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Children’s Literature Review

Children’s Literature Review

Jessica Curry
Edu 576
February 27, 2018
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Children’s Literature Review

First Grade
Hall, M (2015). Red a Crayon’s Story. New York, NY: Harper Collins Children’s Books.
This story is about a blue crayon with a red wrapper. No matter how hard the blue crayon tried
to draw red strawberries or apples or be a red crayon he wasn’t successful. Once berry crayon
came along and asked him to draw water for her boat he learned he was meant to draw blue.
This is a great picture book to describe being who you are on the inside even if you’re trying to
fit in. I would use this book in first grade as an interactive read aloud and allow students time to
discuss their thoughts on the characters of the story, RL.1.3.
Hall, Z (1996). The Apple Pie Tree. New York, NY: The Blue Sky Press.
This picture book discusses the apple tree and the growing process of the apples. A boy and a
girl go through the pages and discover spring and the stages of the tree during spring. They
noticed leaves starting to grow on the tree, robins in the nest with eggs, pink flower buds on the
tree branches and when the flowers open the birds hatch. The tree is shown covered in blossoms
and the baby birds are growing. Then, the petals fall off the tree and rain comes. Small green
apples begin to grow where the blossoms were and it turns summer. Last, the branches are heavy
and filled with apples and it turns autumn. Then, the family picks the apples and makes a pie.
This book lists on the last page how to make apple pie. Another illustration on the last page is
how bees help apples grow and an explanation of that. I would read this book to a first grade
classroom Tm as a read aloud. This would be a great introduction to fall or spring, RI.1.1.
Kosara, T (2011). Hibernation. New York, NY: SCHOLASTC INC.
This picture book discusses hibernation. It discusses why animals hibernate, and each page is a
different animal who hibernates. Great detail of hibernators is listed like warm blooded animals
and cold blooded animals. There is a glossary in the back of the book that lists all vocabulary
words that would have to be explained. Those vocabulary words are highlighted in the text. I
would read this as a read aloud to my students in first grade but could use this in grades k-4.
This book could be useful to students in supporting textual evidence when discussing hibernation
and animals and habitats. The photographs in the book are great visuals for students to learn
about animals and their habitats during hibernation.
Rotner. S (2017). Hello Spring. New York, NY: Holiday House.
This picture book has vivid pictures of things that happen during spring. The book explains how
animals wake up from their hibernation. How flowers begin to bloom. And how birds begin to
nest and lay eggs. The book also gives details on what takes place after spring has sprung.
Spring is time to plant your garden and when you can see baby animals being born. The book
gives details that relate to the five senses such as you can smell spring in the air. Also, the book
describes in clear vocabulary the actions of how the frog hops or snakes slither. The book also
discusses how days get longer and when the longest day of the year is here spring has passed and
it has turned summer. The vivid pictures give the reader a very clear picture of vocabulary. I
would use this book in a first grade classroom during an interactive read aloud before completing
the standard, W.1.2. I will help students understand the vocabulary in the glossary the back of
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Children’s Literature Review

the book after reading the book. We would make a list of factual ideas that happen during spring
giving students a word wall of ideas to use during writing. I will model for students my own
writing of informative/explanatory texts using this book to supply facts. The writing assignment
would include one fact about spring and why I think it’s interesting. This book is great for
grades k-3.
Sillett, D & Tortop, A (2017). The Leaky Story. Wollombi, Australia: EK Books.
This picture book is a story about a boy named J.J. with a great imagination. A book on the top
shelf began to leak and then rain poured down. Things such as a boat, octopus and sea horse also
came out of the book. Eventually the parents joined into the story helping J.J. in a battle against
pirates. After the Blossburns fought them off they slowly shrunk and the leaked slowed. Ending
with a family ready to go on another adventure with another book. I would read this story when
discussing fables and stories in first grade. When discussing the central message during an
interactive read aloud RL.2.2 we can discuss the imagination you can have with books.
Werber,Y (2017). Spring for Sophie. New York, NY: SIMON & SCHUSTER BOOKS FOR
YOUNG READERS. A
This picture books describes the coming of spring through a child’s eye. When Sophie wondered
when spring would come she was told by her mother to listen for it. So Sophie listened while
outside and noticed winter was quiet. She noticed more birds chirping as days pasted while
listening every time she went outside. When spring still hadn’t come she asked her dad when
will it be spring and he replied she would have to use her feet to feel the ground. As days past
she noticed the ground getting softer. Asking again when spring will come her mom told her to
use her eyes and nose to tell when spring is here. She was see the snow start to melt and the air
will smell like earth and rain. That is when Sophie will know spring has come. Sophie watched
as snow melted. Then, Sophie smelled the air and as it began to rain she grabbed her rain boots
and coat and ran out to taste the rain falling. This picture book has wonderful illustrations and
create a vivid picture of what’s happening in the story. It also explains the five senses and how
you can use them to tell when spring is coming. I would use this story as an interactive read
aloud and then go back in the text and create a mind map of the five senses and how to use them
to notice when spring is coming. Standard RL.1.1 and RL.1.2 could go with this book because
the senses would be a review from Kindergarten RL.1.4.
White, B (2011). Betsy Ross. New York, NY: Holiday House.
This picture book tells the story of Betsy Ross, the seamstress who made the first American flag.
The book is a short book with great illustrations explaining the process of how she made the flag.
The back of the book has an Author’s note about George Washington creating a pencil sketch of
the design of the flag including a six point star. Betsy thought a five point star would look much
nicer so she proved to George that it wasn’t difficult like he thought to create a five point star.
Another great addition to this book is the second to last page with a make your own Betsy Ross
star. On this page it gives the reader a step by step tutorial on how to create a Betsy Ross star.
After reading the story to my students as a read aloud I would put this page on a projector and
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Children’s Literature Review

have the students create stars with me while I modeled how to do each step. I would hang each
star up in my classroom when finished. I would use this book in a first grade class but it could
work in grades k-3. I would use this book for social studies Early American Civilizations.
Wing, N (2009). The Night Before St. Patrick’s Day. New York, NY: Grosset & Dunlap.
This fiction picture book is a story about a family who celebrates St. Patrick’s Day. The family
decorates for the Holiday and then the children try to catch a leprechaun. The children make
traps that they leave out the night before St. Patrick’s Day. When they wake their father is
playing bagpipes, they eat a green dish of eggs while singing and they discover someone made a
mess in their house. They then discover they trapped a leprechaun and when they talk to the
leprechaun he then tricks them into going outside where they learned he tricked them. I would
read this as a fun interactive read aloud around St. Patrick’s Day. I would point out the details in
illustrations that related to the Irish culture such as the family all having red hair, wearing green
and playing bagpipes for example. The standard that would work with this would be RL.1.7 and
RI.1.1. I would use this in a first grade class and following the story create our own Leprechaun
traps to leave out the night before.
Wiesner, D (1990). HURRICANE. New York, NY: Clarion Books.
This picture book story with great illustrations is about two boys who couldn’t find their cat
during a wind storm. The cat came back home and then the power went out. The boys talk
about hurricanes and the birds and squirrels during the storm and wondering what is happening
outside. In the morning the boys woke up and went outside to find a fallen tree. From this the
boys began to use their imagination to play and use the tree as a secret place. Then, the next
morning men started to cut the tree with a chainsaw and the boys were unhappy to lose the tree
but it landed on a neighbor’s yard. So, they sat under a different tree when the discovered
another storm coming and said to each other if this tree fell it would land in our yard and they
could keep the tree as a secret place. I would read this book to a first grade class, RI.1.4. I
would point out the weather and details relating to the story that provided us with insight into
imagination.
Yolen, J & Stemple, H. E.Y (2007). Sleep, Bear, Sleep. New York, NY: Harper Collins
Publishers.
This book is a story of hibernation. The story is a rhyme that goes through the animals that
hibernate. Starting with the bear, the frog, the bat, the snake, the box turtle, the gopher, the
skunk, the beaver, the mouse, the toad and the chipmunk. Each picture is an illustration of that
animal in their den, nest, and burrow. The last page is the girl going to sleep in her bed with a
bed full of stuffed animals that the story just listed. I would use this picture book as a read aloud
when discussing hibernation, winter and animals and habitats. I would engage students in
discussing the key ideas and details in the text, RL.1.3. Looking closer at each page discussing
the different habitats of each animal while hibernating.
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Children’s Literature Review

Second Grade:
Adler, D (2003). Helen Keller. New York, NY: Holiday House.
In this biography about Helen Keller it discusses her life as a blind and deaf person. Starting
with the reason for her being blind and deaf is chapter one and it describes her illness that led her
to being blind and deaf. Then, chapter two discusses from darkness to light and tells how she
adjusted to the change since she was not born blind or deaf. In chapter three they introduced her
teacher Anne Mansfield Sullivan and explained how she started to be able to communicate. In
chapter four this explained how many words she learned and how she communicated with her
hands. Brail was introduced in this chapter. On page 31 is a list of important dates and on page
32 is the sources for this book. The book has a contents page which lists its chapters. I would
use this book as an option for students to use related to standard RL.2.3. Students would have to
describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges. I could use this book
as a read aloud and students could identify a few challenges Helen Keller experienced using the
book as textual evidence.
Lehman, B (2007). RAINSTORM. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.
The picture book of a boy who is bored during a rainstorm in his big house. He finds a
mysterious key and it leads him to an unexpected door. He finds other children, nice weather and
adventures. What he really finds is a path underground that leads from his house to the light
house where other children live. He then wakes up the next day and invites the children to play
with him in his big lonely house. This story is all illustrations there is no words. Children can
tell the story how they perceive the pictures. I would use this book in second grade during an
interactive whole group story time. I wouldn’t be reading the book because it has no words but I
would let the class lead the discussion on observations, characters and story line. RL.2.7
McKay, S (2007). Animals under our feet. Novato, CA: We Both Read.
This book is a we both read story. There is a section for adults to read and then for children to
read. The book is about animals under our feet. This book takes a close look at animals who
live underground and give details of each animal or insect. This picture book includes both
photographs and illustrations throughout the story. Very detailed facts about the animal’s
environment, habitat and what they eat. I would use this book in second grade in small group
reading so we could share read. I would read the adult text and allow the students to read the
children text. This would allow for me to explain details and information in the text and answer
questions students have. RL.2.1.
Scieszka, J (1991). THE TRUE STORY OF THE 3 LITTLE PIGS! New York, NY: Scholastic.
This picture book is the classic tale of the three little pigs but told by the Wolf. This story tells
the events of the story as the wolf being the story teller. The wolf talks about this story being a
big misunderstanding and how he only needed a cup of sugar from a neighbor and accidentally
sneezed blowing down the first pig’s house. The wolf goes into saying his story is the real
version. I would use this story when discussing the craft and structure of the story RL.2.6. I
would model acknowledging the differences in the points of view of characters. We can list as a
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Children’s Literature Review

whole class on the board details from the story that the wolf discussed. Then, compare and
contrast RL.2.9 the two versions of the story. I would use this story in a second grade classroom
but it could be a good library addition to any classroom grades 1-5.
Stewart, M (2006). A PLACE FOR BUTTERFLIES. Atlanta, GA: PEACHTREE PUBLISHERS
This picture book has colorful illustrations of butterflies and their environments. The book
discusses the beauty of butterflies but the harmful effects of humans. The butterfly life cycle is
described in four stages. Then throughout the book different butterflies are pictured with a brief
explanation of that butterfly like what they like to eat and where you can find them. The book
goes through twelve different butterflies and their preferred environment and what we could do
to help protect them. This book would be a great interactive read aloud with vivid illustrations to
picture where butterflies live. The factual text would allow for a group conversation about how
to help butterflies in our own environment, SL.2.1. I would use this book while learning about
insects and to model the standard, RI.2.6.
Trapani, I (1993). The ITSY BITSY SPIDER. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.
In this picture book the classic song of the itsy bitsy spider comes alive in the pictures. Each
picture is a line of the song. In the end of the story is the music for this song. I would use this in
a second grade class as an interactive read aloud and discuss the meaning of the song through
looking at details in the pictures RL.2.4. I would also reread this after discussing the story and
encourage all students to sing along with the story with me.
Trapani, I (1999). ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge
In this picture book of the classic song row row row your boat the illustrator gives detailed
illustrations of the song through story. Each picture is a line of the song and includes a vivid
story line when reading the book. I would use this in a second grade class as an interactive read
aloud and discuss the details of the pictures RL.2.4. The story is about a bear family who took a
boat ride and each page describes the song lyrics. I would read this and break down the text and
relate it to the details in the pictures. I would also reread this story and encourage students to
sing the song with me.
Willems, M (2014). Waiting Is Not Easy! New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children.
In this picture book elephant has to wait for a surprise that pig wants to show him. Elephant
doesn’t like waiting all day but once he does he sees the stars at night which was the surprise.
Elephant wanted to show pig the sunset and now pig has to wait. I would use this book in a
second grade classroom. The text is easy to read and has words that students may need to sound
out which can challenge learners. In the book the size of the text gets bigger when elephant is
frustrated or yelling. I could model standard RL.2.6 and show students what larger text sounds
like.
Williems, M (2007). Today I will Fly! New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children.
In this picture book pig wants to fly. Elephant and pig talk about how pig can’t fly but pig is
determined. Pig gets scared by the dog and jumps on elephant but elephant tells pig he didn’t
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Children’s Literature Review

jump but to try again. Along came duck who offered to help. Elephant comes back and pig is in
the air flying. Elephant is so excited that pig can fly he say’s “my friend can fly!” But pig says I
am not flying, duck is helping me. They agree to try again tomorrow. This is a great story of
determination, not giving up and taking help when you need it. I would use this in a second
grade class as a read aloud. I would model standard RL.2.6 showing students what larger text
sounds like and differentiating the different voices of pig and elephant so they can hear the
language in the book clearly.
Zemlicka, S (2003). FROM EGG TO BUTTERFLY. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications
Company.
This picture book explains the stages of life of a butterfly. The pictures on each page are
photographs of each stage giving the reader a vivid picture to relate to the text. Starting with the
mother butterfly laying eggs on a plant. The picture on page 5 is a close up picture to show the
butterfly eggs on the plant. Next, the egg hatches showing a caterpillar coming out of each egg.
The book describes the caterpillar eating its eggshell first then turning to leafs resulting in a
growing caterpillar. The stage of life where the caterpillar sheds its skin which is molting is
described, forming a pupa and molting is described next showing a vivid photograph on each
stage. This book has a glossary at the end of the book defining any bold words that are stages of
this process that would have to be learned. I would use this book in a second grade class but you
could use this book in grades k-5. I would use this book when learning about insects. I would
read this book to my students in an interactive read aloud modeling important words and
explaining their meaning, RI.2.4.
Third Grade
Atkinson, C (2017). WHERE OLIVER FITS. Northern, NY: Tundra.
This picture book is a story about a puzzle piece named Oliver who tries really hard at finding
the right fit and fitting in someplace. Oliver changes himself just to fit into certain puzzles by
changing his color and changing his shape. Eventually he noticed other puzzle pieces who were
trying to change themselves in order to fit in and that he wasn’t alone. Oliver discovered you
can’t force or rush your fit and all you can do is be yourself. When your fit finds you it will feel
just right. This is a good story to use in a third grade class that describes characters and feelings.
I would use this story as an interactive read aloud and discuss the actions of Oliver and how they
contributed to the sequence of events in the story, RL.3.3.
Beuhner, C (2002). SNOWMAN AT NIGHT. New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers.
This picture book is a fictional story of snowman who come to life at night. They have a
snowball fight, drink hot cocoa, and have sledding fun, play hockey and much more all while the
world sleeps. This is a great story to use as a read aloud. I would use this book in a third grade
class to introduce descriptive detail. After reading the story I would model to my students a
story I would write about an experience I had with my snowman that came to life. I would
model clear event sequences and descriptive details in my story, W.3.3.
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Children’s Literature Review

Gibbons, G (1992). Recycle! : a handbook for kids. United States of America: Library of
Congress Cataloging-in-publication Data.
The picture book discusses the process of recycling from start to finish. It also discusses what
happens to paper, glass, aluminum cans and plastic when they are recycled into new products. In
the last three pages it lists facts under the title can you believe? Throughout the book is bold
words that describe the vocabulary that relates to recycling and or the process of recycling. I
would use this book in a third grade classroom while learning about the process of recycling.
This book could be used as a read aloud going over details and vocabulary words but could also
be used to write an assignment while using this book as textual evidence RI.3.1.
Kroll, S (2009). Stuff! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish
Corporation.
This picture book was a story of Pinch the pack rat who kept everything and never threw
anything away. His house was over flowing with stuff. The town he lived in decided to have a
tag sale and clean up. Heddy asked Pinch to donate some of his stuff. Pinch said no at first but
decided if he sold some stuff he could earn money to buy more things. Pinch noticed after
selling so much stuff that the stuff he sold was cool but he never noticed because he had too
many things. Hedgehog wanted to buy a tree with the earnings of the tag sale and asked Pinch to
donate his money but Pinch had to think it over. After going home to a clean house and deciding
it was nice to not live with stuff everywhere he got an idea. Pinch had all his family of pack rats
empty their houses to make enough money to buy a dozen trees instead of just one. I would read
this story as a read aloud after learning about recycling. I would ask students how Pinch’s
motivations and feelings contributed to the sequence of events RL.3.3. We would discuss the
student’s ideas and list his motivations and contributions.
Offill, J & Carpenter, N (2011). 11 Experiments That Failed. New York, NY: Schwartz & Wade
Books.
This picture book describes eleven experiments that failed. In each attempted experiment there
is a question, hypothesis and what happened. Each experiment has a great illustration of real
photos and drawings. Most of the experiments are set up for failure but it is a funny story. I
would use this in a third grade class to discuss question, hypothesis and results. I would use this
in a writing piece, W.3.7, and would model a question I have, form a hypothesis and then allow
students to do the same. Following, the next few days to create an experiment and then write the
results.
Palacio, R.J (2014). Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories. New York, NY: Random House
Children’s Books.
In this fictional novel there are three stories about the Wonder book. The three stories are told
through three different perspectives. The three chapters are the Julian chapter, Pluto’s chapter
which is told by Christopher and Shingaling chapter which is told by the perspective of
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Children’s Literature Review

Charolette. They are short stories that just give more insight into Auggies world. I would use
this book in a third grade class to discuss the three different points of view, RL.3.6. We could
then discuss the students having a point of view and writing an ending chapter on their point of
view, W.3.1.
Tagholm, S (2000). ANIMAL LIVES The Frog. New York, NY: KINGFISHER.
This picture book is about a frog waking from spring. The frog is hungry after his hibernation so
he searches for food which is plentiful. On his way to the pond he is greeted by the hedgehog
who chases him into the water. The book goes into detail about the frog’s legs, his breathing of
air and finding of a mate. The book goes into age appropriate details of mating and how frogs
lay eggs. The process of what happens after the eggs is then described in detail about tadpoles
and what happens until the end of the breeding season. On page 28, the common frog is
described in bold words that are defined. On page 30 are a list of three other frogs and their
details. On page 31 is a list of frog words and where you could find further information on frogs.
This book would be a great book to read to students but would also work as factual evidence
related to a favorite frog W.3.1. Students could use this book to give details and factual evidence
on a frog of their choice. I would use this book in third grade but it could work in grades 2-6.
Yamada, K (2016). WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A PROBLEM? New York, NY:
This picture book is about a child who doesn’t know what to do with a problem. He wants to
hide from the problem, keep it inside and not talk about it. Then one day that problem gets to
heavy and hard to handle. The boy learns to face his problem head on and once he does that it
wasn’t such a big deal after all. The boy learned if you worry over a problem you could miss
opportunities. This book is a great example of emotions and problem solving. I would use this
book in a third grade classroom to discuss problem solving. We could have a discussion on
feelings and emotions related to the text, RL.3.7.
Yamada, K (2014). WHAT DO YOU DO WITH AN IDEA? New York, NY:
This picture book is about a child who has an idea. Confidence of the child grows and so does
the idea. The boy wanted to hold the idea, keep it to himself because he was worried what others
thought. Once he let the idea out and it was into the world something huge happened, he noticed
change. The boy noticed what to do with ideas, you change the world. This is a great story that
hits on the emotions of worry and curiosity. I would use this in a third grade classroom as a read
aloud. The standard that would work with the book is RL.3.7 because the illustrations contribute
to what is conveyed by the words in a story. The character and settings of this story are
explained through the illustrations and allows for students to inference.
Yamada, K (2018). WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A CHANCE? New York, NY:
This picture book discusses what chances become. Chances are invitations into grand adventures
and what do you do with a chance once you have it? The story goes into explaining the boy
having an opportunities but he was afraid to use it. The boy was unsure at first and didn’t take
chances right away and he thought about it a lot. He wished he taken the chance but wasn’t sure
if he was courageous enough. Then, one day he promised if he had another chance he wouldn’t
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Children’s Literature Review

hold back and he would take it. That chance came and he was ready and took it! This is a great
story of emotional development and showing students how to think things through but have the
courage to try new chances. I would use this in a third grade class as an interactive read aloud
and we could discuss the illustrations and the story line, RL.3.7.
Fourth Grade
Aston, D. H & Long, S (2012). A Rock is Lively. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books LLC.
In this picture book about rocks the pictures are painted watercolor pictures that have great
details. The book is a detailed informational text about rocks, what type of rocks and some facts
about that type of rock. I would use this in a fourth grade class for students to refer to. I would
hope to incorporate this book in a science lesson on the earth and/or rocks.
Blackford, C (2015). HUNGRY COYOTE. St. Paul, MN: The Minnesota Historical Society Press.
In this picture book about coyote down at the lake on the edge of the city it shows a story of a
coyote throughout all the seasons. He starts off alone hunting for food. Throughout the story
there is people in the not too far distance which goes to show students how animals and humans
share a world. The coyote story moves through seasons and during that season the reader gets a
little insight into what happens with coyote during that time. Coyote has a family in spring and
in summer they steal food from picnickers. The story also explains how coyote moves his den
far away from humans in summer. I would use this book in fourth grade as an interactive read
aloud. I would have students draw inferences from the text, RI.4.1.
Hatkoff, C & Uhlick, G (2007). KNUT. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
This picture book is a biography of a polar bear who was born in the Berlin Zoo and the mother
polar bear wouldn’t care for her babies. This story of Knut, the polar bear who was raised and
grew up in the zoo. This book has many details of polar bears like what they eat as babies, how
they play and what they like. I would use this book in a fourth grade class. I would use this
book as an interactive read aloud and discuss setting, event in the story and specific details in the
text, RL.4.3.
James, S (1999). Days Like This. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
This picture book is a collection of small poems with illustrations of watercolors that portray the
poems meaning. I would use this in a fourth grade class and read the poems to discover the
meaning of the poem and go over the details, RL.4.2. It would also be a great way to introduce
the different types of poems.
Javaherbin, M (2010). GOAL. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
This picture book is about a South African boy named Ajani who recently got a new soccer ball.
Bullies soon come to take the ball from Anjani and his friends. The boys trick the bullies and
hide the ball in a bucket revealing an old ball which the bullies take. The boys pretend to cry and
seem upset that they have taken their ball. The bullies leave and the boys continue to play. This
story is a great introduction to students that it isn’t always safe where you live. When they play
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Children’s Literature Review

soccer their worries melt away. There is also details of how they get water by filling a bucket up
at a well. Not our average American home. This allows for a discussion about character, setting
and events, RL.4.3. I would read this to a fourth grade class as an interactive read aloud. This
book could work well in grades 1-6.
McGill, A (1999). Molly Bannaky. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.
This picture book biography introduces Molly Walsh, a dairymaid. Molly spilled milk one day
and was brought in front of court for stealing. Since Molly could read she wasn’t punished to
death. At age seventeen, Molly was exiled from her country and sentenced to work as a servant
in an American colony. For seven years Molly worked on a farm in Maryland. Molly was then
given her freedom and some resources to start a new life. She went into the woods to stake her
claim of land. With the help of a neighbor she built a one room cabin and helped her harvest her
tobacco. She realized she couldn’t manage a farm alone so she set off to buy a slave to help her.
She would only need his help and set him free. They got to know each other while working and
Bannaky would help with irrigation. Molly and Bannaky married after Molly signed his freedom
papers. This story is a great example of women’s rights and change. I would use this picture
book in a fourth grade class as an interactive read aloud, RL.4.1.
Myers, W.D (2008). Ida B. Wells Let the Truth Be Told. New York, NY: HarperCollins
Children’s Books.
This picture book biography introduces the legendary Ida B. Wells. The watercolor paintings in
the story is a great illustration of the history unfolding. The book describes Ida B. Wells, a story
of discrimination, bravery and life events. I would use this book in a fourth grade classroom as
an interactive read aloud, RL.4.1. This book could also be used as factual evidence in a writing
assignment during Black History month allowing students to choose an influential person of
color and describing what they did to create change, W.4.1.
Poletti, F & Yee, K (2017). The girl who ran Bobbi Gibb, the first woman to run the Boston
Marathon. Seattle, WA: Compendium INC.
The picture book is a biography of a girl who loved to run. She ran even after her friends
growing up stopped. She grew up wanting to be a part of the Boston Marathon and she set out to
achieve the goal. Bobbi trained hard, on all kinds of terrain. She applied for the Marathon and
was refused entry. The marathon told Bobbi girls don’t and can’t run. Bobbi broke the rules and
changed the world one step at a time. I would use this story in fourth grade and would use it as a
read aloud. I also think it would be great to include in an influential women’s library.
Rubbino, S (2009). A WALK IN NEW YORK. New York, NY: Candlewick Press.
In this picture book a boy and his father go visit New York City. They ride the subway, visit
grand central station and give details about each location they visit. They visit the parks, the
villages, look at buildings and speak about most details that make New York City the city it is. I
would use this picture book in a fourth grade class to discuss details of New York City, RI.4.7. I
would use it in a read aloud and allow for it to sit on a book shelf for further exploration.
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Children’s Literature Review

Zuehlke, J (2005). Michael Phelps. Minneapolis, MN: Learner Books.

In this biography about Michael Phelps it has an index page and chapters. A glossary of words
in the back of the book are helpful to students who may not be familiar with a word or definition.
There are photos throughout the book that gives students a picture of what it would be like to be
an Olympic swimmer. I would use this in a fourth grade class and would leave it in a library of
influential people for students to choose to explain events and information about that person,
RI.4.3. Then have students create a poster on the influential person they chose.
Fifth Grade
Banks, S. H (1997). A Net to Catch Time. New York, NY: Random House.
In this picture book Cuffy wants to earn money so he can buy a boat someday. The book uses
names from the Gullah calendar to explain when Cuffy is doing things. There is a glossary in the
front of the book to explain language or vocabulary that students may not be familiar with. This
book is great in discussing culture differences. In the story Cuffy is a boy who wants to sell
deviled crabs so the story starts in the morning and ends at night when his little sister goes to
sleep. Each page is a new time of day to create a picture of a timeline. I would use this in a fifth
grade classroom as an interactive read aloud.
Frank, J (2014). Lend a Hand: Poems about giving. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books, inc.
This picture book is a collection of empowering poems that inspire kindness and helping others.
There is a variety of poems in this book with illustrations that go well with each poem to give an
overall picture. I would use this book in a fifth grade class as an interactive read aloud, RL.5.2.
We as a class can discuss how the speaker in the poem reflects upon a topic and summarize the
poem.
Levine, E (2007). Henry’s freedom box. New York, NY: The Scholastic Press.
In this picture book a true story of Henry Brown, a slave who wanted to be free. He lived with
his mother and then was sold by his owner to the owner’s son. Henry grew older and found a
wife and had three children. The wife and children were sold and were taken from Henry.
Henry wanted to be free that he mailed himself in a wooden box to be free in Pennsylvania. He
made it! I would use this book in fifth grade as a interactive read aloud. I would read this during
black history month.
McKay JR, L (1998). Journey Home. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books, Inc.
In this picture book Mai and her mother travel to Vietnam in search of her mother’s birth family
who was lost during the war. Mai never traveled to Vietnam before and was nervous of all the
possibilities. Once in Saigon, Mai notices she doesn’t look so different from the people around
her like she’s use to in America. The travel to the People’s Hall of Records to find birth records.
They went through some tourist places and found some answers about where her family is. I
would read this story as an interactive read aloud. It is a good story about culture and could be
used during social studies learning about the war.
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Children’s Literature Review

Mitchell, S (2008). The ugly duckling. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

This is a classic retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen story. The ugly duckling that is
different than all the others. This is a great book to use in fifth grade. I would read a simpler
version of the ugly duckling first and then read aloud this version. Then compare and contrast
the stories, RL.5.9. This picture book is full of detailed illustrations and the text gives details
that can be discussed as a whole group.
Noble, T.H (2006). The last brother: a civil war tale. Chelsea, MI: Sleeping Bear Press.
A picture book of the story about a boy and the civil war. An eleven year old boy named Gabe
who is a bugler in the Union Army. His brother is a foot soldier in the war also his name is
Davy. Gabe meets another bugler and befriends him but he is a confederate. The story goes into
historical details about the time era and has a great story plot. I would use this book in a fifth
grade class and would read it aloud, RI.5.3.
Sandburg, C (1999). The Huckabuck Family and how they raised popcorn in Nebraska and quit
And came back. Canada: Harcourt, Brace & Company.
This picture book is a story about a family who grow popcorn and are farmers. After a
successful season and a lot of crops Pony Pony wanted to bake a squash pie and found gold.
When she went to show her mother the heat from the light popped the popcorn. The family
wanted a change so they moved and experienced a new way to live resulting in them coming
back home to the farm. I would use this story in a fifth grade class as a read aloud, RL.5.1.
Scattarella, C (2013). The boy who learned upside down. New York, NY: Random House
Children’s Books.
This picture book is a true story about a boy, named Alex who couldn’t get anything right.
School was hard for him. It’s a good story to read to a fifth grade class about being different,
RL.5.6. I would use this in a class library or in a read aloud but would break up the reading in a
few days because of the books length.
Schotter, R (2006). The boy who loved words. New York, NY: Random House Children’s Books
This picture book is about a boy named Selig who loves words. He loves everything about them.
He finds that everyone is in search of words. Everyone is searching for the perfect word and he
can provide that perfect word. I would discuss the language in this book to a fifth grade class
and I would read it aloud. There is a glossary in the back of the book that defines each word that
students may not know. RL.5.1
Woodruff, E (1999). The memory coat. New York, NY: The Scholastic Press.
This picture book was about a Jewish family that lived in Russia. The story is about a girl named
Rachel and her cousin, Grisha who had recently lost his parents to an epidemic. The two played
storytelling games that helped Grisha grieve. The soldiers invaded their community and their
family made plans to flee to Ellis Island. In hopes at making a good first impression the family
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Children’s Literature Review

begged Grisha to get a new coat and take off his ragged old one. But he couldn’t bear to let it go
it was made by his mother with love. He now uses his coat to pass down from children to
children to remember the story of Gisha coming to America. I would read this to a fifth grade
class and I think it explains the time period well. RL.5.3
Sixth Grade
Colfer, C (2012). The land of stories, the wishing spell. New York, NY: Little, brown company.
When the twins grandmother gives them a treasured fairy-tale book the girls have no idea that
they are about to enter a land beyond imagining. The land of stories is where fairy tales are real.
I would have this in my classroom library for sixth grade.
Emerson, M & Hunter, S (2012). Diary of a 6th grade ninja. Concord, MA: Emerson
Publishing House.
In this fictional novel Chase Cooper is starting six grade at a new school. He was just a scrawny
kid until a group of ninjas recruited him to be in their group. I would have this library of
chronicles in my classroom for sixth graders to read. There are a total of eleven diary of a 6th
grade ninja that students could choose from.
Kinney, J (2009). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Dog Days. New York, NY: Abrams Books.
Kinney, J (2011). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Cabin Fever. New York, NY: Abrams Books.
Palacio, R.J (2012). Wonder. New York, NY: Random House Children’s
Books.
In this fiction novel August is a boy with facial deformities. He has been homeschooled his
whole life until entering a private school in fifth grade. August faced several obstacles during
the story but he always got through it. I would use this book to analyze details of key individuals
and elaborate on the text, RI.6.3.
Patterson, J (2014). Treasure hunters danger down the Nile. New York, NY: Little Brown
Company.
I would have James Patterson collections in my classroom for students to read to self or partner
read.
Tarshis, L (2012). I survived. New York, NY: Scholastic Books.
I would have this book in my classroom library as a text regarding September 11, 2001.