Daily Dose of Books with Em

  Title: Extra Yarn Genre: Realistic Fiction Author: Mac Barnett Awards: Caldecott Honor Award  Age Group: 4 to 8 year olds Teacher Evaluation: As a teacher, I think the kids would enjoy this book it shows that sharing is caring with the way that Annabelle shared her yarn with everyone in the town even if they didn't want it at first. It would be a good book to read when we might be talking about how far our good deeds can take us and how big of a difference we can make with one small act. Summary: In this book we are introduced to Annabelle a little girl who stumbles upon a box full of colorful yarn. So she begins knitting sweaters starting with one for herself and her dog. Then she moves on to making sweaters for more people in her neighborhood even if they judge her for hers. After she's made sweaters and hats out of yarn for so many of her neighbors and word gets out that her yarn is endless an evil archduke comes and tries to buy the yarn from her. She says no to every of...

Title: Ways to make Sunshine Genre: Realistic Fiction Author: Renee Watson Awards: Texas Bluebonnet 2020-2021 Age Group: 7 to 10 year olds Teacher Evaluation: As a teacher, I think the kids would enjoy this book and it would teach valuable lessons of real-life issues families face. These include moving homes, having to sell your car, dealing with people making fun of your name and so much more. The book is written in a way that showcases the main character's (Ryan) sassiness and how she's so sure about herself and her name. It also exposes the reader to the African American culture since hair is an important theme in the book.  Summary: This book is about a little girl named Ryan and her family and how she never stops trying to bring joy and sunshine to her family even during the hard times. These hard times include her dad having a new job that pays significantly less than his old one and then family having to move houses and make some adjustments as a result. They have to sel...

  Title: From an Idea to Disney Genre: Biography  Author: Lowey Bundy Sichol Awards: Texas Bluebonnet 2020-2021 Age Group: 8 to 12 year olds Teacher Evaluation: As a teacher, I think this would be an interesting book for students to read for fun or if we're working on writing biographies about other people. It's written in an interesting way with cute pictures throughout the book to help illustrate what is being said. The book also includes definitions for some of the words used on the pages throughout the book and not just at the end.  Summary: In this book the author writes about how Disney started as just an idea for Walt Disney and how it has become the big brand name we all know. It starts with some background on Walt's family and where he lived before moving to Hollywood to pursue being a cartoonist. In 1923 with his older brother Roy, they created the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio in Hollywood. That's where they met a film distributor, Margaret Winkler, who p...

  Title: Esperanza Rising Genre: Biography, Historical Fiction  Author: Pam Muñoz Ryan Awards: Pura Belpré Award for writing   Age Group: 8 to 12 year olds Teacher Evaluation: As a teacher, I would definitely encourage my students to read this book. This is because this book shows that despite any set backs you might face, you can overcome anything. I think this would be a good book to read when we are learning about all of the different types of themes there are. As well as learning about migrants and people who have moved from one place to another for a better life.  Summary: This book is about a young girl, Esperanza, who had an amazing life in Mexico with her parents on their ranch. But one day Esperanza's dad is murdered by bandits and as soon as that happens her uncles try to marry her mom. But since she didn't agree they threatened her. After that they wake up to their house on fire and Esperanza's Abuelita injures her ankle and they are left with no...

Title: The Whipping Boy Genre: Adventure fiction Author: Sid Fleischman Awards: Newbery Medal Age Group: 9 to 14 year olds  Teacher Evaluation: As a teacher, I don't know I would read this book for my class. It has a good message about to unlikely friends wanting to escape somewhere for different reasons and an unlikely friendship comes out of it.  Summary: This book is about a prince and a whipping boy who escape from the castle for different reasons and eventually become friends. The prince was a mischievous boy who is known as Prince Brat but not to his face. Then there's the whipping boy Jemmy who is an orphan that became Prince Brats whipping boy which meant he was punished for every bad thing the Prince did. Jemmy does everything that the Prince doesn't want to do so instead of the prince learning how to read and write Jeremy the whipping boy does. So when they are taken by Hold-your-nose Billy and Cutwater after escaping from the castle Jemmy is the one that has to w...

  Title: RESPECT Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul Genre: Biography, Nonfiction  Author: Carol Boston Weatherford Awards: Coretta Scott King award Age Group: 4 to 8 year olds  Teacher Evaluation: As a teacher, I would love to read this book to my class. It is written in such a nice format for a biography about an amazing person. It shows us a timeline of her life and how she became the popular singer she became. This book could be read when we're learning about music and all of the different artists and genres in music.  Summary: This book was all about Aretha Franklin the queen of soul and how she got there. She was the daughter of a pastor and a gospel singer so she'd always been around music. She was a singer, a songwriter, and an activist. Her song "Respect" was the anthem for the activists fighting for civil rights and women's rights. Throughout the book we see the amazing things she is able to accomplish for example signing at the inauguration ceremony of...

  Title: Where The Wild Things Are Genre: Fantasy fiction  Author: Maurice Sendak  Awards: The Caldecott Medal Age Group: 3 to 8 year olds Teacher Evaluation: As a teacher, I would definitely read this book to my class pr encourage them to read it themselves. This is because it shows how important self-expression can be by showing the main character expressing himself. It also talks about forgiveness and love which can be good topics to go over if there were any arguments in class where they need to learn about forgiving.   Summary: This book takes place in Max, the main characters, bedroom when he ends up running up to his room after his mom called him "wild thing." After that his room starts becoming like a jungle and eventually fully became a jungle with an ocean. Where Max ended up finding a boat that he uses to sail off through all night. He eventually ends up where the wild things are and they all start growling and he ends up taming them with a magic...

  Title: Zoom, Zoom, Baby Genre: Fiction Author: Karen Katz Awards: N/A Age Group: 1 to 5 year olds Teacher Evaluation: As a teacher, I'm not sure if this book would really be beneficial for school age children. Maybe it'd be beneficial for preschool or head start children.  Summary: In this book it talked about finding a baby. But all the reader was finding at first was a bunny, a monkey, a teddy bear, a big elephant, a friendly lion. Until finally we find the baby in the car after looking through many vehicles and different types of animals. 

Front cover of "Wonder"   Title: Wonder  Genre: Realistic fiction Author: R.J Palacio Awards: Bluebonnet award Age Group: 8-12 years old Teacher Evaluation: As a teacher, I would love for my students to read this book! It was such an interesting and emotional book to read. I think if my students were to read it, it would open their eyes to how people that may look different feel when people give them looks or whisper about them like Auggie did in the book. It would be a good lesson for kids to learn, that their actions matter and that they must know that they may not realize it at first but their actions and words could hurt someone.  Summary: In this book the author introduces us to Auggie a 10 year old boy who was born with a facial difference that once he enters middle school is bullied for by some of his classmates. On the first day he does make a new friend at lunch, Summer, who sits with him when no one does because they're all avoiding him. He also has a friend nam...

Front Cover of "All Around the World Japan"   Title: All Around the World Japan Genre: Informational, Nonfiction Author:  Jessica Dean  Awards: N/A Age Group: 7-10 year olds Teacher Evaluation: As a teacher, I think this book is a good educational book about Japan and everything it has to offer. Like what schools are like in Japan, the animals found there, what life is like, and etc. It is a nice informational book about Japan that presents all the information in an eye-catching way with pictures that connect with what is written in the page.  Summary: In this book it writes about what Japan is like the capital, the animals, the environment and so much more. It explains that kimono's are the traditional robe that has been worn for hundreds of years which is worn for special events and ceremonies. It also goes over the types of food eaten and how fish is eaten often in Japan and how rice is served with every meal. At the end of the book it includes a glossary def...

Front cover of "Juneteenth"   Title: Juneteenth Genre: Informational, Nonfiction Author: R.J. Bailey Awards: N/A Age Group:  5-8 year olds Teacher Evaluation: As a teacher, I think this a really nice educational book to read when we are learning about holidays. It is short and to the point with pictures about how Juneteenth is celebrated and the symbols associated with the holiday. It also has a glossary at the end of the book that defines the terms used throughout the book.  Summary: This book talks about the holiday "Juneteenth" what it is, how it is celebrated, why it is celebrated, the symbols associated with it, and how Juneteenth came to be. It tells us that this holiday is celebrated on June 19 and it's an African-American holiday which celebrates that on that day in 1865 slaves in Texas learned they were free. It explains all the ways it is celebrated by  going to church and giving thanks and how theres also a parade. People play music, dance, sing, and ...

  Front cover of "You can't bring a sandwich to the moon... and other things about Space!e" Title: You can't bring a sandwich to the moon... and other things about Space! Genre: Nonfiction  Author: Laurie Calkhoven Awards: N/A Age Group: 6-8 year olds Teacher Evaluation: As a teacher, I think this book would be an amazing book for students to read if they wanted to learn about the Space Age and the how it began and what countries were competing to get up there first. This would be beneficial for my students because it's written in an engaging way with pictures throughout the chapters showing what is going on in the passages.  Summary: In this book the author writes about the Space Age and starts the book explaining the Space race between the U.S and the Soviet Union. The first part was about which country would send the first satellite into space. The second part of the book is about how the U.S failed on their first attempt at sending a satellite up into space bu...

  Front cover of "I Am Respectful"  Title: I Am Respectful  Genre: Informational, Nonfiction  Author: Melissa Higgins Awards: N/A Age Group: 5-8 year olds Teacher Evaluation: As a teacher, I would love to read this book in class if my class were to be having troubles with being nice. It is a nice a simple book full of color that describes how to be respectful and not bully others. I think it would be anice and to the point type of book that shows the importance of being kind to one another.  Summary: In this book the author writes about why it isn't nice to be a bully and how it's better to be respectful, kind, and courteous and so much more. While we can disagree with others it's never ok to be mean and disrespectful about it. 

Front cover of "Spanish Missions"   Title: Spanish Missions  Genre: Nonfiction Author: John Perritano Awards: N/A Age Group: 8-12 year-olds Teacher Evaluation: As a teacher, I would suggest this book for any students that might be researching about the Spanish conquistadors or Christopher Columbus. It was a very informational book that displayed all of the information in an engaging and easy to follow way. It included pictures and was broken into chapters that where in chronological order of how things happened in history.  Summary: This book was a small informational chapter book that gave the reader background information on how the Spanish Missions started. Which was by Christopher Columbus accidentally landing in what is now North America when he was looking for Asia. Then it went on to describe the strategies the Spanish used when exploring the land, what missions where, who built them, and why they were built.