I Ain't Gonna Paint No More, Beaumont & Catrow / Realistic Fiction

Title: I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!

Author: Karen Beaumont

Illustrator: David Catrow

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Ages: 2nd+

Summary:
This fun story is about a little boy who loves to paint. His mother tells him no more painting and hides his pants in the closet. He cannot be stopped though, as he gets his paints down and starts painting again! He lists his body parts as he paints them and soon he's completely covered in paint once again! 

Illustrations:
Catrow's art is sketch like drawings with splashes of color. The color included is vibrant and beautiful on top of his adorable exaggerated sketches. The art is alluring and children will love the style of the book. The drawings are complex and fascinating to see on the page. By the end of the book, it is full of beautiful colors that will explode of the page. 

In the classroom: 
This rhyming and rhythm book is fun for students to read. It would make for a great read a loud in class. The rhymes are predictable and engaging. The story is easy to follow and most students will love the silly story as it unfolds. It also encourages creativity and teaches about the parts of the body. 

We Belong Together, Parr / Realistic Fiction

Title: We Belong Together

Author/Illustrator: Todd Parr
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Ages: K/1st+

Summary:
A book for young children this story is about adoption and family. Parr acknowledges lots of questions and positive things that children receive about adoption. He demonstrates lots of different things that adopted families should talk about and helps readers understand that being adopted is a good thing. He displays many different types of families of all genders and parent structures. 

Illustrations:
Parr's unique art style is representative of art that a child could do. This helps students relate to the book. It is almost like they could make it themselves. This helps students connect with the content and be more open to the concepts presented in the book. He does a good job of using vibrant color and form to bring students into his images.

In the classroom: 
This book would be very nice to keep in the classroom especially if you knew there were students who had been adopted in your class. It sheds a positive light on something that could potentially be a bullying situation. I also think students who are not adopted could also enjoy this story book. It displays positive and encouraging information about all families. It spreads a message of love and self worth which is important for all students. 

Carla's Sandwich, Herman / Realistic Fiction

Title: Carla's Sandwich

Author: Debbie Herman

Illustrator: Sheila Bailey

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Ages: 2nd+

Summary:
This book is about a little girl named Carla who loves to be unique. Everyday she brings crazy and weird sandwiches to lunch. Her classmates tease her about her sandwiches and everyone refuses to try them. However, when their teacher announces a picnic all the children talk about their lunches until one boy realizes he has forgotten his lunch! Carla offers to share her sandwich and the boy is resistant at first, but once he takes a bite he falls in love! Then, all the students bring crazy lunches the next day. 

Illustrations:

Bailey's colorful and fun illustrations help readers imagine a real but interesting world where this school might be. Every character is unique and complex and it really feels like a real class. Carla's crazy sandwiches are fun and creative allowing for students to use their imaginations. 

In the classroom: 
Carla's Sandwich is about allowing children to be creative and different. The classmates finally accept and honor Carla's creativity in the end of the story. This is an important and fun lesson for students to learn. Every student should be encouraged and made to feel valid. This would be a great book to read to a class to discourage bullying and encourage creative thinking. 

Thank you, Mr. Falker, Polacco / Realistic Fiction

Title: Thank you, Mr. Falker

Author/Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Ages: 3rd+

Summary:
This story is about a young girl as she grows up through school. She cannot read and she learns tricks to get out of reading in class so no one can tease her. However, her classmates relentlessly tease her and make fun of her. She is bullied so much she begins to believe that she is stupid and unable to learn anything. Then a new teacher comes to school and with his help little Trisha is able to learn how to read after all. 

Illustrations:
Polacco illustrates this book with beautifully realistic drawings throughout the story. These images really bring life and emotion to the story. Her use of color and forms create dramatic and moving images that help readers connect strongly with the characters. 

In the classroom: 
A book like this carries a heavy message. It is important for students o read stories that encourage them and move them. This emotional story about a little girl learning to read in the face of so much confusion and criticism is important. Students will identify with the little girl and learn lessons about bullying, learning, and determination. They will see how hard work and compassionate help can help you accomplish any goal. 

Madeline, Bemelmans / Realistic Fiction

Title: Madeline

Author/Illustrator: Ludwig Bemelmans
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Awards: Caldecott Medal
Ages: 1st+

Summary:
Madeline is a little girl living in Paris, France with eleven other little girls and their caretaker. They go on many field trips and adventures and noting frightens Madeline. She faces tigers, mice, and many more interesting sights. It isn't until one rainy night when all the girls are in bed that something is not right. Madeline is ill and she must go to the hospital! Brave little Madeline still isn't scared and she has another adventure as she gets her appendix out. 

Illustrations:
Ludwig Bemelmans expressionist painting illustrations create a beautiful and abstract background for his lively characters. The book is brought to life by the vivid color used sparingly throughout the story. He uses a lot of yellow and sketch like drawings to create Madeline's world. 

In the classroom: 
Madeline is a popular and classic story of a brave little girl. Students of all ages and all grades could enjoy the adventures of Madeline. The rhyming and rhythmic story creates and encourages reading fluency making this a great book to have in the classroom. 

Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal, Park / Realistic Fiction

Title: Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal

Author: Barbara Park
Illustrator: Denise Brunkus
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Ages: 3rd +

Summary:
In this Junie B. Jones story, Junie is invited to a slumber party at her best friend, Lucille's house. Lucille live with her nanna at a very big and expensive house. Junie is excited to party with her friends but her parents tell her their are lots of rules to slumber parties! She must be polite and on her best behavior when she's a guest. Junie doesn't know how she is going to party and be on her best behavior all at once! 

Illustrations:
This small chapter book doesn't have a lot of illustrations besides the cover and a few pictures around chapter headers but they are sketches with ink. The illustrations illustrate the characters or important events to help readers comprehend important facts about the scenes. The covers are vibrant in color and illustrate Junie B. Jones' magnetic personality! 

In the classroom: 
This book is wonderful to have in the classroom especially for young readers. It is written with the style of language that real children use and think in. This is good for students learning to read and write to see this representation in published books. The stories are full of life and teach valuable lessons about school, friendship, and life as a young student. 

Pancakes, Pancakes!, Carle / Realistic Fiction

Title: Pancakes, Pancakes!

Author/Illustrator: Eric Carle
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Ages: 2nd +

Summary:
A story about a young man named Jack wanting pancakes for breakfast. His mother tells him he must help make the pancakes if he wants to eat them. So Jack sets out following his mother's instructions to gather the ingredients with help from many of the townspeople. Once he has collected them all his mother helps him put all the ingredients together and cook the pancakes up so they can eat. 

Illustrations:
Eric Carle illustrates this book in his famous college style. The pictures are colorful and vibrant. They illustrate the story and help readers understand everything that the text is explaining. The images are created out of many different colors and textures of tissue paper made by Eric Carle. 

In the classroom: 
This is an entertaining and also educational book for students. They could do many activities following the list like instructions of the mother's recipe for pancakes. This book also enforces the well mannered rule of helping others and pitching in to help for rewards. If Jack wants to eat pancakes he should help make them! 

Kitten's First Full Moon, Henkes / Realistic Fiction

Title: Kitten's First Full Moon

Author/Illustrator: Kevin Henkes
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Awards: Caldecott Medal
Ages: 1st+

Summary:
This story follows a young kitten as it adventures through the evening. The kitten mistakes the full moon for a bowl of milk in the sky and spends the evening trying to taste it. Her adventures led her to a small reflective pond where she accidentally jumps in. Cold and wet the kitten returns home to find a nice bowl of milk was set out for her on the porch all along. 

Illustrations:
The illustrations of this story are sketches that may have been done in ink or pencil. They are in black and white which give the book that evening or nighttime feeling. These illustrations help illustrate the story of this little kitten's wonder and amazement at the first full moon it's ever seen. 

In the classroom: 
This is a fun little book for students to read. It follows the curious kitten on a short but interesting adventure. I can imagine students enjoying this book as they see the kitten's instincts and actions. It has beautiful artwork that will interest students of all ages. 

The Dot, Reynolds / Realistic Fiction

Title: The Dot

Author/Illustrator: Peter H. Reynolds
Genre: Realistic Fiction 
Awards: The Christopher Award
Ages: 2nd +

Summary:
Vashti is in art class feeling defeated as she tells her art teacher that she just cannot draw. The teacher dares Vashti to make a mark, to try anything, on the paper. Vashti makes a small dot and signs her name. The art teacher hangs this drawing and encourages Vashti to continue making marks. Soon Vashti has a whole art gallery of her dots and even inspires those around her to make their marks as well. 

Illustrations:
Peter Reynolds illustrations in this book are all in black and white except for the beautiful dots of Vashti's art. I love this artistic choice. He really demonstrates his ability to create a world of ink sketched drawings illustrating Vashti and her school. The dot art is beautiful and shows how inspiring just a little bit of encouragement can be for young students. 

In the classroom: 
This book portrays a very inspiring situation that could be recreated in nearly any classroom. Vashti's teacher makes a mark in Vashti's life by inspiring her to try just as Reynolds says his teacher did. This book has a special message for every classroom that anyone can be an artist, all you have to do is try. It is an uplifting and encouraging story that could push every student who encounters it to try something new and look for beauty in everything they do. 

Mixed Me, Diggs / Multicultural

Title: Mixed Me!

Author: Taye Diggs
Illustrator: Shane W. Evans
Genre: Realistic Fiction (Multicultural)
Ages: 2nd+

Summary:
Mixed Me is a story about 'mixed up Mike'. Mike is explaining about how people call him mixed up because of his skin color. Mike has an african american father and a white or hispanic mother which means he is a very light skinned boy. He explains how children at his school don't understand why his parents don't match in his drawings and how his hair is so curly and wild. However, Mike is proud of his family and he loves that they are different races! 

Illustrations:
The illustrations of this story paint a beautiful mural of self love and portrays the culture of Diggs family. This was written and illustrated to display the beauty of mixed cultures and races. The illustrates illuminate the beauty of each characters differences and how diversity can be beautiful. 

In the classroom: 
I think this book would be essential for a modern day classroom. This story provides a wonderful message about the beauty of being different. Mike is a symbol of mixed race culture and how imperative it is that every child feels beautiful. He illustrates that every race is special and valuable no matter what! This is a book about loving one's self and one's culture which would be a beautiful message to have in the classroom! 

Circle Unbroken, Raven / Multicultural

Title: Circle Unbroken

Author: Margot Theis Raven
Illustrator: E.B. Lewis
Genre: Realistic Fiction (Multicultural)
Ages: 3rd +

Summary:
A story about a grandmother telling her grandmother a tale about the baskets they are weaving. As the child learns to weave a tight basket, her grandmother explains the history and culture of their family's basket traditions. She tells the story of a boy who learns to weave these tight baskets and how he grew up and was put on a slave ship and brought to a new world. The man then teaches all his children and the generations to come and now they are full circle. 

Illustrations:
The illustrations of this story are detailed paintings, that appear to be watercolors. They paint beautifully decorated and detailed scenes of the grandmother's story. This is a picture storybook as the paintings fuse with the text to create a visually stunning product and a complete experience. 

In the classroom: 
This multicultural story will entrance students with the tales of this family's history and culture. Most students will enjoy reading about the tradition of the basket weaving and how it traces back generations. A lot of student will identify with a culture or family tradition and enjoy exploring other traditions they may or may not be familiar with. 

Hairs/Pelitos, Cisneros & Ybanez / Multicultural

Title: Hairs/Pelitos 

Author: Sandra Cisneros
Illustrator: Terry Ybanez
Genre: Realistic Fiction (Multicultural)
Ages: 1st+

Summary:
A book from the point of view of a little girl who is exploring diversity within her home. She uses descriptive language to illustrate the different types of hair that she sees within her family and friends. This story celebrates the diversity found all around us. It is written in both Spanish and English so people of different languages may appreciate the storytelling aspects that prove the point that diversity is everywhere. 

Illustrations:
The illustrations of this story are collage based. They create a stitches together feel that is reminiscent of the theme of the story about our diversity coming together to create a wonderful world or in this case, a beautiful book.  

In the classroom: 
Students will be able to explore diversity through this multicultural story. It allows students to explore language differences through a story that is highlighting how our differences are beautiful and important. This story explores how a young girl sees the world and how she appreciates beauty in her family's differences. I believe that will really resonate with students. 

Harry Potter, Rowling & Kay / Novel

Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Philosopher's Stone in the UK). 

Author: J.K. Rowling
Illustrator: Jim Kay
Genre: Modern Fantasy (Novel)
Awards: N/A
Ages: 5th +

Summary:
This is the introduction to the wizarding world found in the world of Harry Potter. This first novel reveals Harry Potter as an orphan boy living in England with his mean aunt, uncle, and cousin. As he approaches the age of eleven, strange things begin to happen as he experiences his wizarding skills appearing. He receives a letter to Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardy and has a friend Hagrid help him prepare for school. Harry now must navigate the magical world as well as the issues that come with becoming a teenager. 

Illustrations:
This is a brand new edition of this novel now in picture storybook form. The illustrations by Jim Kay fuse with the novel and create a brand new experience elevated from the complex story of the novel.

In the classroom: 
Students will love this engaging novel about magic and fantasy. It also doubles as a wonderful coming of age story that is relatable and fun. The world of Harry Potter creates a home away from home for students to explore and adventure throughout their own experiences and love for the characters. This new illustrated novel will create a much more engaging and fulfilling experience for the readers as they will be able to see more clearly the world being described. 

Gregor the Overlander, Collins / Novel

Title: Gregor the Overlander
Author: Suzanne Collins 
(Cover) Illustrator: Daniel Craig
Genre: Modern Fantasy (Novel)
Awards: first runner-up for the Texas Bluebonnet Award
Ages: 5th grade +

Summary:
Gregor is a normal teen just living life until he falls down a grate in his old apartment building's laundry room. He's plunged into the Underland where he meets an plethora of characters all foretelling a prophecy that describes Gregor as the hero. He wants nothing to do with it until realizing it may be the only way to figure out the mystery of his father's disappearance. He sets out on an intense journey to help the Underlanders wage war as he uncovers his true destiny. 

Illustrations:
This novel does not have many illustrations except for the cover art which was done by actor, Daniel Craig. The art has now been changed to more high quality drawings and depictions of important scenes from the novels. 

In the classroom: 
This book is the first in a series of six books that may spark lifelong reading in students. This novel is engaging with high fantasy ideals mixed with the mundane life of a teenager. It has a way of captivating students and placing them directly in the scenes and plot of it's twisting tale. There are a wide variety of interesting characters and plots to keep students coming back for more. It is a good intro series to spark readers into reading chapter books. 

Wonder, Palacio / Special Needs

Title: Wonder
Author/Illustrator: R.J. Palacio
Genre: Realistic Fiction (Special Needs)
Awards: Texas Bluebonnet Award (master list)
Ages: 5th +

Summary:

This novel begins from August Pullman's point of view, a young boy born with severe facial deformaties that undergoes extensive surgery and hospital care. It follows him as he starts 5th grade at Beacher prep and documents his experiences with his family, his classmates, and his friends. It switches between his sister, her boyfriend, and his classmates point of views to show just how much a life can affect the surrounding community.  


Illustrations:
There are only a few illustrations throughout the book, mostly before chapters or during major plot points. These are soft sketches of characters or events that help explain and examine the story points.

In the classroom: 
This book greatly shows the mindset of a special needs student and how the community may receive them. August's physical deformaties do not hold him back in any way except in how others see and treat him. This is a wonderful book to give students to help them deepen their understanding of concepts such as kindness, loyalty, and friendships. 

The One and Only Ivan, Applegate / Newbery Award

Title: The One and Only Ivan
Author: Katherine Applegate
Illustrator: Patricia Castelao
Genre: Modern Fantasy 
Awards: Newbery Honor
Ages: 3rd/4th+

Summary:
Ivan is a silverback gorilla who spent his life in a glass enclosure at a shopping mall. He rarely misses his old life in the jungle as he has his friends, his art, and tv shows to keep him occupied. However, when a baby elephant named Ruby joins the crew he realizes how blind he's been. She helps Ivan to see their world in a whole new way. Ruby and Ivan's friendship blooms and tells a tell of perspectives and friendship.

Illustrations:
The illustrations for this novel are black and white and only highlight important characters or scenes from the book. These are to help better explain the events and appearances of the characters to help elevate the story. 

In the classroom: 
Students would love this fiction novel based on a real gorilla who lived. This allows the students to examine events from the animal's perspective and see the world with new eyes. A similar theme and idea that is played out in the novel itself. 

Charlotte's Web, White / Newbery Award

Title: Charlotte's Web
Author: E.B. White
Illustrator: Garth Williams
Genre: Modern Fantasy 
Awards: Newbery Honor
Ages: 5th+

Summary:
A story about Wilber, the runt of the litter, who finds a friend in Fern, the farmer's daughter. Fern cares for Wilber and they do everything together as he grows. When he's older, the farmer begins to feed him very well, plotting to take him to slaughter. Wilber enlists the help of a barn spider named Charlotte who helps make Wilber the most famous pig in town with her stunning web art. Wilber learns about friendship, trust, and loyalty in this family tale. 

Illustrations:
The book has lovely sketch type depictions of some of the farm life. They better illustrate some specific moments from the book to help the reader better understand what the author is describing. They're are not a lot of illustrations as this is a novel and not a picture book. 

In the classroom: 
This book is for older students looking to read an in depth story. A longer, less illustrated, and mildly mature story will engage young readers in a winding tale that teaches them important life lessons. This is a good book for students 4th-8th and so on. These students are in critical times where they are growing up and maturing and a book like this can help guide them.