A Road Might Lead to Anywhere 

by Rachel Field

Summary: After reading about faraway lands, a young girl closes her eyes and imagines all the wonderful places a road could take her, from a cave full of treasure to a witch's house and even to Mexico.

This is an excellent story for celebrating the power of imagination and creativity. The paper-sculpture illustrations add a nice element to the book. 

Interest Level: grades k-3

Reading Level: grade 2

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How Dalia Put a Big Yellow Comforter Inside a Tiny Blue Box 

by Linda Heller    

Summary: After learning about the Jewish tradition of tzedakah boxes, Dalia shares her knowledge with her younger brother, Yossi, by telling him what her savings can help to provide for someone in need.

This is a sweet story that is great for discussing helping others. It is also appropriate to use this book as part of a unit lesson on world traditions.

Interest Level: grades k-3

Reading Level: grade 3

Sister Bear: A Norse Tale

by Jane Yolen

Summary: Halva is traveling with her trained bear to visit the King of Denmark when they stop for the night at a cottage where, they learn, a pack of trolls is about to make its annual Christmas Eve visit, causing trouble and making a big mess. Includes author's note about the story's origins.

This is a captivating tale with gorgeous, vibrant illustrations. This lesser known European folktale is wonderful for genre studies lesson units. However, is lengthy and I do not recommend reading this book aloud to a young class.

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

Happy Chinese New Year!

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS!

Also known as Three Kings Day and the Epiphany

(January 6th)

MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR DAY IS
JANUARY 16TH

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

(January 23rd)

See the labels below for books related to these holidays



Only the Mountains Do Not Move: A Maasai Story of Culture and Conservation

by Jan Reynolds

Summary: A photographic essay about the Maasai people in Kenya, explores the contemporary challenges they face, focusing on environmental changes such as the overgrazing of land and the threat of wildlife extinction, and how the Maasai are adapting their agricultural practices and lifestyle while preserving their culture.

This is a fascinating nonfiction book. In addition to information, the text includes wise proverbs of the Maasai culture. Most ideal for grades 4-6, the text allows for serious discussions, including how to respect and preserve the Earth. During Black History Month, this book can be used to discuss African culture. This book may be appreciated by mature primary grade students or middle school students interested in culture or environmental students.

Interest Level: grades 4-8
Reading Level: grade 6

A Christmas Spider's Miracle 

by Trinka Hakes Noble

Summary: A poor peasant woman who has no money for gifts or a special meal for her children gets help from a kindly mother spider on Christmas.

This is a heart-warming old Ukrainian tale. The traditionally beautiful paintings compliment the text. The story is somewhat lengthy. I recommend that this book be read one-on-one to a child or independently by an advanced reader.

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 3

Reading Level: grade 5

 

A Christmas Goodnight 

by Nola Buck

Summary: Illustrations and rhyming text portray characters from the Nativity story, from doves in the stable to the wise men, as they go to sleep on Christmas Eve.

This is a sweet Christmas bedtime book. The illustrations consist of classic, realistic looking cartoons. This book can be used as a break from more heavy Christmas books, but still is a more religious than commercial tale.

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 3

Reading Level: grade 2

Strega Nona's Gift 

by Tomie dePaola

Summary: Smelling the treats Strega Nona is cooking for her animals for the holidays, Big Anthony can't resist and samples everything, bringing about unexpected consequences.

This is a wonderful tale about generosity. Italian Christmas traditions and other holiday traditions are explored throughout this book. As a read aloud, this book is most appropriate for older primary school children. 

Interest Level: grades k-3

Reading Level: grade 4

Happy Islamic New Year: Books on Muslim celebrations

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 Naamah and the Ark at Night 

by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Summary: Rhyming text tells of Naamah, a wife of Noah, who sings to her husband, her sons and their wives, and to the animals to sleep at night.

At first, I was hesitant to read what appeared to be a fractured bible story. However, this is a great bedtime story with beautiful nighttime illustrations. I liked the author’s sweet nostalgic note in the back that she used to play Noah’s Ark as a child, and wondered about Noah’s wife. The story does not change the story of Noah, but a story of what could have happened during the storm.

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 3

Reading Level: grade 2

Native American Picture Books

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Your Moon, My Moon: A Grandmother's

 Words to a Faraway Child

by Patricia MacLachlan

Summary: Although their homes are different, a grandmother in New England and her loving grandson in Africa share the same moon.

This is a sweet story about a grandmother and child. The illustrations are beautiful.

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

Horror Stories for Grades 6-8

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Hopper and Wilson 

by Maria van Lieshout

Summary: An elephant and a mouse embark on a journey to discover what it looks like at the end of the world.

This is a sweet book that is great for entertainment value alone. A quick discussion on how there is no edge of the world is appropriate after reading this story with younger children.

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 3

Reading Level: grade 2

 

The Funny Little Woman 

by Arlene Mosel

Summary: While chasing a dumpling, a little lady is captured by wicked creatures from whom she escapes with the means of becoming the richest woman in Japan.

This book won the prestigious American Library Association’s Caldecott award for illustrations. The illustrations mostly use simple dull colors, but this allows for the funny little woman in bright red and orange to stick out. The story is a Japanese folktale that is wonderful for a multicultural unit lesson. 

Interest Level: grade k-3

Reading Level: grade 4

A Mango in the Hand: A Story Told through Proverbs

by Antonio Sacre

Summary: Guided by proverbs from his father and other relatives, Francisco makes several attempts to bring ripe mangoes home for dessert on his saint day, and in the process learns lessons in love and generosity. Includes glossary of Spanish words and phrases.

This is a fantastic book that teaches many morals at once. It is not a bilingual book in the sense that the entire story is written in both English and Spanish. However, this book contains Spanish phrase translated which makes it ideal for older children who are native Spanish speakers and are learning to read English. The book is lengthy and most appropriate for elementary students to read to themselves, but an adult could read this book with a young child with a long attention span one on one.

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

Hornbooks and Inkwells

by Verla Kay

Summary: Two brothers spend a year attending a one-room schoolhouse on the frontier.

This picture book is written in rhyme and flows like a poem. This is a great book to share with a class as an introduction to historical fiction or as a supplement to a lesson on frontier life. The story addresses discipline for children at that time. I liked that an illustration of such punishment does not show the teacher actually hitting the child, but raising a rod to do so. This book allows for a great deal of discussion about schools and may have students thinking that their school is not that bad after all.

Interest Level: grades K-6
Reading Level: grade 2

Mama and Me

by Arthur Dorros

Summary: A girl and her mother spend a day together gardening, making cookies, and visiting a neighbor.

I did not find this book particularly exciting, but the illustrations are gorgeous. This story is ideal for reading to young children who speak Spanish or children who are learning to speak Spanish. The text contains Spanish words scattered throughout. Read this book to celebrate this summer’s national reading theme “One World, Many Stories.”

Interest Level: K-3
Reading Level: grade 2

African Animal Alphabet

by Beverly Joubert

Summary: Pairs wildlife photographs of African animals with corresponding letters of the alphabet. The book includes brief information about each included animal, such as cheetahs, elephants, lions, and zebras.

This is a great book for an older child to read to a younger child. If a person reads all the details, it is quite lengthy. However, an older person and a younger person may alternate reading the more challenging and less challenging text.

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 3
Reading Level: grade 5