Super S Squad: Backpack is a book that is about lightning that strikes the Super Squad headquarters and strikes the backpacks which causes them to come alive. Rollo, the robot, helps the Squad figure out what has happened. The lightning strikes again and causes the backpacks to go back to normal.

I enjoyed reading this book because my professor wrote this book. It is always fun to see the imagination of the ones you know.

In the classroom, a teacher can use this book to teach how lightning can affect things. Not necessarily backpacks coming alive, but how lightning can break things. My air conditioner got stroke by lightning and caused it to no longer work. In the classroom, the students can be taught how electricity and lightning do not mix.

Super S Squad Get Out is about kids that get done with all their chores and start to sit down to watch TV, sit down on the sofa, and were trying to read a book until Jen comes in tells them to get outside and play and enjoy the sun. He shows them that they can ride bikes, they can climb trees, and they can fly kites.

I can relate with the book because my children are more prone to want to sit down and watch T.V. and read books. I can encourage them when the weather is good to go out and play.

In the classroom, the book can be used to encourage children that want to just sit down on the playground and not get active. It can encourage students to play on the swing set or merry-go-round.

Super S Squad Play Grounded is a book of kids that get done with all their chores and want to play, but it is raining outside and to wet. They think there is nothing to do except for watch the rain and be bored until Rollo, the robot, suggest bring the playground inside. The kids are excited when Rollo lets them swing off his arms and climb on his back. Rollo rolls across the room with the kids using him as a ride. The kids were so excited to get to play inside after all.

I can relate to this book because when I was a kid it was hard for me to find something to do in the house when there was bad weather. My parents always told me to find something to do whether it be get a book, or play in my room. If only I had a robot to keep me company.

In the classroom, this book can be used on a rainy day show more when the kids cannot go outside and play. I would read this book and then let them use their imagination to explore what they can find in the classroom to keep them busy with one another. It would be interesting to see which kid would grab a book to read, or which kid would play with the toys. show less

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White is a book about a little girl named Fern who realizes her dad is about to kill a runt from their litter of pigs. She promises to take care of it and her dad allows her to do so. She names the pig Wilbur. Her dad eventually says it is time to get rid of it and tells her she can sell it to her uncle for six dollars. Her uncle buys the pig from her and Fern is able to go visit Wilbur whenever she wants. Wilbur is a joyful little pig who wants to play with all the other animals in the barn, but all the other animals do not want to play. The animals in the barn tell Wilbur that he is going to get butchered where all the other pigs do. Charlotte, a Cavatica spider, and Templeton, the rat who doesn't care about anyone but himself, sets out a plan to help save Wilbur. The rat finds words from the newspaper for Charlotte to spin at night and the two of them together make the town go crazy about the pig.

I can relate to Fern wanting to save every animal. Growing up, I was not allowed to have hardly any pets. My parents finally gave in and got our family a dog, but it ran away. I wanted to take care of it so bad.

In the classroom, I would talk about spiders. We would learn how spiders spin their web and then I would let children use yarn to glue down a design of their spiders web.

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Because of Winn-Dixie is a fabulous book about a ten year old girl named Opal, her dad whom she calls the preacher, and a stray dog that Opal claims at the grocery store. Opal and the preacher have just moved to Florida so her dad can preach. Opal is very lonely until she rescues Winn-Dixie out of the grocery store. She convinces her dad to let her keep the dog by telling him "he always says to take care of the less fortunate." Her dad agrees to letting her have the dog and the dog has become Opal’s new best friend. Winn-Dixie is great a meeting new people and helps Opal find new friends. In the process of her meeting new friends, she realizes that you should never judge a book by its cover. She becomes friends with the elderly, a guy that has been in jail, a girl that is five years younger than her, and finally some boys that have been mean to her. The friends and Winn-Dixie help fill the void that Opal is feeling because of the abandonment of her mother when Opal was three. Her dad was busy with church work and Opal felt pretty alone until she had a big party for her new friends and realized how grateful she was for the people who were in her life now.

I really enjoyed this book and have even tried to convince my son to read the book. It really deals with many issues that people deal with through their lives – loneliness, abandonment, friendships, and alcohol. The way that it is written is so well thought out. It is easy reading show more for an eight year, but will keep the interest of an adult.

In the classroom, I think this would be a great chapter book to read aloud and have discussion after each chapter. Each chapter could be spent talking about a different topic. For example loneliness -how they can help be a friend to another person, moving – how hard it is to make new friends, judging people - how they could be missing out on a great friendship without making an effort in getting to know someone. This would also be a great book if a child is going through a divorce in their family, if they are having a hard time making friends, if they have had a death in the family. It covers so many issues that could be used after reading the chapters. show less

Calabazas Pumpkins is a book about when and how to grow pumpkins in English or Spanish. The farmer explains that pumpkin seeds need to be planted in the spring and they go through a growing process and will be ready to pick during the fall after they are orange and ripe.

I enjoyed reading this book because my kids are always asking if we can grow our own fruit and vegetables. If I had a large area I would plant some pumpkin seeds for the kids, but I don’t. I did plant this year some honeydew seeds and they have flowers on them just like the pumpkins do. The kids are having fun watching the process.

In the classroom, I would ask the principal if I could take an area of the school grounds and have students plant a pumpkin patch. I would use this for the kids to watch the process throughout the year and when it was time to pick them, I would let each kid take one home and maybe if the pumpkin patch was successful, the school could use it as a fundraiser during the fall. If of course the principal would not allow for a pumpkin patch field, I would buy a pumpkin from Wal-Mart and bring it to the school and let the kids dig all the pumpkin seeds out and then carve a pumpkin for our classroom. I would also give them a construction paper and let them make a jack lantern face with many different shapes for the eyes, nose, and mouth to choose from.

Fire Trucks and Rescue Vehicles by Jean Coppendale is a book about many different types of rescue vehicles that can save people’s lives. For example fire trucks, helicopters, police cars, airport fire trucks, harbor fire boat, ocean rescue, ambulance, and motorcycle patrols. There are many different ways that rescue teams go out and help people in case of a fire or an emergency. The book shows pictures of helicopters picking up water and delivering it to where the fire is. It also shows the fire engine truck's ladder way up in the air leaned against a building for the fire men to spray their hose and put the fire out. The pictures in these books are very good for kids to understand what is taking place.

I can relate to this book because I have several family members that work for the fire department and wildlife refuge. Both men put out fires but in a completely different way. One puts out forest fires or prescribed burns and the other puts out house or business fires. It is interesting to learn about the different ways that men and women go out every day to help someone in need or to put out a fire.

In the classroom, after reading this book to the children you can ask kids if they have family members that work in any of different fields that were mentioned in the book. A teacher can also get a collection of pictures off the internet and have children talk about the different things they learned about that certain picture from the book. Print out the different types of show more emergency vehicles and allow the children to pick which one is their favorite and have them color it and write a make believe story of how their favorite rescue person came to rescue them or someone special to them. show less

Coats of Many Colors by Dolly Parton

Coats of Many Colors is about a family that is not very rich. One day a mother decides to make her daughter a coat out of scraps of material that she had. She worked on it and after she made it she gave it to her daughter. Her daughter was so proud of it and wore it to school. The kids made fun of her because of it, but she still loved it because her mother made it for her.

I can relate to this story because it reminds me of the story in the Bible “The Coat of Many Colors” that Joseph was given to by his dad. I have read this story to my kids, the kids at the church, and my Sunday school class. It is an all time favorite Bible story of all ages. I think kids like it because it reminds them how special things are when they get something very special from their parent. My daughter, if she could, would save everything I give her. She knows how old she was, where she was, and what she was doing when I gave her something special.

In the classroom, you could have each day be a show and tell day. Each day, a bag could be sent home for the child to fill with something that is very special to them and let them share why it is so important. Then read the book and let the child that has brought something to class explain why they chose what they did to bring it for show and tell.

Cheyenne Again by Eve Bunting

Cheyenne is about a little Indian boy named Young Bull that is taken away by the police man. The police man takes him to the white man’s school where he is forced to learn the white man’s ways. He finds himself very lonely and learning about only how the white men defeated the Indians. He recalls pictures and memories of how he saw the white man being killed, but no one told that side of the story. After running away, he is found and they authorities place a ball and chain around his ankle. He likes one of his teachers and she encourages him to never forget where he comes from and not to forget his roots.

I have heard this history lesson many times, but never can relate to how the Indians felt. I understand being the underdog or having to prove to someone I was of worth, but not to the extent of someone making me take on their values, taking away everything that I know and changing the way I live.

In the classroom, the book could be used to help tell the history of the white man taking over the Indians land. A teacher can talk about what things were taken away from the Indians, the new lifestyles that they lived, and how this made the Indians feel. The kids can make a mobile that has the way the Indians lived on one side before their land was taken and on the other side of the mobile it can show the changes that happened to them after the land was taken.

Loving by Ann Morris is a book about the different ways different cultures do things. The main focus is to show kids that even though they may look different on the outside everyone is the same and they are all loved. This book has great pictures for kids to look at. One picture shows how kids take a bath in a tin bucket and then another shows a mother dumping water over a kids head in the middle of the street. It shows kids that are not use to that kind of bathing it still works and their mothers love them to. It shows kids how other parts of the world do things just like they have to do, but not necessarily the same way they were brought up.

I can relate to this book because my husband and I have many foreign exchange students come through our youth ministry program and we get to learn about the many different cultural differences they have. I always learn so much from our foreign exchange students and realize many of the things they do back home are the same as me, but maybe done a little differently. I always miss them when they return back home.

In the classroom, this book can be used to teach kids how other cultures do certain things. I would read the book aloud and see if the kids can tell me what the children in the book are doing. Once they figure out what the children are doing, I would ask them to tell me if it is how they do things. For instance, they would either say the same or different. Then have the kids tell how they do things. For example the bath scene, show more most children do not take a bath in a bucket they use a tub - they would say different and explain they take a bath in the tub. After the book is completed, and the children understand different cultures do some things differently, I would explain that although they do things differently they are still loved and we should treat others the same way. show less

No is No Si is Yes by Ana Galan is a book that has vibrant pages to get kids attention. Throughout the book, it has funny pictures to teach kids how to learn to speak in Spanish. The main reading of the book is written in English and teaches a few of the Spanish words such as hands, fingers, cold, and hot to name a few.

I can relate all to well with this book right now in my life. I am taking a Beginning Spanish class and surprisingly I could actually recognize some of the words. My kids are also learning Spanish in their school and would really enjoy this book to see how much knowledge they have.

In the classroom, this book could be helpful to teach Spanish to the children. I would read the entire book in one setting and throughout the semester work page to page with the children. For instance, use the first page and read the English word to the children and then say the Spanish word to them. Have the students pronounce the word back. Then I would have them go back to their desk/table and have them write out the word and then draw a picture of the word that we have talked about for that day.

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park

Junie B. Jones is about a little kindergartner that is afraid of going to school on the big yellow bus. Junie B. has met her teacher and thinks that school could be fun, but getting on the big yellow bus is not what she wants to do. After a sleepless night, she has to get ready to get on the bus and is very much afraid. As her mom pushes her up the steps, Junie B. tries to sit with a girl and gets turned down. After what seems like an eternity to her, the bus finally makes it to school. Junie B.’s teacher takes the kids on a tour of the school and shows them all around. As the end of the school day approaches, she realizes that she has to get back on that stupid smelly bus and makes a point to be last in line. This way she is not noticed when she slips out of line then proceeds to hide. Junie hides in a secret hiding place until she thinks it is safe to come out. She goes and enjoys all the places that she took a tour on when all of a sudden she has to go to the bathroom. She finds out that all the doors are locked and she thought to herself that this is an emergency and calls 911. She is rescued by the janitor and many others, such as the police department, fire department, the principal, the teacher, and her mom. She got in a little bit of trouble but she didn’t have to ride that bus home. Her mom realized how scared Junie B. was to get back on that bus and made a phone call to one of her school friends and the show more two of them got to sit together on the bus.

I can relate to this book because since I have started school, my kids have had to ride the bus. They were both excited, but at the same time were a little nervous. They both sat with each other to help each other feel safe until they found friends that ride the same bus. They are both comfortable now and are excited to ride the bus to school and back home. They even race down to the end of the street to wave to the bus driver as she finishes her route in our addition.

In the classroom, this book can be helpful for the kids that do ride the bus and are nervous about getting back on it. This book can help those kids relate and help them feel as if they are not alone. This book can also be helpful when talking about taking a tour of the school. I would have the kids draw on construction paper what the school looks like from the different areas that they toured that day and draw the different ways that they will go home for the day, whether it is there parents picking them up or going on the bus home. show less

Junie B. Jones Has a Monster Under Her Bed.

Junie B. Jones has several books that young children love. Junie B. Jones is a typical little girl with an extraordinary imagination. Throughout the book series Junie B. Jones sentence structure is much like a kindergarten would talk. She has an attitude and acts a lot like a kindergarten kid. "Junie B. Jones Has a Monster Under Her Bed" is a story about Junie B. getting bullied by some friends. They give her a hard time and tell her that a monster lives under her bed. Junie B. rushes home after taking the dreaded school pictures to let her family know so they can get rid of the monster. Junie B.'s family does nothing about it and assures her that there is not a monster living under her bed. Not being convinced she attempts to go and sleep with her parents and when she is not successful there she goes and hops in her baby brother's crib until her dad catches her. Junie B. finds her self very tired the next day at school and her friend tells her the secret on how to get rid of the monster. Her friend convinces her that her family will have to suck the monster up with a vacuum cleaner and smash it with a kitchen compactor. Junie B. rushes home and tells her grandma and they attempt to do just that, but there is a slight problem, they did not have a trash compactor. The grandma comes up with another plan and runs over the monster in the vacuum bag with her car. Junie B. Jones is still worried because it was not done the right way to show more get rid of the monster, but then gets her school pictures back and realizes they are scary enough to get rid of the monster. That is just what she did. She cut up her school picture and placed them all under her bed to scare the monster away.

I can relate with this book because Junie B. Jones books are my sons favorite books to read. I can hear him turning the pages of this book and laughing at the way Junie B. Jones talks and acts.

This book could be used to talk about imagination, bullying, or problem solving. I like the way the grandma handle the monster. Even though she did not have a trash compactor, she figured out how to flatten the monster. For the class project I would have a list of problems and go around the classroom and ask the students how they would solve the problem. I would use the same problem and see how many solutions the kids could come up with. show less

One, Two, Skip A Few! First Number Rhymes illustrated by Roberta Arenson

One, Two, Skip A Few! First Number Rhymes is a poetry book that has rhymes that deal with counting numbers or adding numbers with things for example of chicken eggs, fishes, animals and food such as potatoes.

I can relate to this book because my daughter is at the level of learning how to count and sometimes she skips a few numbers in between and this would be a fun book to learn her numbers with her in a rhythm.

In the classroom, a teacher can use this book to help students in their counting. One part of the book says one potato, two potato, three potato, four; five potato, six potato, seven potato, more. During this section, the teacher can bring some potatoes from home and lay them out and have the kids count them. Also, a teacher can make a game of it and have students sit in a circle and start passing one potato to the next person then add another potato and sing the poem out loud. Continue adding the potatoes to add to the fun of adding the potatoes. This game could get pretty loud, but the kids will have fun keeping up with the children passing the potatoes and counting them.

Take Me Out of the Bathtub and other silly dilly songs by Alan Katz

Take Me Out of the Bathtub and other silly dilly songs is a collection of poems that have a familiar tune to them to sing along. They are very funny poems such as children cleaning their bedrooms, tying their shoelaces, and stinky diapers.

I can relate to this set of poem collections because I love to sing while cleaning with my children and this book does just that. This book makes me want to read this to my children when it comes to cleaning their rooms or taking a bath and make light of our chores instead of it being a drag.

In the classroom, you can use this book to help children learn a poem while they are cleaning or learning how to tie their shoes. For tying their shoes, you can get paper plates and use a whole puncher and put holes in it for the place for shoe laces. The teacher can make up a cute poem to a song and let the children practice tying their shoe laces.

This book is about a little critter that forgets to do important chores around the house. Things that he forgets to do are things like feeding the dog and watering the flowers, just to name a few. The pictures in the book make it appear that when the critter forgets things it affects everything. The end of the story the critter realizes that even though he forgets a lot of things one thing he never forgets is to have a bed time story and to get his good night kiss.

I can relate to this story because my kids have chorus around the house that need to done to help out the family. They forget to get some things done, although not life or death, but it does have an effect on our family. It affects whether we can go places, or leave on time, or have the things we need.

In the classroom, students love having their own job or task. When assigning task at the beginning of the year, you could read this book and explain that they may forget things. Also explain that when they forget to do things that it may have an effect on what happens throughout the day, but that you will not be upset with them that you will try to be encouraging to them. This might have a positive effect on their behavior because children love positive reinforcement. You can award the child at the end for remember their task.

This book is about a little critter that forgets to do important chores around the house. Things that he forgets to do are things like feeding the dog and watering the flowers, just to name a few. The pictures in the book make it appear that when the critter forgets things it affects everything. The end of the story the critter realizes that even though he forgets a lot of things one thing he never forgets is to have a bed time story and to get his good night kiss.

I can relate to this story because my kids have chorus around the house that need to done to help out the family. They forget to get some things done, although not life or death, but it does have an effect on our family. It affects whether we can go places, or leave on time, or have the things we need.

In the classroom, students love having their own job or task. When assigning task at the beginning of the year, you could read this book and explain that they may forget things and that it may affect on what can happen throughout the day, but that you will not be upset with them that you will try to be encouraging to them. This might have a positive effect on their behavior because children love positive reinforcement. You can award the child at the end for remember their task.

Mary's pet lamb followed her to school, but the twist on this traditional book now is that the lamb is not allowed to stay. The teacher takes the lamb outside and leaves it there. The lamb waits patiently outside the window all day waiting for Mary to come out and play.

I can relate to this book because it was an all time favorite nursery rhyme of mine growing up. My mom use to sing this song to me over and and over. I could imagine a lamb going to school with me and having so much fun playing on the play ground with it.

For classroom purposes, the students can learn that their pets will be at home waiting for them when the they get home. The student can draw or paint their favorite animal and draw it next to their house. They can also make lambs out of cotton balls on construction paper showing that they learned what a lamb looks like.

The spider attempted several times to crawl up several items, but was knocked down on every attempt. The last attempt the spider finally climbed up a tree without getting knocked out of the way and was able to spin her web. Once the spider was done spinning her web she relaxed in the sun.

I can relate to this book because many times I get frustrated when I attempt things and either get my ideas shot down or I can not figure out how to do something. This book reminds me not to give up, but to keep trying and eventually I will be successful.

This book can be used when children get frustrated when they are learning how to read or the first time they have to learn how to do math and they just don't get it. Teach the students that some things will be hard for them, but with practice and persistence they will eventually get it.

Hansel and Gretel is a story of a poor wood cutter that can’t provide for his wife and two children, Hansel and Gretel. His wife in frustration sets up a plan to get rid of the two children deep into the forest and leave them there. The kids overhear the plan and Hansel gets prepared for it by finding rocks that glisten at night to leave for a trail to allow them to get back home. The family sets out and the mother’s plan works until she finds them next morning back at the house because the children were able to follow the glistening rocks back home. She got mad and does the plan back over again, but the next time locks the front doors so that Hansel can’t get out too get any rocks. They traveled out the next morning without any rocks but Hansel decides to drop the bread crumbs that his mother gave him thinking that would be their trail. When the moon came up the children tried to find their way back, but they realize the birds ate the bread crumbs. As they got lost deep into the forest they came across a ginger bread house that was loaded with all kinds of yummy goodies, but an old lady came out. She was a witch that kept them there to torture. Her plan was to eat Hansel, but this time Gretel outsmarted the old lady and pushed her into the oven. She burned up to ashes. Before the kids made their journey back home they took all of the jewels and riches and went back to find their house. They found it and found out that their mother passed away, but their dad was show more there and they were able to give him all the riches they got.

I did not particularly care for this story for my young children. I feel it gives them the idea that if bad things are going on in their family, such as finances, they will feel like they will be given away. I feel like this will give them insecurities and make them wonder if my husband and I would ever do this to them and then let someone take care of them that is even worse than what is at home. I think the positive side that can be taught from this book is that if there are struggles at home for the kid to think they that can try to help even if it is a little and that it will be looked upon gratefully.

A positive way to implement this book into a lesson plan is to make a chart of important number in case of an emergency. Give the students construction paper and let them draw picture of important numbers for example the police and write out 911. Have them draw a picture of their caretaker (whether it be mom, dad, or grandparents, etc.) and have them put a space for their caretaker to help them put their telephone number on it. Place magnets on the back of the construction paper for the children to take home and hang on their refrigerator. Let the students know if there is an emergency they can call these numbers. show less

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
“Where the Wild Things Are”, is about a little boy named Max that got in trouble for smarting off to his mom. His mom sent him to his room without any dinner and while he was in his room he started using his imagination. He began to imagine trees and more trees until he imagined the world around him. As he sailed the ocean for weeks to years, he was journeying to where the wild things were. Once he got there, all the wild things were trying to intimidate him, but he told them to stop and they did. They then crowned him as king of all the wild things. After dancing around, he told the wild things to stop and that they were not getting any dinner then he sent them off to bed. Max started getting lonely and decided to make the journey back home and said his goodbyes and entered back into his room where his mom had left him his dinner and it was nice and warm.

I picked this book because my son liked the scenery and the scary looking monsters, but there is more to this story than those two things. I can relate to this book because many times my children have to be taught to respect authority. As my children realize the importance of not being rude and smarting off, privileges are given back to them. It is sometimes hard to set consequences, but children will realize it is very lonely when they get in trouble (just as Max did).

This book could be used during the first couple of days of school on learning procedures. Teachers can show more read this book and talk about some of the consequences that could happen if students don't follow the procedures or are disrespectful to a teacher or another student. show less

Crazy Hair Day is a book about Stanley a school age student that gets his dates mixed up and thinks it is crazy hair day and not school picture day. As he arrives at school, he overhears the teacher giving the announcement about crazy hair day being next week and realizes his mistake. He spends most of his day hiding out in the bathroom because of his embarrassment. After many attempts of his friend trying to coax him out of the bathroom, his friend tells him that class pictures wouldn’t be the same without him. When Stanley finally comes out of the bathroom, he is embraced with all of his fellow classmates wearing their hair in crazy styles. This book shows through embarrassing moments friends should stick together and ease the pain of embarrassment.

I can relate with this book because my daughter does not like to draw any attention to her if it is going to embarrass her whatsoever. I’m always apologizing to her not realizing that I am embarrassing her by mistake. This would be a great book for those that get embarrassed easily and for those that make fun of people when they get embarrassed. It can be used to teach children to not make fun, but to be nice to people when they make a mistake.

In the classroom, a teacher can pull this book out when a kid is making fun of another student for making a mistake or that gets embarrassed by something. When reading the book, show the students the extremes people will go through when they are embarrassed (such as hiding in the show more bathroom). Then show them how good it feels when students help make other students feel comfortable in embarrassing situations. show less

“The Perfect Puppy for Me” by Jane O’Connor and Jessie Hartland
This is a story of a little boy that wants to get a dog and would like to have it picked out for his birthday. He learns everything there is to know about dogs and what specific details need to be done with certain kinds of dogs. Example: he learns that bull dogs don’t live very long and they don’t like the heat – the little boy decides that he needs a dog that is going to live for a very long time and that likes to play outside with him. This book is filled with many funny things about dogs to make kids laugh.

I can personally relate to this book because number one my son brought it home from school as one of his library books to read. The second thing is my son is always asking for a dog and with our schedule I feel that we would not be able to take good care of one. This book gives many details of how much maintenance goes into taking care of them.

In the classroom, we could have a career day and have a veterinarian come and talk with the students about animals and teach the kids how to take care of them. After the book is read and the veterinarian has given the kids all the details about specifics of taking care of animals, we could give the students the opportunity to imagine which animal they would like to own. Have students draw the picture of what animal they would own and draw them doing all the responsibilities that it would take in taking care of their animal. Then allow them to share it show more with their classmates. Post their pictures on the wall. show less