“Now...our newspapers are filled with illustrations.“

Bibliography (2006)- The book is about Benjamin Franklin and highlights how Ben notices the small details in everyday life, comparing the way things were before and how they are now. These comparisons help readers reflect on the changes, growth, and passage of time.

I can use this in my classroom by focusing on the different inventions that Ben Franklin invented and how it has helped us today. The students can do an achor chart explaining the different inventions.

“Seems like we were always playing, traveling, or eating. That‘s about all we did. Played the game because we loved it.”

Nonfiction-It was named the Robert F. Sibert Honor Book. The information is presented clearly and in a storytelling style that makes complex historical events easy to understand. This book is meant for older elementary to middle school students.

As a teacher, I can use this book in the classroom to connect it to social studies. I can teach about segregation and the civil rights movement through the lens of baseball. Students will be able to explore how sports reflect larger issues of equality in American history.

Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor is about a twelve-year-old boy named Nnamdi who lives in Nigeria and wants to find out who killed his father, the town‘s police chief. One day, he receives a magical statue called an Ikenga that gives him super strength and power, but also fills him with anger. As Nnamdi learns to control his powers, he discovers the true meaning of justice and what it means to be a hero.

“One thing that I‘ve always wanted to do is celebrate Indigenous Nigerian — probably most specifically Igbo — cultural and mythical and cosmological beliefs within my stories because, you know, I feel like colonialism has stifled a lot of that and made those things taboo or to be viewed as evil. And I think that‘s highly problematic.”

I can use this book in my classroom. I can focus on character development, theme, and plot. I can have a student track Nnamdi's emotions and choices as he learns to control the Ikendas' power.

Contemporary Realistic Fiction (2011)- The book The Running Dream was about a high school track star named Jessica whose life changes after she loses her leg in a bus accident. Jessica struggles with anger, grief, and fear that she will never run again. She learns to see her life differently. In the end, she discovers new strength, redefines her dreams, and proves that hope and determination can carry her farther than she imagined.

“If the mind's not strong, the body acts weak, even if it's not. If the mind says it's too cold or too rainy or too windy to run, the body will be more than happy to agree. If the mind says it would be better to rest or recover or cut practice, the body will be glad to oblige.“

I can use this book in my future classroom to talk about how we can overcome challenges we face. We can talk about strategies to help use remain in a positive mindset.

“I just can't be myself at the school. I gotta be more!“ - Drew Ellis

As a teacher, I can use this book, Class Act, to address social themes such as friendship, bullying, racial identity, and empathy. This book would be used in an older grade level based on the vocabulary used in the book. The questions I would ask the students would consist of how they handle challenges in their lives, which relates to how the new kid faces challenges. We could also talk about how situations could be handled differently.

Graphic Novel (2020): In the book Class Act, children move beyond the plot to help readers engage with the text and images. The graphic novels use illustrations and dialogue to narrate the social dynamics and socioeconomic issues to help young readers understand the book. Jerry Craft makes complex themes to allow the readers to see/ imagine the characters' emotions, reactions, and interactions, which leads to deeper thinking.

“Sometimes the funniest things happen when you least expect them.“

Realistic Fiction: Winner of the Caldecott Medal (1973)- This story tells a woman's everyday life with characters who act like real people but without magical or fantastical elements. There are events in this book that can happen in real life that children can relate to.

I can use the book, Funny Little Woman, by addressing the topic of critical thinking skills. As a teacher, i can address how students deal with challenges that relate to the book and how we could address those challenges differently.

“Even the smallest friend can be the greatest helper.“

The Lion & The Mouse (Caldecott Award 2010) is a fable because this story teaches a lesson, and uses creatures to show how they can make a difference and help others using kindness. The characters in the book are a lion and a mouse that talks, which reflects human behavior.

In the classroom, I can use this book by addressing social lessons that can be used in our everyday lives. For example, I can use the story to teach empathy, kindness, and how small individuals can make a difference. I can then ask the students how they can help someone in the classroom, at home, or even in a public setting.

“I know,“ said Papa Bear

This book is a Fairy Tale (Caldecott honor) because the bear talks and has a fully furnished house, which is not realistic.

I can use the Fairy Tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears can be used in the classroom to practice comprehension. The students can practice retelling the story through a sequence of events, identifying the beginning, middle, and end.

Picture book (1968)- The colors reds, golds, and yellows represent the joyful moments, especially when Fool succeeds or has magical events happen. The darker colors in the book, blue, purple, and grays, are used for danger and difficult challenges, which helps students understand the emotional shift in the story.

“Though everyone thought he was a fool, he kept going, and with a little clever thinking and a lot of kindness, he achieved the impossible.”

I can use the book The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship in the classroom to do an activity on literacy activities. I can do a lesson on story sequencing, and the students can retell the story of Fool's Journey.

Picture Book (2003)- The illustrations in the book create a calm, cozy, and peaceful feeling of Hondo and Fabian's adventures. The colors brown, yellow, and soft oranges give a sense of comfort and home, making the dogs and cat feel a safe environment in the story.

“Side by side, Hondo and Fabian eat their food.“

I can use the book Hondo and Fabian in the classroom by discussing friendships. We can cover how Hondo and Fabian show care and support for each other. Then I can ask “What makes a good friend?“ and “How do you help each other?“

Picture book (1996)- The illustrations in the book help emphasize the hippopotamus' emotions. For example, the blush on the hippopotamus is shown in warm colors, which means it is shy, embarrassed, or excited. Also, the background colors are soft peach, which helps set the scene and tone of calmness.

“A mindful hippopotamus, this is you, too.“

I can use the book The Blushul Hippopotamus, which can help discuss emotions and self-awareness in general. First, we can discuss how the hippopotamus and the other animals are feeling throughout the book. Then we can talk about how we feel as humans sometimes, and what each emotion means.

Picture book (1941)- The illustrations in Paddle-to-the-Sea are arranged to show Paddle's journey step by step from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. The images include maps, insets, and diagrams to help show that paddle moves through rivers, lakes, and cities. each page has color and is very simple art.

“Spring came, and Paddle was two years old.“

In my future classroom, I can use this book to discuss the journey of Paddle and the sea. We can cover the challenges Paddle may face on the journey and why the ocean is important. Then we can talk about some challenges we have faced and what we did to overcome the problem.

Picture book (1969)- The pictures in the book are very warm. The colors in the book are dark colors, orange, black, dark green, and dark purple. All the illustrations are simple, but the colors add a warm and deep sense of meaning to the book.

“They started. Suddenly, some big boys appeared.“

The book Goggles can be used in the classroom by discussing how important it is to share, solve conflicts, and play together. I can ask discussion questions like “How can we be good friends when we want the same thing?“ or What would you do if you both wanted the same toy?“ We will explore how the characters in this book work through conflicts and what the solution was.

The illustrations in this book help tell the story of how the magic yarn is represented throughout the text. The colors of the yarn match Annabelle's sweater, which gets more and more colorful. Then, if the sweater gets colorful, the string gets longer and longer as the book goes on. The lines in this book are horizontal and the pictures are very simple.

“So she knit a sweater for Mars, too.“

In the book Extra Yarn, I will use this in my future classroom by having students make up their own stories using pictures or sentence strips. Also, I can use it to have students create their own “extra yarn“ projects, which might incorporate decorating the classroom or something that symbolizes them.

Picture book (2012)- The pictures in this book help create suspense and humor, creating a visually engaging experience that helps Aaron Reynolds narrate the story. The contrast emphasizes the carrots, but also adds a fun touch to make it engaging for students.

“Everywhere Jasper Rabbit hopped, he could feel those carrots creeping, peeking, and plotting in the shadows.”

The book Creepy Carrot helps students create their own imagination, and it helps kids put ideas from a story into content.

Picture book (2024)- Jun has just moved from Hong Kong to America, and everything at her new school feels confusing and unfamiliar. She doesn't know much English and feels nervous about fitting in.

“Lun feels out of place in her new school, but when she opens her lunchbox filled with dumplings and bok choy, she‘s reminded that home can be carried with her—one bite at a time.“

The book Home in a Lunchbox creates a great message of how everyone is different, and it is important to respect each child's culture.

“We went owling one cold winter night.”

As a teacher, this book can be used to address the observation, patience, and the beauty of the natural world, while highlighting the bond between the parent and child or between the teacher and students.