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. 

Number the Stars

Author: Lois Lowry

Title: Number the Stars

Illustrator: None

Genre: Chapter Book

Subgenre: Holocaust

Theme:  The challenges that faced those affected by the Holocaust.

Primary and secondary characters: Primary- Annemarie Johansen, Secondary- Ellen Rosen, Mrs. Johansen, Uncle Henrik, Peter.

Award(s) date of publication: Newbery Award, 1989

Publishing Company: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books

Brief Summary and how I would use this book with students: Number the Stars is about a ten year old girl who lives in Denmark. She is a normal child who loves to hang out with her friends and enjoy life but her life takes a hard turn when her and her family has to deal with the Nazis and avoiding the Holocaust. This book talks about the different situations that her and her family had to go through until they finally escaped and left Denmark. I can use this book in my class to teach my students about history and about the Holocaust. This book gives the students a better understanding because they can relate to Annemarie and relive her life through reading this book.

Bud, Not Buddy

Author: Christopher Paul Curtis

Title: Bud, Not Buddy          

Illustrator: Ernie Norcia

Genre: Chapter Book

Subgenre: Family

Theme: Things sometimes happen for a reason.

Primary and secondary characters: Primary- Bud Caldwell, Secondary- Todd Amos, Herman E. Calloway, Lefty Lewis, and Miss Thomas

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

Publishing Company: Delacorte Press

Brief Summary and how I would use this book with students: Bud, Not Buddy is a book about a boy named Bud Caldwell who has become an orphanage after the death of his mother. As he moves from one orphanage to another Bud has to endure many different challenging and dangerous situations. One in particular, is when he is sent to live with the Amos family. The Amos family has a son named Todd who is very abusive towards Bud and ends up forcing him to sleep outside where he gets stung by hornets. Bud then runs away and finally meets a man by the name of Herman E. Calloway who he soon starts to believe is his father. In the end, Bud discovers that Mr. Calloway is his father and they are reunited. I can use this book in my classroom to teach my students that even though sometimes life seems hard and that you may be going through rough situations in life things usually have a way of working themselves out. This topic teaches the students about having hope and determination.  

Everything on a Waffle

Author: Polly Horvath

Title: Everything on a Waffle           

Illustrator: Polly Horvath

Genre: Chapter Book

Subgenre: Adolescence and Family

Theme: Never give up if you believe something to be true.

Primary and secondary characters: Primary- Primrose Squarp, Secondary- Miss Perfidy, Uncle Jack, Kate Bowzer

Award(s) date of publication: Newbery Award, 2001

Publishing Company: Farrar Straus and Giroux

Brief Summary and how I would use this book with students: Everything on a Waffle is a book about a girl named Primrose. Her parents are said to have been killed at sea but she believes that they are still alive. While she holds on to hope that they will soon return she is passed around to different custodianships to include Miss Perfidy and her Uncle Jack. Finally, she ends up in the custody of a lady named Kate Bowzer who works at a local restaurant that is Primrose’s favorite. The restaurant serves everything on top of a waffle. Throughout the book Primrose discovers who she is and eventually reunites with her parents. I can use this book in my classroom to talk about how important it is to never give up hope. Whether you believe that your parents are still out there or simply that you can finish your homework assignment. Believing in yourself and your ideas is very important to your overall success.

Officer Buckle and Gloria

Author: Peggy Rathmann

Title: Officer Buckle and Gloria
Illustrator: Peggy Rathmann

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Teamwork and Education

Theme: The importance of having good team work.

Primary and secondary characters: Primary- Officer Buckle and Gloria, Secondary- The student and principal at the school

Award(s) date of publication: Caldecott, 1995

Publishing Company: Putnam Books

Brief Summary and how I would use this book with students: Officer Buckle and Gloria is a book about a police officer named Officer Buckle who goes around to different schools and teaches the students about safety. The problem is that every time he does most of the students fall asleep. Until one day, Officer Buckle has to take along Gloria the police dog. While Office Buckle is educating the students on safety Gloria does tricks behind his back. This grabs the children’s attention and everyone is awake and seems to be paying full attention to Officer Buckle, when really they are focused on Gloria. Officer Buckle thinks that the students enjoy his teaching until one day he sees a video and realizes what Gloria has been doing. Out of anger, he refuses to do anymore classes on safety until one of the students sends him a note telling him how much she enjoyed his teaching and Gloria’s tricks as well. From then on Officer Buckle and Gloria begin to go around to all the school together. I can use this book in my classroom to teach my students that no matter what you are learning if you make it fun then you will learn a lot more. Gloria was only trying to help Officer Buckle by drawing in the students’ attention. This can also teach the students about teamwork. If you work together instead of against your teammate the chances of success are much higher.