Amber Brown: I, Amber Brown by Paula Danziger

Amber Brown: I, Amber Brown was written by Paula Danziger
Genre: Young Adult
Sub-genre: Fiction
Theme: Hardships of divorce
Primary and Secondary Characters: Amber Brown is the main character and her parents and Max are the secondary characters.
Awards:None
Publisher and Date of Publication: Scholastic Inc; 2000
Summary and Uses: This book is about Amber Brown who is a daughter of divorced parents. She struggles with the holiday season because nothing is the same. Her dad is back around so there is joint custody and parental fighting. She is a bright and funny girl who tends to look on the bright side. I would have this book in my classroom because children can really relate to Amber. I doubt I would use this book in my curriculum but I know students in the range of third to fifth grade would enjoy this truly humorous book.

Cinderella (as if you didn't already know the story) by Barbara Ensor

Cinderella (as if you didn't already know the story) was written by Barbara Ensor. The front cover is illustrated by Barbara Ensor as well. The pictures in the book are done with help from Dover Publications.
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Sub-genre: Fairy Tale
Theme: Assertiveness
Primary and Secondary Characters: Cinderella is the main character. Her two step sisters and her step mother are the primary characters.
Awards: None
Publisher and Date of Publication: Schwartz and Wade Books; 2006
 
Summary and Uses: This is the classic retelling of a fairy tale that everyone has heard before. It has a modern twist to it which is why it is so appealing. I would have this book in my classroom to empower young girls to become assertive. Sometimes reading about a character in a book is motivation for the reader. I doubt I would ever read this book out loud because I would lose most, if not all, of the boys' attention.

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

Interrupting Chicken was written by David Ezra Stein was illustrated by him as well.
Genre: Picture Book
Sub-genre: Fiction
Theme: Bedtime stories
Primary and Secondary Characters: Little Red Chicken is the primary character and Papa is the secondary character.
Awards: Caldecott Medal Honor (2011)
Publisher and Date of Publication: Candlewick Press; 2010
Summary and Uses:
Interrupting Chicken Trailer
This is a link to a trailer introducing the book. It's great!
This book is about Little Red Chicken wanting Papa to read her a bedtime story. Every time Papa begins a story, Little Red Chicken interrupts which ends each tale rather abruptly. This is a wonderful story to read children! In my classroom, I will ask my students to think of a well know story such as The Three Little Pigs or Cinderella. I will then ask them to change one thing at the beginning of the story then think about what that change made (cause and effect). I would then ask them to write the story down and illustrate it.
Put this book on your "read" list! It's already a classic !

Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems

Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! was written and illustrated by Mo Willems.
Genre: Picture Book
Sub-genre: Fiction
Theme: Wanting to stay up late; This is a theme that is very appropriate for younger children. When I read this book, I felt like I was a young child begging to stay up late! I really empathized with Pigeon!
Primary and Secondary Characters: Pigeon was the main character and the man is a secondary character.
Awards: None
Publisher and Date of Publication: Hyperion Books for Children; 2006
 
Summary and Uses: This book is about a pigeon who wants to stay up later than his bedtime. The really cool thing about the book is that the man at the beginning "leaves" pigeon in the reader's care. As you read the story, the pigeon tries to convince you to let him stay up later. He makes hilarious points while trying to get his way. The best part about this book was the way I really related to pigeon! I almost wanted to jump in and let him stay up late! In my classroom, I would tell the students to think of something that they really want to do, like stay at a friend's house or eat ice cream before dinner. I would then ask them to make arguments that they would pitch to their parents.

Duck for President by Doreen Cronin

Duck for President was written by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Betsy Lewin.
Genre: Picture Book
Sub-genre: Fiction
Theme: The grass is not always greener on the other side/Politics
Primary and Secondary Characters: Duck is the main character and his barnyard friends are the secondary characters.
Awards: None to date
Publisher and Date of Publication: Scholastic Inc.; 2004
 
Summary and Uses: This book is a hilarious story of how a duck decides he is tired of farm life and wants to become in charge. He initiates a votes and wins! Soon after, he decides he needs to have more power and decides to run for governor and then president. This book would be great around election time. With the class, you could discuss the voting process and why voting is important. Also, you could talk about campaign ideas and how effective and ineffective some strategies are.

Uptown by Bryan Collier

Uptown was written and illustrated by Bryan Collier.
Genre: Picture Book
Sub-genre: Children’s Fiction
Theme: Poetry and Rhymes
Primary and Secondary Characters: The young boy. (His name is never mentioned.)
Awards:Coretta Scott King Award
Publisher and Date of Publication: Henry Holt and Company; 2000
 
Summary and Uses:  This book follows a boy around the sights of Harlem. It takes up to 125th street, all the way to Apollo Theater. The art work enriches this book. It makes it feel like you are really taking a tour of Uptown. I would keep this book in my classroom for students learning and enjoyment purposes. I could read this story out loud to my students as well. I would place the book on the document camera so the students could see the art work better and pay attention to the details. I would use this to introduce different places we live. This book would be great in a rural community school where the students have little to no idea what city life is like.