Tessie Reads

Junie B. Jones on the Stupid Smelly Bus  by Barbara Park; ill. by Denise Brunkus Genre: realistic fiction Junie B. Jones is a national treasure.  She's gregarious, hilarious, unflinchingly honest, and outspoken.  In this debut novel, Junie B. Jones is entering kindergarten, and boy, is she excited!  There's just one thing: she's terrified of riding the school bus.  She's heard rumors about bullies on the school bus, so when the time comes, Junie B. decides she's not going to take the bus home.  Problems arise, as they always do when Junie B. is involved ... and in the end her mother helps her come up with a solution. The book is written as a diary, and Junie B. Jones is adorable.  She has some bad habits--calling things stupid and saying she hates things or people a little too flippantly--but she's got a lot of heart, and a even more moxie (albeit a bit too much for her authority figures).  Her descriptions of her parents' reactions to her had me la

Amelia Bedelia  by Peggy Parish Genre: realistic fiction Oh, Amelia Bedelia.  You take things so literally, and I love that.  In her first adventure, Amelia Bedelia bungles the tasks she's assigned for her first job by taking directions as literally as possible.  She measures rice with measuring tape; she dusts the furniture by putting powder on everything; she dresses a chicken by making a tiny outfit for it.  This book is a total delight for young readers learning about wordplay. Lesson idea: With the students, think of some tasks that might have disasterous outcomes if taken literally--and describe how one might go about doing them, Amelia Bedelia-style! About the authors and illustrators Watch and listen

Each Kindness  by Jacqueline Woodson; ill. by E.B. Lewis Genre: realistic fiction I'll start this review by saying that, as the mom of an eight-year-old, this book brought me to tears.  The premise: the narrator, Chloe, tells the story of a new girl named Maya who joins her class.  Maya's family is very poor, and her classmates are unkind to her.  Chloe doesn't seem to have a reason to be unkind to Maya, but she is ... not aggressively so, but in ignoring her or asserting to her classmates that Maya isn't her friend, she rejects her.  Maya tries for a while to reach out to her classmates, but eventually she becomes solitary--and one day, Maya doesn't come back to class.  The next day, the teacher brings in a large bowl of water and some small stones.  Dropping in a stone, she shows her students the ripples in the water and explain that each kindness we show ripples out into the world in the same way.  The teacher gives each student a stone and allows them to

The Sandwich Swap  by Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah and Kelly DiPucchio; ill. by Tricia Tusa Genre: realistic fiction Lily and Salma do everything together--they're very best friends.  One day, Lily asks Salma about the lunch her father packed for her--hummus on pita--and, seeing unfamiliar food, regards it as gross.  This hurts Salma's feelings, and she retaliates by insulting Lily's lunch, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  The two girls stop sitting next to each other at lunch, and stop playing together.  Other students start taking sides, and the next day a food fight breaks out in the cafeteria.  After a visit to the principal's office, the two girls realize that they judged each other's choices without even trying to see what it was like--and discover some commonalities along the way. The book is sweet and the illustrations are whimsical.  It's a great lesson in not judging something before you give it a try, and also a good illustration abo

Flight of the Honey Bee  by Raymond Huber; ill. by Brian Lovelock Genre: Science This beautiful book describes a day in the life of a honey bee named Scout--from "her stripes glow[ing] golden in the morning sun" to "rest[ing] her silvery wings for a spell" , this book uses lush descriptions to pull young readers into the world of these little creatures as the work to pollinate and gather nectar.   Flight of the Honey Bee is an excellent book for elementary school children--especially second and third grade--who are curious about nature.  Each page also shares a brief and interesting fact about bees, and the book features a handy index. Lesson idea: The book talks about how bees in the hive communicate through dance.  A dance floor could be made by tessellating yellow construction paper hexagons on the floor and allowing students to make their own bee dance!  Students could take turns guessing what the "dancing bee" is trying to communicate.

The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth  by Joanna Cole; ill. by Bruce Degen Genre: Science I watched Magic School Bus with my sister when I was younger.  I was "too old" for it to be cool, but I did it anyway--I couldn't help myself.  I love that after allthese years, Magic School Bus is still cool to kids.  Joanna Cole struck gold with this series. In this book, Ms. Frizzle's class is studying rocks, and when students fail to complete their "bring in a rock" assignment, Ms. Frizzle decides it's time for a field trip.  Digging deep into the ground, the class learns about different kinds of rocks, fossils, and what lies beneath the Earth's crust.   Inside the Earth , like all the MSB adventures, is full-to-the-brim with facts--the pages are saturated with them--but the book is illustrated in a way that things feel new and fast-paced.  This is a book for older elementary schoolers ( kindergartners and first-graders might have a hard time with t

It's a Butterfly's Life  by Irene Kelly Genre: Science It's a Butterfly's Life is a charming description of the butterfly life cycle, as well as dozens of fascinating facts about these winged insects.  The illustrations are charming and colorful, and each page of the book also features a drawing of a different species of butterfly or moth (or their larvae).  The book teaches the anatomy of a butterfly, and how they eat, fly, and reproduce.  With lots of scientific terminology and pages that are relatively text-heavy, this book would be most suitable for mid-to-older elementary grades. Lesson ideas: Students could decorate a paper plate or paper circle with the different stages of the life cycle of a butterfly, making each stage out of something different (cotton balls for eggs, styrofoam packing noodle for caterpillar, etc.).  The book also discusses butterfly scales, so I think it might be neat to have students construct butterfly wings with scales made from c

What is the World Made of?  by Kathleen Zoehfield; ill. by Paul Meisel Genre: Science This book uses colorful, whimsical cartoon illustrations to teach students about matter, and how to identify solids, liquids, and gases.  The author uses objects common to the everyday life of a child to explain the properties of matter.  Solids can be hard like a toy firetruck, or soft like clay; liquid can be thin like water or thick like a milkshake; gas can fill up any shape, an air is constantly moving.  This book provides simple explanations that would be great for second- or third-grade classrooms. Lesson idea: One could set up a liquid station and a solid station in the classroom.  Students could spend time at each station inspecting the solids and liquids.  Also, I think any classroom lesson about matter would be remiss without balloons to demonstrate the properties of gases! Discover more about the author Discover more about the illustrator Watch and listen

Jelly Beans for Sale  by Bruce McMillan Genre: Math This simple book uses jelly beans to help young mathematicians learn to count change ... and what's more popular with these young mathermaticians than candy?  There are very few words in the book--just bright, colorful pictures of kids eating jelly beans, and equations showing how many pennies, nickels, dimes, or quarters one might pay for jelly beans (assuming beans cost a penny each).  The book doesn't strike me as particularly inspired, but it does strike me as particularly useful and practical. Lesson idea: the book premise seems like a lesson idea in and of itself.  Students could be allotted play currency and use it to buy jelly beans from other students.  Simple and effective! Discover more about the author

Sir Cumference and the Great Knight of Angleland  by Cindy Neuschwander, ill. by Wayne Geehan Genre: Math This book in the Sir Cumference series focuses on the son of Sir Cumference and Lady Di of Ameter, Radius.  (The book is heavy with puns, and kids will love that!)  Radius has a dream of becoming a knight, and after a time of training he goes on a quest to find a missing King.  Radius uses his trusty protractor, a relic given to him by his parents, to solve puzzles and rescue King Lell.  The book is wordy and would be more appropriate for fourth or fifth graders.  The book was cute and I think math-lovers would really enjoy it. Lesson idea:  In the book, Radius has uses his knowledge of degrees and circles to solve puzzles.  I think it could be fun to turn this into an interactive story, and have the students pretend to be Radius and solve the puzzles.  They could have their own "relic" protractors and solve puzzles to find the missing King--and perhaps a piece

A Second is a Hiccup , by Hazel Hutchins; ill. by Kady MacDonald Denton Genre: Math "A second is a hiccup--the time it takes to kiss your mom ..." Understanding time is a difficult concept for young children--any parent who's heard Are we there yet? , or teacher who's heard When's lunch?  When's recess? can attest to this.   A Second is a Hiccup is a fantastically practical tool for explaining the passage of time to young children.  The book describes seconds, minutes, days, weeks, and years--all in events children understand and love. Lesson idea: This book could facilitate a great classroom discussion.  Young students could engage in thoughtful idea sharing about things in their own lives that take a second, or a minute, or a week. Learn more about Hazel Hutchins:   http://www.hazelhutchins.net/ Learn more about Kady Macdonald Denton:   http://www.kadymacdonalddenton.ca/ Listen and read:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fFCOG2UZ8c

Sorting  by Henry Pluckrose Genre: math Sorting is a simple book with pictures of toys and small objects, both sorted and unsorted.  The text describes the images and discusses the different ways to sort, and how to sort.  Presented with a pile of junk on the first page, the reader will see many different categories they can sort from the junk pile.  Toy animals, buttons,  pencils, cars; these can all be sorted.  But don't forget one can sort by color or size, as well!  This book could be a useful tool for kindergartners learning these skills. Lesson idea:  Sorting stations!  Make identical "junk" piles for students to sort.  One sorting station could be sorting by size, and one could be sorting by color or shape. Discover more about the author * *Henry Pluckrose was an education pioneer and an early advocate for creativity in the classroom.  The linked article is a fascinating look at his impact and career!

Number the Stars  by Lois Lowry Genre: historical fiction Annemarie and Ellen are ten years old, live in Copenhagen, and are best friends.  Ellen is Jewish, and times are scary in Denmark.  The Nazis have come to "relocate" the Jews in their city, and the parents of Annemarie and Ellen know that if Ellen's family is relocated, they'll likely die.  So the families come up with a plan--Ellen's family must escape.  This book, told from Annemarie's point of view, chronicles the plans to help Ellen's family escape to safety.  There's much Annemarie doesn't understand, but she knows to help in whatever way she can to ensure the safety of her dear friend.  This book is so beautifully, thoughtfully written, and it has the honesty and intensity one might expect for a book on such a subject.  I found myself tensing up several moments! Lesson idea: Incorporate the book into a history lesson focusing on what the German occupation was like in European

The Last Brother  by Trinka Hakes Noble; ill. by Robert Papp The Last Brother  is a Civil War story about a young boy, Gabe--only 11 years old--who lies about his age to join the Union Army.  He does so because he's the youngest of four brothers, and the oldest two have already died in the war.  When his only remaining brother, Davy, decides to join the cause, he goes with him.  He's a bugler for the Union, and he's about to take part in the Battle of Gettysburg ... but beforehand, stealing a moment away to himself, he encounters another boy his age named Orlee--a bugler for the confederacy.  They spend a few minutes just acting like boys, before they're called back to their duties.  The encounter changes Gabe forever. This story is more appropriate for older elementary readers; I think younger readers might have trouble understanding the gravity of the story.  It would be a great addition to a unit on the civil war. Lesson idea: Talk about the battle of Getty

Rudy Rides the Rails: A Depression Era Story by Dandi Daley Mackall; ill. by Chris Ellison Genre: historical fiction Rudy Rides the Rails is a tale of struggle, sadness, and finding kindness and joy where one can.  Rudy lives with his family during the great depression.  He's old enough to work and when he can't find any, he sets off on a train looking for a way to make money.  He doesn't buy a train ticket, but sneaks on--and becomes a hobo, riding from place to place, looking for work, trying to make his way out west (where he heard there were many jobs).  When he leaves, his father tells him not to trust strangers, and look out only for himself, but Rudy only gets by thanks to the kindness of others, and on his journey he learns to look out for others as well.  California isn't at all what he hoped, so he heads back home, working odd jobs along the way.  By the time he makes it home, he has saved up some money, and he decides he'll leave a sign outside--a

The Yellow Star: The Legend of King Christian X of Denmark by Carmen Agra Deedy; ill. by Henri Sørensen Genre: Historical Fiction This book recounts the legend of King Christian X and his stand against the Nazis in WWII.  Kind Christian did, in fact, defy the Nazis in the interest of protecting his people, but this particular legend is unverified.  In the story, King Christian X wanted to protect Jews in his country from the persecution that would follow if they wore stars of David as the Nazis required--so he had yellow stars sewn to his regalia and rode through the streets of Denmark for all to see.  All the Danes followed suit, wearing yellow stars as well so the Nazis wouldn't be able to distinguish Jews from Gentiles.  This story is incredibly inspiring, whether or not true.  It's a testament to humanity, and our ability to love and protect and stand up for one another even when facing danger. Lesson idea: for discussion, students can talk about bullying and stand

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl Genre: fantasy A classic children's story, James and the Giant Peach tells the tale of James Trotter, an orphan boy who's barely cared for by his two terrible aunts.  He lives in a house by the sea with them, and they use him as a slave. One day James is given magical crocodile tongues by a mysterious stranger.  James is to swallow the tongues with some water, and then good luck will befall him.  On his way home to do just that, James trips and spills the crocodile tongues onto a peach tree--which then produces a giant peach.  Thus begins James' adventure across the sea--inside the peach, with some surprising friends--to a farawat land and, perhaps, the promise of a better life. This book is so much fun.  I love all his insect friends and their vastly different personalities.  I read this aloud to my daughter and she enjoyed the story immensely--especially the little song towards the end! Lesson idea:  Give each student a

Rumplestiltskin  written and illustrated by Paul Zelinsky Genre: Fantasy I chose this book because I fell in love with the illustrations of this classic tale--they're the star of this story.  The story of Rumplestiltskin is actually pretty terrible--a king and a goblin fighting for a chance to prove they're the more despicable being.  The King goes from threatening the life of a helpless girl being punished for her father's foolish lie, to forcing her to marry him because he thinks she can make him richer.  Rumplestiltskin comes to her aid, but only with the plan of taking her firstborn child.  In the end, the now-queen uses her wits to outsmart Rumplestiltskin--which leaves the queen to live "happily" ever after in a forced marriage to a man who's threatened to put her to death multiple times. In spite of that nonsense, I still loved the book, or at least the illustrations.  Lush and gorgeous! Lesson idea: Students can come up with their own silly

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs  by Judi Barrett; ill. by Ron Barrett Genre: fantasy In this story, a young boy's grandfather tells the tall tale of the town of Chewandswallow, in which no one ever had to buy food, because it rained down from the sky.  When the weather becomes volatile and violent--relative to a town that rains enormous amounts of food--the citizens of Chewandswallow have to find a new place to live.  They make rafts out of giant sandwich breads, and they sail across the ocean to find a new home.  They succeed, but are totally miffed that people buy food from shelves.  The next day, as the young boy and his sister go sledding outside, he imagines a pat of butter on the snow drift and thinks he smells mashed potatoes. This is a fun story!  It's light on meaning, but children will enjoy imagining a world where their favorite foods rain down from the sky. Lesson idea: Students can create artwork featuring a town made entirely of food! Disover more a

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs  by John Scieszka; ill. by Lane Smith Genre: fantasy Has there ever been a more sympathetic version of the "big bad" wolf than in this story?  I think not! Scieszka delights with this twisted fairy tale, in which our main character (Alexander Wolf) shares how the whole incident with the three little pigs was just a huge misunderstanding, and that he's really the victim here.  All Alexander wanted to do was bake his grandmother a cake--and since he's out of sugar, he visits the pigs to borrow some.  What happens next is entirely, unequivocally not. his. fault.  Probably.  Possibly. Lesson idea:  Take a look at other fairy tales--maybe the bad guys in those are misunderstood.  Have the students rewrite a fairy tale.  Then, have the students design a newspaper much like the cover of the book, where their not-so-bad-guy can share his/her side of the story. Discover more about the author Discover more about the illustrat

Fox in Socks  by Dr. Seuss Genre: pre-1970 Fox, socks, blocks, clocks, bricks, ticks, and six sick chicks--this book has it all.  Really, it just has a ton of random rhymes to delight children and stupefy the tired tongues of parents at bedtime.  Fox in Socks is the ultimate tongue twister book, perfect for practicing diction and pronunciation, and a delight for eager kids wanting to try their hand at these rhymes. Lesson idea: This book would be ideal for a reading break on a rainy day.  Afterwards, students can come up with their own silly rhymes.  Word prompts may help them make rhymes with confidence.  This could also make a great school play! Head to Seussville  Watch and listen

Harold and the Purple Crayon  by Crockett Johnson Genre: pe-1970 Harold and the Purple Crayon is an iconic children's book, and I was mildly embarrassed to never had read it.  The story is of little Harold, who wants to walk in the moonlight but has to draw his surroundings--he's the only thing but for the blank pages of the book and his little purple crayon.  Anything he wants he just has to imagine and draw--and so he spends his day creating, and at night draws himself a bed and goes to sleep.  I think children will be enamored with the idea of Harold's magical purple crayon. Lesson plan: Take students outside and let them create their own paths with sidewalk chalk!  It might also be fun to hang butcher paper and let them create their own backgrounds on a large scale--if they're hungry, the could draw a life-size dinner table, or if they want to play outside they could draw the outdoors as big as the could. Discover more about the author Watch and listen

A Fly Went By by Mike McClintock; ill. by Fritz Siebel Genre: pre-1970 A Fly Went By is a current favorite in our household.  Through ridiculously repetitive turns of phrase, the story tells us about a boy investigating why a fly whizzes by him so quickly.  The fly says he's being chased by a frog--but when questioned, the frog says he's not chasing the fly, but running because he's being chased by a cat, who as it turns out is just running from a dog ... and so the story goes!  This is a fun one to read aloud.  There's a good lesson about things not always being what they seem, and a lot of laughs as well. Lesson idea:  Students can discuss a time when they came to the wrong conclusion about something.  This would also make a fantastic exercise to get students moving--each student could be a character, and stand up and run in place when their character is mentioned. Discover more about the author Discover more about the illustrator Watch and listen

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats Genre: pre-1970 The Snowy Day, winner of the Caldecott Medal, is a classic children's story about a boy who spends a day exploring, playing, and enjoying the snow.  Peter wakes up to find the ourdoors covered in snow, so he spends the day making snow angels, drawing shapes in the snow, and making a snowball which he puts in his pocket.  At the end of the day the snowball has melted, and he dreams of all the snow melting away--but when he wakes up, the snow is still there, and even more is falling!  This book is charming.  It's also excited to see representation (Peter is African American) in a pre 1970s book.  Most of the books I've encountered from before 1970 feature a very whitewashed world. Lesson ideas: Have students talk about the things they love to do in the snow.  Students can create a snowy self portrait with cotton balls. Learn more about the author Watch and listen

Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat  by Roxanne Orgill; ill. by Sean Qualls Genre: Biography Ella Fitzgerald's story comes alive in this biography of the famous singer.  This book chronicles Ella's early life with her family--her humble beginnings, her big dreams, and her love of singing and dancing.  The book doesn't sugar-coat the difficulty of her life too much; her mother died when Ella was fourteen and she was forced to move away from her friends and the life she knew, into a loveless home.  Her life suffered for it.  She began skipping school and acting out, and was sent away to a school for orphans, where she then ran away.  Her life changed when she took a chance and sang onstage at the Apollo Theatre--and nothing was ever the same. Lesson plan: Have students learn to scat!  Play some jazz for them, let them hear the style, and then have the students take turns improvising their own lines. Discover more about the author Discover more about the illustrator

Electrical Wizard  by Elizabeth Rusch; ill. by Oliver Dominguez Genre: biography Electrical Wizard, a biography of Nikola Tesla, tells the story of a man who, from the time of his birth, was fascinated by electricity.   It details his youth and his idea for alternating current--and his feud with Thomas Edison.  The story itself glosses over a lot of Tesla's life--mainly his madness, but also many modern technologies we use today which were first conceived by Tesla.  After the story, though, are biographical entries that are a bit more detailed, appropriate for older students with a curiosity about the inventor.  There's also a second biographical entry about the rivalry between Tesla and Edison, and a few pages of notes about the science behind Tesla's inventions. Lesson idea: Tesla is responsible for so many modern innovations, like remote controls, wireless internet, neon lights, and countless others.  Give students some creative time to design their own inventi

Barack Obama: First African American President  by Katie Kawa Genre: Biography This is a book in the Beginning Biographies series, great for emerging readers to learn about history-makers while building reading confidence.  The book discusses his childhood and his career leading up to becoming President.  It also talks about First Lady Michelle Obama, as well as their daughters. Lesson idea: This would make a wonderful book for a unit on Presidents, or for American History or Black History Month.

The Dalai Lama  by Demi Genre: biography This book is big on information but not overwhelming, as biographies can sometimes be.  The use of illustration helps make the book seem less daunting, with just a short paragraph on each page or two-page spread.  This book tells the life (so far) of the tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama--his childhood, how he became the Lama, his love of gadgets and tools, and his tumultuous relationship with the oppressive Chinese government.  This book was thoughtfully written and is a terrific introduction to the Dalai Lama, great for those who have little or no cultural familiarity with Buddhism. Lesson idea: this book would present a good opportunity to talk a bit about world geography.  This could also tie in with a discussion about the Dalai Lama as an educator and a curious person.  Mention how the Dalai Lama loved to fix things and was curious about what would make things work--he liked to take things apart.  What makes students curious

Last Stop on Market Street  by Matt de la Peña; ill. by Christian Robinson Genre: award winner (Zolotow, Caldecot Honor, Newberry, Coretta Scott King) Last Stop on Market Street tells the story of CJ riding the bus from church to the soup kitchen with his Nana.  Around him he sees things that he wants, and things he doesn't understand, and when he asks his Nana, her responses always help teach him everything he has.  Nana gives CJ countless reasons for optimism, and helps him to see the good around him.  Simple, lively, colorful illustrations show us CJ's bright, beautiful, colorful world--made all the brighter by the people he meets. Lesson idea: this book is a great accompaniment to lessons focused on neighborhoods and communities.  Students can discuss--and even draw a map of--their neighborhood or community.  Who are their neighbors?  Where do they go in their community (grocery store? church? playground?). Discover more about the author Discover more about the

Kitten's First Full Moon  wirrten and illustrated by Kevin Henkes Genre: award winner (NYT Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year, Caldecott, Zolotow) Kitten's First Full Moon is about a kitten who sees the full moon for the first time and thinks it's a bowl of milk.  Desperate to get to it, the kitten tries chasing it, jumping at it, and even climbing a tree--all with disappointing results.  Of course, in the end, Kitten's owner brings out a bowl of milk for that tired kitty.  Illustrated in black and white, this story is sweet and fun and little children will be able to relate to trying and trying to get something they just can't quite reach. Lesson idea: Students can discuss a time they tried to accomplish something but couldn't seem to manage-- alternately, student can discuss times they saw something for the first time and misundertood it. This would be a great book to warm up for the day with--getting students out of their chairs to

Swimmy  by Leo Lionni Genre: Award winner (NYT Illustrated Children's Books of the Year, Caldecott Honor) Swimmy is a charming little tale of a little black fish who travels through the sea after the rest of his school is eaten by a large fish.  All alone and in search of a new school, Swimmy travels and sees eels, anemonae, and strange fish.  When he finds a new school of little red fish, they're hiding and scared of being eaten.  Clever Swimmy teaches them how to group together tightly so they look like one large fish--and little Swimmy can pretend to be the eye. The illustrations are unique to Lionni's style, colorful painted patterns stamped on the page to give a watery effect.  I loved this book and think children would like it too! Lesson idea: Have students create their own seascape using the stamp method in the book--stamping with their hands or other found objects to create a work of art. More about the author Watch and Listen

Maple   written and illustrated by Lori Nichols Genre: Award winner (Giverny) This book came highly recommended to me by my second grader, and it's easy to understand why.  A sweet story, Maple is about a girl--Maple--and the maple tree her parents planted for her when she was "just a whisper".  It's also about the arrival of Maple's little sister Willow (for whom a tree was also planted), and Maple's difficulty adjusting to having a loud new member of the family.  Maple doesn't know how to make Willow happy, until one day she lays underneath her maple tree with Willow, and looking up at the branches together, they find some peace and joy.  The book is simply and beautifully illustrated, relatively short (great for story time), and a delight for younger readers.  I loved it. Discover more about the author Watch and listen