Frederick By: Leo Lionni

This Caldecott Honor book is a great introduction to hibernation for young grades.  It also encourages the imagination of all levels as Frederick the mouse imagines his entertainment for the winter.

Frederick

Author: Leo Lionni - As predicted at his birth, Lionni became nationally known for his creativity and innovative design throughout his famous career.  Starting as an artist, his creativity stemmed into writing and illustrating children's books. About Leo Lionni

Genre: Nonfiction

Grade Level: K+

Theme/Skill: Science - Hibernation

Brief Synopsis: This story explains the work of one unique mouse that instead of collecting food like all mice do; he brainstormed entertainment ideas to help everyone stay happy throughout the winter.

Pre-Reading Activity: What is hibernation?  Why do animals hibernate during winter?  What animals hibernate?  Next to the various displayed animals, students will decide if they hibernate or not.  Once the students finish, the class can discuss their work.  This activity will act as transition into the reading about the hibernation of Frederick and the other mice.

Post-Reading Activity: What was Frederick’s contribution to the collection?  How did Frederick keep everyone happy throughout the winter?  What story did Frederick tell to the other mice?  In their journals or on a scrap piece of paper, students can draw a picture of a dream you would imagine to cheer up you and your friends on a gloomy winter day.

Lionni, L. (1967) Frederick.  New York: Scholastic Inc. Grades K+

So You Want to Be an Explorer? By: Judith St. George

The "So You Wan to Be . . ." series are fundamental introductory children's books.  Each book creatively describes its respected position as well as providing colorful illustrations.  As a PreK teacher, I love these books!

So You Want to Be an Explorer

Author: Judith St. George - As a child, Judith St. George always had her nose in a book.  This love for books continued throughout all of her education including her work at Smith College.  Judith  St. George has written over 40 books - historical fiction, mysteries, nonfiction, biographies, and adventures.  During her writing career, Judith St. George has traveled all over the world researching before she writes each book.   Judith St. George

Genre: Nonfiction

Grade Level: PreK - 4

Theme/Skill: Social Studies - Explorers

Brief Synopsis: Throughout this story, the author describes the character traits of explorers including curiosity, nerves, determination, risk takers, respect for natives, knowledge involving maps, sharp eye on their companions, and an urge for discovery!  The author also describes that famous explorers are always remembered despite their success or failure.  To illustrate all of these traits, the author remembers various famous explorers who possessed them all.

Pre-Reading Activity: What type of character traits should an explorer possess?  What does an explorer do?  What explorers do you know?  As a class, students will make a list of adventurous characteristics explorers possess.  Students can then brainstorm a list of popular explorers we know that possess these traits.  If students know where these explorers explored, the teacher can use this background knowledge to begin a conversation about famous explorers.

Post-Reading Activity: How did the author describe an explorer? What explorers did the author mention that we need to add to our list?  What explorers do you remember from the story and what were their accomplishments?  Students can  add the explorers the author mentioned to our list.  Students can then imagine themselves as an explorer.  Students will share with a partner where they would go or what they would explore.  On a “passport” worksheet, students will write about where they would go and why.  Once they have finished writing, students may also draw a picture of themselves taking this adventure.

Small, D. George, J. (2005) So You Want to be an Explorer. New York: Penguin Group Inc. Grades 1 – 4.

The Polar Express By: Chris Van Allsburg

This Caldecott Medal book is a beautiful story of a little boy's adventure to the North Pole on Christmas Eve.  During his trip, his belief in Santa is renewed as he learns about the giving spirit.  Between the illustrations and the plot, this is one of my favorites to read to my students around the holiday season!

The Polar Express

Author: Chris Van Allsburg - As a child, Chris Van Allsburg moved numerous times.  The cover of The Polar Express is modeled after one of his many streets.  After a successful high school career, Chris Van Allsburg attended the University of Michigan majoring in sculpture.  After graduating from the University of Michigan, Chris Van Allsburg began his masters degree.  During this time, he met his future wife Lisa.  As a third grade teacher, Lisa encouraged Chris to assist her in illustrating a children's book.  His success in illustrating that book led him to write/illustrate 15 books.  Chris Van Allsburg Biography

Genre: Nonfiction

Grade Level: K - 2

Theme/Skill: Folktale - Believing in Santa

Brief Synopsis: An unknown train arrives on Christmas Eve to take a young boy to the North Pole.  At the North Pole, Santa Claus gives the young boy a bell that only believers can hear ring.  However, the boy loses it on his way back to the train.  On Christmas morning, the young boy receives a small box from Santa containing his bell that he lost.  Years later, he can still hear the bell while all of his friends have outgrown it.

Pre-Reading Activity: What holiday is coming up in December? According to the Christmas tradition, where does Santa Claus live? Describe the North Pole.  Have students close their eyes and imagine the North Pole.  Before reading the story, ask students to sketch out a picture of how you picture the North Pole.  Students can then share their sketches.

Post-Reading Activity: What did the young boy see at the North Pole? How does he know Santa exists?  What did Santa give the young boy? In this story, Santa represents a giving spirit.  He gave that bell to the young boy to strengthen his beliefs.  Ask students to brainstorm ways they could model the giving spirit in their personal lives.  Additionally, students can write an advertisement  promoting their Christmas giving spirit to others.

Allsburg, C. (1985) The Polar Express. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. Grades K – 2.

Tops and Bottoms By: Janet Stevens

This Caldecott Honor book is an excellent introduction to a lesson focusing on parts of a plant.  During my student teaching experience in a 2nd grade classroom, we first learned the life cycle of a plant.  Once my students understood the cycle, we concentrated on the parts of the plant using this book.

Tops and Bottoms

Author: Janet Stevens - Janet Stevens' interest in art as a child carried through her graduation from high school.  After graduating high school, Janet Stevens painted for a fabric company.  Later, she attended University of Colorado majoring in fine arts.  During her college experience, Janet Stevens began drawing numerous characters.  In 1977, she attended an "Illustrators Workshop" where she introduced her characters to other professionals.  Through the connections made at this workshop, Janet Stevens began writing and publishing her own children's books.  Janet Stevens

Genre: Nonfiction

Grade Level: Pre K - 2

Theme/Skill: Ways that Plants Grow

Brief Synopsis: Hare is in need of farm land to produce food for his family and Bear owns it all.  Since Bear is so lazy, Hare makes a deal with him that Hare will work all the fields and Bear can get top halves of all the crops.  Hare plants carrots, radishes, and beats allowing him to get all of the edible parts while Bear just gets the leaves from the plants.  In the next deal they make, Bear wants bottom halves.  Hare plants lettuce, broccoli and celery allowing him to get all the edible parts while Bear is stuck with the roots.  In their last deal, Bear wants tops and bottoms so Hare plants corn.  Bear gets the leaves and roots but Hare gets the corn.

Pre-Reading Activity: Do you plant vegetables in your garden?  What kinds? Display pictures of carrots, radishes, broccoli, lettuce, and corn on display in front of the class.  Once they know what the plants are, ask which part we eat.  Students should respond with saying that we eat the bottom of a carrot and a radish plant, the top of a broccoli and lettuce plant, and the middle of a corn plant.

Post-Reading Activity: How did Hare trick Bear?  Why did Hare plant carrots, radishes and beats in the first deal?  Why did Hare plant lettuce, broccoli and celery in the second deal?  Why did Hare plant corn in the third deal?  Students will be given a writing workshop book.  The book will be called A Tops and Bottoms Deal.  Page one will state – “If Hare gave me the top half; I would want him to plant ____________.”  Page two will state – “If Hare gave me the bottom half, I would want him to plant _____________.”  Page three will state – “If Hare gave me the middle of a plant, I would want him to plant ______________.”  I plan to read each sentence as a class and have students fill in their plants independently.  Above each sentence, there would be room for the student to draw a picture.  

Stevens, J. (1995) Tops and Bottoms. New York: Scholastic Inc. Grades Pre K – 2.

Officer Buckle and Gloria By: Peggy Rathmann

This Caldecott winner is a fantastic resource to read aloud during a community helpers unit.  As a Pre K teacher, I plan to read this to my students as we learn about police officers and safety.  As a class, we will then brainstorm various safety laws we know about in our community.

Officer Buckle and Gloria

Author: Peggy Rathmann - As a St. Paul, Minnesota native, Peggy Rathmann stayed in Minnesota until she graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in psychology.  Eventually, Peggy Rathmann moved to Los Angeles to attend the Otis Parsons School of Design.  Through her connections at the Otis Parsons School of Design, Peggy Rathmann began illustrating and writing children's books.  Peggy Rathmann has written at least six children's books including the Caldecott winner Officer Buckle and Gloria.  About Peggy Rathmann   

Genre: Nonfiction

Grade Level: Pre K - 2

Theme/Skill: Social Studies - Police Officer and Safety Rules

Brief Synopsis: A police officer named Officer Buckle visits schools to teach students about various safety laws.  No one ever listened, until Gloria arrived.  Gloria was the police dog who did tricks behind Officer Buckle during his presentations.  The students were fully engaged watching Gloria so they heard everything Officer Buckle said.  Eventually, Officer Buckle saw one of his presentations on TV and refused to allow Gloria to attend any more of his presentations.  As a result, students didn’t pay attention and there was a massive accident after the presentation.  The story ends with Officer Buckle and Gloria reuniting.

Pre-Reading Activity: What is the title of this book?  Who is the author of this book?  Is there an illustrator?  From looking at the cover of this book, what do you think the story is about?  Have students close your eyes and think about the safety rules they have heard before.  What are some important safety rules you can think of?  

Post-Reading Activity: Why did students begin to listen to Officer Buckle mid way through the story?  What safety tips did you learn from Officer Buckle?  What other safety tips do you know that weren’t mentioned?  Students will be given a star-shaped worksheet in which they can write their favorite/most important safety tip.  After they have written their safety tip, students can color a picture describing their words.

Rathmann, P. (1995) Officer Buckle and Gloria. New York: Scholastic Inc. Grades Pre K – 2.

Millions of Cats By: Wanda Gag

This Newberry Award and Caldecott Honor book is a great introduction to numbers as well as place value.  My mother teaches first grade and reads it each time they begin learning place value vocabulary.

Millions of Cats

Author: Wanda Gag - As the oldest of seven children, Wanda Gag's father explained that whatever he couldn't accomplish before he passed away would fall upon Wanda Gag.  From there, Wanda Gag inherited her father's love for art and creativity.  This love motivated her to become a famous author and illustrator.  Wanda Gag

Genre: Nonfiction

Grade Level: K -2

Theme/Skill: Mathematics - Numbers

Brief Synopsis: An older couple is lonely so the husband goes to look for a cat.  On the other side of the hill there is hundreds, thousands, millions, billions, trillions of cats. 

Pre-Reading Activity: What pets do you have?  How many pets do you have?  If you don’t have a pet, do you wish you had one? How do you write millions? Thousands? Billions? Trillions? Hundreds?  Write these numbers on the board for all to see.

Post-Reading Activity: How many cats did the husband return with?  What happened to all the cats?  Did the couple get a cat in the end?  After brainstorming as a class, students will write in their journals about what they would do with so many cats.  Students will also be asked to journal about what they would want millions of.

Gag, W. (1956) Millions of Cats.  New York: Scholastic Inc. Grades K – 2.

The Giver By: Lois Lowry

I first read this Newberry Medal book as a sixth grader.  I absolutely loved it!  The conversations and discussions created in my sixth grade classroom through this book were much more mature than a typical sixth grader's thoughts.  However, our teacher guided our discussions allowing us to gain so much from the novel.

The Giver

Author: Lois Lowry - Lois Lowry attended Brown University in Rhode Island.  Marriage and her children ended her first college career.  One resettled, Lois Lowry attended the University of Southern Maine.  As Lois Lowry explains, her motivation in writing The Giver was to educate her audience on their dependence on the environment and other parts of the world.  Lois Lowry Biography

Genre: Fiction

Grade Level: 6 +

Theme/Skill: Science Fiction

Brief Synopsis: Chapter one begins with Jonas explaining his fright when the aircraft flew by.  He goes on to say how everyone abandoned their bicycles and hid inside.  The cause of the aircraft was announced to be “released”.  Jonas then tells a personal story about telling a friend he was “released” and the repercussions he faced for it.  He then explains the rituals of the evening in which some of the rules are introduced.

Pre-Reading Activity: What is a utopian society?  What characteristics do you associate with a utopian society? What differences do you imagine in a utopian society compared to our present society?  Until you get into this book fully, students may be confused by chapter one.  Please know that this is expected and your confusions will clear up as we continue the book. There are a few vocabulary words used in this story that you may want to clarify with students before reading.  Aircraft? “Stomach-sinking terror”? What emotion does apprehensive describe?

Post-Reading Activity (Chapter 1): What rules are outlined in chapter one?  What does everyone ride around in throughout town?  What do you imagine “released” means?  Who do you believe are the nurturers in the society?  Discuss the main points of chapter one with a partner. In partners, write a summary of chapter one.  As a formative check, listen to the student’s summaries.  On the back of their summary, instruct students write down any questions they may have.  Are there any immediate questions they need to have answered now?

Lowry, L. (1993) The Giver. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. Grades 6+