Smile: How Young Charlie Chaplin Taught the World to Laugh by Gary Golio Illustrated by Ed Young Published in 2019 Read aloud to elementary aged studentSmile: How Young Charlie Chaplin Taught the World to Laugh by Gary Golio Illustrated by Ed Young Published in 2019 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about a little boy who roamed the streets of London as he was hungry and needed to find something to live for. His dad had left and his mom was an on stage performer. He decided to take up his moms career and perform for people to entertain them. He would bring up something sad but he knew that humor and sadness go together, knowing this, he decided to make a career out of performing and entertaining for people. I liked reading this book as it was interesting to see the complete flip of this boys life, from poor and career-less to becoming a world famous entertainer. I would recommend this book in any classroom as it has a good story-line and message for its readers....more
Meet Miss Fancy by Irene Latham Illustrated by John Holyfield Published in 2019 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book that is set prior to tMeet Miss Fancy by Irene Latham Illustrated by John Holyfield Published in 2019 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book that is set prior to the Civil Rights Movement about a boy who has prioritized challenging the laws regarding segregation. The book begins with Frank who is obsessed with Elephants and shows interest in an elephant that is going to retire soon, Miss Fancy. The book addresses conflict with race that was prevalent back in the day as Frank was not allowed to be in the park as it is for white people. This makes him sad so he make a plan and writes to the city council to figure out a way he can meet the elephant. Does he succeed? I enjoyed reading this book as it was a reminder of how things used to be in our society and should be discussed in the present day. I would recommend this book in all classrooms as it advocates for race....more
Anya's Secret Society by Yevgenia Nayberg Published in 2019 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about a young artist who lives in RussiAnya's Secret Society by Yevgenia Nayberg Published in 2019 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about a young artist who lives in Russia but she resides in a society where it is seen as wrong to be left handed. She wanted to create art and was really good at it but felt that her talent would be best if kept a secret. Then her family immigrates to America and no longer feels the need to have to confine her identity I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to be in any classroom as it would support student who are facing the same situation....more
The Crayon Man: the True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons by Natascha Biebow Illustrated by Steven Salerno Published in 2019 Read aloud to elemThe Crayon Man: the True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons by Natascha Biebow Illustrated by Steven Salerno Published in 2019 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about the creation of the crayola crayon. It begins by discussing the previous versions of the crayon and then moving to the stages leading up to how the crayola crayon came to be. I enjoyed reading this book but I would only have it in my classroom if I had a student who was interested in how things worked and were created. ...more
Honeysmoke: A story of Finding Your Color by Monique Fields Illustrated by Yesenia Moises Published in 2019 Read aloud to early elementary aged studentsHoneysmoke: A story of Finding Your Color by Monique Fields Illustrated by Yesenia Moises Published in 2019 Read aloud to early elementary aged students. This book is about a girl named Simone who is trying to find out her identity, among many other things like what color she is. Throughout the book she is searching for someone to give her a straight answer of what color she is as her mom is black and her dad is white. She remembers a time in her life where she was with her grandmother and collected the name to call herself, Honeysmoke. I would recommend this book as it lightly touches the race topic and would be one to have in the classroom if you have students who are looking to find their identity....more
My Heart by Corinna Luyken Published in 2019 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about the many different ways that your heart can feelMy Heart by Corinna Luyken Published in 2019 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about the many different ways that your heart can feel. Such as being sad, or overwhelmed, but also the positive things your heart can feel such as opening your heart. It focuses on begin willing to open your heart even if it is closed and wanting to be away from everyone else. I was interested in this book while reading it because of the way that the pictures and the words work together in the story. I would recommend this book for classrooms where there are students who need to feel like their emotions are manageable....more
Because by Mo Willems Illustrated by Amber Ren Published in 2019 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about a musical journey which shoBecause by Mo Willems Illustrated by Amber Ren Published in 2019 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about a musical journey which shows the little things that add up to the big things. One "because" after the next sequence what all goes into making music. The book centers on a girl who was in the audience of the performance who heard the music and was inspired by what she heard to learn how to play musical instruments. The book talks about how much practice and hard work that goes into learning and becoming good at an instrument and playing music. I enjoyed reading this book as the illustrations were beautiful and the book was just well thought out and constructed. I would recommend this book to be in all classrooms as it could spark a desire for students to be interested in learning how to play music....more
Just Like a Mama by Alice Faye Duncan Illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow Published in 2019 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is aboJust Like a Mama by Alice Faye Duncan Illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow Published in 2019 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about a girl named Carol Olivia Clementine who lives with her Mama Rose who is her adopted parent. Just because Carol has parents, doesn't mean that she isn't missing her real parents. She learns that the love she is receiving right now is all she has and is dependent on that. She learns to ride a bike and clean her room as these are things that her Mama Rose teachers her to do and any mom desires to give her child. Carol realizes that her Mama Rose truly loves her even if there is no relation by blood. This is a book that emphasizes the importance for children to feel secure, safe, successful, and deeply loved. I would recommend this book to be in all classrooms as we have students who are adopted or in a foster family. This book would remind them that they are loved and known!...more
The Blunders: A Counting Catastrophe! By Christina Soontornvat Illustrated by Colin Jack Published in 2020 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This The Blunders: A Counting Catastrophe! By Christina Soontornvat Illustrated by Colin Jack Published in 2020 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about the Blunder family of ten children. On this day the children are driving their mother up a tree in annoyance as they have managed to mess up the many chores that a household requires. Their mother tells them to go outside and play with a couple rules. As the end of the day approaches, they children begin to count each other but always seem to come up short by one as they are forgetting to count themselves... How will mother respond to this? I thought that this book was super cute and would encourage children to think about a problem that the characters were encountering. It also gets them thinking about numbers and counting! ...more
Oscar's American Dream by Barry Wittenstein Illustrated by Kevin Howdeshell Published in 2020 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is aboutOscar's American Dream by Barry Wittenstein Illustrated by Kevin Howdeshell Published in 2020 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about an immigrant named Oscar who had a dream to own his own barber shop. After he acquired this dream, he decided to follow his heart into another career choice and watched his barber shop be transformed into many different shops. Reflecting the changing of American history through the years. This book is a great read as it shows that as time goes on, change is something that is always happening and that we need to learn to embrace it. Truly a great read! I would definitely recommend this book to be in all classrooms!...more
Big Papa and the Time Machine by Daniel Bernstrom Illustrated by Shane W. Evans Published in 2020 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is aBig Papa and the Time Machine by Daniel Bernstrom Illustrated by Shane W. Evans Published in 2020 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about a little boy who is afraid to go to school and needed a reminder to be brave and not be scared of experiencing new things. His grandpa gives him an adventure of a lifetime where they went back in time to when his grandpa was feeling scared of what life was handing him and throughout the whole book, he constantly was reminding his grandson to not be afraid. I enjoyed reading this book as it seemed to be a cultural reminder to be proud of who you are and brave the wilderness even if no one else is able to be there to brave it with you. A great book to have in any classroom as it positively uplifts any reader....more
I'm Gonna Push Through! by Jasmym Wright Illustrated by Shannon Wright Published in 2020 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about a loI'm Gonna Push Through! by Jasmym Wright Illustrated by Shannon Wright Published in 2020 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about a lot of famous people who had to "push through" and overcome the challenges they faced. It encourages readers to "push through" and never give up as there are other people who believe in you and it can also be the readers job to encourage others to believe in themselves as well! The book describes all the ways that we are unique and special, a book of empowerment. I enjoyed reading this book as it is literally a mental message to the reader that they are enough and are capable of doing anything. Definitely one to have in a classroom!
The Girl and the Dinosaur by Hollie Hughes Published in 2020 Read aloud to early elementary aged students. This book is about a girl who is fascinated wThe Girl and the Dinosaur by Hollie Hughes Published in 2020 Read aloud to early elementary aged students. This book is about a girl who is fascinated with dinosaurs and decided to start digging for one on a beach. She finds a skeleton and then has to head home. She falls asleep and has a miraculous dream about a the dinosaur that she dug up on the beach. The dream is an adventure with the dinosaur friend that she found but it doesn't last too long... the night is coming to a close calling her back to her bed. Alas the adventure came to an end, but whose to say there won't be any more? I enjoyed listening to this book as it has some rhyming among the verses and is very wonderfully illustrated. I recommend for either a bed time story or a preschool classroom . ...more
When God Made the World by Matthew Paul Turner Illustrated by Gillian Gamble Published in 2020 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is abouWhen God Made the World by Matthew Paul Turner Illustrated by Gillian Gamble Published in 2020 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about the creation story of Christianity. It's a rendition of a couple chapters in genesis. The book begins by going through how the world was created and who it was created by. It speaks in prose in a rhyming catchy but connecting way. Ending by reminding readers that they are each special and created by the creator of the world. I would recommend this book to be in a private school classroom or read in a home setting as it could have some resistance from the district and their policies....more
El Deafo by Cece Bell. Published in 2014 Read aloud for elementary aged students or on their own as it is a chapter book. This book is a graphic novel El Deafo by Cece Bell. Published in 2014 Read aloud for elementary aged students or on their own as it is a chapter book. This book is a graphic novel about the author, Cece, who at 4 years old gets meningitis and looses her hearing. Throughout the book she experiences events that people experience everyday like moving to another town, having to make new friends, all while living with this new hearing impairment. I would recommend this book to have in any classroom as it is a kind of reading that is perfect for kids who are not ready to move into the chapter book reading yet as it still has pictures but just more words and pages to get through....more
Is Your Mama a Llama? By Deborah Guarino Illustrated by Steven Kellogg Published in 1997 Read aloud to early elementary aged students. This book is aboIs Your Mama a Llama? By Deborah Guarino Illustrated by Steven Kellogg Published in 1997 Read aloud to early elementary aged students. This book is about a baby llama who is trying to figure out where and who he is. There is an identity search for this animal to find who his mom is. The llama goes through many different animals such as an owl and a squirrel to try to find his mom. Eventually, the baby llama and its mother is reconnected. I would recommend this book to be in most classrooms with younger aged students as it is a picture book....more
Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras Written and Illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh Published in 2015 Read aloud to late elementary aged sFunny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras Written and Illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh Published in 2015 Read aloud to late elementary aged students. This book is about Jose Guadalupe Posada who decided to draw political cartoons during a time of need for his country Hispanic holiday called Day of the Dead and a boy named Posada who created art that has long since been admired and favored by people who value the history. I would recommend this book to be in any classroom who has students interested in the Hispanic culture and beliefs....more
A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation by Barry Wittenstein Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney Published in 2019 Read A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation by Barry Wittenstein Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney Published in 2019 Read aloud to late to early elementary aged students. This book is about Martin Luther King Jr. who was a very famous speaker and advocate for the black American lives. It talks about a time in his life where he gave a speech to the public and who supported him through it. It goes into detail about who supported him through all of the rough moments in history. I enjoyed reading this book as it reminded me of an important time in history that all of our students should know about. I would recommend this book for all classrooms as it represents American history....more
Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix by Jacqueline Briggs Martin Illustrated by Man One. Published in 2017 Read aloud to elementary aged students. TChef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix by Jacqueline Briggs Martin Illustrated by Man One. Published in 2017 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about a boy named Chef Roy Choi who wants to serve food to his community with love and care. He was born in Korea but is dedicated to providing delicious food to the streets of L.A. While he serves food he plays good music and encourages people to hang around and come back for the food that he serves. I liked this book as it did show the progression of a small business and how it spreads across L.A just by having good food and good vibes. I would recommend this book in your classroom if you have students who are interested in the food service industry and how people sell food and make money in the big city....more
We Are Gratful: Otshaliheliga by Traci Sorell Illustrated by Frane Lessac Published in 2018 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about We Are Gratful: Otshaliheliga by Traci Sorell Illustrated by Frane Lessac Published in 2018 Read aloud to elementary aged students. This book is about how the Cherokee Tribe views the season of the world and in each season, they can find things to be grateful for that celebrate life itself. The book travels through all seasons and discusses what is done in each one. There are many Cherokee names that are mentioned but the book explains how to say them and what they mean! This book is one that would be a great addition to any classroom as it celebrates diversity and lets children experience expressing words in a language they might not know about. I would recommend this book as it offers a rich read aloud experience for students!...more