Multicultural

Title: Mariana and the Merchild
Author: Caroline Pritcher and Jackie Morris
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2000
Genre: Multicultural/ fiction
Age Range: Upper elementary
Summary: This story is about a girl who wants friendship, but other children are scared of her because she is "feared by the village children." She then finds a "merchild" inside of a crab shell. She loves the child very much, but one day knows that the waves will come take the child back into the deep ocean. Because of this, this interested the other children, and they began to talk to Mariana like they never had before. They helped and comforted Mariana when she had to return the merchild to the ocean, and they remained friends.
Personal Response: I think this book would be good for children who have felt left out in certain situations and are looking for comfort. This book shows that someone can go from being left out and not liked by others to having friends because of a commonality. It can boost children's confidence and help them through these tough situations.

Multicultural

Title: Native American Foods and Recipes
Author: Bobbie Kalman
Publisher: Crabtree Publishing Company, 2006
Genre: Multicultural/ nonfiction
Age Range: Upper elementary
Summary: This books tells about different foods and recipes that Native Americans use in their culture. They grow things like tomatoes, kill deer for meat, and gather nuts and berries for other foods. They believe that respecting nature and wasting nothing is very important to them and their environment. They also grow wild rice, corn, and hunt other meats such as bison. They are also very specific about how they store different foods.
Personal Response: I think that this book can give children insight on different cultures and the foods they eat, specifically Native Americans. It shows that not all people are like them, and there are totally different worlds out there that they have not experienced yet.

Multicultural

Title: The Librarian Who Measured the Earth
Author: Kathryn Lasky
Illustrator: Kevin Hawkes
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, 1994
Genre: Multicultural/ nonfiction
Age Range: Upper elementary
Summary: This book is about a man named Eratosthenese. Throughout his life he was fascinated with geography and wanted to know why the earth was the way that it was. He learned about the "gymnasium" in Greece. Ptolemy later asked him to be the tutor of the museum in Greece. He would teach other children about the things he learned about and would also teach himself new things as well. He then became interested in knowing the circumference of the Earth. He used the sun to help him with his angle problem of where to begin to measure. He wrote a book called Geographica that was the first book on the geography of the earth.
Personal Response: I think that this book would be very informational to children in an elementary school. They, too, at that age would ask many questions and want to know "why" to many things in life. This could teach them what Eratosthenes went through to answer his own question.

Poetry/ Multicultural

Title: Coconut Kind of Day
Author: Lynn Joseph
Illustrator: Sandra Speidel
Publisher: Puffin Books, 1990
Genre: poetry
Age Range:Upper elementary
Summary: This book is a collection of poems from a little girl's prospective about different people/ things in her life. She writes about her brother, mother, teacher, a snail she sees, steel drums, "red wonder" (the sun), and songs about night. Most poems use the girl's native language to show her diversity.
Personal Response: This book would be good to use in the classroom to show diversity. Some children may relate to this if they have a different background other that caucasian.

Graphic Novel- Multicultural

Title: The Legend of Hong Kil Dong
Author: Anne Sibley O'Brien
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Genre: graphic novel
Age Range: Upper elementary
Summary: This book is about a boy who is out to find his destiny. When he was little, he found out that he does not have a "birthright" because his mother is a commoner. He then began to study martial arts and swordplay and leads a group of men to "right" these injustices. They go to overpower corrupt monks, ministers, and merchants. After overcoming these people, he can then define who he was, is, and what he has become.
Personal Response: This book can be positive inspiration for children, especially boys, to see that they can overcome obstacles that come their way. Boys would probably enjoy it more than girls, only because the main character (hero) is a boy and boys can relate to the character easier.

Nonfiction/ Intermediate

Title: Baa! The Most Interesting Book You'll Ever Read About Genes and Cloning
Author: Cynthia Pratt Nicolson
Illustrator: Rose Cowles
Publisher: Kids Can Press, 2001
Genre: Nonfiction
Age Range: Upper elementary
Summary: This book tells children how they are different from other people. It tells them that children are born with different genes from their parents, which make them unique from others. The book also shows what a strand of DNA looks like and explains how this makes up who you are and what you look like. It also explains that when people are cloned, scientists believe they can copy a person's DNA and make another person out of that, resulting in a "twin" of the original person. This book gives children an insight to the future of a certain area in science.
Personal Response: I think this book is very informational, but could be a little much for an elementary schooler. Cloning people is a big controversy and could cause trouble with what children believe/ think and what their parents believe also. Teachers who have this book in the classroom should be cautious about putting this book on their shelves to avoid this controversy.

Nonfiction- Intermediate

Title: Outside and Inside Killer Bees
Author:Sandra Markle
Publisher: Walker and Company, New York
Genre: Nonfiction
Age Range: Upper elementary
Summary: This book tells children about killer bees and what to look for in bees to know whether it is a killer bee or not. It tell specifically what a bee's body shape looks like, including the thorax, abdoman, and head. In an up close picture, it shows where the venom pouch is located and where the stinger is connected to the pouch. It warns children that bees fly around in "colonies," which means if you see one flying around, there are more to follow. It also tells children what colors, foods, and flowers that killer bees are most attracted to so they will know to stay away from those as much as they can.
Personal Response: I think this is a good book to have in a classroom because it can show children the dangers of killer bees. This can mean even more to children who may be allergic to bees and help them become more knowledgable also.

Biography/ Multicultual

Title: I Am Rosa Parks
Author: Rosa Parks and Jim Haskins
Illustrator: Will Clay
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1997
Genre: Biography
Age Range: Middle elementary
Summary: This story is about the famous event in the past when Rosa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus for a white person. She also told how she was arrested and bailed out by her husband and how one of her friends paid for her bail money. She grew up with her brother Sylvester, living with her grandparents in Alabama. She did her part, as well as others to contribute to the Civil Rights Movement that made history. With Parks' efforts, along with efforts by Martin Luther Kind Jr., African Americans gained more rights than they had ever had before.
Personal Response: I think that this book would be good to use in a classroom because it can teach students about this famous event in history. It is an easy read for elementary schoolers, but still teaches them what Rosa Parks went through and the obstacle she had to overcome against white people who were for segregation.

Realistic Fiction/ Multicultual/ Newberry Winner

Title: Kira- Kira
Author: Cynthia Kadohata
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2004
Genre: Realistic fiction, multicultural
Age Range: Upper elementary, middle school
Summary: This book is about a girl who moves from her home in Japan to her new home in Georgia. She is very pesimistic about the move, but her sister, Lynn, sees the "glitter" (Kira-kira means glitter) in everything. Katie, the main character, feels embarrassed when she is stopped on the street by people who stare at her because she looks different. Lynn explains to her that she is unique and to "look beyond tomorrow." When Lynn becomes very sick, Katie must take on Lynn's role of the optimist and cheer Lynn up as Lynn would have done for her. Lynn dies later, but Katie is now strong enough to find the "glitter" in every situation.
Personal Response: I think this book could be used in the classroom for children to relate to it when they have similar struggles in their own families. Lynn is a younger girl, which means that children in the elementary school, especially girls, could relate to her strong personality and determination. The book could be seen as a way for children to know and understand that they are not the only ones going through something and that there are other people suffering too.

Realistic Fiction/ Multicultural/ Newberry Winner

Title: Moccasin Trail
Author: Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Publisher: Coward- McCann Inc, 1952
Genre: Realistic Fiction, multicultural
Age Range: Upper elementary, middle school
Summary: A runaway, Jim Keath, goes beaver trapping in the Northwest US and becomes stranded. He believes he will die from an attack of a grizzly bear, but before he faces that he is rescued and adopted by Crow Indians. He is brought into their ways and lives with them for 9 years. He then finds a letter written by his brother that points him in the direction of Oregon, where his family is currently living. His family is shocked to see him acting in his undomesticated ways, but this surprise is nothing compared to Jim and his family having to face the Columbia Gorge. What keeps the family together is Jim's younger brother, Dan'l, who is very interested in Jim's scars and stories he has to tell. The story overall is about Jim's journey back to civilization and the issues he faces with the clashing cultures.
Personal Response: Because this book was very long and the words were small, I wouldn't recommend this book for an elementary school classroom. I would classify this book as a difficult read for even a 5th grader. It could teach children (middle schoolers) about survival skills and how cultures are different around the world.

Non-Fiction/ Multicultural/ Caldecott Winner

Title: On Noah's Ark
Author: Jan Brett
Publisher: GP Putnam's Sons, 2003
Genre: Multicultural, non-fiction
Age Range: Younger elementary
Summary: The story is about a young boy and his grandpa, Noah. Noah builds an ark because God tells him that there is going to be a huge flood in the future. Animals pile onto the ark, two by two, and stay there for 40 days and 40 nights because the rain does not stop until then. One day, the little boy looked outside and saw that the sun was shining. Noah sent a dove to find land and the dove came back with a green leaf from a new tree. The animal, the little boy, and Noah went to the new land and got off of the ark. The animals dispersed to there new homes and they prepared to settle the new land.
Personal Response: I think that this book is a subtle, good way of introducing children to the Bible. If the students do not come from Christian backgrounds, it can be an easy way for them to be introduced to the literature. The fact that the story of Noah's ark is in the form of a children's book helps make it easier for children to relate to while they are learning and reading with one another.

Non- Fiction/ Multicultural/ Caldecott Winner

Title: Moja Means One
Author: Muriel Feelings
Illustrator: Tom Feelings
Publisher: First Pied Piper Printing
Genre: Multicultural, non-fiction
Age Range: Younger elementary
Summary: This book counts from 1-10, but in the Swahili language. With each number, the book gives examples of counting that relate to the Swahili culture.
Personal Response: This book could teach children at a young age that there are other children out there who are different than they are. It shows that there are other languages spoken, and that English is not the only language in the world. Teachers could use this book in a classroom to show children the diversity that exists in our world.

Utopia/ Dystopia

Title: Among the Hidden

Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix

Illustrator: Chris Neilsen

Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2000

Genre: Dystopia

Age Range: young adult

Summary: This book is about a society where parents are only allowed to have 2 children maximum.  Luke is a boy in a family who has to be hidden because he is the third child of his parents.  He lives in a basement and is closed off from the world in fear that someone will find him and take him away from his parents.  One day, while his family is away at work and school, Luke takes a risk and goes upstairs and looks out of a window and sees an unfamiliar face in the window across the street from his house.  It is a girl who is also hidden from society.  She is also the third child of her parents, and is curious about the outside world, just as Luke is.  Luke and the girl, Jennifer, become friends and Jennifer tells Luke of a rally against the population police that she is going to.  Luke, at the last minute, decides not to go and stays behind.  It turns out that the police shoot Jennifer, killing her and the other 40 shadow kids who rally against the police.  Luke finds Jennifer's father and asks for a fake ID.  He goes to live with fake parents, in which he then lives a normal life as a boy named Lee Grant.

Personal Reaction: I REALLY enjoyed reading this book.  I already read it when I was about a 5th grader, and I got excited when I saw it on the list of dystopian books to read in the IMC.  I think this book would be thoroughly enjoyed by kids in a classroom and I would definitely put this book in my classroom for students to read.  It teaches children to speak out for what they believe in, but to be cautious about it at the same time.  Children could easily relate to characters in the story and I think most would like reading this book overall.

Science Fiction

Title: You Bad Dog

Author: Leslie Baker

Publisher: Dutton Children's Books, 2003

Genre: science Fiction

Age Range: younger elementary

Summary: A dog named LuLu was a very energetic dog that always wanted to play. Bridget was an older dog who wanted to lay and rest all the time while LuLu always did things to try and get Bridget to play with her.  LuLu would do things that would make their owner mad, and Bridget would always get in trouble for things LuLu did.  In a movie theater, Bridget finally had trapped LuLu into getting in trouble for something that LuLu had done.  Bridget thought that LuLu was finally going to get what she deserved.  Bridget then thought about the fact that LuLu was her best friend and that they did everything together.  Bridget went back for LuLu and they were both kicked out of the movie theater.  They saw a cat run across the street in front of them and chased after it.  Bridget finally played along with LuLu.

Personal Response: I think this book would be good for students in a classroom.  It shows students that when your friends do something wrong, sometimes you have to stand up for what is right and teach them a lesson.  However, this does not mean that you end that friendship with your friend.  There are compromises in life that can be made so that you can do what is right and keep your friends with you.

Fractured Folktale

Title: Cinderella Penguin, or The Little Glass Flipper

Author: Janet Pearlman

Publisher: Scholastic, 1992

Genre: fractured Folktale

Age Range: middle elementary

Summary: Cinderella Penguin neglected among her stepsisters and stepmother.  She always had to clean while they did leisurely things around town.  A letter came in the mail saying that the Prince of the town was throwing a ball and that everyone was invited.  Of course the stepmother and stepsisters told Cinderella that she couldn't go.  She was very sad, but after they left, a fairy penguin came and granted Cinderella's wish to go to the ball.  She changed Cinderella's rags of clothes into a beautiful gown.  At the ball, Cinderella's stepsisters and mother did not recognize her.  When midnight came, Cinderella quickly had to leave before she turned back into her normal self.  Her glass flipper was left behind and the Prince picked it up.  He went around town trying to find who's flipper fit the slipper, and finally found his Cinderella.  They were then married and lived happily ever after.

Personal Response: I think that this is a good book to use in the classroom.  It is a famous piece of literature that children will enjoy and find entertaining.  It can teach children to stay strong in difficult situations and show them that they will be rewarded in the end for enduring such misery.

Fractured Fairy Tale

Title: Dear Peter Rabbit
Author: Beatrix Potter
Publisher: The Penguin Group
Genre: Fractured Fairytale
Age Range: middle elementary level
Summary: Peter Rabbit, throughout the book, goes from animal friend to animal friend passing on letters. The letters correspond with other fairytales and bring them into the story of Peter Rabbit. Because Peter Rabbit is not the only story that is focused on, it shows that this story is a fractured fairytale.
Personal Reaction: I think that this book would be a good book for a classroom. It shows how stories can be integrated with each other and that stories can relate in different ways. Characters from stories can be put together and still tell their individual stories. This shows children how they can express their individualities among their peers.

Traditional Literature

Title: Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Author: Carolyn Buchner and Mark Buchner
Publisher: The Penguin Group, 2007
Genre: Traditional Literature
Age Range: younger elementary
Summary: A girl named Goldilocks finds an empty house where 3 bears live. She comes across their house looking for someone to play with and when she finds that they are not there she goes into their house anyways. She tries to sit in Papa, Mama, and Baby Bears' chair and only likes Baby Bear's chair. She then tries to eat each bear's porriage. Again, she only likes Baby Bear's porriage. She gets tired so she tries each bear's bed to see how comfortable each one is. She, again, finds that she likes Baby Bear's bed the best. The bears come back from their walk and find Goldilocks in Baby Bear's bed and the bears scream. This scares Goldilocks and before the bears stop screaming she jumps out of the window and runs away.
Personal Response: I think that this book is a good book for the classroom. It is entertaining to children and has been a story that has been around for many years. Children would learn to know that they shouldn't talk to or mess with strangers and their personal belongings. This book is an entertaining way to teach children this lesson.

Historical Fiction/ Multicultural

Title: The Flame of Peace

Author: Deborah Nourse Lattimore

Publisher: Harper and Row, 1987

Genre: historical fiction

Age Range: 5-8

Summary: A little boy, Little Flint admires his father.  His father is a warrior and is not afraid to fight for his country.  When his father dies during battle, Little Flint goes out to seek peace between his people and their enemies.  Along the way, he tricks different "lords."  These include, the storm lord, river lord, wind lord, etc.  He finally gets granted with "the flame of peace" from Lord Morning Star and brings it back to his town.  It stays lit as Little Flint and his people celebrate with festivities.

Personal Reaction: I thought this was a good book and I would use it in my classroom.  It shows a true part of history, while adding in fiction about a little boy (about an elementary schooler's age) that students in a classroom can easily relate to.  

Traditional Literature/ Multicultural

Title: The Three Witches

Author: Joyce Carol Thomas

Illustrator: Faith Ringgold

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers, 2006

Genre: Traditional Literature

Age Range: 6-10

Summary: There are 3 witches that had already eaten a boy and girl's mother and father, so the children went to live with their grandmother.  One day while the grandmother was out getting more food for their house, the children went and played outside.  They saw the 2 witches and ran and hid in many places, but ended up in a tree.  As the witches were trying to get to them they were trying to call their dogs to come eat the witches and save them.  Their grandmother came back from getting food and was tired and laid down to take a nap.  The dogs were tied up and couldn't get free to save the children.  The grandmother finally woke up and let the dogs free since they were barking and went and saved the children from the 3 witches.

Personal Response: I liked this book because I think it teaches children lessons about being safe outside by themselves.  It teaches them to be aware of their surroundings, even though witches aren't real, and to look out for each other.  I would use this in the classroom to teach children this lesson alone.  It is also entertaining and makes the reader want to know what happens next in the story.

Traditional Literature

Title: Please, Malese!

Author: Amy MacDonald

Illustrator: Emily Lisker

Publisher: Douglas and McIntyre Ltd, 2002

Genre: Traditional Literature

Age Range: 6 and up

Summary: This story is about a boy names Malese who tricks people.  First he tricked 2 men in the village to make him shoes so that he didn't have to pay anything for them.  He then tricked more people into giving him rum for his rum cake.  Lastly, Malese tricked a man into letting him ride the man's donkey up a hill so he didn't have to walk in the hot sun anymore.  The people come together and put Malese in a mud hut (which is like a jail), and Malese acts like he likes staying there.  Since the people in the village had to bring him food while he was in the mud hut, they got annoyed and soon made Malese leave the hut so they wouldn't have to look after him anymore.

Personal Response: I thought that this book was inappropriate for children at a young age.  The only reason I feel this way is that it talked about alcohol, rum, and children at this age should not be wondering/learning about alcohol.  I also didn't like how Malese got away with his trickery in the end.  He didn't learn any lessons about being a kind and respectful person, and got away with acting inappropriately. Because of these reasons I would not have my students read this book.

Challenge Book

Title: The Stupids Take Off

Author: Harry Allard and James Marshall

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1989

Genre: Challenge Book, Picture Book

Age Range: 4-6

Summary: The Stupids want to avoid seeing one of their relatives, Uncle Carbuncle, so they get into their plane and fly away to waste time so they won't be home when their uncle arrives.  They see many relatives along the way, and many of them are doing odd, unusual things.  For example Uncle Artichoke had a diving board that didn't have a pool under it.  There was only a diving board and then the rest of the lawn in the backyard.  Another example was that Farmer Joe was watering his garden.  His garden, instead of flowers and other plants, consisted of pencils and other writing utensils.  

Personal Response: I felt that the book would make students laugh, however I do see why it was a challenged book.  The fact that their name is "Stupid" shows that everything they do it "stupid."  This could offend a child who may do some of the same, or similar, activities that the Stupids take part in throughout the book.  I don't think I would have my students read this book for that reason alone.  I wouldn't want any of my students to think that they were "stupid" because of something unique that their families did together.

Picture Book-Intermediate

Title: Olivia Forms a Band

Author: Ian Falconer

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Genre: Intermediate picture book

Age Range: 4-6, 6-up

Summary: Olivia finds out that she and her family are going to a fireworks show.  She thinks that it isn't a fireworks show if there isn't a marching band. Olivia decides to form her own band, but when her family is about to leave, she decides that all of her instruments are too much to bring.  Her family enjoys the fireworks show, and then they go home and Olivia goes to bed, but before going to sleep she plays her band one last time.  Her instruments were left all over the floor, and her mother almost tripped over them when she came to tell Olivia goodnight.  

Personal Reaction: I liked this book because it teaches children to have an imagination.  Olivia was creative enough to start her own band.  She also made her own outfit for her band to wear.  The illustrations are simple, yet still have a good impact on the reader. I would use this book in my classroom because I feel that it can relate to the children reading the book.  Olivia is about the same age as the children who would read this book, so again, they can easily relate to Olivia and her lifestyle/age.

Picture Book-Intermediate

Title: Hello, Red Fox

Author: Eric Carle

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Children, 1998

Genre: Intermediate picture book

Age Range: 4-6, 6-up

Summary: Little Frog is having a birthday party where he invites some other animal friends.  Little Frog's friends names say that they are the opposite color of the color wheel than they actually physically show.  Each friend comes to the party, and throughout the book Mother Frog says that each friend isn't the color that is in their names.  Little Frog tells mother to look harder, and when she does she sees that the colors actually are correct.  

Personal Reaction: I liked this book because it teaches kids complementary colors on the color wheel.  When the reader stares at the black dot in the middle of the page and looks onto the blank page on the right, the color opposite on the color wheel appears in the shape of the animal mentioned on that specific page.  This will get the reader engaged in the book and keep them interested as they read.

Picture Book- Primary

Title: The Very Hungry Catipillar

Author: Eric Carle

Publisher: Philomel Books, 1987

Genre: Primary picture book

Age Range: K-3

Summary: This is the story about a catipillar that is very hungry.  Each day it eats through a different food, but it still hungry for some reason.  After it eats through a leaf, it starts to feel better, and has gained a lot of weight.  Soon, it turns into a cacoon and then turns into a pretty butterfly.

Personal Reaction: I liked this book because it teaches a child many different things.  First, it is a counting book, because it talks about how many things the catipillar eats each day.  It also has some words that could be difficult, but would push a child who is growing in literacy to learn more.  The pages are thick and are easy for a child to grab on to, which will be enjoyable to them.  The pictures are also very childlike so the children can relate and continue to be interested in what they are reading.

Picture Book- Primary

Title: Painting a Rainbow

Author: Lois Ehlert

Publisher: Harcourt, Inc.

Genre: Primary picture book

Age Range: K-3

Summary: This book is about a child that plants a garden of different colored flowers with her mother every Spring/Summer.  They plant some red flowers such as roses, orange flowers such as poppies, yellow flowers-daisies, green plants-ferns, blue flowers-morning glories, and purple flowers such as violets.  The little girl knows that even though the flowers will die each year, she can plant more next Spring/Summer.

Personal Reaction: This book does a good job teaching children about the different colors of the rainbow.  It shows that there are many different variations of each color also.  The book, in another way, can teach the kids spellings of different flowers and other words that they may be unfamiliar with.  The large print in the book will not overwhelm the child when he/she are reading.  The abstract pictures are different than a normal drawing, which will grab the reader's attention and keep them interested.  This book can be used for many purposes, and I think that it would be a positive example for a child to grow in their literacy.

Easy Reader

Title: Olivia

Author: Ian Falconer

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing Division, 2000

Genre: Easy Reader

Age Range: 6 and up

Summary: The book is about a little pig named Olivia who is so active that she sometimes wears herself out.  She wears other people out too, but her brother, Ian, is very interested in what she does.  He sometimes copies what she does, and she gets annoyed at him.  When Olivia goes somewhere she likes to be prepared.  The illustrations show that when Olivia went to the beach she brought swimmies and wore her bathing suit. She learned, from her mother, how to build sand castles and was very good at it.  Sometimes Olivia likes to go to museums.  When she sees that a painting looks like paint was just thrown on a canvas, she goes home and tries it herself.  Her mother reads her three books after talking Olivia down from wanting to read five books, and then she goes to sleep.

Personal Reaction: I liked this book because it taught many different things.  It can teach children to be prepared, it teaches them good hygiene (when Olivia brushes her hair and brushes her teeth), and shows that you should listen to your parents.  This book could be an interesting way to teach children these good habits.  This book is  a positive example of how children act in real life, and how they should act at all times.  It shows the reader that there are other children like them and that other parents require things from their children also.  Overall, the books teaches good lessons that children need to learn at an early age.

Predictable Book

Title: Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See

Author: Bill Martin Jr.

Illustrator: Eric Carle

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company, 1995

Genre: Predictable book

Age Range: 4-6

Summary: This book teaches repetition, as well as colors.  The repetition keeps the child focused and interested in what they're reading.  It talks about different colored animals, and ends with a teacher and her class saying that they see all the previously mentioned animals.  This book also teaches the children colors and what different animals look like.  Making some animals colors that they would not be in real life will teach the children something by showing them that they can have an imagination outside of what they see everyday.

Personal Reaction: I liked the book because it is catchy and the repetition made it interesting.  I liked reading the book out loud to myself so I could hear the rhyming and repetition that went on in the book.  The repetition gives children a chance to talk out loud and this will give them confidence to speak out in front of their classmates.  I read this book when I was in elementary school, so I believe that other children, today, will enjoy it too.

Counting Book

Title: Fish Eyes- A Book You Can Count On

Author: Lois Ehlert

Publisher: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1990

Genre: Counting book

Age Range: K-3

Summary: This book effectively teaches children how to count.  It uses rhyme to keep the children interested as they read, and it uses very colorful picture to grab their attention.  The book is shaped in an unusual manner (rectangular), which would also grab a child's attention.  The artwork that is displayed is simple, yet does a good job in being an interest to a child how is just learning how to count.  With few words on a page, it will not overwhelm the child, and will make them want to learn more.

Personal Reaction: I liked how catchy the book was when I read it.  Even though I already know how to count, it made me want to keep reading to see what kind of fish appear next, and to see what else happens in the story.  I could use this book when teaching children counting methods, as well as using it to help children differentiate colors.

Alphabet Book

Title: Eating the Alphabet

Author: Lois Ehlert

Publisher: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1989

Genre: alphabet book

Age Range: K-3

Summary: This children's book teaches children the different letters of the alphabet.  It also teaches them the use of capital and lowercase letters in writing.  It gives, large, clear, and concise illustrations of each food that is mentioned, which easily grabs the students' attention and makes them want to continue learning.  The book associates food, which children like, with learning words and letters.  Putting something that a child may like and something they don't know together will help them become interested in learning the new concept.

Personal Reaction: I liked the way the book taught children letter/words.  As mentioned before, I like how food is intertwined with learning a new concept that the child may be unsure of.  I like how the pictures of food are bright and vibrant, which easily grabbed my attention and will grab a child's attention also.  I can see myself using this book to teach children the letters of the alphabet and when teaching them word composition too.