The Mouse and the Motorcycle

Title: The Mouse and the Motorcycle

Author:  Beverly Clearly

Illustrator: Tracy Dockray

Genre: Fiction

Subgenre:  Adventure Book

Theme:  Animals

Primary Characters: Ralph, the mouse

Secondary Characters: Kevin, and his mother, Ralph

Awards: None

Date of Publication: 1990

Publishing Company:  HarperCollins

Summary of the book: The Mouse and the Motorcycle is a book about a mouse named Ralph who lives in a hotel in California with his family. Ralph is a very adventurous little mouse who to go out and see the world. He is afraid to leave his home because the housekeepers want to keep the hotel free of mice. Then a family arrives and there is a boy name Keith with them. He becomes friends with the mouse and he helps him find away to see the world by giving him a toy motorcycle.

How can the book be used with student in the classroom: This would be a great book to read to elementary students. The book could be used for alternative activities in the classroom.

Arthur and the World Record

Title: Arthur and the World Record

Author:  Marc Brown

Illustrator: Not mentioned

Genre: Children’s picture book

Subgenre:  Juvenile fiction

Theme: World’s Record

Primary Characters: Arthur

Secondary Characters: Arthur’s friends

Awards: None

Date of Publication: 2005

Publishing Company:  Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary of the book: This is a book about Arthur and his friends trying to set a world’s record. Arthur and his friends try and make a large pizza that will be a world’s record. Does Arthur trust his friends and family to help him create this pizza to be the biggest and best, or will this pizza be a gigantic disaster in the history of Elwood city?

How can the book be used with student in the classroom: This would be a good book for the students that are learning to read chapter books. It is easy to read and is a funny and children will love it.  This book could be a used in your classroom library so that the younger readers can read on their own.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See?

Title: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See?

Author:  Bill Martin Jr.

Illustrator: Eric Carle

Genre: Fiction

Subgenre:  Animals

Theme: Colors

Primary Characters: None

Secondary Characters: None

Awards: None

Date of Publication: 2008

Publishing Company:  Henry Holt and Company

Summary of the book: This is a book about different animals and the different colors. It is a very bright and delightful book for children. Children can interact with the book as the teacher reads the book to them.

How can the book be used with student in the classroom: This is a great book to have in you classroom library. The teacher can read this to the class and have the class tell what comes next. It is great to teach colors to preschoolers.

Beetle Bop

Title: Beetle Bop

Author: Denise Fleming

Illustrator: not mentioned

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre:  Fiction

Theme: Different types of beetles

Primary Characters: None

Secondary Characters: None

Awards: Caldecott Medal

Date of Publication: 2007

Publishing Company: Harcourt, Inc

Summary of the book: There are all types of beetles, spotted ones, all-over-dotted beetles, and there are also loud gnawing beetles! If you like bugs or not you will love this book and children will really be interested in all the types of beetles. At the end of the book it gives facts about beetles.

How can the book be used with student in the classroom: This would be a good book to use in a Science center in your classroom. You could also have little toy beetles to use during the reading of this story. The book is very informational on types of beetles.

Luke Goes to Bat

Title: Luke Goes to Bat

Author: Rachel Isadora

Illustrator: Rachel Isadora

Genre: Fiction

Subgenre:  Children’s picture book

Theme: Baseball

Primary Characters: Luke

Secondary Characters: Luke’s grandmother, Luke’s brother Nicky, Mr. Robinson

Awards: None

Date of Publication: 2005

Publishing Company: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Summary of the book: This book is about a young boy named Luke, who wants to play baseball and feels he is not very good. His grandmother and a famous sports star named Jackie Robinson encourage Luke to keep trying.

How can the book are used with student in the classroom: This book could be a part of a classroom library. It could be encouragement for children to play sports.

Thank You, World

Title: Thank You, World

Author: Alice B. McGinty

Illustrator: Wendy Anderson Halperin

Genre: Picture book

Subgenre:  Fictional

Theme: Important things in life

Primary Characters: Little girl

Secondary Characters: None

Awards:  None

Date of Publication: 2007

Publishing Company: The Penguin Group

Summary of the book: This book is about a child who is thankful for things in the world.  She is thankful for the sun that colors the sky, clouds that paint cotton pictures and stars that shine like mommy’s eyes.

How can the book are used with student in the classroom: This book could be read to children, and used to discuss the importance of being thankful everyday.

Groundhog Gets a Say

Title: Groundhog Gets a Say

Author:  Pamela Curtis Swallow

Illustrator: Denise Brunkus

Genre: Fiction

Subgenre:  Holiday Book

Theme: Groundhog Day

Primary Characters: Groundhog

Secondary Characters: Groundhog’s friends

Awards: None

Date of Publication: 2005

Publishing Company:  Putman Juvenile

Summary of the book: This book is about a groundhog who is fed up, and wants to tell his friends about how important he really is. Groundhog was feeling sad, because after his big day of seeing his shadow, he did not feel important the next day.

How can the book be used with student in the classroom: This book could be used to teach a lesson on Groundhog Day. This book gives lots of facts about groundhogs and is a great book for a classroom Library.

Me! Me! ABC!

Title: Me! Me! ABC!

Author: Harriet Ziefert

Illustrator: Ingri Von Bergen

Genre: Non Fiction

Subgenre:  ABC Book

Theme: Learning the Alphabet

Primary Characters: None

Secondary Characters: None

Awards: None

Date of Publication: 2006

Publishing Company: Blue Apple Books

Summary of the book: This is a book about unusual little guys presenting their demands for each letter, which makes for a great fun alphabet book.  This book is different from your traditional alphabet books. The book has bright colors and simple text, which makes a great alphabet book for any young child.

How can the book be used with student in the classroom: This would be a great book for a preschool room. The book could be used in the classroom library. The teacher could use this book to teach the letters of the alphabet.

Luke Goes to Bat

Title: Luke Goes to Bat         

Author: Rachel Isadora

Illustrator: Rachel Isadora

Genre: Fiction

Subgenre: Children’s Picture Book

Theme: Baseball

Primary Characters: Luke

Secondary Characters: Nicky, Franky, and grandma

Awards: None

Date of Publication: 2005

Publishing Company: G.P. Putnam’s Sons New York

Summary of the book: This is story about a little boy named Luke. In his neighborhood several kids would play stickball together. Luke always sit and watched, when he finally gets to play he strikes out. Luke’s grandmother takes him to a real ballgame to see Jackie Robinson. Luke’s grandmother tries to tell Luke he should never give up.

How can the book be used with students in the classroom: This is a good book to read to the younger students. After reading the story to the children, questions could be asked about the story. This would be a good book for a classroom Library.

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Toot Toot Beep Beep

Title: Toot Toot Beep Beep               

Author: Emma Garcia

Illustrator: Not mentioned

Genre: Fiction

Subgenre: Transportation

Theme: Colors and styles of different automobiles

Primary Characters: None

Secondary Characters: None

Awards: None

Date of Publication: 2008

Publishing Company: Boxer Books

Summary of the book: Toot Toot Beep Beep is a excited and fun book for young children. Colourful cars zoom across the page, each making their own unique noise. Young children will love joining in with the sounds, making this book perfect for reading alound.

How can the book be used with students in the classroom: This would be a great book for preschoolers. The book could be used for a lesson on colors are the different types of transportation. It is a great book for interaction with the children.

Would I Trade My Parents?

Title: Would I Trade My Parents?                                                     

Author: Laura Numeroff

Illustrator: James Bernardin

Genre: Fiction

Subgenre: Family Relationships

Theme: The love you have for your mom and dad

Primary Characters: A young boy

Secondary Characters: Jason, Katie, Ben, Sydney, and William

Awards:  None

Date of Publication: 2009

Publishing Company: Abrams Books for Young Readers

Summary of the book: Would I Trade My Parent, is a book about a young boy who is jealous of all the things this friend’s parents let them do.  In the center of the jealousy, he forgets what his parents do for him. At the end of the story, the young boy learns to appreciate his parents and of the rules they have set for him.

How can the book be used with students in the classroom: This book could be could be read to the class, and then have the students could create a gift for their mom or dad.

Because of Winn-Dixie

Title: Because of Winn-Dixie                        

Author: Kate DiCamillo

Illustrator: Kate DiCamillo

Genre: Juvenile fiction

Subgenre: realistic fiction

Theme: Loneliness

Primary Characters: Opal, Winn-Dixie

Secondary Characters: Preacher, Naomi, Gloria Dump, Otis,  and Miss Franny

Awards: Newberry Medal

Date of Publication: 2001

Publishing Company: Candlewick

Summary of the book:  Because of Winn-Dixie, is a story of a 10-year-old little girl named Opal who finds a big, ugly and dirty dog in the Winn-Dixie store and wants to keep him. She knew that since her dad was a preacher, and he always helps people, she was sure that he would let her keep this dog. In the story Opal and the dog become friends and she learns a lot from her new friend. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal begins to find her place in the world, and learns to let go of some of the sadness that she felt because of her mother abandon her when she was younger.

How can the book be used with students in the classroom: This book could be used for a fifth to sixth graders. The teacher could have the students to read the book, and have class time to get into groups and discuss the book. It would be a great book to have a book talk.

Zeebo's Numbers

Title: Zeebo’s Numbers

Author:  Wendy Body

Illustrator: not mentioned

Genre: Fiction

Subgenre:  Picture Book

Theme: A rhyming story

Primary Characters: Zeebo

Secondary Characters: none

Awards: None

Date of Publication: 2005

Publishing Company:  QEB Publishing

Summary of the book: This is a rhyming story that talks about numbers 1 to 10.  Zeebo is a monster in the story and counts lots of things. The book is very colorful and is full of rhyming words.

How can the book be used with student in the classroom: This would be a great book for teaching rhyming words. It would also be great to use for a math lesson, especially for the younger age children that are learning to count to 10.

Junie B. Jone is a Graduation Girl

Title: Junie B. Jones is a Graduation Girl

Author: Barbara Park

Illustrator: Denise Burkus

Genre: fiction

Subgenre: Comedy and humor

Theme: humor

Primary Characters: Junie B. Jones

Secondary Characters: Mrs. and her classmates

Awards: None

Date of Publication: 2001

Publishing Company: Random House

Summary of Book: Junie B. Jones is getting ready for kindergarten graduation. The children in Room Nine are excited about getting their white graduation gowns.  The teacher who they call Mrs. tells them to keep their gowns in the boxes till the big day. But June B. just can’t wait, and uh-oh, an accident happens! Does Junie B. find a way to fix things? Or will graduation be a disaster?

How can this book be used by students in the classroom: I would use this book for my class Library. It would be a fun book to have for the class to read.

Stargirl

Title: Stargirl

Author:  Jerry Spinelli

Illustrator: None

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Subgenre: Fiction

Theme: Be yourself

Primary Characters: Stargirl

Secondary Characters: Leo, and Archie

Awards: None

Date of Publication: 2000

Publishing Company:  Scholastic Inc: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Summary of the book: This is a story about a girl name Stargirl, she has been homeschooled most of her life. She doesn’t really know much about the real world. She is just simple, she wears pioneer type dresses, no make up, and she is very thoughtful about others. When she go to High School, at first most of the school doesn’t see her for who she is, but later in the story they accept her for he she is and most of them see her individuality.

How can the book be used with student in the classroom: This book would be a great book to teach a lesson on different stereotypes. I could have the class to read the book and we could have Literature circles to discuss the book.