Picture Book 26

A.    Author: Margy Burns Knight and Mike Melnicove

B.     Title: Africa is Not a Country

C.     Illustrator:  Anne Sibley O’Brien

D.    Readability: Grades 1-4

E.     Genre: Diversity

F.      Subgenre: Fiction

G.    Theme: Africa, Social life, Customs.

H.    Primary and secondary characters: Arim and Efrem

I.       Award(s) date of publication: N/A

J.       Publishing company:

K.    ISBN number:

L.      Brief summary: Africa is not a country, it is a continent. It has 53 nations and is bigger than the US and China combined. It is completely divided by the equator, and is as wide as it is long.  Arim and Efrem prepare for school. The boys kiss their parents and say Yekenielai, meaning thank you in Tigrinya. In the village of Cameroon, Mantoh spends an hour selling milk. Then they hade for school. In Kenya Arangi and Kip run long distances so they can be marathon runners, they dream of being in races around the world. Mapula in Botswana pays for fresh bread with a pula so she can eat breakfast. In Lesotho, Thomas wraps up in a blanket as they travel down the mountain by horse. In Cario, Mona, Basma, and Hala rush to school, they stop at a kiosk to buy food, they then walk down by the Nile River. In 1957, Ghana declared independence from Great Britain, the students of Ghana learn about it. In Zimbabwe students practice for a choir concert. The rest of the book goes through major cities of importance in African history. It tells us how students live in Africa.  

M.   Description of how you would use the book with students: This book informs us of how students live and play in Africa. It also educates us about each region of Africa. We can have students pick a city and they can research it and bring it back to the classroom. 

Picture Book 25

A.    Author: Ed Young

B.     Title: My Mei Mei

C.     Illustrator:  

D.    Readability:ages 6and up

E.     Genre: Diversity

F.      Subgenre: Fiction

G.    Theme: Adoption, sisters, Chinese Americans

H.    Primary and secondary characters: Antonia

I.       Award(s) date of publication: N/A

J.       Publishing company:Albert Whitman and Company

K.    ISBN number: 0-399-24339-9

L.      Brief summary: Antonia is named after her Nonna, she was flown home from China to the US. As she grew older she would play Jieh-Jeih big sister and mommy. She would even pretend to change Bab’s diaper. She had an imaginary sister named Jian Hai. She asked her mother if oen day she could have a real sister. At the age of 3, Antonia took a trip to China to bring a real Mei Mei home. Her sister was scared and upset and cried a lot. Antonia offered her teddy bear to mei mei, she became quiet. Antonia realized thought that her sister was not what she expected. She didn’t play, talk and took all the attention away. Soon a teacher came to teach her how to crawl and walk and she was given treats. The teacher even gave Anotina a treat too. A boy took her shovel away at the park one day, she stood up for her sister, making her feel good. Her Mei Mei soon came to see her t school. That summer they went to Cape Cod, she showed her Mei Mei all sorts of fun and dangerous creatures, like a jellyfish. They used to play cats, and they now have cats, Antonia helps her Mei Mei by doing math and reading and more board games so they can play together. At the end of the story, they both wanted a new Mei Mei that they both can share.

M.   Description of how you would use the book with students: This book can be helpful for students to understand the growth of a family. It shows us that when a child is first brought into the family they cannot do everything like you and I, it takes time. We then can have students talk about or write about bringing a new sibling into the family. It can help students cope with adoption of a new member or just a birth of a new member. 

Picture Book 24

A.    Author: Muriel Stanek

B.     Title: Don’t Hurt Me Mama

C.     Illustrator: Jill McElmurry

D.    Readability:ages 4 and up

E.     Genre: Diversity

F.      Subgenre: Fiction

G.    Theme: Abuse,

H.    Primary and secondary characters: Mama and Little Gril

I.       Award(s) date of publication: N/A

J.       Publishing company:Albert Whitman and Company

K.    ISBN number: 978-080716898

L.      Brief summary: Mother and the girl live together, they live alone since their father left them. They did not have enough money to stay in their house so they had to move to an apartment. Before they moved they used to go to church and learn how to be kind. She felt safe and happy. Once her father left, they did not go anymore and mom said nobody cared about her. The little girl would say she cared, but her mother wouldn’t listen. Mama couldn’t find a job and got mean, she hit the little girl. The little girl felt scared and alone. One day the little girl came home and she couldn’t find her. A nice women named, Sarah Hawkins and her dog Sam, the  two lived upstairs. The little girl waited till dark, then she saw her mama walking up the street, she asked where she was but she wouldn’t answer. Her mother fell asleep on the couch. The little girl awoke the next morning, she asked for breakfast but her mother only yelled to get her own. The little girl tried to make cereal but she spilt the glass of milk, and she said she was good-for-nothing like her father. Her mother then grabbed a belt and hit her. Her mom cries and said I didn’t mean it, don’t tell anyone. The teacher at school asked if she was okay, and when she did not respond he sent her to the office. The nurse asked what happened and the little girl wouldn’t tell After prying she began to cry and say she didn’t do anything bad but her mother hit her anyway. That same day a social worker had come to see her mama, once done with school she and mama went to the community health center together. The social working will help her get a job and make her feel better and take care of her better. The little girl stays with Mrs. Hawkins while her mother goes to the center to help others and herself with problems. The story ends with the little girl happy and they go to church again.

M.   Description of how you would use the book with students: This book can be used for an individual or group lesson about abuse. It seems to become more common in households today. If we encourage our students to report abuse it may help save one or two of the students. This can also be used in the guidance room as a key book to help students realize if their parents get help, they will have better lives. 

Picture Book 23

A.    Author: Stephanie Spinner  

B.     Title: It’s a Miracle!

C.     Illustrator: Jill McElmurry

D.    Readability:K- 2^nd grade

E.     Genre: Diversity

F.      Subgenre: Fiction

G.    Theme: Language Culture of Hanukkah

H.    Primary and secondary characters: Owen, Grandma Karen,

I.       Award(s) date of publication: N/A

J.       Publishing company: An Ann Schwartz Book

K.    ISBN number: 978-0689844935

L.      Brief summary: Owen was the official candle liter for Hanukkah, in his home. Grandma Karen asks Owen if he is ready for a story. It is about a little girl who loved to light candles, she knew all of the blessings. Owen who was 6 only knew one blessing by heart. This girl turned into a rabbi, she enjoyed the Torah so much. On the 2^nd night, Owen at potato latkes, and they tasted so good it was a miracle. That night his grandmother told him another story, this one was about a women who was in labor, and her husband was away at war. The women was project to not make it she was so ill. The husband called all the Jewish names in the phone book asking for prayers. The following day she had gotten better. The third day Owen enjoyed chocolate, the Gelt. His grandmother told him a story of a girl who wanted to be a cowgirl, she saved all her money and one day bought a horse. She named it lucky. The fourth day, Owen’s friends Buster came over and looked for the Christmas tree. Owen tells us that there is no tree, he told them that he celebrates Hanukkah, they light the menorah together. At night she tells a story of an alien which came to earth by mistake, he had lost his memory, but the menorah reminds him where he is from. On the 5^th night Owen burnt his hand, his grandmother came to tell him a story about a boy who cried all the time. This little boy was the class clown. The 6^th night Owens cousin Molly and her parents came to dinner, she gave him a wooden deridel. Again his grandmother told the story of a dentist who loved drilling and filling. On the 7^th night he sang the blessings and got most of the words right, again at bedtime a story was told. This story was about a boy who wouldn’t go to school, he only acted like a baby. Lastly, on the 8^th night of Hanukkah the whole family got together, and Owen lit the last candle. At dinner Uncle Ralph asked what all the stories were about, then he confesses it was about each person in the family. The last story was of a boy who wanted to light the menorah,

M.   Description of how you would use the book with students: I would be able to use this book for educating my students about holidays. We can have each student write about their holidays that their families observe. Then we can talk about other cultures. 

Picture Book 22

A.    Author: Rachel Isadora  

B.     Title: Say Hello!

C.     Illustrator: Rachel Isadora

D.    Readability:Pre K, to 1^st grade

E.     Genre: Diversity

F.      Subgenre: Fiction

G.    Theme: Languages, City and Town Life

H.    Primary and secondary characters: Carmelita

I.       Award(s) date of publication: N/A

J.       Publishing company: G. P. Putnams Sons  

K.    ISBN number:978-0-339-25530-3

L.     Brief summary: Carmelita wakes up one day to go to her Abuela Rosa’s house. She grabs her dog, Manny. On the way down 9^th avenue, Carmelita says Buenos Dias to Enrico. She she says Shalom to Mrs. Rosen’s children. Carmelita then goes to a Japanese restaurant to say hello, she says Konichiwa! Down the street after lunch they eat lunch they run into Joseph and his parents from Kenya, they all say Jambo. On their way back they go past a bakery and say let us make some cookies! They walk into the bakery, the women shouts Bonjour. They head home, seeing more friends at the meat market, past the pizza parlor, and then the park. Carmelita runs into her Abuela, she  says HELLO! Carmelita tells her Abuela that her dog, Manny knows many languages.

M.   Description of how you would use the book with students: This story opens up culture. It tells us how to say hello in 10 or so different languages. With schools becoming more diverse this story will help students understand how to say hello to new friends or the students can explain a little bit about their culture. We can also can study a little bit of the areas where Shalom or Jambo is said. 

Picture Book 21

A.    Author: Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook

B.     Title: I Wish I had Freckles Like Abby

C.     Illustrator: Bonnie Adamson

D.    Readability: 2.2

E.     Genre: Diversity

F.      Subgenre: Fiction

G.    Theme: Self-esteem, Friendship

H.    Primary and secondary characters: No Name Girl and Abby

I.       Award(s) date of publication: N/A

J.       Publishing company: Raven Tree Press

K.    ISBN number:0-9770906-6-3

L.     Brief summary: This little girl wishes she had freckles like Abby, because they make you look beautiful. When they paint they draw freckles, when she wants freckles, she takes her sisters makeup and paints freckles on her face. But it takes her all day to clean them off her face. She had paint splashed on her at the playground. But the teacher made her wash it off. Then she makes chocolate pudding freckles and mud freckles. Her mom doesn’t think it is funny. Then she got chicken pox, she really had freckles, but these freckles itched. Then one day she found out that Abby wanted glasses just like her.   

M.   Description of how you would use the book with students: This book is told in Spanish as well as English, giving a choice to the reader. This book would be perfect when a student is uncomfortable with their body image, their glasses or freckles. It can be used for a student to understand that they may envy someone but someone else may envy them.

Picture Book 20

A.    Author: Dori Hillestad Butler

B.     Title: My Mom’s Having a Baby

C.     Illustrator: Carol Thompson

D.    Readability: Unknown

E.     Genre: Diversity

F.      Subgenre: Non-fiction

G.    Theme: Pregnancy and Childbirth

H.    Primary and secondary characters: Mom, dad, baby, Elizabeth

I.       Award(s) date of publication: N/A

J.       Publishing company: Albert Whitman and Company

K.    ISBN number:0-8075-5344-1

L.     Brief summary: My Mom’s Having a Baby, follows the mothers 9 months of pregnancy. It starts by telling us that the baby is floating in a uterus, it is the size of the tooth. The next month describes the mothers uterus as a balloon, keeping the baby at the right temperature is the amniotic fluids. She also tells us that all of the food consumed goes directly to the baby. The mother also goes to the doctor to check to see how the baby is, they place a Doppler on her stomach to hear the heartbeat. By 12 weeks the baby has all of the body parts, fingers, teeth, toes and eyes. The next few pages explain how to make a baby. The month the baby is the size of Elizabeth’s foot. At the 5^th month, Elizabeth and her parents find out that we can know the sex of the baby but Elizabeth’s mom wants to be surprised. At 6 months the baby can open its eyes, Elizabeth can now put her hands on her mom’s stomach and feel her baby move. 7^th and 8^th month the baby turns itself upside down. In may Elizabeth’s grandma comes to visit to help before the baby comes. Two days later, her mom yells that the water has broken and she is having contractions. Dad and Mom go to the hospital while Elizabeth stays at home. In order for the child to come, the cervix has to open wide enough. The baby arrives and to Elizabeth’s hopes it is a boy. When he arrives home, they give him a bath, there is a stump on his belly button, that is what is left of the umbilical cord. It falls off on its own. Now there is 4 in the family, Elizabeth, dad, mom and Michael.  

M.   Description of how you would use the book with students: Being in special education, we will encounter students who will be unfamiliar with topics of having babies. If a mother comes in and informs us that he child is having a hard time coping, or if we see it, we can have a resource to tell our parents to read to the student. I believe it is not my place to read this book so I will have the parent read it and then the child can come and ask if they have question and we can write them down, OR we can have them write the questions before and then read the book, therefore the parents will have something to go off of. 

Chapter Book 12

A.     Author: Mary Pope Osborne

B.     Title: My America: My Brothers Keeper, Virginia’s Diary

C.     Illustrator:

D.    Readability:3.1

E.     Genre: Historical

F.      Subgenre: Fiction

G.    Theme: Civil War, Compassion, Diaries

H.    Primary and secondary characters: Virginia, Jane Ellen, Pa, Jed

I.       Award(s) date of publication:

J.       Publishing company: Scholastic

K.    ISBN number: 0-439-15307-7

L.     Brief summary:  It all started in June, 1863, in Gettysburg, PA. Virginia the sister of Jed, was trusted with his journal as he and Pa went to their uncles house. Virginia is asked to stay at the McCully’s  while they are away. This is where she meets Jane Ellen one night who says she is in love with Jed. One afternoon, they are told that the Red Coats are advancing and the Union soldiers are nowhere in sight. Pa and Jed, were told to not return home until the Red Coats had moved through the area. One evening Ginny runs to her house and manages to grab the important items before the Red Coats arrive and steal all of their possessions.   On June 27^th Ginny thought the Confederates had left the city, but they just made camp on the north side. The next day the union arrived, making camps just south of the town. On July 1, the war broke out. Virginia climbed a tree and hid, but the fighting kept coming, she was now in the middle of a war, in a tree. As the last of the confederates passed, Ginny, fell from the tree. A man climbed down, grabbed her, put her on his horse and started riding, he asks where are you from, she points, he brings her back home. His name was General Heath, he had a daughter Ginny’s age, he started to cry, praying he will be able to see her again. That next day Jane Ellen and Ginny bring loaves of bread to the hospital, Ginny is asked to hold a man’s hands as he has his leg sawed off. Ginny ran, crying, she ran until she got to her house, the house was torn apart and all the food missing. Ginny ran to her bed and hid underneath and fell asleep. She slept all day and all night, she later returned to the McCully’s. The war wages on, nights and days full of cannons. On July23, a horrific battle took place, that night, the Union had won, it was ot the end of the war but it was a turning point. Pa and Jed, still had not returned, days go by, Ginny, and the others start to worry. In the evening a few days later, Pa arrived home. He is in complete shock when he finds that Jed had not arrived home. Pa and Ginny took off in the middle of the night, searching the countryside for Jed. After a couple days Pa had given up, he was tired, and weak. Ginny took the horse and continued her search. She was at the last hospital and she saw Jed, he was asleep. His leg broken and a fever, he slept for days, a nurse sent for Pa. After Pa arrived, Jed woke up and they took him home on the wagon. When they returned home Ginny slept for almost a whole week. People began to worry but she says that it was finally her time to rest. After Jed came home he wasn’t the same. He wouldn’t write the way he used to, he wouldn’t talk. Then one day he told his story, captured by Confederates, escaped, fell, was ran over by a horse and finally put into a country hospital. Soon they learned of  President Lincoln coming to make a speech at the sight of the war. Jed was unable to attend but Ginny and Pa attended, she took careful note of all the happenings in her diary.

M.   Description of how you would use the book with students: I would use this to have a child’s experience of the war. What she felt and saw. I would like them to write a journal response about how they would have felt, just like Virginia did at the time of  the war. How would they have felt if they had to hold a person’s hand during a horrific surgery or how they would have felt hearing all the cannons and gun shots. This book is very interactive and I enjoyed that I could take this in many directions for class discussions and class responses. 

Chapter Book 11

A.     Author: Walter Dean Myers

B.     Title: Lockdown

C.     Illustrator:

D.    Readability:4.5

E.     Genre: Informational

F.      Subgenre: Fiction

G.    Theme: Juvenile Detention Center, Self perception

H.    Primary and secondary characters: Reese, Icy, Pugh,

I.       Award(s) date of publication: Corretta Scott King Award

J.       Publishing company: HarperCollins

K.    ISBN number: 978-0-06-121480-6

L.    Brief summary:    The story begins with Reese, at the Evergreen, it is a retirement/assisted living. Reese will be working here during his sentence at the Progressive Correctional Facility. When Reese returns to Progress, he finds his friends and discusses what happened at Evergreen. The boys return to their rooms and wait for morning to come. After breakfast Reese gets a letter from “ISIS” his sister, stating that she missing him and a little boy got shot in their neighborhood. The next day Reese responds to roll call. Toon his friend does not. The guards rushed to the cell and find Toon, it was the 3-5-7 gang, everyone knew it, but if Reese snitched, he would be beaten up for sure! Reese returns to Evergreen, he continues his work, Simi tells everyone that Reese has turned his life around, but the elderly still don’t trust him. According to Mr. Hooft “If he was a very nice young boy, he wouldn’t be in jail!” (59).  This is when Reese explains what he did to get into jail. He tells him how he needed money and he knew a man dealing prescription medications. Reese broke in and stole the medical pads that were blank. He sold them to the man dealing, and when he was caught by the police, he was turned in with a lot of other homeless people who had supplied the man before. A few days later, Reese’s mother came to visit, she had not seen him in months. Icy visits too, she doesn’t look like a 9 year old anymore, she looks grown up. Mr. Hooft has become in a strange way a friend to Reese, he and Reese discuss how each has had a man try and fight them, neither wanted them to fight. Mr. Hooft told Reese to ignore him, Reese noticed a large hole in his leg. He raced to get Simi, she told Mr. Hooft that she will have Reese change his bandages every day  he is there, and the others she will tend to it. Reese finally had a job of importance. Mr. Hooft, proceeds to explain his life in Java and how he had to fight to survive the killings and camps ran by Japanese. The days moved forward and Reese decided he needed to stand up for himself, he and King Kong got into a fight. Mr. Wilson scolded the boys, but nothing major happened. He explained how all of this is going to make them  better people and have a life. Mr. Hooft needed a mask to breath now,  he soon had the mask removed and would ask Reese, how does a criminal mind work. Why do they do what they do. Reese returned to Progressive, he received a letter from K-Man, he says a plan to make money, by driving a cab, but he hopes that his scholarships go through so he can go to school. King Kong and Toon had started going at it again, but Reese intervened, tripping King Kong. Reese is put into a detention cell, it is suicide proof so no one can go in there and not come back out unless they use careful planning. After a few weeks Reese was released. He noticed that there were big differences in the food   and he survived what everyone thought would be the death of him, he came out the same. Toon gave him the book The Lord of the Flies, saying that they are brothers forever. Mr. Wilson came and got Reese,  they drove 2 hours, finally stopping at the precinct. Finally two dectives told him what was going on. He was being charged for 25 years, for distributing drugs, the dealer said he was the one who sold and cut the drugs. The detectives question if Booker made up the story. But then they decided to send Reese back to jail, and come get him for trial.  Later Reese returned to Evergreen, Mr. Hooft, was out of the room, when he returned he had his grandson. Reese tells Mr. Hooft that his grandson acts tough, he responds his normal answers, what makes you tough. On Sunday morning Reese, had the choice of  twenty five, or three. Reese chose three years. Mr. Hooft told Reese to be a good child and stay away from jail. He had really taken  to Reese. Mr. Pugh, and Reese held a real conversation that day, it was the first time, about girls, Nicolas Cage and food.  Reese’s trial finally came, he would been seen in Brooklyn. His trial began, questions right and left, Reese defended his thought and reasoning for his action of stealing and contributing to the drug problem in the community.  After all was said and done a sentenced was served in favor of Reese’s education and personal growth. Reese knows that everything must start with him. One year later Reese is out, attending school, and working part time at Evergreen. He still hangs with Toon, they keep each other sane. Mr. Hooft had died after New Years, leaving behind his most important treasure. Reese needs to trudge through life and make sometime of his life.

M.   Description of how you would use the book with students: As a future SPED I will have the chance of having students with behavior disorders, this book is about coping with the streets or a situation that would have them riding the line or jail, this book reminds you how to make goals for yourself, and how to start dreaming to achieve them.  I would ask my student to make a list of goals he/she has then a list on how to achieve the goals. 

Chapter Book 10

A.    Author: Anne-Laure Bondoux

B.     Title: A Time of Miracles

C.     Illustrator:

D.    Readability: 5.3

E.     Genre: Historical

F.      Subgenre: Fictiond

G.    Theme: European War

H.    Primary and secondary characters: Blaise (Kourmail), Gloria, Zemzem

I.       Award(s) date of publication: Mildred Batchelder Award 2011

J.       Publishing company: Delacorte Press

K.    ISBN number: 978-0-385-73922

L.     Brief summary:  “My name is Blaise Fortune and I am a citizen of the French Reblic.” (pg. 1) Imagine living your whole life thinking you were someone you are not. This story follows the life of Blaise Fortune and his finder, Gloria. Blaise was found by Gloria, his mother had perished in a train that flipped over, she was holding the baby, but she had a broken back, Gloria saved him. The story resumes at the memories of 1992. Gloria and Blaise lived in an apartment, they shared a bathroom with the others on their floor and Mrs. Hanska would teach the students to read and learn about history and the world. A bell protected the community, if a watchman rang the bell it meant RUN. One evening, the bell began to ring. The community grabbed their things and took off into the woods, the rebels were coming, no one, would be saved if left behind. Gloria and Blaise, ran to Souma-Soula, on the mountains, they made a new home and began work. A year after being there a toxin fell over Souma-Soula, and they were forced to leave. They traveled to Sukumi, where they would take refuge until they could make it to France. Gloria would leave at night and return by morning, She finally brought Blaise with her, they bathed and cleaned up, today they would receive pictures for their passports. When night fell two other refugees found safety where Blaise and Gloria did, for a few day all four felt safe. One night, shouts came from the city, the rebels had advanced to the city and again, Blaise and Gloria were forced to flee! They ran and found refuge with a set of people who claimed to lead people to freedom. They brought them to a barn, said to sleep there at night, and arrangements would be there in the morning. No one arrived, they were left alone, to fend for themselves. A man with a rifle found them and told them they were not the first to rob them of their money and  leave them. The man lead them to the Russian boarder, Blaise is now 11 years old. They travel to the Ukrainian boarder and their fake id’s are put to the test, Blaise saved them by speaking the little French he knew from his magazine. They are almost to France, just a few more weeks and they would be free! Blaise tells us his last memory is the most painful. He and Gloria were at a gas station, looking frantically for a ride. She finally made a “friend” with a truck driver, but he had no idea about Blaise, she told him to stay put while she took care of something. She returned and said to follow her but do not get caught, he was to hide in the back of a semi. They rode for hours, all Blaise could think about was freedom. He was awaken by men of the French border guards, and Gloria was nowhere in sight! Blaise repeated the story of his life, how Gloria saved him, but the facts did not add up. He sadly became a ward of the state,  going to school and learning the French culture. By now it is 2000 and the world of technology has taken over. The teacher introduces to them the search engine Google. Blaise searches his mother’s name, Gloria’s name, and finally Zemzem, Gloria’s hero boyfriend she always talked about. He soon found that Zemzem was a rebel and was not saving people but killing them. He ran out of the room, angered from his findings he met a girl named Prudence. She was girl from Liberia, surviving great tragedies and becoming a French ward of the state. For 6 years Prudence and Blaise studied and grew together. When Blaise turned 18 he became a French citizen, and Prudence was there to support him along the way. They traveled to the town where Blaise’s mother was said to live, but could not muster up the courage to look much harder for her, he knew she wasn’t there. They returned to the school, and a few months later Blaise took off to Caucasus, to search for Gloria and find answers to his life. He arrives and finds her at a hospital, dying a very painful death. She has been there for 8 years and had yet to speak a word. Blaise gets her to open up about what happened and how he isn’t who he thinks he is. His life has been turned upside and he has only a few months to cope and deal with who Gloria really is. This is a tragic tale, I cried the whole last few chapters of the book, Blaise, Gloria, Zemzem and Prudence are brought to life and their stories of horrific war and survival moves me.  

M.   Description of how you would use the book with students:I would use this book, to have students dig deep into their emotions. I would look for a reading response about what they thought of how the ending turned out, I would ask them to predict the book first, and then have them decide if this is how  they thought it would end. I would also ask them to explore the countries this took place in, was has been raging over there for years and the aftermath still exists today.