August Book Selections

Back to School

In the first month of school, I like to read stories that set the tone for the school year and highlight any big emotions my little students might be feeling. The following are my favorite back to schoolbooks.  

Penn, A., Harper, R. E., & Leak, N. M. (2021). The kissing hand. Tanglewood Press.

My first selection is the classroom classic, The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. This is the heart-warming story of little Chester the raccoon who is feeling anxious about starting school. His mama shares a family secret called "the Kissing Hand" to remind him of her love to provide him with reassurance when they are apart. Ruth Harper’s warm and delightful watercolor illustrations support the telling of this story and its calming and comforting message. This is an excellent story for the first day of school, especially for our Kindergarten students. 

Dewdney, A. (2022). Llama Llama misses mama. Viking.

It's Llama Llama's first day of preschool and everything and everyone is strange and new. The teacher and the other children show Llama Llama how much fun school can be.  This story probably echoes many of the feelings and thoughts of the students in the first few days of school. Many of my students recognize Llama Llama for the Llama Llama book series from Anna Dewdney which features 50 stories. 

Beaumont, K., & Catrow, D. (2021). I like myself! Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

This is a fun story of a little girl who uses her imagination to express her healthy self-esteem and teaches children to love themselves.  The story features silly and colorful illustrations and fun rhyming words. It’s the perfect story to help children feel more comfortable and confident in themselves as we start the new school year. This book is perfect for children ages 4-8 and a fun read to help “break the ice”. 

Ways to expand on the books

• Have children look in a mirror and draw a self-portrait. I like to frame these portraits and display on a wall for the whole year. 

• Have children write about how they felt on the first day of school.

Questions to ask your students

• Ask the children if they can think of a time when someone might feel all alone because they miss someone special.

• What does Chester do when he feels lonely and needs his mom?

• What do you like about yourself?

 Non-Fiction  

        This genre includes informational texts, biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs. Non-fiction has a bad rap for being boring or stuffy but most of the time truth can be just as entertaining as fiction. Children have the natural tendency to be curious about the world around them. We get these questions all the time in the kindergarten classroom. Who found the first dinosaur? Where do crayons come from? How is a car made? Why is the sky blue? These stories help us answer some of those questions. 

Skeers, L.; Miguéns, A. M. (2020). Dinosaur lady: The daring discoveries of Mary Anning, the first paleontologist. Sourcebooks Explore.

        Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist is a gorgeously illustrated picture book biography of Mary Anning. This story will not only inform children about the discovery of dinosaurs and how that changed the world but also the importance of female scientists. It is a fantastic biography for young children. 

         Mary was a little English girl who loved hunting for fossils with her father along the coastline of England. She went on to discover and unearth the very first dinosaur bone and created paleontology: scientific study of dinosaurs. The straightforward text shows how Mary determination and quest for knowledge led to one on the greatest scientific discoveries.

         The illustrations are exciting, visually appealing,  bright and colorful. They do a wonderful job of expanding on the text and bringing the story to life. I love that she wears a dress while using tools. 

        My youngest son loves dinosaurs and when we visited England several years ago. We stayed in Lyme Regis where Mary Anning is a hero. We were able to search for fossils on the same beach she made her discovery, we even found a few. I loved reading more about Mary Anning. This is a great story to add to a dinosaur unit and what kid doesn’t love dinosaurs?

Gibbons, G. (2020). How a house is built. Holiday House.

        How a House is built by Gail Gibbons is my selection for a great example of informational text. Gail Gibbons does a wonderful job illustrating and explaining each step of building a house. From planning, surveying, laying a foundation and then each phase of construction. This story is both informational and easy to understand for our young students. 

        The illustrations are bright and contain labels for the new vocabulary words and other important information not always listed within the text. She even illustrates many styles of homes at the end. 

        Gail Gibbons is one of my favorite non-fiction/informational text authors. She has written and illustrated 67 books that have been published. Her books are factual and written with her young audience in mind with every word choice. She has written books that cover many topics and has won numerous literary awards. 

 

Ways to expand on the books

• Have children create “fossils” using salt dough and dinosaur toys.

• Dig for dinosaur bones in a sand table.

• Have the children build a model house with blocks or loose materials.

• Ask a local architect for old blueprints for the children to explore. Encourage them to draw a blueprint of their own. 

Questions to ask your students

• How old was Mary when she made her first major discovery? 

• What does a paleontologist do?

• Which construction job would you like to do most and why?

• Which job do you think is most important when building a house?

 Historical Fiction  

    Historical fiction teaches children the importance of the past. It allows them to better understand events in history and connect with those who came before us. This genre is defined by having relatable real or fictional characters and situations and real-life historical events set in the past.  It can help children better understand and explore people’s motives, their moral development, and choices.

Rylant, C., Goode, D. (1985). When I Was Young In the Mountains. Penguin.

One of my favorite historical fiction stories is When I was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Diane Goode. In this story the narrator tales of a childhood in the Appalachian Mountains about 100 years ago. Remembering the happiness in her simple country living. The theme of this story is to be content with the simple things in life.

The historical elements include an outhouse, using candles and lanterns, walking to a general store to get a mound of butter and pumping pails of water to heat and fill the bathtubs. The rich illustrations not only enhance the story but provide more insight into the historical elements of the story. 

When I Was Young In the Mountains has received many awards and accolades since its publication. It was named a best children and young adult book of 1982 , and an American Book Award in 1982. Diane Goode's illustrations won the book a Caldecott Honor for children's literature.

I like this story because it reads as if told by a Great-Grandmother to her great grandchildren.  It reminds me of spending time listening to stories from my own grandmother. When I Was Young in the Mountains is best suited for children K-3rd grade.

Jiang, J.; Ruth, G. (2013). Red Kite, blue kite. Disney/Hyperion Books.

        In Red Kite Blue Kite, Ji-Ii Jiang tells the story of his family friend when he was young. The young boy (Tai Shan) and his father (Baba) during China's Cultural Revolution. During this scary time of unrest Tai and his father are separated when his father is taken to a labor farm and Tai must stay with Granny Wang (a kind farmer). Schools are closed and Baba is only allowed to visit Tai Shan on Sunday.  Tai Shan and Baba enjoy flying their kites together and when they are no longer allowed to visit, they fly their kites to greet each other every day to stay connected and “talk with their kites”.

        This is a beautiful story of a father/son relationship, love, history, and hope.  In the author’s note at the beginning of the story we learn a brief history of the China in 1966-1976.Greg Ruth’s beautiful double-page spreads are done in ink and watercolors.  They are large, realistic, they are a real feast for the eyes. The illustrations add to an already moving and visually descriptive story really bringing it to life.

        I love this story and, in the end, when the father and son are united, everyone in the village flies red and blue kites is very moving. It is a powerful story that teaches children about the Chinese culture and history at the same time.This historical fiction tale has won many awards including  the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature.

Ways to expand on the books

• Point out the Appalachian Mountain range (that runs from Maine to Georgia) on a map.

• Have the children ask there parents or grandparents what they liked to do when they were young.

• Why didn't Baba fly his kite for three days?

• Looking at the cover ask children to make a prediction, What do you this this story is about?

Questions to ask your students

• Where did Grandfather work?

• Has anyone been to a mountain before?

• Create kites in class.

• Fly a kite outside.

 Realistic Fiction 

    Realistic Fiction is an important genre for children, especially young children to be exposed to. Books in this genre help children understand human problems and relate to stories. These stories help children better understand themselves and know that they are not alone in the problems they may face. They provide examples of how to react or not react to situations that may arise in their lives. 

Muhammad, I., Ali, S. K., & Aly, H. (2020). The proudest blue: A story of hijab and family. Andersen Press Ltd.

The story The Proudest Blue written by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S. K. Ali, with art by Hatem Aly. is my first selection for realistic fiction. It promotes themes of being proud of your identity and what makes us different.

This is the story of Asiya who is getting her first hijab and the first day of school. The story is told from the perspective of her very proud little sister, Faizah. Asiya picks a beautiful blue scarf for her first day of hijab. Faizah deals with children asking what her sister is wearing and makes fun of her.  Faizah finds strength in her mother’s words and how strong and beautiful her sister is. 

In addition to the anti-bullying theme the story highlights sisterly love, the importance of being true to who you are and beautiful descriptions of the color blue. The illustrations do a fantastic job of highlighting both the figurative language and the literal text of the story. The pictures are bright and beautiful. I appreciate the Aly made the bullies appear as shadowy figures lacking any real characteristics because the story isn’t about them, and it doesn’t single anyone out to be the “bad guy”.  This story is perfect or student 4 years old to 3rd grade. 

You may recognize the name of the author as the 2016 Olympic medalist. She is best known for being the first American Muslim woman to wear hijab while competing at the Olympic Games. 

Despite receiving multiple literary awards and distinctions including the SLJ (School Library Journal) Best Books of the Year, 2010 – 2022, this beautiful and powerful story is currently banned from classrooms in Pennsylvania’s Central York School District. I thought the story was very meaningful and important, as well as entertaining for students. 

Havill, J.; O’Brien, A. S. (2017). Jamaica’s find. Center for the Collaborative Classroom.

       Jamaica’s Find is a realistic fiction book about a little girl who while playing at the park finds a few lost items. She takes the found items to the lost and found except for a stuffed dog which she decides to keep.  She brings the stuffed dog home and loves it very much. After speaking with her mother decides the right thing to do is give the dog to lost and found. When she goes back to the park, she find another child looking for her lost stuffed dog Edger. Jamica is happy to have helped the other little girl and made a new friend. 

      The watercolor illustrations in this story are beautiful and very engaging for both children and adults. The illustrations really help to expand on the tone and show the emotions felt by the characters in the story.  Juanita Havill is the author of more than thirty books for children. This book won the Ezra Jack Keats Award in 1987 and was a Reading Rainbow Review Book.

       Jamaica is a very relatable character and feels real.  I love this story because it teaches children about the importance of being honest and choosing between right and wrong even when it is difficult. My students love this story too. 

Ways to expand on the books

• Have children describe their favorite colors in terms of nature.

• Read other stories about cultures.

• Have children act our Jamaica’s find on the playground. 

Questions to ask your students

• Why do you think Ibtihaj Muhammad wrote this book?

• What is something you got new or special to wear on your first day of school?

• At the end of the book, Jamaica is smiling and happy. Why is she feeling so happy at the end of the story?

• Why did Jamaica decide to return Edgar Dog to lost and found?

 Folklore and Fairytales

    When we teach fairytales and folktales, we want to use stories from a variety of cultures. In the hopes that in these stories, our students may see their own culture reflected. Folktales help children learn to identify the important elements of a story and the framework of storytelling.

Cohen, C. L.; Begay, S. (1998). The mud pony: A traditional Skidi Pawnee Tale. Scholastic, Inc.

The Mud Pony retold by Caron Lee Cohen and illustrated by Shonto Begay is my first selection is a Native American legend from the Skidi branch of the Pawnee Indians of the Plains. This is a story about a very poor young boy and longed for a pony like the other boys in his tribe, so he created it out of mud. When he is accidentally left behind, Mother Earth makes his pony real so he can reunite with his people and eventually becomes their leader. 

The realistic illustrations are stunning and add so much to the story, reflecting both the tone and the culture in the story. The soft watercolor like paintings appear as though the characters and the landscape are emerging from a dream to tell the story.

I love everything about this folktale. Our hero is a sweet, poor boy who overcomes adversity to not only save his life but become the brave leader of his people. The story is clear, simple, and deep and good way to have Native American culture represented in your classroom library.

Galdone, P. (2001). The three Billy Goats Gruff. Clarion Books.

    This version of the classic Norwegian folk tale The Three Billy Goats Gruff was written and illustrated by Paul Galdone.  Three brother goats want to cross a bridge to graze in the meadow on the other side. But they must use their cunning to trick an angry and ugly troll to get there.  This particular version of the story stands out from all the others because of the lively and contemporary style illustrations, which are fun and colorful drawings. 

    In his lifetime, Galdone illustrated almost three hundred books. Many of which he adapted from fairytales like Henny Penny, The Little Red Hen, The Three Little Pigs, etc. Galdone received two Caldecott Honors for his work. 

    I’ll be honest, I love goats and that may have been a contributing factor to this story’s inclusion in this list.  The story is cute with just the right amount to humor, and suspense. 

Ways to expand on the books

• Create a “mud pony” out of clay. 

• Have children build bridges to help the goats cross to the other side of the river. 

• For young students, sort objects in small, medium, and large.

• Act out the Three Billy Goat Gruff.

Questions to ask your students

• If you could change one choice that Running Deer made, what would it be?

• How would you trick the troll to get across the bridge?

• The troll was grumpy, what makes you feel grumpy?

 Fantasy and Science Fiction 

    It can be hard to believe that talking crayons, unicorns, fire-breathing dragons, and aliens can be educational but it’s true!  Fantasy and Sci-fi literacy help children become creative thinkers.  Many of these stories deal with big themes and the characters in these genres can be easier for children to analyze and understand motivation. They help to build new vocabulary and encourage us to think outside of the box and question what is possible. 

Munsch, R. N., Martchenko, M., & Munsch, R. N. (2022). The paper bag princess. Annick Press. 

        The Paper Bag Princess written by the world-renowned storyteller Robert Munsch and illustrated by Michael Martchenko. This storybook reverses the damsel in distress stereotype. Originally published in 1980 it was widely celebrated by feminists’ groups for its brave little heroine. The fun illustrations really enhance the story and hold the children’s attention. 

        One morning a fire-breathing dragon burns all of Princess Elizabeth’s fancy things and takes her prince fiancé. Elizabeth goes after the dragon wearing the only thing she could find… a paper bag. She is very clever and tricks the dragon and recuses Prince Ronald.

        What makes this fantasy story great beyond the above mentioned is that although the story elements are imaginative our multidimensional Princes uses logic to trick the talking, fire-breathing dragon. The story is both meaningful and thought provoking. I love the spunk of Princess Elizabeth, the twist ending as well as all the fantasy elements, the castle, royalty, and of course the dragon.  

Arnold, T. (2010). Green Wilma, frog in space. Scholastic. 

        Green Wilma, Frog in Space is written and illustrated by Tedd Arnold. This is a fun science fiction story book about a little frog who goes on a big adventure.  A spaceship lands on Earth near a little green frog’s pond. Wilma (the frog)  is mistaken for the alien’s child and gets taken aboard the ship. Eventually, the aliens realize their mistake and return Wilma to Earth and retrieve their child.  The full double -spread illustrations are bright and fun. They enhance the story and help to explain Wilma’s adventure.  

        As with any good science fiction story it contains both fictional elements that do not exist in the real world and scientific themes such as space travel and technology. This story is great for children from 2-6 years old. 

        Tedd Arnold is a celebrated author who has written many beloved children’s books. In fact, He has written and illustrated over 100 books including the Fly Guy series.  

 

       Rubin, A. (2023). Dragons love tacos. Scholastic Australia. 

         Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin and illustrated by Daniel Salmieri is a funny fantasy book. Originally published in 2012 it became a New York Times bestseller and an almost instant classic storybook. In the book Dragons Love Tacos, a little boy learns that tacos are dragons’ favorite food. However, if you’re going to feed dragons tacos, you must make sure there are no spicy toppings. Dragons hate spicy salsa and jalapenos and by accident, we learn why. 

        The illustrations in this story for super cute and so much fun.  The drawings are bright and echo the writing style and story line.  This is a really fun addition to any classroom library. The children love this story and there are so many ways to expand on it. 

Ways to expand on the books

• Have children write or dictate what they would you do if this happened to them.

• Make a story basket with props (a princess, a dragon, castle, prince) and have children retell the story or create their own.

• Have children make a shopping list for your taco party.

Questions to ask your students

• Elizabeth chases the dragon after it destroys her castle. What does this tell us about Elizabeth?

• Why does Elizabeth call Ronald a bum at the end of the story?

• What would have happened if Wilma never returned to her real home?

• How did the aliens figure out they had made a mistake?

 Poetry for Children

When it comes to poetry in the classroom there seems to be two types of teachers, those who love it and incorporate it into their curriculum and those who don’t use it at all. Poetry has many benefits for children of all ages.  Poetry helps students with listening skills, self-expression, and auditory discrimination, to become sensitive to rhyming words and to ending sounds in words which is key to reading and writing.  

        Muth, J. J. (2008). Zen ties. Scholastic Press.

        Zen Ties by Jon J Muth is a picture book that could fall into many literary genres fantasy, contemporary realistic fiction as well as Poetry and verse. It is a lovely picture book. The story is about a giant panda named Stillwater and his haiku speaking nephew Koo. Stillwater helps his three friends (human children) get to know the grumpy, elderly woman in their neighborhood. 

        This story not only showcases fun haikus but has a wonderful message about compassion and friendship. Muth uses watercolor to create soft and calm illusions that match the calm and peaceful tone of the book. The larger-than-life giant panda is a fun contrast to the realism in of the children and settings of the picture. 

        Zen Ties is the follow up story to Zen Shorts, a collection of short stories told by Stillwater the panda. Muth is an American writer and illustrator of children's books as well as graphic novels and comic books. He has also illustrated many other books and received a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators in 1999 for his illustrations in Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse.

        I love this story not only for the message but also the idea of the huge panda in everyday life is so cute and instantly grabs the children’s attention. This is a great story to introduce haikus to young children. The contrast between the way the other characters speak and the verse in which Koo speaks is very apparent which makes it easy for the children to identify it.  

 

          Muth, J. J. (2008). Zen ties. Scholastic Press.  

         My next selection for poetry is Falling up is a children's poetry collection written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein. These Poems are whimsical, humorous, and sometimes slightly macabre. He uses great figurative language and numerous poetic devices, such as rhyme, repetition, symbolism and word choice.  

        His choice to use black and white, simple line work cartoon illustrations makes the book appealing and understandable for children. They offer a unique way to explain the essence of each poem, sometimes even changing your presentive of what the poem is about. 

        Shel Silverstein is a celebrated American writer, cartoonist, poet, and musician. He has written many books including The Giving Tree, A Light in the Attic, and Where the Sidewalk Ends. Fun Fact, he also wrote the Jonny Cash song “A Boy Named Sue” and has two Grammy Awards.

        This book is great for children in 2nd grade – 5th grade, however some poems can be taught to younger children as a poem of the month.  This collection of poems was one of my favorite books as a child. 

Ways to expand on the books

• Count the words in each haiku and check to see if it follows the rule.

• Have children memorize a poem and have a “poetry night” where they share it with the group. 

• Have the children create a poetry notebook and write a poem each week.

Questions to ask your students

• What could another title for this poem/book be?

• What do you think                  symbolizes in the poem?

• What things do you do to help others?

• How did this poem make you feel?