Skylar Linnett

Math 2007 (More current text)

Title
Deep in the Swamp
Author and Illustrator
Donna M. Bateman, Illustrated by Brian Lies
Publisher, Year Published and Pages
Charlesbridge, 2007, 30 pages
Summary:
Deep in the Swamp is a rhyming book about animals found within a swamp. Each animal has
a number of children that starts counting from one to ten. Each page discusses the mother
animal and their children while rhyming. At the end of the rhyming story, the last few pages
consists of facts about different animals also found within the swamp. The story has a couple
plants listed throughout it and the back pages tells the readers about those plants.
Related CCSS and Professional Standard:
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.B.4.A
When counting objects, say the number names in the standard order, pairing each object with
one and only one number name and each number name with one and only one object.

Age/Grade Level and How it would be used:

This book would be used with kindergarten and understanding if the kindergarteners knew
how to count to ten. The book ties in wonderful rhyming with numbers. The students would be
able to compare the objects (animal children) to the actual number name. The students could
also count along with the story because it would be used as a refresher for counting to ten.
Along with using the numbers within the story, this book could also be tied into science given
that it uses real animals and facts about the swamp within the story and last couple of pages.

Science
Title
Fish (Animal Babies)
Author and Illustrator
Rod Theodorou, Designed by Joanna Hinton-Malivoire
Publisher, Year Published and Pages
Heinemann, 2000 Revised and Updated 2007, 31 pages
Summary:
This book covers a wide range of topics concerning fish. It starts with discussing what is a fish
and their physical appearance, then goes on to discuss making a nest and laying eggs. It then
follows the path of the babies and their life cycles and how fish will care for their babies. On
each page, there are specific facts about certain fish. Throughout the entire book, certain words
are in bold, which could be found at the end of the book within the glossary. It also contains
quick guides on life cycles of fish.

Related CCSS and Professional Standard:

S.K2.LS.2
Essential Concept and/or Skill: Understand and apply knowledge of life
cycles of plants and animals. Plants and animals have life cycles that
include being born, developing into adults, reproducing, and eventually
dying. Plants and animals closely resemble their parents.
S.K2.LS.3
Essential Concept and/or Skill: Understand and apply knowledge of the
basic needs of plants and animals and how they interact with each other
and their physical environment. Organisms have basic needs. For example,
animals need air, water, and food; plants require air, water, nutrients, and
light. Organisms interact with each other and their physical environment.
Organisms can survive only in environments in which their needs can be
met.
Age/Grade Level and How it can be used:
This book can be used from first grade to third. This book connects to multiple science
standards: life cycles, basic needs of animals, and how animals interact with their
environment. This book can be used when discussing fish or other animals, comparing life

cycles of fish to other animals, or even wanting to learn more about the interactions of fish and
other fish. This book is great for learning about what is going on inside of a fish, and how that
compares to other animals. Many aspects of science can be covered using this book. This book
could be used for student research projects, independent reading if the student has an interest
in fish or other marine animals, or just a free choice reading book.
Social Studies Immigration, Native Americans, Slavery, Ellis Island illness, melting pot.
Title
Coming to America: The Story of Immigration
Author and Illustrator
Written by Betsy Maestro, Illustrated by Susannah Ryan
Publisher, Year Published and Pages
Scholastic INC, 1996, 40 Pages
Summary:
This is a story about the Americas. It starts off by discussing the Native Americans and how
they had wondered into the Americas by accident. It then moves on to discuss European
immigrants and coming for a better life. The story then goes on to talk about how people from
all over came to settle in the Americas, and even discusses the Africans being forced into
slavery and brought to the Americas against their will. The story also mentions ports and how
some people stayed close to the ports, and wanted to live near others who had arrived at the
same time from the same areas. It also discusses Ellis Island, and treating the sick before they
could enter New York. The story also goes on to discuss newcomers to America and what they
have to go through in order to enter and live within Amercia.
Related CCSS and Professional Standards:
SS.K2.G.1
Essential Concept and/or Skill: Understand the use of geographic tools
to locate and analyze information about people, places, and environments.
SS.K2.G.2
Essential Concept and/or Skill: Understand how geographic and human
characteristics create culture and define regions.
SS.K2.G.4
Essential Concept and/or Skill: Understand how geographic processes
and human actions modify the environment and how the environment
affects humans.

NCSS Standards:
III: People, Places, and Environments the study of people, places, and human-environment
interactions assists students as they create their spatial views and geographic perspectives of
the world beyond their personal locations.
Age/Grade Level and How it can be used:
This book is recommended for Kindergarten through Third grade. This book could be used in
many aspects of social studies. It discusses the idea of immigrating to the Amercias. It also
could be used as a history lesson, starting from the Native Americans arriving, and the events
that came afterward. It could be used when discussing the concept of, melting pot. This book
could be used in many different aspects of social studies, geography, history, immigrants, Ellis
Island, many different cultures and populations of people coming together.
Biography 2008 (Current Text), Differences: Focuses on the funeral train
Title
Abraham Lincoln Comes Home
Author and Illustrator
Robert Burleigh, Paintings by Wendell Minor
Publisher, Year Published and Pages
Henry Holt & Co., 2008, 40 pages
Summary:
This book tells the story of Abraham Lincolns funeral train. It tells the story from the
perspective of a young boy, who, with his father, travels by horse and buggy in order to see the
train passing. The story shows the father very upset by the death of Abraham Lincoln. At the
end of the book, it shows the 13 day route of the funeral train and also has a page full of
information and facts about the train. The illustrations throughout the story aid to the story of
the funeral train and the emotions of the people that witnessed it.
Related CCSS and Professional Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.7

Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.6

Distinguish between information provided by pictures or other illustrations and

information provided by the words in a text.
Age/Grade Level and How it can be used:
This book could be used for first grade and up. This provides a different point of view on
Abraham Lincoln. It focuses on the funeral train and death of the President. The illustrations

aid the story, the students could look at them and add to the story. The students could also use
the illustrations to help describe the key details and ideas. This biography isnt about his actual
life, but another type of biography that focuses on his death. The students could use this story
to learn about different types of biographies and different points of view.

Fantasy 1998: Peer Pressure

Title
A Bad Case of the Stripes
Author
David Shannon
Publisher, Year, and Pages
Scholastic, The Blue Sky Press, 1998, 32 pages
Summary
This story is about a little girl named Camilla Cream. She loved lima beans, but was afraid to
eat them for fear of being teased about it. Camilla spent a lot of time worrying about what
other people thought of her. Before the first day of school, she came down with a serious case
of the stripes. She was able to change to all sorts of colors, shaped, species and not one person
could figure out why. Eventually, an old woman comes and offers Camilla lima beans, in
which she eventually accepts them. Those lima beans cured her case of the stripes, and
Camilla was no longer afraid of what people might think of her and she was left to enjoy her
lima beans.
Personal Response
I connected to this book strongly, and Im sure that most people can. The big idea behind this
book is worrying about what people think of you. I think that at some point, everyone has felt
different and not quite fitting into the norm. This book really connects to the part of the reader
and myself, and in the end, everyone needs to be who they are in order to be happy, or in
Camillas case, be cured of the stripes. I think a good portion of people change who they are
when they around in public and around other people, and Camilla taught us that being different
might not be that bad.
Strengths / Weaknesses
This book is rather enjoyable and the illustrations make it that much better. The book carries a
strong message to the reader about it being okay to be different than others, and messages like
that need to be read and shared. The illustrations alone are fantastic and colorful very well

done. The story is also a very good read. As a story, this was an entertaining read. The author
could have added another page or two, explaining more about this mysterious case of the
stripes and its connection to lima beans, or even about the older woman and where she came
from. This story leaves the reader with a couple of questions, but not strong enough questions
that put the book into a lower category of good reading.
How this book might be used:
I picked this book because I thought the message was a strong one and one worth sharing. I
would use this book as a read aloud followed up with a discussion on being yourself, being
different, peer pressure, or any number of emotion-related concepts. Reading this book aloud
to younger grades would help open that discussion door which should be opened while at
school, because of students facing so many different types of pressure and having a positive
story on being yourself can never hurt anyone. This book would be most appropriate with
grades K-3rd. The big idea and main message of the story is great for any age, but for
classroom use, using it in Kindergarten through third grade would be most beneficial.

Contemporary Realistic Fiction 2003: Overcoming struggles

Title
The Dot
Author
Peter H. Reynolds
Publisher, Year, and Pages
Candlewick Press, 2003, 32 pages
Summary
This is a short story about a student named Vashti. Vashti was convinced that she couldnt
draw in art class, until the teacher talked her into making a dot on her paper. The teacher
praised her for her effort and willingness to at least put something on the paper. Vashti then
decided she could create a better dot, which led her down the path of creating different types
of dots using different materials. Eventually, Vashti passes along this praise of effort and
willingness to try to another young boy who felt the same way Vashti did in the beginning.
Personal Response
The idea of praising effort and willingness to try new things made this an enjoyable quick
read. I feel that most people come to a point at one time or another, where they think that they
cannot do something this book shows that even a tiny attempt can make a big difference. I
know I connected to that idea in my own life, on multiple occasions, where I felt that I
couldnt do something so I didnt even want to try. I also make connections with the teacher
in this story. The teacher was able to simply praise Vashtis effort and small attempt, which led
Vashti into doing something great. The idea of praising students for even effort is something
that I feel that I would do as a teacher if I thought praising their effort would help them feel a
bit better, I would obviously do it!
Strengths / Weaknesses

This story is very enjoyable, especially for such a short story. The illustrations are simple, yet
great. The colors of the dots really stand out with the black simple outlines of Vashti and the
other characters. This book also has a great message of trying to do something even if one
doesnt think they can.
This book also has a couple awards and honors, as well as some STARRED reviews.
The only thing I could possibly want to be different about this book was making the message
a bit clearer. While the message of showing effort and willingness is in the book, I felt it might
be a bit subtle for very early readers.
How this book might be used:
I think this book could be used in a couple different ways. Using this book to inspire the
students into trying something for the first time, or not giving up on something in school. This
story shows how one tiny attempt can turn into an enjoyable adventure and it shows how one
person can grow with their feelings towards a subject or like Vashti, within art class. This story
could also be used to show how effort can take the students further than not trying at all. This
story would be best for earlier grades, such as Kindergarten through Third, but this story could
really be used with any grade.

Traditional Literature 2002: Mythical creatures, kings and queens.

Title
Sleeping Beauty
Author
Retold by Mahlon F. Craft, Illustrated by Kinuko Y. Craft
Publisher, Year, and Pages
SeaStar Books, 2002, 32 pages
Summary
Sleeping Beauty told the age old story of Aurora, who was cursed into sleeping. The story
starts out with a King and Queen that wanted a child, and finally one day a Frog told the
Queen that she would give birth to a daughter. When the day finally came, the King invited
every person and thing from all around to a celebration. He was under the impression that the
13th fairy that he invited, was either dead or under a spell, so he did not set a place for her.
Turns out, she was alive and she cursed Aurora. When Aurora turned 16, just as the curse
promised, she pricked her finger on a spindle and fell into a deep sleep for 100 years. The 12th
fairy, that changed the curse to falling asleep instead of death, came back and put the King and
Queen to sleep and covered the castle and tower with a thick thorny rose plant. After 100
years, a Prince attempted to gain entry into the castle to see the Princess. He did and found her
sleeping, he then kissed her because he couldnt resist her beauty. She woke up after the kiss,
but not because of the kiss itself, but because 100 years had passed. They woke up everyone
else after that, and married each other. They lived happily ever after.
Personal Response

I always thought I knew the story of Sleeping Beauty, mostly from the movies, but this story
had a couple different aspects that I didnt know. I thought it was an interesting story, like most
fairy tales and folklore, along with beautiful illustrations. I enjoyed folktales all through
childhood, so I thought it was interesting that I had never read or heard of some of the aspects
in this story, such as the talking frog, or the rose thorn bush that covered the entire castle, or
even the 100 year curse. I had always thought that the Princes kiss was what woke Aurora up
from her sleeping.
Strengths / Weaknesses
If youre looking for a folktale or fairy tale, this is a great book choice. The book uses ideas
and new elements that might be unfamiliar to readers, which would aid in the engaging aspect
of the read. The language was interesting and the word choices were a nice addition to this
story, it was written exactly how a folktale should be written.
Even though the illustrations were beautiful and interesting, I thought that they were done in a
way to make them appear older, which is what I am assuming was the point. The story felt a
bit long, but that might be because I knew most of the story already.
How this book might be used:
I would use this book as a read aloud. This story could be used when discussing and teaching
about folklore and fairy tales. This story could also be used when teaching about the different
parts of a story, such as beginning, middle, and end. It could also be used to discuss any of the
literary elements. For a read aloud, I would use this story with the grades Kindergarten
through Second. As a independent reading book, I would use this with grades third through
fifth. Some of the words might be a bit challenging for early readers, but if read aloud, and
discussed along the way, could make an engaging and interesting read aloud.
Historical Fiction 2003: Korean Culture, History, Society in Korea, 12th Century, Poverty
Title
A Single Shard
Author
Linda Sue Park
Publisher, Year, and Pages
Yearling, 2003, 152 pages
Summary
A Single Shard follows the story of a young teen named Tree-Ear. He lives with a man under a
bridge because his parents died when he was very young and sickness was ravaging the land.
The Monks only could place him in the care of a homeless man with only one working leg.
The story surrounds Tree-Ears adventures and how he eventually comes to assist a Master
Potter in the pottery business. The story tells us the triumphs and downfalls of his life as a
homeless child that eventually grows to follow what he loves.
Personal Response
When I first picked up this book, I thought it was going to be a bit boring, like I usually find
historical books. I was completely wrong. I loved this book and the entire time I wanted to
share my thoughts on every chapter. I felt that I was on the adventure WITH Tree-Ear. I
experienced his pain, when he had something go wrong and the joy when something finally

went right! I didnt put this book down until I finished it. When Crane-man died at the end of
the story, it was probably the saddest part of my week. For a while, I forgot I was reading
fiction. I connected with Tree-Ears orphan/homeless side because I actually worked with
those kids for over three years, I saw firsthand the struggles of being homeless and without
parents while working with those children and I think that is why I had such strong feelings
towards this book.
Strengths / Weaknesses
This book was written in such a wonderful and beautiful way that I think most readers would
enjoy it, old and young. The story was able to get across emotions through text in such a
strong way. This book also shared the Korean culture and how the society worked in the 12th
century, without it coming off as a history book.
A Single Shard received the Newbery award in 2002 for this masterpiece.
The only thing that I could even begin to consider a weakness, is that I wanted to know more
about Crane-mans death. It felt so sudden and completely caught me off guard. I also wanted
to know more about Tree-Ears uncle, that the story just teased us with.
How this book might be used:
I would use this book with higher grades and levels, between 6th and 7th grade. This book could
be used for a wide range of subjects and concepts. Using this book for literacy is the obvious
choice, but this book could also be used for social studies, history, ethic lessons, and customs
of Korean Culture. The list could go on for a while. It makes sense to use this book in those
subject areas because it opens the readers eyes to new and different cultures and customs. The
reader can learn about how it was for an orphan in Korea and even a homeless man and child.
The reader can also learn about the land and towns in the setting.

Biography 2008: (Current Text), Differences, African Culture, Environment

Title
A Single Shard
Author
Clair A. Nivola
Publisher, Year, and Pages
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008, 32 pages
Summary
This story follows a woman named Wangari. Wangari is very fond her of her native country,
Kenya, but leaves to attend school in America. When she returns, she finds that her country
has changed, but not for the better. The story discusses how the environment is impacted by
the changes in her country and the downfalls of exporting more and more goods. Wangari
brought her teaching to the woman and children of her area and taught them how to plant
seeds to grow trees. By teaching everyone to plant seeds and grow trees, she was able to turn
the entire situation around making a better life for everyone.
Personal Response

I thought this was a heartwarming story of how one person can change the fate of many.
Wangari left home to learn and came back and shared her education with the people on Kenya.
She wasnt selfish, but the exact opposite. I thought it was fascinating how one person can
have such a huge impact on people, culture, and the land around those people. She helped the
people of Kenya overcome their obstacles by teaching.
Strengths / Weaknesses
The illustrations in this book were rather interesting and provided insight into the story of the
book. The topic of the book is just as interesting and fascinating to learn about. This story
shows how one person can make a huge impact and difference in the life of many.
The only thing I would want to change about this book would be to provide more information
about Wangari. I understand that she grew up in Kenya, but I would like to know how and why
she decided to come to America for college. I would want a little bit more information about
her early life and her later stages of life.
How this book might be used:
This book is recommended for Kindergarten through Third grade. This book could be used in
many aspects of social studies. It discusses the connections to people and their environment, it
shows the culture that exists within Kenya. This story could be used to learn about Kenya, find
it on a map, discuss everything there is to know about Kenya this could be used as an
introduction to Kenya. This story also discusses how humans can change the environment and
landscape of an area into something worse and also how they can change it for the better. This
story also touches on exporting goods and having to import other things which could target
another area of social studies. Many different parts of social studies can be used in correlation
to this book.