Electronic Reading File by Catherine Dees

Electronic Reading File
By Catherine Dees

Elephant bookshelf

Note: The star (**) symbols next to a title denote books that are chapter books.
(AS) denotes books that were written by selected author, James Stevenson.

Caldecott Medal Winners

Picture of Book	Genre	Author/ Illustrator/ Copyright	Recommended Age/Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Black & White	Caldecott/ Picture Book	David Macaulay/ 1990	3-6	In groups, students can discuss whether they think the book is one interconnected story or four separate stories. They can present their case to the class.	Four stories about parents, trains, and cows. It is up to the reader to decide if the book is really four separate stories or only one.
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers	Caldecott/ Picture Book	Mordicai Gerstein/ 2003	3-5	Students can illustrate their view of what happened on 9-11 and write a short essay describing their picture and how this event made them feel.	This is the story of Philippe Petit, who in 1974 fearlessly walked across a rope stretched between the World Trade Center towers.
So You Want to be President?	Caldecott/ Informational	Judith St. George/ David Small/ 2000	3-6	Use as a reference source for a Presidents project or the class could create a song about the Presidents using facts from the book.	Fun and interesting facts about the U.S. Presidents are presented using pictures to enhance the comedic effect.
Owl Moon	Caldecott/ Realistic Fiction	Jane Yolen/ John Schoenherr/ 1987	K-2	Students will conduct their own shadow experiment using a flashlight or by going outdoors. They will compare the different shadows made by objects and other people. They can create a poem about their shadow using the information they gather.	A young child tells about the joy of going owling with her Pa. She admires her father and tries to do just what he does.
Mirette on the High Wire	Caldecott/ Historical Fiction	Emily Arnold McCully/ 1992	K-4	Create a class tightrope. On a boy or girl cutout, each student can write a goal he/she would like to accomplish. Each student can post their person at the starting point of the tightrope. As they work toward their goals, they can move their person closer to the end of the tightrope. This can be used to discuss hard work or even to help monitor behavior.	Monsieur Bellini teaches Mirette how to walk the tightrope and she helps him overcome his fear of performing on the tightrope before an audience. At the end, the two perform a tightrope show together.
Officer Buckle and Gloria	Caldecott/ Modern Fantasy	Peggy Rathmann/ 1995	K-2	Each morning when class is starting, the student helper for the day will write a new safety rule on a large star and post it on the classroom safety wall.	Officer Buckle gets much more reaction from the audience when he brings the police dog, Gloria, with him to teach his safety rules. Little does he realize that it's actually Gloria that the audience adores.
The Snowy Day	Caldecott/ Realistic Fiction	Ezra Jack Keats/ 1962	Pre-S; K-2	Students will look at picture cards of a snowman being built. They will sequence the cards from the first step to the last step of the process. Students could also look at a picture of different footprints in snow and match the correct animal to the footprints it would make.	One morning Peter wakes up to find that it snowed the night before. Excitedly, he goes outdoors to explore and play in the snow. The next day he goes out again with a friend.
Prayer for a Child	Caldecott/ Picture Book	Rachel Field/ Elizabeth Orton Jones/ 1944	Pre-S; K-2	After reading the book, ask students to think of five things they are thankful for. Students can illustrate each one and paste them on the rungs of a ladder based on their degree of importance.	This book would be great for teaching children about prayer. Each page has a colorful picture that illustrates a part of the child's prayer.
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble	Caldecott/ Modern Fantasy	William Steig/ 1969	K-4	Students can paint their own pet rock and tell what they would wish for if their rock was magic. Emphasize to the class that magic is not real.	Sylvester the donkey finds a magic pebble. When Sylvester accidentally wishes that he could turn into a rock, he learns the hard way that you must be careful what you wish for.
The Glorious Flight	Caldecott/ Biography	Alice & Martin Provensen/ 1983	K-4	For a take home project, students can design an airplane using materials from home. It should be creatively decorated and fit for flight. A flying competition would be a great way to incorporate math and science concepts.	After many attempts, Louis Bleriot masterfully designs the Bleriot XI and flies across the English Channel.

Newbery Award Winners

Picture of Book	Genre	Author/ Illustrator/ Copyright	Recommended Age/Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
**Missing May	Newbery/ Realistic Fiction	Cynthia Rylant/ 1992	5-6	Students can write a poem about dealing with death or about their view of death.	Twelve-year-old Summer lives with her Uncle Ob. She and Ob are having a very hard time going on with their life after Aunt May's sudden death.
**A Gathering of Days	Newbery/ Realistic Fiction	Joan W. Blos/ 1979	5-6	Students will imagine they are growing up in the 1830s. They will prepare a journal entry about their life that captures what they think life was like in that time period. Students will read their entries before the class using authentic 1830's accent and word choice.	The journal of fourteen-year-old Catherine gives the reader a glimpse of what her life was like growing up in the 1830s. One event that really changed Catherine was the death of her best friend.

ABC Book

Picture of Book	Genre	Author/ Illustrator/ Copyright	Recommended Age/Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Animal Antics ABCs	ABC Book	Ottenheimer Publishers, Inc.	K-2	The class can create a catchy song based on a specific theme and include as many words as possible that begin with a certain letter.	On each spread is a collage of pictures with animals playing different roles to illustrate words that begin with each letter.

Counting Book

Picture of Book	Genre	Author/ Illustrator/ Copyright	Recommended Age/Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Anno's Counting Book	Counting Book	Mitsumasa Anno/ 1975	K-2	Students can work in groups to create a class counting big book. They can use a variety of materials to form the numbers on each page (i.e., Play Doh, glitter, cotton balls) and can illustrate each number with pictures.	This book introduces the counting system using pictures of a village as it grows by one each month. It also uses counting blocks corresponding to the number and a scene that has that number of specific objects children can count.

Predictable Book

Picture of Book	Genre	Author/ Illustrator/ Copyright	Recommended Age/Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
A Peacock Ate My Lunch	Predictable	Craig B. McKee & Margaret Holland/ Don Robison/ 1985	K-2	The teacher can read the story to the class and let the students say the predictable part as a choral response.	A young girl tells about her secret animal friends that visit her each day. When a new boy moves in next door, they share their secret imaginary friends.

Picture Books

Picture of Book	Genre	Author/ Illustrator/ Copyright	Recommended Age/Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Look Up, Look Down	Picture/Concept Book	Tana Hoban/ 1992	K-2	The class can create a collage by looking in magazines and cutting out pictures that illustrate the concepts of above and below.	This wordless picture book uses photos from different outdoor scenes to show the difference between viewing something from above and below.
Dog Breath	Picture Book/ Georgia Children's Picture Storybook Award	Dav Pilkey/ 1994	K-2	Create an open-mind portrait of Hally or of your own pet.	The kids try everything to get rid of their dog Hally's bad breath. Then one day, Hally becomes the hero when two robbers break in the house and she gives them a big kiss with her horrible breath.
All About Opposites	Picture/Concept Book	Ruth Thomson/	K-2	Take a walk outside and identify various objects which demonstrate the concept of opposites.	Rosy Rabbit and her friend learn about opposites as they take home a package Rosy's Grandma sent her. Activities for further exploration of opposites are included in the back of the book.

Traditional Literature/Fantasy

Picture of Book	Genre	Author/ Illustrator/ Copyright	Recommended Age/Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Yeh-Shen	Traditional Literature	Retold by Ai-Ling Louie/ Ed Young/ 1982	3-6	Students will create their own puppets for the characters in the story using popsicle sticks and scraps of material. They will put on a play using their homemade puppets.	When Yeh-Shen, a young Chinese lady wishes on the magical bones of her beloved fish, she is transformed from rags to riches. She goes to the Festival and in the end, she marries the king.
A Story A Story	Traditional Fantasy/ Caldecott Medal	Retold and Illustrated by Gail E. Haley/ 1970	K-4	The class can sit in a circle and make up their own folk tale. The teacher can say the first sentence and have each student say a sentence to add to the tale. Each student can act out his/her addition and when the tale is complete, the class can make it into a book with hand-drawn illustrations.	There are no stories on the earth until Ananse, the spider man, finds the three items the Sky God demands as the purchase price for his golden box of stories. When Ananse brings the items to the Sky God, he declares that henceforth, the stories are to be called "Spider Stories."
Johnny Appleseed	Traditional Fantasy	Retold and Illustrated by Steven Kellogg/ 1988	K-4	Students will sketch a map of the U.S. and draw out the route Johnny Appleseed may have taken to the different states he visited. They could also do an apple taste test and create a graph about which apples were favorites for their classmates.	Detailed pictures and an elaborate storyline make this retelling of Johnny Appleseed's adventures a true delight. Johnny shares his love of apple trees and his flair for storytelling with people across the country.
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears	Traditional Literature/ Caldecott	Verna Aardema/ Leo & Diane Dillon/ 1975	K-2	Students will use varied voices and appropriate creative movements to act out the parts of the different animals in the story.	Fun sounds and a predictable pattern are knit together to answer the age-old question of why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears. The mosquito only wants to know if everyone is still anry at her.
**The Fables of Aesop	Traditional Fantasy	Retold by Joseph Jacobs/ David Levine/ 1964	K-6	Students can create a Thought for the Day place card for their desks. The teacher will read a fable and after the class discusses its meaning, students will draw a picture about the fable of the day.	This is a collection of 82 of Aesop's fables retold with a simple illustration on each page.

Modern Fantasy

Picture of Book	Genre	Author/ Illustrator/ Copyright	Recommended Age/Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Howard (AS)	Modern Fantasy	James Stevenson/ 1980	K-2	Students can draw their favorite scene from the story. This book can also be used to introduce a discussion on migration or the importance of being kind to people who are a different race, skill level, or nationality.	A duck named Howard is left behind as his flock migrates south for the winter. He meets new friends and they share many adventures in New York City. When winter is over, he chooses to stay with his friends, rather than rejoin the other ducks.
The Sea View Hotel (AS)	Modern Fantasy	James Stevenson/ 1978	3-4	Students can create their own story using hand-drawn characters and dialogue bubbles to tell the story.	Hubert's vacation is no fun at all until he meets the hotel handyman, Alf, who teaches him to create his own fun. The story is told by pictures of each scene with dialogue bubbles relaying the plot.
The Worst Person in the World (AS)	Modern Fantasy	James Stevenson/ 1988	K-4	Students can draw a picture of their favorite scene or character from the book using the Paint program on the computer.	An old man lives unhappy and alone until one day he meets the ugliest creature in the world. He finally learns how to have fun and be a friend.
**The Doll in the Garden	Modern Fantasy	Mary Downing Hahn/ 1989	5-6	Students can read the first part of the book and write their prediction of what will happen later in the book.	When Ashley and her mom move into Miss Cooper's house, Ashley finds strange things happening in the garden. After Ashley and her new friend, Kristi, find a doll buried in the garden, they discover a way to travel back in time to Miss Cooper's childhood.
The Great Big Especially Beautiful Easter Egg (AS)	Modern Fantasy	James Stevenson/ 1983	K-4	At Easter, have students decorate an oversized paper egg using paper mache. They can give it to a friend or parent as a special Easter gift.	Grandpa tells Mary Ann and Louie all about his search for the perfect Easter egg to give to his friend Charlotte.

Realistic Fiction

Picture of Book	Genre	Author/ Illustrator/ Copyright	Recommended Age/Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
The Trip	Realistic Fiction	Ezra Jack Keats/ 1978	K-2	Students can work in groups to brainstorm ideas about projects you can do when no friends are around. Students could also create their own model using a shoe box.	Louie moves to a new neighborhood where he doesn't know anyone. He creates a shoebox scene and imagines that he flies his pretend plane back to his old neighborhood and celebrates Halloween with his old friends.
Could Be Worse! (AS)	Realistic Fiction	James Stevenson/ 1977	K-4	Students can complete a creative writing assignment using some everyday routine (i.e., brushing teeth, riding to school) as the setting for an imaginative adventure.	Mary Ann and Louie are tired of Grandpa's boring routine. He responds to everything by saying, "Could be worse!" Then one day he shocks them when he shares about a wild dream he had the night before.
**My Life as a Fifth-Grade Comedian	Realistic Fiction	Elizabeth Levy/ 1997	5-6	Organize a contest for students to show off their special talents. Also, use the book to discuss ways to handle problem behaviors and channel them in productive ways.	Fifth grader, Bobby Garrick, learns how to put his comedic talents to use as he organizes the Great Laugh-Off.
**Pictures of Hollis Woods	Realistic Fiction/ Newbery Honor	Patricia Reilly Giff/ 2002	5-6	Choose one picture from the book for students to read and illustrate. Then have each student describe their picture and compare it to the written picture from the book and to the illustrations of their peers. Discuss with the class how everyone sees the same picture differently based on his/her experiences.	Hollis Woods appears to be a rebellious foster child, but all she really wants is love. When she is sent to live with Josie, Hollis cannot bear to think of being separated from the only home to which she has ever truly belonged.
** The View from Saturday	Newbery/ Realistic Fiction	E.L. Konigsburg/ 1996	5-6	After students read the book, have them create a story using the literary technique, flashback. This book could also guide a discussion on values and working with people with disabilities.	Four sixth graders become close friends and create a special bond with their paraplegic teacher, who chooses them to compete in an academic competition.

Historical Fiction

Picture of Book	Genre	Author/ Illustrator/ Copyright	Recommended Age/Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Ox-Cart Man	Historical Fiction/ Caldecott	Donald Hall/ Barbara Cooney/ 1979	K-4	Use the book to introduce a lesson on harvest life in the early 19th century. Students could also make wax candles to sell at their own market.	Set in the 1800s, this book tells the story of the ox-cart man and his family as they prepare all year to produce things to sell at the market.
**Caddie Woodlawn	Historical Fiction/ Newbery	Carol Ryrie Brink/Trina Schart Hyman/ 1935	5-6	After reading the book to students, the class can have a Caddie Woodlawn Day. Students can dress in clothes that would have been worn in Caddie's day and throughout the day, lessons can be taught like they would have been back then.	This is the story of Caddie, a tomboy who lives on the prairie. It tells about her adventures with her trickster brothers and how she matures into a young woman against all odds.
Goin' Someplace Special	Historical Fiction/ Correta Scott King	Patricia C. McKissack/ Jerry Pinkney/ 2001	2-5	This book would be good for introducing the subject of racism in our country's past. It could also be used to spark interest in the school's library. The class could create a collage of artwork about the school's library or submit an article to the local newspaper about the school librarian.	'Tricia Ann doesn't understand why colored people are treated differently than whites. She is determined to go to Someplace Special. Etched above the door of this place are these words--PUBLIC LIBRARY: ALL ARE WELCOME.
**Addie's Long Summer	Historical Fiction	Laurie Lawlor/ Toby Gowing/ 1992	5-6	Students will study about the Dust Bowl. Then they will create a clay bowl--their own "dust bowl." This will surely be a reinforcer to help students remember this information, which may not otherwise be very meaningful.	Addie's life on the Great Plains seems fine until her cousins come to visit. Addie must discover who she really is and what is most important in her life.
**The Adventures of Tom Sawyer	Historical Fiction	By Mark Twain; Adapted by Erwin H. Schubert/ 1951	5-6	Students will choose a scene or chapter and rewrite it as if it was happening in the modern day. Then they will write and perform a stageplay of their modified scene.	This book is the classic tale of the mischievous but adorable Tom Sawyer and his friend, Huck.

Poetry Anthology

Picture of Book	Genre	Author/ Illustrator/ Copyright	Recommended Age/Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
**Yellow Butter Purple Jelly Red Jam Black Bread	Poetry	Mary Ann Hoberman/ Chaya Burstein/ 1981	3-6	Create a collection of poems by students which deal with growing up, comparisons, and various animals.	This is a collection of 58 fun-filled poems about everything from tongue twisters to growing up to different animals.

Poetry Books

Picture of Book	Genre	Author/ Illustrator/ Copyright	Recommended Age/Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Celebrations	Poetry/ Picture Book	Myra Cohn Livingston/ Leonard Everett Fisher/ 1985	K-4	Students can write a diamante about a selected holiday and illustrate what the holiday means to them.	This is a collection of poems and artwork about the holidays we celebrate throughout the year
I Love You As Much...	Poetry/ Picture Book	Laura Krauss Melmed/ Henri Sorensen/ 1993	K-2	Students will draw a picture of a mother-child animal pair and use watercolors to add color.	Each page boasts a detailed illustration of a different mother and child pair of animals. The text is a rhyme about a mother's love for her child.

Biographies

Picture of Book	Genre	Author/ Illustrator/ Copyright	Recommended Age/Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
J.C. Watts, Jr.: Character Counts	Biography	Sarah De Capua/ 1999	3-6	Students can work in groups to identify what character means to them. Then they can use these key words about character to create a web diagram to be posted on a bulletin board focused on values.	This is a biography of J.C. Watts, Jr., a successful African American Congressman. Emphasis is focused on how his hard work, good character, and service to others helped him accomplish his life goals.
No Star Nights	Autobiography	Anna Egan Smucker/ Paintings by Steve Johnson/ 1989	3-5	Students can write their own autobiography focusing on how industry affects their lives and their environment.	The author tells her story of growing up in a town dominated by the steel-mill industry.

Informational Books

Picture of Book	Genre	Author/ Illustrator/ Copyright	Recommended Age/Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Frogs and Toads and Tadpoles, Too	Informational	Allan Fowler/ Photo credits from various photographers/ 1992	K-4	Students can create a biography of a make-believe frog. The name and picture of the frog, as well as details of its growth and development, should be included.	This easy-to-read book tells all about the characteristics and life cycle of frogs and toads.
Ants	Informational	Dimitri Alexandroff/ 1961	K-4	Students can create a family tree for an ant colony with brief descriptions of each member and their specific jobs.	This book tells all about the characteristics, life cycle, and jobs of ants. It also details the different kinds of ants.
Your Heart	Informational	Terri DeGezelle/ Photo credits from various sources/ 2002	K-6	Students will use markers to create a diagram of the human heart. Then they will check one another's pulse and develop a line graph of the results.	Did you know that your heart is about the same size as your fist? Children will enjoy learning about the parts and functions of the heart with this easy-to-understand book. Diagrams, fun facts, and pictures help students make the information meaningful.

Multicultural/International

Picture of Book	Genre	Author/ Illustrator/ Copyright	Recommended Age/Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
Grandfather's Journey	Multicultural/ Caldecott	Allen Say/ 1993	K-4	Students will work in pairs to do a mini news report on immigration. They will interview each other to find out about why people leave their homeland and how hard it is to adjust to a new culture.	A Japanese American man shares about his grandfather's journey to America and how he comes to understand how his grandfather felt about being torn between two homelands.
Elizabeth: A Puerto Rican-American Child Tells Her Story	Multicultural	Written & Illustrated by Joe Molnar/ 1974	3-5	Interview another student and create a short biography using that information.	This book tells the story of a 12-year old Puerto Rican-American girl who lives in New York. It describes her family and how she longs to move back to her native land.
**Miracle's Boys	Multicultural/ Contemporary Realistic Fiction	Jacqueline Woodson/ 2000	5-7	Students will work in groups to do a silent tableau of a scene from the book. The class will guess which character each person is acting out based on their actions and expressions.	After his mother dies, Ty'ree gives up a college education to be the guardian of his brothers, Lafayette and Charlie. Lafayette and Ty'ree are still grieving the loss of their mother, and Charlie just can't seem to stay out of trouble. The boys' urban environment of Harlem makes their situation even worse.
The Patchwork Quilt	Multicultural/ Coretta Scott King Award	Valerie Flournoy/ Jerry Pinkney/ 1985	K-4	Students will create their own patchwork quilt using scrap material. They will share the symbolism of each patch.	Grandma teaches Tanya about preserving her family's heritage. A store-bought quilt couldn't mean nearly as much as the patchwork quilt Tanya and Grandma work so hard on.
A Gift for Abuelita	Multicultural	Nancy Luenn/ Robert Chapman/ 1998	K-4	The class can read this book as an introduction to Mexican heritage. Good activities would be writing a class recipe for how to make tortillas and then making them for the class. Each student could also braid their own triple stranded cord of yarn to represent the strength of a family's love.	This book is written in both Spanish and English. It is about a little girl who works hard to make the perfect gift to give her deceased Grandmother on the Day of the Dead. At the end of the book, there is a glossary of the basic Spanish words used in the English text.