Because of Winn-Dixie

Author/Illustrator: Kate DiCamillo

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Awards: Texas Bluebonnet Award, Newberry Award

Grade Level: 3rd-5th

This book is about a young girl named Opal. Opal lives with her dad who is a preacher in a small town, her mother left them years ago. Opal is missing what used to be her home she is struggling to fit in to this new small town that she is now a part of. The kids judge her, her dad is too busy to spend time with her, and she feels alone. One day she found a dog in a grocery store, and named it after the grocery store Winn-Dixie. This became her new best friend. Throughout the book Opal meets new people from around the town and starts to answer the questions she hasn't been able to figure out. She learns so much about her mom and why she could have left to begin with.

This was one of my personal favorites growing up. This book focuses on heavier topics and I feel it would be best suitable for students from 3rd to 5th grade. I might use this book during a guided reading book club session. I have already purchased this one for my future classroom.

The Day The Crayons Quit

Author/Illustrator: Drew Daywalt/Oliver Jeffers
Genre: Fantasy
Awards: Texas Bluebonnet Award
Grade Level: Prek-2nd

This book is about a boy named Duncan and his very angry and upset crayons. His crayons all wrote him letters telling him how unfair it was for him to use some more than others, and how others are tired of being used so much. They want to quit. Duncan turns everything around by creating a drawing using every color.

This is a cute book fro young elementary students ranging from Prek to 2nd grade. I would not use this book for instructional purposes but I would keep it in my classroom. This book is designed in a fun, unique way that will keep readers, or listeners, interested.

The Lion And The Mouse

Author/Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney
Genre: Fiction
Awards: Caldecott Medal
Grade Level: Prek-2nd

This is a wordless book about a mouse that escapes from the claws of an owl predator. After escaping the mouse is still in danger because it ended up in the paw of a lion. The lion was feeling kind and let the mouse go. Later on when the lion get in trouble with hunters the mouse comes to the rescue.

I would definitely use this book in my classrooms for students from Prekindergarten to second grade. It is a wordless book so preschoolers are able to look at the pictures and for a little older students they will be able to read through the pictures. I could use this book for a lesson over predictions or comprehension.

Each Kindness

Author/Illustrator: Jacqueline Woodson/E.B. Lewis
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Awards: Coretta Scott King
Grade Level: 1st-4th

This book is about a young Girl named Maya that was new to a school one Winter. The class didn't think Maya fit in, so they did not make friends with her. The person telling the story had to unfortunately sit by her during class. Maya's clothes were not up to date, they were ragged, and looked worn. Maya tried to be friendly with the students by offering them to play with her during recess and smiling at them when they caught eyes but everyone turned their backs. One day the Maya wasn't at school. On that day they learned about kindness. The teacher showed the students that trowing a pebble in some water and watching the ripples was kind of like kindness. Each students took a pebble, dropped it in, and explained how they were kind. When it became the girls turn she passed her pebble on. She waited for Maya to come back to school she was going to make friends with Maya. Maya never returned, her parents moved for a new job and the young girl never got the chance to be kind.

This is such a great read for young students ranging from 1st to 4th grade. I feel that it is important for students to know what kindness is and portray that through their daily actions. I would definitely keep this book in my classroom. I might even do the same activity the teacher did with her students.

Babymouse Queen Of The World!

Author/Illustrator: Jennifer L. Holm/Matthew Holm

Genre: Graphic Novel

Awards: Notable Children's Book

Grade Level: 2nd-5th

This book is about a mouse who goes by the name of Babymouse. She has a huge imagination and hopes to be named queen of the world. In order to obtain that status she believes that if she could just get an invitation to Felicia Furrypaw's slumber party then she'd gain the title. She makes a deal with Felicia and scores an invite. What she failed to remember was that she had already made plans with her friend to watch movies. She wanted this title so bad, so she skipped out on the movies. The party turned out to not be anything she expected. She left the party and went to watch movies with her friend. Babymouse came to a conclusion that she already was queen of the world, she didn't need to do anything special to prove it or earn the title.

This book is structured for students from 2nd to 5th grade. They are easy to read chapter books. Most graphic novels are aimed towards boys interest, but these are for girls. It is important for students to see that graphic novels are for both genders. I would definitely keep this book in my classroom along with a few other Babymouse books. I would not use it for instructional purposes only to keep in my library.

A Sick Day For Amos McGee

Author/Illustrator: Phillip C. Stead/Erin E. Stead
Genre:
Awards: Caldecott medal
Grade Level: Prek-1st

This book is about a zookeeper named Amos McGee. Amos loves his job and spends time with each animal every day doing something special together such as playing chess or reading bedtime stories. One day Amos McGee gets sick and the animals decide it is time to return the kindness he has given them every day. They decide to take a trip to his house and spend time with him to make him feel better.

This is a sweet book I would recommend for students ranging from Prek to 1st grade. It teaches students to be kind to one other and care for each other. An activity I would do with this book is to have students describe a time they were kind to a friend or a friend was kind to them and illustrate a picture of it. I could put them together and we could make our own book.

The War That Saved My Life

Author/Illustrator: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Genre: Historical Fiction

Awards: Newberry Award

Grade Level: 4th-6th

This book was set back in the 1900s. A young girl named Ada, her brother, Jamie, and mam all lived in a small apartment building. Ada was abused daily by her mom, never allowed to go to school, eat when she was hungry, or do anything else the other kids got to do like her brother. Her mom described her as simple. Ada had a club foot that hadn't been fixed as a baby, so she was unable to walk and her mam, though her fault, was going to punish her for it.

At the beginning of the ware that was fixing to start Hitler demanded that kids evacuate by bus to safer cities where families would volunteer to take care of them. Mam was going to let Jamie go, but not Ada because nobody would want to take care of a simple child. Ada stirred up a plan and was determined to go. She had been practicing all summer on her walking skills. The morning it was time to load the bus Ada and Jamie snuck out early to not be seen by mam.

Once arriving at the new city all of the children were put in a line to be selected by families. No one really wanted two children who were dirty and came as a pair. At the end, the director took the two children to her friend Ms. Susan's house. Ms. Susan did not want the children either, not because they were dirty, but because she didn't know a thing about children. She was forced to keep them. Ms. Susan turned out to be a great caretaker for the children. She had to teach them to bathe, what normal items were in the market, how to read, and all other things their mam neglected to teach them.

During this stay, Ada fell in love with riding Ms. Susan's horse, Butter. Jamie fell in love with the airplanes that they set up across the street from the house. They all made it word during this terrible time. 

One day while Ada was riding, mam showed up. Mam wanted her children back because she found out that she was having to pay for them to be with Ms. Susan. Ada begged not to go, but Jamie ran to mam with open arms. Mam won, and back to London they went. Once home, Ada stood up to Mam and Mam admitted she didn't love them or even want them. Ada said that she was going to go back to London and that Mam would have to pay a shilling. Mam agreed. The next morning Ada and Mam tool off to find Susan, but Susan had come to them. They all took a bus back to Ms. Susan's house. When they got their many people were standing in front of where it used to be. Her house had been bombed and all the city people were worried they were inside but happy to see that they weren't. Ada, Jamie, and Ms. Susan were glad to be together as a family.

This book takes the reader on the journey of Ada as she overcomes many challenges in her life. It's amazing to see how such a young girl can be brave enough and have so much perseverance to keep going through all that is through at her, It shows children  It shows us that blood might not connect us as a family, but love definitely does. I would reccommend this book to anyone, it is a great read.