief Overview: The book is about a thirteen year old boy wose father left his family. While his father was was gone the young boy had to carry the extra weight that his father carried before he left. His father returns and the boy is unable to forgive his father. The book is full of poetry about healing as a family.
Integrated Idea: Have students pick out a poem from the book and write in a one paragraph summary what they think the poet means. Then have the students share their ideas of the poem they dissected.
Reviwers name and affiliation: Brittany Hutchins, VSU

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

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

Lables:

The Honeybee Man

AUTHOR: Lela Nargi

ILLUSTRATOR: Kyrsten Brooker 

PUBLISHER: Schwartz & Wade              

PUBLICATION DATE:  2011

AWARDS: A Junior Library Guild Selection, a Bank Street College

of Education Best Book of the Year, a Cook Prize Honor Book, 

and a NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book

GENRE: Realistic Fiction                      

READING LEVEL: Ages 4-8

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Fred is an elderly bee keeper. He makes honey from his three bee hives. This story tells about how bees make their honey and how Fred puts the honey in a jar. This book tells a story but uses facts about bee keeping throughout.

 INTEGRATED ACTIVITY:  Have the students decorate a bee and put it on a large bee hive. Discuss how important bees are to pollinating flowers and making delicious treats like honey.
Bring some honey in for the class to try. 

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Shayla Samaras Valdosta State University 

"Stand Back," Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!"

Title: "Stand Back," Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!"

AUTHOR: Patricia Thomas

ILLUSTRATOR: Wallace Tripp

PUBLISHER: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books                

PUBLICATION DATE: April 23,1990

GENRE: Juvenile Fiction                       

READING LEVEL: Ages 4-8

BRIEF OVERVIEW:Oh, no! The elephant thinks he is going to sneeze! This book is about the animals’ reaction to the elephant fixing to sneeze. They talk about how bad it was the last time he sneezed. The story rhymes through-out. 

 INTEGRATED ACTIVITY:  Ask students if they noticed the rhyming in the book. Discuss what rhyming means. Go around the room having students say some words they know that rhyme or one they heard in the book that rhymed. Have your students draw a picture form the book and create their own rhyming words to go along with it. 

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Shayla Samaras Valdosta State University 

Red Eyes or Blue Feathers

Title: Red Eyes or Blue Feathers

Author: Patricia M. Stockland

Illustrator: Todd Ouren

PUBLISHER: Picture Window Books              

PUBLICATION DATE: 2005

AWARDS: National Science Teachers Association and the Children's Book Council

GENRE: Informational Text                    

READING LEVEL: Ages 5-8

BRIEF OVERVIEW:  In this book, students learn about different animals and their camouflage. Different animals blend in to their habitats in order to be safe from predators.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY:   Have students do research on an animal assigned to them.Let the focus be on how the animal blends into its environment. Use examples from the book. 

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Shayla Samaras Valdosta State University

Amelia Bedelia’s Family Album

AUTHOR: Peggy Parish

ILLUSTRATOR: Lynn Sweat

 PUBLISHER: Greenwillow Books PUBLICATION DATE: 1988

AWARDS:

GENRE:   Realistic Fiction                      

READING Grade Level:  1^st

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Amelia Bedelia shares her family album with Mr. and Mrs. Roger.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will bring in a photo of their family and explain to what each family member does.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Nia Ward, Valdosta State University soon-to-be teacher.

The Frog Prince

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR:Sandra Boynton

PUBLISHER: Usborne Books 
PUBLICATION DATE: 2005    GENRE:  Fiction                      

READING Grade Level:  2^nd

BRIEF OVERVIEW: A retelling of the story of a very naughty princess and a frog. Short chapters for newly independent readers.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will identify a list a trivia questions using the chapters in the book as a tool to help find the answers.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Nia Ward, Valdosta State University soon-to-be teacher.

Snuggle Puppy

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR:  Sandra Boynton

 PUBLISHER: Workman Publishing Company
 PUBLICATION DATE: 2003

GENRE:   Fiction                      

READING Grade Level:  Pre-K  

BRIEF OVERVIEW: A big dog sings to its little puppy.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will color in an illustration of a puppy.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Nia Ward, Valdosta State University soon-to-be teacher.

We March

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Shane Evans  

 PUBLISHER: Roaring Brook Press PUBLICATION DATE: 2012

GENRE:  Realistic Fiction                      

READING Grade Level: Kindergarten  

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Illustrations and brief text portray the events of the 1963 march in Washington, DC.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will chronologically place printed out illustration from the text in order of which they happened. 

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Nia Ward, Valdosta State University soon-to-be teacher.

Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School

AUTHOR: Herman Parish 

ILLUSTRATOR: Lynne Avril

 PUBLISHER: Greenwillow Books PUBLICATION DATE: 2011

GENRE: Fiction                      

READING Grade Level: 2^nd

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Its Amelia Bedelia’s first day a school, and she just loves it all.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will write about their first day of school, and illustrate a picture of them on that day.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Nia Ward, Valdosta State University soon-to-be teacher.

Beware of the Frog

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: William Bee  

PUBLISHER: Candlewick PUBLICATION DATE: 2008             GENRE: Fiction                      

READING Grade Level: 1^st

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Billy does not care about anything until the tables turn.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will illustrate the cover of this book using construction paper.

 REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Nia Ward, Valdosta State University soon-to-be teacher.

Pete The Cat and His four Groovy Buttons

AUTHOR: Eric Litwin

ILLUSTRATOR: James Dean

 PUBLISHER: Merrymakers Distribution PUBLICATION DATE: 2012

AWARDS: An ALA Notable Children's Book for Younger Readers (2013), Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor (2013)

GENRE: Fiction                      

READING Grade Level: 1^st

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Pete the cat has on his favorite shirt with his four groovy buttons and sings a song about it.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will create a shirt out of construction paper; they will then glue 4 bottoms that they have painted on the paper.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Nia Ward, Valdosta State University soon-to-be teacher.

Itty Bitty

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Cece Bell      PUBLISHER: Candlewick

PUBLICATION DATE: 2009

GENRE: Fiction                      

READING Grade Level: Kindergarten 

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Itty Bitty is a very tiny dog that found an enormous bone. Itty Bitty make this enormous bone feel like home, by filling it up with itty bitty things.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will fold a paper in half then cut and paste different pieces of itty bitty items that they like to fill up his or her paper

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Nia Ward, Valdosta State University soon-to-be teacher.

Who Has What?: All About Girls' Bodies and Boys' Bodies

AUTHOR: Robie H. Harris

 ILLUSTRATOR: Nadine Bernard Westcott

PUBLISHER: Candlewick

PUBLICATION DATE: 2011

GENRE: Non-Fiction                      

READING Grade Level: 1st 

BRIEF OVERVIEW: This book provides easy-to-understand facts and answers children’s questions about the human body in a thoughtful way.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will identify all things both sex have in common. 

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Nia Ward, Valdosta State University soon-to-be teacher.

Black? White! Day? Night!

AUTHOR/ ILLUSTRATOR: Laura Vaccaro Seeger

PUBLISHER: Roaring Brook Press; First Edition              

PUBLICATION DATE: 2006

GENRE: Non-Fiction                      

READING Grade Level: 1st

BRIEF OVERVIEW:  A book of opposites

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will be given a list of ideas that correspond with the book and they much find the opposite of each.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Nia Ward, Valdosta State University soon-to-be teacher.

Anansi the Spider

Author/Illustrator: Gerald McDermott

PUBLISHER: Henry Holt and Company             

PUBLICATION DATE: June 18, 2009  AWARDS: Caldecott Medal

GENRE: Folktale                      READING LEVEL: Ages 4-7

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Anansi the Spider is a tale about Anansi and his six sons. Anansi falls into trouble, and all six of his sons come to his rescue. To reward them Anansi finds a shining globe of light. However, he cannot decide who to give it to. He asks his god to hold onto it until he can decide. When his god sees the sons fighting over who deserves the light, he decided to keep it in the sky. Thus giving us the moon.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: This is a great book to teach students about folktales and specifically African folktales. Students can learn all about Africa and the different stories that come from Africa. Then the students can write and illustrate their own African folktale. 

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Shayla Samaras Valdosta State University

Basketball Belles

TITLE:  Basketball Belles

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Sue Macy/Matt Collins
PUBLISHER: Holiday House  PUBLICATION DATE:2011
GENRE: Biography      READING LEVEL:  4^th   Gr
BRIEF OVERVIEW: The first women’s basketball game that was ever played and how that paved the way for women’s basketball.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Write about the history of  a sport that is loved by everyone.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Jacob Bishoff Valdosta State University

Good Boy Fergus!

Good Boy Fergus!

TITLE:  Good Boy Fergus!
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: David Shannon
PUBLISHER: Scholastic Inc.  PUBLICATION DATE:2006
GENRE: Fiction READING LEVEL:  2^nd  
BRIEF OVERVIEW: Fergus the little dog has a full day of going and we as readers fallow him throughout his journey of the day. He ends up back at his house eating then going to sleep.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Draw a picture book on the different animals that are known to them.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Jacob Bishoff Valdosta State University

Tommie Turtle's Secret

TITLE:  Tommie Turtle’s Secret

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Robert Z. Hicks/Ruthi Rolseth
PUBLISHER: Publishing Pofessonals of Pasco  PUBLICATION DATE:2007
GENRE: Narrative        READING LEVEL:  4^th
BRIEF OVERVIEW: The book is about a rabbit that is not very nice and a turtle that teaches him a lesson in humility so that he will stop being hatful.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Write different kinds of examples of how bullys act then give examples of how to act.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Jacob Bishoff Valdosta State University

Stone Soup

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Marilyn Sapienza/ Hans Wilhelm
PUBLISHER: Weekly Reader Books   
PUBLICATION DATE:1986
GENRE: Classic Fiction         READING LEVEL:  4^th
BRIEF OVERVIEW: The story has a little trickery in it with two pigs that came into a town and were hungry and found no food. Tricking the town’s people into putting in a lot of their own stuff making soup.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Write different kinds of soup that are fictional but fun to prepare.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Jacob Bishoff Valdosta State University

Harriet's Horrible Hair Day

Harriet’s Horrible Hair Day

TITLE:  Harriet’s Horrible Hair Day

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Dawn Lesley Stewart/ Michael P. White
PUBLISHER: Peachtree    PUBLICATION DATE:2000
GENRE: Fiction  READING LEVEL:  4^th
BRIEF OVERVIEW: A hummer’s book about Harriet’s hair and her sibling’s trying to help fix it. The book uses numbers as well as family values to describe how to fix her hair.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Write storys about how sibilings help each other in the strangest ways.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Jacob Bishoff Valdosta State University

We are the Ship

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Kadir Nelson
PUBLISHER: Jump at the sun/Hyperion   PUBLICATION DATE:2008
GENRE: Non- fiction    READING LEVEL:  4^th
BRIEF OVERVIEW: A story about the negro baseball league that started in the 1920’s and the men that made it what it was. It goes through the life of the unsung heroes that crossed the line of segregation to do what they love play baseball.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Write storys about what could have happed to the men in the story.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Jacob Bishoff -  Valdosta State University
AWARDS: The Robert F. Sibert Medal; Coretta Scott King Award