------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Ten Black Dots
Author: Donald Crews Awards: N/A
Reading Level: 1.4
Summary: Children count all the way to ten with simple rhymes and brightly colored objects. Example: the fox has TWO eyes (Two black dots)
Teaching Idea: Great way to introduce or review counting 1 – 10. Evaluation: 10 – The colors and animals are appealing to young children
--------------------------------------------------------
Title: Wake Up, It’s Spring
Author: Lisa Campbell Ernest
Awards: N/A
Reading Level: 1.7
Summary: After a long, cold winter, the sun wakes everybody up, starting with the earth: "Wake up, old friend, it's Spring!" When the earth warms up, it wakes the earthworm from its underground slumber, and it, in turn, nudges a neighboring seed. The seed sprouts and calls to the ladybug, who whispers to the rabbit, who thumps to the bird, who wakes up the cat, who nudges the dog, who barks to the toddler, who shouts to his family, "Out! Out! Spring!" At the end of the book, the entire menagerie (even the earthworm) dance together in the sun.
Teaching Idea: It’s a great book to introduce the Spring Season to the students. I used this book in a kindergarten classroom and after reading the book we planted our own seeds. Each student was given their own pot to plant their flower seeds in so they could later bring them home and give them to their mothers for Mother’s Day.Reading Level: 1.7
Summary: After a long, cold winter, the sun wakes everybody up, starting with the earth: "Wake up, old friend, it's Spring!" When the earth warms up, it wakes the earthworm from its underground slumber, and it, in turn, nudges a neighboring seed. The seed sprouts and calls to the ladybug, who whispers to the rabbit, who thumps to the bird, who wakes up the cat, who nudges the dog, who barks to the toddler, who shouts to his family, "Out! Out! Spring!" At the end of the book, the entire menagerie (even the earthworm) dance together in the sun.
Evaluation: 10 – Each page is filled with beautiful paintings that truly capture the Spring Season.
------------------------------------------------
Title: Julius
Author: Angela Johnson
Awards: N/A
Reading Level: 2.5
Summary: Maya's grandfather visits and brings her a gift to teach her about love and sharing. Maya and her family are African American, so this is a good way to include diversity or make the story relatable to students depending on the population you work with. To make the story interesting, the gift is a pig from Alaska, named Julius. Maya and Julius become friends in this hilarious and heartwarming story with vibrant and fun illustrations.
Teaching Idea: Students could be asked to bring in a toy to share with the class as sort of a show and tell. Once students talk about their toy, then can have a playtime in which they will be asked to share their toys with their peers.
Evaluation: 10 because it is funny, has great illustrations, and includes diversity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Whose Garden Is It?
Author: Mary Ann Hoberman
Awards: N/A
Reading Level: 2.2
Summary: The story begins with the gardener saying that the garden is his,
Author: Angela JohnsonAwards: N/A
Reading Level: 2.5
Summary: Maya's grandfather visits and brings her a gift to teach her about love and sharing. Maya and her family are African American, so this is a good way to include diversity or make the story relatable to students depending on the population you work with. To make the story interesting, the gift is a pig from Alaska, named Julius. Maya and Julius become friends in this hilarious and heartwarming story with vibrant and fun illustrations.
Teaching Idea: Students could be asked to bring in a toy to share with the class as sort of a show and tell. Once students talk about their toy, then can have a playtime in which they will be asked to share their toys with their peers.
Evaluation: 10 because it is funny, has great illustrations, and includes diversity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Whose Garden Is It?
Author: Mary Ann Hoberman
Awards: N/A
Reading Level: 2.2
Summary: The story begins with the gardener saying that the garden is his,
but then animals, bugs, and even seeds claim that the garden is theirs. Mrs. McGee and the child are left wondering, "Who's garden is it?"
The book is written in a poetic way, with beautiful illustrations bringing
life to the rhymes.
Teaching Idea: Using the story to build interest, have students help create a class garden either in a common area on school grounds, or in the classroom near the windows. This would teach them about how plants grow, cooperation, and caring for something, while also connecting to literature.
Evaluation: 10 because of the flow the rhymes give to the words, and the illustrations are lovely. This book is easily enjoyed by all who read it or listen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Ten Little Fish
Author: Audrey Wood, Illustrated by Bruce Robert Wood
Awards: N/A
Reading Level: 1.6
Summary: A creative counting book of 10 to 1, which includes a variety of colorful fish that gradually move out of the readers view. The text also includes rhyming in the number words allowing the students to be able to predict the next part of the text. This simple plot comes alive with the illustrations of the brightly colored creatures.
Teaching Ideas: As it is obvious, this counting book is a great way for students to become familiar with numbers and connection to text. This book also shares many rhyming words which creates a predictable text for the students to follow along. A great way to use this book would be to allow the students to create their own counting book based on something of an interest to them. This is a great way to integrate math into literacy!
Evaluation: 10- This book was creatively crafted to incorporate both counting and rhyming words
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
Author: Simms Taback
Awards: Caledcott Honor Book
Reading Level: 1.9
Summary: Everyone knows the song about the old lady who swallowed a fly. But when she swallows a spider, and bird and so on, things get even worse. The reader is able see what is really going on inside of the old lady's stomach. The illustrations give the young readers an exciting version of this poem.
Teaching Ideas: This book is wonderful to use with our young readers because of the sing-song rhymes as they go through the text. While using this book, try putting music to the poem and have the children sing along with you, they will love it! Another great why to use this cumulative tale is to have the students practice their skills of sequencing the different events in the story. I think a great way to do this is have the student sing the song and as eat creature is consumed the students place the picture inside the"belly" of the old lady!
Evaluation: 10- I think it is important for our young readers to explore text by singing to a well known poem!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Martha Speaks
Teaching Ideas: Lesson on manners, it is amusing and teaches children a valuable lesson about talking too much, by helping children to realize that some things are not always appropriate to say at certain times.
Evaluation: 8 – Although I enjoy the story, the hand written words can be difficult for young readers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!
Awards: N/A
Teaching Ideas: Great way to welcome kindergartners in the beginning of the year and help calm any nerves about what school is going to be like. Use as a read aloud only.
Evaluation: 9 - Offers reassurance to even the most hesitant of the pre-kindergartners
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale
Author: Mo Willems
Awards:
*Caldecott Honor Book
*ALA Notable Book
*BCCB Blue Ribbon Picture Book Award
*Parenting Media Award Winner
Grade Level: 1.0
Summary: Leaving the Laundromat with her daddy, toddler Trixie realizes she’s missing her constant and beloved companion, Knuffle Bunny. Her dad has just inadvertantly loaded the stuffed animal into the loaded washing machine. Unfortunately, Daddy can't seem to comprehend Trixie’s baby talk—“Aggle flaggle klabble!"—when she tries to tell him. All children identify with the bald-headed tot’s dilemma of how to make yourself clear when no one else can decode your singular "language." And they’ll appreciate her solution: to cry like crazy.
Mo Willems Doodles is the author's blog where he provides numerous links and discusses current ideas and activities he is working on. *They just finished a production of Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical.
Teaching Ideas: This can be a great piece of literature to introduce while students are transitioning from home to school. Students can bring in their own treasured stuffed animal or toy.
A Teacher's Guide: Knuffle Bunny offers many wonderful discussion topics, ideas, and hands-on activities.
Evaluation: 10 - The cartoon-like colored ink on top of the black and white background makes the illustrations pop out, plus the underlying theme that preschoolers can associate with, makes this a definite 10.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Author: Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
Awards:
*IRA/CBC Children's Choice
*Booklist Editors' Guide
*Golden Kite Award
Grade Level: 1.4
Summary: This is a favorite picture book among teachers and children. On each page a new animal helps the reader discover which animal character is next. Vivid colors draw the reader into the story as each new animal sees another. This predictable text makes it a great read aloud and the repetitive patterning allows for students to participate in the reading process. The sequel to this story is Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? which offers the same repetitive and predictable rhyming and also introduces students to the description of sounds.
*Take a look at Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle's websites to explore other ideas and activities.
Teaching Ideas: Students can create their own classroom book "Johnny, Johnny, what do you see?, I see Tommy looking at me." Art projects can be created by making individual tissue paper collages.
The Virtual Vine gives a list of wonderful activities and lesson ideas for teachers to use.
DLTK's Book Breaks provides templates for worksheet ideas and activities to use with character cut-outs.
Evaluation: 10 - This is a classic read aloud and must-have book in any Preschool classroom.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Hippos Go Berserk!
Author: Sandra Boynton
Awards: None
Grade Level: 1.5
Summary: Children can count up and down along with this fun story of a hippo having friends over for a party.
Teaching Ideas: This book could be used for math to get students counting. You could have the class make their own counting book by giving each student a page with a number on it and having them draw a picture with that number of objects. This book also has a page that says "Seven hippos moving west leave..." and has an illustration of a covered wagon, so you could talk about settlers or pioneers who moved west.
Evaluation: 9 because it is a fun book that can be used in different ways.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Rosie's Walk
Author: Pat Hutchins
Awards: None
Grade Level: 1.5
Summary: Follow Rosie the hen as she walks through the farm, being followed by a fox. This book includes many directional words such as over, under, through, around, and past.
Evaluation: 9
Teaching Idea: Using the story to build interest, have students help create a class garden either in a common area on school grounds, or in the classroom near the windows. This would teach them about how plants grow, cooperation, and caring for something, while also connecting to literature.
Evaluation: 10 because of the flow the rhymes give to the words, and the illustrations are lovely. This book is easily enjoyed by all who read it or listen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Ten Little Fish
Author: Audrey Wood, Illustrated by Bruce Robert WoodAwards: N/A
Reading Level: 1.6
Summary: A creative counting book of 10 to 1, which includes a variety of colorful fish that gradually move out of the readers view. The text also includes rhyming in the number words allowing the students to be able to predict the next part of the text. This simple plot comes alive with the illustrations of the brightly colored creatures.
Teaching Ideas: As it is obvious, this counting book is a great way for students to become familiar with numbers and connection to text. This book also shares many rhyming words which creates a predictable text for the students to follow along. A great way to use this book would be to allow the students to create their own counting book based on something of an interest to them. This is a great way to integrate math into literacy!
Evaluation: 10- This book was creatively crafted to incorporate both counting and rhyming words
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
Author: Simms Taback
Awards: Caledcott Honor Book
Reading Level: 1.9
Summary: Everyone knows the song about the old lady who swallowed a fly. But when she swallows a spider, and bird and so on, things get even worse. The reader is able see what is really going on inside of the old lady's stomach. The illustrations give the young readers an exciting version of this poem.
Teaching Ideas: This book is wonderful to use with our young readers because of the sing-song rhymes as they go through the text. While using this book, try putting music to the poem and have the children sing along with you, they will love it! Another great why to use this cumulative tale is to have the students practice their skills of sequencing the different events in the story. I think a great way to do this is have the student sing the song and as eat creature is consumed the students place the picture inside the"belly" of the old lady!Evaluation: 10- I think it is important for our young readers to explore text by singing to a well known poem!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author: Susan Meddaugh
Awards: N/A
Reading Level: 1.0
Summary: Somehow, after eating a bowl of alphabet soup, Martha the dog can speak! (There's a very funny illustration of the letters going to her brain instead of her stomach; no further explanation is necessary!). But being able to speak is not the same as knowing when to speak (she interrupts people), how much to say (she talks incessantly), or what to say (she can be a little rude at times).
Teaching Ideas: Lesson on manners, it is amusing and teaches children a valuable lesson about talking too much, by helping children to realize that some things are not always appropriate to say at certain times.
Evaluation: 8 – Although I enjoy the story, the hand written words can be difficult for young readers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!
Author: Nancy L. Carlson
Awards: N/ASummary: It is Henry's first day of kindergarten, the day he's been waiting for all year, and he is so excited he almost forgets to get dressed, brush his teeth, and eat breakfast. All the way to school, he asks what it will be like, imagining all the fun he will have. But when he arrives, it is bigger than he pictured and a little overwhelming. He wants to go home. After getting a chance to acclimate and meet a new friend, he decides that kindergarten really will be fun.
Teaching Ideas: Great way to welcome kindergartners in the beginning of the year and help calm any nerves about what school is going to be like. Use as a read aloud only.
Evaluation: 9 - Offers reassurance to even the most hesitant of the pre-kindergartners
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale
Author: Mo Willems
Awards:
*ALA Notable Book
*BCCB Blue Ribbon Picture Book Award
*Parenting Media Award Winner
Grade Level: 1.0
Summary: Leaving the Laundromat with her daddy, toddler Trixie realizes she’s missing her constant and beloved companion, Knuffle Bunny. Her dad has just inadvertantly loaded the stuffed animal into the loaded washing machine. Unfortunately, Daddy can't seem to comprehend Trixie’s baby talk—“Aggle flaggle klabble!"—when she tries to tell him. All children identify with the bald-headed tot’s dilemma of how to make yourself clear when no one else can decode your singular "language." And they’ll appreciate her solution: to cry like crazy.
Mo Willems Doodles is the author's blog where he provides numerous links and discusses current ideas and activities he is working on. *They just finished a production of Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical.
Teaching Ideas: This can be a great piece of literature to introduce while students are transitioning from home to school. Students can bring in their own treasured stuffed animal or toy.
A Teacher's Guide: Knuffle Bunny offers many wonderful discussion topics, ideas, and hands-on activities.
Evaluation: 10 - The cartoon-like colored ink on top of the black and white background makes the illustrations pop out, plus the underlying theme that preschoolers can associate with, makes this a definite 10.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Author: Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
Awards:
*IRA/CBC Children's Choice
*Golden Kite Award
Grade Level: 1.4
Summary: This is a favorite picture book among teachers and children. On each page a new animal helps the reader discover which animal character is next. Vivid colors draw the reader into the story as each new animal sees another. This predictable text makes it a great read aloud and the repetitive patterning allows for students to participate in the reading process. The sequel to this story is Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? which offers the same repetitive and predictable rhyming and also introduces students to the description of sounds.
*Take a look at Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle's websites to explore other ideas and activities.
Teaching Ideas: Students can create their own classroom book "Johnny, Johnny, what do you see?, I see Tommy looking at me." Art projects can be created by making individual tissue paper collages.
The Virtual Vine gives a list of wonderful activities and lesson ideas for teachers to use.
DLTK's Book Breaks provides templates for worksheet ideas and activities to use with character cut-outs.
Evaluation: 10 - This is a classic read aloud and must-have book in any Preschool classroom.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Hippos Go Berserk!Author: Sandra Boynton
Awards: None
Grade Level: 1.5
Summary: Children can count up and down along with this fun story of a hippo having friends over for a party.
Teaching Ideas: This book could be used for math to get students counting. You could have the class make their own counting book by giving each student a page with a number on it and having them draw a picture with that number of objects. This book also has a page that says "Seven hippos moving west leave..." and has an illustration of a covered wagon, so you could talk about settlers or pioneers who moved west.
Evaluation: 9 because it is a fun book that can be used in different ways.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Rosie's WalkAuthor: Pat Hutchins
Awards: None
Grade Level: 1.5
Summary: Follow Rosie the hen as she walks through the farm, being followed by a fox. This book includes many directional words such as over, under, through, around, and past.
Teaching Ideas: Students can act out the story by acting as Rosie or the fox and practice the directional words as you read the story.
Evaluation: 9
I like how the blog is divided by grade level. I am just learning how to tell if a book is to hard for a child but its nice to have ones laid out for certain grade levels that I can start at for my mentee.
ReplyDeleteKelsey Rimmer
EDLS 207