How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?
Weston Woods. (2002). How do dinosaurs say good night? [DVD]. [Written and narrated by Jane Yolen]. United States: Weston Woods.
In this DVD, the book How do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen comes to life. The narration follows the rhyming text of the book which is narrated by the author Jane Yolen. In the video both a mother and father are trying to put their young children to bed when they turn into dinosaurs. The dinosaurs are realistic and their actions shadow a child’s possible actions when asked to go to bed. Children and parents alike will be able to relate the actions of both the parents and the dinosaurs.
Genre: Fantasy
Type of video recording: DVD
Interest level: K-3
Awards: Notable Children’s recording
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Texas Bluebonnet Nominees
Surprises According to Humphrey
Birney, B. G. (2008). Surprises according to Humphrey. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
Humphrey lives in Longfellow Elementary School in Room 26. He is the classroom hamster and takes pride in helping his students learn new skills, as well as solving problems with friends. Humphrey explores the school at night, receives a new ball, escapes from a cat, worries about what has happened to the janitor, and what will happen to him if Mrs. Brisbane retires. Humphrey narrates the story and the love he has for his classmates and Mrs. Brisbane is shown through his actions. Humphrey is a charming character that children will love, and children will be able to understand the problems that his classmates overcome.
Genre: Fantasy
Type of Book: Chapter book
Interest level: 3-6 Reading level: 4.3
Awards: Bluebonnet nominee, 2009
Maybelle in the Soup
Speck, K. (2007). Maybelle in the soup. (P. Ratz deTagyos, Illus.). New York: Henry Holt and Company.
Maybelle is a roach that lives under the refrigerator. In the first book of the Maybelle series, Maybelle wants a taste of real food, however, when she ventures out Mr. and Mrs. Peabody spot her and decide to have the house exterminated. Lucky for her, her friend Henry the flea helps her escape with him and the owners to a hotel. Maybelle has a few adventures at the hotel and then returns safely with Henry and the Peabodys. The short chapters in the book make this a great choice for students just starting to read chapter books.
Genre: Fantasy
Type of Book: Chapter book
Interest level: K-3 Reading level: 3.8
Awards: Bluebonnet nominee, 2009
Birney, B. G. (2008). Surprises according to Humphrey. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
Humphrey lives in Longfellow Elementary School in Room 26. He is the classroom hamster and takes pride in helping his students learn new skills, as well as solving problems with friends. Humphrey explores the school at night, receives a new ball, escapes from a cat, worries about what has happened to the janitor, and what will happen to him if Mrs. Brisbane retires. Humphrey narrates the story and the love he has for his classmates and Mrs. Brisbane is shown through his actions. Humphrey is a charming character that children will love, and children will be able to understand the problems that his classmates overcome.
Genre: Fantasy
Type of Book: Chapter book
Interest level: 3-6 Reading level: 4.3
Awards: Bluebonnet nominee, 2009
Maybelle in the Soup
Speck, K. (2007). Maybelle in the soup. (P. Ratz deTagyos, Illus.). New York: Henry Holt and Company.
Maybelle is a roach that lives under the refrigerator. In the first book of the Maybelle series, Maybelle wants a taste of real food, however, when she ventures out Mr. and Mrs. Peabody spot her and decide to have the house exterminated. Lucky for her, her friend Henry the flea helps her escape with him and the owners to a hotel. Maybelle has a few adventures at the hotel and then returns safely with Henry and the Peabodys. The short chapters in the book make this a great choice for students just starting to read chapter books.
Genre: Fantasy
Type of Book: Chapter book
Interest level: K-3 Reading level: 3.8
Awards: Bluebonnet nominee, 2009
2X2 Reading List
Baseball Hour
Nevius, C. (2009). Baseball hour. New York: Marshall Cavendish Children.
The story follows a baseball team from the beginning to the end of an hour of practice. The sepia tone pictures show students stretching, running, throwing balls, batting, catching, and using teamwork to win a game. The illustrations are so real at times they seem to be photographs instead of illustrations. The excitement of the game is shown on the children’s faces on every page and the concentration that the players have is shown through the intensity in their eyes.
Genre: Realistic fiction
Type of Book: Picture book
Interest level: 1-3 Reading level: 3.9
Awards: 2X2 Reading list
Duck Soup
Urbanovic, J. (2008). Duck soup. New York: HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Max, the duck, is on a mission to make a soup that everyone will love and remember him for. After much pondering over the ingredients Max goes outside to get an herb from the garden. While Max is gone his friends Brody, Dakota, and Bebe come in and are drawn to the kitchen because of the wonderful smell. His friends are about to eat some of the soup, without Max, when they discover a feather in the soup and think that Max has fallen into the soup. Brody, Dakota, and Bebe’s hilarious actions to save their friend destroy the soup.
Genre: Fiction
Type of Book: Picture book
Interest level: K-3 Reading level: 2.4
Awards: 2X2 Reading list
Nevius, C. (2009). Baseball hour. New York: Marshall Cavendish Children.
The story follows a baseball team from the beginning to the end of an hour of practice. The sepia tone pictures show students stretching, running, throwing balls, batting, catching, and using teamwork to win a game. The illustrations are so real at times they seem to be photographs instead of illustrations. The excitement of the game is shown on the children’s faces on every page and the concentration that the players have is shown through the intensity in their eyes.
Genre: Realistic fiction
Type of Book: Picture book
Interest level: 1-3 Reading level: 3.9
Awards: 2X2 Reading list
Duck Soup
Urbanovic, J. (2008). Duck soup. New York: HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Max, the duck, is on a mission to make a soup that everyone will love and remember him for. After much pondering over the ingredients Max goes outside to get an herb from the garden. While Max is gone his friends Brody, Dakota, and Bebe come in and are drawn to the kitchen because of the wonderful smell. His friends are about to eat some of the soup, without Max, when they discover a feather in the soup and think that Max has fallen into the soup. Brody, Dakota, and Bebe’s hilarious actions to save their friend destroy the soup.
Genre: Fiction
Type of Book: Picture book
Interest level: K-3 Reading level: 2.4
Awards: 2X2 Reading list
Children's Choices
Monday with a Mad Genius
Osborne, M. P. (2007). Monday with a mad genius. (S. Murdocca, Illus.). New York: Random House.
Jack and Annie travel back in time to Florence Italy to assist Leonardo da Vinci for the day. When one of his art projects fails, and Leonardo runs off the kids take his art supplies back to him and learn about all the science experiments that Leonard is involved in. Leonardo decides to try his flying invention because Annie tells him that flying is possible. When Leonardo crashes the children use their magic wound to cheer Leonardo up and allow him to fly. Leonardo’s inspiration is renewed and he is able to finish the beloved portrait known as the Monet Lisa. The story creatively interweaves history with adventure.
Genre: Fantasy
Type of Book: Chapter Book
Interest level: 3-6 Reading level: 3.8
Awards: Children’s Choice, 2008
Not Afraid of Dogs
Pitzer, S. (2006) Not afraid of dogs. (L. Day, Illus.). New York: Walker & Company.
Daniel is not afraid of spiders, snakes, or thunderstorms but he is afraid of dogs. However, Daniel does not acknowledge that he is afraid of dogs, he says, “I just don’t like them.” Daniel becomes very afraid to do anything in his own house when Bandit, his aunt’s dog comes to stay with them. However, during a thunderstorm in the middle of the night Daniel has to go to the restroom and ends up in the same room with bandit who is afraid of thunderstorms. Daniel comforts the dog and realizes that he does like dogs. The large, two page watercolor illustrations help to portray the feelings of Daniel and Bandit.
Genre: Realistic fiction
Type of Book: Picture book
Interest level: K-3 Reading level: 2.2
Awards: Children’s Choice, 2007
Osborne, M. P. (2007). Monday with a mad genius. (S. Murdocca, Illus.). New York: Random House.
Jack and Annie travel back in time to Florence Italy to assist Leonardo da Vinci for the day. When one of his art projects fails, and Leonardo runs off the kids take his art supplies back to him and learn about all the science experiments that Leonard is involved in. Leonardo decides to try his flying invention because Annie tells him that flying is possible. When Leonardo crashes the children use their magic wound to cheer Leonardo up and allow him to fly. Leonardo’s inspiration is renewed and he is able to finish the beloved portrait known as the Monet Lisa. The story creatively interweaves history with adventure.
Genre: Fantasy
Type of Book: Chapter Book
Interest level: 3-6 Reading level: 3.8
Awards: Children’s Choice, 2008
Not Afraid of Dogs
Pitzer, S. (2006) Not afraid of dogs. (L. Day, Illus.). New York: Walker & Company.
Daniel is not afraid of spiders, snakes, or thunderstorms but he is afraid of dogs. However, Daniel does not acknowledge that he is afraid of dogs, he says, “I just don’t like them.” Daniel becomes very afraid to do anything in his own house when Bandit, his aunt’s dog comes to stay with them. However, during a thunderstorm in the middle of the night Daniel has to go to the restroom and ends up in the same room with bandit who is afraid of thunderstorms. Daniel comforts the dog and realizes that he does like dogs. The large, two page watercolor illustrations help to portray the feelings of Daniel and Bandit.
Genre: Realistic fiction
Type of Book: Picture book
Interest level: K-3 Reading level: 2.2
Awards: Children’s Choice, 2007
Challenged Books
Alice in Blunderland
Naylor, P. R. (2003). Alice in blunderland. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Alice is in the fourth grade and lives with her father and older brother Lester. Alice is constantly finding herself in embarrassing positions such as getting a vitamin pill stuck up her nose or trapping herself in her own snow cave. She also gets on her older brother’s nerves and makes him mad by telling the wrong girl that her brother likes her. Her father ends up hiring a housekeeper and babysitter for Alice and Lester named Mrs. Nolinstock. Alice and Lester put their differences aside to get rid of the horrible Mrs. Nolinstock. Alice is very funny and entertaining and many preteen readers will be able to relate to her.
Genre: Realistic fiction
Type of Book: Chapter book
Interest level: 3-6 Reading level: 5.0
In The Night Kitchen
Sendak, M. (1970). In the night kitchen. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
When Mickey is awoken in the middle of the night he leaves his bed to investigate the noise. Mickey meets up with the bakers who mix Mickey up in the batter and try to bake him. As the bakers leave the dough to rise, Mickey kneads it into an airplane and flies off to find milk. After helping the bakers find milk for their cake, Mickey slides down a slide and returns to bed. The illustrations are large and add to the limited text. The joy of Mickey’s night time adventure as well as the bakers puzzlement can be seen on their face.
Genre: Fantasy
Type of Book: Picture book
Interest level: K-3 Reading level: 2.8
Naylor, P. R. (2003). Alice in blunderland. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Alice is in the fourth grade and lives with her father and older brother Lester. Alice is constantly finding herself in embarrassing positions such as getting a vitamin pill stuck up her nose or trapping herself in her own snow cave. She also gets on her older brother’s nerves and makes him mad by telling the wrong girl that her brother likes her. Her father ends up hiring a housekeeper and babysitter for Alice and Lester named Mrs. Nolinstock. Alice and Lester put their differences aside to get rid of the horrible Mrs. Nolinstock. Alice is very funny and entertaining and many preteen readers will be able to relate to her.
Genre: Realistic fiction
Type of Book: Chapter book
Interest level: 3-6 Reading level: 5.0
In The Night Kitchen
Sendak, M. (1970). In the night kitchen. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
When Mickey is awoken in the middle of the night he leaves his bed to investigate the noise. Mickey meets up with the bakers who mix Mickey up in the batter and try to bake him. As the bakers leave the dough to rise, Mickey kneads it into an airplane and flies off to find milk. After helping the bakers find milk for their cake, Mickey slides down a slide and returns to bed. The illustrations are large and add to the limited text. The joy of Mickey’s night time adventure as well as the bakers puzzlement can be seen on their face.
Genre: Fantasy
Type of Book: Picture book
Interest level: K-3 Reading level: 2.8
Folk or Fairy Tales
The Little Red Hen
Downard, B. (2004). The little red hen. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.
In this story illustrated by Barry Downard, the little red hen asks her friends, the duck, the pig, and the cat to help her plant wheat seeds, cut the wheat, take it to the miller, and make bread dough from the wheat. The pig, the duck, and the cat are too busy to help her but when the bread is baked they all want to enjoy the bread. The little red hen does not share with her friends, and she eats the bread all herself. Barry Downard uses whimsical photo collages giving the animals even more human characteristics than the story.
Genre: Fairy Tale
Type of Book: Picture Book
Interest level: 1-3
Armadilly Chili
Ketteman, H. (2004). Armadilly chili. (W. Terry, Illus.). Morton Grove, Il.: Albert Whitman & Company.
In this retelling of the popular fairy tale, the little red hen, Miss Billie Armadilly is gathering the ingredients needed to make her armadilly chili. She tries to get her friends a tarantula, a bird, and a lizard to help her gather beetles, pick jalapeno peppers, and chop cactus. Her friends are too busy to help her but all come knocking when the chili is complete. Miss Billie turns them all away and sits down to enjoy her chili by herself. She soon discovers that her chili is missing the most important part, friends. The paintings that accompany the text are bright and the characters feelings are conveyed through their expressions.
Genre: Fairy Tale
Type of Book: Picture book
Interest level: K-3 Reading level: 2.6
Downard, B. (2004). The little red hen. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.
In this story illustrated by Barry Downard, the little red hen asks her friends, the duck, the pig, and the cat to help her plant wheat seeds, cut the wheat, take it to the miller, and make bread dough from the wheat. The pig, the duck, and the cat are too busy to help her but when the bread is baked they all want to enjoy the bread. The little red hen does not share with her friends, and she eats the bread all herself. Barry Downard uses whimsical photo collages giving the animals even more human characteristics than the story.
Genre: Fairy Tale
Type of Book: Picture Book
Interest level: 1-3
Armadilly Chili
Ketteman, H. (2004). Armadilly chili. (W. Terry, Illus.). Morton Grove, Il.: Albert Whitman & Company.
In this retelling of the popular fairy tale, the little red hen, Miss Billie Armadilly is gathering the ingredients needed to make her armadilly chili. She tries to get her friends a tarantula, a bird, and a lizard to help her gather beetles, pick jalapeno peppers, and chop cactus. Her friends are too busy to help her but all come knocking when the chili is complete. Miss Billie turns them all away and sits down to enjoy her chili by herself. She soon discovers that her chili is missing the most important part, friends. The paintings that accompany the text are bright and the characters feelings are conveyed through their expressions.
Genre: Fairy Tale
Type of Book: Picture book
Interest level: K-3 Reading level: 2.6
Poetry
My Man Blue
Grimes, N. (1999). My man blue. (J. Lagarrigue, illus.) New York: Puffin Books.
The story of a fatherless boy named Damon is told through poetry. Damon moves with his mother and meets a man, he calls Blue, who used to be his mother’s friend. Blue lost his own son to the streets so Blue befriends Damon. He plays with him at the park, saves him from an accident, teaches him not to punch girls, and about violence on the streets. Damon is inspired to grow up and be strong just like Blue.
Genre: Poetry, Realistic fiction
Type of Book: Picture Book
Interest level: 3-6 Reading level: 5.6
Awards: NCTE Award-winning poet
Where I Live
Spinelli, E. (2007). Where I live. (M. Phelan, Illus.). New York: Penguin Group.
The young girl in the book loves poetry and astronomy. She enjoys playing scrabble and sharing her diary with her best friend Rose. Her father loses his job and her and her family have to move six hours away to live with her Grandpa Joe. She dislikes her new house and when she attends a poetry seminar she feels like she is home again only to say good-bye. At her new house she begins looking for things to write about in her poetry notebook. One day while writing poetry she meets a boy named Sam that also likes astronomy and they become friends. The story of how she moves and makes new friends is told through free verse poetry and illustrated with simple black and white illustrations complement the poem on each page.
Genre: Poetry, Realistic Fiction
Type of Book: Chapter book
Interest level: 3-6 Reading level: 3.0
Awards: Bluebonnet award nominee, 2009
Grimes, N. (1999). My man blue. (J. Lagarrigue, illus.) New York: Puffin Books.
The story of a fatherless boy named Damon is told through poetry. Damon moves with his mother and meets a man, he calls Blue, who used to be his mother’s friend. Blue lost his own son to the streets so Blue befriends Damon. He plays with him at the park, saves him from an accident, teaches him not to punch girls, and about violence on the streets. Damon is inspired to grow up and be strong just like Blue.
Genre: Poetry, Realistic fiction
Type of Book: Picture Book
Interest level: 3-6 Reading level: 5.6
Awards: NCTE Award-winning poet
Where I Live
Spinelli, E. (2007). Where I live. (M. Phelan, Illus.). New York: Penguin Group.
The young girl in the book loves poetry and astronomy. She enjoys playing scrabble and sharing her diary with her best friend Rose. Her father loses his job and her and her family have to move six hours away to live with her Grandpa Joe. She dislikes her new house and when she attends a poetry seminar she feels like she is home again only to say good-bye. At her new house she begins looking for things to write about in her poetry notebook. One day while writing poetry she meets a boy named Sam that also likes astronomy and they become friends. The story of how she moves and makes new friends is told through free verse poetry and illustrated with simple black and white illustrations complement the poem on each page.
Genre: Poetry, Realistic Fiction
Type of Book: Chapter book
Interest level: 3-6 Reading level: 3.0
Awards: Bluebonnet award nominee, 2009
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