Week 3: Poem- Green Eggs and Ham

Dr. Seuss is the first author most people think of when they think of children's poems. This story is universal, which I love. It teaches kids to never quite rule something out until they give it a try, even if that is green eggs and ham.

I would give it 4 of 5 stars. The fact that a book made in 1960 can still be relevant and recited by kids all over speaks to its true impact on kids.


Title: Green Eggs and Ham
Author: Dr. Seuss
Publisher: Beginner Books/Random House
Date: 1960
ISBN: 978-0394800165

Week 3- Poem: Falling Up

I remember when this book came out and it was all the rage. It suited the angsty pre-teens that we were at the time in a way that other books did not. The poems in here were some of the first that I had ever come across that were meant for older children and not toddlers. Each page has a different poem on different topics. One I always remembered was a sign on a wood pole that said "NO" at the top with a huge list underneath. No smoking, no volleyball players, no hiking, and so on. They started off normal and got mildly ridiculous as the list went on. The wood pole was mostly chewed through by a beaver. The thought bubble next to the beaver says "hey, it didn't say no beavers".

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I personally identified with this so much in my childhood that I might be a bit biased. The poems are decent but more importantly open up a whole new genre to older kids.

Title: Falling Up
Author: Shel Silverstein
Publisher: Harper Collins
Date: 2006
ISBN: 978-0060248024

Week 3- Graphic Novel: Anne of Green Gables

This story is one I have both watched and read so many times. Walking through the store and seeing a graphic novel really sparked my interest. The story is about a girl named Anne who is adopted by an older brother and sister. They wanted a boy to help with the chores around the farm but they end up loving Anne for all her quirkiness and boldness. This story talks about her trials to fit in and shows her growing into who she is with confidence.

I would give this 5 out of 5 stars. The pictures on every single page are so descriptive the book almost doesn't need a single word. The illustrations play into Anne's quirkinesses in a really cool way.

Title: Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel
Author: Mariah Marsden
Publisher: Andrew McMeel Publishing
Date: 2017
ISBN: 978-1449479602

Week 3- Historical Fiction: Sing a Song

This book tells the story not of people but of a song. It tells the story of this song by showing how the song was passed on from generation to generation in families. No particular family or name is used because it is not about one family, but a whole group of people who found inspiration and hope its words. Over 100 years later, it was sung out in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. This story shows how something like a song can inspire hope and courage across generations.

I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It shows the importance of tradition and learning from generations before you. I love how the author used the stories of average families so that the reader can see themselves in the book.

Title: Sing a Song
Author: Kelly Starling Lyons
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Date: 2019
ISBN: 978-0525516095

Week 3- Informational Text: I Am Rosa Parks

The story of Rosa Parks continues to be monumental. What makes this book unique is that it talks about her from her childhood onward. It describes the times she learned to stand up for herself and what she believes in and shows what led to that monumental moment on the bus.

I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars. The illustrations are so engaging and eye catching. Not only that, it shows that heroes do not just appear overnight. It teaches kids what it means to be brave and believe in who you are.


Title: I Am Rosa Parks
Author: Brad Meltzer
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Year: 2014
ISBN: 978-0803740853

Week 3- Informational Text: Who Is Malala Yousafzai?

Malala is a woman who experienced an incredibly traumatic childhood. She was born in Pakistan and when she was just a young girl the Taliban no longer wanted girls to be educated. Malala stood up for her education and what she believed in, and it almost cost her her life.

I absolutely love Malala and this book. I have heard children say how they hate going to school or wish they weren't forced to go. This is the story of a girl who fought for her education at all costs and that is a great lesson for kids to take in. I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars for that reason.


Title: Who Is Malala Yousafzai?
Author: Dinah Brown
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Year: 2015
ISBN: 978-0399540004

Week 2- Realistic Fiction: Second Grade, Here I Come!

This book talks about kids going to second grade and everything that happens in school. Each page covers a different topic from cheating to recess to getting ready. It is applicable for kids going into second grade but also any grade. Lessons about walking quietly, seeing friends, and not cheating are applicable to any age.

I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I like that it is straight forward with children about the many lessons that come with growing up and getting older. The fact that it rhymes also helps kids remember the lessons.

Title: Second Grade, Here I Come!
Author: D.J. Steinberg
Publisher: Grosset and Dunlap
Year: 2017
ISBN: 978-0515158083

Week 2- Traditional Tale: The Little Red Hen

The Little Red Hen is an old tale that shows it takes work to get to what you want. The red hen lives with a cat, dog, and duck. They are all lazy and do not want to do anything. The red hen found some seeds which grew into wheat. Then the wheat had to be cut and sent to the mill to turn it into flour. From there, the hen used the flour to make bread. Each step, the hen asked if anyone would help and every single time they all said "not I" yet when the hen makes the bread, they all want to eat it. The red hen since she did the work she gets to eat it alone. Now, all the animals help when she needs it.

I love this book and rate it 5 out of 5. I've always liked that the hen ate the bread alone because she did the work alone. It shows that work ethic is important if you want something and nothing is handed to you.

Title: The Little Red Hen
Author: Paul Galdone
Publisher: Clarion Books
Date: 1985
ISBN: 978-0899193496

Week 2- Picture Book: The Proudest Blue

This book is probably my favorite out of all the ones I have read so far. The book is from the perspective of Faizah who is starting school while her older sister Asiya is wearing a hijab for the first time. At school, people make fun of Asiya for her hijab because she is different. Faizah and Asiya remember their mother's words about the hijab meaning strength and they get through together with confidence because of the lessons that their mother taught them.

I give this book more than 5 stars, if that is possible. The lesson goes beyond those who wear a hijab, but to everyone. It shows kids that those who are different are not bad. More importantly, it shows little girls that their hijab is beautiful.

Title: The Proudest Blue
Author: Ibtihaj Muhammad
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Date: 2019
ISBN: 978-0316519007

Week 2- Picture Book: One More Hug

All too often you hear parents say "Where did the time go?". This book is a perfect representation of watching your child grow and being amazed at how time flies. In the beginning, the child starts school and the mom sees them off on the bus. It talks about how the child grows and their interests change. From "slaying leaf dragons" to slaying a race track, the mother is there to witness it all. It ends with the child growing up and driving away in their own car. As the book progresses, the child goes from wanting one more hug to the mother wanting one more hug.

I rate this 5 out of 5 stars. The imagery of the bus going down the street in the beginning to the child driving down the street in the end shows how parents are there for it all and how the relationship between a mother and child changes over time.
This made me think about my mom and my child, and boy did I have a few sentimental moments!

Title: One More HugAuthor: Megan Alexander
Publisher: Aladdin
Date: 2019
ISBN: 978-1534429710

Week 2- Picture Book: Daniel's Good Day

Daniel's Good Day is about Daniel and how he sees what makes a good day from different people. He is kind to the people in his neighborhood and asks everyone "What makes a good day for you?". They all give him different answers that are personal to them.

I would rate this 4 out of 5 stars. I love the illustrations and I think it is great for kids to see that everyone has different ideas of what happiness is and what makes a good day. For example, the painter is happy for the good weather because it makes his job easier while the next girl is happy for the wind because it means she can fly her kite. Everyone has different things that make them say it is a good day and that is ok.

Title: Daniel's Good Day
Author: Micha Archer
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Date: 2019
ISBN: 978-0399546723

Week 1- Decodable Book: Get the Pets

Get the Pets is a decodable book from Reading A-Z that focuses on the short vowel /e/. It talks about how Tom has 10 pets (chicks) that get loose. He uses a net to put them back in the pen so they can eat at the pan.

I would give this 5 out of 5 stars as it does what it is supposed to do. It focuses on the short vowel that is appropriate in this stage of learning.

Title: Get the Pets
Author: Wayne Miller
Publisher: Reading A-Z

Week 1- Wordless Picture Book: Journey

• Journey is about a girl who escapes into another world by drawing a door on her wall in her bedroom. She ventures off and creates what she needs with her pen. When she gets captured, she is saved because she also saved. 
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I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. When it comes to being a wordless picture book, this story doesn't give much room for imagination as it is pretty laid out. What is great, however, is that it is a series and shows the reality of some families. 

Title: Journey

Author: Aaron Becker
Publication Date: 2013

Publisher: Candlewick

ISBN: 978-0763660536

Week 1- Wordless Picture Book: Flashlight

Flashlight is a stunning wordless picture book about venturing outside in the dark. What is great about this book is that everything is in black and white, except when a flashlight is shown. Not only can the reader make up their own story, they can make up their own adjectives to describe everything as it is all in gray scale. Yet when the flashlight does it something, the colors show there is nothing to be afraid of in the dark. 

I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars. This book gives readers the ability to really be their own author in every aspect. 

Title: Flashlight

Author: Lizi Boyd
Publication Date: 2014

Publisher: Chronicle Books

ISBN: 978-1452118949

Week 1- Board Book: I Love You To The Moon And Back

This book is about the daily routine of a parent and their baby. It tells all the ways a parent loves to do the simplest of things with their baby, all because they love them. The book shows this through a baby bear and their mama, which I love because of how protective bears are over their children. I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars. A love between a parent and child is so pure and this describes that children need do nothing to receive that love.

Title: I Love You To The Moon And Back

Author: Amelia Hepworth 
Publication Date: 2015

Publisher: Tiger Tales

ISBN: 978-1589255517