Book List

PICTURE BOOKS:

Fiesta Babies

Grandma’s Gift

The Lion and the Mouse

The Polar Express

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type

Before John Jazz Was a Giant

Snowflake Bentley

Owl Moon

A Light in the Attic

Chalk

It’s a Book

Pinkalicious

Interrupting Chicken

CHAPTER BOOKS:

One Crazy Summer

The Hunger Games

Twilight

Holes

Sarah, Plain and Tall

Charlotte’s Web

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Bridge to Terabithia

The Chocolate War

The Giver

To Kill a Mockingbird

What Happened to Goodbye

Skinnybones

Mockingbird

Dying to Meet you: 43 Old Cemetery Road

Shiloh

Shiloh

Shiloh is a Bluebonnet Award winner.

I read this book when I was in middle school and really enjoyed reading it again. I remember feeling the same anger toward Judd Travers back then as I did this time. I love that Marty gets to keep Shiloh in the end. I know that I, along with any other pet owner can relate to Marty and what he feels for Shiloh. I have this book in my classroom library, and my students enjoy reading it as well!

Naylor, P.R. (1991). Shiloh. New York: Atheneum.

Dying to Meet You: 43 Old Cemetery Road

Dying to Meet You: 43 Old Cemetery Road is a Bluebonnet Award winner.

I really enjoyed this book and the simple message it delivers of the importance of friendship and being true to those who are true to you.  I liked that it is written in a non-traditional format and think that this would appeal to reluctant young readers. I remember ghost hunting (in some of the spooky old houses I grew up near) when I was little, and although I never found one, I’d like to think they would have been as friendly as Olive! J

Klise, K. (2009). Dying to meet you: 43 old cemetery road. New York, NY: Sandpiper.

Interrupting Chicken

Interrupting Chicken is on the Notable Books for Children List.

This is an adorable tale! I loved that the little chicken couldn’t help but to save the day for the characters in Papa’s stories. I think kids will like the alternate endings for the stories they know as much as I did. I like the variation in the illustrations throughout the story and think it adds ease to following the storyline.

Stein, D. (2010). Interrupting chicken. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Mockingbird

Mockingbird is on the Notable Books for Children List.

This book was unbelievable and is one I will never forget. As a teacher I have encountered students that have different struggles, but no amount of professional reading or training could prepare me for the depth of emotion that ran through me while reading this book. I know that it cannot be put in to words exactly, but this text took my breath away.  I remember growing up in a school environment where those that were “different” were secluded in their own room and kept away from the other students.  It has taken a long time for mainstreaming to get where it is today… I cannot wait to share this book with others and help more of the world grasp what those living with Asperger’s deal with daily.  

Erskine, K. (2010). Mockingbird. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Pinkalicious

Pinkalicious is a New York Times bestseller.

Personal Reaction:

I love this book. It is so light-hearted and fun to read, I couldn’t help but to giggle at the thought of turning pink from head to toe. When I was little I would get on kicks where I would only eat one thing for weeks at a time and it drove my mom crazy! I remember more than once hearing “You’re going to turn in to a noodle!” (or pizza, chips, fruit… whatever my food of the week was). I love sharing this story with my niece, who begs me to read it every time we are together.

Kann, V. (2006). Pinkalicious. New York,NY: HarperCollins.

Skinnybones

Skinnybones is a  Bluebonnet winner.

Personal Reaction:

What kid can’t relate to feeling out of place or unliked at some point in their life? This is a great read for children to relate to or for adults to understand how their child or student may be feeling.  Life was generally pretty easy for me growing up, but even I went through an awkward stage where I didn’t know where I belonged and felt alone. I’m glad the story ends in a more upbeat tone than the rest of the story, so that the reader is left with a good feeling inside.

Park, B. (1982). Skinnybones. New York, NY: Yearling.

What Happened to Goodbye

What Happened to Goodbye is a New York Times bestseller.

Everyone, especially myself, loves a happy ending! I have never heard of this book before this assignment, but am glad to have discovered it. I thought it was going to be sad and depressing to read, but it really is a great story. Luckliy I grew up with the “storybook family” (a mom and dad that have been married for ever and a brother to love and fight with J)but many of my friends did not. I think this book would be great for many children today to read with the common occurrence of split families—many with issues very similar to the family in the book.

Dessen, S. (2011). What Happened to Goodbye. New York, NY: Viking.

It's a Book

It's a Book is a New York Times bestseller.

Personal Reaction:

How adorable! I loved the book and will definitely share it with my school family and my home family! Kids that are growing up today are so plugged in and sometimes forget that books have just as much importance as the internet, computers, and all of their other technology.  I did not expect such a simple yet important meaning to be revealed.

Smith, L. (2010). It's a book. New York: Roaring Brook.

Chalk

Chalk is on the Notable Books for Children's List.

No words are needed in this fun tale experienced through the illustrations! It grabs your imagination and draws you in to the story as you experience the childrens’ day. It made me feel like a kid again as I remembered all of the wild things I used to dream up and create in mine and my friends “worlds.”  J   I will definitely be adding this book to my classroom collection.

Thomson, B. (2010). Chalk . New York: Marshall Cavendish Children.

To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird is on the 100 Most Challenged Book List.

Personal Reaction:

I remember reading this book when I was in elementary (probably before I should have!) and enjoyed reading it again. I by no means grasped all of the issues and adult content addressed in this text as a child and it was almost like reading a new book this time around! I remember understanding the racism theme when I was young, but just on a surface level. I can see while this book is challenged, but as with The Chocolate War, I believe each reader will only grasp what their minds are ready for, even if the book is above their personal maturity level. Growing up in the south, the racism portrayed hit very close to home with the realistic relation to how things actually used to be.

Lee, H. (1960). To kill a mockingbird. Philadelphia: Lippincott.

The Giver

The Giver is on the 100 Most Challenged Book List.

Personal Reaction:

I can see why this book is challenged, but I really enjoyed it, along with most of Lowry’s works.  Originally, I didn’t  like that it leaves you “hanging” or wondering at the end, but what would our world be without a little mystery and things left up to our own imagination! This book does have some things in it that are questionable for age (maturity) appropriateness, but I believe each reader will only grasp what their minds are ready for.

Lowry, L. (1993). The giver. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

The Chocolate War

The Chocolate War is on the 100 Most Challenged Book List.

Personal Reaction:

It is very easy to see why this book is challenged! I was somewhat disturbed by the cruelty displayed not only by the “mean boys” but also Brother Leon,  who should be the adult role model in this story.  I grew up Catholic and was educated in both public and Catholic schools, so this story did have a great personal effect on me. Of course nothing like that ever happened within my church or school, but it is chilling to read something like this tied so closely to the values I was raised immersed  in.

Cormier, R. (1974). The chocolate war: a novel. New York: Pantheon Books.

A Light in the Attic

A Light in the Attic is on  the 100 Most Challenged Book List.

Personal Reaction:

I love this book and it is one of the my most memorable reads from when I was young. I haven’t picked it up since I was in middle school and it was fun to read again! I think it is ridiculous that a collection of such entertaining and light-hearted poems is “challenged.” The collection is not meant to be taken literally, and is written for enjoyment and laughter.

Silverstein, S. (1981). A light in the attic. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

Owl Moon

Owl Moon is a  Texas Bluebonnet winner.

Personal Reaction:

I love this book and always start out the school year reading it to my students. (Our mascot is the Owl!) The illustrations are lovely and very eye pleasing. They add to the story as you experience the excursions and the little girl’s excitement. This book always brings back memories of time spent with my dad and grandpa at our deer camp. I can remember the feelings of anticipation and enthusiasm I felt waiting to go exploring for undiscovered things with them.

Yolen, J. (1987). Owl moon . New York: Philomel Books.