Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse

Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse
by LeoLionni, 1910-1999
Alexander, the mouse, makes friends with Willy, a toy mouse, and wants to be just like him until he discovers that Willy is to be thrown away.

Publisher: Knopf , Distributed by Random House, 1987, c1969.

--Follett Library Resources / http://flr.follett.com

Reflection : This is a story about friendship and what one friend would do to save another. In this case, Alexander must change a granted wish to save Willy from the dust heap.

Lesson Connection : Character education/friendship may be discussed. Writing session : students write what they would do if given one wish. What would you do if you had one wish and you really wanted something -- but, your friend needed your wish more?

3-D shapes are like green grapes!

3-D shapes are like green grapes!
by Tracy Kompelien

Publisher: ABDO Pub., c2007.

Series: Math made fun
"Introduces three-dimensional shapes through the use of simple sentences and everyday examples. "
--Follett Library Resources, http://flr.follett.com

Reflection : Photos are intermingled with bold colors and shapes to encourage attention to the shapes on the pages.

Lesson Connection : Use this picture book to relate lessons on geometric shapes.

Grizzly Bear Family

Grizzly Bear Family
by Audrey Fraggalosch
illustrated by Donald G. Eberhart.

Publisher: Soundprints, 2003.

Series: Amazing animal adventures
"A mother grizzly bear teaches her cubs to find food, protects them, and helps them to prepare for winter hibernation. "
--Follett Library Resources, http://flr.follett.com

Reflection : This easy picture book title is for younger children, K-3. Nice illustrations with lots of bold colors to catch attention.

Lesson Connection : Older students can be paired with pre-k or kindergarten students to read the story to them.

Gecko gathering

Gecko Gathering
by Vanessa Giancamilli
illustrated by Kristin Kest
Publisher: Soundprints, 2004

Series: Amazing animal adventures

Fiction, picture book, 3-D, Toy.

"Includes a tear-out poster!"--Cover. A gecko spends an exciting night searching for something to eat while avoiding being eaten by some other creature. Includes a tear-out poster."
--Follett Library Resources, http://flr.follett.com

Reflection : This is a good book, series for younger children.

Lesson Connection : Pair older students with younger students and have them read during "story time."

The Farm Animals

The Farm Animals
by Rolando Merino

This digital online talking eBook includes clickable sounds on all the animals in the story. Each page can be read, as well as each word in this picture book.

Learning Connection : This book is for pre-school to kindergarten aged children. The book can also be used in helping non-English speaking children to learn the English language.

http://magickeys.com

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is a picture book written by Judi Barrett and illustrated by Ron Barrett. It contains 32 pages. The book also won the Georgia Book Award.

"Life is delicious in the town of Chewandswallow where it rains soup and juice, snows mashed potatoes, and blows storms of hamburgers--until the weather takes a turn for the worse."

--Follett Library Resources; http://flr.follett.com

This is a great children’s book. It makes the reader use their imagination. The book is great for children because they can learn to use their imagination, and they could dream of a place like the town in the story.

Students should draw their imaginary town and write a story to present to class.

Barret, Judi. (1982). Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs. New York: Alladin.

Lexile Number: 730

Lexile Prefix: AD

A Cowboy Christmas

A cowboy Christmas : the miracle at Lone Pine Ridge is a picture book written by Audrey Wood and illustrated by Florczak, Robert. The book contains 42 pages.

"When Cully the cowboy, a friend and a father figure to Evan, fails to show up at the ranch on an icy Christmas Eve, Evan goes out into the night to find and rescue him."

--Follett Library Resources, http://flr.follett.com

Children will love the illustrations in this book. The book also has a great story for children to follow as the rescue occurs.

Students should write a story about how they would rescue someone in a tough situation. Students would be responsible for describing and illustrating the rescue.

Wood, Audrey. (2001) A cowboy Christmas : the miracle at Lone Pine Ridge. (Illus. by Robert Florczak). New York: Aladin Paperbacks.

Lexile Number: 520

Lexile Prefix: AD

Frog Went A Courtin'

Frog Went A Courtin' is a Caldecott Medal picture book written by John Langstaff. The book is illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky. The book has 32 pages.
--Cover image: Follett Library Resources, http://flr.follett.com

The book illustrates the well-known American folk song about the courtship and marriage of a frog and a mouse.
This is a wonderful children’s book. Children will learn about the marriage and have curious questions about the story. The book makes children think about adult matters from a child’s view. Students can research about different cultures and how marriage is different in each culture.
Langstaff, John. (1955). Frog Went A Courtin’. New York: Harcourt Brace.

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears : a West African Tale is a Caldecott Medal award picture book written by Verna Aardema. The book is illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. The book has 32 pages.
The book reveals the meaning of the mosquito's buzz.

Cover image: Follett Library Resources, http://flr.follett.com

Children will love the book because the story is exciting. The story lets students think about matters that they may not have thought about before. It teaches children to ask questions and use their imagination.
Children can understand the importance of clear communication and write a story of their own about how a communication problem occurred.
Aardema, Verna. (1992). Why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears : a West African tale. (Illus. by Leo and Diane Dillon). Hong Kong: Puffin Books.

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat is a picture book illustrated in water color, gouache, pencil, ink and collage. Simms Taback is the writer and illustrator.
Potential lessons include: art-collage projects, recycling and environment, folklore and legends.

This story is based on a Yiddish folk song and is about a resourceful and resilient man who recycles his old, tattered overcoat into a variety of garments.
(Cover image: Follett Library Resources, http://flr.follett.com)

This title is the 2000 Caldecott winner.
Sometimes something old can be useful again. Students may be directed to think of an older person in their life and interview them on lessons they’ve learned. Students could also gather clothing and canned goods for needy families. Students could research history on Maine.
Taback, Simms. (1999). Joseph Had A Little Overcoat. New York: Viking.

Kitten's First Full Moon

Kitten's first full moon is a Caldecott Medal picture book written by Kevin Henkes. There are illustrations provided by author, and 32 pages.

"When Kitten mistakes the full moon for a bowl of milk she ends up tired, wet, and hungry trying to reach it."
--Follett Library Resources, http://flr.follett.com

Children will enjoy this book because it has a surprising ending children will love. The book also is unique in the way it portrays objects.
Potential use would be for an art class to draw objects that are seen in many different ways. Students can become creative trying to make images something they are not.
Henkes, Kevin. (2004). Kitten’s First Full Moon. New York: Greenwillow Books.