For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story by Rebecca Langston-George

Langston-George, Rebecca. For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story. North Mankato: Capstone Young Readers, 2016. 40p.

This is an amazing, true story about a girl named Malala who fought for the right to learn. Malala was the daughter of Ziauddin Yousafzai, who owned a school in Mingora, Pakistan. Malala loved school and books very much. She would do anything to learn, even if it meant she had to fight a group that was outlawing education for girls. 

Soon, it was against the law for girls to go to school where Malala lived. Malala started writing a blog to put how she felt about girls not going to school into words. When her blog was seen, Malala was in great danger. She was on a bus when something horrible happened. What happened to her? Could she survive? Read For The Right To Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story to find out!

This story is perfect for teaching older students about biographies and character education. It's also great for teaching students about nonfiction writing, and it includes wonderful artwork. This book features some social studies information too, as it takes readers from Pakistan to England.

By guest bloggers Natalie and Angela, 4 Chaddock

Waiting by Kevin Henkes

Henkes, Kevin. Waiting. New York: Greenwillow Books, 2015. 32p.

In beautifully soft watercolor and colored pencil illustrations, Kevin Henkes portrays the daily lives of five toys that sit on a windowsill, watching the outside world. Each toy is waiting for something as the year progresses, and a new toy brings her own surprises when she joins the irresistible crew. 

Children who love the Toy Story franchise or who have grand imaginations will enjoy this quiet but memorable picture book offering! 

The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt

Daywalt, Drew. The Day the Crayons Came Home. New York: Philomel Books, 2015. 48 p.

In this highly anticipated sequel to The Day the Crayons Quit, Duncan receives postcards from the crayons that he has abandoned in various locations. This hilarious book, great for read-alouds and independent reading, is perfect for teaching the skill of inferring (as much of the humor comes from readers' inferences). It will also make an outstanding mentor text for teaching writing from someone or something else's perspective.   

True Stories of Animal Tricks and Talents by Arnold Ringstad

Ringstad, Arnold. True Stories of Animal Tricks and Talents. Mankato: The Child's World, 2015. 24p.

This book is about creative and talented animals! Did you know that pigs are very smart? Look in this book to find out what they can do!

Move over, Mozart- You have competition now! Some dogs, like Jacob and Jessica, are very talented at playing the piano, but they have other talents too!

Did you know that dolphins are good at trick-or-treating? You may ask, "What?! They eat candy?!" No, they eat an amazing treat! You may not like it though! Read this book to find out what other tricks these animals are up to!

We recommend this book for second and third grade. Teachers can use the book for character education lessons to help kids see and brainstorm their talents. It's also perfect for nonfiction lessons because it has a table of contents, headings, captions, fact boxes, a glossary and an index. Your students will love reading it! 

By: Guest bloggers Eric and Zach L., 4 Chaddock

Circle, Square, Moose by Kelly Bingham

Bingham, Kelly. Circle, Square, Moose. New York: Greenwillow Books, 2014. 48p.

In this hilarious book of shapes, a moose keeps trying to ruin the shape lessons. When the moose causes trouble and starts a big mess, a zebra tries to catch him. When the moose ruins the book even more, something very funny happens!  

Throughout this book, there are colors, animals, shapes and food. This is a fun rhyming book, and it is great for art and math because it teaches shapes!

By: Guest bloggers Cody and Jack K., 4 Chaddock

Wall by Tom Clohosy Cole

Cole, Tom. Wall. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2014. 32p.

In this picture book, a little boy's dad gets stuck on the other side of the Berlin Wall that was built to divide Germany. The little boy was so worried about his dad. He had a dream of his dad breaking through the wall and coming to see him. You will have to read Wall to find out what happens next! 

This fantastic read-aloud book is great for art because it shows on the front cover red, black, and orange mixed together. It can help with color mixing and watercolor painting. This book is also great for fourth grade while you are learning about social studies, because it talks about the Berlin Wall and how people couldn't escape. 

By: Guest bloggers Avery and Lucia, 4 Chaddock

Uni the Unicorn: A Story About Believing by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Rosenthal, Amy. Uni the Unicorn: A Story About Believing. New York: Random House Children's Books, 2014. 48p.

Uni the Unicorn is like all unicorns except for one thing...  She believes in little girls. She knows there's a little girl somewhere out there. Not far away, there is a little girl who believes in unicorns. Will they ever meet? Or will their dreams be crushed?

We think this would be a good book for teaching students to avoid bullying by not judging people by their beliefs and by liking people for who they are! It is also great for giving students writing ideas and inspiration. Finally, it's a book with amazing illustrations!!!

By: Guest bloggers Alora and Ruthie, 4 Chaddock

Winter Is Coming by Tony Johnston

Johnston, Tony. Winter is Coming. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2014. 40p.

A little girl is exploring outside in autumn. She draws pictures of every animal she sees while watching them from a tree house. All of the things she sees and draws are signs that winter is coming. The little girl feels that winter is coming- but will it?

This beautifully illustrated book is great for kindergarten through fourth grade. It's the perfect book for teaching about the environment, seasons and writing that paints a picture in your mind. Last but definitely not least, this book is wonderful for art. We hope you enjoy this majestic book!    
     
By: Guest bloggers Amanda and Brooke, 4 Chaddock           

Love Monster and the Perfect Present by Rachel Bright

Bright, Rachel. Love Monster and the Perfect Present. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2014. 32p.

Love Monster is looking for the perfect present for his friend, but he does not have enough money to buy one. He discovers that creativity and thoughtfulness will go a long way! This book is a wonderful read-aloud to introduce a hand-made gift project in class. 

The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art by Barb Rosenstock

Rosenstock, Barb. The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2014. 40p.
 
This picture book biography shares the life of Vasya Kandinsky, a child who was expected to be a proper Russian boy but whose ability to hear sounds in colors made him stand out. After receiving a paint box from his aunt, Vasya began to develop creative, abstract, "noisy" paintings that changed art forever! 

Mary Grandpre's expressive acrylic paint and paper collage illustrations enhance the text, earning the book a 2015 Caldecott Honor medal! 

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant

Bryant, Jen. The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Books, 2014. 42 p.

In this exquisite picture book biography, readers experience Peter Mark Roget's journey from a shy boy who found comfort in lists of words to a medical student, tutor, lecturer, author and inventor of the Thesaurus. Through Jen Bryant's text and Melissa Sweet's watercolor, collage and mixed media illustrations, we learn how Peter Roget has given us an incredible gift- the ability to find precisely the right word for any occasion. This Caldecott Honor book is a treat for all ages!     

Little Green Peas: A Big Book of Colors by Keith Baker

Baker, Keith. Little Green Peas: A Big Book of Colors. New York: Beach Lane Books, 2014. 32p.  

Keith Baker, author of LMNO Peas and 1-2-3 Peas, now features his little green peas in a variety of color adventures. The peas play among backgrounds and objects representing each color mentioned within the rhyming text.

This is a great book for helping students learn to recognize and read color names. It could also lead to many creative art and writing projects! 

Colors Versus Shapes by Mike Boldt

Boldt, Mike. Colors Versus Shapes. New York: Harper, 2014. 32p.  

Two teams, Colors and Shapes, compete against each other to become the stars of the book until they discover the advantages of working together.

 

Use this amusing book to enhance art, math or character education lessons! 

My Blue is Happy by Jessica Young

Young, Jessica. My Blue is Happy. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2013. 32p.

A young narrator shares her family members' thoughts about various colors and contrasts them with her own. While her sister's blue is "sad like a lonely song," the narrator's blue is "happy, like favorite jeans and a splash in the pool on a hot day." This is a wonderful book for inspiring creative, descriptive writing or for exploring colors and their effects in art classes.  

Quest by Aaron Becker

Becker, Aaron. Quest. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2014. 40p.  

In this breathtaking, wordless sequel to the 2014 Caldecott Honor Book Journey, two artistic friends continue their adventures together. They draw solutions to every problem they encounter while on a mission to save a king and his people. This book, like its predecessor, is a beautiful, heartfelt tribute to art, friendship and imagination! 

For book trailers and additional information on the creation of these books, visit Aaron Becker's website. 

Get Into Art- Animals: Discover Great Art and Create Your Own! by Susie Brooks

Brooks, Susie. Get Into Art- Animals: Discover Great Art and Create Your Own! New York: Kingfisher, 2013. 32p.  

Each two-page spread contains an inspirational artist's masterpiece, an explanation of the work, a short biography of the artist, and a step-by-step related art project for readers to try on their own. This book is wonderful for learning art history while developing artistic skills in a fun, confidence-building way! 

The Story of Fish & Snail by Deborah Freedman

Freedman, Deborah. The Story of Fish & Snail. New York: Viking, 2013. 40p.

Fish and Snail are best friends who share adventures inside a book together until Fish finds a new book of adventures and Snail is reluctant to join him. Soft, beautiful pencil and watercolor illustrations accompany this memorable story of working through disagreements within friendships and finding the bravery to try something new. 

The Art of Miss Chew by Patricia Polacco

Polacco, Patricia. The Art of Miss Chew. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2012. 32p.

In this autobiographical book, author/ illustrator Patricia Polacco shares the "defining moment" in her childhood when she knew she would grow up to become an artist. This is the inspiring tale of a classroom teacher and an art teacher who, despite Patricia's difficulties reading and taking tests, recognized her strengths and fought for her ability to develop them.  

Picture Yourself Writing Poetry: Using Photos to Inspire Writing by Laura Salas

Salas, Laura Purdie. Picture Yourself Writing Poetry: Using Photos to Inspire Writing. North Mankato: Capstone Press, 2012. 32p.

This writing guide, filled with tips, examples and prompts, will help students develop as poets. They will learn how to include sensory details, write metaphors, choose "emotional nouns" and "moody verbs," develop voice and character within their poems, experiment with different styles of poetry and much more. 

Use portions of this book in your mini-lessons, or share it with individual students for inspiration!  

Look Up!: Birdwatching in Your Own Backyard by Annette LeBlanc Cate

Cate, Annette LeBlanc. Look Up!: Birdwatching in Your Own Backyard. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2013. 56p.  

With a mix of practical tips and humorous cartoons, this book is sure to appeal to nature-lovers! Students will want to pick up sketchbooks and get right outside after learning how to identify various birds, make sense of their behaviors, and ultimately "see the world in a whole new way."