Miss Nelson Is Missing!

 Title: Miss Nelson Is Missing!

Author: Harry Allard

Illustrator: James Marshall

Summary: The kids in room 207 were misbehaving for their teacher, Miss Nelson. They made fun of their teacher, made a mess, and didn't want to do anything. The next day Miss Nelson did not show up for class, so they got a sub named Miss. Swamp. The kids thought the sub looked like a witch. The children were scared of the sub, so they behaved in class. Miss. Swamp put the students to work by loading them up with lessons and assigning lots of homework. The kids in room 207 started to miss their teacher, so they went to the police station. The police did not help find Miss Nelson. After days without their teacher, she finally returned to her classroom. The children missed their teacher so much they started to use their manners. 

Miss Nelson Is Missing in my opinion has its pros and cons. For one, do the children only behave if they are getting threatened? That doesn't seem right to me. I think this book could give some students ideas that are not good for the classroom. I looked the book up online and it had a lot of bad reviews from teachers and parents. Also, what is the message of this book? To misbehave so they can get a sub? I don't think I would have this in my classroom just because I wouldn't want to make parents feel uncomfortable, so I give it a 1/5. 

 Title: I Am Enough

Author: Grace Byers

Illustrator: Keturah A. Bobo

The book, I am enough is such a beautiful book about reminding a child that they are enough, and what they are here for. I think this book can help young readers understand that they are here for a reason, and being unique is special. It also talks about how life isn't about winning, but trying the best that you can.  I love all the different similies included in this book and it is not like every other children's picture book. Reading this at the beginning or end of a class might help settle down students, and bring them peace. I give this book a 5/5.

We Are In a Book!

 Title: We Are In a Book!

Author and Illustrator: Mo Willems

Summary: Piggy and Gerald and a perfect duo. Piggy is a pig and Gerald is an elephant. One day they are both hanging out together, and Gerald says he thinks someone is looking at them. Piggy agrees that someone is looking at them. They decide that a reader is looking at them! They go on to say that the reader is reading what they are saying to each other. They love how they are in a book! They make the reader say funny a funny word, banana. At the end of the book, they ask the reader to read the book again. 

This is one of my favorite books from the series. I love how it's engaging with the reader. I read this to a student before, and they LOVED it! We had to read it two times, just because Piggy and Gerald told us to. I give this a 5/5!

There Is a Bird on Your Head!

 Title: There Is a Bird on Your Head! 

Author and Illustrator: Mo Willems

Summary: There were once two best friends, Piggie and George. Piggie was a pig, and George was an elephant. One day Piggie and George were sitting outside, and a bird lands on George's head. George freaks out, so the bird flies away. When he calms down, there are now two birds on his head. Piggie tells Goerge that the birds on Georges's head are in love. So the lovebirds start making a nest on top of George's head. Now, the birds laid three eggs in the nest! The eggs hatched, so George has three baby chicks, two birds, and one nest on his head. George asks the birds if they can go somewhere else, so they move to Piggy's head. 

I love this series of George and Piggy because they are always doing goofy stuff together. I know kids love listening to and reading this series, and it's such a good classic. I give this book a 4/5.

Where the Sidewalk Ends

 Title: Where the Sidewalk Ends

Author: Shel Silverstein

Illustrator: Shel Silversein

Where the Sidewalk Ends is a book with over 150 different, goofy poems written by one author. Some poems are long, and some are short. My opinion of this book is half and half. I think if a student was interested in poetry, they would love to read this book for ideas on creating them. Since I am not that big on poetry, I don't think I would pick this up again. I did enjoy reading some of the poems, but I got bored about ten poems in. I think this would be a great way for children to get ideas on how to create their own poems, so I will give this a 3/5. 

Dirt

 Title: Dirt

Author: Ellen Lawrence

Fundamental Experiments

Dirt is an informational book for students to learn all about dirt. On each page, there is a question and information about the topic below. For example, on one page the question is, "How do rocks become soil?". It then describes the question in a paragraph, then a way how students can do an activity with rocks! I love how this book has multiple fun activities for a classroom. If I was doing a unit on our environment, I would love for my students to read Dirt and create the activities throughout the book. 

The Milk Makers

 Title: The Milk Makers

Author: Gail Gibbons

The Milk Makers is an informational book for young readers to learn all about cows. First, the book describes all the different types of cows and what they do. Then, it goes through the cycle of a cow's life and what they do each day. I love how this book provides fun facts for children to read about how cows produce milk and why they are so important to us. The illustrations are fun and engaging and I rate this a 5/5. 

Henry's Freedom Box

Title: Henry's Freedom Box

Author: Ellen Levine

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson

Summary: Henry was a little boy, who didn't know how old he was. Henry was a slave and because of that, slaves didn't have birthdays. Henry and his siblings worked in a big house, and his master was good to his family. One day his master was very ill, and his master called him to his bedroom where he was laying. Henry thought he was going to be set free, but the master said he was going to his son. Henry had to say goodbye to his family later that day. Henry's new master made him work in a factory, which he was very good at. One day he met Nancy, who was shopping for her mistress in the street and fell in love. Later on, he asked her to be his wife, and they have three children together. One day while Henry was working in the factory, a man came up to him and told Henry that his wife and children were sold in the market. Henry had the idea of shipping himself to somewhere that was free, so he got help from two men. Henry was flipped and thrown all over the place while he was in the box, until one day the box got opened by four of his friends. At last, Henry had a birthday, the day that he was free.

Henry's Freedom Box is such an amazing book and recommends every teacher should read it to their students. I rate it a 5/5 and would love to get my own copy of it for my classroom! 

 

Sheep in a Jeep

 Title: Sheep in a Jeep 

Author: Nancy Shaw

Illustrator: Margot Apple

Summary: There once were four sheep in a jeep, that was going on a very steep hill. The jeep stopped working, so the sheep had to push the jeep. After pushing the jeep, they don't look at what's ahead of them, and they land in some mud. So they all tug and shrug to get the jeep out of the mud, but they couldn't do it without the help of some friendly pigs. They all get the jeep out so they shout and cheer! They are on the way, and the driver forgets to steer. Their jeep runs into a tree and breaks. They put the jeep for sale, for cheap. 

This is a super fun poetry book for children to read. The sentences on each page and goofy and silly, I mean the sheep are riding in a jeep, who doesn't love that! I know if I read this to some preschoolers I would get a laugh or two out of them! I give Sheep in a Jeep a 5/5. 

Red Riding Hood

 Title: Red Riding Hood

Retold and Illustrated by: James Marshall

Summary: Once upon a time there was a little girl named Red Riding Hood. She lived in a cottage in the woods with her mother. One day, her mother asked Red Riding Hood if she could take their grandmother a pie because she wasn't feeling so good. The little girl said yes and went on her way, but her mother made sure to tell her to not speak to any strangers. After walking for some time, Red Riding Hood was stopped by a big giant wolf. He wanted to talk to a little girl, but she remembered what her mother said. Wolf didn't want Red Riding Hood to leave so he pretended to be super nice to the little girl. He thought he could eat Red and the grandmother! He helped Red walk to his grandmother's house. Red got distracted on the way to their grandmother's house, and that's when the wolf escaped. The wolf made it to granny's house before Red, and at her all up! After, he got under grannys bed, waiting for Red to come by. After making it to granny's the wolf pretended to be the sick grandma and ate Red Riding Hood! Later on, a hunter came by and noticed how that wasn't granny in the house. He killed the wolf and cut him open to get granny and Red out of his belly. 

This was an interesting tale of Red Riding Hood. I absolutely loved this story when I was younger, but not this version. For one, at the end of the book, the words they used were a little too descriptive for a young reader in my opinion. For example, it says the hunter killed and cut open the wolf. I don't know if it was just me, but I didn't really like how they used those words in a children's book. Overall I give this a 2/5. 

The Girl Who Thought In Pictures

 Title: The Girl Who Thought In Pictures

Author: Julia Finley Mosca

Illustrator: Daniel Rieley

Summary: There was once a little baby girl that was named Temple Grandin, and from the start the was a little bit unusual. She loved watching things move back and forth, but she hated loud sounds, uncomfortable pink fluffy dresses, and even hugs! As everyone in Temple's life thought she would never be a normal little girl, her mother turned those people down and stood up for her daughter. When Temple got older, special teachers helped her talk to others and told her that she has autism. Temple's brain works by thinking of things in picture form. For example, if someone mentioned a fly, she would picture dozens of photos of flies. Since Temple had a hard time in school, her mother sent her to go stay with her aunt that lives on a ranch. Temple fell in love with the farm animals, and they didn't judge her for the way she acted. As Temple got older, she graduated college and earned three degrees! After graduating, she helped build better farms for the animals and succeeded. 

I loved this book so much and touched my heart. I love how at the end of the book it says that it's okay to be different because that's what makes everyone unique! Showing this to younger children will help them realize that not everyone thinks the same way, and that's okay. I know being in grade school can sometimes be a challenge, especially if you aren't the smartest in the class. I know I always struggled with fitting in and getting good grades at such a young age, and I think reading this book would open my eyes to the reality that everyone is different in a good way. 

One Wooly Wombat

 Title: One Woolly Wombat

Author: Rod Trinca and Kerry Argent

Illustrator: Kerry Argent

Summary: There was once a woolly wombat sitting by the sea, and then two koalas sipping gumnut tea! There were once three warbling magpies waking up in the sun, and four thumping kangaroos dancing just for fun! The book goes on until they have a group of fourteen seals sailing out to sea.

Reading this poetry book was super goofy and exciting because you didn't know what to expect on the next page! For example, I would never think of thirteen hopping mice picking desert peas! I love how the book goes all the way up until they have a group of fourteen animals in the picture. I think preschoolers would get a kick out of this book and the silly sentences on each page. I rate this book a 5/5!

Bunnies On Ice

 Title: Bunnies On Ice

Author: Johanna Wright

Illustrator: Johanna Wright

Summary: A family of four bunnies are ice skating champions, but they have to wait until the weather is just right. They wait all the way until next winter just to skate on ice! Bunny makes sure she eats a big breakfast and puts on all of her layers of clothes. She loves to show her family the tricks she can do on the rink, such as a leap into the air and spinning super fast. After she is done skating, she explains that having a support team is very important and makes sure she rests. When she's all tucked in bed, she explains that she will try her best tomorrow!

The pictures in Bunnies On Ice are so very cute, and how simple the book is great for young readers. I loved how the bunny tells the reader what her routine is before and after her big day. I think students can relate to that aspect if they do any hobby, or just get ready for school. I would have loved this book as a child because it's calm and who doesn't love a bunny that ice skates! I rate this a 5/5. 

There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly

 Title: There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly

Author: Simms Taback

Illustrator: Simms Taback

The whole book is a fun and crazy book about how an old lady swallows a fly, and then a spider, bird, cat, dog, and on and on. This is one of the classics and is so much fun to read to students, I even had fun reading it to my friends! The old lady's stomach is cut out on each page, and the stomach cut gets bigger and bigger. The page is filled with color and fun little sayings on each page. I know some teachers even sang a song to this book. I absolutely loved this book and will continue to read it to my future students one day, so I'm giving it a 5/5 of course!

Where The Wild Things Are

Title: Where The Wild Things Are

Author: Maurice Sendak

Illustrator: Maurice Sendak 

Summary: A boy named Max wore a suit that looked like a wolf one night, and it caused him to get into mischief. Max was sent to his room with no supper by his mother because of his behavior. His room turned into a jungle, while he was still wearing his wolf outfit. He sailed onto his very own sailboat when he left the jungle. When he arrived at a shore, that's where the wild thing are. They had scary eyes, teeth, and claws. He yelled at them to calm down, so the creatures made him king of all the wild things. When it was time for supper, he settled down the creatures until they fell asleep. Max finally left the wild things but they didn't want him to go. He came back into his bedroom, with supper sitting on his table. 

Where the Wild Things Are is a great classic that every child has to read while they are young. It displays how imagination can take you into different worlds and take you away from your day-to-day life. I have always loved reading this book, and it was a staple at my house to read before bed. I give this book a 5/5.

Farm Animals

 Title: Farm Animals

A Dorling Kindersley Book 

Summary: This is a great book for children to be introduced to farm animals. Each page shows a picture, a small, easy-to-read paragraph, and some features each animal has. For example, when describing a chicken, the book uses a close-up illustration of what a beak looks like on a chicken. I would use this book to introduce a farm animals unit to my students. I would go over three animals a day and then do some type of compare and contract activity each day. The only thing I do not like about this book is how short it is. The book only has eight farm animals included, which makes it too short. I rate this a 3/5. 

Rap A Tap Tap

 Title: Rap A Tap Tap

Author: Leo and Diane Dillon

Illustrator: Leo and Diane Dillon

Summary: There was once a man who danced in the street. He would bring smiles to all of the people walking past him. "He didn't just dance, he made art with his feet." He danced all night and day, passing all types of strangers. Some people were in fancy clothes, and some were not. He danced with bands, children, and even cats! It didn't matter what type of weather was outside, because he was dancing no matter what. Dancing was his life and passion, and since he danced so much, he became famous. 

Rap A Tap Tap is a great classic that every teacher should have in her library. Its easy for young readers to read by themselves, and it can help them practice rhyming. I rate this book a 5/5.

Cinderella

 Title: Cinderella

Author: Chloe Perkins

Illustrator: Sandra Equihua

Summary: There was a girl who lived with her two stepsisters and stepmother. The girl was sweet, beautiful, and kind, but the stepmother and stepsisters were evil to the girl. They made her clean the whole house every day, which made her clothes dirty. Since the girl was always cleaning the floors and cinders from the fireplace all the time, the two sisters called her Cinderella. A messenger arrived at their front door one day with the news that they are invited to a grand ball. Stepmother bought all types of fabric to make dresses for the ball. When her stepmother and stepsisters left to go to the ball, Cinderella was upset because they didn't let her come with. Cinderella heard a voice, it was her fairy godmother! The fairy godmother helped Cinderella get ready for the ball by putting her in a beautiful gown, carriage, and coachman. When Cinderella arrived at the ball, she danced with a prince all night, and no one knew who she was. Cinderella have until midnight before the magic would wear off and she would go back into her dirty clothes. She lost track of time dancing with the prince and the clock struck midnight! Cinderella left the prince without revealing her identity, but she left one glass shoe behind. The next day, the prince went to every house in the village to find the perfect fit. When he reached Cinderella's house, the stepsisters tried to fit in the shoe, but it didn't work. Finally, Cinderella tried on her long-lost shoe, and of course, it was the perfect fit. The prince and Cinderella lived happily ever after. 

This version of Cinderella was so much fun and I loved reading it! I loved how the princess wasn't your ordinary version of a princess and how it was based in Mexico. The illustrations were so cute and any little child would love this version of Cinderella! I give it a 5/5!

Are You Ready to Play Outside?

 Title: Are You Ready to Play Outside? 

Author: Mo Willems

Illustrator: Mo Willems

Summary: A pig named Piggy and an elephant named Gerald meet up to play outside. They are planning on running, skipping, and jumping together, but it started to rain. Piggy became upset because he was so excited to play with Gerald outside. They see two little worms having a great time in the rain, so they decide they are going to have fun too. They start splishing and splashing in the rain, but then the sun comes out. Piggy then gets sad because he started to like the rain, but Gerald has an idea. Gerald uses his trunk to make rain for Piggy. 

I love this series for young readers. The words are big enough for little kids to practice reading, and they are quite funny too. Piggy and Gerald are quite the fun duo and I loved growing up reading their adventures together. 

Hair Love

 Title: Hair Love

Author: Matthew A. Cherry

Illustrator: Vashti Harrison

Summary: A little girl named Zuri, has big curly hair. When she has braids with beads in her hair, she feels like a princess, and when her hair is in two puffs, she feels like a superhero. Zuri woke up extra early for her big day and was so excited to do her hair. Her dad helped her fix her hair for the big day. After many attempts, her dad finally nailed the perfect hairstyle that they called funky puff buns! When she heard the door open, she went flying to the door. Her mom walked into the room receiving a giant hug from Zuri. Zuri and her dad welcomed mom back home. 

I absolutely love this book. It was such a fun read and I know so many young students can relate to this book who have big, beautiful hair. It was goofy and cute all mixed together, and because of that, I give it a 5/5. 

I Am Malala

 Title: I Am Malala

Author: Christina Lamb and Malala Yousafzai

Summary: Malala, a young girl who lived with her mother, father, and two brothers was from Swat Valley, Pakistan. As a child, she was surrounded by her family, friends, and school. The school she went to was actually her father's. When Malala was only ten years old, the Taliban run by a man named Fazullah came into her town with strict rules they had to follow. No one was allowed to have a television in their homes, and women were not able to be educated. After having to leave their home for months, they were able to return home with the fear of their school getting destroyed. One day while Malala was getting on the bus, the Taliban shot her in the face for speaking out for women's rights. Malala was transported to the UK to get surgery, and her parents were not able to come for ten days. After she was released, they did not go back to their hometown.

Reading, I Am Malala, is one of the most powerful stories I have ever read. I had to read this for one of my education classes last semester, and I was hooked immediately. It was a book that you just can't put down. Her story is one of a kind and she is such an inspiration to anyone reading. I recommend the children's book and adult version of the book and give it a 5/5.

When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip-Hop

Title: When the Beat Was Born

Author: Laban Carrick Hill

Illustrator: Theodore Taylor III

 Summary: Little boy Clive loved all types of music as a child. When he was younger, he lived in Kingston, Jamaica, and had some big idols growing up that were DJs. When Clive was thirteen, he and his mom moved to New York City. Growing up he loved playing sports with his friends. From running track to lifting weights, he loved being active. While being involved in so many sports, he got the nickname "Herc" from Hercules because of how tall he was. One day, his father brought home a giant sound system, and Herc fell in love. He hosted his first neighborhood party and told everyone about it. He loved performing for others, watching them dance and sing to the music. Since his parties got bigger and bigger, he created a band called the Herculoids. Soon everyone in New York City was coming to see him throw the biggest parties on Sedwick Avenue. 

I got the chance to read this book to a group of young students, and they said they loved it! I also enjoyed reading the book, especially because you don't see a lot of children's books about DJs. I loved the illustrations on each page, they were so colorful and fit the story perfectly. I give this book a rating of 5/5. 

The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse

 Title: The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse

Author: Eric Carle

Illustrator: Eric Carle

Summary: The book starts off with a young boy that is an artist. He paints red crocodiles, purple foxes, yellow cows, pink rabbits, blue horses, and even polka-dotted donkeys. That's about it!

The book is just that simple, BUT I think the message behind the story is great. I think this book can show young readers to think outside the box and be creative. I would love to use this book as an example for students to create their own books with their creations. This book is meant for preschoolers or kindergartens, and I think they would love it. It's short, cute, and simple, and who doesn't love that type of book! I give this a 5/5. 

Charlie and Kiwi

 Title: Charlie and Kiwi

Author: Eileen Cambell

Illustrator: Peter H. Reynolds and FableVision

Summary: A young boy named Charlie had to do a school report about a bird, and he wanted to make his report on something different than the other students. He decides to do it over a bird called the Kiwi because his parents got him a stuffed animal Kiwi from New Zealand. Before his presentation, his classmates were asking questions like, "Where are its wings?" or "How can that be a bird?". This made Charlie question why Kiwi was so different than other birds, so his teacher let him present tomorrow. The stuffed animal comes alive and takes Charlie all the way back to 1860, to learn about the creation of the Kiwi. The book takes you on an adventure through time with Charlie and the Kiwi to learn about its past. After getting all the different types of facts, Charlie was ready to present them to his class, leaving them impressed.

I liked reading Charlie and Kiwi, but I wasn't head over heels for it. I could see some students finding this book boring or just something they wouldn't want to read again, but that's okay! Not every book I read has to be a 10/10! I loved the illustrations throughout the book and how the font changed. I give this book a 3/5. 

How to be a Baby

Title: How to Be a Baby

Author: Sally Lloyd Jones

Illustrator: Sue Heap

 Summary: How to be a Baby is a book about what a baby can and can't do according to a big sister. For example, it describes how a baby can't eat, talk, walk, how a baby doesn't understand anything, etc. The book also describes what a baby can do, like stay in pj's all day, crawl around on the floor, get carried everywhere, etc. The end of the book goes over how the baby grows up and the big sister comforts the younger sibling by telling them what they were like as a baby. 

I enjoyed reading this book from my point of view from actually being a big sister. I think if I wasn't a big sister, I would think this book was boring or just something I wouldn't pick up again. It all depends on the person reading it. I personally believe that this could be a great book to give a new big sister to a sibling, I know I would have enjoyed this when I was little because it was relatable for me to read. The illustrations throughout the book were amazing and enjoyable to look at. Overall, I give this book a 4/5.

So You Want to be President?

 Title: So You Want to be President?

Author: Judith St. George

Illustrator: David Small

Summary: The book starts off by describing all the interesting things the president gets to do, like having a movie theatre, swimming pool, or never having to take out the trash. Then the book goes over some of the bad things about being president like always having to be dressed up and all the homework they have to do. There are humous ways of "tips" that you could be a president. For example, it explains that it might help if your name is James because of our six presidents with the name James. Or how it would help if you lived in a log cabin. The story goes on by introducing fun facts about each of our presidents that a child would enjoy. 

I LOVED this book! It was such a great way to implement facts about our past presidents for young readers. The book is quite humorous with their wording throughout the book, it made me laugh a couple times while reading it. I give this book a 5/5, I see children just falling in love with this book. 

Unspeakable

 Title: Unspeakable

Author: Carole Boston Weatherford

Illustrator: Floyd Cooper

Summary: In Tulsa, Oklahoma there was a community called Greenwood. People that lived in Greenwood descended from Black Indians, from formerly enslaved people. Around ten thousand people were living in the town. There were train tracks dividing black and white communities. Greenwood was thriving and growing every day with multiple grocery stores, restaurants, bus systems, auto shops, hospitals, post offices, school systems, etc. In 1921, people in Tulsa were not happy that African Americans were growing and achieving just as much, or more than whites. One day, a white lady accused a nineteen-year-old black man of assault. The young man was put in jail, and because of this thirty black men went downtown to help the young man. They faced off with two thousand whites. They were not able to help the accused man, so the whites spread rumors that the Black community was planning to attack the town. A white mob took over Greenwood, burning everything they could. Over three hundred African Americans were killed and hundreds more were injured. They were left with nothing. Today in Tulsa there is a park to remember the victims from 1921. 

This story is very powerful and should be in every teacher's library. I think this is a book that will be able to make an impact on young readers' minds and educate them about the past. I give this book a 5/5. 

The Pet Dragon

 Title: The Pet Dragon

Author: Christoph Niemann

Illustrator: Christoph Niemann

Summary: A woman named Lin got a package one day, and inside was a dragon! Lin and her pet dragon played hide and seek, made new friends, played ping pong, told each other stories, and so much more. One day, Lin and her pet dragon were playing soccer, and the dragon accidentally broke a vase. Lin's father said the pet has to stay in a cage. When Lin went to go check on her pet, it was gone from the cage, so she went searching everywhere. Lin spotted a lady by the side of the river trying to cross. Lin offered to help the lady across the river. When they got to the other side, the lady was revealed to be a witch and granted Lin a favor. The witch helped Lin find her dragon by growing into a giant that grew up into the clouds. Lin spotted her pet dragon in the clouds with other dragons. Finally, the dragon flew Lin all the way back home and her father thanked the dragon and promised both of them they could play together again. 

The Pet Dragon was such a unique children's book that I enjoyed reading. On each page, there are Chinese characters in the illustrations, and at the bottom of the page, it translates them into English. I thought this was a great way to introduce young children to different types of languages. I give this story a 5/5, I would love to have this in my library one day. 

The Name Jar

 Title: The Name Jar

Author: Yangsook Choi

Illustrator: Yangsook Choi

Summary: A young girl named Unhei was moving from Korea to America with her Mother and Father. As she was saying goodbye to her grandmother at the airport, she gave Unhei a wooden block with her name carved in it. When it was Unhei's first day of school, people teased her on the bus ride because of her name. When she got into her classroom, she was introduced to the class by her teacher. She explained to her new classmates that she hasn't picked a name yet but will let the class know soon. After school, she went to Kim's Market, a Korean grocery store with her mom. After meeting Mr. Kim at the checkout counter, he tells her that she has a beautiful name. The next day of school, Unhei sees a jar on her desk. The students put in different names for her to pick from. At the end of the day, she meets a boy named Joey. When she meets Joey, Unhei is stamping her name on a piece of paper from her wooden block and explains to Joey that it is her name stamp. After the next couple of days, the jar is filled with all types of different names. After a couple days, the jar disappears from her desk, and she finally introduces her name to the rest of her classmates. At the end of the story, Joey tells Unhei he is the one that took the jar away because he likes her real name the best, and shows Unhei his Korean nickname. He chooses, Chinku, which means friend. 

I loved this story and the message that it can give to a reader. It can show insight to younger children that any type of name is special and should be treated with respect. I give this book a 5/5 and will want to add it to my future classroom. 

Last Stop on Market Street

 Title: Last Stop on Market Street

Author: Matt De La Pena

Illustrator: Christian Robinson

Summary: A young boy named CJ was with his grandmother walking to the bus stop after church. While walking to the bus, CJ asks his grandma why they have to wait for the bus in the rain, and the grandma replies "Trees get thirsty too". After they get on the bus, CJ looks out the window and asks why they don't have a car, and the grandma replies, "Boy, why do we need a car? We got a bus that breathes fire, and an old Mr. Dennis who always has a trick for you." Through the rest of the story, CJ asks his grandmother questions on why he doesn't have this or that, and the grandma replies with an answer. At the last stop on market street, CJ and grandma get off to go to the soup kitchen. He realizes that he notices friendly faces waving at him that he met on the bus. He says to his grandma, "I'm glad we came."

This is one of my all-time favorite books and will want to read it to my students in the future. It's such a simple book, but with so much meaning behind it. The whole story is about CJ asking his grandma questions about why they don't have things like a car or why they have to go on the bus, and the grandma answers with a beautiful answer every time. I loved how she answers with pride and doesn't get mad at CJ for asking questions. This book can give young readers an open mind that they should be grateful for what they have and everything little detail in life can be a blessing in disguise. I give this book a 5/5. 

Harry by the Sea

 Title: Harry by the Sea

Author: Gene Zion 

Illustrated By: Margaret Bloy Graham

Summary: A little black and white dog named Harry, was at the beach with his owners one day. Harry did not like the hot sun so he tried to get under his owner's umbrella, but got pushed out because there was no room left. Harry tried going under a sand castle and walking behind a person for some shade, but both ideas didn't end up well. Harry ended up by the shore of the ocean and got crushed by a giant wave. Harry got covered in seaweed from the giant wave. Children in the water saw Harry covered in seaweed and thought he was a sea monster! Harry swam towards the sand, and everyone noticed the small creature covered in seaweed. Everyone was running away from Harry, but he was just looking for his family. Beach attendants were trying to capture Harry, so he was running all over the beach. Harry found a hot dog stand and jumped up in the air for a yummy snack, and all the seaweed fell off. Harry's family was so happy to see Harry after looking all over for him. The next time the family went to the beach, they brought their new umbrella that was big enough for Harry to lay under as well. 

Harry by the Sea is such a cute and fun book to read. I enjoyed reading it and the ending was just so precious to me. I think a lot of young students would love to read or listen to this book. I rate this book a 5/5 and recommend it to any young children. 

Drama

 Title: Drama

Author: Raina Telgemeier 

Illustrator: Raina Telgemeier 

Summary: Callie, a young teen in middle school who lives with her mother and little brother, struggles with the day-to-day life of being in the weird stage of becoming a teenager. Callie has a love for being part of the stage crew for her school's plays. While preparing for the upcoming play, her lifelong friend Greg (who she has a giant crush on) finally kisses her. As happy as Callie is, Greg tells her it was a mistake, but Callie doesn't let that destroy her. She moves on by getting ready for the play and meeting two twin brothers, Justin and Jesse. As Callie becomes close with the two brothers, the drama in her life increases. With more crushes, breakups, fights, and finishing the play, she gets to be stage manager next year. 

I absolutely loved reading this book and recommend it to anyone who is in middle school. It can be so relatable for someone who is entering the world of teenage drama. I loved reading Raina Telgemiers graphic novels when I was younger because I did not like reading and struggled with it throughout my childhood, but I loved reading these. I give Drama a 5/5 and now want to reread all of Telgemeier's books this summer! 

The BFG

Title: The BFG

Author: Roald Dahl

Illustrator: Quentin Blake

Summary: The book is about a young little girl named Sophie who lives in an orphanage. One day, she spots a giant in the street, and she runs to hide from this giant scary creature. The creature finds Sophie and takes her from her room. The little girl is so scared because she thinks she is going to get eaten by this giant figure she has never seen before. The giant tells Sophie that he does not eat humans and that he won't hurt her if she doesn't leave. She now has to stay with the giant for the rest of her life because Sophie can't tell anyone else about the giant. The book goes on with the Big Friendly Giant and Sophie having lots of adventures together.

This book was quite interesting for me to read for the first time. First off, the book starts off with a giant capturing a little girl and taking her to a whole different place for the rest of her life. To me, that just seems weird. Some children might not even think about the BFG taking Sophie being scary, but some children might get scared reading the book. I give this book a 1/5, I just didn't like it and would not have this book in my library for younger students. 

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator

 Title: Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator

Author: Roald Dahl

Illustrator: Quentin Blake

Summary: The book picks up with Charlie, Willy Wonka picking up the rest of the family to go to their new home, the chocolate factory. The grandparents refuse to leave their bed, so they have to shove the whole bed into the flying escalator. While flying to the factory, one of the grandparents starts to have a panic attack, leaving the escalator unattended. This leads to the family going all the way up in space to a planet that just launched a secret space hotel created by the United States government. The government finds out that people are on the planet, and this leads them to think that the hotel is in danger. Charlie's family and Willy Wonka have to face creatures on the planet and try to get back to earth safely. After they figured out how to get home, they all packed in the elevator. Unfortunately, the elevator crashes into the factory while returning home. This leads to the grandparents feeling unwell, so Wonka gives them a pill that makes people turn younger. The pill doesn't work effectively, making the grandparents turn into babies! After fixing the factory and grandparents, the story ends with them receiving a letter from the president asking them to come for dinner.

In my opinion, I didn't enjoy reading this book. I was looking forward to reading the second book in the series because I enjoyed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but it was non-enjoyable for me. It was one of those books that were just hard for me to finish. I would still have this in my classroom library because some students might love it just as much as the first book. Unfortunately, I rate this a 2/5.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

 Title: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Author: Roald Dahl

Illustrator: Quentin Blake

Summary: A poor young boy named Charlie lives on the outside of his town with his mother, father, and his four grandparents. His family lives in a very small, one-bedroom house. The family is trying to survive off of very small meals, which leads the family to be the hungry majority of the days. In their town, there is a chocolate factory owned by a man named Willy Wonka. No one has seen or heard from Wonka in years, until now. Wonka proposed that he will be putting five golden tickets in his chocolate bars. If someone receives a ticket, they can tour the chocolate factory and eat sweets all day. Charlie ends up getting the last golden ticket and plans to go with his grandfather. Charlie and his grandfather attend the tour with 4 other children and their parents. Throughout the story, in every place they tour, one child misbehaves and has to leave the tour. Charlie and his grandfather are the last standing with Wonka, and he proposes that he wants to give Charlie and his family the factory. The book ends with Wonka, Charlie, and his grandfather taking a flying escalator to Charlie's house to grab the rest of the family.

This book was fun for me to read because I absolutely loved the movie when I was younger, and I've never read the book until now. I liked seeing the similarities and differences between the book and the movie had throughout the reading. Another thing I liked was the little drawings at the bottom of the pages. They were goofy and fun to look at while reading. There are some curse words I found in the book, so if I was putting this in my classroom library I would make sure parents/guardians know this before a child checked it out. Overall I give it a 3/5, loved the little cartoons and the goofiness of the book, but I wish it didn't have curse words included.

Olivia

 Title: Olivia 

By: Ian Falconer

Illustrated By: Ian Falconer

Summary: The book is about a young little pig named Olivia and what she does throughout her day. She lives with her mother, father, younger brother, and two pets. Her life is just like any other young child, well young pig. She gets up brushes her teeth gets ready, moves the cat multiple times, puts on her clothes, and is ready for the day. Sometimes she will go to the beach or the museum with her family and during these adventures, she might get put in time out. Overall, Olivia loves to be adventurous just like any other little girl.  

This book is considered a classic when I was in elementary school. I haven't read the book ever since I was little, and honestly, I didn't see what was so great about this book because it's just about a pig's daily life. I think why so many kids like it so much are because it's so relatable to a child. A child can relate to getting in time out, siblings copying each other, and picking out five books to read at night rather than picking just one. It's so simple but so relatable. I give this book a 5/5 because this was one of my favorite books to read when I was little. Overall, the book is fun, simple, and can make a child smile.