Rules

Lord, C. (2006). Rules. New York: Scholastic Press.

Catherine's life is not normal.   Her family's life revolve around her little brother David and his autism.   Catherine is constantly creating rules that help curb her brother's "embarrassing" behaviors so that he may live in a normal world.  One day, Catherine discovers a girl her age is moving next door which gives her hope for a normal life.  In addition, she befriends a boy named Jason, who is a paraplegic and changes her outlook on what true friendship is.

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/PxNGaC-bbRA

Rosa

Giovanni, N., & Collier, B. (2005). Rosa. New York: Henry Holt.

Told from the perspective of Rosa Parks, Rosa chronicles the day she held her ground and did not move to the back of the bus.  As a result of her actions, a civil rights movement began with Martin Luther King leading the way to end segregation. Words and portrait like illustrations lead you on this civil rights journey.

If you liked Rosa by Nikki Giovanni, you may like:

Rosa Parks: don't give in by Cynthia East Dubowski
Dubowski, C. E. (2006). Rosa Parks: don't give in!. New York, N.Y.: Bearport Pub..

Rosa Parks by Susan Hoe
Hoe, S. (2009). Rosa Parks. Philadelphia: Mason Crest Publishers.

It's so Amazing!

Harris, R. H., & Emberley, M. (1999). It's so amazing!: a book about eggs, sperm, birth, babies, and families. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press.

For ages 7 and up, It's So Amazing provides an engaging and non-threatening way for parents to answer the question "Where do babies come from?".  With help from a bird and bee, each topic is discussed with cartoon like illustrations with careful attention paid to the young audience of the book.  Some adults may also learn a thing or two.

Lesson:  After reading the section on genetic characteristics, have students make a chart and write down their characteristics, (hair, eye color, ext) and make a determination which parent/grandparents passed down the specific trait.

TEKS: The student knows that reproduction is a characteristic of living organisms and that the instruction for traits are governed in the genetic material.  The student is expected to define heredity as the passage of genetic instruction from one generation to the next generation.

Spiders

Bishop, N. (2007). Spiders. New York: Scholastic Nonfiction.

Spiders will send chills down your spine while providing facts that will make you look at the eight legged creepy crawlers in a different light.  Accompanying each fact is an up close and personal look at different species of spiders in their natural habit. Caution: Do not read if you suffer from arachnophobia.

Lesson Idea: Compare and contrast different kinds of spiders in the book.  Have the students use graphic organizers to display their knowledge.

TEKS: Organisms and environments.  The student knows that organisms resemble their parents and have structures and processes that help them survive within their environments.  The student is expected to based on physical characteristics such as color, size, and  body covering.

Dear Mr. Henshaw

Cleary, B., & Zelinsky, P. O. (1983). Dear Mr. Henshaw. New York: Morrow. (Newberry 1984)

Written entirely through letters and diary entries, sixth grader Leigh Botts writes to his favorite author Boyd Henshaw. Leigh asks Mr. Henshaw questions about being an author while also opening up about living with his mother and feelings of abandonment by his truck driving father and problems at school.  Mr. Henshaw's replies and advice help change Leigh's life.

If you liked Dear Mr. Henshaw, you may like:

It's Not The End of the World by Judy Blume
Cleary, B., & Zelinsky, P. O. (1983). Dear Mr. Henshaw. New York: Morrow.

The Landry News by Andrew Clements
Clements, A., & Murdocca, S. (1999). The Landry News. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

It's a Book

Smith, L. (2011). It's a book. London: Macmillan Children's Books.

In this hilarious and clever book,  a donkey doesn't understand what a book is and what it does.  Each page is a different question the tech-savy donkey asks about the book seemingly not listening to the answer building upon the monkey's frustration.

Book Trailer:  http://youtu.be/x4BK_2VULCU

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach

Deedy, C. A., & Austin, M. (2007).Martina, the beautiful cockroach: a Cuban folktale. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree.

It is time for Martina to marry, but how will she select the right suitor?  On the advice of her grandmother, Martina spills coffee on the shoes of the gentlemen asking for her leg in marriage and sees an ample amount of reactions to help her make a choice.  Who will she choose? You will be surprised when the tables are turned on Martina.

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/Z28ChgqayU4

The Three Pigs

Wiesner, D. (2001). The three pigs. New York: Clarion Books. (Caldecott 2002)

The three little pigs escape the clutches of the wolf and find the pages of their story coming out of the book. The pigs end up in two other nursery rhymes and bring a piece of those stories back to their own story and turn the tables of the big bad wolf.  Masterful illustrations "fall" off the page and fun chaos prevails as the pictures turn into a playground of fun for the pigs.

TEKS: Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Drama. Students understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of drama and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected to identify the elements of dialogue and use them in informal plays.

Lesson: Because the story doesn’t follow the traditional “Three Little Pigs” nursery rhyme, ask students to make inferences on what will happen next.  Which nursery rhyme will the pigs jump into? Which nursery rhyme would you choose and draw an illustration depicting the pigs in that story.

Where the Wild Things Are

Sendak, M. (1963). Where the wild things are. New York: Harper & Row. (Caldecott 1964)

Max is up to trouble and is sent to his room without supper.  Max's room turns into a forest and he is whisked away in a boat to where the wild things are where he is made the king.  Fun ensues until Max become homesick and decides to leave to the dismay of the wild things. The illustrations compliment the story and give the reader a visual of Max's imaginary world.

TEKS: Writing/Literacy: Students write a literary texts to express their ideas and feelings about real or imagined people, events, and ideas.

Lesson: Students will look at the pictures of the book and write their own narrative before reading.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Kinney, J. (2007). Diary of a wimpy kid: Greg Heffley's journal. New York: Amulet Books.

As Gerg Heffley starts middle school, he starts a "journal" because he knows someday he'll be famous.  As the school year progresses, Greg chronicles his experience with Cheese, evading bullies on Halloween night, and keeping his hot chocolate privileges during his stint as a member of safety patrol.  Throughout Greg's "journal", hilarious cartoon pictures depict every situation Greg finds himself in.

If you liked Diary of a Wimpy Kid, you might also like:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
Kinney, J. (2008). Diary of a wimpy kid: Rodrick rules. New York: Amulet Books.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
Kinney, J. (2009). Diary of a wimpy kid: the last straw. New York: Amulet Books.

Bridge to Terabithia

Paterson, K., & Diamond, D. (1977). Bridge to Terabithia. New York, NY: Crowell. (Newberry 1978)

Expecting to be the fastest kid in 5th grade, Jess is astonished when Leslie, the new girl in town, beats him at a race.  Over time, Jess and Leslie become best friends and create the land of Terabithia where they rule as king and queen until an unforeseen accident changes the course of their lives.

If you liked Bridge to Terabithia, you may also like:

Holes by Louis Sachar
Sachar, L. (1998). Holes. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
DiCamillo, K. (2000). Because of Winn-Dixie. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press.

The Legend of the Bluebonnet

DePaola, T. (1983). The legend of the bluebonnet: an old tale of Texas. New York: Putnam.

Orphaned by a famine, She-Who-Stands-Alone gives up her greatest possession in order to save her people.  As a result of her sacrifice, her people are saved and rewarded with the beautiful bluebonnet, the Texas state flower.

T.E.K.S: The student expresses idea through artworks, using a variety of media with appropriate skill.  The students is expected to express ideas and feeling in artworks, using a variety of colors, forms and lines and create effective compositions, using design elements and principles.

Lesson Plan: Make a watercolor ground and sunset and then draw bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes over it with watercolor colored pencils. 

Mirror Mirror

Singer, M., & Masse, J. (2010). Mirror mirror: a book of reversible verse. New York, N.Y.: Dutton Children's Books.

How can a fairy tale tell two different stories?  Read it forward, then read it in reverse.  Mirror Mirror takes each story, flips it, and then makes a few minor grammar changes that will make you see double.

Lesson plan Idea: Identify words that change meaning in their presentation of each fairy tale.

TEKS: Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Poetry

This is Not My Hat

Klassen, J. (2012). This is not my hat. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press. (Caldecott 2013)

A little fish has stolen the big fish's hat while he was sleeping.  The big fish wakes up and notices his hat gone and sets out to find it.  Laugh along with illustrations that depict expressive characters in the search for a little hat.

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/IhbYyEdYWY8

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow

Bartlett, S. C. (2005). Hitler Youth: growing up in Hitler's shadow. New York: Scholastic Nonfiction.

Told from the perspective of the youth living in Nazi Germany, Hitler Youth chronicles the plight of several young people during the years leading up to, during, and after World War II.  Stories are told from those who believed in Adolf Hitler and his socialist policies and others who secretly fought against the Nazi propaganda.  The photographs will give you the chills and make you see World War II through the eyes of children.

If you liked Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitlers Shadow, check out these related titles:

A Child of Hitler: Germany in the days when God wore a Swastika by Alfons Heck 

Heck, A. (1985). A child of Hitler: Germany in the days when God wore a swastika. Phoenix, Arizona: Renaissance House.

Beyond the Courage: the Untold story of the Jewish resistance during the Holocaust by Doreen Rapport

Rappaport, D. (2012). Beyond courage: the untold story of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust.. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press.

How They Croaked

Bragg, G., & Malley, K. (2011). How they croaked: the awful ends of the awfully famous. New York: Walker & Co..

We all know the stories of Cleopatra and Charles Dickens life, but what about their deaths? Follow along with the sometimes rich and famous, or infamous, with a humorous look at their ultimate demise that will leave you squeamish and screaming for more.  Each section in this page-turner ends with information that gives tantalizing tidbits and facts about the deceased and the time period they lived in and will give you insight into true medical malpractice. 

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/v_g1DKSH6T8