Biography

Amelia Lost

By: Candace Fleming

Publisher: Schwartz and Wade

Copyright Date: February 8, 2011

Pages: 118

Genre: Biography

Grade Level: 6-8

Awards: Received four starred reviews and Best Book of the Year accolades from School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Horn Book Magazine, the Washington Post, and the New York Times. It also received the Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award Nominee for Grades 6-8 (2013), the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2013), and the Cybils Award for Young Adult Nonfiction (2011).

Summary: This book tells of Amelia Earhart's life, switching back and forth each chapter between her life as a child to her final flight. It covers the extensive search sent out for Amelia and her plane. This book includes pictures, maps, and notes written by Amelia herself. It also includes fun information about Amelia and facts about the history of flight. 

Classroom Use: This would be a great book to use when studying history. When you get to this time period in social studies, you could introduce Amelia using this book. One way to incorporate the book would be to split the class up into small groups and assign each group a different part of the book. Give the class time to read their portions and then have them present their part of the book to the class. This way not everyone has to read the entire book but they are all still getting the valuable information within. 

Rating:

	***	**	*	-	Comments
Plot	Plot is well developed with a sequence of events. The events are in good logical order. There is a clear conflict and resolution.	Plot contains a sequence of events. The events are in order but the conflict is not clear or does not contain a clear resolution.	There are events but they are not in good chronological order. The climax and resolution are lacking or not present.	Not addressed	*** Story of Amelia’s life is well portrayed and includes great detail. The book has a clear order going back and forth from her final flight to her childhood.
Characters	Characters are well developed with clear roles and contribute to the story. Reader is able to personally connect with the character(s).	Characters have clear roles within the story. Reader is not able to connect with the character(s).	Character(s) are present but do not have clear roles. Reader is not able to connect with character(s).	No characters developed	*** Amelia’s life is told with great detail. The book also includes interesting facts about her.
Style and Language	Book contains precise vocabulary, figurative language, and or dialogue. When dialogue is used it is effective and not distracting.	Book contains precise vocabulary and/or figurative language. When dialogue is used it is distracting.	Book contains very little precise vocabulary and no figurative language or dialogue.	Book contains no precise vocabulary or figurative language. No dialogue is used.	*** The book is well written. It includes vocabulary about planes and flying and explains what they mean.
Theme	There is a clear theme and it is easily identifiable by the story.	There is a theme but it is a little more difficult to identify.	The theme is almost impossible to identify.	There is no theme.	*** The theme is flight and accomplishments of women.

Historical Fiction

The Borrowed House

By: Hilda Van Stockum

Publisher: Bethlehem Books

Copyright date: First in 1975, again in 2000

Pages: 221

Genre: Historical Fiction

Grade Level: 7th-10th

Summary: A young girl named Janna moves from Germany to Nazi occupied Amsterdam with her parents. Both of her parents are actors so Janna often finds herself alone in the big house. As a former Hitler youth, Janna is confused by all the violence in the streets and shocked by the hatred the Dutch have for the Germans. She has so many questions and wandering around the house all day, Janna starts to find the answers. 

Classroom use: This would be a great book to have students read when learning about the Holocaust. Instead of having the students read through the text book, you could give them a couple options of books about the Holocaust to choose from and read. This book, along with the Winged Watchman and a few others you may find can be given as options. Giving the students options is a great way to help them find one that they will enjoy reading more. Students can then give book reports, highlighting facts about the Holocaust that were in their book. I would have the students give more creative/interactive book reports instead of writing a paper. Ideas include; a book in a bag, drawing a new book cover, and building a diorama. 

Rating: 

	***	**	*	-	Comments
Plot	Plot is well developed with a sequence of events. The events are in good logical order. There is a clear conflict and resolution.	Plot contains a sequence of events. The events are in order but the conflict is not clear or does not contain a clear resolution.	There are events but they are not in good chronological order. The climax and resolution are lacking or not present.	Not addressed	*** The plot is well developed with a clear sequence of events. There is a clear conflict and resolution.
Characters	Characters are well developed with clear roles and contribute to the story. Reader is able to personally connect with the character(s).	Characters have clear roles within the story. Reader is not able to connect with the character(s).	Character(s) are present but do not have clear roles. Reader is not able to connect with character(s).	No characters developed	*** The characters are well developed and each has a clear role that contributes to the story.
Style and Language	Book contains precise vocabulary, figurative language, and or dialogue. When dialogue is used it is effective and not distracting.	Book contains precise vocabulary and/or figurative language. When dialogue is used it is distracting.	Book contains very little precise vocabulary and no figurative language or dialogue.	Book contains no precise vocabulary or figurative language. No dialogue is used.	*** This book contains precise vocabulary and when dialogue is used it is very important and contributes to the story.
Theme	There is a clear theme and it is easily identifiable by the story.	There is a theme but it is a little more difficult to identify.	The theme is almost impossible to identify.	There is no theme.	*** There is a clear theme in the story and it is “Things are not always as they seem”.

Realistic Fiction

No, David!

By: David Shannon

Publisher: Blue Sky Press

Copyright date: 1998

Pages: 32

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Grade Level: Pre-K - 2nd

Awards: Caldecott Honor

Summary: A mischievous little boy named David always seems to be doing things that he is not supposed to do. He has bad manners, jumps on the furniture, and breaks things. As a result, his mother is always telling him NO. Children find this book funny and can easily relate to the behavior of David.   

Classroom use: I would read the book with the students and have them draw a picture and write a couple sentences of a time when their parent had to tell them no. This would work on social skills but you could tie it into a writing exercise with the sentences they have to write. After students were finished, we would have a class discussion about manners and listening to our parents and teachers. They would then have to go back and write a sentence or two more of what they should have done differently in that situation. I would ask students to share their work with the class if they wanted to.  

Rating:

	***	**	*	-
Plot	Plot is well developed with a sequence of events. The events are in good logical order. There is a clear conflict and resolution.	Plot contains a sequence of events. The events are in order but the conflict is not clear or does not contain a clear resolution.	There are events but they are not in good chronological order. The climax and resolution are lacking or not present.	Not addressed	*** Plot is well developed with many events. There is a clear conflict and resolution.
Characters	Characters are well developed with clear roles and contribute to the story. Reader is able to personally connect with the character(s).	Characters have clear roles within the story. Reader is not able to connect with the character(s).	Character(s) are present but do not have clear roles. Reader is not able to connect with character(s).	No characters developed	*** Main character is well developed and children are able to make a strong connection to main character from his behavior in the book.
Style and Language	Book contains precise vocabulary, figurative language, and or dialogue. When dialogue is used it is effective and not distracting.	Book contains precise vocabulary and/or figurative language. When dialogue is used it is distracting.	Book contains very little precise vocabulary and no figurative language or dialogue.	Book contains no precise vocabulary or figurative language. No dialogue is used.	* When dialogue is used it contributes to the story. It does not contain precise vocabulary or figurative language.
Theme	There is a clear theme and it is easily identifiable by the story.	There is a theme but it is a little more difficult to identify.	The theme is almost impossible to identify.	There is no theme.	*** There is a clear theme, “Manners and Conduct", or "Listening to Your Elders"

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

By: William Steig

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing

Copyright date: April 1, 1988

Pages: 32

Genre: Fantasy

Grade Level: K-3rd

Summary: Sylvester the donkey finds a wish-granting pebble but on his way home a lion frightens him and he makes an unsuspected wish and is turned into a rock. A search party is sent out to find Sylvester but no one suspects him to be a rock. Will Sylvester be stuck as a rock for the rest of his days?  

Classroom use: I would use this book in my classroom to teach a social skills lesson. It would be a great book to teach kids to, "Be careful what you wish for!". I would use it in collaboration with teaching writing. I would start by having students write down a wish and why they would make that wish. I would then read the book, we would have a discussion about it, and the lesson of "Being careful what you wish for". Then I would ask students about their wishes and if they would like to change it. Could the wish they previously wrote down have any regular consequences? If so, what are they and how could you change it to not have negative consequences? 

Rating: 

	***	**	*	-	Comments
Plot	Plot is well developed with a sequence of events. The events are in good logical order. There is a clear conflict and resolution.	Plot contains a sequence of events. The events are in order but the conflict is not clear or does not contain a clear resolution.	There are events but they are not in good chronological order. The climax and resolution are lacking or not present.	Not addressed	*** Plot is well developed with events that are in good logical order. There is a clear conflict and resolution.
Characters	Characters are well developed with clear roles and contribute to the story. Reader is able to personally connect with the character(s).	Characters have clear roles within the story. Reader is not able to connect with the character(s).	Character(s) are present but do not have clear roles. Reader is not able to connect with character(s).	No characters developed	*** Main character is well developed and all character’s roles contribute to the story.
Style and Language	Book contains precise vocabulary, figurative language, and or dialogue. When dialogue is used it is effective and not distracting.	Book contains precise vocabulary and/or figurative language. When dialogue is used it is distracting.	Book contains very little precise vocabulary and no figurative language or dialogue.	Book contains no precise vocabulary or figurative language. No dialogue is used.	** When dialogue is used it contributes to the story. It doesn’t contain much precise vocabulary.
Theme	There is a clear theme and it is easily identifiable by the story.	There is a theme but it is a little more difficult to identify.	The theme is almost impossible to identify.	There is no theme.	*** There is a clear theme, “Be careful for what you wish for”