“The soldiers played cards and blew smoke out the open windows. They talked to Pop and how they would soon be shipped overseas any day now and were missing that girl of mine already, and my grandma's apple pie.“

This book makes many historical connections to what life was like during World War 2. During this time many people encountered economic challenges. Many women went to work while their husbands served, leaving many children without consistent adult supervision. This also made it hard for single mothers which may have been why the baby was left on the staircase. This story helps students understand economic hardships, fear, and loss of loved ones.

The Summer We Found the Baby by Amy Hest (2020) is a children's historical fiction book that is about three kids who discover an abandoned baby on the staircase of a library. This book is based on the time period of world war two. Amy Hest focuses on factual information by describing what life was like during this era. She focuses on fiction by the fictional narrative of three children discovering and taking the baby for themselves.

“I just wanted to hold her awhile I didn't mean to take the baby.“

What's in the Garden by Marianne Berkes (2013) is a nonfiction rhyming book that talks about all the different foods that can be grown in a garden. It also gives recipes that you can make with the ingredients from your garden! It has detailed and realistic images of children with the food they picked from the garden. This is a really good book for younger kids to learn about plants, gardening, and how food is grown!

I love that this book is a mix of nonfiction and rhyming! I also love the vibrant and realistic illustrations. This is a really good book to talk about plants, gardening, and how food is grown.

“It grows rather quickly in loose, moist soil, And if there's some frost, it won't even spoil.“

Start Now! by Chelsea Clinton (2018) is an informative nonfiction book with telltale facts about the world and what humans can do to make a positive impact. This book covers topics such as access to healthy food and clean water, endangered species, preventing sickness, and stopping bullying. This book can help children to understand the world better and give them ways that they can help make the world a better place for all people.

This is a fun nonfiction book filled with facts, stories, and inspirations for how to change the world one step at a time! This would be a great book to read on earth day!

“Clean, safe water means water that doesn't have anything in it that can make us sick.“

A World Together by Sonia Manzano is a nonfiction book focusing on different people and cultures from people all around the world. It includes topics like clothes, housing, food, schools, art, and languages. It also talks about the similarities that people from all over share. Some of these include emotions and games. This is a perfect book for cultural diversity and respect for human differences.

There are so many c olorful and culturally diverse images in this book! There are people from different countries around the world! This would be a wonderful book to teach the topic of diversity and respecting other cultures!

“Isn't it amazing that everyone loves to learn and play and move and create?“

Giant Squid by Candace Fleming (2016) is a mysterious nonfiction picturebook that includes detailed images of sea creatures. The animal of focus within this text is known as the giant squid. The giant squid Is described as having a ginormous body with very long tentacles. The tentacles are dangerous and the squid is described as a predator, anxiously waiting to capture other sea animals as prey.

The deep and dark images used throughout this book really pull you into the story. You feel as though you are underwater surrounded by mysterious sea creatures. The enlarged pages add even more of a gripping effect when reading. Great book for kids of all ages!

“Sucking water into its body, and squirting it out - the creature jets away.“

Animals by the Numbers by Steve Jenkins (2016) is a nonfiction book that gives interesting facts and details about different kinds of animals. It includes facts and figures presented with graphs, symbols, and illustrations. It includes comparisons such as height, weight, and speed. It also gives fun and random facts such as interesting sounds that animals can make!

This is a really good book to look at facts of certain animal species. This would be a good pick for middle to upper elementary to learn more about animals and insects!

“It is estimated that all the insects on earth weigh almost 300 times as much as all the humans.“

You could use this book as an introduction to a unit on marine biology. Explore different marine species, their habitats, and their importance in the ecosystem. You could even get a class pet fish!!!

I loveddd this book!!! “Secrets of the Sea“ is a beautifully crafted book that not only educates children about marine science but also inspires them to pursue their passions despite any challenges they may face. Jeanne Power's legacy as a revolutionary marine scientist is celebrated in a way that is sure to inspire the next generation of explorers and scientists.

“Finally, the design became a new object - an aquarium“

It would be fun to have the class divide into small groups and have each group research a different aspect of the Wright brothers‘ lives or contributions to aviation. They can create presentations or posters to share with the class! You could change the level of depth depending on the age of your studnets.

Two Brothers, Four Hands is an inspiring and beautifully illustrated book that captures the spirit of the Wright brothers and their journey to achieving powered flight. It is a wonderful addition to any classroom or home library, promoting important values of creativity, determination, and collaboration.

“Late at night over dinners with friends, he talks and talks about his struggles.“

This would be a good book for children in the older grades. Through this book, you can learn about the Holocaust and word war 2. In a class, you could do a project on researching Nicholas Winton and other rescuers. This helps children understand the historical context and the impact of their actions.

Nicky and Vera by Peter Sis, 2021. This story is a poignant and beautifully illustrated biography. Through simply a powerful text, this book captures Nicky's bravery, compassion, and the impact of his actions on the lives of the children he rescued. This included Vera's journey from fear to safety and her eventual reunion with her rescuer many years later.

“He saw that war was near, and something had to be done.“

The topics in this book are deep but important for students to understand America's history of racism and discrimination. This story gives hope to students who have faced hate and discrimination because they are different. It shows that everyone can be successful no matter their skin color.

Swish! by Suzanne Slade, 2020. This book inspires children to chase their dreams and not give up even when it seems impossible. It emphasizes the importance of hard work, determination, and teamwork. It shows that new ideas and taking risks can lead to success. This book goes into controversial topics such as racism and discrimination. The players in this book show that social barriers can add fuel to their fire to be successful.

“Everyone could see they had as much talent as the country's best hoopsters.“

Using Hello Neighbor as a foundation, teachers ca launch kindness projects within a classroom. This could involve creating a bulletin board where students can post notes about acts of kindness they have performed or witnessed, fostering a culture of empathy and appreciation. This exercise highlights the importance of being kind and brings light to others.

Hello Neighbor by Matthew Cordell, 2020. This book captures the spirit of his work and his legacy in a way that is both touching and informative. Matthes Cordell has created a book that is not only a pleasure to read, but also an important reminder of the power of kindness and the lasting impact of a caring heart. This book is a must-read for fans of mister rodgers.

“Fred's family was proud of his talent and encouraged him to study music and composition as he got older.“

There are so many cute and fun poems in this book! I think the illustrations do a great job at depicting the story without being too overwhelming or distracting from the message.

“But ah, me - I'm such a dunce. I went and ate them all at once.“

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein, 1974. This book contains a collection of poems that are creative, imaginative, and often silly. Each poem within this book is unique and inviting for children as they really draw you into the story. You really feel like you are a part of the story in each poem. The simple illustrations help readers to portray the story in their minds without being too distracting.

“it also takes rich fertile soil. Lots of good, old-fashioned care. And rain to make roses blossom in the air.“

There are so many different poems of different stories and themes within this book. It is honestly a great collection of short poetic stories to have in a classroom or on a bookshelf at home.

Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander, 2017. This book features a collection of children's poems that represent a variety of cultures. Every poem in this book was written by a famous poet. The poetic stories in this book contain vibrant illustrations and convey strong emotions. There are wonderful poems within this book that would be appropriate for children of all ages.

The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Suess, 1957. This story starts out with two siblings who are bored in their house with nothing to do. Then walks in a tall and human-like cat that walks and talks. The cat marches in and begins to show the children fun games and tricks. Although he wants to have fun, he brings chaos into the house by making messes and bringing in his pals thing 1 and thing 2. Luckily, the cat and his pals clean up just in time!

I love Dr. Suess books because they are so silly and creative! This book is very unique in that it portrays a cat who walks and talks like a human! This book would be great for preschool and school-age children to enjoy!

“Too wet to go out and too cold to play ball. So we sat in the house. We did nothing at all.“

“Red bird red bird what do you see? I see a yellow duck looking at me.“

This is a very simple yet enjoyable book for preschool children and even toddlers. It doesn't require a high level of attentiveness because it is very simple and easy to follow along. I love it!

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr is a classic poetry book that uses simple words yet vibrant images to make the story come alive. It is about a bear that comes across a variety of beautiful and colorful animals. It uses repetition by repeating the same line on every page, but with a different animal!

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, 1947 is a very enjoyable poetry book that is all about saying goodnight to all of the things inside the house in the story. The rhymes blend well together and the repetition is very comforting. I think young children would love having this story read to them by a teacher or family member!

This is another wonderful pick to read as a bedtime story! It is soft and soothing with simple rhymes and a beautiful form of poetry.

“Goodnight cow jumping over the moon“

“Llama Llama red pajama reads a story with his mama.“