A Pocketful of Poems

By: Nikki Grimes

Genre: Poetry

Age  Range: 2nd - 4th. The poems are short and easy to follow with simple rhyme schemes making it simple for kids just being introduced to poetry to get into it.

Plot: Short poems describing everyday things that children can encounter everyday.

Characters: Tiana, Mama, Daddy

Setting: Harlem

Illustrations: By Javaka Steptoe. Two page illustrations accompanying each poem. Mixed media.

A Suitcase of Seaweed

By: Janet S. Wong

Genre: Poetry

Age Range: 4th - 8th. The poems have no clear rhyme scheme and have varying styles that can confuse younger kids who are just being introduced to poetry.

Plot: The poems are divided into three groups: Korean, Chinese, and American. Each section describes a certain part of the author. Mother is Korean, father is chinese, and the author is American.

Characters: Author, Father, Mother, Grandfather.

Equity Issues: No stereotypes or gender bias

Pink and Say

By: Patricia Polacco

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age Range: 5th-8th. Even though this is a picture book, the vivid illustrations and dealings with death and costs of war make for a book fit for older children.

Plot: This is the story of Sheldon Russell Curtis. When he left for the war at the young age of 15, he was wounded for two days in Georgia with a gun shot just above his knee. Pinkus Aylee found him and while avoiding marauders, attempted to reunite with his company but ended up back home where his mother, Moe Moe Bay, was staying. She fed and cared for them until they told her they need to leave. She didn't like it but understood. The day they were to leave marauders came and shot Moe Moe Bay while the boys were hiding in the cellar. They buried her and set out for the Union camp. They were captured by marauders on their way and taken to Andersonville, one of the worst confederate camps. Sheldon Russell Curtis was rescued months later and lived a full happy life. Pinkus Aylee is believed to have been hanged some hours after arriving.

Characters: Sheldon, Pinkus, Moe Moe Bay, marauders

Setting: Georgia during the Civil War

Theme: It isn't the color of your skin that matters but how you choose to carry yourself.

Equity: Language, issues, and controversies of that time period are depicted with accuracy and without bias.

Illustrations: Illustrations by Patricia Polacco. Watercolor. Excellent in telling the story. Neutral colors

Shrek

By: William Steig

Genre: Fantasy

Age Range: 2nd-5th. Repetition in the text as well as some challenging words. The illustrations take up more space than text and is separate.

Plot: After Shrek is forced to find his own way in the world, he comes upon a which who tells him his fortune. She tells him he'll soon meet a princess and marry her. Having heard this, Shrek began looking right away. As he walked he came across a peasant and took his pheasant and Shrek warmed it simply with his glare. It began raining and lighnting stuck Shrek but he simply ate it and moved on. He came to a warning sign but merely ignored it. Suddenly a dragon pinned Shrek to the ground but he knocked him unconscious. He came upon a castle with a knight on guard and defeated him easily. He saw the princess and they both fell in love and lived horribly ever after.

Characters: Shrek, the witch, the donkey, the princess.

Setting: A fairy tale land.

Theme:

Illustrations: By William Steig. Water color, separate from text. Assist perfectly in portraying the characters and scenes.

Where the Wild Things Are

By: Maurice Sednak

Genre: Fantasy

Age Range: K-3rd. The text is separate from the illustrations and takes up less space than the illustrations. There is some repetition.

Plot:: Max is sent to bed without dinner for causing mischief and suddenly a forest begins to appear in his room. He finds his own personal sail boat and sails to where the wild things are becomes their king. Playing and sleeping all day but Max begins to miss his home. He decides to leave the wild things and sails home to his room where his still warm dinner is waiting. 

Character: Max, his mother, the wild things.

Setting: Max's room and then an imaginary forrest. 

Theme: Imagination can take you to impossible places.

Illustrations: Done by Maurice Sendak, they are mixed media. They assist perfectly in telling the story and showing the wild things Max encountered. 

Coraline

By: Neil Gaiman.

Genre: Fantasy

Age Range: 5th-8th. Even though this book does not have any situations with physical development, has conflicts with adults and many problem solving situations enticing the readers to figure out what Coraline will do next.

Plot: Coraline is bored with her life. Her parents do not listen and her neighbors cannot get her name right. On a rainy day that forces her to stay inside, Coraline begins exploring the house. She finds a door which wasn't supposed to go anywhere but this time, it did. Crawling through the door she walked back into her home but it wasn't her home. This other home was much more exciting. The food smelled delicious and the garden was magnificent. Her other parents wanted her to stay very much but she must sew black buttons over her eyes. Coraline refuses, hurriedly climbs back through door and closes it behind her. She arrives back in her real home but cannot find her parents. She discovers her other mother has taken them and she must get them back. With help from the cat, she manages to defeat the other mother, save her parents, and the souls of others the other mother has captured. Coraline and everyone escapes safely to her home. However, the souls she saved tells her it isn't over. The other mother's great right hand is after the key to the door that hangs around Coraline's neck. She lures the hand to the deep, deep well in the garden. Laying a trap, she places the key on a table cloth over the well. Without hesitation the hand jumps for it, tumbles far down the well and Coraline quickly boards up the well preventing it from ever escaping.

Characters: Coraline, Mother and Father, Miss Spink, Miss Forcible, Mr. Bobo, Cat, Other Mother/beldam, Other Father, Other Miss Spink, Other Miss Forcible, Other Mr. Bobo, the rats.

Setting: It gives no mention of time but I'd guess present day in a suburban/rural area in England.

Theme: "When you're scared but still do it anyway, that's brave." A direct quote from the book.

Equity: No stereotypes or gender bias.

Illustrations: By Dave McKean. Sketches that help show both worlds Coraline is in.

The Apprentice

By: Pilar Molina Llorente

Genre: Historical Fiction. Set during the time of the Renaissance in Florence, Italy. This story offers a glimpse of how people lived and worked in that time.

Age Range: 4th-6th. While giving a peek into what life was like back then, this books has moral dilemmas, conflicts with peers, parents, adults, and internal conflicts that the young main character must go through in order to achieve his dream of becoming a painter.

Plot: Arduino does not want to become a tailor like his father, brothers, or his other ancestors. He wishes to painter. His father isn't happy about it but allows him to have an apprenticeship with a master painter, Cosimo di Forli. After one day of being there, Arduino is treated like garbage. After a few weeks, he is still only cleaning and fears he may never learn anything. One night ventures to the attic where the housemaid has been making recent trips. He finds a young boy named Donato, a former apprentice of the master chained like an animal. After the master had fallen ill, Donato was set free in order to finish the master's commission and continure painting with Arduino at his side.

Characters: Arduino, Father, Maestro Cosimo di Forli, Melania, Donato, Duke of Algora, Marco, Piero, Baldo.

Setting: The Renaissance in Florence, Italy.

Theme:

Equity: Stereotypes are avoided and the culture is accurately and appropriately represesnted.

Illustrations: By Juan Ramon Alonso. Sketches helping depict various characters.

The Arrow Over the Door

The Arrow Over the Door

By: Joseph Bruchac

Genre: Historical Fiction. Set in 1777 in colonial America, it accurately portrays how people lived, spoke, and felt about current events of that time.

Age Range: 4th-6th grade. Children are beginning to develop empathy for others, have a better understanding of time and a highly developed sense of justice. This book offers language development and offers situations where the children are challenging their parents.

Plot: The book goes back and forth between the stories of Samuel, a Quaker who's family and fellow Quakers are ridiculed for choosing not to fight in the Revolutionary War and Stands Straight, a 14 year old Abenaki boy whose family is chosen to by King George to help the British. Neither one of them are comfortable with the actions their families have chosen to take. Samuel does not understand how peace can do any good against muskets and arrows. Stands Straight did not want to die for those whom caused him so much pain. As the stories progress, they collide. Stands Straight's scouting party comes across the settlement of Samuel's people. There is growing tension between the two but seeing the Quakers open door and without weapons, the scouting party puts down their weapons and they quickly become friends.

Setting: 1777 in what is now New York

Theme: Peace can do greater good than a gun or any weapon.

Illustrations: James Walting. Sketch and shading. The illustrations, though few, greatly help picture how the people lived and dressed adding the the historical value of the book.

Equity Issues: All characters are portrayed in a positive manner without any stereotypes. The cultures and lifestyles are portrayed accurately and showed from different viewpoints of various characters.

Spider and the Sky God

Retold by: Deborah K. Newton Chocolate

Genre: Traditional Folk tale: Beast tale. A small spider out smarts animals much larger then himself.

Age Range: K-3rd. It is an easy read and not challenging for older readers. Excellent for story time with younger readers.

Plot: Ananse the Spider goes to the Sky God high above to become a great story teller. The Sky God tells him he must bring him Onini - the Python, Mmboro - the Buzzing Hornets, Osebo - the Leopard, and Mmotia - the Fairy. After outsmarting all four and capturing

Characters: Kwansu Ananse, Sky God, Aso, Onini - the Python, Mmoboro - the Buzzing Hornets, Osebo - the Leopard, and Mmoatia - the Fairy.

Setting: The forests of West Africa

Theme: Little things can accomplish big tasks.

Illustrations: Dave Alders; Lots of geometric shapes and vivid colors which is part of African Culture.

Equity: Derived from traditional African folklore, this tale is good representation of a culture and is excellent for introduction into a culture.