Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site

Rinker, Sherri Duskey., and Tom Lichtenheld. Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site. San Francisco: Chronicle, 2011.

Summary: A hardworking crew of construction trucks dig, plow, lift and churn all day long, then haul themselves off to a cozy spot and curl up for the night. This is the Goodnight Moon for the new generation!

Uses: Identify rhyming words, identify machinery names (excavator, cement truck, etc.)

Awards: E.B. White Read Aloud Honor, NYT Best seller, School Library Journal starred review, USA Today Bestselling book, Common Sense Media’s “Essential Books for Kids and Teens” list, Association for Library Service to Children, Notable Children’s Picture Books 2012 Nominee, Society of Illustrators 2011 Original Children’s Book Art Show selection.

Borrowed from the Knoxville Library

Leonardo the Terrible Monster

Willems, Mo. Leonardo the Terrible Monster. New York: Hyperion for Children, 2005.

Summary: Leonardo is truly a terrible monster – terrible at being a monster, that is. Despite his best efforts, he can’t seem to scare anyone…until he finds the perfect little boy. Will he scare the “tuna salad out of” Sam?

Uses: Identify qualities that make a good friend.

Awards: ALA Notable Children’s book

Borrowed this book from the Knoxville Public Library

That is NOT a Good Idea!

Willems, Mo. That Is Not a Good Idea! New York: Balzer + Bray, 2013.

Summary: A hungry fox invites a goose to dinner. Illustrated like silent movie, each frame shows adorable chicks that chime in on every page and say “that is NOT a good idea!” Wonderful surprise ending!

Uses: Discuss predictions throughout the book. ie: What do they think will happen? Does their opinion change at the end of the book? Also wonderful for perspective

Awards: Received starred reviews from Horn Book, School Library Journal, & Publisher’s Weekly

Perused this book at Target

 

 

Jumanji

Van, Allsburg Chris. Jumanji. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1981.

Summary: Judy and Peter find a mysterious board game under a tree at the park. When they take it home and start playing it, a lion, python, monkey, a jungle guide and even stampeding rhinos come to life! Will they be able to finish the game before their parents get home?

Uses: Explore the verbs used in the book such as “dove,” “scrambled,” “slammed” and “gasping.” Discuss how the author used those verbs to convey urgent meanings.

Awards: 1982 Caldecott Medal

Perused this book at Barnes & Noble.

Creepy Carrots

Reynolds, Aaron, and Peter Brown. Creepy Carrots! New York: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers, 2012.

Summary: Jasper Rabbit loves carrots—especially Crackenhopper Field carrots. He eats them on the way to school. He eats them going to Little League. He eats them walking home. Until the day the carrots start following him…or are they? It’s all fun and games  . . . until you get too greedy.

Uses: Creativity: have children come up with their own creepy vegetable stories. Also a great Halloween pick.

Awards: 2013 Caldecott Honor, NYT Bestseller, Notable Children’s Book

 

Song of the Swallows

Politi, Leo. Song of the Swallows. New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1949.

Summary: A young boy named Juan has an elderly friend named Julian that takes care of an old Spanish Mission church where the swallows come to nest every spring.  Juan loves to watch the birds raise their young and teach them to fly. One day the swallows leave to take their annual flight south, but as always they will return on Saint Joseph’s Day.

Uses: Music: two songs are included with musical score and lyrics. Also good for Hispanic heritage discussions

Awards: 1950 Caldecott Medal

Borrowed this book from the Knoxville Public Library 

Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great

Shea, Bob. Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great. Disney-Hyperion, 2013.

Summary: Goat thought it was cool to ride his bike to school, but Unicorn can fly to school. Goat makes rice krispie treats, but Unicorn makes it rain cupcakes! Unicorn is such a show-off and Goat is sick and tired of it! When Unicorn admires Goat’s cheese and cloven hooves, Goat learns to appreciate his own talents.

Uses: Great for teaching kids to appreciate what makes each of them special in their own way

Awards: Starred Kirkus review, featured in Publisher’s Weekly

Perused this book in Barnes & Noble

Jazz

Myers, Walter Dean, and Christopher Myers. Jazz. New York: Holiday House, 2006.

Summary: Father/Son team Walter & Christopher Myers wrote and illustrated this comprehensive book about the history of jazz. Lots of illustrated pages with the lyrics to jazz songs. Even contains an easy to understand jazz glossary at the back of the book.

Uses: Music class/introduction to jazz

Awards: 2007 Coretta Scott King illustrator award, starred Kirkus review

Perused this book at Barnes & Noble.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Stead, Philip Christian., and Erin E. Stead. A Sick Day for Amos McGee. New York: Roaring Brook, 2010.

Summary: Amos McGee, the zookeeper, always plays with his animal friends at the zoo. He runs races with the tortoise, sits quietly with shy a penguin, and he reads the owl (who is afraid of the dark) bedtime stories. One day Amos is too sick to come to work–so his animal friends decide to come to him!

Uses: Use this book to talk about friendship and caring for others.

Awards: 2011 Caldecott Medal, Publisher’s Weekly & Kirkus starred reviews, A Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book, Charlotte Zolotow Award/Honor Book

Perused this book at Barnes & Noble

So You Want to Be President?

St. George, Judith, and David Small (illustrator). So You Want to Be President? New York: Philomel, 2000.

Summary: Humorously illustrated, this picture book shows us the foibles, quirks and true hearts of the forty-two men who have risen to one of the most powerful positions in the world.

Uses: Presidential units

Awards: 2001 Caldecott Medal

Perused this book at Barnes & Noble