"Flotsam" by David Wiesner

"Flotsam" 

by David Wiesner

40 pages /  Print / Science Fiction

Summary: A boy finds a strange camera on the shore at the beach. Curious about its contents, he goes to get the film developed at a nearby store. He is in shock when it is revealed that the photographs show sea creatures doing to most remarkable and strange things. The last picture is very special. It shows a photo of a girl holding a picture, and in the picture is a picture of a boy holding a picture. The boy is very interested in understanding why people are holding a picture of a picture. He gets his magnifying glass and sees that there are many people who have taken this picture of a picture. The boy decides to keep the tradition and take his own special picture with new film. The boy then throws the camera back in the ocean for another person to find one day. The book ends with another child finding the camera on a different beach.

 Evaluation: This book is a Caldecott Winner for its imaginative and illustrations and creative plotline. With many of Wiesner's books, there is little or no text, so the reader is forced to look closely at the illustrations to tell a story. The story being told here is that anything is possible. The ocean is so vast and unknown that maybe there are strange things happening that we cannot imagine. The theme of "adventure" and "journey" is also present in this book.

Appeal Terms: science fiction, lively, engrossing, mystical, magical

"Let It Snow" by Holly Hobbie

"Let It Snow" 

by Holly Hobbie

32 pages /  Print / Fantasy

Summary: Toot and Puddle are two pig friends that love to spend time outdoors and with eachother in their log cabin. Christmas is fast approaching but they cannot figure out what to get each other. One day, it snows so much that the two of them decide to go skiing through the woods. They both find this so beautiful and magical. Puddle wishes it could capture the beauty and keep it forever. Later that day it rains and all the snow melts away. Toot is very upset that it cannot use its snow sled to play. Christmas day comes and they both exchange their homemade gifts. Puddle made Toot a sled with wheels that can be ridden without snow. And Toot painted Puddle a winter landscape of the two of them skiing through the woods.

 Evaluation: This heartwarming story shows how beautiful friendships can be. This story can be used as a model for the holiday seasons to inspire students to make something for a loved one.

Appeal Terms: animal, fantasy, winter, friendship, gentle, slow, heartwarming, relaxed, plot centered

"Painting Pepette" by Linda Ravin Lodding

"Painting Pepette" 

by Linda Ravin Lodding

40 pages /  Print / Realistic

Summary: A little girl from Paris adopts a small rabbit, Pepette. The girl notices that the walls in her home are covered with painted portraits of each family member, but not Pepette. She decides to wander into town with Pepette to get its portrait painted. The girl and Pepette encounter four famous artists, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Marc Chagall, and Henri Matisse. They all paint Pepette in their own unique style, but none look realistically like Pepette. The girl and the rabbit return home where the girl decides to paint Pepette's portrait herself.

 Evaluation: This book is a work of art, illustrated in beautiful watercolor painting. The book can teach students about different famous artists and what makes their style unique. This would be a good introduction for an art history unit. The theme of "being yourself" is present when the girl decides to illustrate what Pepette looks like.

Appeal Terms: animal, realistic, easy, gentle, art, character centered, vivid, well developed

"The Stinky Cheese Man & Other Fairly Stupid Tales" by Jon Scieszka & Lane Smith

"The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales" 

by Jon Scieszka & Lane Smith

56 pages /  Print / Fairy Tale

Summary: From the introduction of the book, the author tells us that these are not just fairy tales, but "fairly stupid" fairy tales. Your favorite fairly tales have been transformed into new, funny ones using familiar and new characters. Characters in each of the fairly tales find themselves in the middle of other ones, making this a very entertaining book to read. The fairy tales that are "stupidly" retold are: :Chicken Little"("Chicken Licken"), "The Princess and the Pea" ("The Princess and the Bowling Ball"), "The Ugly Duckling" ("The Really Ugly Duckling"), "The Frog Prince"(“The Other Frog Prince”), "Little Red Riding Hood" ("Little Red Running Shorts") , Jack and the Bean Stalk ("Jack's Bean Problem"), Cinderella/Rumpelstiltskin ("Cinderumpelstiltskin"), "The Tortoise and the Hare" ("The Tortoise and the Hair"), and "The Gingerbread Man" ("The Stinky Cheese Man").

 Evaluation: This book is a collection of fractured fairy tales retold in a unique and funny way。Students love fractured fairy tales because they give a different way of looking at a story, which creates different questions to answer about story elements. Fractured fairy tales also are very funny, which students will appreciate. "The Stinky Cheese Man an Other Fairly Stupid Tales" is also wonderfully illustrated. The creepy and gross way each character and setting is drawn adds to the effect of the book. Fractured Fairy tale books are also great for teaching students that traditional stories are fun to recreate. This could lead to an assignment that makes the student make a fractured fairy tale of their own.

Appeal Terms: fairytale, leisurely, dark, humorous, magical, multiple plotlines, eccentric, quirky

"Leaves" by David Ezra Stein

"Leaves" 

by David Ezra Stein

30 pages /  Print / Fantasy

Summary: A bear encounters falling leaves during an afternoon stroll. It tries to catch them all before they fall to the ground. The bear becomes overwhelmed and decides to put all the leaves in a hole in the side of the hill. The bear then enters the hole and stuffs it closed. The bear stays in there for the winter, warm and safe. Winter passes and Spring comes, when the bear awakes and greets the new season.

Evaluation: This book is a simple yet effective way to teach young learners about animals that hibernate. The images play along with the text, adding a clear explanation for bears and hibernation. This book could be used as an introduction to a unit on bears, hibernation, or Fall.

Appeal Terms: animal, easy, heartwarming, gentle, well developed

"Pumpkin Soup" by Helen Cooper

"Pumpkin Soup" 

by Helen Cooper

32 pages /  Print / Fantasy

Summary: A duck, a cat, and a squirrel all live together in a cabin in the woods. They make soup together and they all have a job to do. Squirrel stirs the soup, cat slices the pumpkin, and duck adds the salt to the pot. Everything is going fine until the duck decides that it wants to stir the soup. Duck carries the stirring spot to squirrel and asks, but squirrel does not want it to stir the soup. They both pull the spoon but it slips out of their hands and hits the cat. They all get in a fight about the soup and the duck decides to leave the house. Cat and squirrel feel bad so they go out and look for the duck. They search for hours but cannot find duck. Approaching the house after their search, they notice duck has come back. They let duck stir the soup but it makes a mess. Everyone is just happy to have each other.

Evaluation: An adorable telling of a group of animal friends that use teamwork to make pumpkin soup. This books explores themes of trying something new, and being accepting of others. Students and teachers can talk about the impact of actions and words and how they affect others. Trying something for the first time and failing is another theme, an important one to discuss with young learners.

Appeal Terms: animal, lively, heartwarming, plot centered, introspective

"The Mystery of the Haunted Farm" by Elys Dolan

"The Mystery of the Haunted Farm" 

by Elys Dolan

34 pages /  Print / Sci-Fi

Summary: Farmer Greg calls the pig ghost hunters to investigate paranormal activity at his farm. There are zombie ducks, mummy sheep, ghost cows, and a Dracula horse. The pigs aren't registering any paranormal activity on their ghost machines, which lead them to look more closely at the haunted animals. As it turns out, the animals are all pretending to be haunted by dressing up in scary costumes. They are trying to scare away a werewolf, which actually turns out to be farmer Greg! The pigs tame Werewolf Greg and enter him into a dog/werewolf competition. Werewolf Greg wins the competition and the farm is at peace once again.


Evaluation: This is an adorable book that fits nicely into a Halloween themed lesson. Readers can play detective along with the pigs. Little clues are left on each page that makes the reader realize that the animals are not really haunted. Teachers can talk to students about these clues and encourage them to share their opinions. Werewolf Greg turns out to be a nice monster, which is good for students that are afraid of monsters.

Appeal Terms: spooky, creepy, ghost story, breakneck, humorous, event oriented, plot twist, resolved ending

"Far Out Fairy Tales : Hansel and Gretel and Zombies" by Benjamin Harper

   

"Far Out Fairy Tales : Hansel and Gretel and Zombies" 

by Benjamin Harper

40 pages /  Print / Graphic Novel

Summary: Zombie Hansel and Zombie Gretel's parents send them out in the woods to find brains of a tourist to bring back to eat. The parents dress them up in "human" costumes to trick tourists into helping them find their way back home. A witch sees them walking in the forest and she puts on her "human costume" to trick them into her candy house. The witch tricks Hansel into a cage by baiting him with brains. Hansel is fed brains so he can become nice and fat to eat Gretel is chained up and kept as a slave to do housework. The witch asked Gretel to light the oven, but then Gretel locks the witch in the oven. Instead of burning the witch, Gretel bites her and turns her into a zombie. Now all three of them are hungry for brains. The witch reveals that Hansel was not eating real brains, but rather "soy-based brains".  The witch returns the children to their parents. They all live together happily in the forest eating "soy-based brains".

Evaluation: This book is perfect for Halloween or teaching fractured fairy tales. There is a section in the book that explains the differences from the original Hansel and Gretel fairytale. The author also includes some reason comprehension questions to help the reader understand the plot. Kids love zombies these days, and the dialogue is very funny for readers. The story is short so readers can finish it in one sitting and feel accomplished that they read a book.

Appeal Terms: fairy tale, dark, humorous, magical, creepy, spooky, plot twists

"I Spy: Spooky Night" by Walter Wick and Jean Marzollo

"I Spy: Spooky Night" 

by Walter Wick and Jean Marzollo

40 pages /  Print / Realistic

Summary: Spooky rhymes challenge readers to find clues in the pictures on the page. The theme of this book is "spooky nights". Readers explore a haunted mansion and a graveyard to find creepy items like ghosts, skeletons and other things that go bump in the night.

Evaluation: Students love reading these books with a find, which is a postivie thing to see in a library. Adding this book to a library display with ensure that it gets checked out just around Halloween time. Reading the text and making connections with the illustrations is a skill that readers need to development.

Appeal Terms: engrossing, creepy, spooky, thought provoking

"Shark Dog" by Ged Adamson

"Shark Dog" 

by Ged Adamson

40 pages /  Print / Science Fiction

Summary: A girl has a dad that is a famous explorer. They land on an island one day and the girl befriends a Sharkdog. The Sharkdog does dog things like a shark, and shark things like a dog. Everything is going well until one day Sharkdog gets sad because it misses its friends and family. The girl and her father return the Sharkdog to its home. The girl and dad start sailing away but Sharkdog starts swimming after them. In the end, Sharkdog prefers its new family (the girl and father) as opposed to its own family.

Evaluation: This is a gentle and heartwarming story of friendship, new surroundings, and family. Some students that are separated from their family might feel a connection to Sharkdog and theloneliness it feels. Sharkdog teaches that we can find comfort and happiness in new situations and new relationships. Sharkdog is also a combination of two very popular and well liked animals for children, thus motivating young readers to choose this story to read.

Appeal Terms: animal, science fiction, easy, heartwarming, gentle, family centered, hopeful

"Pete's a Pizza" by William Steig

"Pete's a Pizza" 

by William Steig

34 pages /  Print / Realistic

Summary: Pete is not having a good day because it is raining and he cannot go out to play. Pete's dad decides to make him feel better by helping Pete use his imagination to keep him entertained. Pete lies on a couch and dad pretends that Pete is pizza dough. After kneading and tickling Pete, dad puts some "pizza ingredients" (household items) on Pete and then pretends to bake him in an imaginary oven. Pete thinks all of this is so fun and forgets about his troubles. In the end, the sun comes out and Pete can finally go outside to play.

Evaluation: This book has already sparked many after-reading extension activities for young readers that involve them pretending to be Pete and his dad (sprinkling fake cheese, pepperoni and tomato sauce over someone). I think this book is a good lesson for children to teach them that our imagination is a great gift and we should use it more often. It also teaches children to take a bad situation and make a good one out of it. Everyone can relate to Pete's woes of not being able to go outside, but we can all learn from his father's idea of using imagination.

Appeal Terms: realistic, easy, leisurely, humorous, heartwarming, gentle, family centered

"How This Book Was Made" by Mac Barnett

"How This Book Was Made" 

by Mac Barnett

48 pages /  Print / Non-Fiction

Summary: Mac Barnett brings you on a journey from start to finish on how to create a picture book. Through humor and clever illustrations, he makes it easy and fun to learn the process of bookmaking. He teaches us how a book starts with a good idea, goes through drafts, editors, revisions, illustrations, printing, and finally gets delivered to you, the reader.

Evaluation: This book presents the facts of bookmaking in a clever and engaging way that all ages will appreciate. I think most children have the dream of publishing their own picture book, and this book serves as a resource and inspiration for them. It also teaches young readers that making a book takes a lot of effort and time between a lot of different people. Apart from being a non-fiction text, this book is just as fun to read as a fiction picture book would be.

Appeal Terms: engrossing, humorous, engaging, fact-filled, well developed

"Two Bad Ants" by Chris Van Allsburg

"Two Bad Ants" 

by Chris Van Allsburg

32 pages /  Print / Fantasy

Summary: A colony of ants venture off to return more "white crystal" (sugar) to the queen ant. The ants march across the lawn and into a house. "Two bad ants" decide to stay and eat the white crystal while the rest of the colony returns back to the ant colony. The two ants are rudely awakened when they are carried away by a spoon and added into a cup of coffee. The ants escape death on a few more occasions, being launched out of the toaster and being washed away into the kitchen sink. The ants make it back to the colony in one piece and both appreciate the safety of home.

Evaluation: Chris Van Allsburg is a master of drawing perspective and creating mood. He shows us the perspective of the ant and how everything is much larger than it. The story is told from the point of view of ant, so the reader has to guess what the ant is talking about (They describe the house as a large mountain "reaching into the heavens".They describe coffee is a "hot, brown liquid). This book is great to read to students because you can always stop and ask them, "What are the ants talking about?" There is much suspense in this story which makes readers want to turn the page.

Appeal Terms: animal

"My Pen" by Christopher Myers

"My Pen" 

by Christopher Myers

32 pages /  Print / Fantasy

Summary: "To the people who make things, and to the people who share them." Christopher Myers dedicates this book to the creators. This simple story is page after page of a boy creating fantasy scenes with his pen. His pen allows him to travel to Africa in a newspaper boat, ride dinosaurs, tell people that he loves him, and more. Myers encourages readers to pick up a pen and let your own world be created.

Evaluation: The illustrations of "My Pen" are very detailed and imaginative. I think students that have a drawing talent will enjoy reading this book and gain inspiration. After reading this book I wanted to pick up a pen and create a world of my own. This book celebrates beauty and the expression and art.

Appeal Terms: leisurely, inspirational, magical, character centered, thought provoking, introspective, art

"Moonday" by Adam Rex

"Moonday" 

by Adam Rex

40 pages /  Print / Fantasy

Summary: A little boy and his family take a drive one night up a hill. They watch the moon from atop the hill, but the moon then follows the family back to their home. The moon stays in their backyard that night and into the morning. The next day is very dark outside, and all the townspeople are tired because it is still night. The boy returns home from school and has a plan. The family gets in their car to drive back to the hill. The moon follows them to the top of the hill. The boy tells the moon to "stay", and it does. The moon stays at the top of the hill and the sun rises the next morning.


Evaluation: I have always had a fascination with the moon, so this story makes me think of how I would stare at the moon as a child and hope to touch it. The dark shades and shadows throughout this book give the reader a sleepy feeling, like the townspeople felt. I think students will enjoy the illustrations of the sleepy and yawning people on each page, who cannot go to sleep until the moon returns up in the sky. This book is full of imagination and warm moments.

Appeal Terms: science fiction, easy, magical, heartwarming, gentle, plot centered

"The Eleventh Hour" by Graeme Base

"The Eleventh Hour" 

by Graeme Base

40 pages /  Print / Fantasy

Summary: Horace the elephant decides to invite 11 friends over to his house for a big celebration. He cooks up a big feast of delicious foods and desserts for everyone to enjoy. The 11 animals guests arrive, all dressed up in costumes and ready to celebrate. Before they can hear the feast Horace has prepared, they spend the afternoon and evening playing games with each other. The feast would have begun at the eleventh hour, but a thief has eaten all the food! Every animal friend denies that he or she ate the food. Horace thinks quickly and makes sanwiches for all the friends. They eat the sandwiches outside together. But who ate all the food? It is a mystery that the reader must solve.

Evaluation: The ending of this book really caught me by surprise. I was so distacted by the wonderful rhyming verse that told the stories, and the realistic images, that I wasn't paying attention to the fact that this book is full of clues and mystery. At the conclusion of the book, Graeme Base has a secret section that explains how to solve the mystery of who ate the food. He also explains the artwork and reasoning behind each illustration in the book. After finding clues on each page and solving the puzzle message at the end of the book, it is revealed that the mouse ate the food with his 200 mouse friends. The author then invites you to locate the mice on each page of the book, which are skillfully hidden in different images. This is a great book for a class to read together and to try to solve as a team. Solving the mystery is very difficult, but many eyes and minds working together would make it easier. Besides the interactive aspect of the book, it is beautfully illustrated. The images and scenes come to life. I looked at each page for a long time, appreciating how detailed and wonderful the illustrations were. This book could be read time and time again, trying to solve the mystery of who stole the food.

Appeal Terms: animal, mystery, engrossing, engaging, event oriented, multiple plotlines, well developed

"Ten Hungry Pigs" by Derek Anderson

"Ten Hungry Pigs" 

by Derek Anderson

40 pages /  Print / Humorous

Summary: One hungry pig decides to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for itself. Ten other pigs smell the sandwich and decide to bring along food of their own. Before you know it, the pigs have made a sandwich so tall that it almost falls over! The pigs friend, a duck, disguises itself as a wolf and scares the ten pigs away, knocking over the sandwich. The original pig and duck get to enjoy their original sandwich of peanut butter and jelly.

Evaluation: The illustrations and repetitive storyline really make this book great. Each time a pig brings more food for the sandwich, the more ridiculous the sandwich looks ( pickles, ice cream, mac and cheese, fruit, fish, pancakes, peas). Children will think that the sandwich is hilarious and get excited for another pig to add the next food. Every pig is dressed in different clothes, and has a different personality. This book can lead to a great follow up activity where the children can draw and share their own tall sandwich and why they picked each food. This book works great in a unit about nutrition or food science.

Appeal Terms: animal, lively, humorous, plot centered, quirky

"Look and Find Transportation" by Thierry Laval

"Look and Find Transportation" 

by Thiery Laval

40 pages /  Print / Non-Fiction

Summary: A pull-out, search, and find book for all things transportation. Readers visit an airport, city, construction site, train station, and seaport. Each location has many vehicles, tools and people to find. A great read for anyone that is curious to learn new vocabulary about transportation.

Evaluation: This book is very fun to read and interact with. the pages fold out on both sides to reveal a large illustration. Readers need to find the picture of the new vocabulary on the page, which is great for reinforcing learning. Children learn best when they can see and do something. Many of the new vocabulary words are new for children, but they may have seen them before (for example: "scaffolding". Scaffolding is on almost every corner in NYC where there is construction.). I expect readers to seek out the new vocabulary when they walk around outside. This book is great to share with a partner while they look for the picture of the words on the page. Children love transportation vehicles, so this book will be a hit!

Appeal Terms: realistic, engrossing, leisurely, engaging, fact-filled, life like

"The Arrival" by Shuan Tan

"The Arrival" 

by Shuan Tan

128 pages /  Print / Fantasy

Summary: In an imaginary world, a man must leave his wife and daughter behind to create a better life for them. Through illustrations only, Shuan Tan tells us an inspiring story of immigration and a man's love for his family. We follow the man's struggle of not knowing his new country's language, and finding a place to live and sleep. After some time, the wife and daughter and reunited with the man in the new country and build a new life together instead of isolation.

Evaluation: A beautiful story of immigration that captures the emotions of arriving in a new place with no knowledge of the language, culture or people. Shuan Tan uses an imaginary world, with imaginary text for the man to read, which makes the reader feel alien just as much as the protagonist in the story. The illustrations allow us to look into the mind and backstories of the characters in the story to help the reader realize that everyone in the imaginary land is an immigrant too. This book is a great way to introduce a unit on immigration. The artwork is captivating, Tan uses different dark shades to signal to the reader different passages of time and perspectives. We are to believe that every immigrant has left their country to escape some dark force, or make their life better. The book reads like a filmstrip, which makes for a very interactive reading experience.

Appeal Terms: adventure, graphic novel, historical, science fiction, engrossing, dark, hopeful, mystical, melodramatic, episodic, plot centered, resolved ending, family centered, life like, vivid, multiple point of view, imaginary, introspective

"Smart About Sharks" by Owen Davey

"Smart About Sharks" 

by Owen Davey

40 pages /  Print / Non-Fiction

Summary: This informational book has everything "Sharks"! Come explore how sharks live their lives in the oceans and seas. There is much to learn about sharks, inside and out. Where do they live? What do they eat? Do other fish prey on sharks? Which shark can jump the highest? After reading this book, you will be "smart about sharks".

Evaluation: A great resource for young readers to get their fill on this favorite ocean animal. Owen Davey's illustrations are gentle and detailed, making this book readable for all ages. He uses language that a young middle schooler would use ("The Great White Shark is the rock star of the ocean.", "Something to sink your teeth into") and describes scientific terms in easy words. The table of contents and index in the book make it easy to navigate and find specific information on sharks. The color scheme used is very nice too look at, like a well designed website. The illustrations play with the words and information blurbs throughout the book, making it fun to read and explore.


Appeal Terms: animal, engrossing, engaging, fact-filled, realistic

"Harold and the Purple Crayon" by Crockett Johnson

"Harold and the Purple Crayon" 

by Crockett Johnson

64 pages /  Print / Fantasy

Summary: Harold explores a world as he draws it with his purple crayon. He draws himself into different situations; climbing mountains, sailing the see, and sharing a picnic with animals. When it is time for bed, Harold draws him back back home with the help of the moon.

Evaluation: What a great book that captures the imagination of a young child. The illustrations are simple but important to the plot of the story. Johnson's use of line on each page makes your eye follow the shapes and movement of Harold's journey. The line from the purple crayon moves the story along and leaves you excited with the next magical thing to happen. The visual clues left on each page makes you guess what will happen next. This is a great story to read as a class and guess where Harold will go off to next!

Appeal Terms: adventure, easy, humorous, magical, gentle, well developed

"Press Here" by Herve Tullet

"Press Here" 

by Herve Tullet

56 pages /  Print / Humorous 

Summary: "Press here. Now press here. Shake the book." "Press here" by Herve Tullet allows you to press different color dots on the page and watch them transform into something else on the next page. Dots multiply and change shape, doing all sorts of magical things.

Evaluation: This book invites the reader to interact and engage with the pages in the book. Through the 56 pages, I found myself smiling the entire time. This book is very original and will win over any reader that picks it up. Warning: if you are easily embarrassed, the do not read the book in public. It will have you clapping, shaking the book, and laughing hysterically. The colors used are very simple, just four primary colors. By keeping the colors and design simple, the author can focus more on the fun aspects of the book. This is a book that is better read alone so you can interact with it directly.

Appeal Terms: realistic, humorous, deliberate, easy, interactive, quirky

"A Log's Life" by Wendy Pfeffer, Illustrated by Robin Brickman

"A Log's Life" 

by Wendy Pfeffer, Illustrated by Robin Brickman

32 pages /  Print / Realistic

Summary: "A Log's Life" brings us through the amazing life cycle of tree as it falls, decomposes and gives life to a new tree. Many animals and insects depend on a tree in each stage of its life. The book reads like a story, but it is very educational. Realistic illustrations add to the value of this fascinating book.

Evaluation: This book is an excellent tool for understanding and appreciating nature's greatest gift, trees. A teacher could use this book in a science class to introduce a unit on earth science. The illustrations and text are very meditative, making you feel like you are walking through a shady forest. The message of this book with surely make readers appreciate trees and how many creatures interact with it. The message of rebirth (of the tree) is beautiful and could be used as a metaphor for human life.

Appeal Terms: animal, realistic, engrossing, easy, engaging, event oriented, fact-filled, life like

"Animalia" by Graeme Base

"Animalia" 

by Graeme Base

32 pages /  Print / Fantasy

Summary: This book is an illustrated alternative alphabet filled with animals doing human things. This book is an adventure to read, with each letter representing a different animal. Also on each page are things that start with that letter. With so many detailed pictures and hidden treasures to find on each page, this book could take longer to read than a chapter book.

Evaluation: This book, like other books I've reviewed on this blog, is a work of art. This book is like your wildest and most strange dream. Because it is an alphabet book, students can learn about letter sounds (phonics) and alliteration (crimson cats,  hairy hippos, etc.). The tongue twisters on each page are fun to read. The book contains one inappropriate sentence that parents should look at before reading it to their child, ("Kid Kookaburra and Kelly Kangaroo kidnap Kitty Koala") showing animals in criminal clothing. This book can be read many times, and you would probably discover something new each time.

Appeal Terms: animal, leisurely, humorous, magical, gentle, quirky

"The Book That Eats People" by John Perry ( Illustrated by Mark Fearing)

"The Book That Eats People" 

by John Perry ( Illustrated by Mark Fearing)

38 pages /  Print / Humorous

Summary: This is simply the book that eats people! This book can smell the food on your hands if you don't wash them. That makes the book hungry. It hides in the library, sometimes disguising itself by putting on a different book's jacket. It will even eat other books in the library! The book kept eating other children until it was locked away in jail. It couldn't be kept in jail for long, so it was sent to the zoo. It would not eat junk food that they sold at the zoo, it only wanted to eat people. Never read this book after eating something delicious, it will smell the food and get hungry. Don't read this book alone! It is the book that eats people!

Evaluation: I really enjoy a book that breaks the fourth wall and speaks directly to its readers. The page design in this book is very creative. There is a lot of collage work, and designs borrowed from comic books ( cells, and columns). Some illustrations are made to look like the book was taped together and ripped apart by the monster book. Some pages look like the inside of a stomach of a book that just ate a collection of science textbooks. Creepy. An unexpected monster, a book, is a perfect character to use in a library during Halloween. Students and librarians are the main characters in this book, so they both can find a connection in this book when reading it.

Appeal Terms: science fiction, humorous, fast, foreboding, edgy, magical, creepy, spooky, character centered, quirky

"Blueberries for Sal" by Robert McCloskey

"Blueberries for Sal" 

by Robert McCloskey

52 pages /  Print / Humor

Summary: A little girl goes blueberry picking with his mother in the countryside. Kuplink, kuplank, kuplank! Little do they know, mother bear and baby bear are also looking for blueberries on the other side of the mountain. The little girl and baby bear get separated from their mothers, but eventually they get back together and go home with blueberries for jam.

Evaluation: This Caldecott honor book is a beautifully illustrated story with simple themes, making it a great read! Published in 1948, we are taken back in time to simple days of walking around outside with mom. This story has a great beginning, middle, and end leaving the reader with a feeling of happiness when both little girl and baby bear are reunited with their mothers. The illustrations help the story by making the reader feel like they are wandering the wilderness with the characters in the story. The onomopeia (Kerplunk, Garumph!) adds playful sounds to the story that are fun to read and imagine. Stories like these make us remember how beautiful the little things are in life, and how we admire to our mothers.

Appeal Terms: animal, adventure, leisurely, humorous, gentle, multiple plot lines, resolved ending

"Unspoken: A Tale From The Underground Railroad" by Henry Cole

"Unspoken: A Tale From The Underground Railroad" by Henry Cole

40 pages /  Print / Historical

Summary: :A farm girl hears a noise from the harvested corn stalks in the barn. It is a runaway slave that has found a secret hiding place at her family's farm. The girl sneaks food to her each night. Some men come looking for the runaway slave, but the girl keeps quiet. Their secret friendship is a light of hope for the other runaway slaves.

Evaluation: "What would you do if you had a chance to help a person find freedom?"(Henry Cole). This wordless book speaks much more for the humanity that some felt for runaway slaves during the Civil War era. Sympathetic southerners hosted "safe-houses", or houses where runaway slaves could hide. The underground railroad is something everyone should know and appreciate. A gloomy mood is helped my the pencil drawings in the book, each shade and shadow shows the darkness of these times in American history. This book makes us reflect how our actions effect others lives and what sacrifices we need to make when we are faced with difficult situations.

Appeal Terms: historical, realistic, problem, measured, hopeful, sad, heartwarming, inspirational, issue oriented, lifelike, introspective 

"Tuesday" by David Weisner

   

"Tuesday" 

by David Weisner

32 pages /  E-Book / Sci-Fi

Summary: In the middle of the night, frogs start levitating on lily pads and fly across the night sky. The swarm of flying frogs wreak havoc on the town, terrorizing the dogs in the neighborhood and making a mess of things. The frogs return home to the lake as the sun rises in the morning sky. The next night, it is the pigs turn to fly in the night sky.


Evaluation: An instant favorite of mine. Weisner's use of perspective is truly amazing as he transports us into his world of creativity and magic. The flying frogs reminded me of Moses and the  plague of frogs that inherited Egypt. Perhaps there is an allegory that Weisner is trying to portray? This book, like "The Lion and the Mouse", has very few words. These books are great for children as they are forced to look at the illustrations and create their own story. It makes the reader focus on every inch of the illustration in case they missed some visual clue that is imperative to the plot. Books like these are great for language learners and can help develop an emerging reader's love for books.

Appeal Terms: animal, sci/fic, fast, humorous, magical, action oriented, quirky

"Cinderella" by K.Y. Craft

 

"Cinderella" 

by K.Y. Craft

32 pages /  E-Book / Folktale

Summary: Cinderella, forced to serve her stepsisters, finds herself meeting a prince in the woods. The prince fancies her very much, but Cinderella runs off to care for an injured bird she found. The bird ends up being a fairy godmother that transforms Cinderella into a beautiful princess. The godmother also gifts her a magical coach to accompany her to the gala at the prince's castle. The prince sees Cinderella at the gala and falls in love. Cinderella leaves the gala before midnight because the magic spell will end at that time. She forgets one slipper, but the prince retrieves it. The prince searches for the owner of the slipper by visiting every woman in the kingdom until he finds someone that fits it. Finally, the prince gets to Cinderella and the slipper is a perfect fit. They marry and live happily ever after.

Evaluation: This book is a work of art. Craft has created fantastic illustrations that play off the magical story of Cinderella. Each illustration in the book (oil painting) could stand on its own and tell a story. The style of illustration matches the time period of the story, my guess is the late 1600s. The story of Cinderella has many variations from around the world, but this story is much like Disney rendition. The  font used in the book is difficult to read at times, the only weakness of this book. The illustrations are so large and full of life, while the text is small and thin. The book is recommended to people that love this classic fairytale, or people that appreciate visual masterpieces. The illustrations are lifelike, so it helps ground this fantastical story into our reality.

Appeal Terms: fairytale, easy, romantic, magical, character centered, dramatic

"The Lion and the Mouse" by Jerry Pinkney

 

"The Lion and the Mouse" 

by Jerry Pinkney

40 pages /  E-Book / Folktale

Summary: After escaping the grasp of a hungry owl, a mouse finds itself in the clutches of a lion. The lion does a noble thing and lets the mouse run away free. Some poachers set up a net to catch wild game. The lion gets caught in the netting and is trapped. The same mouse comes to rescue it.

Evaluation: This retelling of Aesop's Fable accompanied by Pinkney's illustrations makes for a delightful reading experience for the reader. There are no words ( just onomatopoeia ) in the story, which leaves the reader to fill in the noises and plot-line with his or her imagination. The warm colors used in the illustrations match the warmth inside of the lion and mouse's heart as they help each other in times of despair. Using this book to teach about humanity and compassion could prove as a successful hook for a classroom lesson.

Appeal Terms: fable, lively, heartwarming, inspirational, thought provoking, introspective