Graphic Novel # 1

Author: Satoshi Kitamura
Title: Comic Adventures of Boots
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux Date: 2002

Age level: PreK Primary (K-2)

Summary:
Follow Boots on three different adventures with his friends in this funny graphic novel!

Strengths:
The illustrations in this book are great. They are really put together and capture the emotions of Boots and all his friends. The stories are simple and the topics are great for young children. Having three separate short stories breaks it up and makes it a perfect length for the younger children. Not to mention, the stories are highly entertaining.

Concerns:
I have no concerns with this book! It is great for young elementary school children.

Classroom use/Other comments:
This is a good book to show how it is important to illustrate your stories and encourage children to do so with their own. It is also a good book to let children read during free time because the short stories allow them enough time to finish.

Biographies/Informational Book # 4

Author: James Haskins
Title: Bayard Rustin
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children Date: 1997

Age level: Elementary (3-4) Upper (5-6)

Summary:
This is the biography of Bayard Rustin. It follows his life and details his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. Not only in his organizing of the March on Washington, but also his work with other great leaders of the time.

Strengths:
This book is a great example of a well written biography for upper elementary school children. It includes enough simple facts and dates to give an accurate background of Rustin, but does not overpower the book with them. Instead, it goes into detail about other important issues and explains what sort of bias and hatred Rustin had to endure for being a gay African American and leader of the March on Washington. The language used is age appropriate and the situations are put into a context that children can understand.

Concerns:
There are some pictures in the center of the book, but only a few. There are probably a lot more out there that could have been interspersed throughout the book. It would help break it out and help kids keep reading.

Classroom use/Other comments:
This is a great book to use when talking about how everyone matters and that behind-the-scenes help often plays a large role in everything. Rustin was not that well known, but he certainly had an influential role, and the teacher can incorporate this into a lesson. It is also a great book to use when talking about the Civil Rights Movement and important leaders.

Biographies/Informational Books # 3

Author: Mirjam Pressler
Title: Anne Frank: A Hidden Life
Publisher: Dutton’s Children’s Books Date: 1999

Age level: Elementary (3-4) Upper (5-6)

Summary:
This book takes a more in depth look at the diary of Anne Frank. It analyzes some of the lesser known diary entries and talks about the people who were present in her life at the time. It takes a more in depth look at everything that happened, and the smaller details.

Strengths:
This is an excellent addition to Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. It adds in depth analysis that a lot of students would not normally think about. It explains complicated details in a simple way for children to learn from it. There are some great photographs in the middle of the book which really help show who Anne Frank is, and who all the people in her life are. The combination of diary entries and paraphrasing of the diary provide a lot of change in the story and keep it interesting.

Concerns:
This should not be read just by itself, because it is a little dry sometimes. There is a lot of information that is dissected, and it does not always hold the readers attention.

Classroom use/Other comments:
This is a great supplement to other books about Anne Frank, and a great book to use to teach students how to analyze.

Sci Fi/Fantasy # 4

(Fantasy)
Author: Beverly Cleary
Title: The Mouse and the Motorcycle
Publisher: Avon Books Date: 1965

Age level: Elementary (3-4)

Summary:
Keith and his parents have stopped at an old hotel in California where they will be staying for a few days. A curious mouse lives in the knothole in Keith’s room, and while the family is away he tries to ride Keith’s toy motorcycle. The bike and the mouse, named Ralph, both fall off the desk into the wastepaper basket, where Ralph is sure the end is near. When Keith returns he finds Ralph and befriends him. As the story unfolds, Ralph is destined to many adventures with and without the motorcycle. Is he really ready for that type of responsibility?

Strengths:
This book combines adventure and interaction with animals- two things children love. It is a really entertaining book that is simple to read. There are a lot of concepts that are easy to relate to in this book, and children will learn from it. There are some really great themes throughout the book as well.

Concerns:
At some points, the book drags slightly. It seems that some of the ideas are drawn out too far, and take too long to get through. That may be due in part to my age, I’m sure a young child would not notice.

Classroom use/Other comments:
This is a great book to have in a reading corner, or to allow the students to read during free time. They could create a very interesting book report from it. It could also be used if there is a class pet somewhere in the school (that is a mouse) and to talk about what it would be like if these things could actually happen.

Biographies/Informational Book # 2

Author: Judith St. George
Title: So You Want to Be President?
Publisher: Philomel Books Date: 2000

Age level: Primary (K-2) Elementary (3-4)

Summary:
This is a book all about the first 42 presidents of the United States. It talks about how they were similar, how they were different, and what it takes to be president.

Strengths:
This book does a great job at breaking down complex concepts for elementary school children. It talks a lot about the different attributes of the presidents and different things that happened to them in terms easy enough for a young child to understand. When bad things happened, the author made sure to turn it around by making it into somewhat of a joke (with help of the great illustrations) and reassuring the reader that things are still okay. At first glance, it does not seem like it would be that exciting of a book, but I loved reading it and could not put it down! There is so much to see on each page and so many facts to learn. At the end there is even an appendix which gives a little biographical information on each president. It really is a terrific book.

Concerns:
My only concern with this book is that it is slightly outdated. There needs to be some additions made to the book to make it more accurate!

Classroom use/Other comments:
This book is perfect to use when introducing the different presidents of the United States and talking about roles of government. It would be wonderful to use during any history lesson of any of the presidents- even if you just pick out the pages that that specific president is on.

Biographies/Informational Book # 1

Author: Ann Morris
Title: Families
Publisher: Harper Collins Date: 2000

Age level: PreK Primary (K-2)

Summary:
This book is a description of all different types of families- big and small, together and apart, etc. It talks about all the things families have in common and how at the end of the day it is all about love.

Strengths:
One thing I like about this book is the variety of pictures that are used to illustrate families. It is very multicultural, and at the end of the book there is an index that describes where every family in the book is from and what is going on in the picture. There is also a map which helps children identify where these different countries are. It is simple and to the point, and teaches children about different lifestyles than their own.

Concerns:
The book is slightly boring. There are no fun fonts, or backgrounds. It is simple writing with real photographs of real families. The idea is a good one, but it needs something to spice it up.

Classroom use/Other comments:
This is a great book to teach children all about different types of families and how everyone is different. However, it needs to be a read aloud and a quick one at that. Students are likely to lose interest if this book is dragged out.

Sci Fi/Fantasy # 3

(Science Fiction)
Author: Jonathan Etra and Stephanie Spinner
Title: Aliens for Lunch
Publisher: Random House Date: 1991

Age level: Elementary (3-4)

Summary:
Richard and his friend Henry are enjoying a nice quiet day when all of a sudden out of their popcorn comes a little alien named Aric. Aric needs their help to save earth from the attack of the aliens from planet Threll- and worse, the end of dessert! Can Richard and Henry save the day?
Strengths:
This book does a great job trying to convince children that vegetables serve a purpose in life and that they are better than desserts are. The evil aliens can be defeated by the mere glimpse of a celery stick! However, the book is very compelling and would keep any third grader interested in extra terrestrials very riveted. The names and illustrations are very silly, something that children love.

Concerns:
As far as plot goes, this storyline is pretty simple. There are no extra twists or turns that would surprise a child. It seems very straightforward and almost too short.

Classroom use/Other comments:
This book is good for independent reading and perhaps a good book report!