Newbery Award Winners

Predictable Book

Title	Author/ Illustrator	Genre	Recommended Age/Grade  Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?	Bill Martin, Jr. / Eric Carle	Predictable Book	Ages 3-8 Grades PS-2	This is a great book for practicing colors and animals.  The predictability and simple language allows young pre-readers to feel like they are "reading."  This is also a great question and answer game for the teacher to play with her students.	The story begins with a brown bear, who spies a red bird, who spies a yellow duck, and so on.  Each animal spies a new animal in a predictable sequence.

Picture Books

Title	Author/ Illustrator	Genre	Recommended Age/Grade  Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Cornelius	Leo Lionni**	Picture Book	Ages 5-8 Grades K-2	This book can be used to demonstrate manners and how not to hurt other people's feelings by teasing them about being different.	A baby crocodile named Cornelius is different from his brothers and sisters right from the start and they tease him about his differences.  But he proves that his differences make him a unique and special person
Chrysanthemum	Kevin Henkes	Picture Book	Ages 4-7 Grades K-2	After reading the book to the students, have students write their names on a piece of paper and decorate the paper in a style the reflects their hobbies and/or interests.	A young mouse named Chrysanthemum loves her name, but her new classmates make fun of her because her name is so unusual.
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse	Kevin Henkes	Picture Book	Ages 4-7 Grades K-2	Use this book at the beginning of a school year to introduce students to the concept of show and tell.  The rules of show and tell are demonstrated in the book, as well as how to creatively introduce and explain the object.	Lilly loves her teacher, Mr. Slinger.  When Lilly takes her new purple plastic purse to school, Mr. Slinger takes it away from Lilly because it is a distraction.  Lilly is mad a Mr. Slinger, but eventually get over her anger and is able to share her new purse with the class.

Traditional Literature/Fantasy

Title	Author/ Illustrator	Genre	Recommended Age/Grade  Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
The Three Bears	Retold by Paul Galdone	Traditional Fantasy	Ages 3-4 Grades PS	Have the students draw a picture of their favorite part or favorite character in the book.  If possible, teacher can make porridge and serve to students.	The traditional story of Goldilocks and the three bears.  A family of bears return home after a walk and find Goldilocks in their house.
The Golden Mare, the Firebird, and the Magic Ring	Retold by Ruth Sanderson	Traditional Fantasy	Ages 9-12 Grades 3-6	Have the students imagine that they have just become the Tsar of their own country and have them write a story about what they would do as the ruler.	A young huntsman and his prized golden mare set out to find a firebird, a fair maiden, and a magic ring, all in hopes of pleasing the unsatisfied Tsar.  In the end, he becomes the Tsar himself.
The Little Red Hen	Retold by Margot Zemach	Traditional Fantasy	Ages 3-8 Grades PS-2	Have the children draw a picture or write a story about who they would share their bread with if they made a loaf a bread.	A hen goes through much trouble and time to make a loaf of bread, beginning with the planting of the wheat seeds, but none of her friends will help her.
Aesop's Fables	Retold by Jerry Pinkney	Traditional Fantasy	Ages 4-10 Grades K-4	Because each fable has a lesson at the end (and it is clearly written out for the reader), this is a great book for character building.	A great collection of about 60 of Aesop's  Fables with colorful illustrations.
Rumpelstiltskin	Retold by Paul O. Zelinsky	Traditional Fantasy	Ages  4-8 Grades K-2	Have the children group off into pairs.  Have one partner think silently of a name of a child in their class and the other partner tries to guess.  For younger children, you can use numbers, letters, etc.	A strange little man helps a young lady spin straw into gold for the king.  However, she must guess his name before her first child is born, or she will be forced to give him her child in return for his assistance.

Modern Fantasy

Title	Author/ Illustrator	Genre	Recommended Age/Grade  Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
It's Mine	Leo Lionni**	Modern Fantasy	Ages 5-7 Grades K-2	This book can be used to teach sharing and appreciation of the world around us.	Three selfish frogs named Milton, Rupert, and Lydia learn to be less selfish and more appreciative after a large toad saves their lives.
A Color of His Own	Leo Lionni**	Modern Fantasy	Ages 4-6 Grades PK-K	Tell students that you are going to make things change colors just like the chameleon in the story.  Make cups of different colored dyes and dip small pieces of cloth into the dye.  Amaze students with how the dye makes the fabric change colors.	A mini science lesson is contained in this book that tells a story about a color-changing chameleon.  You can also learn about colors, seasons, and even friendship.
Frederick	Leo Lionni**	Modern Fantasy	Ages 5-8 Grades K-2	Have the students name other animals that stay inside or hibernate through the winter.  Talk about what the animals have to do to prepare for the winter months or prepare for hibernation.  Have students write a short story about what they would need and want with them if they had to stay inside for a long period of time.	Four little field mice work extra hard to gather food and supplies for the harsh winter, but Frederick the field mouse is lazy - he only gathers sun rays, colors, and words.  But when the other supplies run out, Frederick's supplies come in handy.
Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse	Leo Lionni**	Modern Fantasy	Ages 5-8 Grades K-2	After reading the story to the students, have the students create a collage-style mouse in the art medium style of Leo Lionni.  Provide the body of the mouse for the students to cut out, but allow the students to be creative with the legs, ears, and tail.	Alexander is a little mouse who is not well-loved by the humans whose house he lives in.  He befriends a toy wind-up mouse named Willy who is the little boy's favorite toy.  Alexander has the chance to become a toy mouse like Willy, but passes up the chance in the name of friendship.
The Singing Snowbear	Carol Grigg	Modern Fantasy	Ages 4-8 Grades K-2	This is good book to use in music class to get students to think about harmony and pitch.  Students also learn that just because someone says that you cannot do something, that certainly does not mean that you cannot try your best and succeed.	A polar bear named Snowbear wants to be able to sing like the beautiful whales, but his mother tells him that polar bears cannot sing.  After rescuing a trapped whale from the ice, the whale teaches Snowbear how to sing.

Realistic Fiction

Title	Author/ Illustrator	Genre	Recommended Age/Grade  Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Eating Ice Cream with a Werewolf*	Phyllis Green / Patti Stren	Realistic Fiction	Ages 10-12 Grades 5-6	Before reading this book to students, have them predict what the story is going to be about based on the title.  Have the students draw a picture of what they think the main idea of the book is going to be.  When the book has been read, compare the drawings to the actual plot of the story and see if anyone of the students was close.	A young boy named Brad tells a colorful story about his adventures with a silly babysitter who is keeping Brad and his little sister, Nancy, while their parents are away.  The quirky babysitter leads Brad and Nancy through many adventures.
Down the Road	Alice Schertly / E.B. Lewis	Realistic Fiction	Ages 4-8 Grades K-2	This book can be used to talk about responsibility and following directions.	Hetty is a young girl who thinks that she is old enough to go to the store by herself.  Her parents allow her go to the store for some eggs, but on the way home she is distracted by an apple tree and the eggs never make it home with Hetty.
Max Found Two Sticks	Brian Pinkney	Realistic Fiction	Ages 4-8 Grades K-2	This book can be used to talk about imagination and overcoming boredom with play.  You can also use this book to get children to listen to the sounds of the world around them.	Max is a young boy who, one day when he was feeling bored, found two sticks and began using the sticks on different things to make drumming sounds and rhythms which he imitates from sounds he hears around his neighborhood.
How Will We Get to the Beach?	Brigitte Luciani / Eve Tharlet	Realistic Fiction	Ages 3-8 Grades PS-2	Tell the students that they are going on a trip around the world.  Have them draw pictures of the different types of transportation that they could take.	A baby boy and his mother are taking a trip to the beach, but have a hard time finding the right transportation to get them and their beach toys there.
Ruby the Copycat	Peggy Rathmann	Realistic Fiction	Ages 4-8 Grades K-2	Have the students draw a self-portrait depicting one of their own special talents or abilities.	Ruby likes to copycat her friend, Angela, until she realizes that she has her own unique ability, and then her friends want to copy her.
Because of Winn-Dixie*	Kate DiCamillo	Realistic Fiction	Ages 10-12 Grades 5-6	Have a class party like they had at Gloria Dump's house.  Have the students carefully read that portion of the book and recreate the party exactly how it was in the book.	A 10-year-old girl named Opal  finds a stray dog and names him Winn-Dixie.  Winn-Dixie helps Opal settle into a new home, new friends, and new experiences.  And it all happens because of Winn-Dixie.
A Secret Friend*	Marilyn Sachs	Realistic Fiction	Ages 8-10 Grades 3-4	If a teacher realizes that cliques have started forming in class and wants to open the eyes of some of the students, this book can be very helpful in showing the true characteristics of a friend.	Jessica thought that she had a wonderful friend in Wendy, but Wendy turned her back on Jessica.  Jessica's search for a new best friend leads to her a most unexpected candidate.

*Chapter Books
**Books Written by Leo Lionni (author study topic)

Historical Fiction

Title	Author/ Illustrator	Genre	Recommended Age/Grade  Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Bud, Not Buddy*	Christopher Paul Curtis Newbery Award - 2000	Historical Fiction	Ages 10+ Grades 5+	Bring in music from the 1920s and let your class listen.  Then, have the students make large instruments out of cardboard or poster board, and put on a show for the class or other classes.	Set in the 1920's during the Great Depression, Curtis tells a fictional story about a young orphaned boy who goes on a search to find his father.  What he finds instead will surprise you.
A Single Shard*	Linda Sue Parker Newbery Award - 2002	Historical Fiction	Ages 10-12 Grades 5-6	Using modeling clay, have the students make their own "pottery".  Set the student's pottery in direct sunlight and allow to dry.	A 13-year-old orphan named Tree-ear, who lives in medieval China, admires a ceramics expert and, eventually, learns how to create the delicate celadon ceramics himself.
Beethoven Lives Upstairs	Barbara Nichol / Scott Cameron	Historical Fiction	Ages 10-12 Grades 5-6	Although this in a fictional book, it contains many true facts about the life of Ludwig von Beethoven.  Have the children listen to his music after reading the book and talk about the life of Mr. Beethoven.	A young boy corresponds with his uncle and describes the noisy, ornery man who lives in the apartment above their house - Ludwig von Beethoven.  The letters between the uncle and nephew describe some facts and stories about the life of Mr. Beethoven.
Amelia and Eleanor Go For a Ride	Pam Munos Ryan / Brian Selznick	Historical Fiction	Ages 4-8 Grades K-2	Provide the students with a template of an airplane and allow the students to construct their own airplane.  Hang the airplanes from the classroom ceiling to display the student's work.	Friends Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart were two very strong and independent women in history.  Read about their friendship and their spontaneous night flight over Washington, D.C.
Conestoga Wagons	Richard Ammon / Bill Farnsworth	Historical Fiction	Ages K-4 Grades 4-10	Have the students make their own Conestoga wagons using a shoe box, small paper plates, pipe cleaners, and a paper towel.	This book explains in children's terms how Conestoga wagons were built and driven, as well as their historical significance and importance to the early American economy.

*Chapter Books
**Books Written by Leo Lionni (author study topic)

Poetry Anthology

Title	Author/ Illustrator	Genre	Recommended Age/Grade  Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
The Real Mother Goose	Mother Goose	Poetry Anthology	Ages 5-7 Grades K-2	This book can be used when studying nursery rhymes and characters, as well as studying poetry.	This is collection of over 300 Mother Goose nursery rhymes with vivid illustrations that give the young reader an insight into the meaning of the words and rhymes.

Poetry Books

Title	Author/ Illustrator	Genre	Recommended Age/Grade  Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Where the Sidewalk Ends	Shel Silverstein	Poetry	Ages 4+ Grades K+	A number of the poems can be used to inspire creative art work by students. For example, read "Lester" (page 69) and have students draw pictures about what they would wish for.	A collection of short, humorous poems about a variety of topics which can be used for very young or more mature students.
A Light in the Attic	Shel Silverstein	Poetry	Ages 9-13 Grades 4-7	Read "Little Abigail and the Beautiful Pony" (pages 120-21) and have the students write a short story about something that they have always wanted, but their parents would not buy them.	A collection of short, humorous poems about a variety of topics which is can be used for upper-level elementary students and middle school students.

Biographies

Title	Author/ Illustrator	Genre	Recommended Age/Grade  Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Nobody Owns the Sky - The Story of "Brave Bessie" Coleman	Reeve Lindbergh / Pamela Paparone	Biography	Ages 8-12 Grades 3-6	Have the students design a  new airplane.  Tell the students to invent new parts and tell why the new parts would make the airplane better.	A rhythmic story about the first African American pilot, and a girl at that, who dreamed of flying her entire life and finally made the dream come true.
Sky Pioneers The Story of Wilber and Orville Wright*	Jeanne LeMonnier Gardner	Biography	Ages 8-10 Grades 2-4	Provide the students with a template of an airplane and allow the students to construct their own airplane.  Hang the airplanes from the classroom ceiling to display the student's work.	This book tells the story of the Wright Brothers from childhood  to the day when they became the first men to fly.

*Chapter Books
**Books Written by Leo Lionni (author study topic)

Informational Books

Title	Author/ Illustrator	Genre	Recommended Age/Grade  Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
One Lighthouse One Moon	Anita Lobel	Informational Book	Ages 3-8 Grades PS-2	This book can be used when the students are studying the days of the weeks, months of the year, colors, numbers, and seasons.	This colorful book goes through each of the days of the week with colors for each day, then though the months of the year with reference to seasons, and finally through the numbers 1-10 with a nautical theme.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar	Eric Carle	Informational Book	Ages 3-8 Grades PS-2	When studying insects, read this book aloud to students, then have students create a mini book which illustrates the life cycle of a butterfly. The first page will be an egg on a leaf, the second page will be a caterpillar, the third page will be a cocoon, and the final page, of course, will be a butterfly.	The reader is introduced to a tiny caterpillar who is very hungary.  The caterpillar eats through several fruits and even a piece of chocolate cake.  When the caterpillar is no longer small and no longer hungry, he builds himself a cocoon and the reader learns where butterflies come from.
White Rabbit's Color Book	Alan Baker	Informational Book	Ages 3-8 Grades PS-2	Break students into groups.  Give each group a tray of paint with the primary colors red, yellow, and blue.  Give each student a set of cotton balls.  As you go through the book a second time, have the students mix the colors along with White Rabbit to see what secondary colors they can make.	White Rabbit is experimenting with mixing colors by jumping into paint cans.

Multiculteral/International Books

Title	Author/ Illustrator	Genre	Recommended Age/Grade  Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Whoever You Are	Mem Fox	Multicultural/ International Book	Ages 4-8 Grades K-2	This book is a great tool to introduce young students to other types of people and cultures.  Read the book at the beginning of the school year and have children share wear they are from and come of their own traditions.  Every class is bound to have someone from a different culture.	Mem Fox tells readers that no matter where you are or who you are, though you may have differences in appearance, we are all the same inside.
Gracias, Rosa	Michelle Markel / Diane Paterson	Multicultural/ International Book	Ages 8-10 Grades 2-4	This is a great book to teach and practice the Spanish language.  Have the children write a letter in Spanish to an imaginary friend in Guatemala.  Provide English-to-Spanish dictionaries for help.	A sweet story of how a young girl grows to love and respect her new Spanish babysitter.
Ashanti to Zulu African Traditions	Margaret Musgrove / Leo and Diane Dillon (Caldecott Award - 1977)	Multicultural/ Informational Book	Ages 10-12 Grades 5-6	The Dogan people are farmers.  In the illustration, the Dogans are wearing African masks.  Have the students make their own African masks.  Provide such art materials as construction paper, beads, pipe cleaner, yarn, glue, etc.	Musgrove presents 26 African types of people in order from A to Z.
Journey Home*	Toshiko Uchida	Multicultural/ Information Book	Ages 10-12 Grades 5-6	Provide vocabulary words from each chapter and use the words to test the students.  The students should be able to spell the word and use the word in a sentence.	After their release from a Japanese-American internment camp, 12-year-old Yuki and her parents try to reconstruct their lives.
I Have a Dream*	Martin Luther King, Jr.	Multicultural/ Information Book	Ages 4-10 Grades K-4	Have students draw a picture of a bed.  Provide cotton balls and have students glue the "pillow" on the bed.  Have students write inside of the drawing of the bed something that they have been dreaming of doing or somewhere they have been dreaming of going.	Fifteen artists and illustrators came together to capture Dr. King's I Have a Dream Speech, using the actual text from the speech.  There is also an introduction written by Coretta Scott King.

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