Literacy Tool Kit 1-25
By: Megan Small
1. Wild About Books by: Judy Sierra
a. Summary: Molly the librarian crashes her bus of books into the zoo. The animals
become very interested, and she begins to let them read her books. They start
going crazy, reading every book they can get their hands on. Some animals even
begin to write their own! Together, they build a library to store their books.
Now, when people visit the zoo they will find their favorite animals reading their
favorite books.
b. OWL: Observe: I noticed the author used lots of silly rhyming and repetition to
help keep young readers interested and entertained.
2. Tops & Bottoms by: Janet Stevens
a. Summary: This book is about a bear that receives lots of land from his
hardworking father, but would much rather sleep then work the land. He makes
a business deal with a hare where the hare will plant and tend the garden and
the two will split the profits. Before the first planting the hare asks the bear if he
would like the tops or bottoms, and bear chooses the tops. The hare plants,
tends, and harvests all the crops while the bear sleeps. When the bear awakes
he finds the hare had planted carrots and other vegetables where the tops are
useless. Enraged by the trickery, bear tells the hare to replant the crops except
this time he wants the bottoms. Hare agrees and replants, tends, and harvests all
while the bear sleeps. When bear awakes he finds the hare has planted lettuce
and other vegetables where the bottoms are useless. Once again, he is furious
he has been fooled and tells the hare to replant except this time he wants the
tops and bottoms. Hare agrees and tends to the land while the bear sleeps.
When the bear awakes he finds the hare has planted corn, giving bear the
useless tops and bottoms while taking the ears of corn for himself. Bear gets fed
up and tells hare to leave and that he will do it all on his own. Bear plants his
own fields and learns that hard work pays off. He is sure to never sleep through
planting season again!
b. OWL: Wonder: I wonder why the author chose a bear for the main character.
The hare makes sense because they are found on farms, but not so much bears.
3. Animals A to Z by: James Balog
a. Summary: This book uses a variety of animals to teach children the letters of the
alphabet. He uses mostly jungle animals such as “D for Drill,” and “V for Vicuna.”
b. OWL: Wonder: I wonder why the author used some very rare animals with semi
difficult names in a book made for very young readers.
4. The Gardner by: Sarah Stewart
a. Summary: Lydia Grace goes to visit her Uncle Jim when her family loses their
jobs. While she is there her grandma mails her letters containing seeds and other
plants to grow. While learning to bake in her uncle’s bakery, she also tries to
make him smile by sprucing up his apartment with gorgeous flowers. She finds
an empty roof top, and makes it her special secret project to make Uncle Jim
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smile. When it is finally decorated with beautiful flowers he loves it, and also
presents her with a special letter from her Papa saying he has found a job and
she can return home!
b. OWL: Wonder: I wonder what made the author come up with the idea for this
story, especially to write it in the letter format she did. Is this something that
happened in her past or someone in her family’s past?
James and the Giant Peach by: Roald Dahl
a. Summary: A little boy named James is forced to live with his mean aunts when
his parents are killed. They treat him very badly and he is running out of hope,
until he meets a man who gives him a recipe to a potion that will bring him
happiness. He accidentally spills it on a peach tree that in turn grows into a
humongous peach. His aunts take advantage of the peach as an attraction,
continuing to use James as a slave. One day while cleaning up he discovers
several magical insects: grasshopper, lady bug, spider, and centipede that are
living within the peach. These insects become his friends and accompany James
on a variety of adventures. In the end, the giant peach has taken them from their
cruel home to New York City. There, they all have bright futures before them.
James ends up living in the peach in the city and transforming from a sad
friendless boy to a happy and social butterfly.
b. OWL: Wonder: I wonder if Roald Dahl anticipated the controversies this book
would provoke, and what his reactions were.
The Very Quiet Cricket by: Eric Carle
a. Summary: A little cricket is born and welcomed into the world by an assortment
of animals such as a locust, praying mantis, and worm. They all tell him, “Good
morning,” “Good day,” or something of that sort. He rubs his legs together and
tries his best to respond, but can’t seem to make a sound. In the quiet of the
night, he meets another cricket and when he rubs his legs together he is finally
able to make a chirp!
b. OWL: Observe: I observed that Eric Carle used interesting action words for the
insects such as, “slurping,” “screeching,” and, “whizzing.”
Best Friends by: Steven Kellogg
a. Summary: This book is about a little girl, Kathy, who has a best friends names
Louise. Louise goes to camp and Kathy imagines Louise hates camp and misses
home. Kathy overhears her friend’s mom and learns Louise is having a blast. She
is disappointed and decides they are no longer friends. Kathy occupies her time
by befriending a neighbor and helping him with his dog who is about to have
puppies. The little girl is going to get a puppy, and feels like it will be awesome
that Louise won’t know what it is like to have such a cool puppy. Louise returns
and it turns out that even though she had fun while away, she really missed her
best friend back home. Kathy forgives her and they resume their friendship.
b. OWL: Wonder: I wonder if this situation is one that Steven Kellogg went through
as a child.
Wonder by: Raquel J. Palacio
a. Summary: This book is about a little boy named Auggie who has several
craniofacial deformities due to multiple surgeries as well as a genetic disorder.
He has always been homeschooled until his parents decide to enroll him in
school for fifth grade. At first he is petrified, but also excited. Many of the kids
are mean to him, especially a boy named Julian, and he considers quitting and
returning to homeschool. Auggies decides to stick it out, and ends up making
quality friends, such as Summer and Jack. He goes through ups and downs
including making friends at lunch time, exchanging mean letters with Julian,
losing his hearing aid, almost getting beat up on a camping trip, and being
accepted by his classmates. He helps his classmates grow up and understand
appearance doesn’t matter and that one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.
b. OWL: Observe: I observed that the author’s style of writing via different
character’s perspectives gave the reader a better understanding of the entire
story, since it allowed us to view the story from all sides.
9. Cinderella by: Clare Scott-Mitchell
a. Summary: A very nice and beautiful dog’s parents died, and she was forced to
live with her evil stepmother and stepsisters. They made her their servant and
called her Cinderella. Her stepsisters were very mean and always looked down
on her. One day the Prince held a ball to find his princess. She begged them to
let her go, but they said no. Discouraged, Cinderella stayed at home until her
fairy godmother appeared. Her rags were turned into a beautiful gown, and she
danced off to the ball. Cinderella and the Prince danced, laughed, and fell in love.
When the clock struck midnight she forced to run, due to the fairy godmother’s
spell wearing off. She dropped her slipper in the process, and the Prince used
this to search for her. He sent messengers out and when her stepsisters tried on
the slipper it didn’t fit. Cinderella snuck out of hiding, and when she tried on the
slipper it fit perfectly! She married the Prince and the two lived happily ever
after.
b. OWL: Observe: I observed that in this book Cinderella goes to a ball twice. This is
different than most Cinderella stories I have read, because in most she goes to a
ball once.
10. The Missing Mitten Mystery by: Steven Kellogg
a. Summary: Annie and her dog, Oscar, search for her lost mitten. They look
everywhere they have played, but can’t find it. They thing they see it, but it is
only a bird. She wonders if that bird may have carried her mitten off
somewhere? Or maybe a mouse took it to keep warm or use as a costume? They
ask neighbors if they have seen her mitten, but no one has. She imagines
growing mittens so that she would always have two around. They eventually give
up, and it turns out her mitten is stuck to a snowman as his heart!
b. OWL: Observe: I noticed that in this book, as well as a few others, Kellogg often
adds, “Pinkerton,” style dogs into his illustrations even if it is just in the
background of the story.
11. Al Capone Does My Shirts by: Gennifer Choldenko
a. Summary: Matthew Flannegan aka “Moose,” moves from his Santa Monica
home to Alcatraz when his dad is offered an electrician job. He isn’t very happy
about it. He meets Piper, the warden’s daughter, who tries to get him and a few
other kids on the island to help her with “projects” involving talking up convicts
and the dangerous place they live. One is to sell the students at school laundry
done by criminals, most importantly Al Capone. Moose is torn between following
the rules and fitting in. He finally makes friends with a boy named Scout through
baseball, but then his mom makes his stop playing to watch his older sister
Natalie. This is hard because his whole life has revolved around Natalie because
she is mentally handicapped. While searching for a baseball hit out of the park by
Al Capone, Moose loses his sister and finds her talking to convict 105. His family
is trying many treatments for his sister and one starts to help, but they all know
she must get into Mr. Purdy’s school for true help. She is denied, and Moose
tries to get the Warden to let him ask Al Capone for help, since he is a very
powerful man. The Warden refuses, so Moose takes it into his own hands and
writes Capone a note telling him about Natalie and asks him to talk to 105 about
her. The next day they get a call saying Mr. Purdy reconsidered Natalie and
Moose finds a note scribbled, “DONE” in his laundry!
b. OWL: Wonder: I wonder if the convicts really do the laundry at Alcatraz.
12. The House That Jane Built by: Tanya Lee Stone
a. Summary: Jane Addams was always a strong girl. Even though most women
didn't go then, she went to college and excelled. After her father's death she
traveled to Europe. While she was there she noticed the poor and wanted to
help. She took ideas from London and brought them back to Chicago. Jane
bought a house called the Hull House in 1889 and openly welcomed it to the
poor. She gave them food, clothes, shelter, and jobs. She always treated
everyone with kindness even if they were trying to steal. She helped create a
public bath to prevent illness, and opened playgrounds for the children. Jane and
her friend Ellen Starr even started up school programs for all aged children. By
1907 she had transformed the Hull House from one building to thirteen.
b. OWL: Learn: learned that this Jane Addams was not the president John Adams
wife, whom I expected the book was about.
13. Extreme Animals by: Nicola Davies
a. Summary: The world is full of tough animals. The Arctic is a frigid region with
temperatures reaching -75 degrees Fahrenheit, making it almost impossible for
humans to survive—but polar bears love it! They use their thick coats of fur and
black skin to stay warm. Many arctic animals have warm coats, but the warmest
of all is the Emperor Penguin’s which allow them to survive temperatures up to 125 degrees. The coat is so warm that there can be up to 140 degrees difference
between the underneath and outside. Other tough animals are hummingbirds
and bats, whose temperatures drop every night to save food. Some frogs can
even freeze to stay alive. Camels can also survive extreme hot and cold
temperatures.
b. OWL: Learn: I learned that the toughest extreme animal on Earth is the
tardigrade, or water bear. They have been around for more than 530 million
years!
14. War & Watermelon by: Rich Wallace
a. Summary: Brody Winslow is going into the seventh grade during the Vietnam
War. He is in the middle of growing up and trying to figure out who he is. He and
his best friend Tony make their football team as third string players. As he begins
his junior year high career he and Tony try to figure out football and girls. At
home, his brother Ryan is constantly arguing with their parents about college. As
his 18th birthday gets closer, they beg him to enroll in college to escape the draft.
Ryan is a hippie who believes his generation is the generation who with music,
peace, and protest can make a change. Brody gets to tag along with Ryan to
Woodstock and to a Mets game. Brody and Tony try to win over popular girls,
Jenny and Patty, with their smooth moves. Brody learns that it is more important
to find girls you have things in common with. He continuously prays not to he
passed the football, for his brother to stay safe, and for the Mets to make it to
the World Series.
b. OWL: Wonder: I wonder if Rich Wallace went to Woodstock.
15. I’m Dirty by: Kate and Jim McMullan
a. Summary: This board book tells about a backhoe from the perspective of one. He
talks about how he has a bucket in back and a giant hydraulic loader in front. He
gets to work by riding on a flat bed. It is easy for him to clean up a junk yard and
he counts down from 10 the objects he picks and takes to a dumpster. He can
also use his stabilizing legs to help him pull out old stumps. He can dig holes and
smooth over roads because he is not afraid to get muddy.
b. OWL: Learn: I learned that backhoes had buckets on the front and back. The
pictures helped me distinguish what a backhoe is. I had always just thought they
were called tractors.
16. Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree by: Eileen Christelow
a. Summary: Five little monkeys go on a picnic with their mother. While she sleeps,
they tease a crocodile. He comes up and snaps them all up, counting down from
5 to 0. When it seems they’re all eaten, they find 1,2,3,4, and 5 little monkeys
sitting up in the tree. Their mother scolds them for teasing, and they don’t tease
the crocodile again.
b. OWL: Wonder: I wonder how the mom did not see the monkeys swing up into
the top branches when she thought the crocodile ate them up.
17. Doll Bones by: Holly Black
a. Summary: Zach, Alice, and Poppy spend their free time living in a different world
by playing different quests and adventures through their action figures. The
Queen of their world is a creepy doll Poppy’s mom keeps locked in a cabinet.
One day Zach’s dad throws away his dolls, and he’s so upset that instead of
telling the girls about it, he just tells them he can’t play anymore. This starts a
quarrel between them all. One night he wakes up to find Poppy and Alice outside
his window. Poppy tells him that the Queen is actually a ghost named, Eleanor,
and that they need to take her to her cemetery and give her a proper burial, or
else they’ll all be haunted. She was murdered and her father ground up her
bones and turned her into the doll. The three decide to go, and catch a bus at 2
am. The plan is to ride the bus there, bury the doll, and get back. A man creeps
them out, so they get off the bus early and from there have to travel by foot.
Creepy things are happening to them, such as their camp getting torn up and
having dreams about the girl. They all argue over whether the story is true or if
Poppy is making it up. They end up traveling by boat, and then taking shelter in a
library, while looking for the cemetery. The doll keeps creepily turning up
missing, and people keep saying that they are traveling with a blonde friend.
They eventually make up and get the doll properly buried, before their parents
find them and take them home. The trip teaches them that although they may
be growing up, they can still remain friends.
b. OWL: Learned: If it is true, I learned the bone china dolls are actually made from
ground up bones.
18. Henny Penny by: Jane Wattenberg
a. Summary: An acorn fell from the sky and hit Henny Penny on the head. She
thought the sky was falling and ran to tell the King. She ran into the rooster
Cocky Locky and together they went to the King. They ran into Ducky Lucky and
Drake Cake, whom also accompanied them to tell the King. They ran into a few
other friends who joined them, until the ran into Foxy Loxy. Henny Penny tried
to tell him and he offered to show them the “fast” way to the King. Henny Penny
said no, but they followed Foxy Loxy into a dark cave. He ate all of Henny Penny’s
friends. She ran as fast as she could home, and never told the King the sky was
falling.
b. OWL: Observe: I observed that the Wattenberg also illustrated the book. The
way she used real life pictures with a cartoon-like background gave dimension
and made it look real and interesting.
19. Rapunzel by: Sarah Gibb
a. Summary: A young gardener and his wife finally got pregnant, but she got sick.
She really wanted a salad from the cruel witch’s garden next door. The husband
snuck out and got her one. She felt much better and wanted more, but the witch
caught him. She made him promise her his baby to keep getting salads. The
witch snatched her away, named her Rapunzel, and took her to a hidden castle.
The witch was jealous of how everyone and thing loved Rapunzel, so she locked
her in a hidden tower. The witch would make Rapunzel through down her long
golden hair and climb up into the tower. One day a prince was out and watched
her. She let down her hair and he climbed up. They fell in love. Rapunzel made a
golden dress and lots of rope to escape with the prince. The witch found out and
chopped off her hair. The witch pushed the prince out of the tower, and injured
him. The animals comforted him as he hoped to find Rapunzel. The animals led
her to him and she healed him with her tears. They got married and lived happily
ever after while he evil witch was locked in the tower.
b. OWL: Wonder: I wonder why the author chose salads to be the food to lure the
parents to the evil witch.
20. One Came Home by: Amy Timberlake
a. Summary: Georgie Burkhardt is well known for her sharpshooting skills. Her
sister Agatha runs away with Pigeoners when all the Pigeons come to Placid,
Wisconsin in 1871. They never hear from her, until the sheriff brings home a
body that they believe is her. Georgie refuses to believe Agatha is dead, and
instead thinks she has run off due to Georgie ruining her wedding and their
Grandfather not letting her go to a university. Georgie decides to sneak off and
try to track down Agatha. She is accompanied by Agatha’s teenage sweetheart
Billy. The two travel by horse and mule to Dog Hollow where they question
everyone about seeing Agatha. Georgie believes that Billy is along because he is
still in love with her sister, but it turns out her Grandfather paid him to tag along
and they let her go to realize that Agatha is actually dead. Georgie is furious with
Billy for betraying her, and the two of them take one last look at a lead in the
Gallows. Here,they meet a family and see a girl with a ribbon matching Agatha’s
gown. Georgie is determined that these people know where Agatha is and that
she was there at some point. As her and Billy camp out they stumble upon a cave
full of counterfeit money and plates. They try to get away but are caught by Mr.
Gallow and his friend. They tie up Billy and Georgie hides and shoots to scare
them off. She shoots Mr. Gallow’s friend in the thumb and they flee. They are
both badly injured and Billy is near death, when they run into Mr. Olmsted, the
man Agatha was going to marry. He helps get them back to Placid safely. When
she returns Georgie hears that her Grandfather passed while she was on her
adventure. She still doesn’t completely believe that Agatha is dead, but returns
to her way of life when she returns home. A little time passes, and they receive a
note from Agatha. She had run away to a school in Madison and is deeply
worried about hearing of Georgie’s shoot out in the newspaper. At first she is
furious that Agatha deceived them all, but Georgie then forgives her.
b. OWL: I wonder what made the author choose to write about such an odd topic. I
had never heard of a great pigeoning before.
21. My Life In Dog Years By: Gary Paulsen
a. Summary: Gary Paulsen tells the story of his life through the different dogs he
had at points in his life. The one dog Cookie saved Paulsen when he had fallen
through the ice while ice fishing in Alaska. His first dog Snowball, which he got in
the Philippines, saved him from being bitten by a snake. Ike was a lab that he
found that kept him company while hunting in the woods. Dirk was a dog that
became his body guard and protected him from being beaten up on his way
home from work. Rex was a farm dog who always a busy body was watching
over his family and farm. Caesar was a rambunctious Great Dane who was wild,
but would be gentle at all the right times. Fred was a fat little dog who chewed
through an electric fence so he and the pet pig could eat from the garden.
Quincy was a dirty moppy dog they found who saved his wife from a bear attack.
Lastly, Josh is his current dog, whom Paulsen swears is just like a person. He
listens and acknowledges what Paulsen says.
b. OWL: Wonder: I wonder how many dogs Paulsen has had his entire life.
22. Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book By: Dr. Seuss
a. Summary: Van Vleck of the county of Keck starts off the book by yawning so
wide you can see down his neck. This yawn is contagious and spreads across
town, and all of his friends begin yawning too. Everyone is feeling drowsy, with
Biffer Baum Birds building their nests and the Herk- Heimer sisters brushing their
teeth. The Castle of Krupp turns in its draw bridge for the night and the Stilt
Walkers Hall begins to be filled with lots of snoozers. The Who’s Asleep Score
goes from 40,404 to 8,000,808 with Foona Lagoonas dozing off, everyone asleep
at the Zweibeck Motel, and Curious Crandalls asleep with their candles. 99
zillion, 9 trillion and two creatures are sleeping and now it’s time for you.
b. OWL: Wonder: I wonder how Dr. Seuss came up with all these made up words.
23. The Giving Tree By: Shel Silverstein
a. Summary: There once was a tree who loved a little boy. The little boy would
come and play on her every day. He would climb on her, eat her apples, and they
would play hide and seek. When he was tired, he would sleep in her shade. The
boy also loved the tree, and the tree was happy. As the boy grew up, the tree
spent more time alone. One day she asks him to come play with her and he tells
her he needs money. Since she has no money, she gives him her apples to sell.
She was happy to help. The boy did not come back for a long time and when he
did the tree was happy. She asked him to come play, but he says he is too busy
and needs a home. She gives him her branches to build a house with. He takes
them and she is happy. He stays away for a very long time. When he comes back
she is happy and asks him to play but he says he is too old and needs a boat. She
tells him to cut down her trunk and is happy to help him. He takes it and sails
away. The tree was sad. He finally returns and she tells him he has taken all she
has, she has nothing else to give. All the boy wanted was a seat, and he sits on
her stump. The tree was happy.
b. OWL: Observe: I observed that the tree’s willingness to give and give reminds me
of the love between a mother and her son.
24. The City of Ember By: Jeanne DuPrau
a. Summary: The city of Ember is running out of light, supply, and hope.
Instructions for escape where placed in a time sealed box and passed from
mayor to mayor until one tried to open it and then lost it. The box remained lost
for years. Lina and Doon reach the point where they are assigned jobs. They
trade, and Lina is a messenger and Doon works in the pipeworks. Lina’s granny
keeps looking for something “lost” and one day her little sister Poppy is chewing
something. She takes it from her and it seems to be instructions that seem very
important but many words are missing. Supplies are running low and many foods
are completely gone. Blackouts are becoming more often. One day Lina runs into
her friend Lizzie who works at the store and sees that she has pineapple,
applesauce, peaches, and other foods the people had thought to be gone. With
more investigating, she and Doon find a hidden room in the pipeworks where
the Mayor is hiding special foods for himself. They turn him into the guards for
arrest and continue working on their instructions. The two are able to decode
the instructions and find a room containing boats and candles in the pipeworks,
both things the people of Ember have never seen. They realize the people are
supposed to escape by boat on the river. Lina and Doon plan to tell people on
the Singing Day, but the Mayor has put up signs for their arrest. Lina is caught,
but manages to escape and meet Doon at the pipeworks. She brings her little
sister and the three escape by boat. The current carries them away and then
they reach a steep uphill path. When they reach the top, they are in a new world
with grass and blazing ball of light in the sky. They begin to explore this new
world full of unknown things. They find a cave and realize the dim light at the
bottom is the city of Ember and that they had been living underground. They
drop a note with the instructions and hope the rest of their city will find their
way out.
b. OWL: Wonder: I wonder if it is possible for there to actually be an underground
city.
25. Love That Dog By: Sharon Creech
a. Summary: This is a poetry style novel, where a little boy Jack writes about his
days in class and to his teacher. He likes poetry, but is a little hesitant to pursue
or display his work because he feels like it is girly. His teacher reads lots of
poems in class, and he notes which ones he likes. He uses their styles and poems
to express his feelings about his dog Sky who passed away. He is inspired by poet
Walter Dean Myers and his teacher encourages him to write and ask Myers to
visit their school. Jack continues to write his poems and gradually becomes more
confident in letting his teacher publicly display them as his. Finally, Myers comes
to visit their school. It is a big confidence booster for Jack, who learns poetry
isn’t just for girls and that his poems are good and appreciated.
b. OWL: Observe: I observed how powerful poetry can be to students. By reading
poetry, the teacher was able to help Jack express some feelings, spark an
interest in poetry, and build his confidence in his own work.
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