Librarianjk recommends Balancing Act

Balancing Act

by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Summary: Two mice have fun playing on a teeter-totter, but as more and larger friends join them, it becomes increasingly difficult to stay balanced.

This is a precious book that would be wonderful to read to a child before using a balancing beam or for an introduction to a basic measuring activity.

Interest Level: grades K-3
Reading Level: grade 1

Hanukkah Reads

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Librarainjk recommends Disappearing Desmond

Disappearing Desmond

by Anna Alter

Summary: Desmond is so skilled at disappearing that sometimes even his teacher cannot find him but when he meets Gloria, a new student at school, his attitude slowly changes.

This is a remarkable book for attending school for the first time or discussing shyness.

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

Librarianjk recommends The Taming of Lola

The Taming of Lola: A Shrew Story

by Ellen Weiss

Summary: Lola, a shrew, is famous all over West Meadow for her temper tantrums, but when her cousin Lester comes for a visit and gets special treatment just because he demands it, Lola begins to rethink her behavior.

This is a fabulous, detailed picture book loosely base on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. Though it is lengthy, it is humorous and it appropriate for discussing misbehaving.

Interest Level: grades K-3
Reading Level: grade 4

Librarainjk recommends Phileas's Fortune: A Story About Self-expression

Phileas's Fortune : A Story About Self-expression

by Agnés de Lestrade

Summary: A young boy lives in a strange land where people must buy and swallow the words they need in order to speak.

This book is unique and somewhat abstract. It is clearly meant to have a deep meaning. It reminds me of adult dystopias where love conquers all. This book includes a note suggesting its use in teaching values.

Interest Level: grades K-3, grades 4-6
Reading Level: grade 4

Librarianjk recommends Ballet for Martha

Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring

by Jan Greenberg

Summary: Tells the story behind the creation of "Appalachian Spring," describing Aaron Copland's composition, Martha Graham's intense choreography and Isamu Noguchi's set design

I recommend this book to older readers who are dancers or enjoy ballet. It is lengthy about the entire process of the creation of a ballet.

Interest Level: grades 3-6, grades 7-8
Reading Level: grade 5

Librarianjk recommends Black and White

Black and White

by David Macaulay

Summary: Four brief "stories" about parents, trains, and cows, or is it really all one story? The author recommends careful inspection of words and pictures to both minimize and enhance confusion.

This is an intriguing book. I could see this book enticing reluctant readers or confusing them to frustration. It can be used to discuss paying close attention to details.

Interest Level: grades k-3, grades 3-6
Reading Level: grade 3

Librarianjk recommends Down by the Bay

Down by the Bay

by Raffi

Summary: Down by the bay two young friends make up fantastic rhymes trying to top the other.

This book is marvelous! This was the first book my sister and brother read in first grade. The teacher sent home a note informing parents that students may not really be reading it but memorizing it from the song. She said at that point of the year it was okay, but to encourage the children to identify the words that they sang on the page. At the end of the first quarter, they acted out this song for their families. I remember my brother was a llama eating his pajamas. This book is available in paperback and board book. The melody notes are provided at the back of the book.

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

If you like the Percy Jackson Series you might like...

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Librarianjk recommends Little Pink Pup

Little Pink Pup

by Johanna Kerby

Pink, a piglet who is the runt of the litter, is adopted by Tink, a dachshund who is nursing a litter of her own, and Pink is raised in the house along with the puppies.

Interspecies friendships are one of the most amazing concepts to me in life. Photographs of such friends make me say, “aww” no matter where I am. The author dedicated the book “to all the children who think that they are different from the rest of their families. Just remember your family loves you just the way you are.” Without this dedication, I would not have realized how appropriate this book is to use for children who have immediate family in more than one location. If you enjoy this book, I recommend the Owen and Mzee books and Tarra and Bella.

Interest Level: ages 2-4, grades K-3

Reading Level: grade 2

Librarianjk recommends The Boss Baby

The Boss Baby

by Marla Frazee

Summary: From the moment he arrives, it is obvious that the new baby is boss and he gets whatever he wants, from drinks made-to-order around the clock to his executive gym.

This is a humorous story that is appropriate simply for entertainment.

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

Librarianjk recommends Island of the Blue Dolphins

Island of the Blue Dolphins

by Scott O'Dell

Summary: Records the courage and self-reliance of an Indian girl who lived alone for eighteen years on an isolated island off the California coast when her tribe emigrated and she was left behind.

I recommend this Newbery winner to survival story fans.

Interest Level: grades 4-6, grades 7-8
Reading Level: grade 5

Librarianjk recommends Eight Days: A Story of Haiti

Eight Days: A Story of Haiti

by Edwidge Danticat

Summary: Junior tells of the games he played in his mind during the eight days he was trapped in his house after the devastating January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Includes author's note about Haitian children before the earthquake and her own children's reactions to the disaster.

This story is not only about the tragedy of the earthquakes in Haiti during January 2010, but the power of imagination to overcome obstacles. This book is also a celebration of what Haiti was before the earthquake, and what it may be again. I would not recommend this to a young child to read independently, but with an adult’s assistance it could be a valuable tool to discuss tragedy and history.

Interest Level: grades K-3, grades 4-6
Reading Level: grade 3

Last Song

Last Song: A Poem

 by James Guthrie

Summary: A squirrel family spends the day together--waking, playing, and nestling down to sleep under the eye of a watchful parent. Based on an old Scottish poem.

This book is wonderful for babies because it has very little text and vibrant illustrations. It is also appropriate to read to preschool age children before bed.

Interest Level: infants, ages 2-4

Reading Level: grade 2

Me and You

Me and You

by Anthony Browne

Summary: An urban retelling of the classic Goldilocks and the Three Bears story, told from the baby bear's perspective.

This delightful fractured fairytale has a wordless Goldilocks story with realistic looking illustrations on the left side of each page. I enjoyed that Goldilocks is more of a red head than the usual bleach blonde girl I was exposed to as a child. On the right side of the page is baby bear’s story with cartoonish illustrations.

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

Young Advanced Reader: Books appropriate for students grade 3-5 who read on a grade 7+ level

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All the Seasons of the Year

by Deborah Lee Rose

Summary: Describes in rhymed text how a mother cat's love for her kitten will last through the seasons of a lifetime.

This is a sweet story that is appropriate for bedtime and discussing the seasons of the year with young children.

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

Chicken Big

Chicken Big

by Keith Graves

Summary: A giant chicken hatches from an enormous egg, but the other chickens cannot accept that he is one of them.

This wild and crazy spin on Chicken Little is appropriate for fractured fairy tale discussions. It may also be used to discuss prejudices, assumptions, and for pure humorous entertainment.

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

Librarianjk recommends A Wrinkle in Time

A Wrinkle in Time

by Madeleine L'Engle

Summary: Meg Murry and her friends become involved with unearthly strangers and a search for Meg's father, who has disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government.

I enjoyed this book in fifth grade. Some of the scientific aspects can be hard to understand, but it is a wonderful story.

Interest Level: grade 4-6, grades 7-8
Reading Level: grade 5

Madlenka Soccer Star

Madlenka Soccer Star

by Peter Sís

Summary: Madlenka plays soccer in her city neighborhood--with the mailbox, a dog, a parking meter, and some cats.

This story is mediocre, but may be of interest to young soccer players and fans. What I like most about the book is the notes in the back which give a history of soccer.

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

American Babies

American Babies

by The Global Fund for Children

Summary: Celebrate the American spirit with babies from all across the country

This is a cute board book with baby faces on each page which is appealing to very young babies.

Interest Level: birth-age 2
Reading Level: grade 1

Hedgie Blasts Off!

Hedgie Blasts Off!

By Jan Brett

Summary: When the spectacular, sparkling explosions at a popular tourist sight slow down, Hedgie the hedgehog is the only one capable of flying to the tiny planet Mikkop to see what is wrong.

This book is an unusual space story. If you like underdog stories, this book may be for you. Actually, the dogs are the big shots and the hedgehog is the metaphorical underdog.

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

Thanksgiving Picture Books

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Pablo Meets the Neighbours

Pablo Meets the Neighbours

by Keith Tutt

Summary: When fox cubs Pablo, Poppy, and Pumpkin decide to see what the human house near them is like, they make a big mess and the house's owners are not happy.

This is a humorous book that could be used for discussing appropriate behavior. After reading, an adult can discuss that everything has a place and that we should not feel bad for animals who live outdoors, bad behavior, and that the British spelling is different than American.

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

The Composer Is Dead

The Composer Is Dead

by Lemony Snicket

Summary: An inspector seeks to solve a murder mystery at the symphony by questioning each of the musical instruments.

This amusing book comes from the dark mind of Lemony Snicket, author A Series of Unfortunate Events. Having played the violin in orchestra during elementary and high school, I love the strange humor in this book. It is recommended for ages 5 and up, but I highly doubt many children that young could appreciate this book. This book is appropriate for reading to older children to introduce musical instruments in an orchestra or as a fun, offbeat read aloud to older students.

Interest Level: grades K-3, grades 4-6
Reading Level: grade 3

Librarianjk recommends Wonder Horse: The True Story of the World's Smartest Horse

Wonder Horse: The True Story of the World's Smartest Horse

by Emily Arnold McCully

Summary: A fictionalized account of Bill "Doc" Key, a former slave who became a veterinarian, trained his horse, Jim Key, to recognize letters and numbers and to perform in skits around the country, and moved the nation toward a belief in treating animals humanely. Includes an author's note.

This is a fantastic book for discussing racism, prejudice, animal cruelty, and intelligence of other animals. I was amazed at the horse’s abilities and the challenges Bill Key overcame. I recommend this book especially to horse lovers and animal lovers.

Interest Level: grades k-3, grades 4-6
Reading Level: grade 4

Librarianjk recommends Dino-baseball

Dino-baseball

by Lisa Wheeler

Summary: Meat-eating dinosaurs face plant-eating dinosaurs in a baseball game.

This book is entertaining, especially for baseball and dinosaur fans. I would not recommend it for teaching dinosaurs due to the cartoonish look of the dinosaurs and that some dinosaurs have nicknames, or abbreviations for their scientific name.

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

Librarianjk recommends Stephanie's Ponytail

Stephanie's Ponytail

by Robert Munsch

 

Summary: Stephanie likes to have her own look. So when her classmates begin copying her ponytail, she finds increasingly outrageous ways to wear her hair until she outsmarts the copycats.

This is an amusing story that can be used to discuss being an individual.

Interest Level:ages 2-4, grades k-3

Reading Level: grade 3

Librarianjk recommends Christian, The Hugging Lion

Christian, The Hugging Lion

by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Summary: When Ace and John find a lion cub for sale at Harrods department store, they buy him, name him Christian, and the three live happily for a year in a London apartment, but eventually Christian grows too big and they must let him go to live the life of a wild cat. Based on a true story; includes an author's note.

I love this story! Any animal lover should read it. I recommend watching the youtube video just as much! It is so touching.

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

Reading Level: grade 3

Newbery Award Winners 2000s