Adventures in Reading

By Josh Funk

Illustrated by Sara Palacios

Picture Book

Published in 2018 by Viking Books for Young Readers.

By Dave Eggers

Illustrated by Shawn Harris

Picture Book

Published in 2017 by Chronicle Books.

Eggers’ look at the Statue of Liberty from her history, construction, and symbolism in America and the world is written in a conversational style that is likely to engage young readers ages six to nine that the book is targeted toward.

Though long for a picture book at 106 pages, the book is not overly text heavy. With a maximum of five sentences per page, Harris’ construction paper and India ink artwork create the pacing and flow for readers to follow the story of how the Statue of Liberty came to be. In fact, when Eggers pauses to reflect on the central point of the book - the statue’s feet - there are no pictures.

This pause provides a turning point to talk about how the feet of the Statue of Liberty are often overlooked, but they depict her mid-stride. Eggers theorizes that it is the movement and action that should remind us that liberty and freedom are an ongoing pursuit - one that requires constant action.

By Kay Frydenborg

Nonfiction

Published in 2015 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Between the title and cover art of a chocolate bar, readers will expect Chocolate to be a treat for their reading pleasure. It may not deliver on that front. Frydenborg provides a dry, textbook of the history, and to a lesser extent the science of chocolate. The text is informative, however, and will lead readers to question what they thought they knew about the confection.

Over 256 pages, we are told the history of Theobroma cacao in the Amazon through Mesoamerican cultures and the globalization of the chocolate trade once the conquistadors landed in the Americas. From the Olmecs and the Aztecs onward, we learn of chocolate’s storied past and reliance on slave labor for cultivation. A labor-intensive process for which the world’s hunger only grows. Frydenborg points out that the human rights issues surrounding chocolate production are not, however, a thing of the past. Most recently, the candy industry has committed to stop using child slave labor to produce chocolate by 2020. Whether this deadline will be met is yet to be seen. After agreeing in 2001 to end the practice by 2005, the industry has continually missed their self-imposed deadlines.

By Veera Hiranandani

Historical Fiction

Published in 2018 by Dial Books for Young Readers.

Over 272 pages, Hiranandani crafts the story of Nisha and her family’s perilous departure from the only home she has ever known to the “New India” that awaits them on the other side of the partition created by political leaders in the wake of independence from British rule.

In 1947 it was unusual for Nisha to have a father who was Hindu and a mother who was Muslim. When her mother dies in childbirth, Nisha and her brother are cut off from half of their relatives and are raised Hindu. Because of this, they and all of their Hindu neighbors must leave what has become Pakistan. In India, many Muslims are also forced to leave. Having never known her mother, 12-year-old Nisha begins writing a diary in the form of letters to her mother. The diary spans four turbulent months in the protagonist’s life.

Aimed at children ages eight to 12, this story is one that I wish could be used for curriculum support. However, this is a place and time that is not given much significance in K-12 classrooms. The sense of adventure, suspense, and danger that Hiranandani creates is a pleasure to read and one that many children are sure to enjoy in their independent reading pursuits or on a summer reading list.

Edited by Chris Duffy

Graphic Novel

Published in 2013 by First Second.

This 126-page full-color graphic novel features the work of 19 different cartoonists, each providing their own version of 17 classic folk and fairy tales. The stories are adapted from 1001 Nights, Bre’r Rabbit, the Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, and English, Japanese, and Russian folktales. Some stay close to the original tales, while others provide a more modern take. Readers may have varying levels of familiarity with the stories included in this book.

Aimed at children ages six to 12, this book will appeal to children who read it independently or one-on-one with a parent. The dark nature of some of the Brothers Grimm tales may not be appropriate for children younger than this age range.

By Jack Prelutsky

Illustrations by Carin Berger Picture Book

Published in 2006 by Greenwillow Books.

Jack Prelutsky brings odd chimeras to life in this collection of poems about animals crossed with household items. Through clever use of rhyme, humor, and imagery, children will be drawn into the descriptions of creatures such as the “alarmadillos,” “shoehornets,” and “pop-up toadsters.”  The 32-page picture book features 17 of Prelutsky’s poems.

By Paul Goble

Picture Book

Published in 1978 by Bradbury Press.

A Native American folktale of a girl who loves horses so much that she is invited to live with the wild horses that roam the plains. Targeted at children ages five to eight, this 1979 Caldecott Medal-winning book features detailed pen and ink drawings. The vivid imagery connects the reader to the tale. Over 32 pages we see the girl with her people, and how different her world looks away from the tipis once she joins the horses. The tale ends with the insinuation that after many years the girl becomes a horse herself.

Selected by Wade Hudson

Illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Picture Book

Published in 1993 by Scholastic, Inc.

A collection of poems by Gwendolyn Brooks, Nikki Giovanni, Eloise Greenfield, Langston Hughes, and Lessie Jones Little, among others that speaks to the African-American experience. As noted in the introduction, poetry is so closely tied to oral tradition, that it is a fitting way to augment the storytelling, music, and traditions of African-Americans that have been passed from generation to generation orally.

This 32-page picture book includes beautiful oil on board paintings to accompany the poems, many of which are of African-American children playing. The poems include a variety of styles and rhymes, though most are short. Thematically, many of these poems will be relatable to all children. However, the general message of perseverance is especially important for minority children to hear, particularly in the stated age range of four to eight-years-old.

By Ed Young

Picture Book

Published in 1989 by Philomel Books.

Winner of the 1990 Caldecott Medal. This 32-page picture book uses dark, shadowy watercolor images to evoke a sense of danger of what may lay in the shadows when their grandmother unexpectedly comes to visit three young girls. Though they cannot see her in the dark, the girls realize the grandmother isn’t who she says, but a hungry wolf. The girls find ways to outsmart the wolf and ensure their safety. The book’s pacing is aided by the pictures. On most pages, they are divided into three parts, with one larger one forming the main focus, and the two smaller parts providing context.

By Norman Bridwell

Scholastic Level 1 Reader

Published in 2011 by Scholastic, Inc.

A beloved pet since 1963, Clifford the big, red dog and his owner, Emily Elizabeth are childhood favorites. In Clifford Goes to the Doctor, we see how Clifford’s visits to the vet have changed over the years. From a small puppy to a comically large 25-foot tall dog, Clifford finds unusual ways to get the necessary care he needs.

Using only one or two sentences per page and easy to decode words, this 32-page book is a good fit for early readers. The colorful illustrations provide a humorous take on the story, as we see the dog can no longer fit inside the vet’s office and needs to be weighed at a truck weigh station.

By Anne Schreiber

National Geographic Kids Level 2

Published in 2008 by National Geographic Partners. This nonfiction easy reader is aimed at children ages five to eight with a stated target of those reading independently. This book, though informative, may be challenging for children to understand as independent readers without context. The small font and eye-catching graphics make it difficult for children to focus on the science behind volcanoes. The book is broken up into chapters, with each spread as a new chapter. This may be best suited for use alongside a classroom unit on volcanoes or read one section at a time. The chapters are good dividers for the text as there is no narrative arc for the book as a whole.

By Angela Royston

Photography by Richard Leeney

DK Readers Level 1

By Victoria Kann

I Can Read! Level 1 Reader

Published in 2011 by HarperCollins.

This 32-page book is aimed at young girls ages four to eight. It is a story of honesty, friendship, and forgiveness - themes that apply to children in general, not just girls.  Though the book is labeled as a level one reader, the vocabulary may be a bit challenging for those just beginning to read. The pictures and characters may be engaging, but the typeface is smaller than one might expect and the word length may be more suitable for more experienced readers, in particular, some of the words invented by Kann for Pinkalicious’s world such as “pinkerrific.”

By Phil Roxbee Cox

Illustrated by Stephen Cartwright

Picture Book

By Jane E. Gerver

Illustrated by Priscilla Burris

Hello Reader! Level1 Early Reader

Published in 2001 by Scholastic, Inc., The Big Red Sled is an early reader book, featuring limited vocabulary to build confidence in beginning readers to decode words independently. The book uses short, declarative sentences and simple rhymes to draw young readers into the story of a young bear named Fred who loves his sled. The book is aimed at children ages three to six-years-old. With its use of short words that can be sounded out, The Big Red Sled is ideal for very early readers, whenever they begin on the journey to reading. Featuring only a few lines per page, children will be able to finish the book in a single sitting.