It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey as a way to share what you have read and/or reviewed in the past week. It's also a terrific way to find out what other people are reading.

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers have given this meme a children's literature focus: picture books, middle grade novels, etc. They "encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting the other bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

 

 

 

 

Friday was the first official day of fall, and it's starting to even look like it a little bit in the backyard. But, it sure doesn't feel like it! Our weather forecaster said we haven't had a string of 90 degree days at all during the summer, but we're certainly making up for that now! Anyway, the hazy, hot, and humid weather gave me a great opportunity to stay inside (in the air conditioning) and read. Maybe in a few weeks we'll be able to think about curling up next to the fireplace with our books! 

Here's what I've been reading this past week:

Middle Grade Fiction

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

 

 

This Newbery Honor winning, middle grade historical fiction novel did an awesome job of sweeping me away to Key West in 1935, to become a Conch with Turtle and her cousins and to enjoy the adventures of The Diaper Gang. The story takes place during the Depression, when hard financial times made it difficult for families to stay together. Because Turtle's single mother is housekeeper for a woman who dislikes children, Turtle comes to Key West to stay with her mom's sister and her family. Turtle has no problem keeping up with the rough-and-tumble boys who have a business tending to the neighborhood babies, enjoy playing pranks on the Curry Lane residents, and try to come up with new ways to scam the ice cream man. I love the references to one of the most famous writers that lived in Key West at the time, Ernest Hemingway! Ironically, I just finished this story in which the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 played a major role; and 82 years later, Hurricane Irma has just devastated Key West and residents are only just now returning to recover from this awful storm.

 

 

 

 

Babymouse Burns Rubber (Babymouse #12) by Jennifer L. Holm, Matthew Holm  

 

 

Babymouse books have always been very popular with my students. I'm sure this one will be well-loved, also. Babymouse's friend, Wilson, is building a car to race in the soap box derby. Babymouse talks him into building a car for her, too, so she can win the race. This is a fun graphic novel, and I'm sure the race car storyline will make it a book that will be hard to keep on the shelf!

 

 

 

 

Double Down (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #11) by Jeff Kinney  

 

 

Books from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series have always been very popular with my students! I could never keep them on the shelf for more than a minute, and some just never made it back to the collection. Whenever I pick one up and read it, I can see why! These books tap into the way middle grade kids think and behave and they're hilarious. In this particular volume, Halloween is coming and Greg is working hard on scoring some candy early, getting invited to a popular party, and creating his own horror film. Along the way, he manages to run into all sorts of problems at home and at school. And I will admit that there are several places in the book where I found myself laughing out loud. Greg's unexpected toot the first time he tried to play his French horn in band class brought tears to my eyes! 😂 

 

 

 

Picture Books

 

 

 

 

Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak  

 

 

Beautiful illustrations created with watercolor and pencil, along with a call-and-response type of text, make this a lovely concept book to share with young readers. A brother and sister go for a walk on a chilly day in the late fall. They greet the falling leaves, the birds flying south, the long shadows, and the thickening clouds as they make their way through their neighborhood. All of these signs of changing seasons give way to the snow, frost, and ice of winter as they wake up to winter. This would be great to have in a primary classroom library as part of the seasonal collection. 

 

 

 

 

Flashlight Night by Matt Forrest Esenwine, Fred Koehler (Illustrations)  

 

 

Beautiful illustrations show just what a flashlight can help you see with a little bit of imagination. The three boys in the backyard tree-house at night use a flashlight to see strange paths, wild animals, and exciting adventures. I love how the illustrations have a limited palette in the "darkened" areas of the backyard, but colorful details show up in the illumination of the flashlight. This could serve as a great mentor text for creative writing and drawing - what might your own flashlight show?  

 

 

 

 

The 12 Days of Christmas by Greg Pizzoli  

 

 

This will be a fun book to have as part of a seasonal/holiday collection on any bookshelf! This favorite Christmas song always gets smiles and giggles, and the illustrations really make this an awesome treat. Greg Pizzoli includes some of the best characters from his other works as we see an elephant family inundated with all of these crazy gifts. The silkscreen and digital collage images have a retro chic quality to them that give the book a nostalgic boost.  

 

 

 

Big Sister, Little Monster by Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum, Ed Fotheringham (Contributor)  

 

 

My sister is three years older than I am and we fought all the time when we were younger. Young readers with siblings will definitely recognize themselves in this story about two sisters who are very different from each other and sometimes don't get along. Mia follows Lucy everywhere and is always in her stuff. Sometimes Lucy just wants some peace and quiet and Mia always seems to be making a mess. So one day, Lucy's had it with Mia and calls her a monster and tells her to go away. Be careful what you wish for! At first Lucy enjoys relaxing without all of Mia's racket, but after a while it becomes clear that Mia's taken up with a bunch of real monsters and Lucy isn't welcome. Young readers will enjoy finding out what it takes to bring out Lucy's inner monster. This could be a great mentor text to help kids write about their own siblings and family members. 

 

 

 

Hooray for Books! by Brian Won 

 

 

As a teacher who has always loved to share books with students, friends, and colleagues, I can totally relate to Turtle's frustration as he tries to track down his favorite book. All of our favorite characters from Brian Won's first two books, Hooray For Hat! and Hooray For Today!, are back and joyfully sharing books with each other and celebrating their favorite stories. Vibrant, cheerful illustrations make this a great book for a primary bookshelf!

 

 

 

 

In Your Hands by Carole Boston Weatherford, Brian Pinkney (Illustrator)  

 

 

This book is a beautiful prayer offered from a mother to her newborn baby. With gorgeous illustrations rendered in watercolor, gouache, and India ink on Strathmore watercolor paper, the prayer asks God to hold the child and protect him when she can't be with him. This book was written "in memory of the sons we've lost; in prayer for the sons we love" and "to the whole wide world;" and is a very important book to share with children. This book could be part of a very important conversation about what the world is like and what kind of world we want to have for children, and their children, and so on. It would be terrific to use it as a mentor text to help write a prayer or a poem to and for children, as they grow and become the next leaders. 

 

 

 

 

Big Machines: The Story of Virginia Lee Burton by Sherri Duskey Rinker, John Rocco (Contributor)  

 

 

This picture book biography tells about Virginia Lee Burton, the children's author. The most amazing part of this book is the stunning illustrations. John Rocco created paintings that are in the exact same style as Burton's in her famous books. There is an author's note that gives more detail about Burton's life and photographs of her. This would be a terrific book to include with her other works if you were doing an author study.

 

 

 

 

  Dumpling Dreams: How Joyce Chen Brought the Dumpling from Beijing to Cambridge by Carrie Clickard, Katy Wu (Illustrations) 

 

 

This rhyming picture book biography had my mouth watering as I read about how Joyce Chen introduced some of the most delicious food from her homeland to friends and neighbors in her new hometown. Joyce Chen grew up in China, but war forced her family to come to America to live. In Cambridge, her food was so popular that she opened a restaurant and starred in her own cooking show on TV. There is a timeline and a list of resources at the back of the book for further research. This would be a great nonfiction resource to have in an elementary classroom library. 

 

 

 

 

Little i by Michael Hall  

 

 

This cute picture book tells the story of little i and how one day he lost his dot. His dot fell off and rolled into the sea. All letters grouped together to tell i how strange and awkward he was without the dot. Young readers will have fun following i's adventure to find his dot. Very clever with bold collage illustrations make this a fun book to have in the classroom library. 

 

 

 

 

The Little Red Cat Who Ran Away and Learned His ABC's (the Hard Way) by Patrick McDonnell  

 

 

This fun, nearly-wordless picture book takes readers on a crazy romp through the alphabet chasing a cat who ran away from home. Young readers will have a terrific time figuring out what each letter represents and how it contributes to the story. It would be awesome to use this book as a mentor text to help young writers create their own ABC stories. 

 

 

 

 

Manjhi Moves a Mountain by Nancy Churnin, Danny Popovici (illustrator)  

 

 

When we hear of the kind of faith that can move mountains, the story of Dashrath Manjhi is a terrific example. This picture book biography is about a man in India who was fed up with having to climb over a treacherous mountain everyday in order to work on the other side. Manjhi's side of the mountain was poor and the other side had plentiful food and resources. Manjhi decided that he would dig a road through the mountain, creating a passage that would allow folks access to the other side. With just a hammer and a chisel, he took 22 years to accomplish his dream. This is a great story of faith and perseverance; definitely a great book to help develop a growth mindset.  

 

 

 

 

Ruby Rose, Big Bravos by Rob Sanders, Debbie Ridpath Ohi (Illustrations)  

 

 

Kids love to put on performances for the people that they love. So most will definitely recognize themselves in this sweet picture book about an energetic little girl who is determined to stage a dance recital for her family and friends. Young readers will enjoy finding out how she prepares and what she does when the afternoon turns stormy and her program is threatened. This book has terrific illustrations by Debbie Ridpath Ohi! Definitely a nice one for a primary book collection. 

 

 

 

 

Strong as Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became the Strongest Man on Earth by Don Tate 

 

 

Every March the Arnold Fitness and Sports Festival is held here in Columbus. Arnold Schwarzenegger comes to town and so do all of the body builders. This would be an awesome book to share with young readers here to learn how one of the earliest body builders got his start. Born in Europe during the late nineteenth century, Eugen Sandow had a different name and was a very weak and unhealthy kid. As he studied about the body and exercised, he became stronger. He pursued body building and became famous. This book has engaging and easy-to-understand text, along with great illustrations. It also has a note at the end in which the author describes how he became interested in body building. The end notes also include exercises kids can do to become stronger. And there is a nice list of resources for further research. This is a terrific picture book biography to have in a classroom library.  

 

 

 

 

The Little Scarecrow Boy by Margaret Wise Brown, David Díaz (Illustrations)  

 

 

Young children who are anxious to be big enough and old enough to do the things that the grownups do will definitely be able to relate to this beautiful picture book. Margaret Wise Brown wrote the story many years ago, and David Diaz has created awesome, vibrant paintings to really show what happens when the little scarecrow boy goes out on his own early one morning to scare away the crows by himself. His father has worked hard to teach him the six scary faces, but now he's put to the test. 

 

 

 

 

Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White, Megan Lloyd (Illustrator)  

 

 

During this time of year, it seems that there are pumpkin flavored items everywhere you look: coffee, cereal, pastries, and even pumpkin-scented hand soap. Rebecca Estelle had more than her share of pumpkins when she was young. Her family was poor, and all they had to eat was pumpkin. As she got older, pumpkins were an unpleasant reminder of her past. So she avoided pumpkins. Until an accident left her with a bumper crop of them. She had to find a way to get rid of them, and so she found a tasty way to do that and share with all of her friends in the process. This book has terrific message of sharing and friendship that will make this a good book to have as part of a seasonal collection in a classroom library. It'll also make you hungry for pumpkin treats! 

 

 

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey as a way to share what you have read and/or reviewed in the past week. It's also a terrific way to find out what other people are reading.

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers have given this meme a children's literature focus: picture books, middle grade novels, etc. They "encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting the other bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

 

 

 

 We've finally reached the time of year when there are pumpkins all over the place. At the grocery store there are a multitude of pumpkin products: pumpkin coffee, pumpkin flavored cereal, pumpkin-scented hand soap, and (my personal favorite) pumpkin drop cookies in the bakery!

 

 

I guess all the pumpkin products inspires me to curly up with good books, because I've read a lot of awesome books this week! I never realize just how much I've read, until I go to write this blog post. So, get ready for my long list of what I've been reading!

Middle Grade Fiction

Fenway and Hattie Up to New Tricks (Fenway and Hattie #3) by Victoria J. Coe

 

 

I am so grateful that an advanced copy of this book was provided to me to share with my Twitter #BookRelays group. The Fenway and Hattie series shares such a lovable set of characters that includes Fenway (an energetic Jack Russell Terrier), Hattie (Fenway’s small human), Food Lady, and Fetch Man (Hattie's parents). We get to see the adventures, big and small, of this family through the eyes, ears, and nose of Fenway. Because these books offer students and teachers a wonderful way to explore different points of view in literature and practice important inferencing skills, the first book in the series, Fenway and Hattie, has been chosen as the 2017 Global Read Aloud selection for Early Readers.

The third book in the series, this novel takes a look at what our pets might be thinking and feeling when they get hurt and have to receive medical help. Poor Fenway is now on the case of a pesky chipmunk that is running loose in the yard. As the dog chases the rodent underneath some bushes, he receives a nasty bee sting on his front paw. This sets off a whole series of tortuous events for Fenway: a trip to the veterinarian, being forced to wear a Cone of Doom, and having to swallow yucky pills. Making matters worse, no one seems to feel the least bit sorry for him as the family is working to prepare the house for a visit from Nana.

The first two books in the series were very popular with my fourth and fifth grade students. So I'm sure this one will be a big hit as well. This book will be out on January 2. In the meantime, have fun reading or rereading Fenway and Hattie and Fenway and Hattie and the Evil Bunny Gang !  

 

 

 

 

  Wishtree by Katherine Applegate, Charles Santoso (Illustrator) 

 

 

I had the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for this review. This middle grade novel looks at the world through the eyes of Red, a red oak tree that is two hundred and sixteen rings old and has watched the comings and goings of this neighborhood for a long time. Through the years, people have attached their wishes to the branches of this tree and now Red has some wishes, too. Red wishes to go on being a home to a wide variety of animal friends and for the people in the neighborhood to be accepting and tolerant of each other. Both of those wishes appear to be in jeopardy as the owner of the property where Red lives wants to cut the huge tree down and a hateful message directed at one of the families in the neighborhood is carved into Red’s trunk.

I like that the entire story is told from Red’s perspective. This would pair well with Applegate’s The One and Only Ivan. Both of these books are good mentor texts for writing using different points of view and both have nonhuman protagonists with limited capabilities working very hard to make changes for the better and to make wishes come true. Red loves Samar, the girl who lives in a house near his tree. Samar spends a great deal of time sitting quietly with Red and the animals that make the tree their home. But Samar is very lonely and makes a wish to have a friend. Stephen lives next door to Samar, but he and his parents have been reluctant to befriend Samar and her family. But a stranger carves an unkind message directed at Samar’s family, and Red becomes determined to help bring Samar and Stephen together as friends.

There are lots of good messages about friendship, tolerance, and the importance of preserving animal habitats. I do think that more could be told about the families of Samar and Stephen and the reasons for their animosity towards each other. There also could be more told about the boy who carved the nasty message into Red’s trunk and his motives for doing that. But, this could also lead to some good discussions with young readers making inferences about the motives of these characters and predictions about what may happen beyond what the author tells us. It also would be fun to compare this book with The One and Only Ivan.

 

 

 

 

Swing it, Sunny (Sunny #2) by Jennifer L. Holm, Matthew Holm (Illustrations)  

 

 

This middle grade graphic novel is a great follow up to Sunny Side Up. In the first book, Sunny Lewis spent the summer of 1976 visiting her grandfather in Florida while her family was dealing with her older brother's out of control behavior. In this book, Sunny is back home starting middle school and coming to terms with her mixed emotions about her brother's absence. Dale has been sent away to a boarding school, and while she misses him a lot, she doesn't miss the tension and anger that comes when he returns for visits. I really like that Sunny is a regular kid with a loving family and friends. Even with all of the positive influences around her, she still feels sad and has to learn how to deal with her situation. I think that a lot of kids can definitely relate to that. Sunny Side Up was a popular book in my classroom, and I'm sure this one will be as well. This book will be perfect for kids who enjoy reading books by Raina Telgemeier.

 

 

 

 

Comics Squad: Lunch! (Comics Squad #2) by Matthew Holm, Jennifer L. Holm, Cece Bell , Jeffrey Brown , Charles M. Schulz (Creator), Jason Shiga, Cecil Castellucci, Sara Varon , Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Nathan Hale  

 

This book is great for fans of graphic novels. Graphic novels have always been very popular with the middle grade students I've taught, and this one is a compilation of short comics from some of our favorite authors - Cece Bell, Nathan Hale, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Jennifer L. Holm, and Matthew Holm. Great book to have as part of any middle grade classroom library. 

 

 

 

 

Just a Drop of Water by Kerry O'Malley Cerra 

 

 

This middle grade novel tells the story of how the awful events of September 11, 2001 affected the lives of people all across America. This story is told from the point of view of Jake, an eighth grader living in Coral Springs, Florida. As the terrorist attacks happened and immediately afterward, everything changed in Jake's world. His mother became extremely frightened of everyone and everything, his friend Sam and his family experienced the nasty intolerance that people had towards Muslims, and Jake became more and more angry as he tried to retaliate against the bullies that were spreading hate. This book has terrific messages for readers in this age group, especially that violence and fighting only lead to more violence and fighting. There has to be better ways for the problems of hatred and intolerance to be solved. This book could lead to some good discussions of ways to find peace solutions, which couldn't be more important lately!  

 

 

 

Picture Books

 

 

 

 

Rufus Blasts Off! by Kim Griswell, Valeri Gorbachev (Illustrations)  

 

 

Loving stories and being able to read really comes in handy for this tenacious little pig! Rufus has a trunk full of awesome books that he loves to read. But when he's sent on a mission for new stories, he is determined to find them in space. Young readers will have a great time reading to see if Commander Luna relents and allows him to blast off with her and the crew! The illustrations are adorable, and I love books that celebrate the fun of stories and reading!

 

 

 

 

In the Middle of Fall by Kevin Henkes, Laura Dronzek (Illustrations)  

 

 

This is a beautiful concept book to share with young children. A great celebration of the changing of seasons, this book presents a good opportunity to discuss the signs of fall: the changing leaves, frisky squirrels, brown gardens, ripe apples and pumpkins, etc. and then go outside and look for these things. The illustrations are gorgeous and I love the way the end papers show fall leaves at the front of the book, and winter snowflakes at the back of the book. 

 

 

 

 

Lines by Suzy Lee 

 

 

There are so many awesome messages packed into this beautiful wordless picture book. "It starts with a line," promises the book's jacket. And with that and a limited palette (the illustrations are rendered in pencil and the only color is red, in the skater's hat and mittens, until the end when there is a whole pond of people enjoying themselves), the magic begins. The book starts with a solitary skater sailing, gliding, and twirling on the ice and one can almost imagine music accompanying this turn on the ice. But as a tumble occurs, we learn that everyone else takes a fall at one time or another, and we can smile and make the best of it. This book would be a great way to help develop a growth mindset, as there's a great lesson in picking yourself up and continuing with your passion - whether it's skating, writing, drawing or any other pursuit.  

 

 

 

 

Maurice the Unbeastly by Amy Dixon, Karl James Mountford (Illustrations)  

 

 

This is a fun picture book that has a terrific message about being yourself. Maurice is not like any of the other beasts. He's friendly, polite, and neat. His parents are worried that he's not messy, mean, or scary and so they send him off to the Abominable Academy for Brutish Beasts. He has a tough time fitting in there, and receives all sorts of discouraging notes home regarding his extremely polite behavior. Young readers will get a kick out of the way everyone expects the opposite behavior from Maurice as their own parents and teachers expect from them! 

 

 

 

 

When's My Birthday? by Julie Fogliano, Christian Robinson (Illustrations)  

 

 

Remember how exciting birthdays were when you were a little kid? I was so excited when I realized that they made birthday candles shaped like the number of your age! I begged for those number candles and then saved them in a shoe box for a long time; although, honestly I have no idea where those candles are now! Anyway, this adorable picture book captures the anticipation of waiting for your special day to arrive. With simple, lyrical text and illustrations rendered in acrylics and collage techniques, this book feels like one of Ezra Jack Keats' picture books. This would make a terrific birthday gift for young readers. 

 

 

 

 

The Bad Seed by Jory John, Pete Oswald (Illustrator)  

 

 

Everyone deserves a second chance, and this clever picture book does a great job of illustrating that point. This book tells the story of a naughty sunflower seed who's always getting into trouble. The seed tells how things came to be this way, but also wants things to be different. Young readers will enjoy finding out if a bad seed can change its ways. Everyone can relate to this book, because everyone knows someone that just has a hard time getting along with others or, maybe, is that person that can't resist trouble. This book would be a great way to discuss ways to help everyone be "good seeds". 

 

 

 

 

Little Elliot, Fall Friends (Little Elliot) by Mike Curato  

 

 

Just in time for autumn days, this book will help young readers stop pining for summer and celebrate the joys of the changing seasons. Our friends, Little Elliot and Mouse, are back and readers will be able to enjoy the same gloriously detailed and colorful illustrations as the two take a much needed vacation to the country. Colorful leaves, hide and seek in a pumpkin patch, and new food and friends will make this a terrific story time book and a popular addition to a primary classroom library. 

 

 

 

 

Uni the Unicorn and the Dream Come True by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Brigette Barrager (Illustrations)  

 

 

Believing that dreams can come true is the theme of this sweet picture book that is perfect for unicorn fans! It's a wonderful gift that we have one more book to share with young readers from this author that we lost way to soon. This sequel to Uni the Unicorn shares the story of how believing in the seemingly impossible led Uni and a little girl to finally meet each other. The vibrant illustrations will make this a popular book on a primary library bookshelf. 

 

 

 

 

Danza!: Amalia Hernández and El Ballet Folklórico de México by Duncan Tonatiuh  

 

 

This fascinating picture book biography tells the story of Amalia Hernandez, who founded a ballet company in Mexico that is dedicated to performing dances that celebrate the indigenous cultures of the country. Born 100 years ago, Amalia became fascinated with the dancers that she had seen performing in the town square. She grew up studying ballet with the best teachers that could be found and eventually created her own dances for her group. There are numerous videos of this dance company on YouTube, and it would be fun to watch them as a supplement to this book. There are resources listed at the end, making this a good starting point for further research.

 

 

 

 

Duck & Goose Honk! Quack! Boo! by Tad Hills  

 

 

Just in time for Halloween, this fun picture book will be great to share with young readers. Duck and Goose are awfully excited about Trick-or-Treating. While they are discussing their costumes, their friend, Thistle, is evasive about his dress-up plans. Thistle warns them to beware of the swamp monster. This has Duck and Goose all worried, but they still face their fears and go out with all the other Trick-or-Treaters. Fun surprises await and young children will get a giggle out of this not-too-scary book.

 

 

 

 

Ghost Cat by Eve Bunting, Kevin M Barry (Illustrations)  

 

 

Eve Bunting is a masterful storyteller and this story is a great example. This awesome picture book tells the story of a lighthouse keeper and her cat. The cat is no longer living, but has decided to stay with his friend as a ghost to keep her from getting lonely. The lighthouse keeper has a crucial job: keeping the light going so that boats won't crash on the rocks in the dark or in bad weather. When a catastrophe occurs, it's up to Sailor Boy, the ghost cat, to make sure that everything turns out all right. Beautiful illustrations and an engaging narrative style make this a great book to have in any classroom library.  

 

 

 

 

Boo Who? by Ben Clanton 

 

 

It's difficult to be new and try to find ways to fit in and make new friends. This cute picture book addresses that issue with a story about a little ghost named Boo. He's new, and while everyone is being very nice, he is having a tough time finding a game he can play with them. This would be a great book to share with young children, especially around Halloween. This could be a terrific way to start a conversation about ways to welcome new friends and make sure that everyone feels included in the fun.

 

 

 

 

Nothing Rhymes With Orange by Adam Rex  

 

 

What a fun picture book this is! Not only do you have the fun of rhyming words and awesome illustrations in which fruit is photographed in very humorous ways, but you have a terrific message about friendship and inclusivity. All of the pieces of fruit have gotten together to participate in a terrific poem, but orange feels left out because there are no rhyming words for him. As the poem goes along, everyone has a part but him. This would be great to share with young readers to start a conversation about ways to let everyone have a part to play. 

 

 

 

 

Someone Like Me by Patricia MacLachlan, Chris Sheban (Illustrations)  

 

 

I've been a fan of Patricia MacLachlan's work for a long time, and I'm over the moon about this beautiful book encouraging those who love stories and books and reading that they might become writers, just like her. With gorgeous illustrations and simple text, this inspirational book could serve as a terrific mentor text for those that need help looking around for story ideas. This is a great picture book for any bookshelf and I definitely want to get my own copy of it! 

 

 

 

 

Shawn Loves Sharks by Curtis Manley, Tracy Subisak (Illustrations)  

 

 

This is a cute story about a young man who loves everything that has to do with sharks. He spends all of his time reading about them, watching shows about them, and running around pretending to be a shark. But when it's time to write reports about predators, he doesn't get to write about them, another girl in his class does. This book has a good messages about making the best of things, trying some new, and making friends. Detailed, colorful illustrations and a fun story line make this a nice book to share with young readers or to have in a classroom library.

 

 

 

 

Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker, Jonathan D. Voss (Illustrator)  

 

 

This nonfiction picture book is perfect for fans of Winnie the Pooh. Many readers might be surprised to learn that the famous bear from the stories by A. A Milne, was based on an actual bear. This book uses easy to understand narrative text and beautiful illustrations to tell how a baby bear was found at a train station by a young veterinarian heading off to help in World War I. The bear became a mascot for the company of soldiers. When they headed into dangerous fighting in France, the bear was dropped off at a London zoo to be looked after. This book would pair well with  Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Little Chapel that Stood by A.B. Curtiss, Mirto Golino (Illustrator)  

 

 

With rhyming, lyrical poetry and beautiful illustrations, this book is a moving tribute to the men and women who rushed to help those that were trapped in the World Trade Center towers after the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. The centerpiece of this poem is St. Paul's chapel across the street from the towers, which has stood there since 1766. This would be a great book to share with youngsters to help them understand what happened that day, but also to feel hopeful about helping others as a way to win over terror.

 

 

 

 

September 11, 2001: We Will Never Forget by Peter Benoit  

 

 

This well-researched, informative picture book gives enough detail about the events of September 11, 2001, the nation's response, and how that day is remembered without being too graphic or frightening for middle grade readers. Middle grade kids weren't alive when these terrible events occurred, so it's important to have nonfiction resources that help them understand what happened. This book uses easy to understand text, engaging photographs and insets, and provides more resources for further research. 

 

 

 

 

9.11.01: Terrorists Attack the U.S. by Patrick Lalley  

 

 

This is a pretty good nonfiction resource for middle grade students who want to find out more about the events of September 11, 2001. Well-researched and easy-to-understand text explain the details of the terrorist attack, gives eyewitness accounts, and provides historic context. However, because this book was written in 2002, the information isn't complete. This would need to be explained to students if they're using it for research. It should be used along with more current and updated material.