Wonderful Worms

By Linda Glaser
Illustrated by Loretta Krupinski










Simple text and beautiful illustrations explain how worms function and what they contribute to the health of the soil. The back of the has a series of questions and answers about worms. A great book for k-2 read a loud for studying worms, soil, compost and gardens.

Fred Korematsu: All American Hero

 

Fred Korematsu: All American Hero    By Anupam Chander & Madhavi Sunder

Art by Angelia Loi                  Published in 2011         96 Pages

This GN History was written by two UC Davis Law professors in order to explain
the 40 year fight for justice that Fred Korematsu faced when he challenged the
internment of Japanese Americans.

Korematsu refused to comply with the internment order, and when he was apprehended,
he challenged the basis for the order. He was convicted, and when his case went to the
Supreme Court, the court upheld both his conviction and the legal basis for the
internment order.

It took 40 more years to get his conviction overturned and to get the government to admit
that the interment order was unjustified.

The authors frame the telling of Korematsu's story through the eyes of a young Muslim
girl who is incessantly taunted in the aftermath of 911. An elderly Japanese neighbor
comforts her by sharing the fact that similar sentiments led to her internment, and then
she tells the girl the story of how Fred Korematsu fought for the rights of all Americans.

Additionally, the art is charming. It looks like it could have been drawn by a kid, and in my
opinion, this increases the engagement for the reader.

There is an interview with the authors at the following link. Their section starts at 15:31.

http://www.capradio.org/157633

 The format of the book is small, but I have used it for an abridged read aloud.

We also have a local connection. Fred Korematsu lived in Oakland.

How To Speak Dog

How To Speak Dog  By Sarah Whitehead    Published in 2008   96 Pages

There are several books available on this topic. This one is simply the best I have seen!

The information on dog body language is the very detailed and nuanced, yet it is
extraordinarily accessible as well. Likewise, the book integrates this information in
its sections on dog care and training.

Though I have enjoyed the company of  many dogs before reading this book, I was able to
find much that I didn't know. This information was immediately applicable and it enhanced
my understanding of my dog. All this in a book written for kids!

Highest recommendation for all dog lovers in our schools.

A Drop of Blood

A Drop of Blood       Paul Showers      Published in 2004       32 pages


This is a very engaging update of a title in the venerable "Let's Read And Find Out About Science" series. After all, who would be more expert on the topic of blood than Dracula himself?

The updated art draws kids in, and it is supplemented by electron microscope photographs of red blood cells, white blood cells, fibrin, and platelets. Dracula and Igor turn out to be fantastic guides.

This book is an excellent read aloud, and there is always great demand for it in the aftermath.

Try reading it in a vampire voice. The kids love it.

Library Research with Emergent Readers

Library Research with Emergent Readers   Harker & Putoni    Published in 2008   112 pages

This book provides a series of templates for conducting research with students from K to grade 2. The first section of the book provides information on librarian/classroom teacher collaboration, and a step by step guide for implementing student research projects.

The bulk of the book consists templates in the form of reproducible, scaffolded outlines that when filled out produce short reports on a variety of commonly assigned topics. All are based on the AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner.

Animals, seasons, plants, earth features, community helpers, and the 5 senses are the topics covered. Each project has several versions and formats in order to suit a wide range of students. There are also a couple of student self assessment rubrics provided.

Don't Forget to Write

Don't Forget to Write            826             Published in 2011           288 pages


Simply Superlative! This is a collection of 50 wildly inventive creative writing lessons for elementary school children. The lessons were created by educators, authors, and 826 staff, and all of them were field tested in 826 workshops.  There is a wide variety of genres and styles treated in this volume.

The appendix features a cross indexed list that details the specific common core standards that are addressed in each lesson. This cross referencing covers K-7th grade. Additionally, there are a couple of self assessment rubrics in the appendix.

Just Write

 

Just Write Here's How    By Walter Dean Myers     Published in 2012    176 pages


Brilliant, Brilliant book! Walter Dean Myers provides an extraordinary guide to the writing process for young people. Though this book is written for kids, it provides a wealth of information for readers of all ages.

The genesis of this book started with an email that Walter Dean Myers received from a middle school student, Ross Workman. Ross wanted some writing advice from Myers. Though skeptical at first, Myers soon realized that this kid was serious, thoughtful, and hard working. The two resolved to collaborate on the novel "Kick".

Just Write grew out of the experience. Myers is able to illustrate his points with examples from working with Ross. He also provides great information about how he developed the ideas and characters in some of his classic books.

You also get an afterword by Ross Workman that provides his perspective on the experience of collaborating with Myers.

This book is a compelling read for anyone interested in creating a story, and it would make an invaluable resource for teaching the writing process to students.

Upper Elementary to Adult

Saving Audie

 
 Saving Audie: A Pit Bull Puppy Gets a Second Chance

By Dorothy Hinshaw Patent       Published in 2011      48 pages


Great read aloud and very engaging. After Michael Vick was arrested for having a dog fighting ring, people contemplated what to do with the pit bulls that were rescued from the Bad Newz Kennel. Typically, in dog fighting cases, the dogs are held as evidence until the conclusion of the trial. Then they are destroyed.

A SF bay area pit bull owner's group and the ASPCA teamed up to advocate for the dogs in the Vick case. As a result, the dogs were allowed to be tested in order to see if they would be safe around people and other dogs. This was the very first time that this was allowed to occur. The dogs passed the tests and were placed with loving owners.

The book focuses on one particular dog to illustrate the process - the very charming Audie. Audie provides a great hook for the readers. Additionally, he is a local Bay area resident!

Hurry Freedom

 


Hurry Freedom: African Americans in Gold Rush California

Jerry Stanley          Published in 2000    96 pages


Hurry Freedom touches upon the experience of African Americans who migrated to California during the Gold Rush. It details their struggle against discrimination in this environment and highlights some early civil rights activism in the state.The author uses the facinating stories of  Mifflin Gibbs and Peter Lester in order to provide a coherent narrative to the book.

Additionally, this book features a wealth of information about early San Francisco.

Zombies Meet Newton

 

Zombies and Forces and Motion  By Mark Weakland    Published in 2012     32 pages


This is the most engaging volume of Capstone's Monster Science series. Zombies are used to explain Newton's Laws of Motion in a graphic novel format.

This title works well as a read aloud if the students are in close proximity. Alternately, you can project the pages for a large audience.

Kids fervently ask for this book. I anticipate that this title will be one of those that is perpetually checked out.

The zombies hook a wide cross section of readers who would not even consider checking out a book about forces and motion.

Digger

 

 

Digger: The Tragic Fate of the California Indians From the Missions to the Gold Rush

 

By Jerry Stanley    Published in 1997      128 pages

 

 

Sugar cube mission projects and sugar coated mission mythology are standard fare for many schools. 

This book provides a welcome antidote in an accessible package. This counter narrative details the forced labor, cultural and physical devastation that were wrought on California Natives during this time period.

 

Also, the Gold Rush is all too often presented in romantic terms, and even when a more realistic view is entertained, it frequently omits the perspective and experiences of the California Natives. This book helps fill those gaps. 

 

Unfortunately, there is a dearth of books on this subject that are accessible to upper elementary school students. Though this book isn't perfect, it is the best that I have seen thus far. Sections of the book can be used to balance omissions that are found in the typical narrative.  

Flaming Sword of Samoa

Flaming Sword of Samoa: The Story of the Samoan Fire Knife Dance by Freddie Letuli & Patricia Letuli    115 pages  Published in 2004


Samoan books are very difficult to find, and there is a great need for them in our schools. Freddie Letuli originated the Samoan Fire Knife Dance at an event in Golden Gate Park in 1947. He served as an ambassador for Samoan culture as he performed all over the world. This gorgeous book provides a fascinating view of the history of this dance and showcases some of the moves that are used. The book also provides an interesting view of the author's movie career as well. This book usually circulates non-stop.    

Never Smile at a Monkey

By
Steve Jenkins












This is a fun nonfiction read-aloud that presents information on what not to do around 18 different dangerous animals and what they might do if they feel threatened or trapped. The book also includes an index in the back with more information about each animal discussed in the book. A very engaging book that kids always love.

The Salamander Room

By: Anne Mazer
Illustrated By: Steve Johnson & Lou Fancher











A beautifully illustrated book telling the story of a boy who finds a salamander in the woods and takes it home to live in his room. The boy then explains to his mother how he will keep the salamander alive by creating a habitat in his bedroom, detailing everything he will need until his room is turned into the woods where he found the salamander. A great book for teaching about habitat and the interconnection of nature.

How Groundhog's Garden Grew

By Lynne Cherry
2003

A great picture book about groundhog growing a garden and the help he gets from his animal friends. This books provides engaging and accurate information on how a garden grows from seed to harvesting and eating. A great read-aloud for grades k-5.