Capital Choice
Shulevitz, Uri
So Sleepy Story
Farrar Straus Giroux
2006
PreK-2
Summary: A little boy dreams that his house comes alive with dishes that sway, chairs that rock, and clocks that call "cuckoo," but when he awakes, all is quiet. Strengths: I like that there are sleepy colors such as gray, blue, and black to emphasize sleepiness. Every object and piece of furniture has a face that looks sleepy. It is also interesting when the objects such as the dishes and chairs "wake up," the colors get more vibrant.
Concerns: I was a little puzzled at where the music came from when it just "drifts in." Classroom Use: It could be used before nap time in a PreK or Kindergarten classroom.
Gág, Wanda Millions of Cats G.P Putnam's Sons 1928, 1956 1-3 grades
Summary: A very old woman wants a cat because she is lonely so her husband sets out for one and stumbles upon trillions of cats. After they all follow him home, the cats fight over who should stay and only the homeliest cat is still around.
Strengths: It is an interesting book about cats for cat lovers. The black and white coloring makes it simple but sweet.
Concerns: Cats eating each other may not be suitable for children or it may upset them. The cats talking is unrealistic.
Classroom Use: It is a book for pleasure, it could be read to the class.
Lobel, Arnold Frog and Toad are Friends
HarperCollins Publishers
1970 2nd-4th
Summary: The book contains five different stories on events experienced by two friends, Frog and Toad.
Strengths: Good length and level for beginning readers. Interesting stories and characters.
Concerns: People may find Toad to be an annoying character. He is either always depressed or has comething going wrong in his life and Frog has to come "save" him.
Classroom Use: It is a good book to read out loud to kids, teaches about friendship or how to use characters other than humans as the main characters.
MULTICULTURAL Diakité, Baba Wagué
The Hatseller and the Monkeys Scholastic Press 1999 2nd-4th
Summary: An African version of the familiar story of a man who sets off to sell his hats, only to have them stolen by a treeful of mischievous monkeys.
Strengths: The book is rich with African culture- pictures and text. It would be an easy story to remember and tell aloud to a class.
Concerns: There are many African words that are hard to pronounce. The book should be previewed and read before it is told in front of children.
Classroom Use: Tale told aloud to children. Children can get involved by saying short phrases. It can be used when talking about traditional tales and morals around the world.
Wiesner, David
Tuesday
Clarion Books
1991
K-3rd
Summary: Frogs rise on their lily pads, float through the air, and explore the nearby houses while their inhabitants sleep.
Strengths: Tuesday is a good version of a picture book/wordless book. It is an interesting and mysterious book to make up a storyline for.
Concerns: Very young children might have a hard time understanding some of the events of the story or what is going to happen the following Tuesday.
Classroom Use: Provides an example of a picture book that can help jumpstart the kids to create their own pictures.
Capital Choice MULTICULTURAL Hale, Shannon Book of a Thousand Days Bloomsbury 2007 Upper (5-6)
Summary: Fifteen-year-old Dashti, sworn to obey her sixteen-year-old mistress the Lady Saren, shares Saren's years of punishment locked in a tower, then brings her safely to the lands of her true love, where both must hide who they are as they work as kitchen maids.
Strengths: I liked the various pictures placed throughout the book; it was fresh and something different for a chapter book. I liked the developement of Dashti's character and the language used.
Concerns: It could be slightly difficult for 5th and 6th graders. There is also a little violence.
Classroom use: This could be used in the classroom library for students to check out for enjoyment. The book could be mentioned when doing a unit on fantasy or Mideaval times.
Dahl, Roald The Witches Farrar, Straus, Giroux 1983 3rd-6th grades
Summary: The story of a boy and his Grandmamma who know all about witches and during a stay at a hotel stumble upon all the witches in England including the Grand High Witch.
Strengths: The story is entertaining and it has a lot of action and suspense. The pictures in the story do help amplify the imagination as one pictures what the witches look like.
Concerns: This book could be frightening for younger children. They could really believe that there are witches in the world.
Classroom Use: This book could be used as an example of fantasy. It might be used along with the movie adaptation.
Levine, Gail Carson Ella Enchanted HarperCollinsPublishers 1997 3rd-5th
Summary: In this novel based on the story of Cinderella, Ella struggles against the childhood curse that forces her to obey any order given to her.
Strengths: The was filled with many fantasy elements and humor. I liked that on almost every ending to the chapters some event would happen to make reader want to keep on reading onto the next page.
Concerns: The book is almost entirely different than the story of Cinderella except for the fact that her father marries and woman with two daughters and she makes her work in the house. A child might have expectations of what the story is about and be disappointed when he or she discovers it is very unlike the traditional story.
Classroom use: This book can be used when talking about fantasy stories or when comparing traditional stories to ones that are similar to them or that have the same elements.
Sleator, William The Boy who Reversed HImself E.P. Dutton 1986 4th-6th
Summary: When Laura discovers that the unpopular boy living next door to her has the ability to go into the fourth dimension, she makes the dangerous decision to accompany him on his journeys there.
Strengths: The high amount of imagination in the book is amazing. To take on subjects such as the fourth dimension and reversing oneself is brave and makes for a very entertaining worth-while read.
Concerns: The idea of a fourth dimension or scientific happenings such as these might upset some parents. Some of the events might be inappropriate also, such as when something reaches inside Laura's nose.
Classroom Use: If a student is interested in subjects of science or science fiction, this book may be a good recommendation or for any student to enjoy from the classroom library.
Anderson, M.T. Feed Candlewick Press 2002 6th<>
Summary: In a future where most people have computer implants in their heads to control their environment, a boy meets an unusual girl who is in serious trouble.
Strengths: The storyline is creative and well throughout. the book will keep the audience in suspense. Since the text has a way at times of losing the reader, it was good idea to have short chapters.
Concerns: There is a high amount of obscenity in the book that parents would find inappropriate.
Classroom Use: This book might interest children who find science fiction interesting.
G ág, Wanda
Lobel, Arnold
MULTICULTURAL
Wiesner, David
