Make A Splash! Summer Reading 2010 for First and Second Graders

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Librarianjk recommends When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry

When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry

by Molly Bans

Summary: A young girl is angry, and then finds a way to calm down and be happy.

This would be a great one-on-one book for a child who is angry. Perhaps, a parent or a day care provider could take a child aside for a few minutes. Through this an adult can demonstrate that everyone is angry at times, but there are positive things they can do about it.

Sweet Dreams Lullaby

Sweet Dreams Lullaby

by Betsy Snyder

Summary: A young bunny goes to sleep and dreams of the soothing colors, shapes, sights, and sounds of nature.

This is a soothing bedtime book. The rhyming scheme and illustrations are beautiful.

Interest Level: ages 2-4
Reading Level: grade 3

Librarianjk recommends What are You So Grumpy About?

What are You So Grumpy About?
By Tom Lichtenheld

Summary: Different situations are shown in which children are grumpy.

The writer introduces this book by explaining that this book is for all of us who have been angry, and that some of these situations are humorous. We can laugh at the characters and at ourselves. It is a great book to put things in perspective.

Librarianjk recommends Tell Me a Scary Story...But Not Too Scary!

Tell Me a Scary Story…But Not Too Scary!

By Carl Reiner

Summary: A father tells his son a story about a scary situation from his childhood.

This book is very creative and imaginative. Some young children want to hear scary stories because it’s “the cool thing to do.” If a parent is not sure if they can “handle” a scary story, but does not want to insult their child’s dignity, they should try this book. In this story, the father frequently asks his son, “Is this too scary for you?” As a parent, you won’t have to figure out where it is best to stop to ask your child that question! The book is a little scary; some of the pictures are grotesque. The book has little twists in reality where things are not as bad as the father imagined. I always like these kinds of scary stories. I would temporarily have a good scare, but know it was fake, and not have nightmares.

Librarianjk recommends Walter the Farting Dog: Trouble at the Yard Sale

Walter the Farting Dog: Trouble at the Yard Sale
by William Katz Winkle

Summary: A dog sits with his family at a garage sale and farts so much that no one wants to come to their stand. The father sells the dog to a man who has evil plans for purchasing the dog…

Who could resist glancing twice at this title? Though not for those easily offended by such crude material, I recommend this book to children who enjoy bodily function humor. This book could interest the reluctant reader who feels they are too cool for reading.

Librarianjk recommends Creativity

Creativity by John Steptoe

Summary: A young boy becomes friends with a student new to the country. He says that he will teach this new student “how to talk good English”.

This book is told in first person through a young African-American boy’s eyes. He narrates in slang which made me feel like I was reading a child’s version of Catcher in the Rye. His mother says in response to her son’s statement that he was going to teach his friend “how to talk good English” “Well, who’s going to teach you first?” His father said that he was just being creative with his language. This book could be used to teach an older class dialect and dialogue. I personally would teach the students that it is okay to talk this way with your friends and write this way in stories when people are speaking, but that there is a time to speak properly, such as when answering questions in class.

Make a Splash! Summer Reading 2010 for Pre-School and Kindergarten

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Librarianjk recommends The Tickle-Octopus

The Tickle-Octopus by Audrey Wood

Summary: A boy who belongs to a group of unhappy cave people, finds and octopus who tickle him. He is the first person in history to smile.

 An activity to do after reading this book for older children is to come up with their own stories of what they think it would be like to be a caveman.

Interest Level: K-3
Reading Level: 3

Librarianjk recommends Miss Lina's Ballerinas

Miss Lina's Ballerinas

by Grace Maccarone

Summary: Ballet instructor Miss Lina has a solution when her eight students, who always dance in pairs, are distraught when a ninth girl joins the class.

This is a fantastic book for young dancers and lovers of the color pink! This book may also be used for discussing math topics, such as dividing by 2 and 3.

Interest Level: grades k-3
Reading Level: grade 2

Librarianjk recommends A is for Abigail-An Almanac of Amazing American Women

A is for Abigail-An Almanac of
Amazing American Women
by Lynne Cheney

Summary: An ABC book that has a woman or a type of woman for each letter (for example, A for Abigail and P for performers) and many historical notes.

This is a very informative, well-illustrated, fun book. It would be great for Women’s History Month or other celebrations of women. However, I think the book would be a bit overwhelming for teaching the ABCs or reading aloud to a class.

Interest Level: grades K-3
Reading Level: grade 6

Librarianjk recommends My Very Own Room/Mi Popio Cuartitio

My Very Own Room/ Mi Propio Cuartito
by Amanda Irma Perez

Summary: A Mexican-American girl lives in a tiny home with many relatives. She sleeps in a bed with several of her brothers. Her family comes together to organize a small area for her that they been using as a closet.

This book is helpful for introducing a new culture to a class.

Librarianjk recommends Deep in the Jungle

Deep in the Jungle by Dan Yaccarino

Summary: A spoiled lion who is king of the forest joins a circus. He is treated poorly and gets away. The king sees animals from his kingdom caged. Will he continue to be selfish or help them?

This is a very cute book. It might be fun to go on a class trip to a circus but discuss this is fiction and not how animals will be treated at the circus.

Librarianjk recommends Officer Buckle and Gloria

Officer Buckle and Gloria 
by Peggy Rathman

Summary: A safety officer with excessive rules teams up with a dog, Gloria, who makes the rules seem more exciting acting them out behind his back.

This book teaches several lessons without being didactic including people do not enjoying hearing a list of rules, but they are important, presentation can be as important as content, and friends work better together than alone.

Young Adult Reads on Crime

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Librarianjk recommends Green Eyes

Green Eyes by A. Birnbaum

Summary: A cat recalls each season of its first year of life including new things he sees as well as what he does when he is older.

This book is very cute. The box is his home and he always comes back to this lovable place. Reading with a child one-on-one, you could ask if he or she can find the cat, what other animals they see, what the child likes to do in each season, if they have a cat and if they have ever seen a cat act the way the main character acts.

Interest Level: grades k -3
Reading Level: Grade 2

Librarianjk recommends Fast Food! Gulp! Gulp!

Fast Food! Gulp! Gulp! By Bernard Waber

Summary: This book is about the fast pace our society and the enjoyment of fast junk food.

This would be a great book to read as an introduction to a nutrition lesson. A fun follow up activity is to bring in healthy snacks of make healthy snacks.

Librarianjk recommends From One to One Hundred

From One to One Hundred by Teri Sloat

Summary: Each number from 1-10 is shown on separate pages. After this, each page counts by 10s.

This book is really detailed. At the bottom of each page is a chart of objects. You can find that many objects on the page. It may take a lot of patience to read this book with a child because they may want to count everything!

Librarianjk recommends The Paper Princess

The Paper Princess by Elisa Kelven

Summary: A girl creates a princess by cutting it out of a piece of paper. The princess blows away in the wind before the girl can give her hair. The doll has fun floating in the wind.

This book is very cute. A fun follow-up is to have a child create their own dolls from paper.

Librarianjk recommends Good Night Moon

Good Night Moon
by Margaret Wise Brown

A little bunny says goodnight to everything in the room before falling asleep. The story is in rhyme.

This is a classic story and favorite to many. It is a simple book to help children fall asleep.

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 3
Reading Level: grade 2

Librarianjk recommends I'm Not Bobby!

I’m Not Bobby! By Jules Feiffer

Summary: This is a story about a boy who is sick of being yelled at for his behavior and wants to be something else.

This is a cute book for the child who is constantly being disciplined. A fun follow-up activity is asking children what animal they would want to be and why.

Make a Splash! for Third to Fifth Grade (Summer Reading Theme for 2010)

The Knight and the Dragon

The Knight and the Dragon

by Tomie DePaola

Summary: A knight who has never fought a dragon and an equally inexperienced dragon prepare to meet each other in battle.

This is a great book to use with younger readers. They can tell an adult what is happening on the pages that do not have words. It is also great for discussing fighting and finding one’s own talents.

Interest Level: ages 2-4, grades K-3
Reading Level: grade 4

My Cold Went on Vacation

by Molly Rausch

Summary: A little boy is curious about all the places his cold might go after it leaves him.

This is a humorous book that can be used to celebrate imagination. A possible follow-up writing activity is to have children write about other places a cold may go.

Interest Level: ages 2- grade 3
Reading Level: grade 2

The Loopy Coop Hens

The Loopy Coop Hens

by Janet Morgan Stoeke

Summary: Chickens Pip, Midge, and Dot admire Rooster Sam and his ability to fly up to the barn roof, but when they spy on him to see how he does it, they get a big surprise.

This is a humorous book that young children will enjoy. If you read into the message at the end of the book, you may be disappointed. It is enjoyable if you do not.

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 3
Reading Level: grade 2

Worms For Lunch?

by Leonid Gore

Summary: Easy-to-read text and die-cut illustrations allow various creatures to reveal what they like to eat.

This amusing book is great for engaging children. It is appropriate for asking simple prediction questions to young children.

Interest Level: ages 2-4
Reading Level: grade 2

Once Upon a Baby Brother

by Sarah Sullivan

Summary: Lizzie, who loves to tell and write stories, is surprised to discover that much of her storytelling inspiration comes from her messy baby brother.

This is a very cute book about creativity and sibling jealousy channeled into something good!

Interest Level: ages 2-4, grades K-3
Reading Level: grade 5

Waking Up Is Hard To Do

by Neil Sedaka

Summary: An illustrated version of Sedaka's song of the same name in which an alligator is encouraged to wake up and face the new day with a smile.

I agree! Waking up is hard to do! This book includes a CD which might be appropriate to play in the morning for people who do not like to get out of bed.

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 3
Reading Level: grade 2

Dark Romance for Young Adults

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