The Giver by Lois Lowry is a part of a series of dystopian novels. It follows the story of Jonas, a resident of the Community. In the Community, each member has a role which is assigned to them in the Ceremony of Twelve. Jonas however, is skipped during this ceremony and it is later revealed that he has the very special qualities to besome one of the ruling Eders called “The Giver.” We later learn that The Giver‘s job is to be a memory keeper.

All the World, written by Liz Garton Scanlon and illustrated by Marla Frazee, follows a group of family and friends throughout the day. As they go along they witness the importance of all things great and small, from a teeny shell on a beach, to the warmth of family, to a brilliant sunset in the sky.

The Wish Tree written by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Chris Turnham is a Modern Fantasy book that tells the tale of a little boy named Charles who wants to find a wishing tree. His brother and sister do not believe there is any such thing. But Charles and his Boggin do believe there must be. They journey into the woods singing along. They climb up hills and down frosty meadows.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle tells the story of a high-school-aged girl named Meg Murry who gets wrapped up into an adventure through time and space with her hyper intelligent younger brother Charles Wallace and her friend Calvin O'Keefe to rescue her father, a gifted scientist, from the evil forces that have been holding him hostage on another planet.

Rainbow Soup: Adventures in Poetry by Brian Cleary is a fun way for kids to learn about different types of poetry. The author includes short annotations with explanations of each type of poem with his humorous verses that include limericks, puns, palindromes, and more!

Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe is a Biographical book about the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Steptoe tells of Basquiat's childhood in Brooklyn and his dream of being an artist. He describes Basquiat as being so dedicated that he often refused to sleep until he created a masterpiece.

What Was the March on Washington written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Tim Tomkinson is a nonfiction novel that details the March on Washington. It covers the events leading up to the march such as Rosa Park‘s refusal to stand up, and the way African Americans were treated in these times. It leads into how the idea of having the march came to be and how much work it was to put it all together.

Rumplestiltskin is a tale in Traditional Literature. There are many published versions. I have selected Paul O. Zelinsky‘s retelling for it‘s beautiful illustrations that have earned a Caldecott. This book is a retelling of the original folk tale. It tells the story of a miller who sends his daughter to the king, telling him she can spin straw into gold. The daughter is told she would be killed if she couldn‘t produce the gold overnight.

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by by Mordecai Gerstein recounts the story of the real life Philippe Petit, a frenchman who walked, danced, and laid on a tightrope fitted between the two towers of the World Trade Center in August of 1974. Most notable are the exquisite illustrations, which won this book a Caldecott. This is a fantastic Read Aloud or Storytelling picture book.

Quackers by Liz Wong tells the story of a cat named Quackers who thinks he‘s a duck. Quackers walks us through the day to day life of being a duck, from what they eat to what they do for fun. One day Quackers meets another “duck” like him. The “duck” is really another cat and thinks Quackers is silly for thinking he is a duck. The cat shows Quackers how the other cats live.

Swimmy, by Leo Lionni tells the story of Swimmy, the only black fish in his family of red fish. One day, a tuna fish came by and ate all the red fish with only Swimmy to escape. Swimmy was sad, scared, and and lonely as he searched the sea. The sights of the ocean like the medusa made of rainbow jelly, the lobster that walked about like a water moving machine, and a forest of seaweeds growing from sugar candy rocks, made Swimmy happy again.

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein tells the story of a little Chicken who is getting ready for bed. He asks his papa to read him a bedtime story. His papa agrees if Chicken promises not to interrupt.They begin story after story from Hansel and Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood to Chicken Little.

The Last stop on Market Street written by Matt De La Pena and illustrated by Christian Robinson tells the story of Cj and his grandmother as they take a bus ride and admire the beautiful and vibrant life of the city around them.
They find the beauty in the rain and in the people they meet like the man with a guitar, the woman in curlers with butterflies in a jar, and the man who cannot see.

Because of Winn by Kate DiCamillo tells the story of the summer Opal and her father, the preacher move to Florida. It opens with Opal going into the local Winn-Dixie supermarket and meeting a rambunctious dog. She decides to take him home and names him Winn-Dixie.

Wonder, by R.J. Palacio, tells the tale of Auggie Pullman, a 10 year old with a rare facial deformity caused by Treacher Collins syndrome. After being homeschooled all his life, Auggie takes a leap into the world of public middle school. Auggie must overcome obstacles from friends, family and strangers to truly discover whether he really wants to be ordinary or whether being extraordinary is not so bad.

The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan is modern fantasy novel based on Greek mythology, It is the first novel in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. This novel tell of the adventures of Percy Jackson as he figures out he is a demigod, the son of his mortal mother and the god Poseidon.

Two Bobbies, written by Kirby Larson and Mary Netherly (illustrated by Jean Cassels), tells a story of survival and friendship. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Bob Cat and Bobbi the dog (affectionately named the two Bobbies) lost everything. Only by staying together could Bobbi and Bob Cat survive. Bob Cat follows alongside Bobbi the dog, as they attempt to survive together.

Eight-year-old Jack and his younger sister Annie use the magic treehouse a second time in the second novel in the Magic Treehouse series. In this adventure, they travel back to the Middle Ages, where they explore a castle and are helped by a mysterious knight when they run into trouble. This book is a Historical Fantasy book that can be tied into a social studies unit very easily.

Echo artfully tells a story of fate and a quest. Otto is lost in the forest one day while reading an old book about a King‘s deceit and 3 princesses forced to be raised by a witch. While lost, he stumbles upon the 3 sisters who reveal that the story is true and theirs. However, the story is unfinished. The witch had cursed them for trying to leave, and they will be stuck in time if they do not save a life.

“Leave Me Alone !” By Vera Brosgal tells the story of a Russian grandmother in a tiny cottage who is having trouble finishing her winter knitting. Her dozens of curious grandchildren flocked around her asking questions about her yarn. Fed up, the old woman takes off on a quest to finish her knitting, calling out, “Leave me alone!”