Stuck by Oliver Jeffers

author and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
Copyright: 2011 Reading Level: PreK-3rd grade
Book Description: A book about a boy who gets his kite stuck in a tree. He continues to throw objects into the tree to retrieve the previous object thrown, because strangely enough, each and every object seems to get stuck in the tree. Surely there must be at least one object he can throw up in the tree to get the objects unstuck. Integrated Idea: Think about the different sizes of the items that Floyd throws in the tree. How long / tall / heavy is each one? How could you measure them? What units of measurement would we need to use? Could you make a list showing the measurements of each item and use these to make a graph? 

Reviewer's Name and affiliation: Bethany A. Loggins, Valdosta State University

A Ball For Daisy by Chris Raschka

A Ball For Daisy author and illustrator: Chris Raschka
Copyright: 2011 Reading Level: Ages 3-7 
Book Description: Daisy is a playful puppy who loves her ball. She and her owner make a trip to the park to play where she finds another dog to play with her and her ball. The ball pops and Daisy is sad. The good news is that the other dog brought a new ball for them to play with and Daisy gets to take it home.

Integrated Ideas: Students will revise the book and the story line and then explain the main idea and plot to the teacher through sign. The students will gather their reasoning for the feelings of the book’s character, Daisy the dog, based off of their visual interpretations from the author’s illustrations. After the students describe the story, they will then play an outside game with a red balloon. If the students pop the red balloon, then another student must be willing to share their blue balloon with the class. 

Reviewer's name and affiliation: Bethany A. Loggins, Valdosta State University