The Story About Ping, Flack & Wiese / Traditional Literature

Title: The Story About Ping

Author: Marjorie Flack
Illustrator: Kurt Wiese
Genre: Traditional Literature
Awards: N/A
Ages: Kindergarten and up

Summary:
Ping was an adventurous duck who lived on a boat on the Yangtze River. He liked his life on the riverboat just and liked his large family and his kind master. He didn't like to be the last in line to board the boat at night, because that duck got a loud spank. So Ping set out on his own to explore the fascinating world of life on the Yangtze River.

Illustrations:
This story is filled with lovely illustrations all in a sepia or yellow toned colors. Smith's illustrations capture the comedy of the story and help the reader to see things in a new point of view by showing Alexander's side. 

In the classroom:
This book is one of the best traditional children's books because of its spirited hero and portrayal of a distant land and way of life. Every child can sympathize with a dawdling duck who wants to avoid a spanking, and share his excitement and wonder as he sails down the river.

The Story of Ferdinand, Leaf & Lawson / Traditional Literature

Title: The Story of Ferdinand

Author: Munro Leaf
Illustrator: Robert Lawson
Genre: Traditional Literature
Awards: 
Ages: 2nd grade and up

Summary:
All the other bulls would run and jump and butt their heads together. But Ferdinand would rather sit and smell the flowers. And he does just that, until the day a bumblebee and some men from the Madrid bullfights took him away to fight in bull fights. However, Ferdinand didn't want to fight, he wanted to sit and smell the flowers. So, he did just that until the matador got fed up and they took him back home. 

Illustrations:
Lawson's detailed drawings are wonderful. They capture the spirit of the culture and set a mood for the story. His depictions of Ferdinand sitting beneath the tree create a vivid character without having to make the animals too cartoon like. 

In the classroom:
Readers of all ages will enjoy Ferdinand. He is a classic character with a huge personality. The story itself holds a clear message that its important to be who you are. He never tries to be anything he is not and neither should the students. 

Twas The Night Before Christmas, Moore & Kirk / Traditional Literature

Title: Twas The Night Before Christmas

Author: Clement C. Moore
Illustrator: Daniel Kirk
Genre: Traditional Literature
Awards: N/A
Ages: Kindergarten and up

Summary:
This classic christmas tale is well known as the Santa Clause story. It follows a family as they lay down for bed until the father hears something outside. He rushes to the window to check it out. When he does he sees Santa and his sleigh with all the reindeer waiting. Santa appears inside and gives them their presents before getting back in his sleigh and moving on to the next house. 

Illustrations:

Daniel Kirk illustrates this classic tale with his own style. A sweet doll like Santa in modern clothing like a hat and scarf greet the readers. He portrays the tale with colorful vibrant drawings and accent coloring on important words throughout the story. 

In the classroom:
 This would be a wonderful seasonal book to have in the classroom. Most students have probably heard the story from family or friends. It would be nice to have them be able to read it for themselves in the classroom. 

The Mud Pony, Cohen & Begay / Traditional Literature

Title: The Mud Pony

Author(Retold): Caron Lee Cohen
Illustrator: Shonto Begay
Genre: Traditional Literature
Awards: N/A
Ages: 2nd grade and up

Summary:
This is the story of a young Native American boy who makes a pony from the mud around his home because he does not have a real one. One day while the boy is away, his parents cnnot find him and leave him alone. The boy is so sad and he dreams that his pony comes to life so he won't be alone. The mud pony does come to life and helps him find his parents. Then there is a war and the boy and the pony become great warriors and eventually the boy becomes chief. When he does not need the pony anymore, she is washed away except for the mud from which he made her as a sign that she will always be with him. 

Illustrations:
This book is beautifully illustrated by Shonto Begay. Shonto uses native american artwork to bring this story to life with the watercolor like paintings. The visuals help readers to better understand what is happening in the folk tale as sometimes it can be hard to follow. 

In the classroom:
Readers will enjoy reading this folk tale. It is a moving story about the Mother Earth spirit guiding the life of a future chief with his wish of a mud pony. It contains many elements of native american culture and is entertaining to read. 

Mole's Hill, Ehlert / Traditional Literature

Title: Mole's Hill: A Woodland Tale

Author/Illustrator: Lois Ehlert
Genre: Traditional Literature
Awards: N/A
Ages: Kindergarten and up

Summary:
Journey with Mole as she discovers, with the help of her friends, that there is more to life than one can see at first glance and that our dreams are within reach if we believe.

Illustrations:

These beautiful collage style art illustrations reflect the hispanic culture that the book is based upon. The art is beautiful and follows Mole as she encounters her friends and her dreams.

In the classroom:
A fun and entertaining book full of hope and inspiration. This book would be great for students in the classroom. They can encounter another culture's folklore, see a new art style, and experience the message that our dreams are always within reach. 

The Legend of the Poinsettia, dePaola / Traditional Literature

Title: The Legend of the Poinsettia

Author(Reteller)/Illustrator: Tomie dePaola
Genre: Traditional Literature
Awards: N/A
Ages: 1st Grade and up

Summary:
In Mexico, the poinsettia is called 'flor de la Nochebuenao' or 'flower of the Holy Night'. At Christmastime, the flower blooms and flourishes, the beautiful red stars lighting up the countryside. This Mexican legend tells how the poinsettia came to be, through a little girl's unselfish gift to the Christ Child. 

Illustrations:
His glorious paintings capture not only the brilliant colors of Mexico and its art, but also the excitement of the children preparing for Christmas and the hope of Lucida, who comes to see what makes a gift truly beautiful.

In the classroom:
This is a beautiful and fun seasonal book for a classroom. This is based on the Mexican legend of the poinsettia and how it came to blossom. It is a story of sacrifice and kindness. This is great for young readers to be entertaining but to also teach them a valuable lesson about giving. 

Paul Bunyan, Kellogg / Traditional Literature

Title: Paul Bunyan

Author(Reteller)/Illustrator: Steven Kellogg
Genre: Traditional Literature
Awards: N/A
Ages: 1st grade and up

Summary:
A traditional folk tale about an American legend, Paul Bunyan. It is said that he was the biggest baby ever to be born in Maine.As he grew up big and strong he began to help shape this country. He dug up all the great lakes. He dug out the grand canyon and formed all the mountains. He did all this with the help of his trusty blue ox, Babe. 

Illustrations:
Kellogg creates a joyful and dun illustration pattern throughout the book. He really helps to set the mood of the story by using such fun color and texture in his illustrations that bring the characters to life.

In the classroom:
Paul Bunyan is a classic american story. It is a part of the history and culture of the United States of America. It is good for students to be exposed to folktales, especially ones that reflect the country that they live in. 

The Little Red Hen, Galdone / Traditional Literature

Title: The Little Red Hen

Author(Reteller)/Illustrator: Paul Galdone
Genre: Traditional Literature
Awards: N/A
Ages: 1st grade and up

Summary:
The little red hen is a busy little hen. She asks the dog, the cat, and her other friends to help her plant the wheat, water the seeds, or grind the wheat. None of them will help her and they all say the same thing, 'Not I.' This is a cautionary tale about reaping what you sow. No one helps her make the cake out of the wheat, so she gets to eat the cake herself. She worked hard, so she got to play hard. 

Illustrations:
Galdone makes beautiful paint and wash illustrations through out the book. The animals are realistic but somehow still cute. He depicts these situations with beautiful bright colors and lovely backgrounds of color as well. 

In the classroom:
This cautionary tale is to warn children about the importance of hard work. One will reap what they sow. So if a reader never does any work, they will have nothing to show for their time. This may be an important lesson a teacher could teach for students. 

Little Red Riding Hood, Scharthyman / Traditional Literature

Title: Little Red Riding Hood

Author(reteller)/illustrator: Trina Scharthyman
Genre: Traditional Literature
Awards: Caldecott Honor (1984)
Ages: 1st grade and up

Summary:
This is the story of little red riding hood who is a young girl who takes a journey through the woods looking for her grandmothers house. However, she meets a big bad wolf along the way who cuts her off and eats her grandma. Then she too is gobbled up by the wolf. Thankfully, a huntsman comes by and frees them both from the wolf. 

Illustrations:
This book has beautiful illustrations. The colors are gorgeous and have a storybook element to them. The illustrations were so lovely that they won a Caldecott Honor in 1984. The illustrations follow little red as she meets the wolf tries to escape him. 

In the classroom:
Little red riding hood is a classic literary tale. It is a cautionary tale about staying on the path and being careful around strangers. These are good messages to send to young readers who may come across this book. 

The True Story of The Three Little Pigs, Scieszka & Smith / Traditional Literature

Title: The True Story of The 3 Little Pigs!

Author: Jon Scieszka
Illustrator: Lane Smith
Genre: Traditional Literature
Awards: Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award for Picture Book (1992)
Ages: 1st grade and up

Summary:
The classic story of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf is reimagined in this book. It follows Alexander Wolf, a friendly wolf and neighbor to the three little pigs. He claims that he was simply trying to borrow a cup of sugar and had a bad case of the sneezes. The pigs framed him and he was really not such a bad guy after all. 

Illustrations:
This story is filled with lovely illustrations all in a sepia or yellow toned colors. Smith's illustrations capture the comedy of the story and help the reader to see things in a new point of view by showing Alexander's side. 

In the classroom:
This is a fun book for the classroom. It is always fun for readers to see a classic story retold in a new way. The change in perspective for this story creates a whole new world of possibilities. Students will no doubt enjoy this twisted tale that's anything but traditional now. 

The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Selznick / Historical Fiction

Title: The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Author/Illustrator: Brian Selznick
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Caldecott Medal (2008), Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Children's Literature (2008), Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award Nominee (2009), Flicker Tale Children's Book Award (2009), Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2009)
Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis Nominee for Kinderbuch (2009), Iowa Children's Choice Award (2010), Boston Author's Club Young Reader Award (2008), NAIBA Book of the Year for Children's Literature (2007), National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature (2007)
Ages: 4th grade and up

Summary:
Hugo Cabret is an orphan who lives in a Paris train station. He lives there in secret, stealing food and hiding within the walls. One day, he tangles with a young girl who sparks his interest and a mean old man who runs a toy shop. A crazy adventure is thrust upon him as he unravels secret messages from his deceased father about his life's work and uncovers the secrets of the old man. 

Illustrations:

This book is probably 50% illustration. Beautiful and highly details sketch like drawings fill the pages painting the world around Hugo. An entire world exists within the book in words and pictures. It is a fusion of text and art that creates a unique experience. 

In the classroom:
I adore this book personally. I love the way it fuses the art into the story. It creates such an interesting experience for the reader. Students of all ages will enjoy reading this book and becoming tangled in the mysteries and history of Hugo's life. It reveals itself as historically accurate and becomes packed with interesting information. 

Morning Girl, Dorris / Historical Fiction

Title: Morning Girl

Author: Michael Dorris
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Scott O'Dell Award (1993), Booklist Editors' Choice, Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (1994)
Ages: 3rd grade and up

Summary:
This story follows the life of a young native american girl called, 'morning girl', and her brother, 'star boy'. This book discusses their daily life along with their culture as native americans. The good times and the bad times are depicted within this small chapter book until it is revealed at the end that this is all leading up to the invasion by Christopher Columbus by a journal entry at the end. 

Illustrations:

This book does not have illustrations. It is a chapter book. However, the cover depicts a young native american girl swimming and we are lead to believe that is 'morning girl'. The painting of her portrays her as young, pretty, and happy. 

In the classroom:
This book is perfect for students to read. It is a short and easy to read chapter book. This is about Native American culture and describes their lives in great detail. This would be a great addition to a classroom and resource for learning. 

Gaijin: American Prisoner of War, Faulkner / Historical Fiction

Title: Gaijin: American Prisoner of War

Author/Illustrator: Matt Faulkner
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: N/A
Ages: 2nd grade and up

Summary:
Koji Miyamoto is half white and half Japanese growing up in the WWII era. He quickly finds out that his home in San Francisco is suddenly not as friendly. The attack on Pearl Harbor leaves Americans harboring ill will towards the Japanese, even the Japanese-Americans! Koji is even sent to an internment camp. There he learns that being half white at the camp is just as difficult as being half Japanese on the streets of an American city during WWII.

Illustrations:

Faulkner's brilliant colorful and bright illustrations lead readers on a unique journey through the tale of Koji's life. His illustrations bring the story to life, portraying Koji in a relatable and endearing way. 

In the classroom:
This is a wonderful story that is early to read for early readers and yet packed with history. Most students might not even know about the American internment camps or the details of WWII. It is necessary for readers to be exposed to all sorts of American history. 

Johnny Tremain, Forbes & Ward / Historical Fiction

Title: Johnny Tremain

Author: Esther Forbes
Illustrators: Lynd Ward
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Newbery Medal (1944)
Ages: 4th grade and up

Summary:
Johnny Tremain, a young apprentice silversmith, is caught up in the danger and excitement of 1775 Boston, just before the Revolutionary War. But even more gripping than living through the drama of Revolutionary Boston is the important discovery Johnny makes in his own life.

Illustrations:

This book does not have pictures through out. The cover was illustrated by Lynd Ward who depicts Johnny Tremain riding through the colonial streets on horseback. He looks daring and wild like how one might imagine the sons of liberty to be. 

In the classroom:
I always enjoyed this book personally. The story of Johnny Tremain is well-known despite him being a fictional character and not actually a part of American history. This book would be great for students to experience a point of view of a young person during the time of the revolution. 

Henry's Freedom Box, Levine & Nelson / Historical Fiction

Title: Henry's Freedom Box

Author: Ellen Levine
Illustrators: Kadir Nelson
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Caldecott Honor (2008), Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award for Grades 3-6 (2010), Comstock Read Aloud Honor Book (2008)
Ages: 2nd grade and up

Summary:
Henry was a slave. He dreamed for a very long time of being a free man. He worked very hard as a slave and grew up big and strong. He married and started a family while he was still a slave. Unfortunately, that meant his family could be sold without his permission. Henry had to do something. He stole a crate from where he worked and came up with a plan. Henry was going to mail himself to the North so he could be a free man. 

Illustrations:
The paintings by Nelson in this book are breathtaking. The illustrations truly capture the mood of the book. The illustrations portray Henry as a strapping young man and reflect the hardships he endured true to life. 

In the classroom:
This is an inspiring and captivating tale of a man's desperation for freedom and justice. I think readers of all ages will enjoy reading about Henry's life. This book is full of hope and readers should be exposed to the hardships of this history so they can be better informed. 

Separate Is Never Equal, Tonatiuh / Historical Fiction

Title: Seperate Is Never Equal

Author:  Duncan Tonatiuh
Illustrators: Marc Lizano & Greg Salsedo
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Sibert Honor (2015), Américas Award (2015), Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award (2015), Pura Belpré Award Nominee for Illustration (2015)
Ages: 2nd grade and up

Summary:
This is a retelling of the story of Sylvia Mendez and her family who fought for equal opportunities and integration of schools for Mexican Americans. This story follows her life and hr fathers actions as they moved to Westminster, California and were unable to attend a good school because of their race. After a long fight, they finally won the case in the Court of Appeals and integration of schools became lawful. 

Illustrations:
Tonatiuh illustrates his book with a very specific style of Mexican art. The ears and positions of character models suggest a Mayan style art theme. It is beautiful and helps illustrate the importance of heritage and how it is not something to be ashamed of. 

In the classroom:
This book would be good for students so they may see what it is to be different and not equal. They can see how hard others fought for their opportunities so they can appreciate what they have. This is a wonderful book about the not so distant past. 

The Case for Loving, Alko & Qualls / Historical Fiction

Title: The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage

Author:  Selina Alko
Illustrators: Sean Qualls & Selina Alko
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: N/A
Ages: 2nd grade and up

Summary:
This story fallows a young interracial couple as they grow up and fall in love. The pair want to gte married but it is illegal in Virginia in 1958. They get married in Washington D.C. where it is legal. However, upon coming home to live in Virginia they are arrested for unlawful cohabitation. They must move away in order to stay married. In 1966, the couple hire lawyers and take their case to the supreme court where the court rules in their favor making interracial marriage legal. 

Illustrations:
The pairing of Alko and Qualls illustration styles is a very pleasing result. The paintings look almost like collage the way they are styled. The book is cover to cover illustration with beautiful art surrounding the realistic scenes and characters. 

In the classroom:
This story would be great for students to read to learn about the history of race relations. It is a story of love and hope. This is the not too distant past being described for readers. It is important that things like this are shown and exposed to students so they may better understand modern issues. 

The Matchbox Diary, Fleischman & Ibatoulline / Historical Fiction

Title: The Matchbox Diary

Author: Paul Fleischman
Illustrators: Bacram Ibatoulline
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Vermont's Picture Book Awards: Red Clover Nominee (2015)
Ages: 3rd grade and up

Summary:
A young girl is exploring her grandfather's shop with him when she asks to hear a story about an old cigar box she finds. Her grandfather explains that inside is his diary, the diary of someone who didn't know how to read or write for a long time. The matchboxes inside the box are full of items, each one containing a special memory, that he shares with his granddaughter. He tells the story of his childhood as an immigrant and how he came to work in the shop he is in to this day.  

Illustrations:
Ibatoulline's illustrations look as if they could walk off the page. He creates a doll house like reality in his illustrations. The paintings are realistic and lively as the story unfolds. He has black and white sketches of old things in the past on some pages and the colorful reality of the present day on other pages. 

In the classroom:
This is a very interesting book to have in the class. It sheds light on a part of history that is exciting and interesting to learn about. Immigrants are a huge part of America's history and learning about them is important for young readers. This is a great book with eloquent writing and beautiful images to help young readers stay engaged. 

Hidden, Dauvillier & Lizano & Salsedo / Historical Fiction

Title: Hidden: A Child's Story of the Holocaust

Author:  Loic Dauvillier
Illustrators: Marc Lizano & Greg Salsedo
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Batchelder Award Nominee (2015), Sydney Taylor Book Award for Older Readers (2015)
Ages: 3rd grade and up

Summary:
This graphic novel is the story of a Parisian grandmother sharing the memories of her childhood to her granddaughter in Paris. As a young jewish girl, she endured many hardships and saw many things. Her parents were taken away to concentration camps and her neighbors and friends did their best to hide her away. The story is of her years in hiding and all that she did to survive with the help of her loved ones. The story has a happy ending of her being reunited with her mother at the end of the story. 

Illustrations:
Marc Lizano is the main illustrator who created the outlines for all the illustrations in this book and did a wonderful job of creating imaginative scenes and characters. Greg Salsedo then came as the secondary illustrator to fill these scenes and characters with life. He inked all the color and extra story into the pages. 

In the classroom:
I think this book is great for young readers. This story is full of determination, hope, and history that all students should be exposed too. I think this book is a fantastic example of the history of the holocaust and could benefit any lesson or collection. 

Players In Pigtails, Corey & Gibbon / Historical Fiction

Title: Players In Pigtails

Author:  Shana Corey
Illustrator: Rebecca Gibbon
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: N/A
Ages: 1st grade and up

Summary:
This book follows Katie Casey a young woman who wasn't happy sitting on the sidelines. She was a young woman in the 1940s when woman's baseball had been nothing but an idea. She was a star player for the Comets. This story follows her life and weaves a tale of how the woman's baseball league got started and how they showed everyone how it was done.

Illustrations:
Gibbon's beautiful illustrations of the girls and scenery are done in crayons. These bright and colorful pages reflect the inspirational and fun mood of the story. She does a wonderful job of communicating the events and facts in a fun and entertaining way.  

In the classroom:
This is a wonderful book to have in a classroom. The stories are fun and inviting and all based in accurate facts. Readers may enjoy this book and be inspired to read more about the woman's baseball league and how it all got started. This book is especially fun for young girls who may be inspired to follow their dreams now matter what anyone says, just like these ladies in the story do. 

Around the World on Eighty Legs: Animal Poems, Gibson & Salmieri / Poetry

Title: Around the World on Eighty Legs: Animal Poems

Author:  Amy Gibson
Illustrator: Daniel Salmieri
Genre: Poetry
Awards: N/A
Ages: 1st grade and up

Summary:
A fun filled, fact packed, and pun heavy collection of animal poems awaits readers in this book. Poems about yaks, whales, rhinos, and more are all accounted for in this silly book. Readers will adore this book about a variety of different animals and the fun facts included in every poem.

Illustrations:
These illustrations are as factual as they are fun. Every animal is drawn in a colorful sketch that shows its real, if not a little cartoonish, demeanor. These visuals help create knowledge for the reader so they can learn more about these animals than alone with just the poems. 

In the classroom:
A poetry collection could benefit from this fun book. It is a great collection of poetry and the animal theme is silly and fun. These poems are all easy to read and create wonderful imagery. The puns and silly sayings will delight readers of all ages and any gender.