Pippa Park Raises Her Game by Erin Yun

 Pippa Park Raises Her Game

 by Erin Yun 

About the Author:

Debut author Erin Yun grew up in Frisco, Texas. She received her BFA in English from New York University and served as president of its policy debate team. This experience came in handy for her job as the debate consultant for the Tony-nominated Best Play on Broadway—What the Constitution Means to Me. Erin is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and has written reviews and articles for BookBrowse. She currently lives in New York City, and yes—she used to play basketball as a middle grader!

Book Summary:

"Readers will cheer on Korean American Pippa Park in this compelling middle grade reimagining of Great Expectations. Navigating friendships and cyberbullying at a new school, Pippa reinvents herself and discovers who she really is.

Life is full of great expectations for Korean American Pippa Park. It seems like everyone, from her family to the other kids at school, has a plan for how her life should look. So when Pippa gets a mysterious basketball scholarship to Lakeview Private, she jumps at the chance to reinvent herself by following the “Rules of Cool.”

At Lakeview, Pippa juggles old and new friends, an unrequited crush, and the pressure to perform academically and athletically while keeping her past and her family’s laundromat a secret from her elite new classmates. But when Pippa begins to receive a string of hateful, anonymous messages via social media, her carefully built persona is threatened.

As things begin to spiral out of control, Pippa discovers the real reason she was admitted to Lakeview and wonders if she can keep her old and new lives separate, or if she should even try."-Amazon.com

Review:

“Pippa is a magnetic heroine, funny and good-hearted, and young readers will relate as she makes one honest mistake after another in an effort to fit in. A nice balancing act between sports action, middle-school drama, and the struggles of an underprivileged immigrant family that will appeal to a wide audience.”―Booklist

"An empowering celebration of identity, friendship, and embracing one’s roots... Yun writes of Korean-American family life with heartwarming, authentic detail... Tall, athletic, and brash, she is an unforced subversion of female Asian-American stereotypes even as she confronts challenges unique to Asian-American teens."―Publishers Weekly

Pippa Park Raises Her Game Book Review

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAJA-SJKtcY

https://www.amazon.com/Pippa-Park-Raises-Her-Game/dp/1944020268/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=Kelly+Yang&qid=1603585942&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzSVIzNTQyVUtZNDlXJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzMxMjQ5MjJJTDhaTzBNQjA3TiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDQzODQ5MkI1SlBZVkMyNEpWMyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin

 Starry River of the Sky 

by Grace Lin

About the Author:

Grace Lin is the award-winning and bestselling author and illustrator of Starry River of the Sky, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, The Year of the Dog, The Year of the Rat, Dumpling Days, and Ling & Ting, as well as pictures books such as The Ugly Vegetables and Caldecott Honor book A Big Mooncake for Little Star. Grace lives with her husband and daughter in Western MA, where they get plenty of winter snow. Her website is www.gracelin.com.

Book Summary:

"The moon is missing from the remote Village of Clear Sky, but only a young boy named Rendi seems to notice! Rendi has run away from home and is now working as a chore boy at the village inn. He can't help but notice the village's peculiar inhabitants and their problems.

But one day, a mysterious lady arrives at the Inn with the gift of storytelling, and slowly transforms the villagers and Rendi himself. As she tells more stories and the days pass in the Village of Clear Sky, Rendi begins to realize that perhaps it is his own story that holds the answers to all those questions.

Newbery Honor author Grace Lin brings readers another enthralling fantasy featuring her marvelous full-color illustrations. Starry River of the Sky is filled with Chinese folklore, fascinating characters, and exciting new adventures."- Amazon.com

STARRY RIVER OF THE SKY by Grace Lin (book trailer)

Reviews:

* "This tight and cyclical plotting, combined with Lin's vibrant, full-color paintings and chapter decorations, creates a work that is nothing short of enchanting. Like the restored moon, Starry River outshines the previous work."―School Library Journal, starred review

* "The writing and themes are lovely and readers feel the story long after it has ended...With the layers of myth, folklore, and superb storytelling, readers will be moved. Read this book; share this book; send Grace Lin a thank you card for sharing this story."―Library Media Connection, starred review

Source:

https://www.amazon.com/Starry-River-Sky-Grace-Lin/dp/0316125970/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Grace+Lin&qid=1603585255&sr=8-1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYiyCytjtD4

Peter's Chair by Ezra Jack Keats

 Peter's Chair 

by Ezra Jack Keats

About the Author:

Ezra Jack Keats (1916–1983) is the Caldecott Medal winning author of The Snowy Day, which broke ground in 1962 as one of the first picture books for young children to portray a realistic, multi-cultural urban setting. Since its initial publication, The Snowy Day has come to be regarded as both a children’s classic and one of the most important picture books ever written/illustrated. Ezra Jack Keats’ legacy lives on in the popularity of his most famous character, Peter—the star of The Snowy Day, Whistle for Willie, Peter's Chair, A Letter to Amy, Goggles, and others. Visit the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation online at www.ezra-jack-keats.org

Book Summary:

"The award-winning, classic stories about Peter and his neighborhood friends from the Caledcott Medal-winning author, Ezra Jack Keats. Peter has a new baby sister. First his father paints Peter’s old cradle pink, then his crib. Then his parents want to paint Peter’s chair! “Let’s run away, Willie,” he says to his dog. And they do. This is a gentle and reassuring story about sibling rivalry."- Amazon.com

Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats- Read Aloud

Review:

"A more charming or contemporary child than Peter . . . is hard to bring to mind."--School Library Journal

Sources:

https://www.amazon.com/Peters-Chair-Picture-Puffins-Keats/dp/0140564411/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Ezra+Jack+Keats&qid=1603583040&sr=8-1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9Oj54sfi5w

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

 The Very Hungry Caterpillar 

by Eric Carle

About the Author:

"Eric Carle is acclaimed and beloved as the creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture books for very young children. His best-known work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has eaten its way into the hearts of literally millions of children all over the world and has been translated into more than 25 languages and sold over twelve million copies. Since the Caterpillar was published in 1969, Eric Carle has illustrated more than sixty books, many best sellers, most of which he also wrote.

Born in Syracuse, New York, in 1929, Eric Carle moved with his parents to Germany when he was six years old; he was educated there, and graduated from the prestigious art school, the Akademie der bildenden Kunste, in Stuttgart. But his dream was always to return to America, the land of his happiest childhood memories. So, in 1952, with a fine portfolio in hand and forty dollars in his pocket, he arrived in New York. Soon he found a job as a graphic designer in the promotion department of The New York Times. Later, he was the art director of an advertising agency for many years.

One day, respected educator and author, Bill Martin Jr, called to ask Carle to illustrate a story he had written. Martin's eye had been caught by a striking picture of a red lobster that Carle had created for an advertisement. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? was the result of their collaboration. It is still a favorite with children everywhere. This was the beginning of Eric Carle's true career. Soon Carle was writing his own stories, too. His first wholly original book was 1,2,3 to the Zoo, followed soon afterward by the celebrated classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Eric Carle's art is distinctive and instantly recognizable. His art work is created in collage technique, using hand-painted papers, which he cuts and layers to form bright and cheerful images. 

The themes of his stories are usually drawn from his extensive knowledge and love of nature - an interest shared by most small children. Besides being beautiful and entertaining, his books always offer the child the opportunity to learn something about the world around them. It is his concern for children, for their feelings and their inquisitiveness, for their creativity and their intellectual growth that, in addition to his beautiful artwork, makes the reading of his books such a stimulating and lasting experience." -Amazon.com

Book Summary:

"THE all-time classic picture book, from generation to generation, sold somewhere in the world every 30 seconds! Have you shared it with a child or grandchild in your life?

Including a special feature, die cuts, this beautiful board book edition, perfect for teaching the days of the week, offers readers an interactive experience. "

Eric Carle reads The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Reviews:

"The very hungry caterpillar literally eats his way through the pages of the book—and right into your child's heart..."—Mother's Manual

"Gorgeously illustrated, brilliantly innovative..."—The New York Times Book Review

Sources:

https://www.amazon.com/Very-Hungry-Caterpillar-Eric-Carle/dp/0399226907/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=Eric+Carle&qid=1603582553&sr=8-5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkYmvxP0AJI

Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales by Virginia Hamilton

 Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales by Virginia Hamilton

About the Author:

"Virginia graduated at the top of her high-school class and received a full scholarship to Antioch College in Yellow Springs. In 1956, she transferred to the Ohio State University in Columbus and majored in literature and creative writing. She moved to New York City in 1958, working as a museum receptionist, cost accountant, and nightclub singer, while she pursued her dream of being a published writer. She studied fiction writing at the New School for Social Research under Hiram Haydn, one of the founders of Atheneum Press.

It was also in New York that Virginia met poet Arnold Adoff. They were married in 1960. Arnold worked as a teacher, and Virginia was able to devote her full attention to writing, at least until daughter Leigh was born in 1963 and son Jaime in 1967. In 1969, Virginia and Arnold built their “dream home” in Yellow Springs, on the last remaining acres of the old Hamilton/Perry family farm, and settled into a life of serious literary work and achievement.

In her lifetime, Virginia wrote and published 41 books in multiple genres that spanned picture books and folktales, mysteries and science fiction, realistic novels and biography. Woven into her books is a deep concern with memory, tradition, and generational legacy, especially as they helped define the lives of African Americans. Virginia described her work as “Liberation Literature.” She won every major award in youth literature."

Book Summary:

"A collection of twenty-five African-American folktales focuses on strong female characters and includes "Little Girl and Bruh Rabby," "Catskinella," and "Annie Christmas." By the author of The People Could Fly."- Amazon.com

Virtual Read Aloud: DuEwa Reads HER STORIES by Virginia Hamilton

Review:

Amazon.com Review

Virginia Hamilton, who previously won a Newbery Medal and a MacArthur Foundation grant, gives us 17 pugnacious and heroic female characters in a collection of tales that demonstrates the breadth of African-American cultural tradition. The characters in Her Stories, which won the 1996 Coretta Scott King Award, are strong, competent, and sometimes bigger than life, like the "coal black and tree tall" Annie Christmas. Drawn from a variety of sources, the tales in Her Stories have been crafted to blend together smoothly while remaining true to their original tone. Text and art are laid against a buff background in a stylish, oversize format, with a heavy binding built to stand up to the repeated use that's sure to come.

Sources:

https://www.amazon.com/Her-Stories-African-American-Folktales/dp/0590473700/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=Virginia+Hamilton&qid=1603582111&sr=8-3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CHw-TEydyo

Words with Wings by Nikki Grimes

 Words with Wings 

by Nikki Grimes

About the Author:

Nikki Grimes has been awarded a Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award. Words with Wings has been named a 2014 ALSC Notable Children's Book in the middle readers category.

Book Summary:

"Gabby's world is filled with daydreams. However, what began as an escape from her parents' arguments has now taken over her life. But with the help of a new teacher, Gabby the dreamer might just become Gabby the writer, and words that carried her away might allow her to soar. Written in vivid, accessible poems, this remarkable verse novel is a celebration of imagination, of friendship, of one girl's indomitable spirit, and of a teacher's ability to reach out and change a life." -Amazon.com

Words with Wings By: Nikki Grimes Book Trailer

Review:

* ". . . Grimes has written a novel in verse that is an enthusiastic celebration of the power of words and imagination. . . Always accessible, Grimes' language is vivid, rhythmic, and figurative. . . Grimes' words speak to the daydreamer in every reader." -Booklist, starred review

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB4m5IF0dt4

https://www.amazon.com/Words-Wings-Nikki-Grimes/dp/1590789857/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=Nikki+Grimes&qid=1603579288&s=books&sr=1-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEySEc2MzBDNEVBNUlNJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTA1OTgzM0lYQVVURkFSRzc0TyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUExMDE4Mjc0MTFXUVdVSkhNUlpITCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again) by Dan Santat

 After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again) 

by Dan Santat

 

About the Author:

Dan Santat is the Caldecott Medal-winning and New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, Are We There Yet?, and After the Fall as well as the illustrator of many other picture books, including Crankenstein by Samantha Berger. Dan lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and various pets. He invites you to visit him online at dantat.com.

Book Summary:

"Everyone knows that when Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. But what happened after? Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat's poignant tale follows Humpty Dumpty, an avid bird watcher whose favorite place to be is high up on the city wall―that is, until after his famous fall. Now terrified of heights, Humpty can longer do many of the things he loves most.Will he summon the courage to face his fear?" - Amazon.com 

AFTER THE FALL (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again)

 by Dan Santat - Children's Books Read Aloud

Reviews:

“A validating and breathtaking next chapter of a Mother Goose favorite.” ―Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“More than a nursery rhyme remix, Santat’s story speaks boldly to the grip of fear and trauma, and to the exhilaration of mastering it.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

“The author gives wings to both his protagonist and his message about the importance of getting back up after a fall and the realization that recovering from a trauma takes time.” ―Booklist, starred review

Sources:

https://www.amazon.com/After-Fall-Humpty-Dumpty-Again/dp/1626726825/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1603578729&sr=1-1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUKt1a6I3yw

Island: A Story of the Galápagos by Jason Chin

 Island: A Story of the Galápagos 

by Jason Chin

About the Author:

Jason Chin combines imaginative storytelling with intriguing science to create books that both enchant and educate. His newest title is YOUR PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE, of which School Library Journal wrote: "A fascinating book that is as informative as it is marvelously absorbing. A must-have for any collection."

His book GRAND CANYON received both a Caldecott Honor and a Sibert Honor, and won the 2018 Orbis Pictus Award. He is the author of the award-winning books REDWOODS; ISLAND: A Story of the Galápagos (winner of the 2013 Gryphon Award), and GRAVITY(a Gryphon Honor book). WATER IS WATER, written by Miranda Paul, was a 2016 ALA Notable Book and CORAL REEFS was nominated for the Texas Bluebonnet Award.

Jason lives in Vermont with his wife, Deirdre Gill and their two children.

Book Summary:

"Charles Darwin first visited the Galápagos Islands almost 200 years ago, only to discover a land filled with plants and animals that could not be found anywhere else on earth. How did they come to inhabit the island? How long will they remain?

Thoroughly researched and filled with intricate and beautiful paintings, this extraordinary book by Award-winning author and artist Jason Chin is an epic saga of the life of an island―born of fire, rising to greatness, its decline, and finally the emergence of life on new islands. Chin's approach makes this book a must-have common core tool for teachers and librarians introducing scientific principals to young students."-Amazon.com

Island by Jason Chin Read Aloud

Reviews:

“Chin's gorgeous illustrations include sweeping double-page spreads of the island and its inhabitants…” ―Horn Book Magazine, starred

“Another superb contribution to scientific literature by Chin.” ―Kirkus, starred

“...this fine introduction to [the Galápagos] will surely stimulate readers' interest.” ―School Library Journal, starred

Sources:

https://www.amazon.com/Island-Story-Gal%C3%A1pagos-Jason-Chin/dp/1596437162/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=Jason+Chin&qid=1603578234&sr=8-4

https://www.amazon.com/Jason-Chin/e/B001HCS4FS?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNqjTW5Asoo

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka

 The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

 by Jon Scieszka 

About the author:

Jon Scieszka is the author of all of those books over next to his picture. He has been writing books for so long (since 1989) that he doesn't even know how many are over there. But he's sold bazillions. The books have won a mess of awards. And he is having the best time writing more more more. He is also the founder of Guys Read, a literacy initiative for boys. He is the first US National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. And he is still the nicest of six Scieszka boys.No one knows exactly where he lives.

Book Summary:

"You thought you knew the story of the “The Three Little Pigs”… You thought wrong. In this hysterical and clever fracture fairy tale picture book that twists point of view and perspective, young readers will finally hear the other side of the story of “The Three Little Pigs.”- Amazon.com

The TRUE story of the 3 little pigs by 

A.Wolf as told to Jon Scieszka. 

Grandma Annii's Story Time

Review:

 “In this humorous story, Alexander T. Wolf tells his own outlandish version of what really happens during his encounter with the three pigs…. Smith's simplistic and wacky illustrations add to the effectiveness of this fractured fairy tale.”—Children’s Literature

“Older kids (and adults) will find very funny.”—School Library Journal

Sources:

https://www.amazon.com/True-Story-Three-Little-Pigs/dp/0140544518/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Jon+Scieszka&qid=1603577204&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Jon-Scieszka/e/B000AQ4MCQ?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB07RfntTvw

Family Pictures, 15th Anniversary Edition / Cuadros de Familia, Edición Quinceañera by Carmen Lomas Garza

 Family Pictures, 15th Anniversary Edition / Cuadros de Familia, Edición Quinceañera 

by Carmen Lomas Garza 

About the Author: 

"Carmen Lomas Garza was born in Kingsville, Texas, in 1948. Inspired by her parent’s activism with the American G.I. Forum, Lomas Garza joined the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. She is a graduate of the Texas Arts & Industry University, Juarez-Lincoln/Antioch Graduate School, and San Francisco State University where she earned her M.A. in 1981. Lomas Garza is a recipient of numerous awards and has exhibited her work in galleries and museums across the United States." 

Book Summary:

"Family Pictures is the story of Carmen Lomas Garza's girlhood: celebrating birthdays, making tamales, finding a hammerhead shark on the beach, picking cactus, going to a fair in Mexico, and confiding to her sister her dreams of becoming an artist. These day-to-day experiences are told through fourteen vignettes of art and a descriptive narrative, each focusing on a different aspect of traditional Mexican American culture.

The English-Spanish text and vivid illustrations reflect the author's strong sense of family and community. For Mexican Americans, Carmen Lomas Garza offers a book that reflects their lives and traditions. For others, this work offers insights into a beautifully rich community." -Amazon.com

Resources: 

"This is the illustrator and storyteller's bilingual memoir of growing up in Texas, fully immersed in her family's Mexican traditions. The illustrations are painted in a flat, naïve style, bringing out the details of celebrations and everyday activities from cakewalk scholarship fundraisers to visits from the curandera to eating watermelon on the porch on a hot summer evening. There is always a mix of ages and generations, emphasizing activities all members of a family enjoy in their own ways. Lomas Garza explains the paintings, supplying additional information, making this book an introduction to the artistic process as well as a family history. Reviewed by Ina Rimpau". --Parents' Choice®

Sources: 

https://www.amazon.com/Pictures-Anniversary-Cuadros-Familia-Quincea%C3%B1era/dp/089239207X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Family+Pictures%2C+15th+Anniversary+Edition+%2F+Cuadros+de+Familia%2C+Edici%C3%B3n+Quincea%C3%B1era+by+Carmen+Lomas+Garza&qid=1603574787&sr=8-1

http://carmenlomasgarza.com/

The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis

 The Watsons Go to Birmingham 

by Christopher Paul Curtis 

About the Author:

"Born in Flint, Michigan, Christopher Paul Curtis spent his first 13 years after high school on the assembly line of Flint's historic Fisher Body Plant # 1. His job entailed hanging car doors, and it left him with an aversion to getting into and out of large automobiles--particularly big Buicks.

With grandfathers like Earl "Lefty" Lewis, a Negro Baseball League pitcher, and 1930s bandleader Herman E. Curtis, Sr., of Herman Curtis and the Dusky Devastators of the Depression, it is easy to see why Christopher Paul Curtis was destined to become an entertainer.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963 tells the story of 10-year-old Kenny and his family, the Weird Watsons of Flint, Michigan, and their unforgettable journey that leads them into one of the darkest moments in American history. It is by turns a hilarious, touching, and tragic story about civil rights and the impact of violence on one family.

Curtis's novel Bud, Not Buddy focuses on 10-year-old Bud Caldwell, who hits the road in search of his father and his home. Times may be hard in 1936 Flint, Michigan, but orphaned Bud's got a few things going for him; he believes his mother left a clue of who his father was--and nothing can stop Bud from trying to find him."- Amazon.com4

Book Summary:

When the Watson family—ten-year-old Kenny, Momma, Dad, little sister Joetta, and brother Byron—sets out on a trip south to visit Grandma in Birmingham, Alabama, they don’t realize that they’re heading toward one of the darkest moments in America’s history. The Watsons’ journey reminds us that even in the hardest times, laughter and family can help us get through anything.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham-- 1963 Book Trailer

Reviews:

"A modern classic." —NPR

“Marvelous . . . both comic and deeply moving.” —The New York Times

"One of the best novels EVER." —Jacqueline Woodson, Newbery Honor and National Book Award–winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming

Sources:

https://www.amazon.com/Watsons-Birmingham-1963-Christopher-Paul-Curtis/dp/0440414121/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Christopher+Paul+Curtis&qid=1603244810&sr=8-1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7yLMoAKAXo

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Long Way Down

by Jason Reynolds 

About the Author:

Jason Reynolds is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, a Newbery Award Honoree, a Printz Award Honoree, a two-time National Book Award finalist, a Kirkus Award winner, a two-time Walter Dean Myers Award winner, an NAACP Image Award Winner, and the recipient of multiple Coretta Scott King honors. Reynolds is also the 2020–2021 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. His many books include When I Was the Greatest, The Boy in the Black Suit, All American Boys (cowritten with Brendan Kiely), As Brave as You, For Every One, the Track series (Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu), Look Both Ways, and Long Way Down, which received a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, and a Coretta Scott King Honor. He lives in Washington, DC. You can find his ramblings at JasonWritesBooks.com.

Book Summary:

Long Way Down | Book Trailer

Reviews:

“An intense snapshot of the chain reaction caused by pulling a trigger.” —Booklist (starred review)

“Astonishing.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A tour de force.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Sources:

https://www.amazon.com/Long-Way-Down-Jason-Reynolds/dp/1481438263/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Jason+Reynolds&qid=1603244209&sr=8-2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVQnyL6y6do

Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper

 Stella by Starlight 

by Sharon M. Draper

About the Author:

Sharon M. Draper is a New York Times bestselling author and recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring her significant and lasting contribution to writing for teens. She has received the Coretta Scott King Award for both Copper Sun and Forged by Fire, and was most recently awarded the Charlotte Huck Award for Stella by Starlight. Her novel Out of My Mind has won multiple awards and was a New York Times bestseller for over three years. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she taught high school English for twenty-five years and was named National Teacher of the Year. Visit her at SharonDraper.com.

Book Summary: 

"Stella lives in the segregated South—in Bumblebee, North Carolina, to be exact about it. Some stores she can go into. Some stores she can’t. Some folks are right pleasant. Others are a lot less so. To Stella, it sort of evens out, and heck, the Klan hasn’t bothered them for years. But one late night, later than she should ever be up, much less wandering around outside, Stella and her little brother see something they’re never supposed to see, something that is the first flicker of change to come, unwelcome change by any stretch of the imagination. As Stella’s community—her world—is upended, she decides to fight fire with fire. And she learns that ashes don’t necessarily signify an end."- Amazon.com

Stella by Starlight Read-Aloud with Author Sharon Draper | Read & Learn with Simon Kids

Review:

Sharon M. Draper presents “storytelling at its finest” (School Library Journal, starred review) in this New York Times bestselling Depression-era novel about a young girl who must learn to be brave in the face of violent prejudice when the Ku Klux Klan reappears in her segregated southern town.

Source:

https://www.amazon.com/Stella-Starlight-Sharon-M-Draper/dp/1442494980/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=Sharon+Draper&qid=1603243603&sr=8-4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zaUo7NQ33s

The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! by Mo Willems

 

The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! 

by Mo Willems

 

About the Author:

Book Summary:

"Handpicked by Amazon kids’ books editor, Seira Wilson, for Prime Book Box – a children’s subscription that inspires a love of reading.

Why does the Pigeon have to go to school? He already knows everything! And what if he doesn't like it? What if the teacher doesn't like him? What if he learns TOO MUCH!?!

Ask not for whom the school bell rings; it rings for the Pigeon!"- Amazon.com

Review:

Sources:

https://www.amazon.com/Pigeon-HAS-Go-School/dp/1368046452/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=Mo+Willems&qid=1603243122&sr=8-4

Forest World by Margarita Engle

 Forest World 

by Margarita Engle

About the Author:

"Margarita Engle is the Cuban-American winner of the first Newbery Honor ever awarded to a Latino. Her award winning young adult novels in verse include The Surrender Tree, The Poet Slave of Cuba, and The Lightning Dreamer, winner of the PEN USA Award.

Engle's most recent books are Orangutanka, Drum Dream Girl, The Sky Painter, and Enchanted Air. All of these books are to be released in 2015. For news and updates, visit http://margaritaengle.com/

She lives in central California, where she enjoys helping her husband with his volunteer work for wilderness search and rescue dog training programs." 

Book Summary:

"Edver isn’t happy about being shipped off to Cuba to visit the father he barely knows. Why would he want to visit a place that no one in Miami ever mentions without a sigh? Yet now that travel laws have changed and it’s a lot easier for divided families to be reunited, his mom thinks it's time for some father-son bonding.

Edver doesn’t know what this summer has in store, but he’s definitely expecting to meet a sister he didn’t know existed! Luza is a year older and excited to see her little brother, until she realizes how different their lives have been. Looking for anything they might have in common, they sneak onto the internet—and accidentally catch the interest of a dangerous wildlife poacher. Edver has fought plenty of villains in video games. Now, to save the Cuban jungle they love, he and Luza are going to have to find a way to conquer a real villain!" - Amazon.com

Reviews:

"The poetic journey is one of rich juxtapositions between the real and the marvelous, technology and nature, science and art, past histories and possible futures. An addition that delicately illustrates the Cuban-American experience through a poetic and scientific lens not often seen." -- Kirkus Reviews, 6/15/17

"A beautifully written eco-adventure, this is also a thoughtful exploration of the realities faced by families separated by 90 miles and politics.” -- Booklist, Starred Review, July 2017

Sources:

https://www.amazon.com/Forest-World-Margarita-Engle/dp/1481490583/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Margarita+Engle&qid=1602382335&sr=8-2

https://www.amazon.com/Margarita-Engle/e/B001JRV6MO?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1602382694&sr=1-1

Spiders (Scholastic Reader, Level 2: Nic Bishop #2) by Nic Bishop (Author)

 Spiders (Scholastic Reader, Level 2: Nic Bishop #2) 

by Nic Bishop  (Author)

Book Summary:

"Nic Bishop's Sibert Honor book, adapted for the youngest readers.

Spiders are meat eaters, like lions and tigers. But they are much more scary! Tarantulas lurk on the rain forest floor. Lynx spiders hunt among the leaves. Their spider senses know when prey is near.

Now even the youngest readers can join Sibert Medal-winning photographer and biologist Nic Bishop as he takes a closer look at the world's most amazing animals. In this book, Nic introduces fun facts about spiders and their bodies, habits, and life cycle. The simple, easy-to-read text is perfect for beginners, and the eye-catching photographs will delight naturalists of all ages. This reader includes a brief author's note, glossary, and accessible visual index."

Reviews: 

“This title is an attention-grabber...[that] might have kids poking into basements and peering into leaf litter to observe these fascinating arachnids caught in mid-skitter by Bishop's sensitive lens.” --SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, starred review

“Striking close-up and highly magnified photos of a wide variety of spiders are the heart of this fascinating and versatile introduction to the order....This splendid title should leap off the shelves.” --KIRKUS REVIEWS, starred review

Source:

https://www.amazon.com/Spiders-Scholastic-Reader-Level-Bishop/dp/0545237572/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Nic+Bishop&qid=1602381946&sr=8-1

The Three Pigs by David Wiesner

The Three Pigs by David Wiesner 

About the Author:

"David Wiesner is one of the best-loved and most highly acclaimed picture book creators in the world. His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have won numerous awards in the United States and abroad. Three of the picture books he both wrote and illustrated became instant classics when they won the prestigious Caldecott Medal: Tuesday in 1992, The Three Pigs in 2002, and Flotsam in 2007, making him only the second person in the award's long history to have won three times. He has also received two Caldecott Honors, for Free Fall and Sector 7.

Wiesner generally spends several years creating each new book. Many versions are sketched and revised until the story line flows smoothly and each image works the way he wants it to. He creates three-dimensional models of objects he can't observe in real life, such as flying pigs and lizards standing upright, to add authenticity to his drawings. David Wiesner lives with his family outside Philadelphia." -Amazon.com

Book Summary:

"This Caldecott Medal-winning picture book begins placidly (and familiarly) enough, with three pigs collecting materials and going off to build houses of straw, sticks, and bricks. But the wolf’s huffing and puffing blows the first pig right out of the story . . . and into the realm of pure imagination. The transition signals the start of a freewheeling adventure with characteristic David Wiesner effects—cinematic flow, astonishing shifts of perspective, and sly humor, as well as episodes of flight.

Satisfying both as a story and as an exploration of the nature of story, The Three Pigs takes visual narrative to a new level. Dialogue balloons, text excerpts, and a wide variety of illustration styles guide the reader through a dazzling fantasy universe to the surprising and happy ending. Fans of Tuesday’s frogs and Sector 7’s clouds will be captivated by old friends—the Three Pigs of nursery fame and their companions—in a new guise." -Amazon.com

THE THREE PIGS // Kids Read Aloud Book // by David Wiesner

Review:

From Publishers Weekly

Even the book's younger readers will understand the distinctive visual code. As the pigs enter the confines of a storybook page, they conform to that book's illustrative style, appearing as nursery-rhyme friezes or comic-book line drawings. When the pigs emerge from the storybook pages into the meta-landscape, they appear photographically clear and crisp, with shadows and three dimensions. Wiesner's (Tuesday) brilliant use of white space and perspective (as the pigs fly to the upper right-hand corner of a spread on their makeshift plane, or as one pig's snout dominates a full page) evokes a feeling that the characters can navigate endless possibilities--and that the range of story itself is limitless. Ages 5-up.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Sources: 

https://www.amazon.com/Three-Pigs-David-Wiesner/dp/0618007016/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Wiesner+The+three+pigs&qid=1602380967&sr=8-2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr23xmQQ-qE

https://www.amazon.com/David-Wiesner/e/B001H6TYQM?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000

The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead

 The List of Things That Will Not Change

by Rebecca Stead 

About the Author:

"Rebecca Stead has written five novels for young people: WHEN YOU REACH ME (A New York Times bestseller and winner of the Newbery Medal and the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Fiction); LIAR & SPY (Winner of the Guardian Prize for Children's Fiction and a New York Times Book Review Notable Book for Children); FIRST LIGHT (a Junior Library Guild Selection and a New York Public Library Best Book for Teens); GOODBYE STRANGER (A New York Times Bestseller and New York Times Book Review Notable Book for Children); and, most recently, BOB (co-written by Wendy Mass). Rebecca lives in New York City with her family."-Amazon.com

Book Summary: 

"After her parents' divorce, Bea's life became different in many ways. But she can always look back at the list she keeps in her green notebook to remember the things that will stay the same. The first and most important: Mom and Dad will always love Bea, and each other.

When Dad tells Bea that he and his boyfriend, Jesse, are getting married, Bea is thrilled. Bea loves Jesse, and when he and Dad get married, she'll finally (finally!) have what she's always wanted--a sister. Even though she's never met Jesse's daughter, Sonia, Bea is sure that they'll be "just like sisters anywhere."

As the wedding day approaches, Bea will learn that making a new family brings questions, surprises, and joy, and readers will discover why the New York Times called Rebecca Stead a "writer of great feeling." -Amazon.com

The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead (Audiobook Excerpt)

Reviews:

"An undeniably beautiful book." --The New York Times

"No author writing today observes young lives with more clarity, tenderness, and grace." --Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate, author of The One and Only Ivan

"Stead truly understands the inner life of kids." --Newbery Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly, author of Hello, Universe and You Go First

Sources:

https://www.amazon.com/List-Things-That-Will-Change/dp/1101938099/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+list+of+things+that+will+not+change&qid=1602378347&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-Stead/e/B001IR1PEE?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyFeg0vsUgg

It's a Book by Lane Smith

 It's a Book 

by Lane Smith 

About the Author:

"Lane Smith is the author/illustrator of several award-winning books for children. He is the Kate Greenaway medal winner for There Is a Tribe of Kids (2017) and the two-time Caldecott Honor winner for Grandpa Green (2012) and The Stinky Cheese Man (1993). Four of his books have won the New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award and several of his books, including It's a Book, John, Paul George & Ben and Madam President have been New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestsellers. Mr. Smith has illustrated works by Roald Dahl, Dr. Seuss, George Saunders, Bob Shea, Judith Viorst, Dave Eggers, Jory John, Florence Parry Heide, Jack Prelutsky and Eve Merriam. Some of his most popular books are with frequent collaborator, Jon Scieszka. Mr. Smith lives in Connecticut with his wife Molly Leach, an award-winning graphic designer.

www.lanesmithbooks.com"

Book Summary:

"Playful and lighthearted with a subversive twist that is signature Lane Smith, It’s a Book is a delightful manifesto on behalf of print in the digital age. This satisfying, perfectly executed picture book has something to say to readers of all stripes and all ages." -Amazon.com

It's a Book by Lane Smith, read by Ruth Merttens | Storytelling from Hamilton Trust

Reviews:

From School Library Journal:

Gr 3-5–Smith jump-starts the action on the title page where readers meet the characters–a mouse, a jackass, and a monkey. The monkey's oval head creates an “o” in the word “book.” Slapstick humor ensues in an armchair face-off when one character, reared on a diet of Web 2.0 and gaming, cannot fathom what to do with a book and slings a barrage of annoying questions, “Can you blog with it? How do you scroll down? Can you make the characters fight?” Readers know who is speaking by each animal's unique font type and color, achieving economy and elegance on each page. Exasperated, Monkey hands over the volume. Life, death, and madness, all in a single illustrated page of Treasure Island, draw Jackass in. He responds with a knee-jerk reaction (“too many letters”) and hilariously reduces it to text speak, but his interest is piqued. He covets the book and readers watch him pore over it for hours. Repeated images of him transfixed, shifting left to right, up and down, ears upright, then splayed, and eyes wide open, fill a wordless spread and offer a priceless visual testimony to the focused interaction between readers' imaginations and a narrative. Mouse delivers the final punch line, which will lead to a fit of naughty but well-deserved laughter, and shouts of “Encore.” A clever choice for readers, young and old, who love a good joke and admire the picture book's ability to embody in 32 stills the action of the cinema. Sara Lissa Paulson, American Sign Language and English Lower School PS 347, New York City

© Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Sources:

https://www.amazon.com/Its-Book-Lane-Smith/dp/1596436069/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3JR1KF2NP9ZZY&dchild=1&keywords=its+a+book+lane+smith&qid=1602377898&sprefix=It%E2%80%99s+a+book+l%2Caps%2C198&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Lane-Smith/e/B000APX5G6?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG1hEqmjkcQ

Bridge to Terabithia Kindle Edition by Katherine Paterson (Author), Donna Diamond (Illustrator)

 

Bridge to Terabithia 

by Katherine Paterson  (Author), Donna Diamond (Illustrator)

About the Author:

"Katherine Paterson is the internationally acclaimed author of over 35 books for children and young adults.

She has twice won both the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award. She received the 1998 Hans Christian Andersen Medal as well as the 2006 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for the body of her work, and was the National Ambassador for Children's Literature for the Library of Congress.

Two of her best-selling books have been made into feature films - "The Bridge to Terabithia" and "The Great Gilly Hopkins". An active promoter of reading, education and literacy, she lives in Barre, Vermont. She has four children and seven grandchildren, and her beloved dog, Pixie."

Visit Katherine Paterson on her web site at www.terabithia.com

Book Summary:

"The 40th anniversary edition of the classic Newbery Medal-winning title by beloved author Katherine Paterson, with brand-new bonus materials including an author's note by Katherine herself and a foreword by New York Times bestselling author Kate DiCamillo. This middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 6, especially during homeschooling. It’s a fun way to keep your child entertained and engaged while not in the classroom. 

Jess Aarons has been practicing all summer so he can be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. And he almost is, until the new girl in school, Leslie Burke, outpaces him. The two become fast friends and spend most days in the woods behind Leslie's house, where they invent an enchanted land called Terabithia. One morning, Leslie goes to Terabithia without Jess and a tragedy occurs. It will take the love of his family and the strength that Leslie has given him for Jess to be able to deal with his grief."- Amazon.com

Author Visits - Katherine Paterson - Bridge to Terabithia

Reviews:

From School Library Journal

Jesse's colorless rural world expands when he becomes fast friends with Leslie, the new girl in school. But when Leslie drowns trying to reach their special hideaway, Terabithia, Jesse struggles to accept the loss of his friend. A Newbery Medal winner.

Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc

Sources:

https://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Terabithia-Katherine-Paterson-ebook/dp/B001UFP6JY/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Paterson%2C+K.Bridge+to+Terabithia&qid=1602376217&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo3p3Rtdoys

Gross as a Snot Otter (The World of Weird Animals) by Jess Keating (Author)

Gross as a Snot Otter (The World of Weird Animals) 

by Jess Keating  (Author)

About the Author:

"JESS KEATING is a zoologist-turned-author who writes with the sort of wisdom you can only get from multiple crocodile bites and skunk sprays. Jess has been making up stories for as long as she can remember, and at the age of eight, she even started a library in her room (mainly so she could charge her brother late fees). She lives with her husband in Ontario, Canada, where she is hard at work on her next book."

Book Summary: 

"The creators of Pink Is for Blobfish are back, and they've brought 17 of their most revolting friends: there are slippery, slimy snot otters, gulls that projectile-vomit on command, fish that communicate via flatulence, and chipmunks that cultivate healthy forests by pooping a trail of seeds wherever they go. But there's more to these skin-crawling creatures than meets the eye, and as zoologist Jess Keating explains, sometimes it's the very things that make us gag that allow these animals to survive in the wild.

     The perfect combination of yuks, yucks, and eureka!'s, this latest installment in the World of Weird Animals series will inspire budding scientists and burp enthusiasts alike!"-Amazon.com

GROSS AS A SNOT OTTER Part 1

GROSS AS A SNOT OTTER Part 2

Reviews:

“Book-bait for middle-grade readers that oozes eww appeal.” –Kirkus

"Weird and wonderful." —Booklist

“Combining fascinating animal facts with photographs and amusing illustrations makes for an informative and rather disgusting book that young readers will eagerly snatch from the shelf.” —School Library Journal

Sources:

https://www.amazon.com/Gross-Snot-Otter-Jess-Keating/dp/1524764507/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=.+Gross+as+a+snot+otter&qid=1602104961&sr=8-2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlRlYgcaoOI