Children’s
Literature File
Wendy Harp
Table of Content
3-7 PICTURE BOOKS
8-12 TRADITIONAL LITERATURE
13-17 MODERN FANTASY
18-22 POETRY
23-27 CONTEMPORARY REALISTIC FICTION
28-32 HISTORICAL FICTION
33-37 NONFICTION
38-42 BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY
43-47 MULTICULTURAL AND INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE
48-52 CHAPTER BOOKS
The Cat in the Hat comes back and
wants to come in out of the snow,
but the children say no!
The Cat in the Hat
Comes Back
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Author: Seus, Theodor
Illustrator: Seus, Theodor
Setting: House, modern
Date: 1958
Genre: Picturebook
Awards: N/A
Age: 5-8
Pages: 64
Publisher: Random House
Main Character: The Cat in the Hat
The Cat in the Hat cleans the red spot off of
one object and it ends up on another. He
tries and tries and always transfers the red
spot. He is glad that he has someone to
help him clean the spot from the bed. The
Little Cats help him to clean up the mess. I
love that all of the Little Cats are named by
the alphabet from A-Z. This book would be
fabulous for a Pre-K class to hear the
alphabet in the story and it also teaches
children that sometimes it takes working
with others to accomplish a task.
Two best friends, a tadpole and a
minnow share a pond.
Fish is Fish
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Author: Lionni, Leo
Illustrator: Lionni, Leo
Setting: pond, present
Date: 1970
Genre: Picture Book
Awards: N/A
Age: 4-8
Pages: 32
Publisher: Random House
Main Character: Tadpole and
minnow
The tadpole and minnow are best
friends that share a pond and they were
inseparable. The tadpole grew legs and
turned into a frog and left the pond .
Upon his return to the pond he told the
minnow stories of birds, people, and
cows. The minnow jumped out of the
pond so he could see these things for
himself. The frog saved him and the
minnow realized he could not do the
same as the frog. There is an incredible
lesson to this story that you should be
happy as you are and with your
surroundings because things can always
be worse.
Grandpa wants to show the kids how
he can dance like he did years before
across a vaudeville stage.
Song and Dance Man
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Author: Ackerman, Karen
Illustrator: Gammell, Stephen
Setting: Dark attic, present
Date: 1988
Genre: Picture Book
Awards: Caldecott
Age: 9-11
Pages: 32
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Main Character: Grandpa
I loved the way Grandpa turned the attic
into his own stage to perform for his
grandkids. He describes everything in
such detail you feel as if were there with
him in the good ole days. The illustration
for this book is astonishing and the
colors are so energetic just like Grandpa.
My favorite part of the illustrations was
the front cover of the book. The
vibrancy of the colors would capture s
child’s attention. I thought of my Paw
Paw when I was reading this story
because he always wanted to spend his
time with us.
A beautiful fish shares his sparkling
silver scales with others in the ocean.
The Rainbow Fish
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Author: Pfister, Marcus
Illustrator : Pfister, Marcus
Setting: Ocean, present
Date: 1992
Genre: Picture Book
Awards: N/A
Age: 4-8
Pages: 32
Publisher: North-South Books
Main Character: Rainbow fish
This story has always been one of my
favorites. The illustration is so
radiant and colorful. The story
teaches the Rainbow Fish that he
doesn’t have to be the most
beautiful fish in order to be happy.
He realized that once he started
sharing his scales, he becomes very
happy. I think this is a great lesson
for young children. We sometimes
need to give to others in order to
truly be happy ourselves.
Stewart has a sweet tooth that
always gets him into trouble.
Sweet Tooth
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Author: Palatini, Margie
Illustrator: Davis, Jack E.
Setting: House, present
Date: 2004
Genre: Picture Book
Awards: GA. Picture Award
Age: 4-8
Pages: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Books for Young Readers
• Main Character: Stewart
The pictures in this story are so
detailed and expressive. It was a
delight to see the large pictures and I
know that children love the pictures
because they are large enough for
them to see. I also loved the
animation of the sweet tooth and
when the Tooth Fairy called it rotten.
My kids thought this was the most
amusing story. I believe it also
encouraged them to make sure they
brush well and eat healthy.
If you stretch a giraffe, you get a
giraffe and a half.
A Giraffe and a Half
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Author: Silverstein, Shel
Illustrator: Silverstein, Shel
Setting: All around, present
Date: 1964
Genre: Poetry
Awards: N/A
Age: 4-8
Pages: 48
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publishers
• Main Character: Giraffe
This book is marvelous for kids that
like to hear repetition. This book is
very engaging to kids because it is so
funny and the drawings capture
their attention. This book would be
prefect to introduce poetry to
younger students. I am sure this will
be one of the books in my classroom
that the children will want to hear
over and over again.
A collection of poetry to lighten and
brighten your day.
Where the Sidewalk Ends
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Author: Silverstein, Shel
Illustrator: Silverstein, Shel
Setting: Everywhere, present
Date: 1974
Genre: Poetry
Awards: N/A
Age: 4-10
Pages: 176
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publishers
• Main Character: Many
A collection of poetry and drawings
that are hilarious and sure to
brighten the day of children in the
classroom. I particularly enjoyed
Dancing Pants, Lazy Jane, and Drats.
This book of 130 poems will
definitely be on my shelf in my
classroom. Many of the poems are
naughty and many are nice, but no
matter which category you enjoy,
there is a poem for you in this book.
A collection of poetry about insects.
Joyful Noise: Poems for
Two Voices
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Author: Fleischman, Paul
Illustrator: Beddows, Eric
Setting: Outdoors, present
Date: 1988
Genre: Poetry
Awards: Newbery Medal
Age: 9-12
Pages: 64
Publisher: Harper & Row,
Publishers
• Main Character: Insects
A book of poetry about insects
including fireflies, house crickets,
book lice, and much more. The
poems are written from the insects’
point of view. The insects in the
poems let us humans know about
the world they live in and their
concerns. It is as if the author knew
exactly how the insects felt about
everything. When reading the
poems you can imagine the sounds
of the insects. The poetry in this
book would really engage a child to
use their imagination.
Danitra Brown just wanted be an
ordinary girl.
Meet Danitra Brown
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Author: Grimes, Nikki
Illustrator: Cooper, Floyd
Setting: City, present
Date: 1994
Genre: Poetry
Awards: Coretta Scott King
Age: 9-12
Pages: 32
Publisher: Lothrop, Lee, &
Shepard
• Main Character: Danitra Brown
Danitra couldn’t be an ordinary girl
because many people gave her a hard
time and picked on her. As a result of
this she just looked passed them and
stayed herself. I felt this was a realistic
story because it told of events and
things that could happen to anyone
and everyone. There will be times, that
everyone is going to have a bad day or
something is going to go wrong.
Danitra always kept her head up and
stayed positive. The illustration in the
book all were done in oil that were
earth tone colors that would give the
reader a sense of calm and ease.
A collection of dogs with so much to
say about their lives.
Once I Ate a Pie
• Author: MacLachlan, Patricia &
Charest, Emily
• Illustrator: Schneider, Katy
• Setting: In the house, present
• Date: 2006
• Genre: Poetry
• Awards: N/A
• Age: 6-8
• Pages: 32
• Publisher: Harper Collins
• Main Character: Dogs
I absolutely love the illustration in
this book. The pictures seem to be
done using acrylic paints. The dogs
look so real that I couldn’t wait to
turn the page to see the next. The
two dogs, Tillie and Maude,
reminded me of my two little girls.
This book is ideal to teach children
how different breeds of dogs look
and also that all humans look
different in many ways.
Cinderella just wants to go to the
ball.
Cinderella
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Author: Brown, Marcia
Illustrator: Brown, Marcia
Setting: Palace, long ago
Date: 1954
Genre: Traditional Fantasy
Awards: Caldecott
Age: 4-8
Pages: 32
Publisher: Charles Scribner’s Sons
Main Character: Cinderella
This story is known around the
world. All little girls sometimes
feel like Cinderella. We all want to
be treated fairly, but Cinderella was
always mistreated by her step
mother and step sisters. The
illustration in this book look to
have been done in colored pencil.
The pages are filled with color that
bring magic and enchantment to
the story.
Snow White finds a home in the
woods.
Snow White
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Author: Heins, Paul
Illustrator: Hyman, Trina Hyman
Setting: woods, past
Date: 1974
Genre: Traditional Fantasy
Awards: N/A
Age: 4-8
Pages: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown and
Company
• Main Character: Snow White
This story is a classic and loved
by everyone. The best thing to
learn from the story is that
good will prevail over evil. The
pictures in the book are
brilliantly painted in great
detail however, they are dark
and not what one would
expect. I think this version of
the story should be read to
students rather than the
Disney version.
Lon Po Po tries to trick the three
girls.
Lon Po Po
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Author: Young, Ed
Illustrator: Young, Ed
Setting: China, long ago
Date: 1989
Genre: Traditional Fantasy
Awards: Caldecott Medal
Age: 4-8
Pages: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Main Character: Lon Po Po
I loved this version of Red-Riding Hood.
It was much different to me than the
version I have heard all of my life. The
three sisters work together to capture
Lon Po Po and kill him. The wolf thought
she was clever until she met these three.
The detail and vibrant color of the
illustration was amazing. The colors on
the pages reminded me of oriental
paintings. I especially liked the page
where the girls see the wolf and the
picture of the face of the wolf and her
teeth. I will read this story and Red
Riding Hood in my class and have
students use a Venn diagram to compare
and contrast the stories.
Jack climbs a giant beanstalk.
Jack and the Beanstalk
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Author: Kellogg, Steven
Illustrator: Kellogg, Steven
Setting: Beanstalk, long ago
Date: 1991
Genre: Traditional Fantasy
Awards: N/A
Age: 4-8
Pages: 48
Publisher: Mulberry Paperback
Books
• Main Character: Jack
Jack and the Beanstalk has always
been my favorite fairy tale. Jack
gets into trouble trying to figure
out how to get money for his
mother. The illustrations are
magical but a little dark and scary.
The pictures look like they were
painted with watercolors. I would
read this to my students but not to
the little ones because of the
pictures of the ogre. The story does
have a happily ever after ending
which we all love to see.
Goldilocks visits the house in the
deep dark woods.
Goldilocks and the
Three Bears
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Author: Donehoo, Timothy S.
Illustrator: Elizalde, Marcelo
Setting: Deep dark woods, past
Date: 2006
Genre: Traditional Fantasy
Awards: N/A
Age: 4-8
Pages: 32
Publisher: Meredith Books
Main Character: Goldilocks
This is the perfect book to read to
younger students. They can learn
may things from this story. You can
describe size, order, and feeling
while reading this story to the
students. The book can also teach
students not to bother things that
don’t belong to them. This story is a
classic and very easy for students to
remember. The pictures also show
the size and detail of the items that
Goldilocks test while being in the
three bears cabin. The pictures look
like painted cartoons.
The old lady wanted a cat.
Millions of Cats
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Author: Ga’g, Wanda
Illustrator: Ga’g, Wanda
Setting: Clean little house, past
Date: 1929
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Awards: Newbery Honor
Age: 8-10
Pages: 32
Publisher: Coward-McCann
Main Character: Little old man
and woman.
This book would be an ideal book
for most children. I think it would be
better received by students who like
cats. The illustrations in this book
are good but didn’t seem to display
much color. The pictures seem to all
be done in pencil and pen. I feel the
book needed more color to entice
the children. The fact that the cats
must decide which will stay with the
old lady was very humorous to me
because cats always want to be the
center of attention.
Bruce is the bully of the
Forevergreen Forest. He learns his
lesson when he goes against a small
witch.
Big Bad Bruce
• Author: Peet, Bill
• Illustrator: Peet, Bill
• Setting: Forevergreen Forest,
present
• Date: 1977
• Genre: Modern Fantasy
• Awards: Georgia Picture Award
• Age: 4-8
• Pages: 48
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Main Character: Bruce
The moral of the story is not to be a
big bad bully like Big Bad Bruce the
Bear. This was a very good story with
a lesson to be learned from it. I read
this to the first grade at my daughter’s
school and it was a hit. The pictures
look like they were done with chalk or
colored pencils and they were very
colorful and humorous.
Al and Eddie are not happy with their
lives.
Hey, Al
• Author: Yorinks, Arthur
• Illustrator: Egielski, Richard
• Setting: One room on the West
Side, present
• Date: 1986
• Genre: Modern Fantasy
• Awards: Caldecott Medal
• Age: 4-8
• Pages: 32
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and
Giroux
• Main Character: Al and Eddie
Al and his dog Eddie get an offer
from a bird to change their lives.
They thought they would be
happier on the island but soon
realized it was not where they
wanted to be. I really loved the
illustrations in this story. They
were all so colorful when Al got to
the island. I especially enjoyed the
pictures with all of the vibrant
colored animals. The story teaches
us that home is where the heart is
and there's no place like home.
Officer Buckle and his police dog Gloria
visit the schools of Napville to teach the
children safety tips
Officer Buckle and Gloria
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Author: Rathmann, Peggy
Illustrator: Rathmann, Peggy
Setting: Present and Napville
Date: 1995
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Awards: The Caldecott Medal
Age: 4-8
Pages: 40
Publisher: Putnam
Main Character: Officer Buckle
and Gloria
This book demonstrates how it
sometimes takes two people
working together to reach their goal.
Officer Buckle tries so hard to teach
the children of Napville about safety.
The children never really notice
Officer Buckle until he brings his
police dog Gloria along. This story
teaches children to never give up and
always have someone important in
your life. The vibrant colors of the
illustration catch your eyes with each
turn of the page. I will definitely
read this story to my classroom and
hope they enjoy it as much as I did.
Puff the Magic Dragon was very sad
when his friend left him.
Puff the Magic Dragon
• Author: Yarrow, Peter/ Lipton,
Lenny
• Illustrator: Puybaret, Eric
• Setting: Honalee, medieval
• Date: 2007
• Genre: Modern Fantasy
• Awards: N/A
• Age: 5-7
• Pages: 24
• Publisher: Sterling
• Main Character: Puff the Magic
Dragon & Jackie Paper
This book reminds me of losing my
childhood friend. She moved away
and I never saw her again and it to
made me very sad. Whether a dragon,
an imaginary friend, or another boy or
girl, we all need someone special in
our life. There are many things that
can make people smile and be happy;
in this case it was a green dragon that
made Jackie feel joy. The pictures in
this book seem smooth and flow well.
The illustrations can take you to a
magical land with it’s amazing colors.
A little boy named Peter played on a
very snowy day.
The Snowy Day
• Author: Keats, Ezra Jack
• Illustrator: Keats, Ezra Jack
• Setting: Outside in the city,
present
• Date: 1962
• Genre: Contemporary Realistic
Fiction
• Awards: Caldecott Medal
• Age: 4-8
• Pages: 40
• Publisher: The Viking Press
• Main Character: Peter
This is an ideal book for younger
children to read because they
can relate to playing out in the
snow as Peter did. The
illustrations are very bright,
cheerful, and colorful. They are
kind of abstract but are done in
a simple, soothing way. It
appears to be a collage. I love
the red that Peter wears when
he is outside playing in the
snow. I do feel bad for Peter
when his snowball melts in his
pocket.
Tommy felt much love and respect
for both of his Nanas.
Nana Upstairs & Nana
Downstairs
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Author: dePaola, Tomie
Illustrator: dePaola, Tomie
Setting: Nana’s house, modern
Date: 1973
Genre: Contemporary Realistic
Fiction
Awards: N/A
Age: 8-11
Pages: 42
Publisher: G. P. Putnam’s Sons
Main Character: Tommy, Nana
Upstairs, & Nana Downstairs
This book was absolutely amazing in
so many ways. My grandmother
raised me and I am lucky to have
been able to spend so much of my
life with her. She taught me so many
life lessons and how to be a good
person. I also was blessed to have
my great-grandmother until she was
97 years old. This book reminded me
of how fortunate I am to have been
loved and cared for by to special
women. The illustrations in the book
are smooth and nicely done.
Tanya uses scraps to make a quilt
with Grandma.
The Patchwork Quilt
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Author: Flournoy, Valerie
Illustrator: Pickney, Jerry
Setting: House, present
Date: 1985
Genre: Contemporary Realistic
Fiction
Awards: Coretta Scott King
Award
Age: 4-8
Pages: 32
Publisher: Dial Books
Main Character: Grandma &
Tanya
The story reminded me so much of my
childhood. I also sewed with my
grandmother. I had to stop reading
several times because I was in tears.
This family came together to finish the
quilt because they knew how
important it was to Grandma and
Tanya. They also knew this would
probably be the last quilt Grandma
would make. This is a wonderful story
that can show children how important
it is to always finish what you start no
matter the obstacles that maybe in
your way.
A little girls overcomes her fear.
Thunder Cake
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Author: Polacco, Patricia
Illustrator: Polacco, Patricia
Setting: Michigan, present
Date: 1997
Genre: Contemporary Realistic
Fiction
Awards: N/A
Age: 4-8
Pages: 32
Publisher: Puffin
Main Character: Patricia &
Grandma
I loved the way the Grandma took
the girls mind off of the storm to
help her to overcome her fear of
thunderstorms. I guess if we stare
our fears in the face, we will
triumph over them. I to loved the
name of the cake they bake,
Thunder Cake. This book had
wonderfully bright and colorful
illustrations and the pictures have
a cartoon look to them. This is a
book for children to read to build
their confidence.
Kitten just wanted a bowl of milk.
Kitten’s First Full Moon
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Author: Henkes, Kevin
Illustrator: Henkes, Kevin
Setting: Dark night, present
Date: 2004
Genre: Contemporary
Realistic Fiction
Awards: Caldecott Medal
Age: 3-5
Pages: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Main Character: Kitten
This book demonstrated the concept of
not giving up and to keep trying new
ways to achieve your goal. I was very
happy at the end of the story when
kitten came home and had a bowl of
milk waiting. I certainly enjoyed the
illustrations in this book. The pictures
were done in black and white and
looked to be done in pencil. I enjoyed
the illustrations because they were
soothing, calm and not too
overwhelming. My children enjoyed
listening to me read this book to them
at bed time.
Sam The Minute Man
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Author: Benchley, Nathaniel
Illustrator: Lobel, Arnold
Setting: Massachusetts, past
Date: 1969
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: N/A
Age: 4-8
Pages: 62
Publisher: Harper & Row
Main Character: Sam
Sam helped his father defend
America against the British.
Sam and his father met others to
help fight the British to win their
freedom from England. I really
enjoyed this book because it
described how the American
Revolution began from the eyes of a
child. This is a perfect way to
familiarize children with the
American Revolution. The
illustrations appear to be in colored
pencil and are very detailed. There is
not to much color in the illustrations
but the red coats seem to stick out.
Tommy wanted to help slaves get to
Canada.
The Drinking Gourd
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Author: Monjo F.N
Illustrator: Brenner, Fred
Setting: Small town, past
Date: 1970
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: N/A
Age: 8-11
Pages: 62
Publisher: Harper Collins
Main Character: Tommy Fuller
I really enjoyed reading this book. I
would recommend this book to
children and adults. The book is
extremely exciting and you become
anxious to read more and more. The
pictures in the book bring a better
understanding to the story and they
appear to be drawn in pen. This was
one of my favorite books on my
Literature list.
Tommy helps Union prisoners.
Mountain Boy
• Author: Josephs, Anna Catherine
• Illustrator: Ersland, Bill
• Setting: North Carolina
mountains, past
• Date: 1985
• Genre: Historical Fiction
• Awards: N/A
• Age: 9-12
• Pages: 32
• Publisher: Steck-Vaughn Library
• Main Character: Tommy
This book was definitely written
for older students. It gives in
great detail the horrors of war
time and prisons. I do believe this
would be a great book for older
children because it will help them
realize that there is more to war
than just being on the battlefield
or the front lines. The illustrations
were done with vibrant
watercolors and were incredibly
well done.
The Watsons take a trip to
Birmingham, Alabama.
The Watsons go
to Birmingham- 1963
• Author: Curtis, Christopher Paul
• Illustrator: Curtis, Christopher
Paul
• Setting: Birmingham, past
• Date: 1997
• Genre: Historical Fiction
• Awards: Newbery & Coretta
Scott King
• Age: 9-15
• Pages: 224
• Publisher: Laurel-Leaf
• Main Character: Byron & Kenny
The Watson’s take their unruly son,
Byron, to stay with his strict Grandma in
Birmingham . Byron’s brother Kenny
also gets into trouble once they arrive in
Birmingham. Traumatic events occur
while the family is in Birmingham that
change the boys. This book was hard to
read and follow for me because of the
incorrect grammar. I also believe that
many students would find it hard to
follow and understand. I understand
there can be a lot to learn about history
from this book but I really didn’t like the
book.
Henry wanted to be free but he was
a slave.
Henry’s Freedom Box : A True
Story from the Underground
Railroad
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Author: Levine, Ellen
Illustrator: Nelson, Kadir
Setting: The South, 1880
Date: 2007
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Caldecott Honor
Age: 8-10
Pages: 40
Publisher: Scholastic
Main Character: Henry
This was an amazing book, however, I
am not so sure I would recommend it
to younger students. The book is very
informative about slavery and explains
how slaves were treated. This book
was very sad and could be too much for
young readers; Henry had to endure so
much. The illustrations look to be done
in paint and I believe pen was used to
accent the pictures. I especially loved
the cover of the book. It brought
Henry to life to be able to see him and
his sweet little face.
Tom begins to invent things instead
of going to school.
Tom Edison Finds Out
• Author: Lowitz, Sadyebeth &
Anson
• Illustrator: The Latter
• Setting: U.S.A. & Canada, past
• Date: 1967
• Genre: Biography/Autobiography
• Awards: N/A
• Age: 8-10
• Pages: 48
• Publisher: Lerner
• Main Character: Tom Edison
This book is filled with a great deal
of interesting facts about Tom
Edison. Tom had many obstacles in
his way while trying to do his
inventions. The book’s
Illustrations are not done in color,
yet still help the reader
understand how hard it was for
Tom during this time and place in
history. This would be an ideal
book for children to use to do
research about Tom Edison.
Rosa Parks wanted to treated as an
equal.
Rosa Parks
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Author: Greenfield, Eloise
Illustrator: Marlow, Eric
Setting: Montgomery, past
Date: 1973
Genre: Biography/Autobiography
Awards: N/A
Age: 8-10
Pages: 32
Publisher: Fitzhenry & Whiteside
Main Character: Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks was truly an
inspirational and amazing women.
This book describes the courage
that she displayed during the civil
rights movement in Montgomery.
Rosa Parks made a stand for what
she believed in and for what she
believed was right. This book could
inspire young children and help
them believe in themselves and
understand their actions can make a
difference . The pictures were
neutral in color and look to have
been painted.
A biography of the civil rights leader,
Martin Luther King, Jr. who won equal
rights for African Americans
A Picture Book of Martin
Luther King, Jr.
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Author: Adler, David A.
Illustrator: Casilla, Robert
Setting: 1950, The South
Date: 1989
Genre: Biography/Autobiography
Awards: N/A
Age: 4-8
Pages: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Main Character: Martin Luther
King, Jr.
I have heard many stories of the amazing
things that Martin Luther King, Jr. did for
civil rights. . This story should definitely
be shared with all children in the
classroom. The illustration in the book
was beautiful and could definitely catch
the eyes of children and keep them
interested in the life story of Martin
Luther King, Jr. . This book just gave me a
great reminder of the hardship and
struggles of African Americans during the
civil rights movement.
An inspiring story of the life of Helen
Keller.
A Girl Named Helen Keller
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Author: Lundell, Margo
Illustrator: Trivas, Irene
Setting: Alabama, past
Date: 1995
Genre: Biography/Autobiography
Awards: N/A
Age: 5-8
Pages: 48
Publisher: Scholastic
Main Character: Helen
This was a remarkable book which I
enjoyed reading very much. It was
truly inspiring to read about the
challenges and triumphs of Helen
Keller. It was amazing to learn how
Helen was educated and all of the
things that she learned to do, despite
her being deaf and blind. The
illustrations in the book are soft and
calming. They appear to be done in
chalk. Helen Keller led an amazing life
and this story could inspire children to
welcome challenges into their life.
Sequoyah, The Cherokee
Man Who Gave His People
Writing
• Author: Rumford, James
• Illustrator: Huckaby, Anna
Sixkiller
• Setting: Tennessee, past
• Date: 2004
• Genre: Biography/Autobiography
• Awards: Sibert Award
• Age: 5-8
• Pages: 32
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Main Character: Sequoyah
Sequoyah taught his people how to
write.
Every student should read this book. I
found it interesting that the words
were also translated into the Cherokee
language. Sequoyah was a brave and
very smart man. He taught the
Cherokee people so much and
improved their lives. The illustrations
are fantastic. The look to have been
done with watercolors and pencil. The
use of earth tone colors really bring this
story to life.
Guess who’s tail it is?
The Alphabet Tale
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Author: Garten, Jan
Illustrator: Batherman, Muriel
Setting: N/A
Date: 1964
Genre: Informational
Awards: N/A
Age: 3-6
Pages: 56
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Main Character: Animals
I really loved this book. I
will have this for my
classroom. It keeps children
guessing on each page and
that helps keep their
attention. The illustrations
of the animals look like they
were drawn and colored
with markers by children.
Simple, yet colorful and
realistic to children.
The story of a butterflies life cycle.
Butterflies
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Author: Mousdale, John
Illustration: Mousdale, John
Setting: outside, present
Date: 1973
Genre: Informational
Awards: N/A
Age: 4-8
Pages: 25
Publisher: Wonder Books
Main Character: Butterflies
This book would be great to use to
describe the life cycle of a
butterfly to the classroom. The
pictures in the book show the
different stages, from Caterpillar
to Butterfly. The back of the book
has butterfly words and pictures
to show the meaning of the
words. The illustrations appear to
have been done with colored
pencil and are very colorful.
Tractors
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Author: Thompson, Graham
Illustration: Thompson, Graham
Setting: Outside, present
Date: 1986
Genre: Informational
Awards: N/A
Age: 4-7
Pages: 24
Publisher: Gareth Stevens
Main Character: Farmers
The description of many different
tractors.
This book is perfect for little boys. I
really like that it shows the many
different tractors and how they are
used. I would use this book in the
classroom to add to a unit on
planting, soil, or even fall. It would
also be good to use for a short book
report for younger students. The
illustrations are colorful and seem to
be done in watercolors.
A closer look into a Polar Bears life
and journeys in the Artic Circle.
The Polar Bear
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Author: Tracqui, Valerie
Illustrator: Tracqui, Valerie
Setting: Artic Circle, present
Date: 1991
Genre: Informational
Awards: N/A
Age: 4-8
Pages: 27
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Publishing
• Main Character: Polar Bear
This book shared a great deal of
information about Polar Bears. It
would be perfect for a boy or a girl.
The pictures are detailed and go great
with the information about Polar
Bears and their life in the Artic Circle. I
would use this book in my classroom
and then have the students either
write me a short report about Polar
Bears or draw me pictures of Polar
Bears in the Artic.
A snow storm hits the East Coast.
Blizzard, The Storm that
Changed America
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Author: Murphy, Jim
Illustrator: Murphy, Jim
Setting: Northeastern US, past
Date: 2000
Genre: Informational
Awards: Sibert Award
Age: 9-12
Pages: 144
Publisher: Scholastic
Main Character: Many people
This was an incredible story that I
had never heard about. The
obstacles these poor people faced
were enormous. People were very
determined and willing to help
each other. This book was a little
long and would definitely be for an
older student. The illustrations
appear to be done in pencil and
have amazing detail and are so
realistic.
Ping gets lost on the Yangtze River.
The Story about Ping
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Author: Flack, Marjorie
Illustrator: Wiese, Kurt
Setting: Yangtze River, present
Date: 1933
Genre:
Multicultural/International
Awards: N/A
Age: 4-8
Pages: 32
Publisher: McMillan
Main Character: Ping
This is a great little story. Ping
reminds me of my girls. Children
would benefit from the lesson of
the story to be responsible and be
punctual. The book also reminds
me to always be grateful and
there’s no place like home. The
illustrations are bright and
colorful. They bring the boats and
animals of the Yangtze River to
life. The pictures appear to be
done with pencil.
The little girl dreamed of going to
Africa.
Africa Dream
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Author: Greenfield, Eloise
Illustrator: Byard, Carole
Setting: Dream, modern
Date: 1977
Genre:
Multicultural/International
Awards: Coretta Scott King
Age: 7-9
Pages: 32
Publisher: Harper Collins
Main Character: girl
The illustration in this book was peculiar.
The pictures appeared to be roughly
sketched out sort of as a rough draft. The
illustrations were made up of gray and
black. This was a very calming and
peaceful book. This dream took the little
girl to a far off land of wonder and
beauty. If I had a dream like this, I would
never want to leave this land and
definitely would not want to awake from
my peaceful dream. I believe would enjoy
reading this book and maybe they could
draw a picture of a land that they have
dreamed of.
The quilt was passed down from
generation to generation.
The Keeping Quilt
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Author: Polacco, Patricia
Illustrator: Polacco, Patricia
Setting: New York, past
Date: 1988
Genre:
Multicultural/International
Awards: N/A
Age: 9-12
Pages: 32
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Main Character: Anna
I really enjoyed reading this book
because it reminded me so much of my
grandmother. My grandmother would
use any scrap of material from anything
to make a quilt square for her quilts. I
now own many of her quilts that we
made when I was a child. The
illustrations were are all in black and
white except for the quilt. The quilt
stood out because it was the only thing
in color. Many of the illustrations were
done in charcoal. This book warmed my
heart and brought back so many
memories.
Cassie has a picnic on the roof.
Tar Beach
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Author: Ringgold, Faith
Illustrator: Ringgold, Faith
Setting: Harlem, past
Date: 1991
Genre:
Multicultural/International
Awards: Caldecott Honor
Age: 4-8
Pages: 32
Publisher: Crown Books
Main Character: Cassie
I absolutely loved everything about this
book. The story was so inspiring and
the illustrations were indescribable.
The pictures looked as if they were
painted using acrylic on an artist
canvas. The colors were so deep and
creative in design. Cassie has such a
great attitude and felt she could
overcome anything including her
socioeconomic boundaries. This story
encourages children to never give up
on their dreams.
Peter drew pictures of his life events.
The Wall
• Author: Sis, Peter
• Illustrator: Sis, Peter
• Setting: All over the world,
present
• Date: 2007
• Genre:
Multicultural/International
• Awards: Sibert Medal
• Age: 9-12
• Pages: 56
• Publisher: Frances Foster
• Main Character: Peter Sis
I think this is sincerely an amazing
book. The illustrations are phenomenal
and appear to be done in pencil with
little color. Red is the only color that is
consistent throughout this book and
appears in every illustration. This book
teaches a considerable amount about
history. Peter gives insight into what he
went through and how it appeared
through his eyes. It felt as if he was
talking directly to me about his life
experiences.
A poor boy lives in a cabin in the
woods with his family and dog .
Sounder
• Author: Armstrong, William H.
• Illustrator: Barkley, James
• Setting: South (Georgia)
Nineteenth Century
• Date: 1969
• Genre: Chapter Book
• Awards: Newbery Medal
• Age: 9-13
• Pages: 116
• Publisher: Harper & Row
• Main Character: Boy and dog,
Sounder
I really loved this story although there
were many parts in the book that made
me sad, angry, and grateful. The boy
wanted so desperately to learn to read
and always thought of what it would
be like to own a book of his own. There
were so many emotions expressed by
the boy in the story and you couldn’t
help to feel his loneliness, sadness, and
anger. I think all children should read
or have this book read to them. I am so
proud of the boy for overcoming his
hardships and learning to read.
Tales of a Fourth Grade
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Author: Blume, Judy
Illustrator: Doty, Roy
Setting: New York City, modern
Date: 1972
Genre: Chapter Book
Awards: Georgia Book
Award/Writing
Age: 8-12
Pages: 120
Publisher: Dutton
Main Character: Peter Hatcher &
Fudge
Peter did not want to be ignored but his
younger brother Fudge received all of the
attention.
The book was comical and very
entertaining. If you have a younger
sibling, I would recommend it. The
author made the book sound like it
was being told by a child instead of an
adult. The book described one
sidesplitting thing after another of
events that took place in an ordinary
day of a child. There wasn’t a day that
went by that Fudge wasn’t causing
trouble for Peter. Sounds like a day at
my house with my two little girls.
Hatchet
• Author: Paulsen, Gary
• Illustrator: Paulsen, Gary
• Setting: Canadian Wilderness,
present
• Date: 1987
• Genre: Chapter Book
• Awards: Newbery Medal
• Age: 10-13
• Pages: 196
• Publisher: Bradbury Press
• Main Character: Brian
Brian wanted to go see his father in New
York .
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
I remember my son reading it when he
was in school. I understand why he
talked so much about the book because,
I could not put it down. This book is
truly an inspiration and should remind
us all of how fortunate we are. It can be
so easy to take everything for granted. I
would highly recommend this book to
everyone. This is another book that I will
purchase for my home library.
Phoebe tells stories about her brother
Mick.
Mick Harte Was Here
• Author: Park, Barbara
• Illustrator: Park, Barbara
• Setting: Neighborhood,
present
• Date: 1995
• Genre: Chapter Book
• Awards: N/A
• Age: 8-12
• Pages: 96
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
• Main Character: Phoebe and
Mick
This is one of the best books that I have
read in a very long time. It shows the
true emotions that kids go through
when they experience death. I love the
stories told by Phoebe about her brother
Mick, it almost felt like I knew him
personally. I especially felt that the
author’s note in the back was so crucial
to the ending of the story. I will
purchase this book to have in my home
library.
The Woodlanders try to solve a
mystery.
The Butterfly Farm Burglar
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Author: Schultz, Irene
Illustrator: Aubrey, Meg
Setting: Edinburgh, present
Date: 2000
Genre: Chapter Book
Awards: N/A
Age: 8-12
Pages: 119
Publisher: Wright Group/McGrawHill
• Main Character: The Woodlanders
This was such an exciting book. I
found it hard to put down until I
knew the Woodlanders had solved
the mystery. I believe my favorite
parts of the book were when they
used a big word like Edinburgh, it
showed how the word should be
pronounced. This would be very
helpful to children that want to read
a chapter book. The little illustration
seemed to be in pen and was very
simple. I will purchase this set for my
classroom.