I Like Myself! By Karen Beaunmont, illustrated by David Catrow, is a fun picture book that focuses on self-acceptance and having confidence. The main theme is to like yourself no matter what people think and what you look like. The author uses lines like “I like me,” to make sure that readers can understand the message. The illustrations are also a big part of the story. They show that no matter how much your appearance changes that your confidence should stay the same. This also helps the readers understand the character’s personality and what they are thinking about themselves. This is a good book for kids because it can help them be more confident in themselves and not care what others think.

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park is a funny realistic fiction story about being scared or nervous about new things. The main theme is the fear of change. This is shown by Junie B.’s fear or anxiety about riding the school bus. The story is more meaningful because it is told in first-person narrative. This also makes it sound real and childish. Her character is really relatable for readers because she talks and acts in ways that feel real, even when she gets dramatic. The main conflict is Junie B. vs the bus. In the end she is more open to trying the bus with her friend which shows character development. This book is also relatable because a lot of kids feel nervous about new experiences, especially school.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate is a realistic fiction story about having a restricted life, friendship, and finding your purpose. This story feels more meaningful because it is told in first-person by Ivan. One big theme is control vs. freedom. This is demonstrated by the separation between human and animals. When Ruby arrives it changes Ivan’s perspective on things, he eventually feels like there is more of a purpose to his life. He starts to be more protective and even cares more, which shows growth. Through Ivan’s drawings you can see he is trying to represent hope and a better future. This book is different from the normal realistic fiction books because it shows real life issues from an animal's point of view. This book's message is strong but easy to understand.

Judy Mood Was in a Mood by Megan McDonald and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds is a realistic fiction chapter book about a girl who was in a very strong “bad mood,” especially when school and things did not go her way. The main focus is dealing with emotions and learning how to handle them in your life. Judys reactions are big and dramatic so it feels real for kids her age, and shows that she iis a well-developed character. The author uses humor, dialoque, and hyperbole to show Judy’s personality, which makes the story fun to read. The illustrations add to the tone of the story and show Judy’s emotions. In the end of the book Judy shows character growth by turning her bad situations into something more creative like her class presentation. This book is relatable for kids because it shows kids bad situations in a funny way like school problems, friendship moments, and bad days.

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin and illustrated by James Dean is a picture book that uses repetition and rhythm. The main focus of this story is staying positive even when things go wrong, which is shown by Pete’s reaction to each situation. Pete is shown to have a calm and positive personality while he continues singing even when he gets upset about his shoes changing colors. This book is easy for kids to follow along because it uses repetition like, “I love my … shoes.” The color changes act as a form of symbolism for unexpected problems and how Pete’s reaction shows how to handle them. This is a good story for children because it teaches them about not overreacting to small problems and staying positive. This message is very clear and easy to understand.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney uses first-person narrative that shows a perspective from someone that is in middle school and the challenges they go through. The theme of the story is popularity and being a kid just trying to fit in. Greg Heffley tries many different ways to become popular. This book shows Greg's flaws like being selfish and blaming others, which is something that readers can relate to and learn from. This book also uses illustrations to help readers see Greg's emotions and ideas, it also adds visual humor. This fits into the realistic fiction genre because it focuses on Greg’s daily life. He shows the challenges as a kid while just trying to become popular, dealing with friendship conflicts with Rowley, feeling embarrassed in school situations, struggling with family problems, and dealing with the “Cheese Touch.” This book is relatable for children because it shows the embarrassing and challenging parts of growing up.

How to Catch a Leprechaun by Adam Wallace and illustrated by Andy Elkerton, is a picture book that uses rhyme, humor, and illustrations to tell a fun St. Patrick’s Day story. The theme of the book is creativity and problem solving, and it is shown through all the traps the children built to catch the leprechaun. The leprechaun’s character is confident and sneaky, which is shown through his actions by escaping every trap and leaving tricks behind. He leaves behind glitter, gold coins, and even green toilet water. The illustrations support the text by showing the creative traps and the craziness the leprechaun caused. The book encourages imagination and creativity.

The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond is a picture book that uses imagination and has a theme of kindness and shows how to give to others. Cornelia Augusta catches hearts that magically fall from the sky and turns them into Valentines that she gives to her friends. She carefully chooses how to design each card based on who she was giving them to. The hearts act as symbolism, showing love, friendship, and thoughtfulness. The illustrations also are an important part in the book because they help readers see the different hearts and see how creative Cornelia Augusta is. She still makes Valentines for her friends even when the magical rain of hearts stops, this shows that you can be kind no matter what. This makes the book meaningful for young readers because it encourages them to be kind to others.

The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming and illustrated by Nichola Slater, theme is the change in nature. Squirrel is the main character and believes someone is stealing the leaves from his trees. The Squirrel is anxious and dramatic while the Bird is calm. The Bird also explains that the wind causes the leaves to fall. The difference between the characters helps develop the theme and creates a clear understanding. The author uses repetition and humor while the Squirrel accuses others of being the “leaf thief.” The illustrations are an important part of the book by showing the leaves changing colors and the Squirrels reactions. This is a good picture book because the illustrations and text work together to help the readers understand seasonal change.

The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill, illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith, is based on a theme of bullying and how friendship can change how someone acts. In the beginning of the story, Mean Jean is known for being the “recess queen” because she would control the playground. Through characterization and exaggerated repetition, the author shows how much power she has over the other kids. When Katie Sue gets introduced she acts as the conflict in the narrative because she is challenging the power of Mean Jean. Katie Sue is not scared of Mean Jean, she wants to include her in jump roping. The illustrations are bright and full of movement. The readers are able to understand Mean Jeans' emotional shift easier by the illustrations. In the end, Mean Jean stops bullying and starts to play with the others, which shows character development. This story is a good story for children because it shows that kindness and confidence can stop someone from bullying. The book also uses humor and visual storytelling to teach an important lesson that kids can understand.

Magic Tree House Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne is a story about a fun adventure. In the beginning, Jack is careful and cautious and Annie always wants to explore and take risks. By the end of the book Jack becomes more confident and wants to take more risks. This book fits the adventure and fantasy genre by showing unexpected challenges and magical traveling. Osborne uses descriptive details about the dinosaur making them easy to imagine as the reader. She also uses the treehouse as a symbol of imagination and learning. This book teaches an important lesson about problem solving, being brave, and working together. This is a good book series for kids to learn new things.

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch is the opposite of a usual princess story. The main theme is independence and being brave. Elizabeth takes it upon herself to go save Prince Ronald, while in a paper bag, and does not wait for help. Elizabeth's character development is great because she starts as a typical princess but becomes strong and confident, while Ronald turns out to be selfish. The paper bag is a representation of Elizabeth’s resourcefulness and she showed that it is not your clothes that make you a hero. I liked how this book showed that being smart and brave matters more than looking “perfect.”

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson is a picture book about feeling different and learning how to belong. The main theme of the book is finding confidence in who you are. The character feels left out in the beginning of the book when others are sharing their experiences, which shows having trouble with confidence and helps readers understand their emotions. By the end, the character grows by sharing their own story, showing the character's development. Woodson’s uses second person narration making the reader feel like they are a part of the book, which makes children more interested. This book helps children learn empathy, confidence, and acceptance.

The Invisible String by Patrice Karst is about love and how it keeps people connected, even when they are not together. The book shows this through Liza and Jeremy, they are twins who are scared during a storm. Their mom explains the “invisible string,” which is a symbol for love that you can not see but can feel in your heart. The twins start to feel safe and they show how they grow from being scared to understanding that love never goes away. Karst uses the invisible string as a way to show love between people, and the twins' questions make the story feel relatable. For kids, this book teaches them about love, connection, and how to deal with fear. I liked this book because it reminded me that even if I am not next to someone, I can still be connected to them.

In I Was So Mad, Mercer Mayer shows what kids feel like after they keep getting told no and feel like no one is listening. The main character asks if he can keep the frogs in the bathtub, play in his little sisters dollhouse, and water the garden but he keeps getting told no and you can feel the anger. Mayer uses repetition, like saying "I was so mad,” which helps readers understand how strong and constant those feelings are. The pictures help the readers understand better too, they show the character’s emotions in a way that is relatable. By the end, the character learns that even when things do not go the way they want, there are still ways to have fun, like playing with friends at the park.