Historical Fiction (All Picture Books)

Milly and the Macy’s Parade by Shana Corey

1924 was Milly’s 1^st year in America (NYC) around Christmas.  Her father worked at Macy’s who was the most important person in America next to the President and she went there everyday after school.  Milly remembered what it was like to be homesick, she came from Poland but they were getting used to America and her mother found places to by Polish foods. She visited her father and him along with Herman and Albert were all missing home and the holiday the celebrated there.  Milly rushed to Mr. Macy’s office. She talked to him and Mr. Snively how they can make it more festive and less homesick and the next day was a sign for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with singing and strolling. Her father and her wore their costumes and travelled to Harlem where the parade was starting.  She rode the elephant and Mr. Macy and Milly started a new holiday tradition.

Watch the Stars Come out by Riki Levinson

A little girl was told stories by her Grandma every Friday night about her Grandma’s mama who had red hair just like her and she would tell her a special story every night and watch the stars come out. When she was little, her brother and her went on a boat to America to meet her mom dad and sister.  An old lady watched after them but got very sick and died so her brother who was ten said he would look after her.  At night she couldn’t see the stars but every morning her brother put a mark on his stick until he reached 23, where they landed on Ellis Island and saw the Statue of Liberty. They had to get a check up before they met up with their parents. They went on a trolley to their ‘palace’ on the top floor, 52 steps. She washed up in the sink and their sister gave them tea and cookies. She craweled into her sisters bed and saw the stars come out, 1, 2, 3. So on this Friday night, the little girl will go to bed and watch the stars come out and hope her Grandma will come in and tell her a story.

The Memory Coat by Elvira Woodruff

Rachel and her cousin Grisha lived in Russia in a town called shtetl where the Jews lived. The wooden houses and shops ran along a cobblestone street. They lived with their large lively families and Rachel loved to tell stories and Grisha would draw pictures to go along with it. Grisha moved in a year ago when he lost his family in an epidemic and sometimes he would cry in the alley behind the synagogue. He only had his light coat but never wanted anyone to make him a new one. One day Rachel saw a mouse coming from the Tsar’s palace and told Grisha to write what she says into the snow. One day the Cossacks were coming to kill anyone Jewish and they kid in their attic. Their family decided they needed to go to America They sold everything but were scared they were going to be turned away in Ellis Island, so they needed to do everything they could to make no mistakes and stay together so they needed to fix Grisha’s coat, but he didn’t want them to.  His mothers coat was lined inside his. They set off on wagon, train and then a ship to America that took 14 days. They went into a long line of people holding on to their grandmother’s skirt but were scared they weren’t going to pass inspection but the whole time they kept telling stories and writing them down. Rachel was telling a story about a bird but lost balance and Grisha scratched his eye on a basket and when it was time for him to be inspected he was marked with an E on his coat. Rachel turned his coat inside out to hide the E and show the beautiful wool and he passed. His coat was passed down to generations caring the memories of his mother and the families journey.

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston

Ruthie’s family lives in North Carolina in the Appalachian Mountains during WWI on a farm in 1918. One family each year, which was Ruthie’s familys year, was responsible for providing a Christmas tree for the Pine Grove Church for the Christmas play because it is mountain tradition. During spring, Ruthie and her father climb to the top of Grandfather Mountain to find the perfect tree and found a balsam. However, before Christmas came, her father had to go to war which leaves her and her mom to take care of their farm. The community doesn’t know if they will get a tree this year because Ruthie’s father is away. They also put on a play and she was going to be the angel in the play, but her mom has no fabric to make her costume. When her father does not arrive with the other men, her mother takes things into her own hands on Christmas Eve. She collects the tree from the top of the mountain with their horse and sleigh. No one knew what they did so they thought the angels broght it down. She uses her wedding gown to make Ruthie’s costume. Ruthie also has been begging St. Nicholas for a doll so her mother cuts up her stockings her father sent her from war and made a doll with an angel costume like hers and put it on top of the tree. At the end her father comes home.

When Jessie Came Across the Sea by Amy Hest

Jessie is 13 and lives in a poor village in eastern Europe with her grandmother. Her grandmother teachers her how to sew lace to possibly make money one day and in exchange Jessie taught her how to read and write. One day, Rabbi picked Jessie to go to America, specifically New York, and gave her a ticket that was sent to him. He cannot go because he has to stay with the village to help them. During the stormy voyage to America, she starts to sew lace to pass the time. She meets Lou and they become friends. When she arrives, she works for the Rabbi’s sister in law at a dress shop and makes lace. She starts school and learns English and 3 years go by and she finds Lou again and he proposes but she needs more time. She saved up enough money for a ticket for her grandmother to come to America as well. When her grandmother comes, she brings her mothers wedding band.

The Butterfly by Patricia Polacco

Monique lives in France with her mother during WW2 where the Nazi’s are invading houses to find the Jewish people.  One night she sees a ghost at the end of her bed petting her cat Pinouff but when she tries to talk to her, she runs away.  She tells her mother but she said it was only a dream.  Monique and her friend Denise see the Nazi’s taking away and beating a storekeeper in the streets that was very friendly and always gave them treats. They were calling him a Judenschwein. A few nights later the ghost appears again but she realizes it is a Jewish girl named Sevrine who has been hiding in her cellar with her family.  Monique’s mother hides Jewish families in her home to keep them safe. Sevrine and Monique become friends and Sevrine tells her all of the hardships the Jews face.  The next day Monique and Sevrine sees a butterfly outside and her cat starts playing with it and sees how free it was when a Nazi kills the butterfly over the fence.  They must be careful and Monique thinks that they can easily crush the Jews as easily as a butterfly.  One day, Monique and Sevrine are seen by a neighbor after a butterfly flies away and the family has to flee with the help of Monique and her mother.  The family gathers everything they can get and when they part Monique gives Sevrine her cat and Monique gets the star of david.  Monique looses her mother at the train station but manages to find her way home where she finds her mother as well.  A few days later, tons of butterflies swarm the garden and Monique knows Sevrine is safe.

A New Coat for Anna by Harriet Ziefert

Anna needed a new coat because it was no longer fuzzy and too small. However, her mother didn’t have any money because the war was still going on. There were hardly any coats or food or money. Her mother said that if they sold their grandfather’s gold watch and other things they would have enough money to make a coat. The farmer said that by spring the wool will be ready to make her new coat. She visited the sheep everyday and make them necklaces until springtime when he gave them a big bag of wool in exchange for the watch.  They went to an old woman to spin their wool but they had to wait until the summer because she couldn’t do it fast enough. They came back when the cherries were ripe and they exchanged a lamp for yarn. At the end of the summer they picked lingonberries to make her coat red. They boiled them in a pot and put the yarn in it and then hung them up to dry and wound them into balls. They went to a weaver to have her coat weaved into cloth and they came back in two weeks and exchanged a garnet necklace. They went to a tailor and had to come back in a week to have her coat ready and they gave him a porcelain teapot. They invited everyone that helped them make the coat for Christmas to eat Christmas cake. She then visited the sheep with her coat on.

My Freedom Trip by Frances Park

Soo notices her friends are missing from school and is told they took freedom trips to South Korea. Just before a war brakes out (Korean War), Soo’s parents make arrangements to escape and are going to be helped by a friend Her father escaped North Korea first and went to South Korea.  He sent the friend to take Soo to South Korea as well, and she had to leave her mother behind because she was getting her own guide back. Her mother told her to be brave and she would be there later.  It was late at night and they hopped on a train and then walked over a mountain and then through woods.  A solider spotted the two and was going to capture them but then just warned them to go quickly. Soo sees her father across the river and is finally reunited.  However, the war started and she never saw her mother again.

Ben and Me By Walt Disney

Amos, a mouse, lives in a Philadelphia church and left home to make his place in the world.  He spotted an old shop that said Benj. Franklin Printer on the sign.  He helps Ben with his shop and fixes his glasses.  He rode on Ben's hat and did alot with electricity. One day Ben made a kite and Amos rode on it and got electrocuted.  Amos left Ben because he was angry.  Ben went to the king of England because the US was not free but the King didnt listen.  Ben went to see Amos for advice because people wanted to go to war with the King. Amos helped Ben write the Declaration of Independence along with Jefferson. 

Shipwrecked: The True Adventures of a Japanese Boys By Rhonda Blumberg

Manjiro Nakahama was nine when he started working as a fisherman to help his mother and siblings after his father died.  Manjiro left home five years later in a fishing boat with four other men and was caught in a storm that pushed the boat far out to sea and crashed against rocks and landed in a deserted island. Manijiro and the men survived for five months on seaweed, shellfish, and albatross and was rescued by an American whaling ship. Manjiro learned English quickly and began to communicate easily with the Americans even though they seemed strange to him. Manjiro became the first Japanese person to visit the United States. He kept a record of his observations by writing and sketching in a journal as he traveled throughout the United States and the rest of the world on whaling ships. In spite of his adventures and success as a whaler, he never lost sight of the fact that he wanted to return to Japan. But it seemed impossible because Japan's strict laws against foreign travel.

Seeker of Knowledge: The Man who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs By James Rumford

When Jean- Francois Champollion was a kid, he knew that no one knew how to read the ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs.  He was determined to one day find out a way to read them and share it with the world.  By the time he was 16, he learned all of the ancient Egyptian languages and was excited to work with scholars who were already trying to figure out the ancient letters of Egypt using the Rosetta Stone.  The scholars turned him down and said he couldnt help them but he still tried to do it on his own.  By the time he was 30, he finally got something.  He was studying the name of a Pharaoh copied on a temple wall he realized that the characters were related to the meaning and the sounds. It shows children to follow their dreams along with a little history lesson about Egyptian Hieroglyphs.  



Train to Somewhere By Eve Bunting

Story about the Orphan Train that took children from New York City to the Midwest stopping at cities hoping someone will adopt the children.  In the story, Marianne heads Midwest with 14 other children. Her mother left her to go west to make a new life but never said if she would come back for her or not. Throughout the story, Marianne hopes her mom will be at one of the stops. In the end, an elderly couple Mr and Mrs Books adopts her and they say "sometimes what you gets turns out to be better than what you wanted in the first place."

Baseball Saved Us By Ken Mochizuki

Shorty and his family are sent to an internment camp after the attack on Pearl Harbor during WWII. Shorty and his father decide to build a baseball diamond and form a league in order to boost the spirits of the internees. Shorty quickly learns that he is playing not only to win, but to gain dignity and self-respect.Back at home after the war, he finds teammates but hears racial taunts when he plays. The anger he feels makes him play better.

Dandelions By Eve Bunting

Zoe and her family, who are pioneers, move west to the Nebraska territory on the Oregon Trail.  Her mother is pregnant and is depressed so Zoe picks a bunch of Dandelions for her to try to make her feel happier.  Her and her father plant them on top of their sod roof but the clump just looks dry and not full of life.  But the family feels hopeful for their future prarie life. At the end it shows their house with their roof filled with dandelions. Teachs children about expansion out west and pioneers.

Bonjour, Mr. Satie By Tomie DePaola

Mr. Satie is a cat and lives in Paris in the 1920's.  He visits his his niece and nephew and tells all about his excursions in Paris.  He has many friends (all famous and are included in the back of the book to tell the children who these people are.) There was one incidient where he had to judge whether Pablo Picasso or Henri Matisse was the best artist. He chooses them both as great artists. Fun for children to know artists from the past, and the key in the back is cool for them to understand who the people really were.

Ox- Cart Man by Donald Hall

This story focuses on a man selling his goods throughtout the year and throughout the different seasons only to do the same thing again next year.  The man lives on a farm with his wife and kids in New England and has made everything they are going to sell. They pack all of their surplus on the cart with the ox carrying it all. It shows children what they needed to do to survive throughout the year. Good book to teach children about seasons and how life was different back in history.

Encounter by Jane Yolen

This is a story told by a boy who was part of the Taino people . Columbus comes to San Salvador and discovers the Taino Indians. This little boy warned his people about strangers and not to welcome them too nicely because of a dream he had. Columbus' people kidnap him and other young children but the boy escapes and warns people about the Spanish. The boy is now and older man and remembers the destruction that happened to his people.

Yankee Doodle: A Revolutionary Tail by Gary Chalk
This book retells the American Revolution but the characters are all animals! They are all dressed in the clothes people wore back then. It starts off with the song 'Yankee Doodle' and goes into detail of the information that happened in the American Revolution and also funny sidenotes. A fun way to introduce the American Revolution to youngsters.

 

*all pictures from amazon.com

Non-Fiction/Informational/Diversity/Biography

In Our Mother’s House by Patricia Polacco (Picture Book)

Marmee and Meema adopted a black girl, and then 3 years later a Chinese boy named will who was 3 days old and then 3 years after Millie, a red headed girl who was 2 months old. Meema was Italian and loved to cook and sew. She was a pediatrician and short and stoudt. Marmee was tall and thin and very organized. She was a paramedic. Their mothers loved to laugh and their house was filled with music. They lived on Woolsey Street in Berkley, Cali. The brick fireplace was the heart of their home and was Millie’s favorite place to be and she was a great artist.  The sunroom was filled with old Halloween costumes that they made themselves and one year they all went as wild animals. Mrs. Lockner who glared and shut the door on them. But they won the Claremont Ave costume contest. One time they were all sick with the flu and brought home two puppies named Miso and Wasabi. They built a treehouse named Thistle House where all the kids got to sleep besides the Lockners and the children didn’t know why. The kitchen was the center of everything where they measured each other and their nonno cooked gnocchi which they all helped make. The table was where everyone talked about everything and listened to opera. Marmee organized the Woolsey Street block party and when they went to invite Mrs. Locknar she glared at them. Everyone set up a game in their front yard and they set up mini golf and everyone cooked unique foods. At the end of the day, Mrs Locknar came down the street and said she didn’t appreciate who they were. The mothers said she was full with fear and she doesn’t understand and there is no love in her heart.. One time they got picked to host the mother daughter tea and they stayed up all night making dresses. First the black woman left to go to medical school and then Will left to study engineering and then Millie went to become a fashion designer and they were married next to their tree house. Everyone gathered there for birthday parties and had babies and they died within a year from each other and were buried together in a green hillside by the bay where they got married. Will moved in there and they still gather there, in their mother’s house.

Henry’s Freedom Box : A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine (Picture Book)

Henry was a slave and didn’t know how old he was because slaves weren’t allowed to know their birthdays.  Henry lived with his mother and siblings in his masters house and his mother knew things could change.His master gave him away to his son and he was torn away from his family like the leaves are torn from the trees. Henry met Nancy and got married and had children and his wife and children were sold to other masters. He asked his friend James and a white man Dr Smith to help him mail himself somewhere where there weren’t slaves. Dr Smith mailed him to William H Johnson in Philadelphia.  Henry burned his finger with vitrol oil so he could stay home and not work and get shipped on a train. He was handled harshly and went on a steamboat until he arrive don March 30^th 1849 which was his first day of freedom. His name was Henry Box Brown.  

The Starving Time, Elizabeth’s Jamestown Colony Diary (Book #2) by Patricia Hermes (Chapter Book)

This is the second diary of Elizabeth who is 9. It is 1609 in Jamestown and she doesn’t know if she is going to survive this winter in a fort dealing with sickness and no food. It starts in October 9, She sent her first diary to her brother Caleb who is still in England on a ship whos captian was smith but will arrive in spring. 25^th, Amanda Quick’s mother died and her father is hallucinating while she watches her 3 sibilings while she is only 8. 6^th food is more scarce and a ship will not return until spring. There are foods in the woods but they cannot get them because the Indians will attack. 16^th all of their food is gone and the Bridgers stole it because they smelled the fish but papa did not want them thrown out. 4^th first snowfall and disease and built a sick house. 17^th mama her and Abigail are sick and there is no food or medicine. How will they survive? Her mom eats worms and dies and so does her friend mary. Her brother finally arrives on the ship with food.  

Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Polacco (Picture Book)

Trisha started school in Michigan where her Gramma and Dad lived instead of going back to Cali.  She met Kay, but everyone looked at her weird when she said she was in Mrs. Peterson’s class in room 206.  The teacher started reading from a dictionary and told them to define junkyard, which described them.  Thom told Trisha everyone in the classroom was odd. Jody Beach had a growing disease, Gibbie McDonald had tourettes, Stuart Bean had diabetes and Thom had trouble seeing and was called Sissy Boy because he liked ballet.  She was in the vanilla tribe with them along with Ravanne Salze who doesn’t talk but was good at math.  Trisha was the journal keeper because she liked to draw.  Everyone made fun of their class badges and Mrs. Peterson took them to a real junkyard.  The tribes collected things to make into new and the vanilla tribe was going to made a plane and everyone raised money to buy a motor for it.  Jody died from his disease and the class collected flowers and named the plane Junkyard Wonder. Barton Poole made fun of the class and told the principal their plan to fly the plane on the roof for the science fair .  Mr. Weeks said they could launch it from the roof with the motor as long as Gibbie’s dad was there. The plane flew all the way to the moon.  The end said the author admires Mrs. Peterson and everything she did for them.  Thom is a director at ABT, Ravanne is a fashion person in Paris, Gibbie works at NASA and put a picture of the class in Apollo 11 to show how the class really did go to the moon.

Eleanor by Barbara Cooney (Picture Book)

Eleanor Roosevelt’s mother was disappointed in her as a baby and she always makes fun of her and her father neglects her which causes her to be quiet and serious and doesn’t have many friends. Her father took her to serve Thanksgiving dinner to homeless boys which touches her heart. After her mother died at 9, her father left and was put in Grandma Hall’s orphanage. At 14, all of the girls grow into beautiful young ladies and Eleanor is still the ‘ugly duckling’.  Grandma writes to a boarding school in Europe saying she is good but unattracitive but they accepted Eleanor anyways. She meets Mlle Souvestre and she teachs her to be comfortable in her own skin and open to her eyes to the world and find passion in life. The first time she was fitted in her beautiful dress she felt ‘unlovely’ but that is was ultimately transformed her into a new woman because she actually saw herself as beautiful. When she came back to America she met her husband, Franklin D. Roosevelt and became the First Lady and fights for civil rights movements.

One Green Apple by Eve Bunting (Picture Book)

Farah rides on a hay wagon with her class on the way to pick apples on her second day of school. She is different than everyone else because she cannot speak English and wears a dupatta. Her dad has said that she might not be treated nicely because of the country she is from and some kids look at her weird and it hurts her. The teacher asks the class to pick one apple to make apple cider. Everyone else picked a red apple, but Farah picked a green one. Everyone thought it was going to ruin it but they all helped squeeze the juice out, including Farah, and they realized it tasted great and blended in with the other apples. Farah thinks that like her apple, she will blend in with the other kids not only in her class but throughout her new country.  At the end, she says the word apple.

Doll Baby by Eve Bunting (Picture Book)

Ellie is a little girl who loves to take care of her doll, Daisy.  Now she is 15 and has a real baby, Angelica. She remembers her trip to the clinic for the first time and confronting the baby’s father who said are you sure its mine. She tells her mother and step father and how her classmates stared at her body changes and remembers when she had her. Her mom babysits while shes at school and takes a night job while her father has more responsibilities on his shoulder. She cries at night and hugs her Daisy wondering if she made the right choice but she realized a baby is not like a doll. Its hard work.

Ruby Bridges Goes to School By Ruby Bridges
Black and white people were not allowed to be friends and everywhere you went in the 60's were seperate things for black and whites.  Schools, restaurants and neighborhoods were all seperate.  In 1960, Ruby went to an all black school but there was an all white school named William Frantz Elementary that was closer to her house. The government said that Ruby could go to that school finally. So in 1961 when Ruby was in 1st grade, she went to William Frantz along with her mother and police.  The white students and parents protested outside and parents took their kids out of the school.  Ruby was left alone with her teacher, Mrs. Henry who taught her math and how to read.  Months past until kids finally started showing up again and Ruby had friends.  Everyone wrote about her and how brave she was, including John Steinbeck. 1st Lady Eleanor Roosevelt sent her a letter and Norman Rockwell painted a famous picture of her. Because of Ruby, black and white kids can now go to the same school. She speaks at schools now about her story and how black and white children can be friends and they should all be kind to one another.

So You Want To Be President? By Judith St. George
There are good and bad things about being President.  Good things is that you live in a big house with a swimming pool, bowling alley, and movie theater.  A bad thing is that you always have to be dressed up, be polite and has a lot of homework.  It would help if your name was James because 6 presidents were named that.  8 Presidents were born in log cabins. Teddy Roosevelt was the youngest and Reagan was the oldest president.  Presidents come in different personalities  and looks.  Every president had siblings and some were rich and some were poor.  All kinds of pets lived in the white house and most had a sport they liked.  It doesnt matter what the president  did or looked, their first priority has always been the people and country their served.  At the end of the book there is a timeline of the presidents and facts about each.

Heather Has Two Mommies By Leslea Newmann
Heather has two mommies. Her mom's decide to put her in a play group with other children for the day. When she arrives, she starts to notice how other children's families have daddys and she doesnt. She starts to cry until her teacher pulls her aside and tells her that all families are different. The teacher tells everyone to draw a picture of their families. Each child shows their picture and Heather notices that some families have two daddies, some have no mommy or daddy or one mommy or one daddy. Some have siblinings, some do not. It doesnt matter who is in your family, the most important thing is that you love each other.

I Love My Hair By Natasha Tarpley
Keyana, an african american girl,  and her mother have a nightly ritual of combing Keyana's hair. She cries because her mom hurts her when she tries to comb it. Her mother tells her she is so lucky to have such beautiful hair. She then tells her all the good things she can do with her hair.

This Boat By Paul Collicutt
This books talks about all kinds of boats from steamboats to boats in bottles to cargoships and boats that can break ice. Great book to plan a unit around.

* All books from amazon.com

Realistic Fiction

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos (Chapter Book)

Joey has a hard time staying on task in school and always gets in trouble with his teacher and the principal.  Joey’s mother returned to him after living with his grandmother for so long. His dad left when he was little which led his mom to go after him. When his mom comes back, she reinforces rules and makes Joey take his medicine. Joey is ‘wired’ like his grandmother and his dad. Him and his grandmother have an amazing relationship and his grandmother has a hard time finishing things as well. There was a meeting over the summer to talk about Joey and his behavior. His mother says she will take him to the doctor to get his medication.  Mrs. Maxy says as long as he has his meds, she will give him a second chance. Joey’s meds wear off after being calm for a while and cant control himself.  She gives him a list of rules but cant follow them. He sharpens his pencil, the chalk and then his finger. Sometimes his medicine works and sometimes it doesn’t. One day, Joey tries to swallow a key with a string around it and pulls it back up his throat. Mrs. Maxy cuts the string and the key is stuck. He went to the nurse where he tried to throw it up but he couldn’t. The school decided he needed to be in a special education room with Mrs. Howard where he sits in the Big Quiet Chair just to see how long his patience is.  He kicks the chair and she tells him he will have to wear bunny slippers everytime he does. Joey needs to swallow mineral oil which makes the key come out of him. In his new classroom, he blows out his peer’s birthday candle thinking he was helping him.  After school, he forgets his key into his house so he has to wait for his mother to come home and when she does Joey asks her if alcohol drinking was the reason why he is the way he is. Joey says he feels so good when his medicine works and he acts like everyone else.  Joey and his class go on a field trip to an Amish farm.  He cannot eat the pie because of the sugar and that will make him hyper. He cannot carve pumpkins because there is a knife and they are afraid he is going to go wild with it. He gets upset because the adults think he cant handle anything. He then steals a pie and runs into a field where he eats it. He gets so hyper he runs into a barn and climbs to the top and then jumps down into the hay where he hurts his ankle. He has ADD.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen (Picture Book)

A little girl and her Pa walk towards the woods while hearing the sounds of trains and dogs through her woolen hat. She had to run after her Pa to keep up with his long shadow but she had to stay quiet because you had to be quiet while owling for her first time.  They stopped when they reached the pine trees and looked up to the moon and Pa made the sound of the Great Horned Owl.  They heard nothing and her brothers said that sometimes there aren’t owls.  They kept walking and was very cold but while owling you have to make your own heat.  They went into the dark woods but didn’t ask what was behind the trees because you have to be brave while owling.  Pa called again and finally an echo came back and the owl flew onto a branch by them and Pa shown a flashlight on it and they all stared at each other and then it flew away.  The two went home but when you go owling you don’t need words or warm or anything but hope under a shining owl moon.

I Can Be Anything by Jerry Spinelli (Picture Book)

 A little boy talks about what he can be when he grows up and a rabbit follows him. He wants to be a Pumpkin Grower, Dandelion Blower, Paper-plane Folder , Puppy Dog holder, Puddle Stomper, Apple Chomper, Mixing Bowl Licker, Tin-Can Kicker, Barefooted Hopper, Bubble Gum Popper, Snowball Smoother, Baby-sis Soother, Gift Unwrapper, Jump and Clapper, Cheek-to-Cheek grinner, Dizzy-dance Spinner, Cross-Legged Sitter, Make Believe Critter, Deep-hole Digger, Lemonade Swigger, Honeysuckle Smeller, Silly Joke Teller, Best-part Saver, Good-bye Waver.

In The end he picks everyone.

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary (Chapter Book)

            1.Ramona’s Great Day- Ramona Quimbly and her sister Beezus were fighting saying Ramona wasn’t a pest when they were waiting for Mary Jane to walk to school. It was Ramona’s first day of Kindergarten with Beezus, Henry Huggins and the rest of the neighborhood.  Mary Jane wanted to take Ramona to school but her mother took her instead and walked with the Kemps. Howie was in her grade and Willa Jean was the baby.  Once inside Glenwood School, she met Miss Binney and told her to sit in that seat for the present.  She saw Davy and wanted to kiss him and Susan who was a big girl with reddish brown boing boing curls.  She didn’t stand for the danzer lee light song and then Miss Binney read Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel which was her favorite book,  She asked how he went to the bathroom and all the children wanted to know. They went outside to play duck duck goose but she didn’t move and Miss Binney told her Ramona’s mixup about the present.  She pulled Susan’s curls and had to sit out and during rest time Susan was the wake up fairy. 

            2-Show and Tell- Ramona brought her green haired doll named Cheverolet and lent her rabbit to Howie. She went up to the front of the class and everyone laughed at her doll but Miss Binney stood up for her. Howie was given a red ribbon for the rabbit that was Ramonas.  Howie and Ramona fought about the ribbon and they agreed if Howie could take the wheel off her tricycle to make a 2 wheeler  she could have the ribbon. The bike worked with two wheels and they went inside and ate tuna fish sandwiches. 

            3. Seat Work- She saw Davy wearing a black cape and he told her he was Mighty Mouse. She then chased him around the playground everyday trying to kiss him. Kindergarten was divided into the running part and seat work where they had to work quietly in their seats.  They drew their houses, and then they had to learn how to print her name.  Ramona added a Q to her name and turned it into a cat. Davy was having trouble with his D’s and Ramona told him to make it into a robin’s redbrest.  But she didn’t want to disappoint her teacher so she erased her cat Q.

            4. Substitute- Howie and Ramona walked to school for the first time and they had a substitute so Ramona hid outside but Beezus found her and took her to the principal.  Miss Mullen wasn’t mad but she just took her to the substitute Mrs Wilcox where they did seatwork and Ramona drew cat Q’s. 

            5. Ramona’s Engagement Ring- Ramona was forced to wear Howies old rainboots to school. She picked up a worm on the playground and told everyone it was an engagement ring and did this everyday it was raining.  She got new red rainboots and got stuck in the mud. Miss Binney tried to get her out and asked Henry too and he pulled her out and came back to get her boots. She declared she was going to marry him. 

            6. The Baddest Witch in the World- She was going to be in the Halloween parade this year and wanted to be the baddest witch with a mask.  Howie was a cat and Davy was a pirate and kissed him.  She was upset because no one know who she was in the mask so she made a name tag and wrote Ramona Q so everyone would know who she was. 

            7. The Day Things Went Wrong- Ramona had a loose tooth and had to walk to school alone but she arrived late and then her tooth fell out and Miss Binney told her she was brave.  She got yelled at for pulling Susan’s hair because she called her a pest so Binney told her she had to go home but she forgot her tooth at school.  Mrs Quigley walked Ramona to class the next day to talk to Miss Binney but Ramona did not want to go back so she went shopping all day with her mom, which she hated.  Howie brought Ramona a letter from school with her tooth in it and Miss Binney asked when she was coming back.  Ramona was happy and decided she was going back tomorrow, but it was Saturday.  She invited Howie in for PB&J sandwiches. 

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume (Chapter Book)

            1.The Big Winner- Peter Hatcher won his turtle Dribble at Jimmy’s Fargo’s birthday because he guess how many jelly beans were in a jar.  He lives at 25 W 68^th Street in NYC on the 12^th floor. It has the best elevator with an operator named Henry Bevelheimer. His mother thinks Dribble smells.  His father writes TV commercials and wrote one about Juicy-O and the president sent them a whole crate of it.  His biggest problem is his half brother Farley Hatcher, or Fudge and he is 2 ½. The only time he likes him is when he is sleeping.

            2.Mr. and Mrs. Juicy-O- One night his father told the family that Mr. and Mrs. Yarby (Juicy-O) were coming to NYC from Chicago to stay with them in Fudge’s room so Fudge had to sleep with Peter.  Fudge slurps and talks in his sleep.  His mother cooked all day while he went to Jimmy Fargo’s. Fudge ate their mothers flowers and called their doctor, Dr. Cone. Mrs. Yarby picked up Fudge like a grandmother does and gave them both a present. Fudge got a train and Peter got a picture dictionary.  Fudge brought out Peter’s old dictionary so Fudge kept the new one.  Fudge got out of his crib and brought Dribble to the table where the Yarby’s freaked and told them they should teach the kids some manners.  Peter woke up and Dribble was on his arm so he smacked Fudge. The Yarby’s left in the morning for a hotel but before they left Fudge put stickers all over their suitcases. His father lost the account. 

            3.The Family Dog- Now his father could work on his other client, the Toddle Bike. Peter wanted to be on the commercial cuz he could stand on his head because his Gramma taught him. After Peter showed him, Fudge stopped eating.  So the only way Fudge would eat is if Peter stood on his head. But Peter didn’t want to do that so for a week, the only way Fudge would eat is if he pretended to be a dog on the floor, a family dog.  Then his Gramma came and she took him to three doctors but found nothing wrong with him.  His mother made Fudge lamb chops but said that he wanted corn flakes but then wouldn’t eat them. His father took him into the bathroom and poured cereal all over him.  The next day Fudge ate everything on his plate.

            4.My Brother the Bird- After school, Peter plays in Central Park. But his mother doesn’t want him going there alone because you could get mugged. They live on the west side of the park and to get anywhere you have to walk all the way across the park.  One day he went to the park with Jimmy, the only kid on his block who is in his class, besides Sheila. But he doesn’t like Sheila because she always tries to touch him.  Sometimes Jimmy and Peter play secret agents by a group of rocks.  That day Sheila was there and then Fudge ran there too but he was chasing a bird.  Sheila told Mrs. Hatcher she would watch Fudge for 10 minutes. Fudge managed to get on top of the jungle gym saying he was a birdie and jumped and fell.  He was bloody all over his face and his two teeth were missing.  His mother ran back and told Peter that it was his fault. In the morning, she apologized and said that he just thought he was a bird.

            5.The Birthday Bash- Peter wants to call Fudge Fang because he wont get his teeth in until he is 6. Jennie (bites), Ralph(fat) and Sam(cry) were invited to Fudge’s 3^rd Superman birthday party.  The kids were a disaster and everyone was complaining. Then Peter’s mother read them a book. Fudge got a new bed ad Peter showed Sam and Jennie Dribble and Jennie peed on the floor.  Everyone left and his mother took two aspirins and Peter told her that 3 was too young to have a party.

            6.Fang Hits Town- Fudge falls out of the bed and they went to the dentist, Dr. Brown who is their father’s friend.  Peter cleans Dribble and his bowl and then was asked to help Dr. Brown with Fudge because he wouldn’t open his mouth. Then they went to Bloomingdale’s to get shoes and Mr. Berman helped them.  Peter was getting brown loafers and he has a hole in his sock.  Fudge didn’t want saddle shoes, he wanted shoes like Peter so they tricked Fudge into getting the saddle shoes because he thought Peter was getting them.  Then they went to Hamburger Heaven for Lunch. Fudge was throwing his food everywhere and popped his balloon.

            7.The Flying Train Committee- Peter had a project to do in Mrs. Haver’s class on The City. There were different committees and Peter got Transportation with Sheila and Jimmy and they were to make a poster on monorails.  Fudge drew all over their poster. Peter got mad and his mother spanked Fudge. Sheila wrote the whole booklet without the boys, but the poster was done. Fudge drew all over his face with markers and was cutting his hair.  This is when his father came home with a chain latch for Peter’s door.

            8.The TV Star- Peter’s mom left to see Aunt Linda’s new baby for the weekend in Boston.  The boys went to work with their dad and met his pretty secretary Janet.  Janet showed them around the agency where they saw a bunch of kids trying out for the Toddle-Bike commercial. Mr. Vincent, the president of toddle bike picked Fudge to be the boy in the commercial. Peter’s father said Fudge cant be the boy but Mr. Vincent insisted.  When it was time to shoot the commercial, Fudge wouldn’t ride the bike. Janet gave him an Oreo to ride the bike but he still wouldn’t do it.  Then Peter had to show Fudge how he was riding the bike and finally Fudge rode the bike.

            9.Just Another Rainy Day- All three of them went to see a Bear’s Life at the movies.  Fudge started throwing popcorn and then he disappeared. They stopped the movie and had everyone looking for Fudge but he was in the front because he wanted to touch the bears. After, his father made omelets for dinner. The omletes were bad but Fudge liked them and he made them peanut butter sandwiches.  Then 6 weeks after his mother came home she saw the commercial and she was so surprised.

            10.Dribble!- May 10^th started out as an ordinary day but when he came home from school his room was unlocked and Dribble was gone. He asked fudge where Dribble was and he said he ate him.  His mother sent an ambulance and they went to the hospital.  Dr. Cone showed Peter an x-ray of his turtle inside of Fudge and they had to wait until it came out of Fudge.  When it came out, Peter was told he needed a new turtle but instead of getting a turtle, his father came home with a dog and Peter named it Turtle.

When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant (Picture Book)

Grandfather came home with black dust all over him. Grandmother spread the table with hot corn bread, pinto beans and fried okra. Then she would walk in the dark to the Johnny house with the little girl. When she was young in the mountains she walked through the woods to the swimming hole which was dark and sometimes had snakes. Mr Crawford was where they stopped to get a mound of white butter and smelled of milk. She and her brother would get milk from the wells  to heat the water for their baths. The old black stove was where they went for hot cocoa. They went to church in the schoolhouse and people like cousin Peter were baptized in the swimming hole. Heard frogs at night and cowbells in the morning. They would swing on the porch swing at night while Grandfather would sharpen the pencils with a pocketknife. She never wanted to go anywhere else in the world.

Clementine by Sara Pennypacker (Chapter Book)

Clementine is in 3^rd grade and gets into a lot of mischief. She cut Margaret’s hair and colored it in with black marker. To make Margaret feel better she cuts her own hair too. She is sent to the principal and picks up the principals phone and talks to people. Her and her dad completed the Great Pigeon War to try to get the Pigeon out of their house. This shows kids a lot of unwritten rules there are that everyone is just supposed to know. She calls her brothers Cabbage, Spinach, Brocolli and Raddish. It reminds me of Ramona and Junie B.

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park (Chapter Book)

Its Junies first day of kindergarten and she is so scared to ride the bus because her friends Lucielle and Grace said it smells like egg salad and black smoke and its breaks squeek and have no compartment for Klenex. She does not like her bus driver Mr. Woo. She decides not to ride the bus home and hides in a closet until everyone leaves. She wanders through the halls looking at different supplies and nurse equiptment. She cant get into any bathroom and she needs to go so she calls 911 where her mother meets her and her teacher. Her mother arranges to sit with Grace who is in her class so she cannot miss the bus again.

The Lemonade Club by Patricia Polacco (Picture Book)

Traci and Marilyn are best friends and have Mrs. Wichelman as their fifth grade teacher who makes everyone feel special. At the end of each class she would grab her basket full of lemons and say ‘if life hands you a lemon just add sugar and water and you get lemonade.” One day after school they were picked on by older girls because Marilyn is chubby. But Traci begins to notice Marilyn loosing weight and is diagnosed with leukemia. She has to get chemotherapy which causes her to loose her hair and miss school. The two girls and Miss. Wichelman get together after school and talk about their feelings about cancer, and Miss. Wichelman tells them she has breast cancer. She also says she wants to become a doctor but the cancer has hindered her. The girls tell her that she cant let cancer ruin her dreams. After Marilyn gets chemo, she returns to school finding her class all wearing scarves and hats on their heads like her and then she realized they all shaved their heads. Months later when Marilyns hair is growing back, Miss. Wichelman is still wearing a scarf which confuses the students, but the two girls know why. Five years later, Miss Wichelman gets married and the girls are bridesmaids wearing lemon colored dresses. Miss Wichelman finally becomes a doctor. 

Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself by Judy Blume (Chapter Book)

Sally J. Freedman moves from NJ to Miami with her brother, mother and grandmother after WW2. Her brother Douglas caught nephritis from his wet clothes in the cold weather. While on the train to Miami , Sally meets a black woman and her son and baby daughter. The next day, Sally goes back to their car to  visit the black family on the train but they have moved because of the racial segregation laws in the South. Before Sally can go to her new school, she gets  physical where the school nurse discovers nits in Sally's hair. 

Sally meets Mr. Zavodsky, who lives in her building in Miami and looks like Hitler and she believes that he is actually Hitler, in disguise and retiring in Miami. Sally finds out that her father was exactly the same age as his two brothers when they died, they were 42. Sally is worried that her father may die because 'all bad things happen in threes'. Sally writes a lot of letters to Mr. Zavodsky, but she never mails them. She spies on him, secretly listens to their phone conversations. She gets worried that Mr. Zavodsky killed her friend Shelby, and the candy was actually poison. Mr. Zavodsky dies of a heart attack. Sally learns how babies are made, drinks whiskey, and kisses Peter. However, her family moves back to New Jersey in the end.

Miss Nelson is Missing by James Marshall
The kids were misbehaving in room 207. No one would listen to Miss Nelson so the next morning Miss Nelson didnt show up.  However, Miss Swamp was and she was an evil witch teacher.  She put them to work ad gave them homework. They listened because she was scary and mean.  Days went by and they decided to look for Miss Nelson. They went to a detective, and then to Miss Nelson's house until they saw Miss Swamp around the corner and ran away.  The kids made up silly ideas as to where she was. They thought she was never coming back until one morning, she finally showed up! Everyone had missed her and they finally behaved because they did not want Miss Swamp back.  In the end, Miss Swamp really was Miss Nelson to teach the kids a lesson.

The Paperboy by Dav Pilkey
On the cold summer mornings, the paperboy gets out of bed with his dog, even though it is warm and his family and the rest of his neighborhood is asleep.  They go downstairs and eat out of their bowls and fold the newspapers and stuff it in his large red bag.  He sets off on his paper route that he knows by heart and his dog knows also.  He thinks about everything, big, small or nothing at all. Little by little the neighborhood wakes up and the sky brightens and gets warmer outside.  That is when he crawls back in his bed and falls asleep.

Nana Upstairs, Nana Downstairs By Tomie DePaola
Tommy is four and visits his great grandmother who lives upstairs and his grandmother who lives downstairs. One day, Nana Upstairs dies and his mother tells him that Nana Upstairs wont be there anymore. He struggles with loss and says goodbye to someone he loves. Great book to read to a child who is grieving a loved one.

Frindle By Andrew Clements

This is a story about a creative boy named Nick who likes to makes class time exciting. When Nick reaches fifth grade, he encounters Mrs. Granger, the English teacher, who challenges him to think about who makes the words that are in the dictionary. Nick decides he is going to make up his own word and renames the pen “frindle”. Nick does not intend for the chaos that his idea brings about. He first convinces the fifth grade to use the word “frindle” instead of pen. Before he knows what has happened, he is appearing on TV and “frindle” has become a household word all over the country. The book ends with Nick as a college student, rich from all the money he has made from marketing the word “frindle”, receiving a package from Mrs. Granger containing a dictionary with the word “frindle” in it and a long letter about how proud she is of his accomplishment.

The Patchwork Quilt By Valerie Flournoy
This book is about the relationship between Tanya and her grandmother. Tanya's grandmother begins making a special quilt from pieces of worn out clothes that have belonged to various family members. Tanya's mother and grandmother spend many evenings working on the quilt. Tanya's grandmother becomes ill, too ill for even Tanya to see her. Tanya worked on the quilt with her mother while her grandmother lay in bed ill. After a couple of months Tanya's grandmother got better and was able to help complete the quilt that she then gave to Tanya as a gift.

Fantasy

Hello, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald (Chapter Book)

Mrs. Piggle Wiggle is a small lady who lives in an upside down house who knows everything about children. Her husband was a pirate and left a chest full of magical cures to her when he died. She provides parents a cure for their children’s bad habits. Philip Carmody has a problem showing off to Bobby Westover and Billy Markle. His mother Connie goes to Mrs. Piggle Wiggle for help. She gives him show-off powder which makes him invisible when he is showing off.  Melody Foxglove is a crybaby and always cries. Cornell Foxglove, Harvard Foxglove, Emmy Foxglove, Trent Popsickle, Tansy Popsickle, Betsy Wilt. MPW gives her a Crybaby Tonic to make her unable to stop her tears when she cries.  Nicholas Semicolon is a bully and picks  on younger kids and animals. Roscoe Eager, Billy MacIntosh, Sylvia Crouch, Jimmy Gopher, Priscilla Wick, the Adams twins. MPW gives him Leadership pills to bring out leadership qualities he has. She gives him a bullybath which weakens the bather so they can be pushed around, are rejected in favor of the pills.) Evelyn Rover, Mary Crackle, Cornelia Whitehouse whisper gossips all day long. She gives them a whisper stick which is magical candy and takes away their voice. Harbin Quadrangle daydreams and is given a special spray that makes him alert and focused. 

Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg (Picture Book)

Setting: Turn of the 19^th Century at Niagra Falls. Annie Edson Taylor was a retired charm school teacher from Michigan. Some history. Non fiction

Annie was from Bay City Michigan and was 62.  Her school closed and needed a plan to strike rich.  She saw in the paper that there were going to be a large amount of tourists visiting Niagra  Falls in the summer so she planned to go over the falls in a wooden barrel that she would create. The barrel was 4 ½ feet high with iron bands and weighed 160 lbs. She hired Frank Russell to hype up the media and get people to attend.  Fred Truesdale was hired to put her into the water. She survived but was dizzy and bruised.  She stayed in bed to recover and newspapers form around the world went to see her. She was taken to a Buffalo fair so people could pay to see the “Queen of the Falls” but people lost interest when they found out it was an old lady. Frank got tired of it and stole her barrel but she got it back and hired Billy Banks. She went to more fairs but was not well received and Billy and his wife Maggie stole the barrel and Annie never got it back. On the 10^th anniversary of her trip over the falls a reporter came to talk to her.  She said it was the greatest fear ever performed. 

The Magic Hat by Mem Fox (Picture Book)

One day a magic hat appeared in the town and sat on a toad’s head.  The magic hat moved like this and moved like that and sat on a baboon, bear, kangaroo, giraffe. The a wizard appeared and told it to stop. Everyone stopped and looked at the wizard with sparkling eyes and he took a wand out from his beard and looked at the animals which caused everyone to look at them. And then the wizard skipped out of town with a mischievous smile with the hat on his head that made magic wherever it sat. 

Owen by Kevin Henkes (Picture Book)

Owen loves his fuzzy yellow blanket and goes wherever he goes. Fuzzy likes what he likes (food and juice) Mrs Tweezers told Owen’s parents about the blanket fairy and that night Owen’s parents told him to put it under his pillow and the blanket fairy was going to give him a big boy gift but Owen just put Fuzzy in his pants.  Mrs Tweezers then told them about the vinegar trick, but Owen just picked a new corner of his blanket. Fuzzy wasn’t Fuzzy anymore but Owen didn’t care. Mrs Tweezers told them about saying no when Owen wanted to bring it to school. His mother had an idea and made Fuzzy into a handkerchief so he could carry it to school and Mrs. Tweezers finally didn’t say a thing.  

The World of Winnie the Pooh: The Complete Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne (Chapter Book)

This book is all about the tales of Winnie The Pooh and his friends. Great to read a chapter a day to the children because they are all different scenarios. 

Chapters:

1.In Which We Are Introduced to Winnie-the-Pooh and Some Bees and the Stories Begin

2.In Which Pooh Goes Visiting and Gets Into a Tight Place

3.In Which Pooh and Piglet Go Hunting and Nearly Catch a Woozle

4.In Which Eeyore Loses a Tail and Pooh Finds One

5.In Which Piglet Meets a Heffalump

6.In Which Eeyore has a Birthday and Gets Two Presents

7.In Which Kanga and Baby Roo Come to the Forest and Piglet has a Bath

8.In Which Christopher Robin Leads an Expotition to the North Pole

9.In Which Piglet is Entirely Surrounded by Water

10.In Which Christopher Robin Gives Pooh a Party and We Say Goodbye

Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (Picture Book)

Mr. And Mrs. Mallard were looking for a place to live and wound up in Boston to raise a family there by the Charles River.  They could not fly because they were beginning to molt, but they swam in the river and met a policeman named Michael who would feed them peanuts.  Mrs. Mallard laid 8 eggs but couldn’t move because she had to keep the eggs warm and hatched Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack and Quack. Mr Mallard left to explore the river and the mom taught them how to swim, dive, walk in a line, come when they are called and how to be safe from wheels.  Mrs. Mallard took the kids to meet their father but they had to cross a highway, where Michael stopped traffic for them.  They traveled across the city with the help of all of the policemen stopping traffic. They met Mr. Mallard at the public garden where they decided to live after all. 

Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann

Officer Buckle knew more safety tips than anyone else in Napville and every time he thought of one, he put it up on his bulletin board. No one would listen to his tips when he went to speak at the schools. The police department bought Gloria, a dog, and took it to school to speak about his safety tips. But whenever he said a tip, Gloria would do silly things behind his back.  Everyone loved it and started to pay attention to the speech.  More schools found out about Officer Buckle and Gloria's safety speech and wanted them to talk in their school. One day, the speech was video taped and Officer Buckle saw on tv that the kids werent paying attention to him, but to Gloria in the background.  Officer Buckle got upset and stopped speaking and Gloria went alone to schools and just fell asleep onstage.  Afterwards, there was a huge accident and everyone realized they did need Officer Buckle because they sent him so many letters. His last tip her wrote was Safety Tip 101: Always stick with your buddy.

Pete the Cat by Eric Litwin

Cat got brand new white shoes and stepped into strawberries and turned red. Sand i love my red shoes. Stepped in blueberries and sang i love my blue shoes. Stepped in mud and turned the shoes brown and he sang i love my brown shoes. Then Pete stepped in water and it turned the shoes back to white, but they were wet. So he sang I love my wet shoes. No matter what you step in, keep walking along and sing a song.

Bubba the Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman

-Spin off of Cinderella

Bubba lived with his stepdad and two stepbrothers Milton and Dwane. He always did the chores on the ranch. Miz Lurleen decided to throw a ball to invite all the Texan Ranchers to find a 'feller' for her.  The day of the ball Bubba did all the chores for his brothers and didnt have time to get ready for the ball so his brothers left without him.  A bolt of lightening struck and Miz Godcow appeared to help Bubba go to the ball.  She swished his tail and he hand brand new clothes and a horse and went to the ball but only had until midnight.  He danced with Miz Lurleen right before midnight but his clothes turned back into his old clothes. He ran off but his one cowboy boot fell off. Miz Lurleen went looking for the guy with the perfect fit and Bubba was a match. They got married and lived happily. 

Verdi By Janell Cannon

Verdi is a python who is yellow with zig zag stripes that does not want to turn green like all of the adults do. The adults are boring and lazy and Verdi likes to flig himself from treetops.  He tries to do everything not to turn green until he hurts himself one day.  He learns to like his green skin and can still do all the things he loves to do. The feeling on the cover is something the kids will enjoy.  Glossy

Tuesday By David Wiesner

Tuesday night, around 8, the frogs fly on their lillypads around a neighborhood.  11:21pm they get caught in the laundry outside and fly into houses and watch tv in an old womans house.  4:38 AM they get chased by a dog and then the frogs chase the dog.  The morning comes and they fall back into their lillipads in the pond as if nothing happened.  The police are trying to investigate why there are lillipads all over the town.  Next Tuesday at 7:58 PM pigs start flying. 

Flotsam By David Wiesner

A little boy goes to the beach to collect flotsam, anything that floats that has been washed ashore. But he would have never imagined that he would find an underwater camera. He takes the camera to a one hour photo store. The photos show mechanical fish swimming with real ones, a hot air balloon pufferfish, people and houses living on top of a turtles shell and crazy things that no one could ever believe was real. He then sees a picture of all different children holding pictures of other children. So he takes a picture of himself and throws the camera in the water. A girl then finds the camera half buried in the sand.

If.. By Sarah Perry

If toes were teeth, if caterpillars were toothpaste. Realistic pictures go along with this book that has children wondering 'what if' a certain object was really something else. It is a funny way to get children captured into a book. It leaves nothing to the imagination.

 

A Bad Case of the Stripes by David Shannon

Camilla Cream is worried about what others think of her and doesnt like certain things because other people dont like them. She gets a 'case of the stripes' and no doctor can help her get rid of them. Only she can by realizing that it doesnt matter about what other people think, you should decided upon what you like and what you dont like. She finally admits she likes lima beans and the stripes go away. Teaches children to be yourself and not worry about what others think. 

Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm By Jerdine Nolen
Harvey Potter grows balloons as his crops and they come in all different colors. An african american girl narrates the story and spies on him because she wants to know how to grow balloons for herself. To her surprise there are things hidden that are magic that help him grow his balloons.

The Polar Express By Chris Van Allsburg
A boy gets onto the Polar Express that takes him to the North Pole where he sees elves and Santa who gives him a bell from the reindeer. He looses the bell but then on Christmas morning it is there wrapped under his tree.

*All pictures from amazon.com