Board Book
·
First 100 Animals by Roger Priddy
o
It is a good book for parent and child to go
through beginning phoneme and attachment to common animals. I like it for ages 18 – 24 months. Good solid starter book. I’ll do a star rating, 1 to 5, by which I give
this book a 4 star for this particular age group.
Wordless Picture Book
·
The Farmer by Mark Ludy
o
Story that portrays the perspective of a farmer
and the attachments that come with it.
Good for any elementary age as different facets can be explored based on
development of students. I think that it
would open the students up to a variety of conversations, such as sacrifice or
emotions. I give this a 4 star rating
due to to diversity of facets to teach.
· Journey
o
Story reminded me of the amazement I felt when Lucy
Pevensie walked through the wardrobe and emerged into Narnia. Imagination runs wild in this creative book
portraying a skill many young children no longer utilize since the availability
and accessibility to technology has increased.
I like this for Kindergarten to 4th as they each can delve
into different aspects of creativity. I
give this Caldecott winner a 5 star rating for its importance to imagination
and portrayal to this aspect of reading, getting lost in a whole new world (to borrow from Disney).
Decodable Book
·
First Little Readers Parent Pack Guided Reading
Level A by Deborah Schecter
o
A collection of books that focus on sight words and
simple vocabulary. In one specific book,
Hello Beach, the reader focuses on the word hello and some other vocabulary
that is all capitalized. I give this
collection a 2 simply based on sight words chosen. Many words are common in conversation so emphasis
could have been on non-conforming words, or words that do not follow the letter
sound(s) trends. It is simplistic in
form, so builds confidence of the reader, but does not provide any challenging
words.
Grocery Book
·
Shimmer and Shine The Cupcake Mistake
o
Portraying some popular characters from Shimmer
and Shine, this story takes us through the miscommunication common between Leah
and her titular genies. It does teach
that putting a little bit of effort is better than trying to find a quick
fix. Three-quarter page illustrations and
couple sentences per page are the common structure. Some vocabulary can be considered Tier 2 but
the basis of the book is found in the popularity of its characters and not the
vocabulary therein. I am not a fan of
grocery aisle books, even before taking classes, so I give this a 2 based on
focus on popularity and lack of improved vocabulary.
Informational Book
· National Geographic Kids: Jump Pup!
o Come along as little puppy goes out exploring in the world. Along the way he meets new friends, big and small, and sees amazing sights, but can't wait to get back home to mom.
Series Information Told in simple yet lively text built with sight words and using picture icons to aid reading, National Geographic Pre-Readers will enchant kids just beginning their journey with books. I enjoy National Geographic writing, so I give them 4 out of 5 for information and simple to understand structure for kids.
· Fly Guy Presents: Dinosaurs by Tedd Arnold
o Fly Guy and Buzz are ready for their next field trip! And in Dinosaurs they visit a natural history museum to learn all about dinosaurs. With straightforward text, humorous asides, and kid-friendly full-bleed photographs throughout, young readers will learn lots of fun facts about these prehistoric creatures. Fly Guy is a character that provides humor to the reading in all he adventures into so this should provide students with additional incentive to read. I give this read a 4 out of 5 for humor integration and the semi-simulation it provides for students through the pictures.
Historical Fiction
· I Survived the American Revolution, 1776
o The battlefield was soaked in blood. Screams of injured soldiers rang through the air. Eleven-year-old Nathaniel Knox knelt behind a rock, his gun clutched in his shaking hands. Nate had been heading to New York City to find his father. But now he was trapped in a terrible gunfight between American and British troops. Providing a scripted drama to young readers enabling them to gain perspective and empathy
Fantasy
· The Magician’s Hat
o This is not your typical afternoon at the library. It's Family Fun Day, and a magical man with a big hat has suddenly appeared. A crowd gathers to see what kinds of tricks this surprise visitor will perform. That's when the Magician pulls off his favorite trick of all. He invites kids to reach into his hat to pull out whatever they find when they dig down deep. Soon - poof! - each child comes away with something better than they could've imagined: a book that helps them become whatever they want to be, and makes their dreams come true through pages and words, and the adventures that follow. But as each child is swept into reading's powerful adventures, they can't help but wonder, What's really making the magic happen? Reminded me of an updated version of the movie The Pagemaster which dealt with similar themes, except for the inference of negative magic being used. I give 2 out of 5 because of the negative magic, possible dark nuance.
Realistic Fiction
· Bridge to Terabithia
o There's only one thing Jess Aarons is looking forward to in fifth grade, and that's being the fastest kid in school. He's been practicing all summer. He hasn't had much else to do, since his mom spends all her time with his four sisters and his dad is always working. But when Jess arrives at the school playground to show off his speed, his new neighbor, Leslie Burke, beats him to it. She's way faster than Jess. But instead of being jealous, Jess admires Leslie's skill, confidence, and wild imagination. The two become instant friends, spending hours in the woods by their houses creating a magical kingdom. Then tragedy strikes, and Jess is left alone. How can he ever go on? Gripping, relatable, and very emotional, this powerful tale touches hearts with its wonderful portrayal of love and friendship. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and enjoyed the relatability of the keen friendship of our protagonists. Although the movie version does not nearly meet the expectations of the book it is still a decent watch. I give this 5 out of 5. One of my favorite reads.
· Goodnight Moon
o A short expression of a child slowing down as they drift away to sleep or a parent sharing the experience of the drift with a child. Simple words for the beginning reader and the pictures also allows the child to create their own story, if not a reader. I share this experience with my young children so appreciate the opportunity it provides. I give this book 5 out of 5.
· The Very Hungry Caterpillar
o The story of a caterpillar that certainly knows how to eat… but to what end. I nice simple timeline demonstrating the life cycle of a butterfly. Beautifully illustrated and simply written. I give this book 5 out of 5.
· Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
o Full of humor and repetition this book provides opportunities for children to participate in the experience. Simply written but full of excitement and thrill. Children should find this book, and series, a joy to read. I give this book 5 out of 5.
Jack and the Beanstalk
o The story of a young boy that finds a giant adventure. Beans that lead to another world allows Jack to change the course of his world as he knows it. A story of action and consequences and a coming of age story. Many renditions have been written and created on screen. Has lasted through time and remains a focal point of literature references. I give this book 5 out of 5.
There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow
o This bundled-up gal isn't playing in the snow; she's slurping it up as fast as she can. Raccoons, reindeer, and bears look on with stunned amazement as she gobbles up even stranger items like a pipe, a scarf, two lumps of coal, and even the branches of a tree. What could she possibly be up to? What do all of these items add up to? Delightful sound effects and fun-to-say words, like tinkle, crunch, and yummy, are written out as part of the comic pictures, providing a great way for the youngest readers to participate in the read-along fun.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Rose
o That lovely old lady has returned just in time for Valentine's Day. Now she's swallowing items to make a very special gift for her valentine! With rhyming text and hilarious illustrations, this wacky version of the classic song will appeal to young readers as they follow the Old Lady on a wild Valentine's Day adventure. A good thematic book for the festivity and the poetic vocabulary introduces concepts essential tot he development of young readers.
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