The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (Choice)

The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis is a book about four children who stumble upon a magical wardrobe that opens their lives to the world of Narnia. This book, set in the era of WWII, shows a world of imagination as the four children are challenged with defeating the white queen, who has magically made winter everlasting for Narnia. The children meet various animals, who all help lead them to Aslan, the all powerful lion who, along with the help of the forest animals and the children, will defeat the white witch and bring spring to the land of Narnia. This book is the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia series and is the first of many adventures that these chosen children (two girls and two boys) will embark upon.

I would use this book in the classroom through literature circles. Literature circles would allow students to discuss the text and identify important themes that run within the story. Students could also compare the similarities and differences between this book and the major motion picture, the Chronicles of Narnia, to see how the story has changed. This book is a great example of fantasy fiction and could also inspire writing samples from students about what they would do if they found a magical land inside of their own closet.

Squids will be Squids (Choice)

This book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith is a book of "Fresh Morals and Beastly Fables." Centered around traditional Aesop fables, with a dark twist. The book is compiled of 18 fables with morals. they are creatively constructed in a dark manor to entice young readers. The fables, however dark, all do share a common theme of a moral at the end of each story. Morals range from "never listen to a talking bug" to "whoever smelt it dealt it." they are quick easy stories that entertain readers with humorous stories.

Squids will be Squids

I would use this book in the classroom as a way of exposing my students to different types of story writing. Fables are a great type of literature for students to read and become familiar with. I would ask my students to write their own fables, a project that I myself remember doing when I was in third grade.

The Giving Tree (Choice)

This classic book written by Shel Silverstein is about a young boy and a Tree. The boy comes to the tree and swings from its branches and rests in its trade, and the tree is very happy. As the boy grows older he begins to spend less time with the tree and eventually goes away. One day the boy comes back to the tree. He asks for money and the tree gives him all her apples and tells the boy to sell them to make money. The boy goes away again for a long time and then one day comes back. The boy needs a house and the tree gives him all her branches to build the house. The boy takes the branches and goes away for a long time. The boy comes back one day and needs a boat to go far far away. The tree gives the boy her trunk and he takes it and builds a boat and leaves once again for a long time. Then one day, the tree is very sad, the boy comes back, now as an old man, and the tree tells him she has nothing left to give. The boy tells the tree that he needs nothing but a place to sit and the tree is very happy.

I think that this book is a good book to show students. Not only is the message timeless but the illustrations are very unique and not what most students are used to. Silverstein uses only black outlining to create illustrations. I would want students to discuss why the illustrations might be this simple. I also would use this in the classroom by asking students to write a story from the Tree's perspective. I would want them to think about how the tree might feel and what they would have done if they were the Tree.

Dinosaurs Before Dark (Fantasy)

What would you do if you walked into your back yard and saw a tree house in your back yard that was not there when you went to sleep the night before? In Mary Pope Osborne's first book of the Magic Tree House series Jack and Annie run into this exact problem. Curiosity gets the best of them and what they discover is not something they could have ever imagined in their wildest dreams. The Magic Tree house takes them to the land of the dinosaurs, just by Jack opening one of the hundreds of books that are housed in the tree house. Jack and Annie see all types of dinosaurs but are really challenged when a T-Rex stands between them and the Tree House....

I would use this book in the classroom as a way to incorporate elements of history into the students writing. I could prompt them with a writing tasks that asks them to pick a time period that they would want to travel too if they found the tree house in their back yard. Students could also improve their narrative writing skills through this activity as well. The Magic Tree House series is a great series to use in the classroom since the books cover many different time periods. You could use the whole series in the classroom by having each student read a different story and then creating small group discussions with each other this creates a student generated discussion.

Tacky the Penguin (Choice)

This book is about a penguin named Tacky. Tacky is an odd penguin, who certainly waddles to the beat of his own drum. The other penguins, Goodly, Lovely, Neatly, Angel, and Perfect, all make fun of Tacky. Tacky marches differently, sings different songs, and greets other people with a nice slap on the back followed by a "Whats Happening?!." One day Hunters come to the penguin's home, looking to trap and sell some penguins. Tacky greets them like he greets all penguins, and the hunters are immediately confused. He shows them how he walks, and how he sings, and the other penguins begin to sing Tacky's song that they so frequently made fun of. The hunters run away from the penguins and Tacky is the hero, the other penguins now have a new appreciation for Tacky and his unique tendencies.

I would use this book in the classroom as a way to help students appreciate what makes us all unique. I think that this would be a great book to use in the beginning of the year when setting the tone and environment of the classroom. This helps book helps to celebrate difference and I think its an important message to convey in the classroom. You could incorporate writing by asking students to write about a characteristic about themselves that makes them different or unique. This would provide valuable insight to how students perceive themselves. This could also begin a nice discussion in class to see what their peers thought and how these differences make up the classroom environment.

Goodbye, 382 Shin Dang Dong (Multicultural)

This is a story by Yangsook Choi that shares the story of a little girl named Jangmi and her move away from Korea. Jangmi is being forced by her parents to move to Massachusetts, and away from everything she knows. Jangmi is sad to leave her family, her best friend, her favorite foods, and her house. She is afraid to move to a place so far away, and so different from everything she knows. Throughout the story Jangmi shares with the reader how difficult it is to move away from where you love and the people you love. The reader is given insight to what it must feel like to move to a place that is completely different. After Jangmi is in the USA and see's her new house begin to be filled with her belongings from Korea she beings to feel less sad, she even meets a little girl who wants to be her friend!

I would use this book in the classroom to help give students a perspective into what it feels like to be in a place completely unknown to them. I would give the students the prompt " Imagine you have to move today, and it must be to Korea, how would you feel? What would you do?" This challenges students to really grasp the point of view of Jangmi and makes them think about others and how it would feel if it were them moving across the world.

Raising Dragons By Jerdine Nolen (Fantasy)

Raising Dragons is a story about A little girl who one day stumbles on a mysterious egg in her field. As the weeks go by she grows more and more curious about what is inside the egg. One day, she hears a loud CRACK coming from the egg and out came a dragon! Now this little girl, loved dragons and knew that this dragon, who she named Hank, would be her best friend. Hank and the little girl played together everyday, and they even helped with the chores on her father's farm. Hank helps the farmer grow his crops, so much so that there is just too much to eat! The little girl's father bags and sells the crops and Hank instantly becomes famous. The little girl knew that fame was no way for a dragon to live, so one day she and Hank flew to a dragon island in the middle of the ocean. Hank is so happy there to be with other dragons and play with other dragons. The little girl knew then just what she needed to do, she must say goodbye to Hank and let him be with his kind. The sadness overwhelms the little girl - until she realized Hank left her with a parting gift.....a wheelbarrow full of dragon eggs! From that day on the little girl knew what she was intended to do - Raise dragons just as she raised Hank.

I would use this book in the classroom to help spark student's imagination. I would ask them to write about what they would do if they found a mysterious egg. Would they crack it open, would they wait and see? I would also ask them to think and write about what they would do with a pet dragon. What activities would they play? Where would it sleep? What would they tell their parents? This type of writing fosters creativity with students and is extremely important to incorporate in the classroom.