Me and Marvin Gardens

Sarig King, A. (2017). Me and Marvin Gardens. New York: Arthur A, Levine Books.

Overview: Obe is a country kid who is being dragged
into suburban America if he likes it or not. His family owned
the land being developed 100 years ago. He is very tied
to the history and loyalty to the land. The Devlin Creek is
where he spends a lot of his time. He picks the litter out
of the creek so it does not go into the Pacific Ocean.
Throughout the book he struggles with relationships
with friends and family. He is a good moral character. He
wants to help keep the world clean. One day he discovers
a new type of animal that eats plastic. Will it be the answer
to the pollution problems or cause more problems for the
environment? A great book that focuses on environmental
concerns and friendship at the middle grades. I think this
book would be a great read aloud in April during Earth Month.
Students could also try to draw what they think Marvin looks
like as an activity. Lots of different inquiry research could stem
from this book.

Level: Middle Grades 
Genre - Science Fiction / Fantasy

Resources:
2018-2019 Texas Bluebonnet Nominated Book

Author’s Website

Book Details from the Publisher

Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Become A Hero

McCormick, P. (2017). Sergeant Reckless: The true story of the little horse who
became a hero. New York: Balzer + Bray.

Overview: The narrative in the book is neatly displayed with in the illustrations
throughout the book. The story is about a horse that is found during the
Korean War. The Marines take the horse into their camp and he becomes one
of them. He is trained to carry ammunition to the battlefield. In return he is
feed and cared for. Reckless is the only animal to officially a hold military rank.  
A great piece of history that kids will like to read about. The illustrations are
fantastic in this book by Iacopo Bruno.

Level: Middle Grades

Written on reading level - Lexile

Genre - Nonfiction

Resources:

2018-2019 Texas Bluebonnet Nominated Book

Educator’s Guide

Author’s Website

Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing

Haring, K. (2017). Keith Haring: The boy who just kept drawing. New York: Dial
Books of Young Readers.

Overview: Keith Haring loved to draw and share his art with everybody. He
had a passion for everyone to be able to experience art. He became popular
after moving to New York and drawing his art in subway stations. His
artwork is included throughout the book. At the back of the book is a section
that goes into more detail about each piece included in the book. The
author’s notes are very helpful in learning more about who Keith was as a
person. Unfortunately, Keith died at a fairly early age, but he lives on through
his art.

Level: Middle Grades

Genre - Nonfiction - Biography

Resources:

2018-2019 Texas Bluebonnet Nominated Book

Author’s Website and book trailer

Keith Haring’s Website of artwork

Lesson Plans and Resources for Parents and Teachers

Grand Canyon

Chin, J. (2017). Grand Canyon. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

Overview: Magnificent nonfiction book. I learned so much from reading this quick engaging book. Lots of nonfiction reading features throughout the book - diagrams, pictures, timelines, content area at the end of the book. This book would be great in studying ecosystems, rocks, habitats and animals, plants in a region, erosion and changes over time. I could see this book being an opener to an inquiry unit. Students could develop questions about information in the book they want to learn more about. Then the class could come back together to share the additional information they researched. For a very short book it jam packed with quality information.

Level: Middle Grades

Written on a  grade reading level - Lexile 1000

Genre - Nonfiction - Geography, Reference and Rock/Fossils

Resources:

2018-2019 Texas Bluebonnet Nominated Book

Classroom Bookshelf Teaching Resource

Author’s Website

The Bad Seed

John, J. (2017). The bad seed. New York: Harper.

Overview: The bad seed was not always so bad. He had a nice family and a humble
beginning. Until it all went wrong and his home fell apart. He was almost eaten. He
gave up and decided to give up and not care. Then he decided to make some
changes and try to be happy. He admits to not being good all the time, but trying
is what matters. A great book to incorporate into social/emotional lessons.

Level: Pre-K to 2nd Grade

Resources:

Texas 2018 2X2 Book

Book Trailer and lesson ideas

Author’s Website

Counselor Activities

After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again

Santat, D. (2017). After the fall: How Humpty Dumpty got back up again. New York:
Roaring Brook Press.

Overview: A great book to read after studying the traditional Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme. Students could create their own what comes next for Humpty as a writing exploration. This book is also a great supplement to STEM learning units. Teaching perseverance and overcoming fears of failure. In the story Humpty Dumpty has his great fall, after the fall he is scared of heights. He misses watching the birds from his favorite place on the wall. He tries to overcome his fear with trying different things. The end has a great twist, I like how his egg hatches and he flies off.

Level: Pre-K to 2nd Grade

Resources:

Texas 2018 2X2 Book

Author’s Website

Book Trailer

The Classroom Bookshelf activity ideas

STEAM Read activity ideas for after reading

Lesson Planning ideas

Niko Draws a Feeling

Raczka, B. (2017). Niko draws a feeling. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books.

Overview: Niko loves to draw pictures. His drawings look like scribbles and are hard for others to see what he has drawn. He felt great when he was drawing. He would get sad when people would ask, “What is it?” Then he meet Iris who finally understood his drawings. She talks about the way the drawing feels and Niko is so happy that his drawings are understood. When working with young children always ask them to tell you about their drawing, so they can verbally share what they have drawn. Give feedback, without telling them how they should have made their drawing. Encourage their creativity. There is not only one way to create a masterpiece. This book would be great to read at the beginning of the year when teaching students how to share their projects with others. Encouraging them to support their peers and give constructive feedback and how to have a conversation about one's work.

Level: Pre-K to 2nd Grade

Resources:

Texas 2018 2X2 Book

Activity Guide

Organized Chaos Music Lesson Idea

Author’s Website

Who Wants to be a Princess? What it was Really Like to be a Medieval Princess

Heos, B. (2017). Who wants to be a princess?: What it was really like to be a medieval princess. New York: Henry Holt and Company.

Overview: A nonfiction book, comparing story book princesses and really princesses from the past. Heos includes a bibliography in the back of the book to reference where she found her research for information in the book. I like how the illustrator differentiates between the two different princesses using colors. The fairy tale princess is in pinks and purples. The realistic princess is in browns and maroon.

Level: Pre-K to 2nd Grade

Resources:

Texas 2018 2X2 Book

Author’s Website

Who Am I?: An Animal Guessing Game

Jenkins, S. & Page, R. (2017). An animal guessing game: Who am I? Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Overview: A nonfiction book that engages readers in learning about an animal and guessing what animal they think it is. The book breaks the animal down into its parts then asks: Who am I? The reader guesses and can turn the page to see the animal as a whole of its parts. 7 different animals are shared in the book. At the end of the book more information is shared about each animal. The book also gives 9 additional resources that can be used for research.

Level: Pre-K to 2nd Grade

Resources:

Texas 2018 2X2 Book

10 Animal Research Websites

Animal Fact Guide

Animal Research Graphic Organizer

Animal Inquiry

Frank the Seven-Legged Spider

Razi, F. (2017). Frank the seven-legged spider. Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot.

Overview: Frank is a spider with skill. He can create masterpieces with his webs. Then one day he wakes up and realizes he only has 7 legs. The other spiders told him he was not a spider any more. He went on a hun to find his missing leg. He meets some insects and realizes maybe life is not so bad. Then he learns to navigate the world with 7 legs. A great fiction book for a unit on spiders.

Level: Pre-K to 2nd Grade

Resources:

Texas 2018 2X2 Book

Author’s Website

Nonfiction Spider Books

YouTube Video about Spiders

A Perfect Day

Smith, L. (2017). A perfect day. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

Overview: The illustrations are unique in this book. I like the colorful picture of all the different animals in Bert’s backyard. Bert helps each animal have a perfect day. Each animal’s perfect day are so different. The Bear comes to the yard and takes over each animals perfect day. A great book to have a conversation with young students about how the Bear’s actions might make the other animals feel. Then relate the book to how they might feel if they take something from someone else or vice versa.

Level: Pre-K to 2nd Grade

Resources:

Texas 2018 2X2 Book

Author’s Website

Teaching Kit from Publisher

Teaching Guide from Publisher

Author Interview Video

What Will Grow?

Ward, J. (2017). What will grow? New York: Bloomsbury.

Overview: A great read to explore different seeds. Lots of descriptive language and rhyming throughout the book. The illustrations are very colorful and appealing. Some of the pages lift open in different directions. Young readers will love this fun surprise while reading. A great book to add to a unit on plants.

Level: Pre-K to 2nd Grade

Resources:

Texas 2018 2X2 Book

STEAM Lesson Plan from Publisher

Author’s Website

There's a Pest in the Garden!

Thomas, J. (2017). There’s a pest in the garden! Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Overview: There is a donkey, dog, sheep and a duck in the garden. They watch a gopher eat the beans, corn, and peas. The duck is distressed because he wants the turnips. So he solves the problem and upsets the gopher. The other animals decide to plant a new garden to fix the eaten one. They also have a solution to keep the pests out. Such a silly book. It reminds me of Mo Willems books.

Level: Pre-K to 2nd Grade

Resources:

Texas 2018 2X2 Book

Author’s Website

When's My Birthday?

Fogliano, J. (2017). When’s my birthday? New York: Roaring Brook Press.

Overview: A great book to read at the beginning of the school year when getting to know students. The book is simple exploring when is my birthday. It goes through different ways people celebrate. The book would not be a good one to use for shared reading if focusing on sentence structure. There are no capital letters in the book. The illustrations are very simple and could easily be created by young students using scraps of paper.

Level: Pre-K to 2nd Grade

Resources:

Texas 2018 2X2 Book

Activities from Publisher

Book Website

Audio Interview with Illustrato and Author

Egg

Henkes, K. (2017). Egg. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Overview: Egg is about four eggs of different colors. The pink, blue, and yellow egg hatch like normal eggs. The green egg takes longer to hatch. The green egg hatches a different animal. Great introduction book into a lesson about animals that come from eggs. Birds and other animals hatch from eggs. A very simple book that has picture frames throughout the story. The picture frames are like graphic novels. The pictures help tell the story.

Level: Pre-K to 2nd Grade

Resources:

Texas 2018 2X2 Book

Author’s Website

Activity Guide from Publisher

Author Study Guide

Slider

Hautman, P. (2017). Slider. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.

Overview: David Alan Miller loves to eat. He believes eating is a sport and follows all the big names in eating contests. He gets himself into a little pickle when he bets $2000 on a half eaten hot dog on accident. He thought he was maxing his bet at $20. What will he do to solve this problem, so he can pay back his mom? Throughout the story he also works through changing relationships as you get older - how friendships change. He also struggles to come to a middle ground with his family about his place in the family. He is the middle child with an older sister in college and a younger brother with autism.

I enjoyed reading this book. It is a page turner. Very silly and humorous. The book does a great way portraying the brotherly relationship between David and Mal. Plus the book does a great job showing David’s empathy and sometimes frustration with his brother.

Level: Middle Grades

Written on a 3rd grade reading level - Lexile 660

Genre - Humor and Realistic Fiction

Resources:

Author’s Website

Publishers Information

Discussion Guide
2018-2019 Texas Bluebonnet Nominated Book

Giant Pants

Fearing, M. (2017). Giant pants. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.

Overview: Belbum is a giant. He is prone to losing things. One day he lost his pants. He looked all over the whole house but could not find them. He becomes angry. Then he has an idea to go ask his friends if they have seen his pants. Each friend had not seen his pants but they offer him a pair of their pants. Of course their pants don’t quite fit. He becomes upset each time his friend’s ask him if he searched his room. Eventually he makes it to town and the tailor makes him several pairs of pants. When he gets home you will never guess where he finds his old pair of pants. I like the illustrations throughout this book they are humorous and add to the story. The text is enlarged throughout the story to express emotion. I also like the map that is in the front and back cover of the book of his walk through the forest to town. The map is detailed and easy to read. Even younger non-readers can explain the map using the pictures.  

Level: Pre-K to 2nd grade

Resources:

Texas 2018 2X2 Book

Video Interview with Author

Author’s Website