I Like To Be Little

Title: I Like To Be Little
Author/Illustrator: Charlotte Zolotow and Erik Bleguad
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Group: K - 3rd Grade
                                                      
Summary:
In this short story, I Like To Be Little, it is about a little girl who wants to stay little forever and is telling her mother this. Her mother questions her and tells her it is nice to be a grown-up. Her reasons vary from being able to skip, not wear shoes in the Summer, coloring whenever she wants, being able to jump in a pile of leaves and so on. Her mother agrees that not all grown-ups do those things, however, she says, when you grow up you can be the mother of a sweet girl like her daughter is and be able to experience all those things again. Lastly, the daughter ends the conversation saying that for now, she is going to enjoy being little.

In my classroom, I would use this book as a read-aloud and talk about the differences in being a child and being an adult and then asking what they want to be when they grow up and having them write about it.

I think the age group for this bool is K through 3rd which is appropriate because it is an easy read-aloud or independent read for the older kids, as well as the pictures in the book are captivating.

Best Friends

Title: Best Friends
Author/Illustrator: Miriam Cohen and Lillian Hoban
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Group: K - 1st
                                                       
Summary:
Jim and Paul are best friends, or so they thought. At the beginning of the book, the two are best friends but then an argument arises in class to where Jim did not say Paul was his best friend so Paul took it as they were not friends at all anymore so they sat opposite of each other and did not talk to each other. During recess, the teacher realized she forgot to grab something from the classroom and asks those two to go and get it so they do. Without talking to each other. While they are back in the classroom, Jim realizes that their science experience they were doing, hatching baby chicks with a heat lamp, was off. Jim shouts at Paul and he goes and gets the janitor to replace the light bulb in the lamp. Fixing the problem they had they were able to come together like best friends.

In my classroom, I would use this book to ask students what makes a best friend and talk about emotions and how to handle them appropriately.

I think the age group is appropriate because at this age they are just now going into school and being around new people so how to process emotions over friends is important and needed.

With this book, I would have the children write about the scene where the two friends argue and ask them to write how they would had approached that situation better.

The Night Before Mother's Day

Title: The Night Before Mother's Day
Author/Illustrator: Natasha Wing and Amy Wummer
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Group: K - 2nd
                                                      
Summary:
The father of two young girls comes up with a plan to get their mother out of the house so they can set up and bake a cake for their mother the night before Mother's Day. When she leaves to go running with her friends the children rush off and make her cards and help make a cake with their dad. The next morning when it was Mother's Day they woke her up with flowers, treated her to an at-home spa, and the father made brunch. The mother enjoyed her day and wished every day was Mother's Day.

I would use this book in a lower elementary classroom and use this as a read-aloud and discuss what they do for Mother's Day. I think the age group is appropriate because that is when they can start making small gifts and understand the actual meaning behind the holiday.

In my classroom, I would use this book as an intro before having the students make a Mothers Day gift, or a parental figure gift, and have them write a card or make something to give to them.

The Night Before Summer Vacation

Title: The Night Before Summer Vacation
Author/Illustrator: Natasha Wing and Julie Durrell
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Group: K - 3rd

                                                        
Summary:
The family was planning a family vacation. Throughout the night before they planned to leave the children were thinking about past vacations and talking about all the fun they had. The car was packed tightly, and the children were excited they dreamt about the vacation.
The next morning, the dad woke them up and they were ready to go by 4 am. They all squeezed into the car and then raced off. The daughter in the backseat cries out and says they forgot their dog! The dad turns around and they grab the dog and begin to head out on their 10-hour drive.

I would use this book in a lower elementary classroom setting to get the class excited about summer vacation. I think they would enjoy the drawings of the overflowing car and them having to turn around to get their dog.

I would read this before my class got out on the last day of school and have them do a coloring activity of what they are wanting to do that upcoming summer.

My Building

Title: My Building
Author/Illustrator: Robin Isabel Ahrens
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Group: K - 2
Summary:                                           
A young child explores his apartment building and is welcomed by many different faces and lifestyles. This book exposes readers to many different races, cultures as well as daily routines that different families go through every day. Throughout the 27 stories of the building, the main character meets with different families and leaves each one enjoying where they live.

I would use this book in my classroom to introduce lower elementary to different kinds of people and how that is normal to encounter in day to day life. I think this time is crucial for young ones to leave that mark onto them that being and looking different is a good thing and not bad.

I would have them do a writing activity and talk about their family's culture and day to day life.