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

I think this is a great book to expose children to explain the hardships of life. This story is told in the times of the Great Depression. This book helps students see the reality of the Great Depression and the hardships people went through during those times. This book can help connect history content to ELA. It also helps children learn that things may not always be the way they are now.

A Mexican-American author wrote this historical fiction piece of literature. It is told through the daughter of a wealthy Mexican father after her father is murdered. It causes Esperanza and her family to flee to California during the Great Depression. Some actual events inspired it. Esperanza has to learn the importance of love and sacrifice. Esperanza has to learn how to deal with hard labor, financial struggles, and more.

This book contains beautiful illustrations accompanied by facts about each woman and their lives. Being broken up into 40 individual one-page biographies this story would easily offer a teacher the opportunity to share one or two stories with their class at a time. These mini-biographies could potentially act as introductions for further potential research about women. Each individual are the perfect example of a fast-moving narratives.

This piece of children‘s literature was the debut book for author Vashti Harrison. This book features a collection of 40 biographies focusing on trailblazing black women in our world's history. This book educates and inspires readers as it retells the true stories of women who broke boundaries and exceeded all gender and racial societal expectations. This book was awarded to The Amelia Bloomer Book List in 2018.

“Some artists paint pictures of flowers or people or landscapes. Not Jackson. He expresses his thoughts and feelings directly on the canvas, calling it “energy and motion made visible.”

This children's book is an example of a biography, told from a third person perspective. Upon reading it, I found it to be a fast-moving narrative. It was a rather short read in comparison to other biographies. Additionally, it was very easy to read and follow along with. It told a beautiful story focusing on the subject of art. It offers its readers additional knowledge on the subject and the various thoughts that go into the work of artists.

Published in 2002, this children's biography is an authoritative account of the life of the pioneering abstract expressionist painter, Jackson Pollock. Throughout the book it discusses the time, skill, and uniqueness that is displayed in all of his artwork. In the book it specifically follows Pollock through this creation of his famous painting, “Lavender Mist“. It is a Robert F. Sibert Honor Book recipient. It is a Robert F. Sibert Honor Book.

“Twenty-six years after Bill‘s arrival in Chattanooga, his plan was complete. He had worked, sweated, and prayed. Now he finally had his loving family around him, just like when he was a boy. Only now they were all free”.

This biography is a fast-moving narrative that follows the life of an enslaved boy named Bill. This book would offer students knowledge about what being an enslaved person was like. The book displays accurate information about Bill‘s life in a story format with pictures that also help to tell the story.

This book is about an enslaved boy, Bill, who learned to become a blacksmith and eventually made a deal with Colonel Lewis to rent his freedom so he could open his own blacksmith workshop in Chattanooga. Bill eventually earned enough money to buy the freedom of his wife, children, and himself. Bill also saved enough money to buy the freedom of the rest of his family including his mother, aunt, brothers, and sister.

“Get ready for a BLAST. Get ready for JOSEPHINE.”

This biography is a fast-moving narrative as it shares the overview of Josephine Baker's life. The biography highlights the extraordinary life of Josephine Baker and how she overcame many challenges. One main topic the book focuses on is segregation and how Josephine believed everybody, no matter their race, could live together in harmony. This was very important to include in this biography as Josephine was very motivated to speak out against it.

Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker, is a beautifully written and illustrated biography about Josephine Baker's life. The book highlights the joy of Josephine Baker and her life accomplishments as a dancer, actor, and performer. The book celebrates her life as it shares the barriers she broke to her rise to fame. Overall, Josephine Baker was a great inspiration to many and this book does an excellent job capturing it.

“In February, as the Polar night begins to approach the Antarctic, the young will begin a long journey north, migrating, following the pack ice as the Southern Ocean begins to freeze.“

I think this is a very unique book setup. You do not have to read the entire book cover to cover. A child can read a section of the book and still learn something. The watercolors depict the scenarios wonderfully. A child can learn from the pictures as well. I would use this book in my classroom and aim to read it around December-January time frame. It would be neat to read the journal of that date on that calendar day. This can engage students.

My Season with Penguins An Antarctic Journal by Sophie Webb shows a glimpse of the life of penguins during the two months of December - January. Webb is a biologist and added beautiful watercolor pictures that depict what she observed every day. She is studying a breeding colony of Adélie penguins on Cape Royds, an island off the coast of Antarctica. And because it is picture-oriented it can apply to a younger audience to learn about penguins.

“They were one of the first predators to walk on land, starting more than 350 million years ago. And they are still one of the most successful predators. Today, there are more than 38,000 types of spiders.”

I enjoyed reading this book and think it would be appropriate for all ages. This book would pique the interest of any study who is interested in learning more about animals, especially spiders. The book has an intriguing cover with a large image of a spider. The book is a Robert F. Sibert Honor book.

This book contains lots of information about the way spiders live, how their body works, different statistics about spiders, and the different species of spiders. The book includes photographs of real spiders with captions describing what the spider may be doing in the photograph. The book also contains facts about how spiders find a mate and acquire their food.

“Certain species of animals inflate themselves to appear bigger and more formidable to enemies. Some types of birds do this to show off during breeding season.”

I enjoyed reading this book and would use this with older grades. The book contains some complex vocabulary as well as a wide variety of structures. The book would definitely interest children who are curious about animals.

This book contains many interesting aspects of animals. Each chapter shows what aspect that sets apart each animal from others. The book includes diagrams, captions, and illustrations depicting each animal‘s unique traits.

“It was a royal pain for those who made the paint, and so expensive, only the wealthy could buy it.”

I thought that this book did an excellent job discussing the significance of the color blue by understanding its cultural and historical presence. The illustrations throughout the book expressed much emotion and allowed the reader to capture the powerful message.

The book, Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky, highlights the significance of the color blue. The book dives deeper into understanding the significance of the color blue by examining its history and cultural presence over the years. Overall, through its creativity, the book traces the origin and allows students to view social justice issues.

“When you face the wind, gazillions of moving air molecules collide with you. That's why you feel the push of the wind.“

This children's picture book is intended for readers ages four-seven years old. After reviewing this book and its various components, I would agree with this statement. This book provides an interactive opportunity for its readers to tap into their personal experiences and preconceived knowledge about this scientific topic. The structure of words throughout this book is helpful in explaining the movement of wind and air in various scenarios.

This children's nonfiction picture book focuses on the science concept of wind. In the beginning of the story the young girl is faced with a strong wind when exploring the outdoors. Basic observations are stated that teach the properties of air to young children who are just beginning to explore various scientific concepts. The artwork in the story is digitally designed, and the words are portrayed in a creative and typographical manner.

“With writhing arms and ghostly, lidless eyes they glide; some large as buses, some weighing a ton. So big, yet rarely seen.“

This would be a great book to read to students to get them engaged in a lesson that talks about deep-sea animals. This book is about the mysterious giant squid and how it lives deep deep deep in the sea. It is a Robert F. Sibert Honor Book. It discusses the challenges that come with living in the deep sea and how the squid defends itself and its babies.

This a nonfiction book that explores the mysterious animal in the deep sea, the Giant Squid. It uncovers the different body parts of the squid and why they are important to the squid. For example, it explains the eye being as big as a soccer ball. Then the story tells how when another dangerous animal comes up, the squid squirts its ink to defend itself.

Sally's Sweet Corn

“Get your roasted sweet corn here!
Can't be beat this time of year!
Eat it fast.
Eat it slow.
Crunch in circles.
Nibble rows.
Wipe the butter off your chin.
Ear to ear, you're sure to grin.
Quick, before it disappears!
Step right up the sweet corn's here!“

This children's book contains various elements of poetry including sound patterns and a sense of imagery. Specifically, the poems incorporate the use of rhyming words amongst the lines presented within them creating a very easy and continuous flow. Additionally, the poems allow the readers to imaginatively tap into their sense of sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch as they imagine themselves exploring the various components of a farmers' market.

This book contains a collection of poems that work together to tell a story that celebrates and portrays a day spent at a farmers' market. The poems highlight the things to do, people to see, and things to eat while at the market. The poems also share with the readers the various foods that farmers work hard to grow, harvest, make, and then share with their community to encourage healthy eating habits.

“If you want to share a poem with me,
Give it to the tall birch tree.
Or if you need a friend for writing,
Playing with, or sit besdie-ing,
I'll be here for you joyfully,
Right beneath the Poetree.“

This children's book contains various elements of poetry including the use of sound patterns and a sense of imagery in order to tell the story. The poems written by both Sylvia and Walt were filled with rhyming phrases that portrayed the world and nature around them during the season of spring. The poems focused on the readers senses of smell, sight, and sounds as they each created vivid imagery of what we experience during the spring season.

This story is about a young girl named Sylvia who wrote a poem and shared it with a tree in the park, tying it to its trunk. The next day she found a new poem tied to the tree. Sylvia was in disbelief that the tree had written a poem back to her. Sylvia comes to find out that the poems where not from the tree but rather by a young boy in her class. The two kids became friends and continued to trade rhymes under the tree that brought them together.

“Night coming tenderly, black like me.“

This children's book contains various elements of poetry including meaning, sound patterns, and a sense of imagery. The book holds valuable meaning that brings upon raw emotions and mood of the reader. Its message is portrayed through the use of multiple rhyming sound patterns amongst the various lines. Finally, the story taps into the readers vivid sense of imagery through the use of descriptive language and powerful illustrations.

This children's book sends readers an inspiring and timeless message of pride, joy, and the dream of a better life. The story is told through the perspective of a young African American boy. The story follows him throughout his day as the harsh reality of segregation and racial prejudice comes into vivid focus. But the boy dreams of a different life-one that is full of freedom, hope, and wild possibility.

From the poem How To Be a Tree in Winter, by Irene Latham, “Enough Hiding- drop any leaves that linger. Etch your message in calligraphy across a parchment sky”

I would use this book across all ages, some poems are more complex than others. Some have a deeper meaning that could be fun to investigate with older children, while others are great for younger students as they are learning the rhythm or beat of poems. There are many times when you can spot rhyming words, making this an enjoyable read.

This book is a collection of poems. Each poem uses a “How to” format for all kinds of different activities. Some poems are more serious while others are light and playful. Since each poem is different and from different authors there are many types of poetry elements, including, sound patterns, figurative language, rhythm, and sense imagery.

“Hundreds of voices fill the sky. How did those birds learn to fly?”

I would use this book with younger students, the poem contains simple words that use a beat. The poem could be used with a science topic as well as with a poetry unit. The short words make for a fast-moving pace.

This book is a longer poem about how a baby bird enters the world and is introduced to what is expected. The bay bird inquires about who and what are around him. This poem uses rhyming words along with a beat to show what ages are appropriate to share this poem with. The book contains real pictures of birds and their babies.

“She is thinking of her kits; they must be fed. A dreadful thought for some”.

I would use this book in my classroom to show students how poetry can reflect the way something is presented or acts. For example, there is a large space in the text after a deer hears a branch snap, this represents the deer being spooked and running away. Students could use this formula of writing poems into their own life to represent how they feel.