3rd + 4th Grade Shelf

Title: The Art Lesson
Author: Tomie dePaola   

Awards: N/A

Grade Level: 4.0

Summary: Tommy knows he wants to be an artist when he grows up. He draws pictures every chance he gets, and his family and friends encourage him, hanging his pictures up everywhere. Tommy takes the advice of his twin cousins, who are already grown-up artists: he practices all the time, and never copies. But while it's fine being an artist on his own, school is another world entirely. The kindergarten teacher gives them paint that cracks and flakes, and the first-grade teacher only allows them one piece of paper! Tommy can't wait for his first real art lesson. But when the art teacher comes, Tommy is in for a shock. She wants him to copy — and to use the school's box of 8 crayons instead of his magnificent birthday box of 64. Tommy has had enough. He rebels, and the teacher, seeing how serious he is, suggests a compromise that works for everyone.

Teaching Ideas: I love this as a read-aloud. This book could be used in the beginning of the year as a way to get to know your students. After listening to the book the students could draw and create their own little book for what they would like to be when they grow up.

Evaluation: 9 out of 10 - I love the illustrations


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Title: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Author: Judith Barrett
Awards: New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year List  
Grade Level: 3.2
Summary: Life in the wonderful town of Chewandswallow is great: Some of its citizens even say it's downright delicious! Instead of snow, wind, or rain, they get a different kind of weather that falls from the sky three times a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The only bad part about living in Chewandswallow is that the people don't get their choice pf what they'd like to fall from the sky: it may snow mashed potatoes, or rain juice or soup,  or there might even be a storm of hamburgers that takes them by surprise. But on one is too worried about the weather, until it takes a turn for the worse - the portions of food get larger and larger and fall faster and faster, until everyone in the town fears for their lives.

Teaching Ideas: Great mentor text when introducting a weather unit. I have seen a teacher read the story aloud to her class before going outside and having her students draw pictures of what the clouds in the sky look like to them. After the student drew their cloud pictures they shared them with their classmates.
Evaluation: In 2009, Sony Pictures released the animated movie. Sony Pictures has a fun weebsite dedicated to the movie, including video clips, games and downloads that students would enjoy http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/cloudywithachanceofmeatballs/


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Title: The Rainbow Fish

Author: Marcus Pfister   

Awards: N/A

Grade Level: 3.3
Summary: Rainbow Fish, the most beautiful fish in the entire ocean, refuses to share his prized iridescent scales--which, indeed, flash and sparkle like prisms as each page is turned. When his greed leaves him without friends or admirers, the lonely fish seeks advice from the wise octopus, who counsels him to give away his beauty and discover how to be happy.

Teaching Ideas: Although this book is mainly used to remind students to be kind to one another and to share, I would urge you to use it in a different way. The Rainbow fish was incorrect in treating his friends the way he did, so his poor choice should be discussed first. The main lesson should be centered around understanding that everyone is different and being unique is ok. The Rainbow fish may have "shared" his beauty but he conformed to his friends view. For a writing extension I would split the class in half, one half as the voice other the Rainbow fish and the other as the other fish friends. Students would be asked to retell the story but this time changing only their own character(s) behaviors. After the students are done with their writing task, have the students share their stories aloud.
Evaluation: 8 out 10 – Illustrations are colorful and bright and if taught as suggested I believe would be a great addition to every class.

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Title: The Great Kapok Tree

Author: Lynn Cherry   

Awards: N/A
Grade Level: 4.4
Summary: If a tree falls in the forest... someone or something will always be there to hear it. Many, many creatures will feel the effects when their source of sustenance and shelter falls to the earth. So when a man is sent into the Amazon rain forest one day, under instructions to chop down a great kapok tree, many eyes watch him nervously. It's not long before he grows tired, though, and the "heat and hum" of the rain forest lulls him to sleep. One by one, snakes, bees, monkeys, birds, frogs, and even a jaguar emerge from the jungle canopy to plead with the sleeping ax-man to spare their home. When the man awakens, startled at all the rare and marvelous animals surrounding him, he picks up his ax as if to begin chopping again, then drops it and walks away, presumably never to return. Unfortunately, there's always someone else who is willing to take his place, but the message of this environmental book is plain: Save the rain forest!

Teaching Ideas: One idea is to read the book to your class during your ecosystems unit to help the students understand the inter-relationships in the ecosystem. Bringing the story to life by giving the animals special voices, the students will be amused and laugh at the voices, but when the tree frogs talk about ruined lives and being left homeless, the students will become to get more serious, and by the time the sloth asks "How much is beauty worth? Can you live without it?" they would be fully engrossed. After reading the story, allow the students time to work in their writers journal with the simple prompt of "The Great Kapok Tree" and see where their writing takes them.
Evaluation: 9 out 10 – I love the illustrations in the books, they really help capture the beauty and uniqueness of the Rain Forest.

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Title: Sarah, Plain and TallAuthor: Patricia MacLachlan

Awards:

*Newbery Medal Winner, 1986
*Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction for Children, 1986

Grade Level: 4.2

Summary: Caleb and Anna mother died when Caleb is just born. Anna tells him that Papa and Mama sang every day, and now Papa doesn't sing at all. One day their father places an advertisement for a mail-order bride to come live with them on the prairie. A woman named Sarah answers the ad with plans to arrive and writes, "I will come by train. I will wear a yellow bonnet. I am plain and tall." Sarah copes with leaving her home by the sea and Jacob, the father, teaches Sarah some skills for the farm, like driving a tractor. Everyone hopes she will stay but Sarah misses the sea, her brother and her three old aunts. One day Sarah takes the wagon alone to town, and Caleb and Anna worry. What if she doesn't come back?

Teaching Ideas: Some of the things that this story focuses on is: blended families, changes and new experiences, coping with death, grief, and loss, and westward expansion. I remember our teacher having us do some writing in our journals as if we were Sarah, writing a letter back home. It would be great for students to do a character study using digital storytelling, or create some sort of diorama.

*Check out this website I found where a teacher has created a page showing vocabulary, questions, and activities for each chapter.

*This teacher created a Glog for her students about a Pioneer Study they are doing on the book. They also have a puppet play video posted based on the characters and story.

*There is also a TV movie Sarah, Plain and Tall (98 min.), made in 1991.

*This also may be helpful! A Reader's Guide to the book by Scholastic.

Evaluation: 8/10 - Although this is an older book I have to recommend this as something to read. I remember reading this when I was in school and I remember that I loved it.  


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Title: What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?

Author(s): Steve Jenkins & Robin Page        

Awards: Caldecott Honor

Grade Level: 3.3

Summary: This informative and beautifully written and illustrated book is by a husband and wife. This book is about animals and certain body parts. It takes a look at specific animals that are seen throughout the world and characterizes their most important feature. For example, the Jackrabbit's ears and the skunk's tail are their most valuable body parts. The last four pages of the book provides the readers with a glossary for each animal and extends the information and descriptions.

Teaching Ideas:
- Use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the different attributes of the animals. (Humans/animals; Animals/animals)
- Focus on the five senses and each animal's body part and different function.
- Students can relate their body parts and how we use them compared to the animals in the story.
- Students could do a research project where student(s) choose a different animal and study about where the animal is from and other characteristics and details of that animal.
- Art project where children mimic the illustration style (paper collage) of the text.
- Social Studies - Students can use Google Earth to locate where the animals are found on the map, then push-pins (tags) can be used to showcase the various animals throughout the globe.


Evaluation: 10/10 - This book can be used in various subject areas and can be used at younger grade levels as well.
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Title: Chicken Sunday

Author: Patricia Polacco
Awards: 1992 Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators -
                            Golden Kite Award for Illustration
Grade Level: 4.8

Summary: Patricia and her two best friends Stewart and Winston (who happen to be black) want to buy the boy's gramma (Eula Mae) a hat that she has wanted but could not afford to buy. Since the death of her beloved babushka, Eula Mae also serves as Patricia's surrogate grandmother. The children witness an act of racism on the hat shop owned by the Holocaust survivor Mr. Kodinski. They were going to ask Kodinski for a job to raise the money to buy Eula Mae her favorite hat. Mr. Kodinski sees the children and assumes that they are responsible for the act of violence. Ultimately, the children redeem themselves by making Pysanky eggs for Mr. Kodinski to sell in his store. He tells them the story of his life and then gives the trio the hat. Naturally Eula Mae is thrilled.

Teaching Ideas: This is another multi-cultural book teaching children that it is okay to have friendships with people who are different. This book can be used in so many ways to teach a variety of lessons. The lessons could be about childhood memories, historical events, family life, customs, places, and different types of people. The strongest lesson to be taught could be on the six pillars of good character.
　
Evaluation: 9 out of 10. Warm, big-hearted pictures seem to burst from its pages--the images fill your heart and mind like old memories brought vividly to life.

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Title:  The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (And an Even Smaller Ant)
Author:  Avi  
Awards:  None
Grade Level:  3.3

Summary:  Avon the snail decides he is in need of an adventure, and his new 
friend Edward the ant decides to keep him company.  Readers can follow the 
hilarious, pun filled adventures of these lovable characters.  This unique book is 
one you will want to have on your bookshelf!

Teaching Idea:  This book would make an excellent mentor text to show students uses of puns for humor.  The puns from the book could be discussed as a class or in small groups before having students try using puns in their own writing.  There is also an interesting background story to this book on Avi's website that might be fun to share with students!

Evaluation:  10 because it is so different, incredibly enjoyable, and is an excellent mentor text!
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Title: Kate and the Beanstalk     
Author:  Mary Pope Osborne
Awards:  None
Grade Level:  3.5

Summary:  Smart and brave Kate in this twisted version of Jack and the Beanstalk replaces the typically unintelligent and lazy Jack.  Kate is able to help a widow and regain things that were stolen by defeating the giant.  Although the feminine heroine is reminiscent of The Paper Bag Princess, this twist is quite enjoyable as well.

Teaching Idea: So often in fairy tales it seems there is a princess who only has her beauty to get her through life being rescued by a handsome prince, so you could use this story along with The Paper Bag Princess to discuss females being in the role of the heroine. Then have students come up with character traits of a hero or heroine and have them talk about Kate and the Paper Bag Princess compared to male heroes in traditional tales such as Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. Scholastic also offers an alternative lesson idea for this book.

Evaluation: 9 because although it is a twist on a tale, it is very original and shows that girls can come to the rescue too!


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Title: Adelita: A Mexican Cinderella Story

Author: Tomie dePaola
Awards: None
Grade Level: 3.5


Summary: The age-old tale of a kind-hearted young woman Adelita, her jealous stepmother, two hateful stepsisters, and a young man in search of a wife. The young man, Javier, falls madly in love with beautiful Adelita, but she disappears from his fiesta at midnight, leaving him with only one clue to her hidden identity, a beautiful shawl. With the shawl in place of a glass slipper, this favorite fairy tale takes a delightful twist.


Teaching Ideas: This book would be a great mentor text to use in helping your students explore the importance of developing well-defined characters in their own writing. Also would be a great lead in on the subject of equality and values.

Evaluation: 9 out of 10, Tomie dePaola’s writing style is a fun and expressive, delighting the listeners’ ears. The illustrations are colorful and add to the overall reading experience.

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Title: Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
Author: Deborah Hopkinson

Awards: International Reading Association Award
Grade Level: 4.5

Summary: Slavery has separated 11-year-old Clara from her mother, but at the new plantation, Aunt Rachel manages to get her out of the fields and into the Big House as a seamstress. There, Clara listens, and learns. While white men visit the Big House, their drivers sit in the bustling kitchen, talking of runaway slaves and a path to freedom that anyone could follow if they only had a map. Their words stay with Clara, until one day she has an inspiration: she can put together the cloth in her scrap bag to make a secret map no master will ever suspect. Clara works slowly and carefully on her project. The work takes a long time; months can go by while Clara waits for a scrap of cloth in the right color: blue for creeks and rivers, green for fields, white for roads. When the map is finally finished, Clara is the first to use it, but she leaves the quilt itself behind to help others find their way.

Teaching Ideas: A great mentor text to expand on your lesson of slavery and the Underground Railroad.

Evaluation: 10 out of 10 - This powerful story, told in conversational dialect and magnificently illustrated, is based on a little-known chapter in the history of the Underground Railroad, in which quilts were made to provide secret codes to slaves escaping North. 

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Title: Stellaluna

Author: Janell Cannon

Awards: ABBY Award, California Young Reader Medal, Keystone to Reading Book Award, Reading Rainbow Feature Book

Grade Level: 3 -4

Summary: Accidentally dropped from her mother, Stellaluna falls into a bird's nest where she quickly becomes a part of the family. The little bat has to act like a bird, but she cannot help wanting to fly at night or hanging upside down. Stellaluna became separated from her bird family and was discovered by a fellow bat sleeping with her head up. All the bats were curious about Stellaluna she was eventually reunited with her mother.
Teaching Ideas: This story is a modern story of the Ugly Duckling and the concept of "daring to be different". This children's book expresses the aspects of individuality and friendship. A great way to include science with literacy is to focus on nocturnal animals and have the students explore the differences and similarities of nocturnal and diurnal (daytime) animals. Have the students use the text to make connections to their graphic organizer.

Evaluation: 10 out of 10-This book shares the importance of being an individual and that ever person is different. I think this shares a beautiful message for students about being who you are!

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Title: Strega Nona

Author: Tomie dePaola

Awards: Caldecott Honor Book

Grade Level: 4.4

Summary: Strega Nona which means “Grandma Witch” in Italian is known throughout her town to have magical powers. She can cure headaches, make warts disappear, and create a potion to as a matchmaker for the women of the town. Big Anthony, who never pays attention to anything any one says, comes to work for Strega Nona. She tells Big Anthony to never touch her magical pot, but he just simply could not simply resist and repeats a spell in which makes the magical pot cook. Big Anthony ends up cooking enough pasta to feed to town while Strega Nona is away, and did not over hear the secret spell to make the pot stop cooking.

Teaching Ideas: A major theme that is portrayed throughout the text is responsibility. With the students, the teacher could discuss their thoughts about what it means to be responsible. The students could share their own personal responsibilities they may have both in and out of the classroom. Another great aspect about this book is that it is an old folk tale and could help students understand the concepts of folk tales. Have the students learn about various folk tales, fairy tales, and fables to broaden their concepts of traditional tales genre.

Evaluation: 10 out of 10 This book has beautiful illustrations that help to bring this folk tale to life. Strega Nona is well written and shares and teaches many morals such as responsibility throughout the text. 

Title: Math Curse

Author: Jon Scieszka   

Awards: N/A

Grade Level: 3.8

Summary: When the teacher tells her class that they can think of almost everything as a math problem, one student acquires a math anxiety that becomes a real curse. The day after her teacher announces, "You know, you can think of almost everything as a math problem," the narrator is afflicted with a "math curse" that affects how she views every facet of her day ("Everything seems to be a problem"). A minimum of the questions she asks herself are entirely logical ("How many quarts are in a gallon?"); some are far-fetched extrapolations (if an M&M is about one centimeter long and the Mississippi River is about 4000 kilometers long, how many M&Ms would it take to measure the length of this river?)

　
Teaching Ideas: This is a good book to help your own students work through their "math curse". I personally used this in a fourth grade classroom during my student teaching. The class was "bored" with their math lessons so we dove into the book and figured out each one of the main character’s "crazy math questions".

Evaluation: 8 out of 10. Whimsical, fun and creative ways to use math in "every day" ways.