Book Trailer

OH NO! (How My Science Project Destroyed the World)

Written by Mac Barnett

Illustrated by Dan Santat

©2010

Living in Space

Living in Space

written by Katie Daynes

Illustrated by Christyan Fox

Published by San Val

©2003

32 pages

Genre is Informational

The book interested me because as a child I was always interested in the subject of space. I could never read enough information on space!  This book is part of the Usborne beginners series. This book tells students about how astronauts travel in space and where they live when they get there! It helps the students better understand about astronauts and find amazing facts about astronauts! This book will leave the students wanting to read more of the beginner series. 

The illustrations included in this book are great and include large pictures to keep the younger readers it's aimed at drawn to the books! The book includes real photos of spaceships and astronauts. It also includes small graphics to help readers understand the vocabulary in the book. The book includes many text features so students know the key terms that go along with the book. A lot of these key terms noted are followed with a small graphic for a visual.

The book would be a great addition to any classroom! The book is geared toward beginning readers and has a lot of fun facts and information included! The books in this series would be great to go along with a science lesson. The teacher could use this book to open up discussion and projects on space or what astronauts do! Students could great projects with the information they have learned and present them to the class. Students could also chose a book from the series and draw a picture to depict what the book is saying! 

The Story of Little Black Sambo

The Story of Little Black Sambo

written by Helen Bannerman

Illustrated by Christopher Bing

Published by Handprint Books

©2003

32 pages

Genre is Multicultural

This book was recommended to me by a friend. When she handed it to me, I thought it looked like a really good book! Boy, was I right?! This book tells the story of a little boy named, Sambo, who gets all these grand items from his father and is extremely happy! However, when walking through the jungle one day, he comes across a tiger who says he's going to eat him. What is Little Black Sambo going to do? 

The illustrations of this book give it an almost antique, weathered looking read. The illustrations all involve bright and beautiful images. I read up on the author who has been drawing every since he was a child. He takes time and puts a lot of detail into each illustration he creates. When looking at his pictures in the book, this is very evident! His artwork is very creative and will definitely catch the eye of young readers!

This book is appropriate for all readers and could definitely be used in a classroom setting! Since the book is in a multicultural genre, then is could be used to open discussion for different cultures in the classroom! Students could use it to create their own reports of different cultures throughout the world and present them to the class. This would help students become more aware of different cultures. 

Who is J.K. Rowling?

Who is J.K. Rowling?

Written by Pam Pollack and Meg Belviso

Illustrated by Stephen Marchesi

Published by The Penguin Group

©2012
105 pages
Genre is biographies

The students is my classroom I am working in had to do a project on famous leaders. One of the books the teacher had sitting out was Who is J.K. Rowling? The book popped out to me because I'd read most of the Harry Potter books as a child. I picked the book up out of the stack and while the students were reading and trying to figure out who they wanted to do their report on, I read about half of the book. This book is all about J.K. Rowling and what in her life inspired her to write the Harry Potter Series. There are so many things in her life that inspired the characters and settings in the Harry Potter series!

The illustrations throughout the book are just small sketches found on just about every page. They help tell and illustrate the life of Rowling. They help give the readers insight on what the event in Rowling's life might have looked like and what the author is referring to. These pictures really help younger readers be more interested in reading the book since it is a biography! The pictures really help for those transitioning readers because there is so much information in the book and the pictures help children have a relaxer so that every page is not filled with just words.

This book is geared toward upper elementary (grades 3-7). This book could be used in the classroom in many different ways.  Since this book is a biography, it could be used to model a biography to children and then have students write one of their own on somebody. This book could also be used to create a living wax museum.  The teacher could have the students create a report on famous Americans or leaders and then have the students dress up as there person to give their report!

The Librarian of Basra

The Librarian of Basra

Written and Illustrated by Jeanette Winter

Published by Harcourt, Inc. 

©2005

32 pages

Genre is Historical Fiction

The Librarian of Basra was a great read! The unique cover for the book is what really had me interested in the book itself. Since this book is historical fiction, it is based on a true event. The book centers around a librarian in Basra, Iraq. She wants to save the books in the library from the rumors of an invasion that is supposed to occur.  She recruits help from other people as well to try and save the books!

The illustrations for this book were done with acrylic and pen on arches watercolor paper. The story could still be understood without the illustrations but it might not appeal to children as much. The illustrations help to add to the war that's going on and it helps to add to the beauty this librarian sees in books. The illustrations really add to the true beauty and truth of this book. 

This book is appropriate for lower level grades the way it is written. However, it is a great book for all ages in what you can learn from the book! You can learn to have a love of literature and about the war that occurred over in Iraq. This book can be used in the classroom in a multitude of ways. The book can be used to show what lengths some people will go to for great literature. The book could be used in reference to history as well! The teacher could read the book to open the lesson on social studies and discussing wars. 

Punk Farm - Modern Fantasy

Punk Farm

Written and Illustrated by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Published by A. Knopf : Distributed by Random House

©2005

40 pages

Genre is Modern Fantasy

This book looked like a fun book to read! The cover of the book really grabbed my attention. I was looking online for different modern fantasy books and saw this one. I thought the characters looked quirky and that there would be a fun story inside. I was right! This book is about the 'other side' of farming. It's about what happens when the farmer, Joe, turns off the lights at the end of a hard day and the animals come out and play!

The illustration of this children's book are graphic novels using what looks to be computer generated pictures. The pictures look like they really reach to the children with bright colors and lots of different ways to view and read the book on the pages. The book really helps students comprehend the story because they are a part of the story and tell information all their own.

The book is appropriate for all students bust most appropriate for grades kindergarten through third grade. This book could be used in an elementary classroom to build character education. They could pull another simple fantasy such as Little Bo Peep and create their own modern fantasy as a class. They could illustrate and write dialogue for the characters.