An “A” from Miss Keller by Patricia Polacco

Polacco, Patricia. An “A” from Miss Keller. New York: Penguin Young Readers Group, 2015.

This is a great book about a girl named Trisha who is nervous about having one of the most strict teachers. Her teacher, Miss Keller, has never given any of her students A’s. Trisha is desperately trying her best on all of her assignments and is still not getting the best grades! Trisha faces a tragedy in her neighborhood during her troubles of getting an A. Will she ever get an A?  

This book will get an A from your students! It is perfect for teaching kids to be persistent. It is also a great book for teaching kids how to include more detail in their writing.  

By guest bloggers Kirsten and Naiya, 4 Chaddock

If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, Don’t! by Elise Parsley

Parsley, Elise. If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, Don’t! New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2015.

This funny book is about a girl, Magnolia, who brings an alligator to school for show and tell and lots of things do not go as planned. The alligator draws pictures of himself eating a kid and shows it to someone. He makes lots of origami too. Magnolia learns a valuable lesson that day!

This is a perfect book for teaching your students how to read with expression! You could use it to teach them how to write with proper punctuation too. It would be great for persuasive writing! This book would never get old to use during your animal units! 

By guest bloggers Jake and Parker, 4 Chaddock

Earmuffs for Everyone!: How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the Inventor of Earmuffs by Meghan McCarthy

McCarthy, Meghan. Earmuffs for Everyone!: How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the Inventor of Earmuffs. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2015. 48p.

This interesting book is all about how earmuffs were made. It includes a lot of diagrams of different earmuffs throughout history. Readers will learn that Chester Greenwood did not invent earmuffs, but that he made them way better! 

This is a great book for nonfiction units and for learning about inventions in science. Students will also learn about patents and how important they are!  

By guest bloggers Harrison and Mohamed, 4 Chaddock

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.   

Austin, Lost in America: A Geography Adventure by Jef Czekaj

Czekaj, Jef. Austin, Lost in America: A Geography Adventure. New York: Balzer + Bray, 2015. 40 p.

Austin the dog, having recently escaped from a pet store, searches for a new home while exploring the United States. Fun, quirky facts about each state, a list of states and capitals, and U.S. maps on the endpapers make this an engaging, informative choice for geography units!

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

Applegate, Katherine. Crenshaw. New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2015. 256p.

Jackson is a fifth grader who believes in hard facts. When his family comes upon financial trouble, he and his little sister are facing a tough move. In the midst of this difficult time, Jackson is VERY surprised by the return of his childhood imaginary friend, a large skateboarding cat named Crenshaw. Is Jackson losing his marbles, or will Crenshaw be able to help Jackson and his family when they need it the most? 

Alternating between humorous and tender, this book will warm readers' hearts while keeping them turning the pages to reach the ultimate resolution!  Fans of Katherine Applegate's Newbery Award winner The One and Only Ivan will definitely want to add this recent offering to their reading lists!

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

20 Fun Facts About Galaxies by Michael Sabatino

Sabatino, Michael. 20 Fun Facts About Galaxies. New York: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2015. 32p.

This amazing book is all about galaxies from outer space. It also has super fun and cool facts about outer space like, "Galaxies will eventually fade into nothing!" Also, did you know that, "The first galaxies were formed over 13 billion years ago?" Another awesome fact is that, "The largest known galaxy is about 60 times bigger than our galaxy, the Milky Way." There are many, many more interesting facts about galaxies that you can learn about if you read this fascinating book!

This nonfiction book is useful to teachers because it teaches many things about the universe. It will make science and nonfiction reading units really exciting!

By: Guest bloggers Noah and Zachary W., 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           

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!     

Dear Wandering Wildebeest: And Other Poems from the Water Hole by Irene Latham

Latham, Irene. Dear Wandering Wildebeest: And Other Poems from the Water Hole. Minneapolis: Millbrook Press, 2014. 34 p.

Animal lovers will adore these beautifully written and illustrated poems about the animals of the African grasslands! Fact boxes accompanying each poem provide additional information on the animals and their environments.

Microwave Man: Percy Spencer and His Sizzling Invention by Sara Latta

Latta, Sara L. Microwave Man: Percy Spencer and His Sizzling Invention. Berkeley Heights: Enslow Publishers, 2014. 48 p.

Become inspired by Percy Spencer, a self-taught man who invented a system for producing radar tubes and later used his knowledge to change homes forever with the invention of the microwave! Learn how a melting candy bar led to one of the most popular inventions of the century as you read this high-interest biography, filled with supporting photographs, illustrations and fun facts.

For additional information on inventors, check out other books in the Inventors at Work series! 

The Woman Who Invented Windshield Wipers: Mary Anderson and Her Wonderful Invention by Sara Latta

Latta, Sara L.The Woman Who Invented Windshield Wipers: Mary Anderson and Her Wonderful Invention. Berkeley Heights: Enslow Publishers, 2014. 48 p.

Find out how Southern belle Mary Anderson solved a challenging issue common to cars of her time in this fascinating biography! Drawings, photographs, and "Real Fact!" pages add to the book's appeal. A perfect read for future inventors!

For additional information on inventors, check out other books in the Inventors at Work series! 

This Is a Moose by Richard Morris

Morris, Richard. This Is a Moose. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2014. 32p.  

In this funny story, a movie director's scenes are continually interrupted. The star actor, a moose, has decided that he wants to be an astronaut. Moose's supporters help him try to achieve this goal, much to the director's frustration!

Richard Morris' creative text and Tom Lichtenheld's hilarious illlustrations are sure to make students laugh as they learn to read with expression!  

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

Grabenstein, Chris. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library. New York: Random House, 2013. 304p.  

After winning an essay contest, twelve twelve-year-olds are invited to a sleepover in the town's mysteriously-designed new public library. The library, created by world-famous eccentric game designer Luigi Lemoncello, includes state-of-the-art board and video game rooms, an ever-changing Wonder Dome, interactive mechanical displays, hover ladders to access books, and holograms of people and animals contained within the library's sections.

As the children awake from a late night of enjoying the library's many wonders, they realize that they are locked in! They soon discover that they are contestants in a reality game called "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library." Who will have what it takes to solve challenging puzzles, answer trivia questions, and win this incredible game?

This is the perfect book for trivia/ puzzle enthusiasts, students who loved Night at the Museum or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and library fans everywhere!

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! 

Extraordinary Jane by Hannah Harrison

Harrison, Hannah. Extraordinary Jane. New York: Dial Books, 2014. 32p.  

Jane is worried about being an "ordinary" dog in the extraordinary world of the circus. After trying to be like everyone else, she soon realizes that being herself does make her extraordinary after all! 

Poor Doreen: A Fishy Tale by Sally Lloyd-Jones

Lloyd-Jones, Sally. Poor Doreen: A Fishy Tale. New York: Schwartz & Wade, 2014.

 

A fish named Doreen is off to visit her family when she is caught by a fisherman and then captured by a Great Blue Heron. Despite the narrator's humorously grim comments, Doreen's positive attitude saves the day and results in an exciting journey worth remembering! 

 

Two Speckled Eggs by Jennifer Mann

Mann, Jennifer. Two Speckled Eggs. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2014. 32p.

Ginger wants to invite all of the girls in her class except for one to her birthday party. She tries to exclude Lyla Browning, who likes tarantulas, rarely speaks and is very different from the other girls. When Ginger's mom tells her to invite all of the girls or none, Ginger chooses to include Lyla and is in for a major surprise!

 

This is the perfect book for discussing the impact of judging other people and for treasuring the unique qualities that make people different.