“...and I wonder if maybe an oxygen mask is hiding amongst the crumbs of memories caught between the cushions of this couch”

t is written in a poetic way that really captivates the image of what it was like for some families and young adults that struggled during the COVID-19 Pandemic. I would highly recommend this book for middle to high school readers.

I absolutely love this book! It is broken up into three parts, breath one, breath two, and breath three. The main boy in it is facing the challenges of the Covid 19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. It discusses his families struggles during this time and how it all overwhelms him.

It is he who heals the broken in spirit and binds up their wounds, he who numbers the stars one by one

Although the story can be grim and dark at some points, it is informative and tells an important story of the hardships faced by the Jewish people during World War II. This is a good independent reading book for 4th through 12th graders since it is not too challenging of a read but tells a timeless tale.

I will bridge the gap between Black and White... and hopefully all people! I suppose some things in life are just meant to be.

This autobiography is a good read for elementary and middle school students since it is a first person perspective of a huge historical event. Hearing Bridges personal account will give students a deeper understanding of that time period and shows the importance of inclusion.

This book tells the story of Ruby Bridges, one of the first ever Black children to be allowed in a “white school“ after integration was enforced in the 1960's. This autobiography tells us Bridges personal perspective and gives the reader a sense of triumph as she keeps her head up high.

Fight for the things you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.

This book is a great choice for children of any age because it tells an important story. Telling the story of RGB, this book can inspire and show the importance of having woman in positions of power, an important lesson for any student.

Following the life and influence of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, this book tells her journey to becoming the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court. The reader sees all the hardships and triumphs of this trailblazing justice.

When she visits the next flower, some of this pollen is rubbed off onto the stigma. This fertilizes the plant and causes it to produce seeds and fruit.

This would be a great book for a science unit on pollination or how all animals contribute to nature. This is a very interesting read for students of any age to show them how important bees are to the world.

This nonfiction book explains to its readers the importance of bees to our world. Woolf explains the importance of bees by giving examples of all we would not have without bees (fruits, veggies, cotton) and weaving a fun, compelling story that remains informative.

Girls and boys come out to play, the moon doth shine as bright as day.

This is a great book for pre-k and preschool aged children who are getting ready for nap time. It introduces poetry concepts at a young age and features familiar characters.

Featuring many famous mother goose characters, this poetry book is connects to its readers background knowledge while telling a new story. Written for children at the bed time hour, this poem uses rhyming to convey its message

The village of the Glumm is gloomy and grim for miles in all directions. A grisly, ghastly, ghostly place except for these exceptions.

Since this poetry collection is themed around Halloween, it would be a perfect way to embed poetry into Halloween activities. Students could use this book to make their own Halloween theme poem using of the poetry conventions used in the collection.

This fun collection of poems centers around Halloween. Using many poetry tropes such as alliteration, rhyming, and onomatopoeia, this is a perfect poetry book to get students learning about poetry and excited for Halloween.

All night long
The moonlit sea
tosses white chrysanthemums
to the rocky shore

Since the poems are so short, this is a great, quick read for early readers and can add a bit of poetry to any school day at any grade. The teacher could read one of these poems as a transition activity during the day to reorient students and get them used to poetry and its structures in a fun and interesting way.

This collection of poems lives up to its name, providing its readers with short poems all about life, nature, and all the creatures that inhabit the Earth. Easy to read and with a poetic structure, this collection is sure to keep young readers engaged and get them excited about poetry.

Give the skunk a lot of room, unless you care for strong perfume.

This is a great book to have around the classroom for students to read during silent reading time or as a choice for a read aloud. These poems are both informative and fun, so elementary students of any age would gain from being exposed to this collection.

In this collection of poems, David Elliot tells his readers about all the different animals you may find in the woods. With some poems digging into the subject and others providing shorter and sillier poems, there is something for everyone in this collection.

Competition?...I'm really not fond of competition.

This poetry book would be a great way to introduce Greek Mythology to students in an interesting, engaging way. During a week on Greek culture, the teacher could read one of these poems a day, but have the book present so that the students could read more of them if they wanted to.

Echo Echo is a collection of poems that bring several Greek myths to life. Many famous Greek myths are included such as the story of Athena and Arachne. With strong themes and poetic structure, this a great poetry collection for any reader.

“I‘m the voice where freedom rings. You‘re the love your bright heart brings.”

This is a great book for children of any age. It uses a rhyming structure which is engaging for young children, but the message is suitable for students of any age. This is a great morning meeting book or a book to spark a discussion on what change students can bring to their community.

This triumphant poem pairs meaningful words with powerful imagery to get across its inspiring message. The poem encourages its readers to fight for good and that a difference can be made in the world. Kindness and empathy are strong themes in this book, showing that with love, you can do anything.

There are 86,400 seconds of screaming-not-screaming in every single day. Crying-not-crying. Feeling-not-feeling. But it‘s still so loud, you know? How can it be that loud?

This book uses harsh language such as cursing and slurs, making it not suitable for many young readers. Although, the themes of doing the right thing and perseverance would make it great for any high school student.

In this coming of age tale, Angie takes on bullies, love lost, and the loss of her sister. After a fight with the captain of the football team who had been terrorizing her all year, Angie sets off on a road trip with new and unexpected friends. What ensues is heartwarming, surprising, and a pleasure to read.

He was released from Angle Island! His father was waiting for him with arms outstretched. “Now we must look for opportunities,” he said.

As word spread of a dramatic “new” potter practically unknown to the art world, interest grew. George‘s pots had survived to tell his story. Famous artists, collectors, museum curators-everybody wanted one.

This book is a great independent read for students who are advanced readers in grades 3-5. Due to its exciting nature, use of interesting text fonts and sizes, and illustrations, this is a great biography to keep students interested and show them a bit about what life was like during the time.

This book follows the life story of George Ohr, chronicling his early life, work, influence, and death. Full of quotes and illustrations to keep the reader engaged, Ohr‘s passion for pottery is explored. Through this book, the reader learns why George Ohr is known as the “Mad Potter” and how his unconventional methods and beautiful work made him famous.

This book is great for students who are passionate about art, or for a unit on immigration and Angel Island. This book is also great because it provides a window or mirror for students to see bits of Chinese culture.

This book follows the life of Tyrus Wong, a Chinese-American illustrator and animator, telling his story and celebrating his work. Tyrus and his father immigrated to America when he was just a young boy, using fake names and identities. With a passion for art, Tyrus began working at Disney and created the style for the movie Bambi. This book aims to credit Tyrus for his achievements and recognize his influence.

Like many nonfiction books, this book is perfect for any age. This book would serve as a great read aloud to get students thinking about math and science concepts like units of length, space, and animals. This would be a great book to introduce measuring in a math classroom.

Your Place in the Universe by Jason Chin is jam-packed with facts and accurate, eye catching illustrations to give the reader perspective of their place in the universe. This book is all about the relations between us, and all the creatures and distances in the universe. This book is guaranteed to get young readers thinking of how big the universe is and learning all about animals and space.

In the murk…an eye! Round. Unblinking. Some as big as soccer balls. The biggest eyes on the planet.

This book would serve as a great nonfiction read aloud for elementary students across all grades. The true nature of the story incorporates science into the read aloud and makes it suitable for any grade.

Giant Squid by Candace Fleming tells the true story of a scientists journey to find the titular Giant Squid. Fleming tells this story through the use of poetic language and eye grabbing, detailed illustrations. The book breaks down the Giants Squids features, as well as how and what it eats. This fascinating creature is brought to life through colorful descriptions and the illustrations.

The stench inside the convention center is “indescribable…overpowering…it‘s like a solid wall almost pushing you back.”

Due to its topic, Drowned City is a tough read for anybody. This book is probably best used in an older 4-8 classroom during a unit on natural disasters in science or about Hurricane Katrina specifically in a social studies classroom.

Drowned City by Don Brown depicts the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Told in the style of a graphic novel, this book provides accurate depictions, both visually and with its words, of the effects of Hurricane Katrina. The book does not shy away from the graphic nature of its content, telling the heartbreaking stories of those who did not make it, and the hardships faced by those who did.

Grand Canyon is one of the largest canyons in the world. It is 277 miles long, as much as 18 miles wide, and more than a mile deep, but it‘s much more than just a big hole in the ground.