The Latest & Greatest
Book titles for Elementary Teachers
Kristen Majkut, Librarian &
Instructional Technology Specialist
in Schenectady CSD
Never Smile at a Monkey
• Author: Steve Jenkins
• Picture Book, © 2009
Summary:
Discover how dangerous an
animal can be when it feels
threatened or trapped.
Discusses what not to do
around various dangerous
animals, with warnings about
petting a platypus, touching
a tang fish, or pulling a
python's tail.
City Dog, Country Frog
• Author: Mo Willems
• Illustrator: Jon J. Muth
• Picture Book, © 2010
Summary:
Through the seasons,
whenever City Dog visits the
country, he runs straight for
Country Frog's rock to play
games with him, but during
the winter things change for
them both.
My Weird School series
• Author: Dan Gutman, Series - My Weird School
• Beginning Chapter Books for grades 3-5, all © 2010
Summary:
A brand new year at the weirdest school in the history
of the world! A.J. and the whole gang are taking on
third grade in this humorous chapter-book series
about the nutty teachers at Ella Mentry School.
One
• Author: Kathryn Otoshi
• Picture Book, © 2008
Summary:
Red picks on Blue while Yellow,
Orange, Green, and Purple
wonder what they can do until
One unites the colors and helps
everybody learn about
acceptance, tolerance, and
boundaries amidst bullying
while the reader learns
numbers and primary and
secondary colors.
In the Wild
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Author: David Elliott
Illustrator: Holly Meade
Poetry, Picture Book
© 2010
Summary:
Pairs simple, humorous
poems about a dozen wild
creatures of the natural
world with vibrant woodcut
artwork.
The Boss Baby
• Author: Marla Frazee
• Picture Book, © 2010
Summary:
From the moment he
arrives, it is obvious that
the new baby is boss and
he gets whatever he
wants, from drinks madeto-order around the clock
to his executive gym.
Little Black Crow
• Author: Chris Raschka
• Picture Book, © 2010
• Stories in rhyme
Summary:
A boy thinks about the life
of a little black crow that
he sees, wondering where
it goes in the snow, where
it sleeps, and whether or
not it worries like he does.
The Dunderheads
• Author: Paul Fleischman
• Illustrator: David Roberts
• Older-reader Picture Book,
© 2009, 54 pages
Summary:
When Miss Breakbone
confiscates Junkyard's
crucial find, Wheels,
Pencil, Spider, and the rest
of the Dunderheads plot to
teach her a lesson.
Field Trip Day
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Author: Lynn Plourde
Illustrator: Thor Wickstrom
Picture Book, © 2010
Series – School Days
Summary:
Juan Dore-Nomad, a boy
who has a tendency to
wander, provokes mayhem
on a field trip to the farm.
Easy as Pie
• Author: Carl Best
• Illustrator: Melissa Sweet
• Picture Book, © 2010
Summary:
Jacob watches his favorite
television show, "Baking
with Chef Monty," and
bakes a beautiful peach
pie, which he gives to his
parents for their
anniversary.
Lucky Beans
• Author: Becky Birtha
• Illustrator: Nicole Tadgell
• Picture Book, © 2010
Summary:
During the Great Depression,
Marshall, an African
American boy, uses lessons
learned in arithmetic class
and guidance from his
mother to figure out how
many beans are in a jar in
order to win her a new
sewing machine in a contest.
Bag in the Wind
• Author: Ted Kooser
• Illustrator: Barry Root
• Picture Book, © 2010
Summary:
One cold, spring morning,
an ordinary grocery bag
begins blowing around a
landfill, then as it travels
down a road, through a
stream, and into a town, it is
used in various ways by
different people, many of
whom do not even notice it.
The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams
• Author: Rhonda Hayter
• Chapter Book, © 2010
• Series: to be determined
Summary:
Fifth-grader Abbie, descended
from a long line of witches,
tries to keep her family's
magic powers secret from
everyone she knows until her
father brings home a kitten
with some very unusual
characteristics.
Clementine series
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Author: Sara Pennypacker
Illustrator: Marla Frazee
Beginning Chapter Books
© 2006 - 2010
Summary:
Features amusing,
chapter-book stories about
the irrepressible
Clementine, a charmingly
flawed and quirky
character.
Wild Tracks!
A guide to nature’s footprints
• Author: Jim Arnosky
• Picture Book, © 2008
• Series: to be determined
Summary:
Includes four large
gatefolds. Presents detailed
illustrations of life-size paw,
claw, and hoof prints; and
explains how to identify
tracks and how fast the
animal might be traveling.
The Grasshopper's Song:
an Aesop's fable revisited
• Author: Nikki Giovanni
• Illustrator: Chris Raschka
• Picture Book, © 2008
Summary:
Angry that his singing is
unappreciated by the Ants
who relied on his music to
make their summer work
easier, Jimmy Grasshopper
decides to sue them for
lacking respect and not
acknowledging his
usefulness in their lives.
Missing Math: a Number Mystery
• Author: Loreen Leedy
• Picture Book, © 2008
Summary:
A numerical mystery
ensues when the
numbers all over town
suddenly disappear
bringing a halt to
everyday activities.
The Retired Kid
• Author: Jon Agee
• Picture Book, © 2008
Summary:
Brian has decided to retire
early. VERY early. Although
he enjoys some aspects of
his retirement, eight-yearold Brian gains a new
perspective on his job of
being a child after spending
time in Florida's Happy
Sunset Retirement
Community.
Luna & the Big Blur
A story for children who wear glasses
• Author: Shirley Day
• Picture Book, © 2009
Summary:
A young girl who
hates her glasses
learns to appreciate
them after spending a
day without them.
The Dirtiest Hair in the World
Author: Bob McAllen
Illustrator: Tom McClure
Picture Book, © 2009
Summary:
A little girl named Claire refused to wash her hair; but
when her tangles grew into giant brambles and things
began to live in her hair, Claire decided it was time to
wash it.
Cowgirl Kate & Cocoa series
• Author: Erica Silverman
• Early Chapter Book series
• © 2005 - 2010
Summary:
Cowgirl Kate and her
always-hungry horse
Cocoa have adventures
much like Henry & Mudge
of series past
Alligators & Crocodiles
• Author: Gail Gibbons
• Picture Book, © 2010
Summary:
An introduction to
alligators and crocodiles
that features captioned
illustrations and
describes their physical
characteristics, natural
habitats, and behaviors,
as well as threats to
their populations and
conservation efforts.
Our Children Can Soar
a celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the pioneers of change
• Author: Michelle Cook
• Picture Book, © 2010
Summary:
Illustrations and brief text
introduce early readers to
the achievements of
prominent AfricanAmericans throughout
history, and features
George Washington
Carver, Jackie Robinson,
Rosa Parks, Barack
Obama, and others.
A Book
• Author: Mordecai
Gernstein
• Picture Book, © 2009
Summary:
A young girl living in a
book tries to find a story of
her own while figuring out
what a reader is and
thinking about the stories
of her family members.
Circus Ship
• Author: Chris Van Dusen
• Picture Book, © 2009
Summary:
A circus ship has an
accident off the coast of
Maine which leaves the
animals stranded, but they
are soon taken in by the
citizens of a small island
who grow fond of the new
residents and fight to
protect them.
Alvin Ho series
• Author: Lenore Look
• Chapter Book, © 2008-2010
Summary:
Touching, drop-dead-funny
chapter books about a
young boy in Concord,
Massachusetts, Alvin Ho,
who loves superheroes
and comes from a long line
of brave Chinese farmerwarriors, wants to be
courageous, but first he
must overcome his fear of
everything.
Duck! Rabbit!
• Author: Amy Krouse Rosenthal
• Picture Book, © 2009
Summary:
Two unseen characters argue
about whether the creature
they are looking at is a rabbit
or a duck.
Trouble Gum
• Author: Matthew Cordell
• Picture Book, © 2009
Summary:
Playing indoors with his
little brother on a rainy day,
a rambunctious young pig
causes a ruckus and then
breaks his mother's three
chewing gum rules.
Thunder Boomer!
• Author: Shutta Crum
• Illustrator: Carol Thompson
• Picture Book, © 2009
Summary:
A farm family scurries for
shelter from a violent
thunderstorm that brings
welcome relief from the
heat and also an
unexpected surprise.
The Cheese
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Author: Margie Palatini
Illustrator: Johnson & Fancher
Fractured Fairy Tale
Picture Book, © 2007
Summary:
Palatini’s uproarious spoof on
“The Farmer in the Dell”
features the rat, cat, dog, child,
farmer, and his wife. They have
a party with the tempting hunk
of cheese as the guest of honor.
It’s a Book!
• Author: Lane Smith
• Picture Book, © 2010
Summary:
Two readers compare
books in print to digital
media, and learn that
books are still valuable.