Chapter Book #9-Newberry Award # 1

Dead End in Norvelt

1. Title- Dead End in Norvelt

2. Illustrator- Jack Gantos

3. Genre- Chapter Book-Comedy

4. Subgenre-Humor

5. Theme-Communities and Ways of Life, Families and Social Structure.

6. Primary and secondary characters- Jack

7. Award(s) date of publication- Newberry Award September 13, 2011

8. Publishing company- Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

9. Brief summary and how you would use the book, with students- This is a funny book!!! Everyone should read this book. Every time you turn a page your laughing about what the authors says. This story is about a boy name Jack. Jack is just getting out of school and he has big and exciting plans for the summertime. When Jack gets into a family feud with his parent, he gets grounded for life!! Now what did Jack get grounded for??? Well he fired his father’s Japanese rifle without permission and then lied to his father about it. Then to top that incident of Jack mowed over his mother’s cornfield I know now you can see why he is grounded for life!!! His parents only let him go to one place while he is grounded. This place is to only run errands for the lovely and feisty old lady Miss Volker. She is the town medical examiner, obituary writer, and historian all wrapped up in one! Miss Volker keeps him busy and teaches him the lessons of history in a local, national, and global context. This is a funny story. I can’t tell anymore because it is going to give the book away. You will just have to read it. I would have my kids explore the different type’s historical events that are talked about in the book. Maybe a student has a personal story to share. I get them to find the most interesting fact in the book and get more information about it.



Chapter Book #8-Coretta Scott King Award#2

One Crazy Summer

1. Title- One Crazy Summer

2. Illustrator- Rita Williams-Garcia

3. Genre-Historical Fiction, Chapter Book    

4. Subgenre-Realistic Fiction

5. Theme-City Life, Motherhood, People, Places, Environment, Communities, Changes, Families, and New Experiences.

6. Primary and secondary characters- Delphine

7. Award(s) date of publication- Coretta Scott King  December 27, 2011

8. Publishing company- Aminstad

9. Brief summary and how you would use the book, with students- This was a great book and I would recommend it to anybody! This book takes place in the year 1968. In 1968 there were a lot of problems going on in the United States. Martin Luther King was shot in April, then Bobby Kennedy in June.  Delphine and her sisters has came to Oakland, California to spend the summer with their mother who left them years ago. The mom was not interested in being a mother to them. Delphine started to compare how a mother bird would take care of her young birds. A mother bird would go and gather food, but her mom did not care if they got anything to eat. During the summer in Oakland, California Delphine and her sisters attended a summer camp. This summer camp was run by Black Panthers. They showed Delphine how to think or new ways of thinking about race and identity, community, and responsibility. Delphine starts to apply what she learned at summer camp. She compared and contrast about her sweet grandmother who took care of them. This story is about the hard ships faced through the families during the rough times of civil rights movement. This is a great book like I said. This book would be better for older kids and not younger. They would not understand the meaning I think. With this book I think I would do something about motherhood. I would get my students to write a compare and contrast story about mothers. They can tell about the different types of hardships faced during motherhood when researched. I love this book once again!

Chapter Book #7- Mildred Butchelder Award

A Faraway Island

1. Title- A Faraway Island

2. Illustrator- Annika Thor

3. Genre-Historical Fiction

4. Subgenre-

5. Theme- World War II, Jewish, and Europe

6. Primary and secondary characters- Stephanie and Nellie

7. Award(s) date of publication- Mildred Butchelder Award November 10, 2009

8. Publishing company- Delacorte Books for Young Readers

9. Brief summary and how you would use the book, with students- This twelve year old Stephanie Steiner and her seven year old sister, Nellie, are placed with two families on a small island off the coast of Sweden. The girls are split up with Nellie living with the kindly and sweet Auntie Alma and her family. Stephie is sent to live with the mean and crude Auntie Marta and Uncle Evert.  Auntie Marta is just old and set in her ways and don’t understand young people. On the other hand Uncle Evert completely opposite! Uncle Evert can relate to Stephanie being lonely.  Stephanie’s school teacher encourages her to do good and excel in her studies. There are mean classmates that taut her. I do not want to say anymore about this book because I will give it away. This is an absolute must read! This book would be great for teenage girls to read. This book would be a great historical fiction book. I can also get the kids to do come research on the different country they lived in. I think I would leave it to a pleasure reading in the classroom.

Chapter Book #6

Wayside School is Falling Down

1. Title- Wayside School is Falling Down

2. Illustrator-Louis Sachar

3. Genre- Children’s Chapter Book

4. Subgenre- Child’s Fiction

5. Theme- Entertainment, Humor

6. Primary and secondary characters-Students and Teachers at the school

7. Award(s) date of publication- No awards June 1998

8. Publishing company-HarperCollins

9. Brief summary and how you would use the book, with students- This book is a great book and I recommend everyone to read a three chapter books!! I have…. This book is about the students and teacher. There is something that happens on every floor! Every turn of the page is something funny and weird! There are thirty floors in the school.

Picture Book #17

So you want to be President

1. Title- So you want to be President

2. Illustrator- David Small

3. Genre-General Non Fiction           

4. Subgenre-Picture Book

5. Theme-Leadership, American History about President, Humor

6. Primary and secondary characters- President

7. Award(s) date of publication- Caldecott Award  2000

8. Publishing company- Scholastics Inc.

9. Brief summary and how you would use the book, with students- This book is a really good book to do when talking about President or maybe on President’s Day. It will help students understand how Presidents have a cool job! It explains how each President had different things going when they where President. They explain it in a funny way to make it interesting! The kids will love it! With each President having something happened to them then this will help kids learn them. This is really a great book! I recommend this book to anybody!

Picture Book #16

No, David!

1. Title- No, David!

2. Illustrator- David Shannon

3. Genre-Juvenile Fiction       

4. Subgenre-Picture Book

5. Theme-Behavior, Parenting, Humor, Boys

6. Primary and secondary characters- David and his mom

7. Award(s) date of publication- Caldecott Honor Book September 1, 1998

8. Publishing company- Scholastics Inc.

9. Brief summary and how you would use the book, with students-  I love reading this book with my son! This book is a great book to show a student how to behave in class.  David’s mom always says no!!!! David is a little terror running around in the house! He does things and he is told No..no..no… David! David jumps off his bed, walks in the mud through the house. He then breaks plant pots. Ohh this is a great book. This would be a great book for the kids to read and learn from.

Picture Book #15

Mom Says I Can

1. Title- Mom Says I Can

2. Illustrator- Judy Cooley

3. Genre-Juvenile Fiction       

4. Subgenre-Picture Book

5. Theme-Imagination, Love for Moms, Adventure

6. Primary and secondary characters- Max and his mom

7. Award(s) date of publication- April 2, 2008

8. Publishing company- Shadow Mountain

9. Brief summary and how you would use the book, with students-  I love reading this book with my son! This is a story about a little boy names Max. Max is on an adventure to find the world’s greatest treasurer! Max goes on this adventurer as a pirate with his map to find the treasurer. Then he is different other characters like, cowboy, spaceman, king of the jungle, and a knight and shinny armor! Mom gives encouraging messages of how much she cares for him! This is a great book! I would love to use this book during the week of mother’s day!! I think the kids would love this book!!!

Picture Book #14

The Bravest of Us All

1. Title: The Bravest of Us All
2.Illustrator: Brad Sneed
3.Genre: Juvenile Fiction
4. Subgenre: Picture Book
5.Theme: Fear, Courage, Tornadoes
6.Primary & Secondary Characters: Velma Jean, Ruby Jane7. Award(s) date of publication- Marion Vannett Ridgeway Award May 1, 2000
8..Publishing Company: Dial Books for Young Readers
9. Brief summary and how you would use the book, with students- This is a great book for kids. It like watching an action pack movie and you don’t know what’s going to happen next. This is a story about two sisters and their brave souls! Ruby Jane thinks that her sister Velma Jean is the bravest of them all in their family. Come to find out when a tornado comes through their little town. Ruby Jane shows to have the bravest soul in their family at the time of the tornado. She saves her sister’s life during the tornado. This book would be great to read when learning about the tornado drills at school. I think it would fit right in! This is another great book!

Picture Book #13

Over Under in the Garden: An Alphabet Book

1. Title- Over Under in the Garden: An Alphabet Book

2. Illustrator- Pat Schories

3. Genre-Picture Illustrations Book

4. Subgenre-

5. Theme- Learning the Alphabet, colors, things

6. Primary and secondary characters-

7. Award(s) date of publication- April 1996

8. Publishing company- Farrara Straus & Giroux

9. Brief summary and how you would use the book, with students- This book is great for younger children! My little boy loved reading the book with me. Each letter is shown in the items in the garden. There are different flowers, insect, bug, and plants showing each letter. I would have this book for the children to learn and understand the alphabet. This would be a great book to have for the classroom.

Picture Book #12-Coretta Scott King Award#1

Seeds of Change: Wangari's Gift to the World



1. Title- Seeds of Change: Wangari’s Gift to the World

2. Illustrator- Sonia Lynn Sadler

3. Genre- Biography

4. Subgenre-

5. Theme-Environmental Studies, Africa, Women’s Rights, and Women’s Experiences

6. Primary and secondary characters- Wangari

7. Award(s) date of publication- Coretta Scott King Award  June 30, 2010

8. Publishing company- Lee & Low Books

9. Brief summary and how you would use the book, with students- This is a book about a young girl named Wangari. Wangari grew up in Kenya and she was taught to respect nature. She loved the land, plants, and animals. Almost all the girls in her county are not educated. Wangari was a hard worker and allowed to go to school. Her mind grew with knowledge like a seed. She excelled in education to go on and study in United States. When she returned home, she sailed across her city with her knowledge to help promote women’s rights. She also shared how to save on tree at a time and their land. This would be a great book to share with the kids to explain how one can excel. I would get the kids to research the country and how people are treated in their country. Great book!!!

Picture Book #11-Orbis Pictus Award#1

Amelia Earhart: the legend of the lost aviator

1. Title- Amelia Earhart: the legend of the lost aviator

2. Illustrator-David Craig

3. Genre- Illustrated Biography

4. Subgenre-

5. Theme- Flights, Childhood, Families, and Experiences

6. Primary and secondary characters- Amelia

7. Award(s) date of publication- Orbis Pictus Award August 1, 2008

8. Publishing company- Abrams Books for Young Readers

9. Brief summary and how you would use the book, with students- This is a story about Amelia Earhart and her childhood of growing up. Amelia spotted her first airplane when she was eleven years old. She did not even care about airplanes at the time. She was more interested in the prize she won at the Iowa State Fair. This prize was a hat made from a peach basket. As she was growing up Muriel, her sister, and mother had to move several times. Her father was not a good influence. He drank heavily at times and her parents relationship just did not make it. The moving, however, did give her a taste for adventure. As she got older she was worked as a nurse’s aid, attend medical school, became a social worker. She had been watching planes and soon they had a desire on her heart. She wanted to fly and took lessons. An opportunity came for her to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in 1928. By that time she even owned her own plane, but this dangerous adventure would make her famous. Amelia had her heart set on an around the world flight. This is a great book about her life story. I would recommend the children to read this book. I would maybe get them to do more research on airplanes (boys) or maybe Amelia (girls) Great book!

Picture Book #10- Caldecott Award #3

A Ball for Daisy

1. Title- A Ball For Daisy

2. Illustrator- Chris Raschka

3. Genre- Children’s Picture Book

4. Subgenre- Comedy and Humor

5. Theme-Dogs, Pets, Friends, Friendship, Games, and Toys

6. Primary and secondary characters- Daisy

7. Award(s) date of publication- Caldecott Award May 10, 2011

8. Publishing company- Schwartz & Wade

9. Brief summary and how you would use the book, with students- Children would love this book!!! They will just fall in love with Daisy, small white dog. Daisy is upset her favorite red ball was destroyed by a bigger dog. Daisy loved this red ball so much that she would cuddle up with that red ball. The little girl, who is the owner, took Daisy to the park for a game of fetch. When she tossed the ball it went over the fence. Daisy went to retrieve the ball. This big brown dog takes Daisy’s ball away and runs away!!! Daisy is upset about the red ball. She couldn’t sleep on the couch anymore without her ball. In the end Daisy ends on a happy note! I would love the read this story to my future kids!! My son loved this book. I think I would like to do a writing exercise for this book. I would get the kids to write a story of what would happen after Daisy receives a new ball. It would get their imagination running. 

Picture Book #9-Robert Sibert Award #1

Balloons over Broadway:  The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade

1. Title- Balloons over Broadway:  The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade

2. Illustrator-Melissa Sweet

3. Genre- Biography

4. Subgenre-

5. Theme- Thanksgiving, Traditions, and Cermony

6. Primary and secondary characters-

7. Award(s) date of publication- Robert Sibert Award- November 1, 2011

8. Publishing company- Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

9. Brief summary and how you would use the book, with students- This story is about problem solving with a tribute to the puppeteer Tony Sarg. He is the creator of the Macy’s balloons. This books is full of colorful and beautiful art work! Tony Sarg helium balloons became the trademark of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Tony has started creating these Helium balloons that everyone loves for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. He runs into some problems that require some problem solving. One problem was how his balloons were not being seen by everyone in the crowd. He had to figure out how to make them bigger so everyone can see. He overcame that problem and faced different other throughput this book. This is a very good book for children to read. I would use this book when I talk about biography of different people. This would be a great book to read during Thanksgiving. This story tells a fully colorful illustrated biography about Tony Sarg. I think teach this book would help the student learn to like doing biographies. I would made get my students to write a short biography on Tony Sarg and what they learned. I would also get my student to do some research on local parades in our county.