Running head: READING LOG 1

Reading Log

Markaela Bryan

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

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Caldecott
Title: The House in the Night
Author: Susan Marie Swanson
Illustrator: Beth Krommes
Copyright: 2008
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company
Summary: Everything in the world is connected,
sometimes by a chain of events.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This book can be
used as both a writing and reading lesson. For reading
students will learn cause and effect, and for the writing,
students can create their own stories mirroring the text
and how it is written.

Title: Locomotive
Author: Brian Floca
Illustrator: Brian Floca
Copyright: 2013
Publisher: Athenuem/Richard Jackson Books
Summary: The story is based in the 1860s and tells about the new
transcontinental railroad. The story includes families taking trips and
the men that work on the train to keep it moving.
Personal/Classroom Connection: Can be used as both social studies and writing. lessons. For
social studies, students can compare the facts included in the book to facts in their
textbooks/internet findings. For writing, students can compose a story about where they would
go if they rode the transcontinental railroad.

Title: This is not my Hat

Author: Jon Klassen
Illustrator: Jon Klassen
Copyright: 2012
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Summary: A little fish stole a hat from another fish and
explains how he will get away with it.
Personal/Classroom Connection: I find that this text is great
for younger students. This can be used as a great lesson on
stealing: What is it? Should we do it? Why/Why not?

Title: A Ball for Daisy

Author: Chris Raschka (wordless)
Illustrator: Chris Raschka
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
Summary: Daisy loves her red ball. She takes her ball to the
park where something terrible happens to her ball.
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Personal/Classroom Connection: Lesson about how sometimes things break or get lost and we
get upset about it, but sometimes, we get an item to replace the one lost that’s even better.
Students can create their own text to go with pictures.

Title: A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Author: Philip C. Stead
Illustrator: Philip C. Stead
Copyright: 2010
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Summary: Amos McGee is a zookeeper. Every day at the zoo he
makes sure to go see his special animal friends. One day the
animals wait for Amos but he doesn’t show up, so the animals go
to his house to discover that Amos is sick.
Personal/Classroom Connection: I can see this book being used as a back to school text. I can
use this book to demonstrate that our classroom is a caring community of friends.

Historical Fiction
Title: Sister Anne’s Hands
Author: Marybeth Lorbiecki
Illustrator: K. Wendy Popp
Copyright: 1998
Publisher: Puffin Books
Summary: Sister Anne is the new teacher in town, which sparks
up much controversy because of the color of her skin.
Personal/Classroom Connection: I would use this text for a
social studies lesson on the Civil Rights Movement and equality. I
would also relate this text to current events in our country.

Title: The Hallelujah Flight

Author: Phil Bildner
Illustrator: John Holyfield
Copyright: 2010
Publisher: Penguin Young Reader’s Group
Summary: James Banning and Thomas Allen were the first
African Americans to make a transcontinental flight. They ran into
trouble as they headed southeast of the nation.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This text can be used in addition
to social studies lessons/unit on Civil Rights Movement to discuss the heavy prejudice in the
southern United States. Students can also make connections to our country’s current state.

Title: Henry’s Freedom Box

Author: Ellen Levine
Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Copyright: 2007
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
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Summary: Henry is a slave who dreams of becoming free. He is taken from his family as a child
to work and is later separated from his wife. He decides his way to freedom will be to mail
himself to the North.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This can be used as an introduction to learning about The
Underground Railroad. Students will be able to use this newfound information to kick start a
research project on the Underground Railroad.

Title: Words Set Me Free

Author: Lesa Cline-Ransomew
Illustrator: James Ransome
Copyright: 2012
Publisher: Simon % Schuster/Paula Wiseman Boooks
Summary: This is the story of Fredrick Douglas and how he was able
to gain his freedom.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This book can be used as a mentor
text during the Black History unit. Students will be able to research
African American historical figures and construct a presentation.

Title: Elizabeth Leads the Way: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Right
to Vote
Author: Tanya Lee Stone
Illustrator: Rebecca Gibson
Copyright: 2008
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Summary: Elizabeth Cady Stanton fought for equal rights for
women, and this book gives an account of her journey.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This text will be used in March to
celebrate Women’s History Month. Students will be able to determine
the main idea and theme of the text.

Informational/Nonfiction/Expository
Title: Coretta Scott
Author: Ntozake Shange
Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins)
Summary: This book tells Coretta Scott’s journey for equality.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This text would be used in either a
Black History unit or Women’s History unit. Students can conduct
research on Scott as well as others involed in the fight for equality.

Title: JFK
Author: Jonah Winter
Illustrator: AG Ford
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Copyright: 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins)
Summary: JFK tells the story of America’s 35th president, beginning
with his childhood, and discussing his assassination.
Personal/Classroom Connection: I would use this as introduction to
a presidential project. Students will work in groups researching and
preparing a presentation on an assigned president.

Title: I and I Bob Marley

Author: Tony Medina
Illustrator: Jesse Joshua Watson
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Lee & Low Books Inc.
Summary: This is a book of poems that tell of Bob Marley’s life,
beginning with his childhood in Jamaica to his amazing music
career.
Personal/Classroom Connection: I would use this mentor text as
an introduction on influential musicians. Students will be able to
research and create a presentation on an influential person in pop
culture.

Title: Helen Keller: The World in Her Heart

Author: Lesa Cline-Ransome
Illustrator: James Ransome
Copyright: 2008
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Summary: This book tells the story of the relationship Helen Keller had
with her teacher Annie Sullivan.
Personal/Classroom Connection: Students will be partnered up. One
student must keep his/her eyes closed while the other student must
describe how a picture must be drawn by the student who cannot see.
Students will switch roles. Students will then journal about their experience having to be lead
while being “blind.”

Title: Actual Size

Author: Steve Jenkins
Illustrator: Steve Jenkins
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Summary: This factual book gives insight on the actual sizes of animals
and some of their features.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This will be used as a text to introduce a research project.
Students will be able to select an animal, research, and construct a factual report on their chosen
animal.
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Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Title: Each Kindness
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Illustrator: E.B. Lewis
Copyright: 2012
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Summary: Chloe’s teacher teaches a lesson on kindness, and soon
Chloe realizes she was wrong for making fun of the new student Maya.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This can be used as a back to school
text on how to treat others as well as a lesson on stereotypes and how
society treats people who are different.

Title: Kate and Nate are Running Late

Author: Kate Egan
Illustrator: Dan Yaccarino
Copyright: 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Summary: Kate and her two children Nate and Maddie all wake up
late and struggle to move fast to get to school and work on time.
Personal/Classroom Connection: Journal entry; students will write
about a time they and their parents were late for something. Students
will include the outcome.

Title: Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon

Author: Patty Lovell
Illustrator: David Catrow
Copyright: 2006
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Summary: Molly is a girl who has yet to grow into her appearance.
When she starts a new school she is made fun of, but thanks to her
grandma, she knows how to handle him.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This can be used as a mentor text to a
personal narrative. Students will write about a time they may have been made fun of or
witnessed someone being made fun of and how they handled the situation.

Title: My Teacher is a Monster! No I am Not

Author: Peter Brown
Illustrator: Peter Brown
Copyright: 2014
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Summary: Bobby has a problem; his teacher is a monster. He goes to
his favorite relaxing place and there he finds his teacher! He learns that
maybe she isn’t quite what she seemed after all.
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Personal/Classroom Connection: I would use this text as a journal entry writing prompt. The
students will write about a time that they may have misjudged someone.

Title: Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress

Author: Christine Baldacchino
Illustrator: Isabelle Malenfant
Copyright: 2014
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Summary: Morris loves so many activities at school. He especially
loves a tangerine dress. The other kids at school aren’t so nice when
he puts the dress on.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This story is an excellent
introduction to a discussion and lesson on tolerance, acceptance, and kindness. This would open
up a dialogue to our growing LBGT community and how we should treat all people with
kindness and it is okay to be oneself.

Multicultural
Title: Marisel McDonald Does not Match
Author: Monica Brown
Illustrator: Sara Palacios
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Lee & Low Books Inc.
Summary: A biracial girl seems to mix and match everything she
does in her everyday life. Other people don’t understand why she
doesn’t fit into their “box.”
Personal/Classroom Connection: I would use this as a mentor
text to teach about different cultural heritages. Students can write
about their household culture and share with the class.

Title: Wangari’s Tree of Peace

Author: Jeanette Winter
Illustrator: Jeanette Winter
Copyright: 2008
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Summary: Wangari always admired the trees in Kenya. One day when
she returned home, she discovered much of the forest was destroyed, so
she decided to plant nine seeds in her yard.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This story can be used in addition to
an environmental study. Students will research ways they can help the environment and/or their
community.

Title: Nelson Mandela

Author: Kadir Nelson
Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Copyright: 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
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Summary: This book tells the story of Nelson Mandela’s lifelong journey to change South
Africa.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This text will be used as a part of the unit on equality. This
book will allow for students to understand the struggle for equality was not only in America.

Title: Cora Cooks Pancit

Author: Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore
Illustrator: Kristi Valiant
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Shen’s Books
Summary: Cora wants to learn how to make traditional Filipino dishes
for her family.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This will be used for a lesson on
differences of culture. Students and teacher will create a chart about the
traditional foods they eat with their families.

Title: Some Kind of Love

Author: Traci Dant
Illustrator: Eric Velasquez
Copyright: 2010
Publisher: Amazon Children’s Publishing
Summary: This book tells the story of a family through a series of
poems.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This book will be a mentor text
for a writing project. Students will write a series of poems about
their families.

Literature Study/ YA Adult

Title: Who was Walt Disney
Author: Whitney Stewart
Illustrator: Nancy Harrison
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Grosset &Dunlap
Summary: This book tells of Walt Disney’s life growing up in Missouri.
Personal/Classroom Connection: Students will choose a famous person in
history to do a research report on (musicians, poets, actors, etc.) Students can
work in groups with three people, must present a PowerPoint presentation.

Title: The One and Only Ivan

Author: Katherine Applegate
Illustrator: Patricia Castelao
Copyright: 2012
Publisher: Harper
Summary: Ivan is a gorilla at a zoo that seems to be content in his domain
and his friends Stella, the elephant, and Bob, the stray dog. When he met a
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baby elephant Ruby, Ivan wasn’t as happy as he thought he was and he makes a change for the
better.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This will be used as a novel study. Within the text students
can identify figurative language, tone, mood, main idea, character traits, etc.

Title: The Crossover

Author: Kwame Alexander
Illustrator: NA
Copyright: 2014
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Summary: This novel of poems tells the story of twin brothers who
love the game of basketball. As they are growing up one, one brother
gets distracted from the game while the other gets closer to it.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This story is very relevant to
students today. Students love sports and they can easily identify with the struggles of growing up
that the characters face. With this novel/poetry study, students will be analyzing the poems and
constructing their own to eventually create a poetry book about their own life.

Title: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Author: John Boyne
Illustrator: NA
Copyright: 2006
Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
Summary: Bruno and his family must abruptly leave their home in
Berlin in 1942. He moves to a house he hates until he decides to
explore the fence behind the house. It is there he meets and befriends a
boy his age. Bruno doesn’t understand what happens on the other side
of the fence.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This novel study can be used as a history unit on equality.
This will show how people have been fighting for equality for many years and in countries
beyond America.

Title: One Crazy Summer

Author: Rita Williams-Garcia
Illustrator: NA
Copyright: 2010
Publisher: Amistad (HarperCollins)
Summary: Three sisters travel to Oakland, California from Brooklyn to meet
the mother they never knew.
Personal/Classroom Connection: For this novel study, students will choose a
character and write the character traits as we read. Students will refer to these traits to make note
of how characters ca evolve.

Curricular Unit
Title: The Heart and the Bottle
Author: Oliver Jeffers
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Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers

Copyright: 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books
Summary: A young girl places her heart in a glass bottle after her
caregiver passes away. She goes through life with her heart in the
bottle until another girl gives her the courage to take it out again.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This text will be used as part of
a unit on tone and mood. Students will create a list of words to
describe the tone and mood and then create a poster to represent the
tone and mood of the book.

Title: The Wave

Author: Suzy Lee
Illustrator: Suzy Lee
Copyright: 2008
Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC
Summary: A wordless book about a girl who is apprehensive
about going near the water during her trip to the beach. When
she gets the courage to get closer to the ocean she is in awe of the wave.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This text will be used as part of a unit on tone and mood.
Students will create a list of words to describe the tone and mood and then create a poster to
represent the tone and mood of the book.

Title: I Must Have Bobo!

Author: Eileen Rosenthal
Illustrator: Marc Rosenthal
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Summary: A boy has misplaced his comfort toy. When he finds
it, he also finds the culprit who lost it.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This text will be used as part
of a unit on tone and mood. Students will create a list of words to describe the tone and mood
and then create a poster to represent the tone and mood of the book.

Title: The Invisible Boy

Author: Trudy Ludwig
Illustrator: Patrice Barton
Copyright: 2013
Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
Summary: A boy feels invisible in his class; he doesn’t get
picked for games at recess and he doesn’t have friends to sit with
at lunch. All of that changes when a new student comes to class.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This text will be used as part
of a unit on tone and mood. Students will create a list of words to describe the tone and mood
and then create a poster to represent the tone and mood of the book.
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Title: Wabi Sabi

Author: Mark Reibstein
Illustrator: Ed Young
Copyright: 2008
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Summary: A cat wants to find the meaning of her Japanese
name. She leaves her home to seek the meaning and finds just
ow special it is.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This text will be used as part of a unit on tone and mood.
Students will create a list of words to describe the tone and mood and then create a poster to
represent the tone and mood of the book.

Miscellaneous
Title: The Incredible Book Eating Boy
Author: Oliver Jeffers
Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers
Copyright: 2007
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Summary: Henry loves books, but not in the traditional sense.
He loves eating them! One day he realizes eating books may not
be the best way to enjoy them.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This book can be used for a
journal entry. Students can write about a time they when they
thought that doing something silly would improve something in their life.

Title: Olivia Goes to Venice

Author: Ian Falconer
Illustrator: Ian Falconer
Copyright: 2010
Publisher: Antheneum Books for Young Readers
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Summary: Olivia and her family take a vacation to Italy and Oliva is
on the hunt for a perfect souvenir.
Personal/Classroom Connection: Being that we live in Las Vegas
this can be used as a book for compare and contrast. Students can
write, draw, and discuss their visits to the Venetian and/or Palazzo
and find similarities and differences to Olivia’s trip Venice.

Title: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Author: William Joyce
Illustrator: Joe Bluhm
Copyright: 2012
Publisher: Antheneum Books for Young Readers
Genre: Modern Fantasy
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Summary: This story tells about how fantastic of adventures books can take us on.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This book can be used as a discussion starter. Teacher and
students can discuss what they enjoy most about reading. I would use this as a back to school
activity to get insight on what interests my new students.

Title: Scaredy Squirrel

Author: Melanie Watt
Illustrator: Melanie Watt
Copyright: 2008
Publisher: Kids Can Press, Limited
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Summary: Scaredy Squirrel is too scared to leave his nut tree. One
day he does accidentally and his world views change for the better.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This text can be used as a mentor
text for a journal entry. Students can write about a time they were afraid to do something and if
and how they overcame that fear.

Title: Henry and the Bully

Author: Nancy Carlson
Illustrator: Nancy Carlson
Copyright: 2012
Publisher: Penguin Grove
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Summary: Henry is being bullied on the soccer field at school and
nobody is helping, so he decides to face the bully himself.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This can be used as a back to
school text as a lesson on bullying. Students can work in teams to create an anti-bullying super
hero.

Title: The Day the Crayons Quit

Author: Drew Daywalt
Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers
Copyright: 2013
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Summary: Duncan goes to grab his crayons to color, only to find
several letters written by each crayon explaining why they need a
break.
Personal/Classroom Connection: I will use this as a start to a writing project. Students will
write a narrative, mimicking the tone and writing style of the text.

Title: When the Leaf Blew In

Author: Steve Metzger
Illustrator: Kellie Lewis
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
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Genre: Modern Fantasy

Summary: When a leaf blows in the barnyard, the cow sneezes. From here a series of oddly silly
events happen to the farm animals.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This can be used as a mentor text for a writing activity.
Students can write their own cause and effect story in a humorous way.

Title: Wild About Books

Author: Judy Sierra
Illustrator: Marc Brown
Copyright: 2004
Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
Genre: Poetry
Summary: Molly drove her bookmobile to the zoo causing all the
animals to become intrigued with the books.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This can be used as a “get to
know you” activity. Students can work in groups to create a poster
of their favorite books to read. They will share posters with whole
group.

Title: Do Unto Otters

Author: Laurie Keller
Illustrator: Laurie Keller
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Square Fish
Genre: Square Fish
Summary: Mr. Rabbit’s new neighbors are otters; creatures he knows
nothing about.
Personal/Classroom Connection: I like this as a back to school read-
aloud. I emphasize manners in my classroom and this would be the beginning of my explaining
the importance.

Title: Wolf!
Author: Becky Bloom
Illustrator: Pascal Biet
Copyright: 1999
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Genre: Fantasy
Summary: When wolf sees the farm animals busy reading, he tries to
impress them by learning to read himself.
Personal/Classroom Connection: I would use this as a back to school text. Students can discuss
a time when they felt ashamed of their inabilities and if and how it motivated them.

Title: The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs

Author: Jon Scieszka
Illustrator: Lane Smith
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Copyright: 1996
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Genre: Fractured Fairytale
Summary: Different from the traditional 3 Little Pigs story we all
know, this story is told from the perspective of the wolf.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This text is used in my classroom
in the “Being a Writer” kit. It is a mentor text for students to gain
ideas to create their own fractured fairytale as a narrative piece.

Title: Cindy Ellen: A Wild Western Cinderella

Author: Susan Lowell
Illustrator: Jane Manning
Copyright: 2000
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: Fractured Fairytale
Summary: This tells of the classic Cinderella story, but in a
western setting.
Personal/Classroom Connection: I would use this text in addition to the texts used in the Being
a Write kit. Students can use this text to help them model their own creative narrative.

Title: UnBEElievables
Author: Douglas Florian
Illustrator: Douglas Florian
Copyright: 2012
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Genre: Poetry
Summary: Fourteen poems all about bees, including the history of
them and why they are important.
Personal/Classroom Connection: Students will work in groups
and conduct a research on an insect. Students will create a
presentation using different student-created poems to teach the group about their insect.

Title: La Noche Buena: A Christmas Story

Author: Antonio Sacre
Illustrator: Angela Dominguez
Copyright: 2010
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
Genre: Holiday
Summary: Nina goes to Miami to celebrate Christmas. She helps her
grandmother partake in the Cuban traditions.
Personal/Classroom Connection: This will be used as an
introduction to my “Holidays around the World” project. Students will
then pick a country to research the holiday they celebrate and create a
presentation for the whole group.
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Title: Interrupting Chicken

Author: David Ezra Stein
Illustrator: David Ezra Stein
Copyright: 2016
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Genre: Fantasy
Summary: Chicken’s father is trying to read him a bedtime story,
but Chicken keeps interrupting.
Personal/Classroom Connection: I feel this book may be best for
younger students. Students can discuss what the word ‘interrupt’
means, if it is acceptable to do, and what can they do to prevent
interrupting others.