Childrens and Adolescent Library Resources

Log
By: Andy Brenn
Picture Books (10):
Blackout by John Rocco
Disney- Hyperion Books, 2011
Golden Sower: 2013-2014
The city was operating with all the power it needed but then suddenly the
lights went out. A little girl wanted to see lights again, so her and her family
went to the rooftop to gain light from the bright stars.
Interest Level: K-3
Curriculum Connection: Language Arts
Use this book when dealing with problems and ways to handle the problem.
Gracias Thanks by Pat Mora
Lee & Low Books Inc., 2009
Pura Belpre Honor Book, 2010
Little boy is very appreciative for his family and everything else thats around
him and wants to give thanks to them.
Interest Level: K-3
Curriculum Connection: Language Arts
Use when starting to incorporate what students have learned in Spanish
class.

Journey by Aaron Becker

Candlewick Press, 2013
Caldecott Honor Book, 2014
Little girls family is too busy for her and she wants to play. She finds a
crayon that allows her to draw objects that become real. She ends up
traveling around her city and meets a boy whos done the same thing.
Interest Level: K-3
Curriculum Connection: Language Arts
Will be used when discussing ways to create your own fantasy.

Hurricane by David Wiesner

Clarion Books, 1990
School Library Journal, Jan. 1998
Interest Level: K-3
Curriculum Connection: Language Arts
Will be used when describing to students how to write stories making use of
something with their imagination.
The Very Inappropriate Word by Jim Tobin
Christy Ottaviano Books, 2013
Horn Book, April 2014
A little boy loved collecting words. He collected them from all over, but he
heard a very inappropriate word on the bus. He wasnt sure what it means,
so he told all of his friends and classmates resulting in him looking up new
words for the teacher to teach to his class.
Interest Level: 3-6
Curriculum Connection: Language Arts

Use this when starting to expand students vocabulary with terms they are
familiar with.
Ellens Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons
G.P. Putnams Sons, 2012
Coretta Scott King Honor Book, 2013
Ellens family had a special broom in their house that was a reminder that
slaves were only allowed broom weddings. Her parents got married at a
church, and Ellen brought the broom and decorated it with flowers for her
mom.
Interest Level: K-3
Curriculum Connection: Social Studies
Use this book when talking about different races in the country, and also
about traditions that are used throughout the country.
Mitchells License by Hallie Durand
Candlewick Press, 2011
Golden Sower Book 2013-2014
Mitchell loved to drive, and his father gave him a fake license. Mitchell
learned how to drive by riding on his fathers back.
Interest Level: K-3
Curriculum Connection: Science
Use this when discussing the way you need to drive, and also what it takes to
keep the automobile running.

Henrys Freedom Box by Ellen Levine

Scholastic Press, 2012
Caldecott Honor Book, 2008
Henry was a slave who became separated from his family. He mailed himself
in a wooden box to Philadelphia to a friends house to become free.
Interest Level: K-3
Curriculum Connection: Social Studies
Use this book when discussing how slavery worked in the south.
The Perfect Nest by Catherine Friend
Candlewick Press, 2007
Golden Sower Book, 2009-2010
Jack made the perfect nest so a chicken could lay eggs so he could eat
omelets. A duck and a goose also laid eggs in his nest. The last three eggs to
be laid had baby a baby chicken, duck, and goose in them. Jack ended up
taking care of them.
Curriculum Connection: Science
Use this when discussing what animals can lay eggs.
Owen by Kevin Henkes
Greenwillow Books, 1993
Golden Sower, 1996
Owen loves his fuzzy blanket, but he needs to get rid of it before school
starts. His parents end up cutting his blanket up into small squares so he can
take his blanket anywhere with him.
Curriculum Connection: Language Arts

Use this when introducing students on how to find a solution to a problem

that has been given to them.

YA Novels (5):
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Delacorte Press, 1999
John Newbery Medal, 2000
Buddy had a very rough life at an orphanage and foster home during the
Great Depression. He runs away from the foster family in search for his
father.
Interest Level: 5-8
Curriculum Connection: Social Studies
Use when discussing life and the Great Depression in the 1930s for children.
Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
Houghton Mifflin, 1983
Newberry Honor Book, 1984
A young boy named Matt was left in the wilderness by his father who left to
go get the rest of their family and Matt becomes friend with a young Indian
boy named Attean, who later welcomes Matt into their tribe since his father
has not returned.
Interest Level: 5-8
Curriculum Connection: Social Studies
Use this for the curriculum when discussing Indian tribes, and also when
discussing how rough it was back in the 1700s for pioneers.

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Curtis Publishing Company, 1961
Booklist
Billy buys two coonhounds with his own hard earned money. He trains his
dogs to hunt raccoons and they were very successful at doing this. Old Dan
died when saving Billy from a mountain lion.
Interest Level: 5-8
Curriculum Connection: Science
Use this book when discussing animals and hunting
Defiance by Valerie Hobbs
Douglas & McIntyre Publishing Group, 2005
Booklist, 8/05
Toby Steiner has cancer, and just wants to be able to do normal things like
every other kid. Toby becomes friends with an old lady named Pearl whos
blind.
Interest Level: 5-8
Curriculum Connection: Science
Use this book when discussing diseases, and healthy living.
Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
Harper & Row Publishers, 1985
Newberry Medal, 1986
Caleb and Anna miss their mom, and they miss not hearing their dad sing.
Their dad finds women named Sarah who loves to sing like their mother did.

Caleb and Anna are excited and hoping their father goes back to the way he
was when their mom was around.
Interest Level: 3-6
Curriculum Connection: Social Studies
Use this book when talking about the life of Pioneers.

Non-Fiction (5):
How Much Is A Million? by David M. Schwartz
Lothrop, Lee, & Shepard Books, 1985
ALA Notable Childrens Book, 1995
Interest Level: K-3
Curriculum Connection: Math
Use when wanting to show examples of how much a million is in human size
terms.

I Have A Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Schwartz & Wade Books, 2012
Coretta Scott King Award, 2013
Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream that everyone would get along and would
all be treated as equal. This book includes his very famous speech where he
says I have a dream!!
Interest Level: 3-6
Curriculum Connection: Language Arts
Will be very good to use when discussing famous speeches.

Dad, Jackie, and Me by Myron Uhlberg

Peachtree, 2005
Horn Book 10/05
Boy loved baseball and the Brooklyn Dodgers. His father took him to Ebbets
Field to watch Jackie Robinson play. They began going to as many games as
possible, and it created an interest in baseball for the boys father.
Interest Level: K-3
Curriculum Connection: Social Studies
Use this when talking about people who made great accomplishments and
broke down barriers.
Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett by Steven Kellogg
Morrow Junior Books, 1995
School Library Journal, 10/1995
Sally was an unbelievable baby girl who could beat anyone in anything. She
left her family to go out on her own and found her future husband Davey
Crockett in the forest stuck between two trees.
Interest Level: 3-6
Curriculum Connection: Language Arts
Introduce this book when working on tall tales with students.

Coyote Steals The Blanket by Janet Stevens

Holiday House, 1993
School Library Journal, 10/1997
This story is about a Coyote who listens to nobody and does whatever he
wants. He was told not to steal a blanket, but does anyway. That resulted in
him being chased by killer rocks until he puts the blanket back.
Interest Level: K-3
Curriculum Connection: Social Studies
Read this book when discussing the Indians in the United States and what
type of blankets they make.

Chapter Books (5):

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Bradbury Press, 1987
Newberry Honor Book, 1988
Brian is flying to Canada to see his father when suddenly the pilot of the
small plane has a heart attack. Brian then safely lands the plane in a lake,
and begins to go into survival mode so he can stay alive in the lonely forest.
Interest Level: 5-8
Curriculum Connection: Science
Use this book when talking about discovering ways to survive on your own.

Charlottes Web by E.B. White

Harper & Row, 1952
Newberry Honor Book, 1953
Little girl Fern convinces her father to save a pig he was going to kill. Later
Fern named that pig Wilbur. Fern enjoys going to see Wilbur and also
listening to Charlotte the spiders fantastic stories. Wilbur becomes great
friends with Charlottes babies after she dies.
Interest Level: 3-6
Curriculum Connection: Science
Use this book when discussing farm life and animals.
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Little Brown & Company, 1990
Newberry Medal, 1990
Jeffrey Lionel Maniac Magees parents were killed in a trolley accident that
resulted in him living with his aunt and uncle which was not a good place for
him. He runs away to a town in Pennsylvania called Two Mills.
Interest Level: 3-6
Curriculum Connection: Social Studies
Read this story when discussing freedom, racism, and prejudice.
Wild Life by Cynthia C. DeFelice
Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2011
Golden Sower Book, 2013-2014
Eric is sent to live with his grandparents in North Dakota after his parents are
sent to Iraq. Eric rescues a dog he names Quill and runs away with him.

Interest Level: 3-6

Curriculum Connection: Social Studies
Use this book when discussing survival with classes.
Words with Wings by Nikki Grimes
Wordsong, 2013
Coretta Scott King Award Book, 2014
Gabby tends to daydream a lot, and it gets her into to trouble at home and in
school. Gabby finds a friend that also daydreams, and that results in the
teacher implementing a section for daydream writing into every school day.
Interest Level: 3-6
Curriculum Connection: Language Arts
Use this book when working with poems and talking about imaginations.

Free Choice (5):

A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean (Chapter Books)
Katherine Tegen Books, 2012
Schneider Family Book Award, 2013
A very young girl Calley Fisher lost her mom; this resulted in Calley not
talking. When she sees her moms spirit, there is always a dog around. The
dog helped her find her voice once again.
Interest Level: 3-6
Curriculum Connection: Science
Use this book when talking about disabilities with your students.

Salt in His Shoes by Deloris Jordan (Picture Books)

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2000
Booklist, 2/01
Michael Jordan loved to play basketball with the older boys in his
neighborhood, but he was too short. His mother told him that putting salt in
his shoes would help him grow along with praying. One day his father
convinced him that practicing is what will make him a better basketball
player.
Interest Level: 3-6
Curriculum Connection: Language Arts
Use this book when discussing comprehension.

Clever Jack Takes the Cake by Candace Fleming (Picture Books)

Schwartz & Wade Books, 2010
Horn Book, 5/11
Jack received a letter that he was invited to a party, but he didnt have
money for a gift. Jack makes a wonderful cake that ends up being completely
eaten by the time he gets to the party. He tells the princess of the party his
story and she thinks that his story is the best gift shed received.
Interest Level: K-3
Curriculum Connection: Social Studies
Use this book when beginning to discuss trading.

Arbor Day Square by Kathryn O. Galbraith (Picture Book)

Peachtree, 2010
Booklist, 4/10
Katie and her father are in a booming town that is growing very fast. Katie
tells the people of the town that they are missing one important thing
TREES! The town plants 15 trees and they also plant a special tree in honor
of her mother.
Interest Level: K-3
Curriculum Connection: Social Studies
Use this book when discussing Arbor Day and other holidays.
More More More, said the baby by Vera B. Williams (Picture Book)
Greenwillow Books, 1990
Caldecott Honor Book, 1991
This book contains three stories about babies who are greatly loved by their
families.
Interest Level: K-3
Curriculum Connection: Science
Use this when discussing body parts with the lower elementary.