Title- The Skeleton Inside Yo

Author- Philip Balestrine

Genre- Informational 

Summary- The Skeleton is such a complex topic but with this informational text children can quickly learn about the most important aspects of the skeleton. The book has multiple ways of describing the skeleton, a part of your body that makes your shape, without a skeleton you wouldn’t be able to stand or bent, and without a skeleton you wouldn’t be you! With this fun book every student can enjoy learning about science and the human body . The author connects the skeleton to objects in our daily lives which makes it easier to understand why the skeleton is so important.

Review- Younger children might have a tough time with undersanding all parts of the human body, with this book students can learn about the most important parts of the body, and how important each and every bone is to our body and health. I think this book has great information about the skeleton and does a great job at summarizing its parts for children.

Content Area-

• Science- Children will love to learn about the skeleton through this book, because the skeleton is explained is a simple and quick manner, children can easily learn about how the skeleton is part of our body and how our body is part of science due to the functions it holds.

Title- Interesting Ingredients

Author- Jacqueline Barber

Genre- Informational (Procedural)

Basil leafs over assortment of various colorful spices spices

Summary-Ingredients are all interesting things! We never really question where they come from or their characteristics. In this book we encounter the true facts about several ingredients, how it looks, where it comes from, whats its used for and its properties. Among all of these we also get facts about food or objects that are made with these ingredients

Review- This is a fun way to learn about food and ingredients. With this book children can learn about the different ways one ingredient can make up multiple things, and how they develop into food, or items.

Content Area-

• Science- Every ingredient comes from somewhere in our earth, and science can easily explain how these ingredients develop or make the food/items they turn into. Children can tie Science to ingredients by learning about their properties and substances.

Title- Coral Reef

Author- Karen Kellaher

Genre- Informational (Expository)

Summary- This informational text is part of Time for Kids ( a small magazine for children). Within this magazine we learn about Coral Reefs, what they are, how they are made, where they take place, and how long contribute to our earth. In this small magazine we can learn everything about coral reefs and how they have plenty of beneficial aspects to the ocean and nutrients humans eat today.

Review- Time for Kids is one of my favorite type of informational texts, its quick and straight tot the point. In this book every child can find fascinating facts about Coral Reefs, the ocean, and species in the ocean. Its a great way to incorporate science in a classroom!

Content Area-

• Science– In this small magazine children can find facts about the ocean and the significance of coral reefs. Science can be taught by explaining species in the ocean and how they contribute to our earth.

Title- Drinking Cleopatra’s Tears

Author- Kevin Beals

Genre- Informational (Expository)

Summary-  Even Though I thought the title of this book was a bit silly, it surely explains the development and concept of water. This science book underlines terms like atmosphere, cloud, condense, dew, evaporation. With the visuals, children can easily learn about water and its cycle,  they can also learn new vocabulary though out the book.

Review- This has been one of my favorite informational books, not only does the book explain the concept of water but it brings silly aspects of it that are relatable to the subject “taking a bath in T.Rex spit”. The book does an outstanding job of explaining the significance of water in our world today.

Content Area-

• Science- Science is seen through out this book by explaining the significance and the concept of the water cycle, the vocabulary in the book can easily be tied with a science lesson about weather.

Title- The Story of Salt

Author-Mark Kurlansky

Genre- Historical Fiction

Summary- In this book salt is the main theme, and is “the only rock eaten by human beings,”. Kurlansky demonstrates salt through various history events. He also demonstrates its chemical composition and a closing timeline. Salt has multiples uses and in the story its many uses include; preservative and industrial products, and its culinary aspects.  The author also supplies detailed scenes to go along with. Some of Kurlansky’s examples in the story are exaggerated, one example would be the Erie and other canals being built to transport more than just salt.

Review- I think this book has excellent qualities when speaking about salt and its development. Salt is such a small ingredient yet its formation and historical story isn’t as simple as you would think. Kurlansky does a great job in explaining how salt is made and how it was recognized as a popular ingredient today

Content Area-

• Science– In this book students can learn about how salt is needed in the human body, and the development of its formation. All children can easily learn quick facts about salt’s importance on earth and for the human body.

Title- Ginger Gread Baby

Author-Jan Brett

Genre- Fictional (Fantasy)
Summary- This Ginger Bread is adventurous and very hyperactive! He likes to make people chase after him and believes he can get away from anyone and anything possible! Matti a young child made the Gread for the holidays, but once he saw that he was causing trouble at home his mother and father got upset with him. Everyone chased the ginger bread around but no one could catch him, until Matti had a bright idea and decided to make a Ginger Bread house! With this trick he caught Gread and his whole town was out of trouble!

 
Review- This holiday book is great for Christmas spirit! I enjoyed the christmas illustrations and how the story unfolded. Ginger Breads are known to be happy, spirited and wild and this story tells children just who much fun ginger bread and ginger bread houses are!

Content Area Connection

• History- This holiday based story can be taught during a history lesson, students can learn about christmas and how ginger bread and ginger bread houses are symbolic to Christmas!

Title-City I Love

Author- Lee Bennett Hopkins

 
Genre- Poetry

 
Summary-City I Love features eighteen poems about different cities around the world. Most of the cities are popular tourist cities that plenty have dreamt about visiting. Each poem contributes to the city and it describes the aspects of it!

 
Review- This book is a perfect read aloud for children because it illustrates plenty of famous cities around the world that they can be inspired to learn about; New York, San Francisco, London, Tokyo to Cairo. It shows diversity, architecture and culture

 
Content Area Connection

• Geography– With the illustrations and poems all children can learn about diversity, culture, and the architecture of popular cities around the world. Each poem and picture describes important features of each city.

Title- Calling the Doves

Author- Juan Felipe Herrer

 
Genre-Literary non-fiction (Biography)

 
Summary- Ever wonder what Mexican- Americans go through in their daily lives? This story revels how migrant workers live their daily lives and manage to stay content and satisfied with the little that they have. The story is in both English and Spanish and it gives plenty of information about Mexican culture, society, and food. Children can learn a lot about culture and society through this story.

 
Review- As a Hispanic I enjoyed this book very much. I believe society has several labels on Hispanic people without knowing the hardships many people face every day, this book reveals how these agricultural farmers work for the benefit of their families, and how adapting to American culture can be very difficult.
Content Area Connection-

• History– Through-out the book we are faced with multicultural traditions and language. It introduces Mexican culture and their traditions, how they eat, and how important family is to them. We can learn plenty of history through the biography of these migrant workers, and how they adapted to American culture.

Title- Chester’s Way

Author- Kevin Henkes

Genre- Fantasy

Summary- Chester’s Way is a Fictional book about two mouses that are unwelcoming to a new girl in town. Lilly the new girl in town tries to become friends with Chester and Wilson, but they believe she is “different” and often reject her. Until one day, Lilly is brave enough to scare a group of mean boys away from bothering Chester and Wilson. Chester and Wilson then realize it’s okay to be friends with people that are different than you, all three mouses learned from each other and became inseparable friends!

Review- I chose this book for my kindergarten class lesson because I believe it gets the point across that being friends with people that are different than you its a good thing, and that accepting those people with their unique traits can teach you plenty of new things about life!

Content Area Connection-

• Science-In the story they talk and illustrate the four seasons, children can learn about how seasons change in our earth.