Title: Henry’s Freedom Box

Author: Ellen Levine

Genre: Historical fiction

Summary: Henry was a slave, and as a slave you weren’t allowed to know your birthday. Henry’s master was good to him and his family.  Unfortunately, his master was very ill so he gave Henry to his son. If you made a mistake he would beat you. Henry found his wife, Nancy, and both of their masters agreed them to get married. They had a baby. Nancy’s master lost a lot of money and sold Nancy and their kids. Henry was so upset he knew that he would never see his family again. Henry mailed himself to his friends in Philadelphia in a box. March 30th, 1849, was the day he arrived and his first day of freedom.

Review: This book made me upset to imagine that humans were actually treated this way. I could never imagine people selling my family away and never seeing them again. It was written well and the illustrations were awesome!

Content Area Connection:

Social Studies: This book goes back in history when slaves were around. It explains the daily life and feeling of the slaves.

Title: There’s no place like Space!

Author: Tish Babe

Genre: Science fiction

Summary: This book is apart of The Cat in the Hat Learning Library. This book is about the cat taking the children to space to observe the eight planets. The cat teaches the order of the planets and their characteristics.

Review: This book is an interesting way to teaching children about space and the solar system. I believe that is is easier to learn through singing and rhyming and this book portrays that so well! I will definitely add this to my collection of books for the future.

Content Area Connection:

Science: This book teaches the solar system and the properties of the eight planets. This can all relate to a science lesson.

Title: Insectlopedia 

Author: Douglas Florian

Genre: Poetry

Summary: This book is a collection of poems about different insects.

Review: This was my first time reading this book. It was playful and fun. The author write some of the poems different that everyday poems, for example; the inchworm is written in a shape of an inchworm. Mosquitos are my least favorite bug. The poem about them was funny  especially this one quote,”they feast on your skin for take out food.” This is so true. I can see myself purchasing this book to keep with me forever!

Content Area Connection:

Music: Some of the poems rhyme which is connected to music.

English Language Arts: A lot of new vocabulary is introduced in these poems.

Science:  Different poems explains different insects. The author talks about their body and habitats.

Title: Ivan the Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla

Author: Katherine Applegate

Genre: Literary non-fiction

Summary:  There was a gorilla born in a tropical forest in central Africa. He was apart of a large family of gorillas. He didn’t learn about humans until it was too late because he was captured as a baby, and brought to a Tacoma, Washington. He was placed in a mall to attract shoppers. The man who owned the mall ordered the gorillas. People dressed him in human clothes, held him and fed him human food. He lived in a home for three years like a human. He slept in a bed, went to baseball games, held babies, and rode a motorcycle. He had to learn many things that other gorillas didn’t have to. Eventually he was too big to be in a house. Ivan was put inside a cage in the mall. He was very lonely and this made people very mad! After people wrote petitions Ivan was placed in a Zoo with other gorillas.

Review: I enjoyed this book even though it made me upset to think that this was a true story! When the author says how the man ordered the gorillas how you order a pizza, or a pair of shoes made me frustrated. I think that it is animal abuse to keep the gorillas behind bars in such a small living area. I think that the gorillas should be left in their natural habitat.

Content Area Connection:

Social Studies:  The author describes a gorillas habitat and their societal structure. The author uses family to build empathy for living creatures. Young learners typically learn about families in social studies.

English Language Arts: Students are introduced to new vocabulary and terms about gorillas.  The new words are in sentences where the students can figure out what they mean by the content already given. This is also a way to teach that non-fiction means that the book is true.

Title: Seed to Plant

Author: Kristin Baird Rattini

Genre:  Informational

Summary: A plant is a living thing, it stays in one place but grows just like humans! Plants can be big and small and grow different things on them such as flowers or pollen! Plants are important because they give us food. This text explains how plants begin and what they need to survive.

Review: I love how the text said that you can use your body to remember the parts of the plants.    If you stand with your hands in the air you arms are the leaves, your body is like a stem, and your feet are like roots. This chapter book is fun and exciting way to introduce plants and seeds to children!

Content Area Connection:

Science: This text explains what a plant is, how it begins, what it needs to grow, and fun plant facts. The process of a seeds splitting open and a shoot pushing out is germination. This is connected to teaching science.

Title: Dinosaurs 

Author: Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

Genre: Informational

Summary: Dinosaurs died a long time ago, but their bones are in museums. Bones are fossils that paleontologists found by digging up from the ground.  Their bones were on the inside of the dinosaurs body. Some dinosaurs were scaly like lizards, and some were feathery like birds. Some dinosaurs are small enough to hold in their hand. No matter their size or texture all dinosaurs walked on their toes. We can tell what dinosaurs ate by their teeth. All dinosaurs laid eggs and had babies. Big dinosaurs went extinct, but all birds are living dinosaurs.

Review:  I like how the text reassured the readers that dinosaurs died a long time ago, and that they won’t come to life. As a young learner, students can imagine a scary thought, and they may think that dinosaurs can come back to life. This text was separated into chapters. Each chapter lead to the next chapter smoothly. All of this information can be overwhelming, but I think that this author did a great job going through all the characteristics of dinosaurs.

Content Area Connection:

Science:  The author uses the idea of a museum. A museum is a building in which objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest are stored and exhibited. The author explains how the dinosaurs bones are stored here. This can relate to science and the study of physical and natural world before human society.

Title: Rocks and Minerals 

Author: Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

Genre: Informational

Summary:  The text explains all about rocks. It talks about the color, feel, and that minerals are in rocks. All rocks are made up of minerals. Some rocks have one mineral but most rocks are made of two, or more. The text explains how geologists found many of the minerals on Earth. This text also talks about and explains how there are three types of rocks, because they can form in all different types of ways. The three ways are; igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. The text tells us that most rocks are igneous. Lastly, the author touches on the cycles of the rocks.

Review: I think that the layout of this book is great. It is separated into different chapters, but shows how each topic is connected each other. I love how the text connects rocks to everyday life. The text says to look around– the buildings and roads are rocks! The text introduced rocks and minerals in a fun and inviting way.

Content Area Connection:

Science:  The author introduces and defines rocks and minerals in this text. The Earth forms all of these rocks and minerals and goes through cycles.

Title: Dolphins

Author: Melissa Stewart

Genre: Informational

Summary: In this text, dolphins are explained. It talks about how dolphins look like fish, but are mammals just like humans. This text explains how dolphins live in small groups called pods. Some of the dolphins are on watch for sharks or other predators that can be swimming near by in the ocean. Dolphins use squeaks, squeals, and whistles to talk to each other..

Review: I enjoyed this information text. It’s a great way to teach about dolphins. Children should choose kindness to maximize their potential. This text shows dolphins choosing kindness. I thinks its a great way to show it doesn’t matter who you are you should always show acts of kindness.

Content Area Connection:

Science: The author uses a fun and friendly way to teach about dolphins. This text talks about what kind of animals dolphin are and about living under the sea.

Social Studies: The text shows how dolphins live to survive. This text portrays ways to survive on your own.

Title: Please, Mr. Panda

Author: Steve Antony

Genre: Traditional( Fable)

Summary:   The book tells a story about a panda with a box of doughnuts. He goes to all of his friends to ask if they would like a doughnut. He asks the skunk and he got picky. He asked the bird and he told him to go away. He asked the whale and he wanted them all. The lleamer said, “ hello may I have a doughnut please Mr. Panda?”The panda gave him all the doughnuts and he said thank you very much.

Review: I enjoyed this book. It was a quick and easy book to teach manners. I believe that manners are so important. Please, Mr. Panda teaches you that without manners you won’t get anything.

Content Area Connection:

English: The author uses a Panda to ask if different animals would like a doughnut. Without saying please or thank you they don’t get a doughnut. Young learners typically are taught manners and behavior through English.

Title: Peter’s Chair

Author: Ezra Jack Keats

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Summary: In this book Peter realize that his little sister is going to get all of his things. He becomes upset when he realizes that his parents are painting his things pink. He’s so upset that they are painting his chair that he actually runs away with his dog. Peter eventually comes home and realizes that his sister is here to stay. Peter helps his parents prepare for his new baby sister!

Review: This is one of my all time favorite books. It reminds me of when my little brother was coming into our family. My parents gave him my room and said that I was getting a new one. I was upset just like Peter.

Content Area Connection:

Art: The characters spend some of their time paining a chair in this story. Painting in this book can be connected to art.

Social Studies: The author uses a sense of family to build a connection between siblings. Learning about family, neighborhoods, and community can be related to social studies. Family is a large part of this learning.