Annie and the Wild Animals (1985)

 Annie and the Wild Animals by Jan Brett (1985) is another beautifully illustrated story. For a while, I collected Jan Brett’s books because they are just so gorgeous. I like animals, and there are plenty of animals in Brett’s books. I value her elaborate detail: the printed fabrics, fur coats, pine trees, and narrative borders. Annie's cat has disappeared, so Annie seeks a new animal friend. This story gives us a moose, bobcat, bear, wolf, and more. “There were wild animals everywhere. They roared for their next meal.” While Brett’s animals are stunning, her story is thin and predictable. This is a gorgeous book for the child who loves forest creatures.

     Staci Saunders has a Listening Comprehension Test. MrsPoncesTK has a Story Sequence. Rachele Lynn has Cause and Effect and Summarizing.

 

Carmine the Crow (1992)

      Carmine the Crow by Heidi Holder (1992) has an elegant retro aesthetic. The main character is a crow, intelligent and generous. Despite Carmine’s natural tendency to collect shiny objects, he gives away the sparkling magic stardust he receives as a gift. When a frog croaks miserably that he has no money, Carmine says, “‘Here you are my greenish friend . . . This is stardust. Put a pinch under your pillow and make a wish.’” In so doing, Carmine contributes to the happiness of a birthday celebration, a party he doesn’t attend. I was surprised by the modest ending to this story, but in hindsight I realize it works. 

     

*Ruby the Copycat (1991)

   *Ruby the Copycat by Peggy Rathmannn (1991) is unremarkable in construction, but I give it a star for its topic. I haven’t come across "copycat" as a theme or even as a character trait before now. Ruby is a new student. She copies the ideas and clothing of Angela, the student who sits in front of her. When Angela wears a hand painted T-shirt to school, Ruby returns from lunch unable to sit normally at her desk because she’s wearing a hand painted T-shirt —still wet from paint. The story offers no explanation for Ruby’s behavior, but it doesn’t need to. It works just fine as a story about social skills.

     A Delicacy of Differentiated Instruction has a Differentiated Instruction and SEL. Aimee Wisener has a Grade 2 Text Talk Vocabulary PowerPoint. Kristen's Kreations has a Language Arts Extension Menu.

 

Something Everyone Needs (1996)

      Something Everyone Needs by Marilyn Minkoff (1996) celebrates invention. “Nell liked to make new things.” The first page shows Nell sitting at a table with craft supplies. She’s altering a coat hanger, changing it into something  else, equally as useful. Nell is always searching to create something people need to make life easier. I love Jane McCreary's look of excitement on Nell's face, also the way she leaps up from a period of pensive sitting when an idea comes to her. The flash of brilliance is visible. This is a “Leveled Readers Stage 5” book, which may explain the tedious feeling of the text. Yet the illustrations and narrative overcome this limitation.

     First Grade Festivities has Name That Invention. Mitzy Make It has Summer Themed STEAM Activities - Counting, Shapes, and Inventions. Ms Heather has I Have an Idea Writing Prompt. 

When Sophie Gets Angry — Really, Really Angry . . . (1999)

      When Sophie Gets Angry  — Really, Really Angry . . . by Molly Bang (1999) uses color to compliment Sophie’s journey from play to annoyance to rage and back to play. At the beginning of the story, as Sophie plays with a plush toy and truck, the background is lime green. When her sister interrupts, the colors are pink, yellow and red. Sophie’s rage brings in red and purple. To vent her anger, Sophie runs outdoors. Here are the soothing greens and browns. She’s lucky to access a huge white birch tree that overlooks an expanse of blue water and sky. These calming colors lead her to peace and return to a multitude of colors at home.

     The Book Butterfly has Introducing Take a Break. Rooted Thinkers has When Sophie Gets Angry Interactive Sequencing Activity for Remote Learning.  Liudmila Chizh has a worksheet.

Red: A Crayon's Story (2015)

   Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall (2015) is a concise story about social reactions to nonconformity. A blue crayon wears the label "red." It was mislabeled at the factory. The other crayons try to help the blue crayon to draw as a red crayon. When this fails, they judge it, which certainly doesn’t help. The narrative only hints at the emotional impact of this punishing social commentary. Finally, the "berry" crayon asks the mislabeled crayon draw in its authentic color. This success draws unanimous social praise.

     Miss Vargas - Classroom has Red A Crayon's Story K-2 Activity. MsZ Teach has a word search. Angelica Nagy has Social Emotional Learning: Red: A Crayon's Story. 

*Luba and the Wren (1999)

      *Luba and the Wren by Patricia Polacco (1999) is a heartwarming story. When I look at the cover illustration, I can almost hear the wren in my yard. It’s loud and lyrical voice has brightened many of my mornings and evenings. Luba saves this wren from a fowler's net. (New vocabulary word for me.) The wren is enchanted and offers to grant Luba a wish. “‘But I am content, I have no wish,’” she replies. Ah, but her parents—they have many wishes. They demand that Luba ask the wren to grant their greedy requests. The resolution brings this predictable theme to a surprising and holy end. This is only the second book by Polacco that I’ve read, and I’m hooked. Her illustration style and thoughtful insight will draw me to any of her titles in the future.

     Teaching the "Wright" Way has Luba and the Wren ook Study and Literacy Center Activities. Learning Through Lit has two products: Luba and the Wren Discussion Cards and a Comprehension Digital and Printable. 

 

Change Sings: A Children's Anthem (2021)

      Change Sings: A Children's Anthem by Amanda Gorman illustrated by Lauren Long (2021) "I can hear change humming in its loudest, proudest song. I don't fear change coming, And so I sing along." These words begin this large and colorful picture book depicting young children picking up a playground trash, offering food to a mother, child, and elderly woman. A child accepts a trumpet as they stand beside a fierce looking dog and, by so doing, participates a movement to improve the world. The integration of music and action inspires multicultural harmony.

     Kimberly Scheltz has Amanda Gorman Poetry Quotes & Brief Biography. Math Boardom has Jamboard Social Studies: Amanda Gorman Embry's Expedition Elementary has Difference Makers Influential Young People Posters.

 

One Child, One Planet: Inspiration for the Young Conservationist (2009)

      One Child, One Planet: Inspiration for the Young Conservationist by Bridget McGovern Llewellyn, (2009) is a beautiful book about caring for our planet. "So far as scientists know, earth is a special place. As mankind's favorite planet, we should treat her with kindness and grace." The text introduces climate change, greenhouse gases, melting icebergs, and global warming. Readers learn about using less water, planting trees, and turning off lights in the house. "Three big favors Mother Earth asks: reduce, Reuse, Recycle." The final few pages list actions that children and adults can do for Earth. The photographs by Carl R. Sams II & Jean Stoick are beautiful. The book refers to a website; but I found it no long active.

     Jennifer Fancher has Natural Resources and Conservation. Two Bunhead Teachers has Pollution and Conservation Choice Boards. Endeavors in Education has Animal Conservation Writing.

   

     

Rude Ramsay and the Roaring Radishes (2003)

      Rude Ramsay and the Roaring Radishes (2003) by Margaret Atwood is one of the most unusual picture books I've ever seen! The story is written with as many words that begin with the sound of "r" as could possibly be arranged into comprehensible sentences. For example, " Rude Ramsay resided in a ramshackle rectangular residence with a roof garden, a root cellar, and a revolving door." The entire book is written in this way! Rude Ramsay runs away from his revolting relatives and tunnels through a wall (with "a rubicund rodent"). On the other side of the wall, he finds a garden of radishes "rotating rambunctiously." Beyond the radishes he finds Rillah and a new life. The illustrations by Dusan Petricic complement the idiosyncratic quality of this story. One thing you can say about this book is it is replete with challenging vocabulary for any age reader!

     

 

. . . if you lived with the Iroquois (1998)

      . . . if you lived with the Iroquois by Ellen Levine (1998) has 80 pages of information about this Native American People, neatly organized in a nonfiction format featuring topic headings in bold font. Shelly Hehenberger's illustrations are softly rendered, perhaps filtering out the harshness of wilderness life. Given that this book was published in 1998, I'm not sure how accurate the content is in 2021. This book may not be the best resource for contemporary information about Native American life.

     Kaylyn's Place has Iroquois Longhouses. carlakayana has The Creation Story - Iroquois Legend. Let's Get Real has Native Americans: Discovering the Iroqoius Confederacy Activity Pack. 

 

 

*Bright Dreams: The Brilliant Ideas of Nikola Tesla

      Bright Dreams: The Brilliant Ideas of Nikola Tesla (2020) by Tracy Dockray is an awesome book about the persistence of Nikola Tesla and his passion for electricity. As a young man, he studied engineering but failed in school. He studied electricity so intensely that he couldn't perform his job as a draftsman and electrician. He was obsessed with solving the problems of the DC generator until, one day, he invented the alternator! Yet, this valuable invention was rejected in Europe and America.  Tesla continued, undaunted, despite being cheated by US businessmen. Tesla's prolific contributions to the field did not result in fortune. "With time, forgotten and ignored, Tesla retreated to his pigeons and lived alone and in poverty until he died at age 86." This book has scientific annotations in sidebars, a glossary, a timeline, selected bibliography, and suggested readings. I loved this book.   

     Canopy Science has Nikola Tesla Activity using BrainPop. The Efficient Science Teacher has Nikola Tesla - Diorama/Cutout - Scientists Through the Ages. Science with Miss S has Scientist of the Month -Scientist Profile.