Nine Days to Christmas: A Story of Mexico

Author: Marie Hall Ets and Aurora Labastida
Title: Nine Day to Christmas: A Story of Mexico
Illustrator: Marie Hall Ets
Genre: Children's picture book
Subgenre: historical, Christmas
Theme: A traditional Mexican Christmas.
Primary and secondary characters: Cici, her mother, Maria (her servant)
Awards and date of publication: Winner of the Caldecott Medal, 1987
Cici is very excited because Christmas is almost near. In Mexico the nine days before Christmas are celebrated, by a party every night called a Posada. This Christmas Cici's family will be hosting their own Posada. Cici is so excited, because this will be her very first Posada. Everyday she asks her mother and Maria if she will have a pinata for her Posada. They are not answering her, but they suggest that every Posada has to have a pinata. One day Maria's mom tells Maria she has a surprise for her and to get ready. Maria and her mom go to get her pinata for the Posada. They go to the market and Cici sees a bunch of pinatas hanging from the ceiling. She finally sees this star pinata, and she had to take it home. The day of her Posada she is sad, because everyone is going to hit her pinata until it breaks. She hides behind the tree as her pinata finally breaks. She is so sad, but she looks up at the sky and a shiny star tells her not to be sad. Since Cici chose the star for her pinata, now the pinata is a real star!

This book is a good book to explain to student how different cultures celebrate different holiday's. This way the students can realize that there is not just one way to celebrate different holiday's.

So You Want to Be President

Author: Judith St. George
Title: So You Want to Be President
Illustrator: David Small
Genre: Children's picture book
Subgenre: Historical fiction
Theme: Presidents
Primary and secondary character: presidents
Awards and date of publication: Won The Caldecott Medal and was published in 2000.
Publishing Company: Philomel Books
This book is a very great book and educates students about presidents, and what they have to do to become a president. The pros about being a presidents includes living in the White House with a swimming pool, bowling alley, and movie theater in their house. They do not have to eat vegetables or take out trash. The cons include presidents always have to be dressed up, and once William Howard Taft had a cabbage thrown at his head. If you want to become a president it will help if your name is James or if you were born in a log cabin (six presidents were named James, and eight presidents were born in a log cabin). To be a president size, age, or humor does not matter. However, to be a president it is a plus, to have presidents in your family tree. Although most presidents went to college nine did not (Washington, Jackson, Van Buren, Taylor, Fillmore, Lincoln, Johnson, Cleveland, Truman). If you want to be a president you might want to join the military or become vice president. However, most importantly if you want to be a president you must be honest!
This book is a very good book to have students read in correlation with talking about presidents. This will make the topic interesting, fun, and will definitely bring the reader into the subject.

Llama Llama Red Pajamas

Author: Anna Dewdney

Title: Llama Llama Red Pajama

Illustrator: Anna Dewdney

Genre: Children's picture book

Subgenre: rhyming book, fiction

Theme: Be patient Llama

Primary and secondary characters: Llama and his momma Llama

Date of publication: 2005

Publishing Company: Viking Publishing Co.

Momma Llama puts her Baby Llama to bed. Momma Llama kisses him goodnight and goes downstairs to finish the dishes. Baby Llama starts feeling real lonely and anxious. He yells for him mom to come down stair, but at the same time the phone rings and momma answers it. Baby Llama waits, waits, waits for his momma. Momma still does not come, and Baby Llama starts to freak out. He begins to yell, stomp, pout, jump and shout for him momma. Baby Llama is all alone and starts to wonder if his momma is gone. He starts weeping and wailing for his momma! Baby Llama scares momma and she runs in very upset, because mama is very busy and Baby Llama needs to be patient. She kisses him again and reassures him he loves her and she is always near if he needs her. She leaves and Baby Llama falls asleep!

This is a good book to teach students that their parents or guardians get very busy, but they are there to watch over them. They may not be in the same room, but they are always watching over them and are around to protect them.

Mommy's Little Girl

Author: Ronne Randall
Title: Mommy's Little Girl
Illustrator: Kristina Khrin
Genre: Children's picture book
Subgenre: fiction, love
Theme: Even though little girls grow up they will always be their mommy's little girls.
Primary and secondary characters: Amy and her mom
Date of publication: 2008
Publishing Company: Parragon Publishing Co.
Amy and her mommy are very close. Amy loves her mommy and they always do things together. Amy looks up to her mommy, and wants to be just like her. One day Amy's mother has Amy go to the closet to get some pillow cases, there she finds a big pink box. Amy opens the box and finds small doll clothes. She goes to ask her mother if they are doll clothes. Her mom assures Amy that she can use them as doll clothes, but they were not always doll clothes. She lets Amy know they belong to her little girl. Amy gets sad, because she is her mommy's only little girl. Her mom takes her in the living room and shows her a picture album. She points to the pictures and explains that's my little girl as a baby, that's her as a toddler, and points to one of Amy now. Amy smiles, because she realizes that the little girl is her, and the baby clothes are hers too.

This book is a really good book in explaining to students that even when they grow up, they will still be loved the same by thier parents.

The Middle Child Blues

Author: Kristyn Crow
Title: The Middle-Child Blues
Illustrator: David Catrow
Genre: Picture book (children)
Subgenre: fiction, poem
Theme: Its not always easy being the middle child, but your special in your own way.
Primary and secondary characters: Raymond, Lee and Kate
Date of publication: 2009
Publishing company: Penguin Young Readers Group
Lee is very aggravated because he is the middle child. He has an older brother Raymond and a little sister Kate. Kate gets away with everything because she is too small to do chores. Raymond gets the best of everything, because he is the oldest. There is nothing Lee can do to get his parents attention except play his guitar. When he plays his guitar and sings the middle child blues song, he starts to get an audience. He becomes special, and gets the attention he is looking for when he plays his guitar.

This book is a very good book to stress in students that they are special, and have special talents. They may have to share their time with their siblings, but their parents and family love them just the same.

Llama Llama Misses Mama

Author: Anna Dewdney

Title: Llama Llama Misses Mama

Genre: Picture book (children's book)

Subgenre: fiction, poem

Theme: Llama learns how adapt to school and missing his momma.

Primary and secondary characters: Llama, and Llama momma

Date of publication: 2009

Publishing Company: Scholastic Inc.

Llama wakes up in the morning, and gets ready for his first day of school. When he gets to school and his mom leaves, he realizes he misses her bad. He wants her to come back, and is sad that she had to leave. By the end of the day momma comes back and plays with Llama at school. Llama then relaizes he loves momma and he loves school too.

This book is a good book in teaching students that it is ok to be sad, and show their emotions if something is bothering them. However, if it is a new situation that is bothering them, and if they give it a chance. They may grow to love it.

Bedtime at the Swamps

Author: Kristyn Crow
Title: Bedtime at the Swamps
Illustrator: Macky Pamintuan
Genre: Picture book
subgenre: rhyming book, thriller
Theme: You should not be scared when you go to sleep, because it is never what you think.
Primary and secondary Characters: Ma, boy, sister, brother, cousins
Date of Publication: 2008
Publishing Company: Harper Collins Publisher
This little boy sits at the swamp humming a tune when he hears Splish splash rumba-rumba bim bam BOOM! Splish splash rumba-rumba bim bam BOOM! He is so scared he takes off after a tree and climbs to the very top. His sister comes to get him for bed and yells to him at the top of the tree. She hears the noise and runs after the tree so she can hide with him. His momma then sends his brother and cousins to come get him, and they also hear the noise and climb up the tree. By the end of the story they were all at the top of the tree. Finally momma gets real upset and comes to get them. She starts to yell at them then she hears Crunch crash tumble-tumble split splat SPLOOM! When they all fall on the ground ma makes them all go home and get ready for bed. As they head home they hear Splish splash rumba-rumba bim bam BOOM! All the way home! The scary noise turns out not to be scary at all.

This book will be good to teach tudents that things are not always what they appear. They might think something looks or is scary. However, once they experience it for themselves they will see it really is not scary.

Freedom Song

Author: Trina Robbins

Title: Freedom Songs

Illustrator: Jason Millet

Genre: Short chapter book

Subgenre: thriller, action

Theme: A slave escaping to freedom

Primary and secondary characters: Sarah, Mrs. Marlow, and Mrs. Bennett

Date of publication: 2008

Publishing Company: Stone Arch Books

Sarah is a fourteen year old slave, during the 1850's. Her masters are Mr. and Mrs. Marlow. One of Sarah's job is to swat fies away from the Marlow's baby, during the night. Early in the morning Mrs. Marlow comes in to the room to find Sarah Sleeping. She slaps Sarah and is very upset. She does not give her any food that day, and tell her she is going to beat when Mr. Marlow comes home. Sarah remembers that earlier that day a man by the name of Mr. Levi came over, and was talking about a Quaker lady a couple miles down the street who takes in run away slaves, and is against slavery. Sarah knows she has to do something, so she grabs some belongings and runs away to the ladies house. Once she gets to her house she falls asleep in her barn until morning. The next morning the lady wakes Sarah up. She feeds and clothes her, but tells Sarah she has to soon leave, because the slave hunters will come looking for her. The Quaker lady tells Sarah she has to take the Underground Railroad to Philadelphia. Sarah and other slaves follow Mrs. Bennett and take the Underground Railroad to Philadelphia. Once in Philadelphia Sarah feels safe and even finds a job. While at work at the hotel Sarah runs into her former masters. They demand that Sarah has to go back with them. She refuses and throws mop water at them, and runs back to the house she stays at. She now has to go by herself to Canada. Mrs. Ross drops her off at the train station in Philadelphia, a cop spots her as a run away slave. However, at this time she sees Mr. Levi, and he pretends that Sarah is his slave, and the cop lets them get on the train together. Mr. Levi remembers Sarah, and she is now on her way to freedom. Once Sarah gets to Canada she vows that she will be like Mrs. Bennett, and go back to get her mother and help her become free.

This book will be a good book to incorporate in teaching about slavery, the Underground Railroad, and life in the 1850's. This book will help students to relate to slavery from a child's perspective. Which will then help them relate to the book in their own perspective. This makes it easier to relate and have sympathy for everything that Sarah has to go through.

The Man with the Black Glove

Author: Ursel Scheffler

Title: The Man with the Black Glove

Illustrator: Christa Unzner

Genre: Chapter book

subgenre: Mystery

Theme: Two young detective cracking two cases.

Primary and secondary characters: Martin Pitman and Pauline

Date of publication: 1999

Martin Putman and Pauline watch a man next door with a silver suit case, gloves, and a leather jacket walking into a shed. However, when he comes out of the shed the suitcase is not with him anymore. They decide to become detectives and to try to find out what he is hiding. At the same time, they find a wallet on the ground. They go to the Police Station to turn it in and they make a deal with the policeman. The policeman gives them permission to go around to places, and inquire about the wallet. They find the owner of the wallet, and they also help to detect the man with the silver suitcase. He turns out to be a robber, and these two little detectives help to crack two cases.

This story will be good to read to students and reassure them that kids are able to do whatever they put their hearts to, even if that means being detectives.

Shiloh

Author: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Title: Shiloh
Illustrator: NA
Genre: Chapter book
Subgenre: reality, love
Theme: Follow your heart, work hard, and keep with your word and God will acknowledge your hearts desires.
Primary and secondary characters: Marty, Shiloh, and Judd Travers
Award and date of publication: Newbery Award winner and was published in 2000.
Publishing Company: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

This book is about a young boy named Marty, who goes off one day to play by the creek. He comes across this dog who keeps following him. Marty is trying to ignore this dog, because he knows him Ma and Pa will be mad if he brings the dog home, and gives them another mouth to feed. The dog ends up following Marty all the way home. Later on when his dad comes home they take the dog who Marty named "Shiloh," back to his owner Judd Travers. When they drop the dog off Judd is mean. He talks about how he is going to starve and beat Shiloh for running away. By the way the dog acts, Marty knows its true. On the way home, Marty is devastated that they had to take Shiloh back to his owners house. A couple of days later Shiloh finds Marty again. This time Marty swears he will not take Shiloh back to that evil man's house. Marty hides Shiloh from his family for about a week, until a German Shepard attacks Shiloh in the cage that Marty made for him. Everyone in Marty's family finds out about Shiloh and is very upset, but they now worry more about Shiloh and fixing his wounds. Marty and his pa take Shiloh to the Doc's house and the Doc keeps him overnight. The next day the Doc brings Shiloh back to Marty's house, and Judd finds out the dog is at Marty's and comes to retrieve him. Judd is mad that they have his dog, but agrees to let Shiloh stay until his wounds heal. A couple days later Marty walks over to Judd's, because he wanted to talk to him about keeping Shiloh. When Marty gets close to Judd's house he sees him killing a deer out of deer season. Marty tells Judd if he does not let him keep Shiloh he will tell the cops. Judd agrees as long as Marty work for Judd, for forty hours. When Marty is half way done with all his hours Judd tells him he is a fool, and he is not letting him keep Shiloh. Marty ignores Judd and decides to do the work anyways. It all works out for Marty, because in the end Judd softens and lets Marty have Shiloh.

This is a good book to teach students that hard work and dedication pays off, in the end. Marty was determined to make Shiloh his, and in the end he stood to his values, hard work, and dedication and he made Shiloh his.

Uh-oh, Cleo Underpants on my Head

Author: Jessica Harper
Title: Uh-oh Cleo Underpants on my Head
Gengre: chapter book
Subgenre: reality fiction, comedy
Theme: siblings bug, but in the end we're always there for each other.
Primary and secondary characters: Cleo and her older sister Jana
Date of publication: 2009
Publishing company: The Penguin Group


This book is about a big family with six kids and of course mom and dad. Cleo is narrating the book in her point of view and she is the youngest, out of the older three children. She has an older sister named Jenna, who really upsets her. Jenna always makes Cleo finish her chores and Jenna always gets the best of everything. The entire family goes on a trip to visit their grandma in Colorado. They fly to their grandmother's house, which is an interesting journey. Once they get to their grandmother's house the older three children, and their mom and dad all go on a hiking trip, up Mt. Baldy. After staying over night in a cabin they start their journey up Mt. Baldy. At the bottom of the Mt. it is very warm, which makes sense since it is summer. They all start to take off their clothes, and they are going to swim in their underpants. However, it starts to rain so they all decide against the swim. As they start their journey again up the Mt., it begins to get colder and colder and the wind gets harder and harder. Cleo, Jack, and Jenna stop because they are freezing. Jenna starts to doubt that she will survive this. Momma gives them their underpants so they can put them on their heads to keep their ears warm. They all start laughing at each other once the notice how silly they look with underpants on their head. Their Dad decides it is time to go back down the hill. At this time Jenna can not move, and Cleo has to help her all the way down the Mt. Once they all get down the Mt. Jenna is so thankful that Cleo helps her, and for the rest of the trip they actually got along.

This book is a good book to teach students that even though they may not always get along with their family or friends, they may just need them one day. This is why it is a good idea to treat people how you want to be treated.

Meet Danitra Brown

Desirae Breeding

Author: Nikki Grimes
Title: Meet Danitra Brown
Illustrator: Floyd Cooper
Genre: Poem Book
Subgenre: Narrative Poem
Theme: My best friend Danitra Brown
Primary and secondary characters: Zuri Jackson and Danitra Brown

Awards and dates of publications: This book is a Coretta Scott King honor book and was published in 1984.

Publishing Company: Harpercolins Children's Books

This book explains Zuri's life with her best friend Danitra Brown. Throughout the book Zuri keeps on showing examples about how her best friend Danitra, is such a great friend. For example Danitra makes Zuri feel good about the darkness of her skin. Zuri hates when all the other kids tease her and say, "You so black, girl," but Zuri expresses, Danitra says, "My skin's like double choclate fudge." Danitra also makes Zuri feel better at back to school night, because Zuri only has a mother and not a father. Danitra reassures her that she has it good, because her mom loves her twice as much! Danitra and Zuri are best friends and they constantly support each other.

This book can be an excellent book to read to my students and to express to them the importance of good friendships. I can explain to them that friends are suppose to support each other, play nice with each other, and are there to make us feel loved. But, if we are mean to our friends then this kind of connection will be hard to find.