Love to Mama: A tribute to mothers

Edited by: Pat Mora
Ilustrations: Paula S. Barragan M.

Genre: Poetry

Age Range: 4th - 5th, Many of the poems have Spanish vocabulary integrated and can confuse younger children if not introduced to it beforehand.

Plot: The book is a collection of Spanish poems dedicated to mothers or mother-like figures. Some of them describe what they are like, what they do, and even how they dress. Some also describe the relationship between the author and them. There is also a good amount of Spanish vocabulary used in the poetry.

Characters: Daughters, nieces, mothers, aunts, grandmothers.

Theme: How important mothers and similar figures are.

Illustrations: Mixed Media

Equity Issues: I found no negative stereotypes or gender bias in the book.

Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems

By: Kristine O'Connell George
Illusttrations: Debbie Tilley

Genre: Poetry

Age Range: 5th - 6th because of the theme of the poems.

Plot: The poems start from the first day of middle school and works through the year following a young girl. There are poems for the first day of school, lunch period, band class, gym class, the infamous school dance and many more.

Characters: The narrator, Sumako, Ryan, and Zach.

Setting: A middle school.

Theme: Middle School.

Illustrations: Sketches.

Song of the Water Boatman & other pond poems

By: Joyce Sidman
Illustrations: Beckie Prange

Genre: Poetry

Age Range: 3rd-5th.

Plot: The book is composed of poems based on various pond dwelling animals. From tiny larvae to wood ducks, they're all explored in poems and then various facts about the animals  are given in shorts paragraphs on the side of the pages.

Characters: N/A

Setting: A pond

Theme:

Illustrations: Done by Beckie Prange, They look computer generated and reflect the natural beauty of the creatures inhabiting ponds.

Many Moons

By: James Thurber

Illustrated by: Louis Slobodkin

Genre: Fantasy

Age Range: K-4th. The length is appropriate for an older age but the small amount of words on each page and wonderful illustrations can be used to attract younger readers and be used for storytelling.

Plot: The princess falls ill and tells her father the king that the only way she'll be better is if she can have the moon. The king calls upon the Lord High Chamberlain, the Royal Wizard, and the Royal Mathematician to make it happen. None of them found it possible and the king was nothing short of frustrated. The court jester walks in and asks what is wrong. The king explains and the jester asks if the princess knows any of what they told the king. The king answered no and the jester went to find what the princess knew of the moon. She explains that is made of gold and no bigger than her thumbnail. The jester has a piece of gold forged and attached to a chain so the princess may take it everywhere. But now the king is distressed because the moon will be out again. The Chamberlain, Wizard, and Mathematician come up with silly impractical ideas. The king was devastated again and the jester went to ask the princess once more how this could be. She explains that a new one grew in its place when he gave her the one she has. 

Characters: The king, Princess Lenore, Lord High Chamberlain, Royal Wizard, Royal Mathematician, and Court Jester.

Setting: In a kingdom far far away.

Theme: Think outside of the box. 

Illustrations: By Louis Slobodkin. Watercolors with a mix of sketches.

The Reluctant Dragon

By: Kenneth Grahame

Genre: Fantasy

Age Range: 5th - 7th. Though the book isn't long, the language of the book and lack of illustrations suggests difficulty for younger readers.

Plot: A shepherd finds a dragon sleeping in a cave near where his sheep graze. He runs and tells his wife and son. His son being the book reader convinces his mother and father to allow him to speak to the dragon before they do anything rash. The next day he goes to speak to the dragon and the dragon does not want to leave. Turns out he is rather lazy and apathetic and does not want to leave. He would much rather recite poetry and discuss things of that nature. Soon, the townsfolk hear word of the dragon and call for a knight. St. George shows up and the villagers tell him how violent and evil the dragon is and he believes them. The boy meets with him trying to convince him otherwise but St. George's prejudice is strong and would like to meet the dragon himself. When meeting they become friends and would like to peacefully resolve but cannot agree upon how. The dragon refuses to fight because he sees no point but the boy and the night crave a fight. After acting out a fight for all the villagers to see, the dragon is brought back alive and everyone loves him. Solving all their problems.

Characters: The dragon, the boy, the shepherd/father, mother, St. George, the villagers.

Setting: Long ago it was seems to be Britain

Theme: Looks can be deceiving

Illustrations: Ernest H. Shepard. Sketches that simply assist in what the characters look like.

Winnie-the-Pooh

By: A.A. Miline
Illustrations: Ernest H. Shepard

Genre: Fantasy because Christopher Robin's dolls come to life and have adventures.

Age Range: 5th-8th grade. Even though this is a fantasy book revolving around a stuffed bear and his friends, the writing style and chosen language of the book promotes challenges for young readers. Their is also a variety of personalities which young readers may also have difficulty understanding.

Plot: The book is a collection of adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends Christopher Robin, Piglet, Rabbit, Eeyore, Kanga, Baby Roo, and Owl. Many resulting in Pooh and his friends getting in some sort of situatuion which Christopher Robin helps them.

Characters: Winnie-the-Pooh, Christopher Robin, the narrator, Piglet, Owl, Eeyore, Kanga, Baby Roo, and Rabbit.

Setting: Christopher Robin's house and The Hundred Acre Wood.

Theme: Friends are very important.

Illustrations: Sketches done by Ernest H. Shepard add to the reasoning of why this book is for older readers. The sketches are simple outlines simply aiding the imagination of the reader as to what was going on or how things looked.

Black Potatoes: The Story of the Great Irish Famine

By: Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Genre: Informational Nonfiction

Age Range: 5th - 8th grade; The page length and lack of illustrations move this book to the older kids section.

Content: The book discusses life before, during, and after the potato famine of Ireland.

Organization: The book is a narrative. The information is clearly presented with appropriate text. A timline, bibliography, and index are all provided.

Illustrations: Sketches drawn by various artists. Credit is given in the book.

Awards: Robert F. Sibert Medal 2002

Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea

Text: Sy Montgomery
Photographs: Nic Bishop

Genre: Informational Nonfiction

Age Range: 4th and up. Good introduction book for new independent readers, despite page length it is an easy and fun read.

Content: The book shows the journey of a group of scientists going to New Guinea in search of the Tree Kangaroo. Along the way, they interact with locals, discuss their ways of life, elaborate on the environment and other local animals.

Organization: The book is a narrative with interactive reading and text appropriate for the varying audiences.

Illustrations: All pictures in the book are photographs of the actual expediton.

Equity Issues: Shows how another culture lives.

Awards: Orbis Pictus Award 2007

Wringer

By: Jerry Spinelli

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Age Range: 5th - 8th grade; The amount of peer pressure and concept of death make this a great book for new  independent young readers.

Plot: Palmer just turned nine years old and was finally accepted by Beans, Mutt, and Henry as their friend. They were all excited though to turn ten. In the town they lived in, when a boy turned ten he was allowed the opportunity to be a wringer in the local pigeon shooting contest. Any pigeons that were injured, their necks were wrung by the boys. The only one not excited was Palmer. He didn't understand why the pigeons had to die and didn't want to kill anything. Things only became more complicated when a pigeon landed just outside his window not just one night but every night. Palmer ends up keeping him but this only causes more problems with his friends as Beans, the leader, hates pigeons. He wants nothing more than to be a wringer and he'll stop at nothing to get that bird. Palmer realizes this and gets rid of Nipper, the pigeon. However, on the day of the shoot, Nipper has somehow ended up with all the other pigeons and Palmer begins his frantic search for him. Nipper flies out of a box, the shooter misses, and he lands on Palmer's head. Beans tries to kill him but fortunately Palmer is able to save him and they head home with everyone knowing Palmer has a pet pigeon.

Characters: Palmer, Beans, Mutt, Henry, Dorothy, Nipper, Palmer's Mom

Setting: A rural community in present day.

Theme: Never give in to peer pressure.

Award: Newbery Honor 1997