Joseph Has a Little Overcoat

Author: Simms Taback

Title: Joseph Has a Little Overcoat

Illustrator: Simma Taback

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Children's Book

Theme: You can always make something out of nothing.

Primary and secondary characters: Joseph and his Overcoat.  

Award(s) date of publication: Caldecott Award, 1999

Publishing Company: Viking

Brief Summary and how I would use this book with students: Joseph Has a Little Overcoat is a book about a man named Joseph. He has a overcoat that he really loves so he wears it all the time until one day it becomes worn out. He decides to make a jacket out of it. Then, once the jacket is worn out he makes a vest out of it. After the vest he makes a scarf, then a tie, then a hankerchief, and finally a button. Then one day he looses the button and decides to write a book about it. The book shows that you can always make something out of nothing. This book could be used in the classroom to teach children how to be creative and that they can use what ever they are given to create something amazing. This book could be read before giving the students something to use to make something else out of. By comparing and looking at each students end masterpiece the students can learn all the different things that were possible by something that seemed so insignificant.

Lightship

Author: Brian Floca

Title: Lightship

Illustrator: Brian Floca

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Lightship Boats

Theme: Lightship boats light the way for other boats passin by to get home safe.

Primary and secondary characters: The Lightship.

Award(s) date of publication: Robert F. Sibert Award, 2007

Publishing Company: Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing Division

Brief Summary and how I would use this book with students: Lightship is a book about lightships. It talks about the people who are on board a lightship and what each on does. It also talks about how the lightship anchors in on specific place and stays there the whole time. It guides other boats passing by shinning its bright lights so that they can see through the dark and fog. Without lightships other boats could get lost or run into dangerous waters. This book could be used in the classroom when teaching children about various boats and aspects dealing with the ocean. This book uses rhyming sentences to make the learning fun.

Snowflake Bentley

Author: Jacqueline Briggs Martin

Title: Snowflake Bentley

Illustrator: Mary Azarian

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Nature and Snowflakes

Theme:

Primary and secondary characters: Wilson Bentley

Publishing Company: Houghton Mifflin Company

Brief Summary and how I would use this book with students: This book is about a man by the name of Wilson Bently who has been fascinated by snowflakes since he was a little boy. He believes that they are miracles and used his camera to take pictures to study different ones. Through his studies he was able to reveal that no two snowflakes are alike and that each one is extremely beautiful. This book could be used in the classroom to teach students about snowflakes. The pictures are very vivid and make learning about snowflakes exciting. Young children especially would enjoy this book due to the pictures. Wilson Bently discovery can teach children that hard work and persistence can lead to amazing discoveries.

Award(s) date of publication: Caldecott Award, 1998

Stepping on the Cracks

Author: Mary Downing Hahn

Title: Stepping on the Cracks

Illustrator: none

Genre: Chapter Book

Subgenre: Historical Fiction about World War II

Theme: Several themes: Dealing with abuse, fighting illness, forgiving others, patriotism

Primary and secondary characters: Primary- Margaret and Elizabeth Secondary- Gordy, Toad, Doug, Jimmy, and Stuart.

Award(s) date of publication: Scott O'Dell Award, 1991

Publishing Company: Houghton Mifflin

Brief Summary and how I would use this book with students:

Stepping on the Cracks is about two girls named Margaret and Elizabeth. Both of their brother are fighting overseas in the war against Hitler. The girls share this relationship and their patriotism with one another. While dealing with the issues of the war the are also dealing with a bully at school by the name of Gordy. Gordy and his two friends pick on the girls repetitvely untill the girls decide to take action against them. Yet, when they start to get their revenge they learn many secrets about Gordy that change their whole perspective on him. They realize that he is actually a good person with a huge heart and when Gordy becomes seriouly ill the girls end up taking care of him. This book could be used in the classroom when teaching students about World War II. The book talks about the challenges that these families had to face while dealing with someone else in their family being at war. Living near a military post this book can be used to help students who may have family members who are deployed in coping with the situation.

Candy Bomber

Author: Michael O. Tunnell

Title: Candy Bomber

Illustrator: Michael O. Tunnell

Genre: Chapter Book

Subgenre: Historical Non-Fiction about World War II

Primary and secondary characters: Primary-Lt. Gail S. Halvorsen

Award(s) date of publication: Orbis Pictus Award, 2010

Publishing Company: Charlesbridge

Brief Summary and how I would use this book with students: This book takes place post-World War II. It foc

This book describes a little-known post-World War II story. What started as a single pilot's car tour of bombed-out Berlin turned into an international campaign to help lighten the suffering of the children of West Berlin. In 1948, the Soviet Union had closed all land access to the isolated Free World sectors of West Berlin in an attempt to starve the people into accepting Communist rule. Consequently, a C-54 cargo pilot, Lt. Gail S. Halvorsen, shared the only two sticks of gum he had with a group of about 30 children. What started as a somewhat under-cover candy-dropping operation by Halvorsen and his buddies eventually became a air force sanctioned operation. As the airlift of food and fuel continued for almost two years, tons of candy were dropped (using tiny parachutes) for the children who waited in the flight path below. Lt. Halvorsen was know at the Chocolate Bomber. This book could be used in the classroom when talking about World War II. It could also be used to discuss the impact that one person can have on an entire situation and its outcome.

Theme: The story of someone who saw a need and did something about it. One person can make a difference.

Drew and the Homeboy Question

Author: Robb Armstrong

Title: Drew and the Homeboy Question

Illustrator: Robb Armstrong

Genre:  Chapter Book

Subgenre: Realistic Fiction about bullying and dealing with change

Theme: Friendship and Cultural Diversity- Making the best out of what you are given.

Primary and secondary characters: Primary- Drew, Secondary-

Award(s) date of publication: Coretta Scott King Award, 1997

Publishing Company: Harper Trophy

Brief Summary and how I would use this book with students: Drew and the Homeboy Question is a book about a sixth grade boy by the name of Drew. His parents send him to a private school after a shooting that happens at his public school. The change is hard on Drew who has to deal with a whole new school as well as making new friends. The private school which he attends is an all white school which makes him feel like an outsider. The book focuses on the challenges that he has to overcome to become accepted by the other students and look past the adversity that exists. This book could be used in the classroom to teach students about adversity. It also focuses on bullying which is a very important subject to teach students. Drew and the Homeboy Question is a very relatable book for children in grades fourth through sixth grade when bullying usually arises. Using this book to educate children on the affects the bullying and isolation have on a student is a great way to help them to understand how real and important the issue is to discuss.

Ellington Was Not a Street

Author: Ntozake Shange
Title: Ellington Was Not a Street

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Genre: Picture Book
Subgenre: Juvenile Nonfiction Poetry
Theme: Dealing with adversity.
Primary and secondary characters: The Narrator as a littler girl
Award(s) date of publication: Corretta Scott King Award, 1988

Publishing Company: Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing Division

Brief Summary and how I would use this book with students: Ellington Was Not a Street is the authors recount of the events that took place in her life growing up. It talks about her struggle with dealing with adversity during a time when people were segregated by the color of their skin. This book is very good and the pictures are very descriptive but the underlining message or theme of the story would be hard for younger readers to comprehend expecially if they are not aware of historical African American individuals. This book could be used in the classroom to talk about diversity and multiculturalism. It gives a uniquw perspective through the eyes of a little girl about what life was like growning up in a segregated world.

The Robber and Me

Author: Josef Holub

Title: The Robber and Me

Illustrator: none

Genre: Chapter Book

Subgenre: Historical Fiction about Family.

Theme: Being accepted for who you really are.

Primary and secondary characters: Primary- Boniface Schroll and Robber Knapp Secondary- Boniface's Aunt and Uncle, and Christopher.

Award(s) date of publication: Mildred L. Batchelder Award, 1997

Publishing Company: Henry Holt and Company

Brief Summary and how I would use this book with students: The Robber and Me is a book about an eleven year old boy by the name of Boniface Schroll who goes to live with his aunt and uncle after the death of his parents. He is sent to their village called Graab yet he does not reach his aunt and uncle. Instead, the driver who was paid to take him there ends up leaving Boniface in the woods. The driver tells his before he leaves that there is a robber who lives in the woods and that he should be careful. With no food, no place to keep warm, and no shelter Boniface becomes weak and begins to fall to the grown. All of the sudden he is rescued by the robber himself and taken to his uncle's house. A few days later, there is a huge uproar in the town about a robbery that took place and Robber Knapp is the prime suspect. Yet, Boniface knows that he could not have committed the crime because he was with his when the crime took place. After fighting within himself to remain mute on the situation, Boniface tells about Knapp's whereabouts on the night of the robbery. This story teaches children that things as well as people are not always as they seem. Therefore, one should not make assumptions about others or come to conclusions solely on previous knowledge. This book would tie in nicely with a lesson on acceptance of others and overcoming one's original perception of someone else to discover who they really are.

Sarah, Plain and Tall

Author: Patricia MacLachlan

Title: Sarah, Plain and Tall

Illustrator: none

Genre: Chapter Book

Subgenre: Historical Fiction about Family.

Theme: Dealing with loneliness, abandonment, and coping with change.

Primary and secondary characters: Sarah, Jacob, Anna and Caleb.

Award(s) date of publication: Newbery Award and Scott O'Dell Award, 1986

Publishing Company: Harper Collins

Brief Summary and how I would use this book with students: This book is about a man by the name of Jacob Witting who becomes a single parent after his wife dies while give birth to their child. The book focuses on his loneliness and his search for a new wife. He posts a newspaper ad looking for a new wife. A lady by the name of Sarah answers the ad and becomes Jacob's new wife. The book goes on to explain what they have to go through to become a family, through the good and the bad times. The children have a hard time adjusting to the change and this causes one of the many struggles in the book. This book could be used in the classroom when talking about the idea of change. Although the book could also help with children who have lost a parent, in the general educational environment the idea of change is much more relevant. Children have to deal with change all the time and a book dealing with one overcoming and dealing with change can be very beneficial to a young reader.

Jip, His Story

Author: Katherine Paterson

Title: Jip, His Story

Illustrator: None

Genre: Chapter Book

Subgenre: Historical Fiction about the Underground Railroad

Theme: Freedom and to live a better life.

Primary and secondary characters: Primary- Jip Secondary- Putnam Nelson, Lucy, and Luke Stevens

Award(s) date of publication: Scott O'Dell Award, 1996

Publishing Company: Dutton

Brief Summary and how I would use this book with students: Jip, His Story is about a twelve year old boy named Jip. He was abandoned when he was a baby, mistaken as a gypsy child, raised by a farm owner, and grew up working on the farm. On the farm, Jip meets a man by the name of Putnam Nelson who he calls Put and is known as a mad-man by all the town people. Jip and Put become very good friends. After trying to discover why Jip's parents abandoned him as a child he learns that he is the child of a slave and a slave owner making him half black. They decide to escape together though the use of the Underground Railroad in search of a better life. This book could be used in the classroom during a social studies unit, educating students on slavery and the Underground Railroad. It is a great perspective from the eye's of a twelve year old boy that many children around the same age could relate to.