“We are like the phoenix... Rising again, with a new life ahead of us“

I would use Esperanza Rising to teach children about migrant workers, labor rights, and the dust bowl. Students can identify historically accurate details and compare the book to nonfiction sources. I would also use the book to teach a social-emotional lesson about grief, change, and cultural identity. I would give students reflective writing opportunities to connect Esperanza's feelings to their own experiences.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan is a historical fiction novel for young readers that combines an engaging storyline with historical context. The book introduces students to life during the Great Depression and the experiences of Mexican migrant farmworkers, helping them understand issues like economic hardship, cultural identity, and social justice in an age-appropriate way.

“Her voice may not carry a tune, but it sings out for equality“.

I would use this book for a lesson on Courage, fairness, and persistence. I would first read aloud this book and discuss Ruth's challenges and how she stood up for whats right. I will then have students share a time they stood up for whats right. I will connect the book to social studies. To discuss civics, law, and government leaders. I will introduce the supreme court and what the word dissent means.

The book I dissent by Debbie Levy teaches children about Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Her life inspires children by showing courage, fairness, and persistence. Her story is engaging, relatable, and teaches kids to stand up for what‘s right and never give up.

“Iguaca! Iguaca! The parrots called as the forests where they made their nests were cut down. The parrots began to disappear from places where they had flown for millions of years“

I would Read the book aloud and discuss why the parrots‘ population declined. I would then have students create a cause-and-effect chart showing how human actions impacted the parrots. Finally I would have students brainstorm ways people can help animals in their own communities.

Parrots over Puerto Rico is a Sibert award winning book. This book clearly explains the true story of the Puerto Rican parrots and their recovery from near extinction. The poetic, vivid language and striking collage illustrations engage young readers while teaching about history, nature, and conservation. The text is clear, age-appropriate, and inspiring.

“We have to forget a little bit before we can forgive; when we no longer experience the pain as fresh, the insult is easier to forgive.”

I will use We Were Liars by E. Lockhart by having older (secondary) students will analyze how the themes of truth, memory, and privilege are developed through the plot and characters. By examining Cadence‘s narration, students will consider how her memories influence their understanding of the truth and shape the story‘s emotional impact. Students will identify quotes that reveal recurring ideas such as guilt, love, loss, wealth, and identity.

This contemporary realistic fiction novel We Were Liars by E. Lockhart captures the emotional reality of being a teenager in a very honest way. Even though the Sinclair family‘s wealth doesn‘t represent most people‘s everyday life, the feelings of pressure, confusion, love, and loss are experiences that many young people can relate to. Cadence‘s struggle with mental health, finding her identity, and her emotions mirror what many teens face

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscience. To this day she goes about whining in people's ears: “ZEEE! Is everyone still angry at me?“ When she does that, she gets an honest answer.“

I would use Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People‘s Ears to build literacy skills and cultural awareness. Students can practice sequencing by retelling the chain of events, explore cause-and-effect relationships, and discuss how folktales explain natural phenomena. The story also opens space for conversations about African storytelling traditions, and students can create their own pourquoi tales to explain something in nature.

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People‘s Ears by Verna Aardema is a pourquoi tale. It‘s considered a pourquoi tale because it comes from the oral storytelling tradition, passed down through generations, and it explains why something in nature is the way it is (in this case, why mosquitoes buzz in people‘s ears). The story uses talking animals, a chain of cause-and-effect events, and ends with a cultural lesson, which are all typical features of pourquoi.

I would use this book to highlight both reading comprehension and moral lessons. The wordless illustrations by Jerry Pinkney encourage students to practice visual literacy skills by retelling the story in their own words, identifying beginning, middle, and end, and discussing character feelings through pictures. The fable‘s message allows for discussions about empathy, cooperation, and respecting everyone‘s contributions.

The lion and the mouse by Jerry Pinkney is a Caldecott award winning picture book that is considered a fable. It‘s a retelling of one of Aesop‘s classic fables, which are short stories that use animals with human traits to teach a moral lesson. The lion and the mouse talk, think, and act like people. It also teaches a moral lesson that even the smallest creature can help the strongest, emphasizing kindness.

“And when he heard that, the swan knew that it was worth having undergone all the suffering and loneliness he had“

I would use this book to teach both literacy skills and social-emotional learning. The story provides opportunities to discuss characters, setting, and problem/solution while also exploring themes of kindness, belonging, and self-acceptance. Activities such as retelling the story, illustrating the duckling‘s transformation, or writing their own “different but special” stories.

The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen is a fairy tale.It is a fairy tale because it uses simple language, symbolic characters, and a clear moral lesson.
The animals talk, think, and feel like humans, which is a staple of fairy tale books. A key feature of many fairy tales is magical or symbolic change—in this case, the “ugly duckling” grows into a swan, symbolizing inner potential being revealed.

“Avoidance altogether is really the best policy with this kind of reaction“ (31).

The graphic novel format supports comprehension and visual analysis, while Maggie‘s experiences with allergies, friendship, and family changes open opportunities for discussions about empathy, resilience, and inclusion. Students can practice reading strategies, reflect on personal challenges through writing, explore the science of allergies, and express themselves through art or comics.

Allergic” by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter is a middle‐grade graphic novel that deals with many mature and complex themes — changing family dynamics, identity, disappointment, health, fairness — but does so in a way that is very accessible to younger readers (roughly ages 8-12). The combination of visuals + text allows for emotional nuance, pacing, and visual cues that help younger readers follow along even when things are intense.

“Hey! He blew me right out of the story!“

I would use this book to teach about point of view and story telling. I will read the book to students and discuss how the story changes when characters “leave“ their own narrative. I would use this to explain the concept of breaking the fourth wall and how that changes perspective and meaning. I would also have students rewrite another tale where characters step out of their story.

In The Three Pigs by David Wiesner, the illustrations break traditional storytelling by showing the pigs stepping out of their storybook world. The artwork shows the pigs leaving a story about themselves and jumping out of the pages. The author uses spacing and movement to help the pigs tell their own story. The illustrations help emphasize imagination and the idea that characters can shape their own destiny's.

“Music swirled, twirled, and soared on wings of sound“

I will use this book to teach about music and emotions. I will play different pieces of music for my students and have them draw what the music makes them feel. We will repeat this for a variety of different pieces of music. This allows students to compare and contrast music. It also allows students to creatively express their emotions. I will then have a whole group discussion where students show what they drew for each piece and explain why.

In Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln, Rafael López‘s illustrations deepen the story‘s meaning by making emotions and music visible. Swirling lines and flowing patterns show the energy of Teresa‘s piano, visually representing the energy of music and showing how her songs carried emotions beyond words through dark and bright tones.

“Don't eat me. I am an inchworm. I am useful. I measure things.“

I would use “Inch by Inch“ by Leo Lionni to teach students about measurement skills and problem solving. I will have students listen to the story and analyze how the inchworm solves problems in the story. Students will measure different objects around the classroom, just like the inchworm. They will record their findings and discuss how measuring helps solve problems.

The picture book “Inch by Inch“ By Leo Lionni uses colors, spacing, and vertical lines to create meaning in the text. The book utilizes a lot of warm, watercolor-like textures to give the book a soft organic look. The bright bold colors of the birds and plants contrast with the green of the little inch worm. The color contrast helps to emphasize scale showing how the inchworm looks tiny but clever among big, vibrant creatures.

“Dad will nod and smile and eat with his eyes half-closed. “Good fish“, he will say to me. “

I would use this story to explain different cultures and how different people have different views and experiences in the world. This book explores a boy and his father fishing to provide food for their family. An activity I would use with this book is having students write or draw about a family experience that is meaningful to them. You can then put all students drawings or writings on a poster for the whole class to see.

This picture book uses color to emphasize the main character on the different pages. All of the scenes created on pages are dark and utilize navy blue. But where the boy is seen he is emphasized on every page with bright red clothing. The scenes are also dark when the boy and his dad are working to catch dinner for the family. But as soon as they arrive home the colors are vibrant and yellow showing emphasis on the comfort that comes with home.

“Jasper rabbit would never get into that carrot patch every again“

I would use this story to have students practice writing and understanding text. I would have students create their own “Creepy_____“ stories. This requires students to focus on text elements like plot, climax, rising action, falling action, and dialogue.

This picture book utilizes black and white and color to provide emphasis on different story elements. There are dark, black and white pages that give the story its erie creepy feel. The illustrator utilizes orange to show the carrots and different objects that the boy believes to be said creepy carrots. I think this playful effect makes it very interesting and satisfying to look at.

There are very few words in this book but the illustrations capture and tell the story.

I would use this book to represent different cultures and to celebrate diversity in the classroom. It allows students to view the world through a new lens that they may relate to or open their eyes to. This book helps students understand their peers on a different level. It helps students see the story through its beautiful and thorough illustrations.

This picture book was awarded the Caldecott honor book for 2025. The illustrations highlight the feelings and emotions that food from home makes the main character feel. This is done through the illustrators use of warm colors. The illustrations also help to explain the main characters feelings by showing darkness surrounding her when she is sad or feeling alone.

This book is a Caldecott medal winning book published in 2010. This is a story about a chicken who continuously interrupts his father when his father is trying to read him a bed time story. The chicken is always interrupting and cutting the story off before his father can reach the ending of the story. The chickens father gets tired and asks the chicken to tell him a story of his own. The story is so exciting that it puts his father to sleep.

“Sometimes when you're surrounded by dirt...you're a better witness for what's beautiful.”

I would use this book in my classroom to promote values of gratitude and empathy. It emphasizes the importance and beauty of helping others. I would also use this book to discuss the difference between wants and needs. This book is a great resource when teaching about social inequality. It beautifully displays social and economic inequality through the perspective of a child.

This is a Caldecott medal winning book published in 2015. This story is about a boy named Cj and his Nana. Cj is frequently complaining and questioning his lack of material goods and possessions compared to his friends. His Nana consistently teaches him how to find beauty in the simple things around him. The story ends at the soup kitchen where Cj and Nana help serve others around them.

“But no matter what Chooch does — even if he's messing something up! Which is basically all the time! — their parents say he's just 'helping.“

I would use the book Chooch helped as a valuable resource because it teaches important lessons about sibling relationships, cultural heritage, and the learning process. The book depicts themes of inclusion, the evolution of family dynamics, and how children learn by imitation, while also introducing readers to aspects of Cherokee culture through language and symbols.

This book is a Caldecott medal winner published in 2024. This picture book is about a Cherokee family, sibling dynamics, cultural traditions, and growing understanding. Chooch is always trying to help, however, his help causes messes. His sister becomes frustrated with his “help“ and yells at him. His sister realizes that her brother learns by watching and copying her and she begins to guide him.

“Crunch, crunch, crunch, his feet sank into the snow.”