Mighty

                                               

Mighty: The Story of an Oak Tree Ecosystem by Henry Cole shows how different parts of the natural world are connected. Besides great word choice (germinates, nourishing, sapling, and decade are a few examples), the compelling story of an oak tree’s life and impact is engaging. Some might consider this a book for young elementary students, but it is also appropriate for any class that talks about ecosystems and the impact trees, animals, and humans have on one another. Cole’s detailed black and white illustrations provide readers with strong visual support. With appearances by Native Americans and John Muir, the book holds appeal for adult audiences as well.

Yukie's Island: My Family's World War II Story

 

Yukie’s Island: My Family’s World War II Story by Yukie Kimura, Kōdo Kimura, and Steve Sheinkin and illustrated by Kōdo Kimura is a Japanese child’s perspective on World II. Yukie was a schoolgirl when her family lived on a small island where her father worked as a lighthouse keeper. Her life in many ways was easy and carefree until the war came closer. This is a story which would be great for showing history students the real life experiences of individuals during World War II. Based on a true story, there are three pages of notes at the end from the authors, which was just as interesting as the main text.

The World Entire

 

Aristides de Sousa Mendes was a Portuguese diplomat in Europe at the time of World War II. When people were clamoring to leave France, he signed papers so thousands could flee despite going against the Portuguese government's edict.  An amazing story of sacrifice that I think should be read by all adults and teenagers.   

M is for Mason Jar

M is for Mason Jar by Carolyn Bennet Fraiser and illustrated by Sally Garland is my new favorite alphabet book.  Each letter represents something from rural living.  The illustrations are done well, and I appreciate the alliteration the author used for each letter's sentence.  Though it is an picture book, most adults who garden, farm, and/or cook much of their own food would enjoy reading this book. 

I'm Going to Build a Snowman

 

If you are looking for a new book to add to your winter collection for reading to children, I'm Going to Build a Snowman by Jashar Awan, is worth looking for.  A young boy wakes up one morning excited to go outside and build the perfect snowman.  He goes outside with his grand ideas of what the snowman will look like.  When he is done, it isn't perfect.  But it is just right.  It has brief text and great pictures that engage listeners of a variety of ages.

I Forgive Alex

I Forgive Alex by Kerascoet is a new wordless picture book worth adding to any library.  Alex is playing basketball when he accidentally ruins a classmate's artwork.  Everyone is upset, and they decide to stay away from Alex.  Later in the day, the boy who was wronged chooses to forgive Alex.  By the same author as I Walk with Vanessa, this book is a story that children (and adults) will find worth their time reading.   

Miss Mary's Christmas Mittens

Miss Mary's Christmas Mittens by Trinka Hakes Noble and illustrated by Renee Andriani is a new picture book I found.  Miss Mary is a teacher and realizes a few days before Christmas that her students all need mittens.  She goes to the store to buy yarn, but they are out and won't get another shipment until after the holdiay.  It doesn't stop her from making mittens and delivering them to her students on Christmas morning.  A sweet story that is worth reading to your preschoolers and elementary aged children.  

Joy to the World!

Joy to the World! Christmas Around the Globe written by Kate DePalma and illustrated by Sophie Fatus is a book for those who want to know more about the way others celebrate Christmas.  The largest part of the book is written in simple verse and shows pictures of people celebrating in different ways.  At the end of the book has details about what the people do in their respective countries.  It is focused on faith-based traditions more than the commercial trappings of the holiday.  Countries represented in the book are Columbia, India, the Philippines, Canada, Mexico, Egypt, Ethiopia, Australia, Italy, Serbia, Argentina, Iceland, and Lebanon.

plenty of booklists

Looking for book ideas for children?  One resource for you is the Colorin Colorado page.  If you go to the Books and Authors section, you will find a plethora of book lists by theme and sometimes age, as well.

Another webpage that I have been looking at more lately is called What We Do All Day.  It is written by a mom who wants her children (and others) to spend much time reading and doing things that do not involve screens. 

Over and Under the Canyon

Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal have a new picture book, Over and Under the Canyon, that is worth looking for at the library.  A  mom and her son spend the day hiking in the canyon.  The pair see many animals on their way to their destination, a place where the wild plants decorate the landscape with color.  After dark, they see a hairy scorpion glow and hear the great horned owls.  Share this book with elementary children to help them understand the diversity of life in the canyon.

Nathan's Song

Nathan's Song by Leda Schubert is based on the story of her grandfather.  Nathan was a Jewish boy who lived in Russia.  He loved singing and wanted to become an opera singer.  His family saved money, and Nathan headed for Italy to study.  Unfortunately, Nathan boarded the wrong ship-to New York!  Though he never got to Italy, Nathan was able to use his singing ability to earn money, eventually singing on Broadway.  An immigrant story I recommend for ages five to one hundred.

The Floating Field

The Floating Field by Scott Riley and illustrated by Nguyen Quang and Kim Lien is a picture book that is for elementary or junior high students.  Based on a true story, Prasit and his friends loved playing soccer.  The problem was that they could only play when the tides did not cover the sandbar.  He and his friends decide to make a floating soccer field.  This story is a good example to share with children to see how a group of people can work together to solve a problem in a creative way. 

Night Becomes Day: Changes in Nature

Night Becomes Day: Changes in Nature by Cynthia Argentine is a great book to share with a wide variety of children.  Cynthia did a great job with the text and photographs.  There are many examples of change throughout nature, explained in opposite pairs like ancient and new, quick and slow, and brighten and dull.  This is good to facilitate a discussion on change.  It is also a great book to show examples of precise word choice-There are sentences like "It flattens hills and forms valleys." and "Animals scamper." 

A Long Road on a Short Day

A Long Road on a Short Day by Gary Schmidt and Elizabeth Stickney is a very short chapter book that is worthwhile read for all ages.  Samuel and his father set out one snowy day in search of a cow for their family.  On the way, they stop to visit many people, and eventually do end up with a cow, and a surprise for Samuel, too.  The story reminded me a little of the game bigger and better, where you start out with a toothpick and you keep trading up until you get something very large.

Little Red Ruthie

Little Red Ruthie by Gloria Koster and illustrated by Sue Eastland is a twist on the traditional Red Riding story worth looking for at your library.  Ruthie goes to visit her grandma for Hanukkah to make latkes.  On her trip, she encounters a wolf.  Ruthie outsmarts the wolf in this clever tale and gets to enjoy the holiday with her grandmother.  A good book for this time of year to help children understand a little about another culture, or a book to add to a collection of Little Red Riding Hood stories.  

Cookie Boo

Cookie Boo written and illustrated by Ruth Paul is a fun book for the season.  Written with short rhyming sentences, it should keep the attention of preschool students.  Older children who celebrate Halloween would likely enjoy it as well.  In the story, seven decorated sugar cookies escape from the cookie tin when Monster opens it.  They have lots of fun scaring others, but then encounter the Monster who is interested in eating them.

The Boy Who Grew a Forest

The Boy Who Grew a Forest is written by Sophia Gholz and illustrated by Kayla Harren.  

This book tells the true story of Jadav Payeng, a boy from India who noticed that the lack of trees caused other problems.  After talking with the elders of his village, he planted a few trees.  He cared for them as they grew.  He kept at it, making a big difference a little at the time.  The thing that stood out to me was the way his steps seemed small, but with effort and patience, his work had a tremendous effect.  Any age of elementary students would enjoy this story, and it could be used for a read aloud in a science class for middle and high school students as well.  

Seaside Stroll

Seaside Stroll by Charles Trevino and illustrated by Maribel Lechuga is a great book to share with children.  The girl and her mom go to the sea one snowy afternoon and experience the beach, including losing her doll.  I enjoyed the story, but I especially appreciated the skill the author had in telling the story with words only beginning with the letter S.

Whose House is That?

 Whose House Is That? by Stan Tekiela makes an excellent addition to any home or classroom library.  Tekiela describes in a few sentences a home of a wild animal and shows a photograph of the home.  On the folllowing page, there is a photo of the animal in it's home, along with more information about the animal.  All of the animals are from Minnesota.  If you enjoy this book, you can look for more by Tekiela, including his books for children like Whose Track is That? and The Kids' Guide to Birds of Minnesota, or his guides for wildflowers, trees, or birds of different states.

Digging for Words

Digging for Words by Angela Burke Kunkel and illustrated by Paula Escobar is a book based on the story of Jose Alberto Gutierrez.  He was a garbage collector in Bogota, Columbia, and began taking the books others had discarded and taking them home so he could share the love of reading with others.  This inspirational story is a good example of a man who decided to help others even though he didn't have much.  It is available in Spanish as well.